Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Its Catalysts and Unhealthy Results Essay

The body has acted as the playground of beauty. Many individuals have experimented with their bodies in order for them to look and feel good, mainly influenced by media and backed up by vanity. However, this constant experimentation has created an unusual obsession towards making their bodies look better. False perception of beauty has created an unlikely habit which seems to cost some individuals’ lives. False Imagery of the body seems to have been influenced by media, has also created a â€Å"role model†, and resulted in unhealthy eating habits. Western Media covers almost the entire world and accompanied by the internet, their reach might continue to grow. Western television shows, movies, magazines, and other related media conveyed their perception of beauty. Western media has dominated much of the third world countries’ local media; hence, the influences of Western media on beauty can be most evident within this group. The result was a distortion of their o perception of beauty. Here is a good example coming from the reading: â€Å"Fijians revere a body†¦features that show that the body is strong, hard-working, and healthy†¦Thinness†¦was seen as some kind of social loss or neglect† (McClelland par. 7-8). This was the Fijian’s original perception of beauty when their government announced the installation of a television network which included western programs. Years later, this perception suddenly changed. However, the influence of western media acts only as step one to adopting the changes in perception. Step two is when the individual accepts these changes. Hence, it naturally falls as the individual’s choice. On the other hand, western media has still created a false imagery of beauty which dominated the other culture’s perception on the subject. This may have resulted to the creation of a greater rift between two or more ethnic groups. The United States boasts a diverse population which can be separated into different ethnic groups—white Americans somewhat making up the majority. Whites—especially women—dominate western media; hence, this enabled them to be the â€Å"role models† in terms of beauty. Among the minority groups, many have tried to make their selves look like their favorite celebrities and personalities from the western media; trying to look thin and white which for them, defined sexy. They simply felt insecure with the way they look and how others reacted: â€Å"†¦put white baby powder on my cheeks just to look white,† which was said by a 19-year old South African, East Indian girl (McClelland par. 11). Insecurity on her God-given physique has made her act this way. The whites may seem to be the perfect â€Å"role models. † However, there are a lot of potential role models from the minor ethnic groups that can be equally beautiful, sexy, and sophisticated when compared to the white role model. Members of the minority need a role model of their own in order to avoid the mishaps of eating disorders and other illnesses—paranoia, insecurity, and vanity are just some. Unhealthy eating habits are a result of a person’s insecurity with his or her own body—usual eating disorder patients were women. There are two types of eating disorders: (1) Anorexia (self-starvation) and (2) Bulimia (induced vomiting). Both were equally regarded as a dangerous habit, especially the latter. From some distorted perspective, many still perform such acts in order to look good—being thin is considered sexy. A woman performing these acts may appear sexy, which does not seem to wrong. However, the sacrifice that she had to make can be seen as an act of desperation. Not only that, these two habits can damage the body’s system which can be fatal when not cured. The influence of the western media seems too powerful to counter-influence it. The ethnic disparities may continue to grow and the anorexic and bulimic might remain the same. However, I believe that there is still a way to change the habits of the old and replace these distorted images with ones that would not affect the way people live. Works Cited McClelland, Susan. (August 14, 2000). â€Å"Distorted Images. † Maclean’s.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Mr. Everest Case Analysis

†¢ The leaders, the guides and the Sherpa assistants discovered the business opportunity in guiding clients to the summit. †¢ Since Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world and is a symbol of overcoming difficulties to fulfill the dream, most of the clients wanted to conquer it, especially when some of them (mountain climbers) failed to push to the summit before. †¢ Jon Krakauer, from Outside magazine, had a special agreement with Hall. He regarded the opportunity as a â€Å"free lunch†. †¢ Sandy Pittman, also worked in the media industry, joined the expedition in order to give daily web reports to NBC. Gammelgaard wanted to become the first Scandinavian woman to reach the summit. †¢ Other clients like Adams and Madsen, chose it because they enjoyed the struggle of the upward of life and they believed that this was what life mean and what life was for. b. What type of person tries to ascend the world’s tallest mountain? †¢ The type of person who tries to ascend Mt. Everest with extremely strong willingness to challenge themselves, good physical fitness, well-trained climbing skills and perseverance. c. What personal Qualities does it take to succeed? Strong willingness to reach the summit, perseverance, good team spirit, problem solving skills, positive attitude, and avoid making the same mistakes. d. Do you see any similarities between a high-altitude mountain climber and an MSB? †¢ Yes. The personal qualities listed above are also important for an MSB student if he/she wishes to achieve business success in the future. But strong willingness should be the willingness to help enterprises achieve sustainable growth and leverage business as a powerful tool to contribute to society. e. Based upon this analysis, can you draw any conclusion about the dangers that may lie ahead for you in pursuit of your career objective? †¢ The dangers that may lie ahead include making wrong decisions again and again, encountering unexpected changes or crisis, failing to deal with conflicts, lacking team spirit, declining good advice. 2. Causes of the Tragedy a. What caused this tragedy? †¢ Human errors, including recruiting clients without high-altitude experience, ordering insufficient oxygen supplements and taking antiquated radios, caused the tragedy. Flawed characteristics in human nature caused this tragedy. Having many experiences in climbing Mt. Everest made Hall and Fischer unwilling to accept others’ advice. Each client thought and acted for his/her own. †¢ Unexpected weather changes also caused this tragedy. b. What types of mistaken judgments and choices did the climbers make? †¢ The leaders recruited climbers with no high-altitude experience. †¢ The leaders and the clients were not well prepared for the expedition. Fischer did not order enough oxygen supplements and did not have a plan B for the logistics problem of his order. Many clients did not get high-altitude climbing training before the experience. †¢ The leaders did not provide opportunities for guides to participate in decision-making. Fischer preferred Hall’s suggestion instead of Boukreev’s. †¢ Did not accept the advice from others. Topche ignored Fischer’s suggestion and insisted to climb. Fischer did not listen to the advice of Boukreev about the possible weather change on the way from Camp 2 to Camp 3. †¢ Made the wrong decision again and again. Harris made a critical error in assuming that there was no supplemental oxygen remained at the South Summit. Bad time management skills. Hall and Fischer stressed the importance of turning back but neither settled on an exact turnaround time. †¢ Some clients only thought about themselves. Pittman should have turned around instead of placing an overwhelming burden on Jangbu. c. Consider your own business experiences for a moment. What causes people to ignore rules in organizations? Why do individuals find it so difficult to ignore sunk cost? †¢ Not being aware of rules, lack of supervision, lack of appropriate punishment, insufficient education causes people to ignore rules in organizations. Because individuals already have spent time and money on a project. It is so difficult for people to ignore their efforts even though the efforts are invalid or the dream cannot come true. d. Did these teams function effectively? Why or why not? †¢ No. †¢ They didn’t work as a team. Each client acted for his/ her own goods. †¢ Team leaders made repeating wrong decisions. By Hall’s requirement, the guides waited over an hour for the clients before moving to the Balcony. That made them late for the timeline. †¢ When the guide Harris made a critical error, no one paid attention to his physical condition and gave him help. Team leaders had bad time management skills and didn’t stick to the turn around time. e. What is your evaluation of Fischer and Hall as team leaders? †¢ I would consider them as unsuccessful team leaders not because they failed to lead the team to reach the summit, but because they made several critical errors. A successful team leader should provide opportunity for others in decision-making, accept constructive advice, have good time management skills, good communication skills and be able to lead his team members. †¢ Despite this, Fischer and Hall both have high-altitude experience and are responsible for their clients and teammates. . Are we being a bit too hard on Hall and Fischer? Might tragedies such as this one simply be inevitable on the slopes of Everest? †¢ Yes, I think we are being a bit too hard on Hall and Fischer. Multiple elements caused the tragedy, such as weather, human error and unexpected crisis. People cannot imagine what will happen during the summit bid. People can never be fully prepared for the unexpected changes. That is why climbing Mt. Everest is so dangerous. g. Having conducted all this analysis what would you conclude is the root cause of the catastrophe? †¢ I think the root cause of the catastrophe was human error. Although unexpected weather change was another key cause of the tragedy, team members, especially the leaders and the guides, should have been aware of the possible weather change and make the right decision. When they failed to follow the summit timeline, they should have turned around instead of continuing. h. Can we identify a root cause? Why or why not? †¢ Yes. In any case, there must be some factors that have more influence on the result than other. So we can identify a root cause. i. Does the notion of system complexity apply in this case? In what ways did complex interactions and tight coupling characterize these expeditions? Yes, the notion of system complexity applies in this case. Each small mistake made by the leaders tended to relate with each other and finally came to a chain reaction that led to the tragedy. These are the complex interactions that happened in these expeditions. Both leaders set up a rigid timeline and did not provide opportunity for other experienc ed guides to participate in decision-making. When an unexpected crisis came, there were no flexible areas to change the plan in the timeline. These are the tight coupling characterize in these expeditions. 3. Constructive Dissent and Psychological Safety a. What factors created a climate in which people felt uncomfortable expressing dissent and engaging in a candid exchange of ideas and opinions? †¢ The leaders did not provide opportunity to others in decision making. †¢ Other teammates did not have professional experience in high-altitude mountain climbing. †¢ Lack of teamwork and trust between team members. b. Moving beyond Everest, what factors might inhibit constructive dissent in organizations? †¢ The manager does not provide others an opportunity in participating in decision-making. †¢ The manager treats people unfairly. †¢ Bad teamwork and lack of trust between colleagues inhibit good advice. . Is dissent always appropriate? Under what conditions do leaders want to encourage dissent? When should they strive to discourage dissent? †¢ No. The dissent is constructive and is raised to the managers at a proper time and place. †¢ When the dissent has destructive effect on employees and company, t he leaders should discourage it. 4. Lessons for Business Leaders a. What are the lessons for business leaders from our analysis of this tragedy? †¢ Business leaders should avoid being bossy and inaccessible to employees. It is significant to encourage and accept constructive dissent from others. They should be aware that their words and actions might have great influence on the employees. †¢ They should provide equal opportunities to employees. †¢ They should avoid making the same mistakes again and again. b. Drawing on your own experiences, can you identify a situation in which some of the factors contributed to an organizational failure? How might you take corrective action to prevent that situation from occurring once again? †¢ We failed to organize a graduation trip for the whole college. We did not do research in a large scale, prepare a practical plan or to provide several options. If given the second chance, I would take several steps to avoid the organizational failure. First, I would str ess the importance of this trip to everyone, and find out an exact date that would work for everyone. Then I would do a survey on the place, the period and the price preferences of the students. After that, I would list several options for students. Lastly, I would try to find out the reason that a student declined the offer and improve the travelling plan. c. What qualities make Hall and Fischer great mountaineers? Are these the same attributes required to lead an effective team? Does this same tension exist in business organizations? †¢ Lots of practice, perseverance, good physical fitness, well-trained climbing skills and strong willingness make Hall and Fischer great mountaineers. †¢ These are not the same attributes required to lead an effective team. In order to be a good team leader, a person should provide others with an opportunity in decision-making, be accessible to others, have good time management skills and communication skills. d. Can we train people to become better team leaders and more effective high-stakes decision-makers? If so, how? †¢ Yes. Introduce to people how those effective high-stakes decision-makers perform, so that people can pay attention to how their words and actions have an influence on others. Moreover, people will realize that it is important to build confidence and reduce the conflicts within the team. More importantly, they can understand and learn from the failures in the past. †¢ Develop different exercises to train people, including group projects, case studies, brainstorm training and crisis respond practice etc. Practice makes perfect. After each practice, people should have a self-assessment on their performance and list aspects that need improvement.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Organizational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Organizational Behaviour - Essay Example However, in face of rapidly changing business requirements and market trends organizations are now implementing fresh strategies that improve the work environment and organizational culture to promote higher level of motivation and employee productivity. Employee motivation and satisfaction is one of the core elements that have a direct impact on the overall productivity and performance of the organizations. Employee satisfaction levels are to a large extent driven by organizational policies, managerial attitude, organizational culture, existing work environment, and communication policies practiced and adopted by companies. Organizations contribute to the social and economic development of the country and hence it needs to be regulated by a framework of principles and ideals that support organizational goals and objectives. The organizational behaviour framework is significant in identifying the core values and practices of the company. It helps its customers, suppliers and stakeholders to perceive the company values. The paper provides an insight into organizational behaviour and practices in the present operating environment. In order to gain an improved understanding of the issues and challenges facing managers today the analysis provides a practical insight into organizational change management and human resource management practices. The practical applications of these strategies are explained through its implementation practices in organizations like IBM and HSBC. This helps in providing a better understanding of the ways organizations are adapting and strengthening their market position in respo nse to the evolving business climate. Change management is one of the challenges that managers’ today face on a regular basis and successful implementation of any proposed changes highlights the ability of the organization to increase market

