Thursday, September 3, 2020
Educational Leadership in School
Presentation â€Å"If the pioneers start with the correct inquiry, students’ accomplishments at the high-neediness school can raise.†It isn't the measure of assets that issues, yet the methodology of using them. It is apparent from the article of Budge and Parrett (2009), on â€Å"leadership in high-destitution/high-performing schools,†that the pioneers of schools, for example, Dayton and Granger have understood the significance of a working budget.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on Educational Leadership in School explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More They guarantee usage of critical assets through cooperation with the staff to guarantee everybody centers around the needs as the main and most ideal choice to a superior level. Planning guarantees zero cut on the basic assets, which can be risk of the hard-won additions. The top heads must step up to the plate and organize the difficulties confronted, because of neediness level s (Budge and Parrett 2009). The leaders’ activities, recognition and, articulations impact the defining moment from low to superior exhibitions in high-neediness schools. Numerous schools have lightened business as usual of high-leveled neediness to make students’ progress. As per Budge and Parrett (2009), â€Å"the basic message resonating from the victories is the capacity to defeat the unavoidable and amazing impacts of destitution on learning.†The responsibility of pioneers and methodology of starting the execution strategy through request (posing the correct inquiries) are a portion of the angles required for progress. I concur with the idea that intense inquiries can help pioneers discover right responses for required accomplishments since troubles in the current occasions are making administrations respond adversely other than going up against the current issues. For example most organizations are today confronting hyper rivalry, work instabilities, unkn owledgeable future or prevarication. This is making them cuts on costs and lay off laborers. In a nearby connection to Gamoran’s composing (2007). These are the most noticeably terrible business procedures since they are guarded. Extreme occasions expect individuals to act decidedly in battle of the increased faculties of presentation through extension and find better approaches for effectively utilizing such occasions. Furthermore, the idea that intense inquiries can help pioneers discover right responses for required accomplishments agrees with the clarifications that unfavorable conditions applies heavier weight, According to Budge and Parrett (2009), this fills in as a chance to learn status and the pioneer has the chance to demonstrate that it is conceivable to get the hang of during extreme times.Advertising Looking for article on training? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People have consistently had the idea that learning would happen best during the hours of quiet and simple stream. This has not been the situation and in many occurrences, periods went before by progress really breed inertial, mindlessness to subtleties and, immoderation. The inquiries chiefs need to pose in their point of making progress paying little mind to the destitution levels, includes the need to fabricate essential administration ability. The other significant space includes the staff obligations, which should center upon the students’ day by day work, proficient execution just as the whole arrangement of learning. The learning condition ought to be sheltered, solid and, strong for those included (Bascia, 2005). The inquiries that the pioneers pose as noted in this paper are for arrangement of significant direction for other school pioneers confronting comparative difficulties and drawing out the wrapped open doors for success. Authority What are the correct inquiries with respect to the initiative style? Th ere is have to see if there exists an information framework in help for study hall and school pioneers. Different schools concentrated by Budge and Parrett (2009), shows the significance of information frameworks going about as a guide for dynamic strategies. The information framework likewise encourages a mindful relationship and an evaluation to set up quantifiable objectives. There is requirement for entrenched courses of events that guarantee better accomplishment. This calls for legitimate communications between the instructor and parent through the school oversaw objectives and plans. For example, school staff individuals can pick week by week contacts with the guardians or watchmen and capacity to endure the duty of revealing the advancement to important specialists inside the association. The other inquiry regarding the matter of authority is end of practices and strategies that lead to terrible showing. All schools have reported arrangements that manage on issues of subsidi zing, following, and, task to extraordinary instructive needs (Gamoran, 2007). There is requirement for resources to have solid thinks with respect to accomplishments and encourage them to the understudies. At the point when the disappointment mindset is disposed of, the educators are capable offer additional assistance to bombing kids in the point of accomplishing the set trustworthiness. The underachieving understudies are not disappointments but rather obligations, which need extra teachers’ instructional opportunity to get up to speed with the higher achievers. This calls for expanded mentoring time or presentation of professional classes as make up for lost time exercises. There is similarly the need to re-sort out time on the side of expert instruction. There should be sufficient venture on work force through rearranged or rescheduled time that is accommodative of expert development.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on Educational Leadership in School ex plicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More The evaluation level groups made of instructing staff can offer survey of information concerning the homeroom appraisal, talk about the plans and concoct systems for improving individual’s execution. This empowers them to turn up with magnificent showing methodologies and an in the nick of time bolster where required. Learning The inquiries heads require answers for in their point of making progress paying little heed to the destitution levels, includes evaluation strategies and education levels. For a high-neediness school, there is dire requirement for entrenched learning targets however appropriately defined competency-supporting strategies. The exercises incorporate help for individual instructive measures, having open introductions of accomplishments and plans, arrangement of accomplishment cases and, having agonizing changes through gatherings drove by understudies. There is requirement for improvement of homeroom cen tered evaluation techniques that seek after parental an organization support. Instructive authority require an investigation of whether every student has obtained the necessary degree of capability. In the inquiry over capability, the administration should guarantee accomplishment of education abilities, for example, examination of remarkable needs of understudies that guarantees improvement over perusing. As indicated by Neuman (2008), the pioneers need to set up the components that impact or thwart perusing accomplishments through examination of the individual understudies. The students’ capacity to communicate in and compose language is an extraordinary impact to different subjects included in this manner the requirement for all instructors to think about the obligation of language help. Instructors need to scrutinize the students’ capacity to meet the objectives. The students’ information particularly relating execution level give the premise to building up the individuals who need additional direction or training/mentoring. This is reachable as in the past, during or after school action, as a gathering work, individual framing, up close and personal, or mechanical scholastic mediation and, as help offered through included evaluation time. There is have to build up the education ability at an early age through evaluation of capability for individuals.Advertising Searching for article on instruction? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Learning condition Lastly is the need to center the evaluation by scrutinizing the learning condition. The wellbeing norms are significant and essential for learning. The board needs to guarantee safe structures and execute methodology that place the responsibility of activities or, in all likelihood practices or practices to the understudies as a method of advancing the wellbeing. There is pressing requirement for pioneers to comprehend the impact of destitution on instruction. They should bolster accomplishments without relating inability to poor ecological states of family settings as has been the situation previously (Gorski, 2008). The pioneers must create aptitudes to comprehend the financial and social assorted variety and their persuasions to the students’ execution. Pioneers are additionally in a situation to look for family support in the point of improving shared objectives (Budge Parrett, 2009). High accomplishments are conceivable when understudies are firmly clin g to the school destinations paying little heed to their social settings. Determination A school is a shared belonging, along these lines it can't accomplish the goals without including the parent particularly in a high-neediness social setting. Different elements can impact the presentation