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Make vs Buy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Make vs Buy - Assignment Example The restaurant is intended to sell diverse products, which include buffet, pizza, soup, sauces and desserts. In addition, the restaurant will have a self-service soda bar. Although there are other companies such as McDonalds serving the area, the prices of their products are not affordable to most people in Florida. Moreover, these companies do not have physical locations in the area but rely on suppliers. This means that Papa Geo has the potential of competing effectively in the market and possibly gaining competitive advantage (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The fact that the products of the company are rare in the market consequently highly demand makes the company more competitive. This will ensure that the company records high sales volume. Moreover, the company will register high sales volume because they produce variety, which gives consumers the ability and freedom of choice. Finally, the company strategy is effective because it attracts children too, which will boost sales since it will be assumed to a family restaurant (Jeffries & McGrath, 2008). The offers given by financial lending institution will be enough in setting up the business and repayment period is reasonable, which will grant the owner the opportunity to repay comfortably. Therefore, the business can be set up but it requires effective analysis and forecasting due to uncertainties in the business environment. Proper financial budgetary planning is fundamental in achieving the company’s strategy. Sale forecast forms the most critical part of this budget proposal because, it is through proper and accurate forecasts in sales that the entrepreneur would be able to determine the amount to repay either in monthly or annual basis. The above sales forecasts are made with the assumptions that one unit in the company goes at $7, and each individual in the 15-minute area purchases one unit

Saturday, July 27, 2019

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians Term Paper

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians - Term Paper Example Because of this the other missionaries who were most probably recently converted Jews (Judaizers, they were called) saw the weaknesses in the faith of the newly converted people. They were telling the neophytes that they would not reach salvation if they would not follow certain laws, specifically laws that have Jewish inclinations, which includes the rite of circumcision, among others. These neophyte Christians became so confused that they were at risk of losing their faith in Jesus Christ. Â  The other missionaries vehemently insisted that the neophytes carry on their belief of Jesus Christ along with following certain aspects of the Mosaic Law. They were also undermining Paul’s authority because, according to them, Paul is not trained by Jesus himself, and therefore not a true and original apostle. They were also telling the neophyte Christians that Paul lied to them, the Galatians, about the necessity of accepting certain Jewish practices like circumcision just so he could easily win their faith to Jesus Christ (Gal 2:2). When Paul knew of the situation, he defended his own authority and religion and in his being an apostle. He clarified the correct understanding of faith through this letter.

Nuero physiotherapy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nuero physiotherapy - Assignment Example Stroke is known to be one of the worst causes of disability and death all over the world. Ischemic stroke contributes to more than 87 percent of all the strokes (Amarenco et al. 2012). Stroke easily leads older people to death within a very short time; research shows that 8 to 12 percent of adults aged between 45 and 64 years die within 30 days of transient ischemic attack. George’s case is a perfect description of an adult who has suffered a stroke that has lasted for more than one hour without medical attention. The amount of time that the patient lasted without medical attention may have been more than one hour since the only person who could have helped him had been away for most part of the day. Various things occur to patients who suffer ischemic stroke within the first hour leading to neurological problems and even death. During the first hour, a section of the brain usually faces threats of death. The infarct core might be highly ischemic and may certainly die, but tissue with a shortfall of blood provision is also poised on a knife-edge between recovery and death. At this state, metabolic factors and hemodynamics are essential (Bath & Lees 2000). Clinical symptoms exhibited by George are due to a stroke that he has undergone. It is more likely that he suffered from ischemia, which causes more than 85% of strokes, or hemorrhage, which accounts for the remaining 15%, after diagnosis rules out subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hemorrhage leads to direct neuronal injury and adjacent ischemia due to the pressure effect it develops. Primary ischemia occurs because of an embolism or atherothrombotic occlusion. The normal sources of embolism in an individual are the left atrium in cases where there is atrial fibrillation or left ventricle in cases where there is heart failure or myocardial infarction. Occlusion of vessels occurs because of atherosclerosis, in the internal parts of the carotid artery, which is simply next to the carotid bifurcation,

Friday, July 26, 2019

1000 word - Written Review Sociology subject PART 2 Essay

1000 word - Written Review Sociology subject PART 2 - Essay Example She prophetically prefaces her article with the questions â€Å"What is the use of friendships in our lives?† and â€Å"What does it gives us?† hinting at the thrust of her entire article. She outlines in this article the gains that friendship can offer a person in terms of moral growth by taking advantage of the vicarious experience that the other person can give when she trustfully shares not only her life experiences but how such life experiences impact on her. In suggesting this approach, Friedman relegates friendship to a motive-based venture which purports to offer commitment to gain trust from the other for the end purpose of using that person’s experiences for ‘self-advancement.’ Consistently employing only the feminine pronouns through her article, Friedman properly characterizes friendship as a relationship based on approximate equality. She explains that approximate equality does not refer to values that are quantifiable like similarity in age or educational attainment but rather on personalities, attitudes and the like. Since there will always be inequality in certain respects, friendship must involve a balancing act to arrive at the ‘approximate equality’ status. The balancing involves finding aspects or traits in the other which can fill the gap left by the superiority of a party in one aspect, otherwise a mentor-student kind of relationship, rather than a genuine friendship will ensue. For example, if one of the parties to a friendship is economically superior to the other, this must be balanced by a trait or character which the other has comparative superiority like a higher educational attainment. Another important characteristic of friendship, according to Friedman, is commitment. Commitment is not based on some abstract standard but must be person-based. A connection must be established with the person and that person’s peculiar needs, wants, attitude and personality. Friedman states that commitment consists of the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Research skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research skills - Essay Example Conclusions of this scientific report established that there was indeed a connection between physical activities and increases in both the QoL and oxygen uptake of CHF patients. In the title and abstract, everything was already highlighted and students who intend to use it as a secondary source would already know the main point of the authors, which was to assess whether QoL and oxygen uptake among patients with CHF were in fact affected positively when they engaged in physical activities. The title was in itself the aim stipulated by the abstract, but it was not clear as to who the target audience of the authors were. So judging from the abstract alone and disregarding the nature of the journal wherein the article was published, it could have been addressed to the general public who might seek the research for their respective reasons. On one hand, audience groups with no medical or pharmacological know-how would have difficulty understanding the abstract. The title was also deceiving. Even if there was truth that the subjects were patients with CHF, the heading, as it was couched in general terms, gave the impression that â€Å"patients with chronic hear t failure† included both male and female subjects. As it happened, the research focused only on 42 men with CHF New York Heart Association classification II and III. Given this fact, the authors could have stated honestly in the title that the research pertained to â€Å"male patients† with CHF. This is to avoid provoking rash presumptions. However, such consistency between title and abstract, despite the redundancy, showed the researchers’ conviction on the efficacy of their study (Klocek, et al., 2005, pp.323-324). In the introductory portion of the report, the authors worked on terms that appeared in both the title and the abstract and provided certain facts about them. There were brief explanations on CHF, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), oxygen uptake, and the individual roles

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 27

Answer the question - Essay Example This can be achieved through integrating technology with other courses in the curriculum or enabling them to apply technological concepts in their day to day living. When we refer to reforms in the curriculum, this should be one of the most important which is necessitated by the changing trends and innovation. The use of modern technology in education is a motivating factor to the students because they can relate to their daily usage of such applications and also promotes performance, efficiency and accuracy in learning. As a result of these reforms there is excellence movements and academic performance of student in school such as increase in number of teachers graduating, establishing minimal competency standards for both teachers and students and trying teacher accountability to standardize test scores. In my opinion, this was a very creative way of engaging the students to use applications in their assignment. This was a great way for a teacher to incorporate technology into the classroom. Not only did they assimilate technology into the assignments, but they also used technology that students are familiar with and enjoy using. I think incor porating technology and other things students use in the modern society will help them feel more involved and engaged in life and motivate them to do

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Project Proposal ( HR & CSR Connection ) Research Paper

Project Proposal ( HR & CSR Connection ) - Research Paper Example It will be beneficial in determining whether the resources at the disposal of the project team are adequate for completing the proposed project successfully. The financial resources required to complete the project successfully are available but they are not adequate. Additional sources of funds will be acquired by obtaining loans from the local financial institutions and other non financial institutions. The technology required is also available and will be useful in ensuring that the project is completed within the budget and time limits that have been set for it. However, some advanced technologies such as software programs for simulation purposes will be leased out from other organizations or purchased from local or international vendors. This is because there is no team in the project that will be tasked with the responsibility of developing software programs. On the other hand, the operations of the existing software within the organization have been determined and all the readily available ones have been found to operate as required in accomplishing their desired objectives. The accessibility to data has already been acquired with the subjects to be interviewed or questioned having already given their consent to participation. The performance of the project will have adequate time to complete which has already been set aside by the management of the organization as covering a period of one year. The topic being covered will enable me to acquire my master degree as it is a requirement in my coursework. It will also enable me to acquire the skills of managing employees and other personnel working for an organization to ensure they assist in the effective attainment of the project’s goals. I will also be able to develop a fostering environment for the workers so that their productivity is augmented due to their increased satisfaction. The project

Monday, July 22, 2019

The Origin Of Anatomically Modern Essay Example for Free

The Origin Of Anatomically Modern Essay Introduction The origin of modern humans and the fate of the Neanderthals are two of the most hotly debated topics in paleoanthropologist   Recent fossil finds new information from the field of molecular genetics that led to a re-evaluation of the question of the origin of the modern human beings. Where, when and how did modern human beings first appear? These critical questions have engaged anthropologists since the birth of their science. In last several decades paleoanthropologists have concentrated in solving the problems of Plea- Pleistocene origins of our genus, Homo. Interest in this issue remains passionate, but we have grown to understand that the origin of our species, Homo sapiens, is the outcome of an equally interesting and complete set of evolutionary factors.   Origin of Homo Sapiens and the Fate of Neanderthals   Neanderthal refers to a group of morphologically distinct human fossils. It is found throughout Western Eurasia way back ca. 130,000-30,000 BP. They evolved in Europe from Homo heidelbergensis populations, such as those from Sima de los Huesos in Atapuerca, Spain, Steinheim in Germany and Petralona in Greece. The primary Neanderthal fossils of the Levant come from the cave sites of Tabun, Amud, Kebara, and Dederiyeh, as well as Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq. Neanderthals physically were ruggedly built, with thick chests and relatively short limbs, a body shape today found among arctic populations. The modern humans evolved from archaic Homo sapiens primarily in East Africa.   A 195,000 year old fossil from the site in Ethiopia shows the beginnings of the skull changes that we associate with modern people, including a rounded skull case and possibly a projecting chin. A 160,000 year old skull from the Herto site in the Middle Awash area of Ethiopia also seems to be at the early stages of this evolution.   It had the rounded skull case but retained the large brow ridges of archaic Homo sapiens.   Somewhat more advanced intermediary forms have been found at Laetoli in Tanzania dating to about 120,000 years ago.   By 115,000 years ago, early modern humans had expanded their range to South Africa and into Southwest Asia shortly after 100,000 years ago.   Evidently, they did not appear elsewhere in the Old World until 60,000-40,000 years ago.   This was during a short temperate period in the midst of the last ice age.   The Fossil and Genetic study of Homo Sapiens and Fate of Neanderthal   At present the only way of studying ancient ancestors was through old fossils and stone tools. As we go back further in time fossils become rarer. Of the billions of people who lived before the invention of agriculture only the fossilized remains of a few hundred have been found. In the absence of fossils, human DNA that transmits genetic information from one generation to the next has proved to be a valuable tool in recording the evolution of the human species. Two pieces of the human genome are particularly useful in discovering human history. One is the Mitochondrial DNA and the other is the Y chromosome. These are the only two parts of the genome that are not interchanged about by the evolutionary mechanisms designed to generate diversity with each generation. Hence the Mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome are passed down generation to generation intact. Studies of modern DNA, especially mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which occurs only in the cellular organelles called mitochondria, reveal that humans are amazingly homogeneous, with rather little genetic variation.   In fact, there is significantly more genetic variation between two individual chimpanzees drawn from the same population than there is between two humans drawn randomly from a single population. Until recently, the Levant was seen as furnishing the strongest evidence for a biocultural transition between the Neanderthals and early modern human populations. In the mid-1980s, geophysicists had developed several methods, thermoluminescence, electron-spin resonance, and uranium-series, for dating sites older than 40,000 BP that provided revolutionary results. While estimated ages for the Levantine Neanderthals were broadly comparable to those from Europe, between 65,000-47,000 BP, the new dating methods showed that the early modern humans from Skhul and Qafzeh date to 130,000-80,000 BP, older than the Neanderthals who were supposedly their ancestors (Valladas et al. 1998). Minimally, these new dates call for a reinterpretation of Neanderthal vs. early modern human biological and behavioral contrasts. Overview from the revolution of Homo sapiens and the Fate of Neanderthal The evolution of these two hotly debated topics in paleoanthropologists was basically about to, when and where they lived, their physical appearance, their way of living and to whom they originated. According to paleoanthropologists and some people who showed interest in studying those ancient people is that Neanderthals lived in Europe while the coming of modern man or the Homo sapiens was essentially compared to Asian people. There are many similarities in the Neanderthals’ and early modern humans’ according to archaeological records. Both lived in similar Mediterranean woodland habitats and occupied Kars tic caves. Both hunted and gathered the same range of animal species. Such similarities are to be expected between closely related hominids, but they do not necessarily imply a close social or cultural relationship. Instead, evidence for evolutionarily significant behavioral differences between Neanderthals and early modern humans is likely to be delicate, reflected in the different strategies these humans used to realize their settlement, survival, and social goals. The specific topic they end up of arguments was about their physical appearance in which each of them was distinguish by a unique set of anatomical features. The Neanderthals are characterized with a large, long, low cranial vault with a well-developed double-arched brow ridge. a massive facial skeleton with a very projecting mid-face, backward sloping cheeks, and large nasal aperture, with large nasal sinuses an oddly shaped occipital region of the skull with a bulge or bun molars with enlarged pulp chambers, and large, often very heavily worn incisors a mandible lacking a chin and possessing a large gap behind the last molar  . While the Homo sapiens were a cranial vault with a vertical forehead, rounded occipital and reduced brow ridge, a reduced facial skeleton lacking a projecting mid-face  a lower jaw sporting a chin, a more modern, less robustly built skeleton. These two descriptions gave much idea on how they differ each other. Are we genetically different from our Homo sapiens ancestors who lived 10-20,000 years ago?   The answer is almost certainly yes.   In fact, it is very likely that the rate of evolutionary change for our species has continuously accelerated since the end of the last ice age, roughly 10,000 years ago.  The evidence for a biocultural transition between the Neanderthals and early modern human populations they creatively construct social and cultural identities that transcend actual biological kinship (Wobst 1977). The best-documented early examples of symbolic artifacts are bone, ivory and stone beads from â€Å"Aurignacian†.   This is mostly due to the fact that our human population has deliberately grown and moved into new kinds of environments, including cities.   This has exerted strong selection for individuals who were fortunate to have immune systems that allowed them to survive.   We have been exposed to new kinds of environmental pollution that can cause increased mutation rates. There has been a marked change in diet for most people around the globe to one that is less varied and now predominantly vegetarian with a heavy dependence on foods made from cereal grains.   It is not entirely clear what all of the consequences of these environmental and behavioral changes have been.   However, it does appear that the average human body size has become somewhat shorter over the last 10,000 years. Finally, can we say what direction human evolution will take in the future?   This is a captivating question to consider but impossible to answer because of innumerable unknown factors.   Though, it is certain that we will continue to evolve until we reach the point of realizing factored that could possibly affect our lives. Bibliography Aiello, L.C. The fossil evidence for modern human origins in Africa: A revised view. In American Anthropologist, 1993. vol. 95, no. 1, pp. 73-96. Bar-Yosef, O. 1995. â€Å"Modern Human Origins and Neanderthal Extinctions in the Levant   ,† Athena Publications, Inc.( 2001). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://www.athenapub.com/8shea1.htm   â€Å"Early Modern Homo Sapiens.† Dennis ONeil (2007). Accessed September 27, 2007   Ã‚   http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_4.htm â€Å"Homo Sapiens.† Smithsonian Institution (2000). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/sap.htm Johanson, Donald. â€Å"Origins of Modern Humans: Multiregional or Out of Africa?† American Institute of Biological Sciences (2001). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/johanson.html Kreger, David C. Homo sapiens.† Archaeologist .com (2005). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/homosapiens.htm -2005    McBrearty, Sally. â€Å"The Origin of Modern Humans.† JSTOR (2007). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0025-1496%28199003%292%3A25%3A1%3C129%3ATOOMH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Wsize=LARGEorigin=JSTOR-enlargePage ArchaeologyInfo.com All Rights Reserved â€Å"Recent single origin hypothesis.† Wikimedia Foundation, Inc (2007). Accessed September 27, 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_Africa_theory

Good Research Topic Essay Example for Free

Good Research Topic Essay Many at times choosing an appropriate topic seem like a herculean task as a lot of problem areas may come to mind at the time of choosing the topic. What is more frustrating is being able to settle on a brilliant topic. Choosing the research topic is one of the most critical steps in conducting a successful by all standards. The truth is, the search for a good research topic is a daunting task, especially when researchers are often expected to know how to identify or figure out a good research question by themselves. It also is important for us to keep in mind that an initial topic that we come up with may not be the exact topic which we end up writing about. Research topics are often fluid and dictated more by the students ongoing research rather than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many characteristics. The ability to identify and develop a good research topic depends on a number of factors. Fortunately, with every problem, there is always a place at which we can use as a starting point that will hopefully lead us to a desirable solution. The first important factor to consider when selecting or choosing a good research topic is to choose a topic that is of interest to them. The researcher should be able to ask themselves and identify where their interest lies, after all every individual will have at least an interest in one area or another. The fact that students approach their supervisors/ advisors with questions if they are faced with any confusion when conducting their research, the importance of the research advisor also having an interest in the chosen topic cannot be over emphasised. Research supervisors or advisors to a large extent, has a duty to coach, and give critical comments and reviews to the chosen topic. Uri Alon, a theoretical physics major turned systems biology expert (who is now one of the most renowned scientists in his field), per his own experience gave this piece of advice; â€Å"listen to your inner voice. † As he indicated, interest in a research problem is a subjective experience. In most instances, one’s actual interest clashes with the public interest and makes it impossible for the researcher to identify what their actual interest lies in. This however does not mean that pursuing a research of public interest is not a good option; in any case, a good research should be able to benefit the general population as a whole. We must be able to distinguish what we are interest in from other people’s opinion. This is what will inspire us and enable us stay focused throughout our research journey. For instance we can search within our hearts and minds problems in our various communities, industries or even continents which we are passionate about and would wish for these problems to be solved. This will help sieve out the many options from external sources such as the media, and focus on what we are interested in. In effect, if we have a research problem that has been bugging us for quite some time, chances are we have found our true interest to conduct our research on. Another attribute that makes a chosen topic a good one is whether the researcher has the requisite knowledge in their area of interest. It should be noted that doing a literature review enables us to have more insights in our area of interest, narrows down our research focus and directs us to ask more specific questions. In addition, knowing how much knowledge base is available on our chosen field will help us figure out what strategy to adopt in finding data. We can also read some other publications other than the text books and famous business journals available online as well as in print versions to be abreast with our chosen problem area. No matter how much potential our research question has, if we do not have the needed time to conduct our study, it can easily be a wasted effort and disappointment. A researcher can work on a time-feasible research project without having to sacrifice their interest, by breaking down the research problem into several smaller, manageable and more specific questions. It all depends how early they start their research activity. The main point here is for us as researchers to be more realistic about the time available and identify our research question accordingly. In order to ascertain whether an identified problem area must be researched on, it must satisfy primarily three (3) main conditions: i. There should be a perceived difference between what the current situation in the problem area is and what it should have been, all things being equal ii. The reason or reasons for this difference should be ambiguous. If the reason is readily known, then there is no point researching this problem area iii. There should be more that one (1) possible solution to the problem identified. It is very important and of a high significance that one chooses a research topic which is of significance to the current scenario in the society and one’s field of study. One therefore has to select research topics pertaining to business and management practices. Relevance is the key word in this regard. A clear understanding of the assignment will allow the student to focus on other aspects of the process, such as choosing a brilliant topic, which is, identifying the problem area and identifying their target audience. If a possible research topic is not addressing a priority problem, it is not worthwhile researching into it. To avoid duplication, care must be taken to ensure that the chosen topic has not been researched on. If one can find answers to the identified problem in already available, published or unpublished information, or just by using their common sense, then it will not be worthwhile conducting the research on the selected topic. Where it has been established that the problem area has already been researched into, the researcher must investigate whether the most important aspects of the problem area(s) still require some answers or the answers gathered by the predecessor researcher does not address the problem in its entirety. In this case, the same topic could be chosen otherwise the topic should be dropped. One of the most common difficulties in selecting a research topic is focusing on appropriate questions. Initially it might appear that the most exciting, interesting and relevant questions require a 10 year research programme, a team of research assistants and a multi-million research budget! But that isnt actually the case. The question here is, â€Å"how can you make sure that the research project is feasible, manageable and do-able within the normal constraints that he/ she will find themselves in? There are several practical considerations that almost always need to be considered when deciding on the feasibility of a research project. First, the researcher has to think about how long the research will take to accomplish. In addition, the researcher has to question whether there are important ethical constraints that need consideration. Also, one needs to establish whether they can achieve the needed cooperation to take the research project to its successful conclusion. Last and most importantly, the researcher should consider how significant the costs of conducting the research will be. Failure to consider any of these factors can be disastrous to the whole exercise. In general it is advisable for the one conducting the research to choose a topic that has the interest and support of the relevant authorities. This will increase the chance that the results of the study will be implemented. Topics that do not have the support or backing of the decision makers should be avoided as chances are they might never be implemented. In choosing a good research topic, the researcher must also consider the urgency in the needed research results for making a decision or developing interventions. Consideration must be given to which research should be done first and which could be done later. In effect, if the research cannot be done in a timely manner, then it better left not looking into. Topics or problem area that has been identified should be ethically acceptable. The researcher must be mindful of the possibility of their chosen area causing harm to others. We should consider whether there are any relevant ethical issues associated with our chosen area. If we happen to think our research isn’t ethical, we must drop the topic. In relation to the second part of the question which requires us to give five (5) examples of a good research topic and justify why we have chose them are as follow: Why doesn’t the average Ghanaian feel the effect of low inflation in their pockets? There have been impressive stories about declining inflation rates in Ghana in the past few months. The Ghana Statistical Services recently reported that inflation rate has decreased from 15. 2% in December 2003 to 8. 8% in January 2013. But while officials are painting a rather rosy picture of the economy, the average Ghanaian feels very ambivalent about these reported rates for the simple fact that they can hardly see the impact on their everyday cost of living. Economists have debated the seriousness of inflation since time immemorial, yet its economic cost remains ambiguous. It seems no matter the real economic cost of inflation, it does not show a real picture in the cost of living of the average Ghanaian. The confusion surrounding inflation rates in Ghana has to do with measurement problems. There are about three (3) ways of measuring inflation, that is, by the consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Gross National Product (GNP) deflator. The most commonly used index in Ghana is the CPI. Conducting a research on this problem area will inform us whether the CPI way of calculating the inflation rates reflects the actual state of the economy. In addition, we will figure out whether the various consumer products included are realist. The pricing structure of housing units in Ghana, how can it ever be regulated? Compared with other advanced countries, Ghana’s housing industry is at a rudimentary stage. High property prices particularly in the urban centres fuelled by a rapidly growing middle class and an uncontrollable urbanization have turned the housing industry into one of the critical developmental issues facing policy makers. It has been argued that the boom in the housing sector is largely driven by the surge to remittances. Others are of the opinions that the sector has experienced growth mainly because non-resident Ghanaians who have access to low-interest global funds are increasingly investing in the housing sector. If this is the case, then how come houses in Ghana are not affordable? A study into this area to a large extent will reveal the factors driving the pricing of housing units and alternative ways to make houses affordable to the middle class. Women in the corporate management, are they really improving performance? The impact of gender diversity and corporate leadership is not a new phenomenon. Gender diversity within senior management teams has become an increasingly topical issue for three related reasons. First, although the proportion of women at board level generally remains very low, it is changing across the world. Second, government intervention in this area has increased. About seven (7) countries have passed legislation mandating female board representatives to address the issue of fairness and equity. The third and most interesting of the debate around this topic has shifted from an issue equity and fairness to a question of superior performance over their male counterparts. If gender diversity on an entity’s board implies greater profitability then it would make sense to have more women in senior management regardless of government directive. This topic is of interest to a large number of people and as such has a lot literature available on it. It will make a brilliant research topic for these reasons. Are auditors really independent as they are perceived to be? Auditor independence has been termed the cornerstone of the auditing profession, since it is the foundation for the public’s trust in the attest function. However, auditors are faced with pressure to compete among themselves and the likelihood of them not being completely independent has increased overtime that is, staying in business over conforming to ethical requirements. A research in this area will inform us on the actual or perceived independence of auditors and how the business and ethical aspects can be managed. There will be a great literature review on this subject as are result of the Eron scandal in 2011, plus it is of interest to the corporate world. The social network phenomenon, Is it doing more harm than good to our relationships? It is a known fact there are many positives to social media and like everything, there is always a negative to balance the source. As social networks like facebook, twitter, myspace, instagram etc have left positive tracks within our lives; it has also affected us by turning us against one another. Social media whether we like it or not affects our relationships from family, both nuclear and extended, friends, schoolmates, work colleagues, marriages, dating partners, the list goes on and on. The question here is whether the positive effects outweighs the negatives and vice versa. A study in this area will help conclude if social media is worth it after all, on our various relationships. The importance of choosing a good research topic is the primary key to unlocking a successful research exercise. Getting the research question right is an essential, although not always a straightforward step in any research project. Settling on a research question is often difficult to do in isolation, therefore obtaining advice from experts and colleagues, collecting information from the literature and developing an awareness of the context in which the research is likely to be undertaken will all contribute to a successful outcome.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Financial Reporting Techniques and Methods

Financial Reporting Techniques and Methods Introduction Over the course of the last few decades there has been considerable discussion and debate regarding financial reporting and, in particular, the appropriate measurement basis that should be implemented for use with a corporation’s financial statements. During this period international accounting standard bodies have been endeavouring to develop an agreed standard conceptual framework that is acceptable by all accounting regulatory bodies for use in financial statement, irrespective of the corporation and its country of domicile, and one that identifies the items to be included within the statements and the manner in which these should be measured (Johnson 2004). The intention is to avoid a situation where there are numerous differing standard of financial reporting in operation within the global market place (Bullen and Crook 2005, p.5). However, attempts to achieve this international consensus, specifically in terms of the measurement basis used, has not been universally accepted, with many divergence of views on the subject emerging from corporate management, the accounting profession and the users of financial statements. As the ICAEW (2006, p.5), commented in their recent report, â€Å"Current measurement practices are complex, diverse and apparently inconsistent. There is clearly at least a case for something more consistent and, presumably, simpler.† The difficulty remains that arriving at such a simplistic resolution needs to address the fact that many elements of measurement within accounting processes are subject to judgment, convention and estimation (ICAEW 2006, p.20). The purpose of this paper is to analyse the various measurement basis currently in use and evaluate their advantages and disadvantages and, as a result of this analysis attempt to identify the areas that required further consideration prior to the requirements for measurements being embodied within a revised international conceptual framework. However, to provide some background on this issue, it is considered necessary to firstly understand the purpose of financial statements, in terms of those who use them and their needs to facilitate that usage. Users of Financial Statements Whilst in terms of publicly quoted companies the main users are seen as management, investors and analysts, there are a number of other groups that use financial statements for a range of purposes. These include the business employees, its lenders and suppliers, governmental departments and, in some cases, members of the public (IFP 2006). Each of these groups have different needs which the financial statements need to address when considering the measurement base they are going to employ, dependent upon which group these reports are being targeted at. In terms of investors, analysts and those generally involved with the global capital markets and stock exchanges, their need is for reliable and accurate information upon which they can base economic decisions (Gregoriou and Gaber p.16 and p.64). Furthermore it is important to this group that the monetary information provided reflects a current and fair value of the business and its relevant information. Governments and regulatory bodies have similar needs in relation to assessing the financial position and results of a business, in their case the purpose is to evaluation economic decisions such as potential taxation revenue from which they will be able to assess the state of the national economy and public spending levels. Other users groups identified, which include employees, suppliers and lenders, approach financial statements in a slightly different manner, with their focus on using the financial statements to assess the corporations potential impact upon their lives and businesses. For example, a supplier or lender is unlikely to conduct business with a corporation whose financial statements show lack of liquidity or cash flow difficulties. Similarly, employees wish to assure themselves that a) their pensions are protected and b) that their employment is with a financially secure business. In other words their needs relate more to the physical tangible and immediately realisable assets such as cash, rather than less relevant â€Å"fair value† aspects of the statements. However, historically management have been more reluctant to provide these groups with financial accounting data (Purdy 1978), although corporate governance regulations have eliminated much of their control over such matters. Whilst there ate differing purposes for which these groups need financial statements, and they may value certain measurements bases more than others, as Johnson (2004) accurately stated, the basic need of all the users is wealth. Just as Investors and capital market players are looking to protect and increase their wealth, so to are governments, employees, lenders and suppliers. In reality it is the user who is benefited by improvements in the quality of the reporting standards more than the company itself (Langendijk et al 2003, p.194) and they need to be assured that the statements provided by corporations that they are involved with show an accurate and truthful position of the business that they can rely upon to make informed judgements relating to their individual needs. Measurement Bases for Financial Statements Over the decades there have been a number of measurement bases used for financial reporting purposes and his reports focuses upon those that are considered the most important of these methods. Historical Cost In the past the historical cost reporting method has been the predominant choice for financial reporting, favoured by many because it is more factually based and therefore considered to be â€Å"more transparent† (Langendijk et al 2003, p.74 and p.329). The basis of historical cost measurement is that a monetary item can be identified by the actual price paid for an item purchased or received from an item sold, whether these relate to revenue and expenditure items or assets and liabilities. Therefore, if a business purchases an item of equipment for  £10,000, that is the fiscal amount that will appear within its balance sheet. The historical cost measurement, whilst it takes into account the loss of value of an asset, for example by depreciating the value of a motor vehicle over its perceived useful life, does not take into account any potential increase in the value of an asset until the date the asset has been sold. Therefore, if the business owns a property, which is known generally to be an appreciating asset, under the historical cost method, this property will appear in the balance sheet at cost until it is subsequently sold. Therefore it is apparent that any true gain or loss made on such assets will not be accounted for until the time of sale. Similarly, assets and liabilities that have no cost, such as internally developed software that can be sold, as they do not have a unit value will not appear as within the company’s financial statements using this method of measurement. With regard to income, the purpose of the historical cost method is to link costs expended with revenue that is generated at the same time (ICAEW 2006, p.23). Current Cost – Value to the Business In essence current cost measurement, of value to the business, as it is sometimes known, is based upon the concept of â€Å"physical capital maintenance† (Gregoriou and Gaber 2006, p.132). In other words as Gregoriou and Gaber (2006) state in the same passage â€Å"a periods income is positive only if the depreciation amount based on current cost is earned.† The basic premise of this measurement is an attempt to calculate â€Å"how much worse off a business would be if it were deprived of an asset† (ICAEW 2006, p.24). The reverse is also true in that with a liability it is necessary to ascertain how much better off a business would be if the said liability were removed from the business. The core measurement in this case is predominantly based upon including within the financial statements the current replacement cost of the asset and to this extent, unlike the historical cost method it recognises the gain or loss to the business within the period of the statements rather than at some later date. Furthermore, the value to the business method takes into account the serviceable quality of the asset when comparing the asset held against the value of a replacement asset of the same specification. Current cost measurement is designed to provide a measurement of opportunity cost of a business, which some researchers, such as Edwards et al (1987, p.10) have regarded as the only correct manner to measure the true profit and capital. Realisable Value IFP[1] (2006, p.28) define net realisable value as the â€Å"selling price of the item in the ordinary course of business.† Although similar to the historical, current cost and fair value measurement methods in some respects, the realisable value method focuses upon the price at which an asset can be sold, or the cost at which a liability can be cleared. The realisable value measurement also includes, in the majority of cases, the costs that are attached to that sale or settlement. Therefore it will record the net monetary result of the transaction, for example settlement of a liability will be shown as the cost of settling the debt and any costs that are incurred within that process, such as commissions or interest payable. Similarly, with assets the sale price reflected will be net of such costs as commissions and associated costs. Realisable value is considered by some to reflect the value that might attach to a business in the event of a forced sale, for example in the case of liquidation. Others, such as the ISAB[2] (ISAB 2) view it as an â€Å"entity-specific† form of measurement, which differentiates its focus from that of the fair-value method of measurement. Fair Value The fair value measurement basis is perhaps the most difficult model to describe, although it is currently the method favoured by the majority of the international standards board. The primary target of this method â€Å"extends to non-financial items† and is directed at the â€Å"valuation of assets and liabilities in the balance sheet† (Langendijk et al 2003, p.22 and p.108). The ISAB (2006, p.12) paper states, â€Å"the objective of fair value measurement is to reflect the market value of an asset† with the reporting statements. Where this is not possible, because such a market does not exist then an estimate should be used based on what would be considered to be the value if a market was available for the asset. Thus, when preparing the financial statements, if the fair value method is being used, it is incumbent upon the management and their auditors to seek and report independent valuations in respect of the assets and liabilities that will be recorded in the corporation’s balance sheet. In practice therefore, fair value is based upon an exit value approach (ICAEW 2006, p.29) to monetary recording, although the international standard regulatory body (ISAB) does allow for the use of other measurement methods where â€Å"fair value† is not deemed feasible or appropriate. In reality corporations have a tendency in practice to utilise a combination of the measurement bases depending upon the monetary item being recorded and the differences that occur in terms of their individual industry, business size and structure (ICAEW 2006, p.3). Furthermore, as can be seen from the ICAEW (2006) discussion paper, there is an element of inter-relationship between them, which provides for additional complication. Advantages and Disadvantages Generally it is agreed that, irrespective of the method of measurement used, all of the methods have a certain degree of uncertainty and the need for estimation, although the intention is for such estimations to be based on factual information available on the date the measurement takes place (ISAB 2006, p.12). However, as outlined below, there are some significant advantages and disadvantages that attract to each of the measurement bases that are discussed within the previous section of this report. One of the fundamental benefits of this measurement method is its conservative approach to financial reporting. This is beneficial in that: It reduces the risk of unrealised future gains, which may not transpire, being distributed to shareholders in advance of the event, thereby protecting lenders and creditors. Reported profits are lower (IFP 2006, 310), which has taxation benefits in that tax is not payable upon income that has not been realised. Furthermore, management incentive schemes are unable to take advantage of profits shown though other methods that may not materialise. Less opportunity for use of inflated valuations. Another advantage that attracts to historical cost is that it is more in tune with the information that the business managers use, and indeed their processes of financial recording systems and, for some users will be more relevant to the business and, as such is an objective measurement of values (IFP 2006 p.33). In terms of the inherent disadvantages of this method, some critics view its historical nature as being the major drawback because: The information contained is out of date and therefore cannot be relied upon to give an accurate worth. The lack of value appreciation leads to an understating of the business worth and asset value. The difference between historical and current values is misleading for investors and analysts (ICAEW 2006, p.8). Current Cost – Value to the Business The major advantage that attracts to the current cost method is the relevance that it has to users of the information outside of the business management. By its nature this method provides: Competitors with an idea of the costs of new entry to the specific corporations industry market place. Regulatory bodies can use the information to assess whether there is fairness being exercised in terms of competitive advantage. Potential investors are more able to ascertain the business operational capacity on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, it is perceived by many observers that the relevance of each individual asset or liability being measured in this manner is advantageous because it provides a better overall view of the business. The reverse view of this method is based upon a number of points, the main one being the fact that the purpose of management is the maintenance of profit and increase in shareholder value, and that this does not relate to the operating capital. It is more important in this respect to increase the wealth that stakeholders receive from their investment, by achieve better returns on resources, than it is to concentrate upon operating capital. It is also considered that the rapid changes currently occurring within the market place and the pace of advancement in modern technologies negates the perceived advantages that potential new entrants gain from the this method. Realisable Value Realisable value is attractive to some users, particularly investors and vendors, because of its accuracy in denoting and reflecting the net cash position from the realisation of an asset or liability. Therefore: They are not misled into making decisions based upon monetary information that has not taken into account contractual costs attached to the sale or settlement of a balance sheet item. It becomes easier to ascertain the ongoing prospects of the business. For example, one can decide on the basis of realisable value, when a business is approaching a position of no longer being seen to be a going concern. As with current cost and fair value, the disadvantages of this method are that it does not directly relate to the information that the business management uses on a regular basis and, additionally, it relies upon a degree of estimation that is calculated according to the judgement of the business advisors, which may or may not come to fruition in the amounts submitted. Thus the position indicated within the statements may not be sustainable (ICAEW 2006, p.33). There are many academics, economists and other observers who believe that fair value is the most appropriate measurement for use in financial account, but equally there are those who disagree with this view (Langendijk et al 2003, p.52). Those who support the fair value approach claim that it is beneficial to certain user groups, including investors and lenders in that its application to individual and separate assets and liabilities gives a number of benefits: Provides a measure of the realisable value of the asset worth on disposal. More accurately identifies which assets could be sold without adversely affecting the business activity and future success. It saves the user considerable time, effort and cost in having to recalculate figures contained within other methods of valuation. Those who disagree with this measurement state that it is irrelevant to the actual intention of the business management in that the fact that the item is included within the financial statements indicates that there was no intention to sell at that time. Similarly, those in disagreement argue that, in the majority of cases, separating assets in a sales situation produces a lower return for the business than a sale containing an amalgam of asset sales is likely to return. For example, the sale of a part of a business specific revenue asset would produce a lesser price than the sale of the total assets that contribute to that asset stream. Thus it has the effect of depreciating rather than enhancing shareholder and business value. The other difficulty that is perceived to attach itself to fair value is the variety of ways in which it can be calculated and the various treatments that are used (ICAEW 2006, p.9). Improvement to conceptual framework Both of the major accounting standard boards, ISAB and FSAB[3] are aware that the existing conceptual framework for financial reporting requires improvement (Gregoriou and Gaber 2006, p.101) and that it is important that the information that these produce relating to corporations is â€Å"complete and free from error and bias† (IFP 2006, p.21). However, there are a number of areas that need to be investigated further to ensure that the revised conceptual framework envisaged is an improvement on the existing situation. The most important of these is clarification of the information that needs to be included or omitted from the financial reports and, additionally, if inclusive how and where it should be presented (Bullen and Crook 2005, p.13). At present the framework classification is not extensive enough to eradicate confusion. Furthermore, there remains at present some ambiguity in relation to the definition of the control and terminology with relation to â€Å"assets† and â€Å"liability† (Bullen and Crook 2005, p.12). Similarly, a more constructive approach to the measurement bases needs to be taken. In this respect the conceptual framework needs to more precisely identify which measurements would be appropriate for each particular item that appears within the financial statements. Failure to address this leaves an element of uncertainty, which can be damaging for both business managers and those who use and rely upon the reports. Additionally, in our opinion, there remains the problem of compatibility. There is no doubt that it is necessary to endeavour to achieve a standard of reporting that is acceptable to all of the business stakeholders, which includes the management and users who rely upon these statements. At present, as can be evidenced by the continuing debate on this subject, that harmony between the parties involved is not being met. Conclusion From the research that has been conducted in the preparation of this paper, it is the opinion of the author that there is a need for a revision of the international conceptual framework. In addition, it is also considered that the measurement bases to be used within this need to be more clearly defined. In the author’s opinion, one important and central point that it is felt necessary to take into account is that, in effect, all financial statements are historical at the time they are released. The rapidity of change that occurs within the market place and in new technology development means that factual, opinion based and estimated information contained within the financial statements is historical at the moment of publication. Therefore it is necessary to temper any improvements to the framework being considered against this premise. Bibliography Bullen, Halsey. S and Crook, Kimberley (2005). Revisiting the concepts. Retrieved 24 June 2007 from http://www.fasb.org/articlesreports/revisiting_the_concepts_may_05.pdf Edwards, Jeremy., Kay, John and Mayer Colin (1987). The Economic Analysis of Accounting Profitability. Clarendon Press. Oxford, UK. Gregoriou, Greg. N and Gaber, Mohamed (eds) (2006). International Accounting: Standards, Regulations, Financial Reporting. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd. Oxford, UK. ICAEW (2006). Measurement in Financial Reporting. Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Retrieved 25 June 2007 from http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm?route=142887 IFP (2006). Financial Reporting. International Financial Publishing Ltd. Guildford, UK ISAB (2006). Measurement Bases for Financial Accounting Measurement on Initial Recognition. Canadian Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved 23 June 2007 from http://www.iasb.org/NR/rdonlyres/E1A542DB-3A19-47AC-B995-EFCFA044F3EC/0/MeasurementBasesforFinancialAccountingDPfullversion.pdf Johnson, L. Todd (2004). The project to revisit the conceptual framework. The FASB Report, Dec 2004. Retrieved 25 June 2007 from http://www.fasb.org/articlesreports/project_revisit_cf_tfr_dec2004.pdf Johnson, L. Todd (2004). Understanding the conceptual framework. The FASB Report, Dec 2004. Retrieved 25 June 2007 from http://www.fasb.org/articlesreports/project_revisit_cf_tfr_dec2004.pdf Langendijk, Henk., Swagerman, Dirk and Verhoog, Willem (eds) (2003). Is Fair Value Fair?: Financial Reporting from an International Perspective. John Wiley Sons Ltd. Chichester, UK. Purdy, D.E., (1978). The Information Requirements of Employees. City of London Polytechnic. London, UK. Footnotes [1] International Financial Publishing [2] International Standards Accounting Board [3] Federal Accounting Standard Board (US).

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy Essay

â€Å"Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy† written by Yvette Armendariz was an article that I found in the archives of the Arizona Republic (October 6, 2002) via the internet. This article dealt with the readings from class over the past couple of weeks, especially dealing with women and Global Economy. As the title reads, women-owned businesses are adapting to the new economy, the economy after the New York September 11th attacks. This article is a year old, but I thought that it still had merit and was worth writing about. In this article there are 4 companies mentioned. Two are owned by Caucasian women and the other two, by men of ethic backgrounds. The companies owned by the wo...

Friday, July 19, 2019

Emerson And The Poet Essay -- essays research papers

Ralph Waldo Emerson states in The Poet the question, which is what is the poet? He says that all men express their feelings, but what makes a poet is that he has more ability to express his own. For example, a poet would express the beauty of nature well, while men who are less expressive cannot give nature the worth it should be given, related to reality of course. A poet would talk, as well about â€Å"the common wealth† not â€Å"his own wealth†. What is meant by that is that he does not only convey his own feelings and his own experience in life, but he carries the beauty of truth he sees with his art, and mostly the beauty the poet would see is in nature. In page 374, you will find all the details that have been explained before. His idea of a poet is not wrong at all. He reminds me so much ...

Comparison of Dulce et Decorum Est and Charge of the Light Brigade Essa

Comparison of Dulce et Decorum Est and Charge of the Light Brigade Compare and contrast the two poems Dulce et Decorum Est (Owen) with Charge of the Light Brigade (Tennyson), paying particular attention to the writers’ attitude to war. The attitudes of poets towards war have always been expressed vigorously in their poetry, each poet either condoning or condemning war, and mitigating their attitudes in whatever way possible. I aim to explore the change in the portrayal of war before and during the twentieth century, and also the structures and devices poets use to convey their views persuasively, and justify them. For this job I have chosen to write about â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade† written by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† by the poet Wilfred Owen. These two poems describe war, and scenes from war, with varying levels of intensity and reality and also from different viewpoints. Written during the Crimean War Tennyson’s â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade† mirrors the sentiments expressed in the Battle of Balaclava. This event took place in 1854 and is still remembered as one of the most famous triumphs in British history. The truth is that Lord Raglan suicidally led his troops " Into the valley of Death ", where they were massacred. Lord Tennyson was the poet Laureate at the time of the Crimean war, but did not witness any fighting and was not involved in it but his clever and effective use of literary devices in his poem ensure that this military fiasco was remembered as a glorious victory. Tennyson puts across a message to remember, respect and honour the soldiers for what they have given up their lives to do for their country. â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† however, was writt... ... suggesting that the writers of glorious war poems have even lied to the young people, and sent them to the front line to die in their millions, in awful conditions and distressing situations. Having explored both poems, I feel that the one which brings about the biggest response from me is â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est†. This is because of the striking graphic imagery he uses, the way he describes the effects of the war on him, and also because of the way he directs the poem at the reader personally, using phrases such as â€Å"you† and â€Å"my friend†. In my opinion, â€Å"The Charge of the Light Brigade† does not have the impact and the realism to convey the opinions contained in it effectively and forcefully. I feel is a more imaginative, outlook on war than Wilfred Owen’s graphic poem. The thing I did like about Tennyson’s poem was the excitement and passion and pace.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Understanding Islam

Introduction The literal meaning of Islam is peace. Because of many current world events, Islam is a highly controversial and sensitive issue that has many misconceptions that need to be more fully addressed and understood. It is true that the events of 9/11 have separated the history of American relations with the Muslim world into before and after phases, negatively affecting the patterns of assimilation of immigrant Muslims into American culture and society (Simmons, 2008). This essay will begin to give factual details regarding the Islam faith, compare Islam with other Abrahamic religions and discuss common misconceptions and current events that have changed the way the world looks at Muslims and the Islam faith. Body It will be useful to begin with attempting to scratch the surface and try to understand the teachings of Islam. Islam is a monotheistic religion based on revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. These revelations were recorded in the faith’s text, the Qur’an. The Islam faith has â€Å"Six Articles of Beliefs†. People of the Muslim faith must have great conviction in these most important six areas. They are: 1. Belief in God. 2. Belief in the Angels. 3. Belief in the Prophets and Messengers. 4. Belief in the Sacred Texts. 5. Belief in Life After Death. 6. Belief in the Divine Decree (Abdulsalam, 2006). The believers worship God directly without the intercession of priests or clergy. They also have five duties that are given as rules to follow. Those are the Five Pillars of Islam; Belief, Worship, Fasting, Almsgiving and Pilgrimage (Grupper, Prentice, & Roughton, 2000). The country with the most Muslims is Indonesia, with 120 million. In addition there are millions more in parts of Eastern and Western Europe and in the Americas. The Islam religion claims nearly 1 billion followers in countries throughout the world. Islam is also the youngest among major world religions but is still one of the largest (Ridenour, 2001). Islam belongs in a group of three religions called the â€Å"Abrahamic† religions. Those three religions are Christianity, Judaism and Islam. They are three sister religions that are monotheistic and that claim the prophet Abraham as their common forefather. To compare Islam and Christianity, in relation to God, Muslims believe there is no God but Allah; Christians believe that God is revealed in scripture as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons who are coeternally God (Ridenour, 2001). This sometimes causes Jews and Muslims to criticize the Christians as polytheistic. In all three religions, there is an ethical orientation. All three religions speak of a choice between good and evil, which is depended upon obedience or disobedience to God (Unkown, 2007). The three also have a linear concept of history with creation as the beginning and that God works through history. The believers of Islam are called Muslims which means â€Å"one who lives his life according to God’s will† (Langley, 1993). It would seem that this particular people and religion would be a people of peace, sincerity and love. Since 9/11, the world of the faithful in Muslim societies has been in turmoil because the living Islam, dominated by its traditional interpreters, the learned ulema, has not been able to guide the community at the most critical period of its existence (Sachedina, 2010). This current critical period of Islam existence has created many misconceptions. Only if it is assumed that the goal of Islam is to establish peace without resorting to aggression can one claim that that militant Islamists have hijacked their religion (van der Krogt, 2010). Islam is practiced all over the world and the way it is practiced is different in different locations. Islam does claim to be brotherhoods of â€Å"one religion†, but the Islam practiced in Indonesia is very different than the Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia, which is also different from that in Kazakhstan, or Iran, or Morocco. In researching for this essay, the author found many different â€Å"types† of Islamic groups all over the world. There are over 73 sub-sects that have emerged within Islam today (Venkatraman, 2007). Some peaceful and some more aggressive. A group called Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami (The Party of Islamic Liberation) began working in Central Asia in the mid-1990s and has developed a committed following inside Uzbekistan, and to a lesser extent in neighboring Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. Estimates of its strength vary widely, but a rough figure is probably 15-20,000 throughout Central Asia. Its influence should not be exaggerated – it has little public support in a region where there is limited appetite for political Islam – but it has become by far the largest radical Islamist movement in the area (Unkown, Radical Islam in Central Asia: Responding to Hizb ut-Tahrir, 2003). The common misconceptions regarding Muslims did not begin with the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but that seems to be the current event that hits closest to home. Islamic terrorism is a movement in which the violence caused by terrorism is derived from and used to preserve extreme interpretations of the Quran in an Islamic community. Participants of this movement call for an unquestioned devotion and blind obedience or a Quaranic tenet has been broken. A few of the Islamic terrorist groups are Al-jihad, AlQaeda (Afganistan), Hamas (Palestine), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (Kashmir), and the Lashkar e-Toiba (Kashmir) (Venkatraman, 2007). The 9/11 terrorist attacks were performed by AlQaeda under the direction of Osama bin Laden, the founder of AlQaeda. The death of Osama bin Laden has also certainly not stopped Islamic violence, but according to the president of the Muslim Public Affairs Counsel, Salam Al-Marayati, the death of Osama bin Laden â€Å"represents the beginning of the end of a dark era in U. S. -Muslim relations. † He goes on to say that â€Å"hopefully this ushers a new era of hope and democracy in dealing with the grievances of Muslim people throughout the world without resorting to political violence. † (Lozano, 2011). The media and these current world events are a definite misconception of all Muslim people. To gratuitously insult law-abiding Muslims by conflating them with terrorists is not only wrong, it is dangerous to U. S. national security (Stern, 2011). An article written in the New York Times in October of 2010, spoke about local New York Islamics having open houses to invite non-Muslims in to attend prayers, discussions and tours of Islamic centers as a way to defuse hostility toward the Muslim population. The idea for the program, â€Å"A Week of Dialogue,† emerged from a summit of Islamic leaders as a response to the furor surrounding a plan to open a Muslim community center and mosque near ground zero (Semple, 2010). Muslims in America and around the world are trying to bring back the truth to the original Islamic meaning of peace. We now must look at how Muslims and non-Muslims communicate and live together in harmony. Historically, in countries where Islam has gained political power, people of all rival religions are either wiped out, or in the interest of â€Å"tolerance† or â€Å"open mindedness†, permitted to exist as second-class citizens. Christians and Jews are looked down upon and may not practice their religion openly or freely without serious consequence. But, Islam in the West is completely different from Islam in Muslim dominated countries. Muslims who live in the Western democratic countries enjoy all the benefits and privileges of freedom and democracy. They have secure civil liberties and may practice their religion freely and openly. The Qur’an specifically states that Islam is a religion of mercy, tolerance and moderation. Moderation being the key to Muslim and non-Muslim communication. It allows Muslims to have a good relationship with non-Muslims, but to a certain limit. One quote from the Qur’an says this: â€Å"Let not the believers (Muslims) take for friends Unbelievers (non-Muslims) rather than believers. And whoever does that has no relation with Allah whatsoever, except by way of precaution that you may guard yourselves from them. † (Surah Ali Imran, V: 28). Conclusion In summation, some of the misconceptions that people around the world have regarding Islam, are backed up by some current and past events. We must first begin to understand the Islamic faith, it’s diversity in people, areas of the world and political stances. This author does not begin to understand the depth of the Islam faith. After researching for this essay, the realization of the diversity of this faith as compared to Christianity or Judaism, is overwhelming. The peaceful people of Islam must not be judged by the terrorists and the acts they commit. We learned that Islam has political side and a religious side as well. The editor of the journal, American Libraries, Leonard Kniffel wrote an editorial about how libraries jumped at the chance to begin educating communities on the Islam faith shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Mr. Kniffel states that, â€Å"Knowing that an anti-Muslim backlash was inevitable, they created programs to help the patrons of their libraries understand the teachings of Islam, the history of American policy related to the conflict we now find ourselves in, and what it means to be Muslim in America† (Kniffel, 2002). The Muslim American Society (www. muslimamericansociety. org) has a campaign called â€Å"The Straight Path Initiative†. It’s goals are to equip and focus on Muslims in America ages 15-30. This initiative has a goal to initiate an honest open ialog about radicalization and extremism in Muslim American communities. They are targeting high schools and college campuses to provide programs and activities to involve young Muslim Americans in a proactive way that limits opportunities for radicalization (Unkown, The Straight Path Initiative, 2011). Much like any religion or people group, Islam has a group of terrorists and non-peaceful people amongst them . The misconceptions are actually very real and have information and current events to back them up. It would also be fair to say, that most religions and people groups have those kinds of people. Understanding one another is the most important thing we can do. By educating each other on beliefs, understandings and ways of life, we can only then begin to have peaceful dialog to bring us together. September 11, 2001 became a day for American’s to see the true colors of the terrorist sect of the Islam religion. As this is a day we will never forget, we must begin to heal by understanding and not judging the entire Islam faith for these terrible acts of terrorism. References Abdulsalam, M. (2006, January 30). The Religion of Islam. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from www. islamreligion. com: http://www. islamreligion. com/articles/6/. Grupper, J. , Prentice, P. , & Roughton, R. (2000). Islam: Empire of Faith. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from www. pbs. org: http://www. pbs. org/empires/islam/film. html. Kniffel, L. (2002, January). Getting to know Islam. American Libraries , 48. Langley, M. (1993). World Religions. Oxford: Lion Publishing. Lozano, C. (2011, May 1). Osama bin Laden Dead: End of a dark era in U. S. Muslim relations'. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from L. A. Times: http://latimesblogs. latimes. com/lanow/2011/05/osama-bin-laden-dead-end-dark-era-us- muslim-relations. html. Ridenour, F. (2001). So What's the Difference? Ventura, CA: Regal Books. Sachedina, A. (2010, September). Religion, Order and Peace: A Muslim Perspective. Cross Currents , 332-338. Semple, K. (2010, October 22). At Mosques, Inviting Non-Muslims Inside to Ease Hostility Toward Islam. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from New York Times: http://www. nytimes. com/2010/10/23/nyregion/23mosques. html? ef=reconstruction. Simmons, G. Z. (2008). From Muslims in America to American Muslims. Journal of Islamic Law and Culture , 10 (3), 254-280. Stern, J. (2011, May/June). Muslims in America. The National Interest (113), pp. 38-46. Unkown. (2007, September 16). Abrahamic Religion. Retrieved June 14, 2011, from New World Encyclopedia: http://www. newworldencyclopedia. org/entry/Abrahamic_religions. References (continued) Unkown. (2003, June 30). Radical Islam in Central Asia: Responding to Hizb ut-Tahrir. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from International Crisis Group: ttp://www. crisisgroup. org/en/regions/asia/central-asia/058-radical-islam-in-central-asia- responding-to-hizb-ut-tahrir. aspx. Unkown. (2011). The Straight Path Initiative. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from Muslim American Society: http://muslimamericansociety. org/main/content/straight-path-initiative. van der Krogt, C. (2010). Jihad without apologetics. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations , 21 (2), 127-142. Venkatraman, A. (2007). Religious Basis for Islamic Terrorism: The Quran and it's Interpretations. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism , 30 (3), 229-248.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

New Historicism: The Wasteland Essay

T.S. Eliots highly potent 433-line modernist song is perhaps the most celebrated and most written-about long numbers of the twentieth-century. Eliots composition brings forth a indorser to under(a)stand the work through its diachronic context and to understand cultural and bright history through this piece of literature, which documents the spick-and-span discipline of the history of ideas. In early(a) words, The liquidate Land is subject to sore Historicism to further understand the text of the poem and its relevance to history. T.S. Eliots poem, The emaciate Land, was produce in October of 1922. The 1920s and 1930s atomic number 18 often known as the inter contend period. The decades were deep shaped by the to-dos of World warfarefare I and then the mounting crisis that direct to World fight II. These were decades of considerable dislocation in the West. Revolutionary regimes in around(prenominal) societies provided a nonher source of change. New, authoritaria n policy-making systems were another response to crisis, hiticeicularly afterwardward the Great Depression, in several separate of the world. All of this occurred tear down as safeguard to atomic number 63an imperialism was mounting (Davies 938). In addition, the 1920s was attach by major patterns. 1 of the first major patterns, Western atomic number 63 rec either overed from World warf ar I incompletely, particularly in stintings and politics. ethnical creativity was important, and several social developments marked real innovation. But political and economic structures and European diplomacy as well up, rest on shaky foundations. World warfare I quickly shattered the authorisation m whatsoever Europeans had maintained around the round of golf of the twentieth-century. Although the ultimate effects of World fight I involved Europes world position, the war as well as brought frightening dislocation within Europe.Though some of the handicap was quickly repaired, much of the damage persisted for the subsequent two decades. The key battle priming coats for quaternion bloody years had been in Europe. The turn rate of death and maiming, as well as the frustration of long periods of practical(prenominal) cul de sac, had had a devastating material and mental impact on the European combatants. more(prenominal) than ten million Europeans had died. Vast amounts of berth had been destroyed. Most governments had failed to tax their populations enough to pay off for the war effort-lest they weaken domestic support-so considerable debts accumulated, leading to inflationary pressure even onward the war was over. Key prewar regimes were toppled when the German emperor abdicated and the Habsburg Empire collapsed (Rich 138). interestingly enough, in the first part of Eliots The Wasteland, the German words Bin garfish keine Russin, stamm aus Litauen, echt deutsch ( Eliot, I. 12) are spoken. The English reading is Im not Russian at all I mystify fro m Lithuania, a true German. Both anterior to and after these words are spoken, it is revealed that these are autobiographical fragments of a woman who not only recalls sledding in her childhood, alone explicitly states that she is German and not Russian by any means. As declared in the previous paragraph, the Habsburg family was in no doubt defeated. These spoken words are important if the woman is a division of the spoken defeated Austrian family, although it is not ever revealed. Following World War I, Lithuania experienced the influence from the Soviet Union. The unpolished of Lithuania was originally part of German grime until the post-war demands led to the partition of Lithuania from Ger many a(prenominal) and therefore, fell under control of the Soviet Union. The first incision of The Waste Land can be seen as a dramatic monologue.The speakers in this dent are seemingly activated with their need to speak and to come on an audience, further they ultimately call up t hemselves surrounded by exsanguine people, same in wars. Because this section is so short and the postal services are reasonably confusing, the effect is not an overwhelming picture of a single character. Instead, the reader is leave with the feeling of being confined in a crowd and unable to find an individual who appears to be familiar. This type of situation can be seen in any war when individuals are thrusted on the war front. During World War I, to protect themselves from the annihilative firepower of the artillery and machine guns of the fence armies, British and German soldiers began to dig into the ground during and after the clashes along the Marne. Soon northern and westward France was crisscrossed by miles and miles of en chuckments that frustrated- with staggering levels of of a sudden and wounded-all attempts to break the stalemate between the opposing forces until well into 1918. The almost unimaginable cleanup position power of the industrial technology wie lded by the opposing European armies favored the defensive. ruin artillery, the withering fire of machine guns, bitter wire barriers, and the use of poison gas pedal turned the Western Front into a killing ground that offered no speculation to decisive victory to either side. The walloping reached unimaginable levels, with the Germans losing 850,000 men, the French 700,000 men, and the British over 400,000 in the single year of 1916 on just the Western Front (Davies 925). In so many ways, the war in Europe was centered on the current and whizzlessness slaughter in the trenches. Levels of dead and wounded that would have been unimaginable before the war rose ever higher(prenominal) between 1915 and 1918. They were all the more sad because neither side could break the stalemate hundreds of thousands were killed or maimed to gain small-scale patches of ground that were curtly lost in counterattacks. Years of carnage made all too evident the lack of resource to utter incompet ence of most of the generals on both sides of the conflict. Few understood that jalopy assaults on mechanized defenses had become dangerous at this point in the industrial age. The aged officers in the higher commands and overmatched politicians soon demoted or dismissed those who sought to find creative ways out of the trench morass.With much of this history in perspective, T.S. Eliot conveys the destruction, or moreover, the aftermath of the first world war (Davies 952). The description Eliot gives in the second part of his poem, The Fire Sermon, White bodies au naturel(predicate) on the low damp ground and bones cast in a little low dry loft (Eliot, 193-194). Although these two lines may be taken in a different context, from a readers perspective, one may bring to an end the title The Waste Land, lineage from this protrude. As discussed in the previous paragraph, the image of dead bodies and the bodies of the wounded in the trenches describes what appears to be a waste l and. In many senses, Eliot also conveys some sort of anger.As the war dragged on without any sign of the zodiac that decisive victories could be won by either side, soldiers at the fronts across Europe grew resentful of the civilians back home. Their anger was rivet on political leaders who cheered them on from the safety of the sidelines far to the rear. But the soldiers were also disturbed, more generally, by the patriotic dash and insensitivity of the civilian populace, which had little sense of the horrors they were forced to endure at the front. In fact, the commitment of the civilians behind the lines and their hatred for the rival was usually far more pronounced than that of the soldiers echtly in combat (Roberts 911). to each one of the powers remained able to mobilize ever larger numbers of soldiers and military resources, despite exploitation food shortages and privations on the homefronts. The governments responded by circumscribe resources and regulating product ion to head off potentially crippling labor disputes (Roberts 914).Eliots The Waste Land offers the reader a close depiction of the social ruction that the European continent was in adjacent the horrific World War I. Moreover, this poem, in many senses, is a reflection of private emotions, and as a spiritual bay pertaining to Christian tenets. Any individual would conclude that after experiencing or witnessing horrific war events, a person of any tone would be experiencing many emotions such as depression, anger, frustration, and fear, to name a few. It is not to hook on T.S. Eliot was inspired to write the poem The Waste Land based on actual war events. Instead, this poem, as stated earlier, is a good depiction of what society was like through Eliots point of view. The Waste Land ultimately went on to memorialize a hodgepodge of facts, ideas, superstitions, and interests born during the ordeal. This poem epitomizes the thoughts and feelings of the survivors of the World War I and post-World War I generation.Works CitedBarzun, Jacques. From Dawn to degeneracy 500 Years of Western ethnical Life. New York city HarperCollins Publishers, 2000.Davies, Norman. Europe, A muniment A Panorama of Europe, East and West, From the cover Age to The Cold War, from The Urals to Gibraltar. New York City First HarperPerennial, 1998. Eliot, T.S.. The Waste Land. In A Norton Critical Edition, Michael North, ed. New York City W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001.Rich, Norman. The Habsburg Empire, 1790-1918. political Science Quarterly 87(1972) 137-138Roberts, J.M.. The New memorial of the World. Oxford Oxford University Press, 2003.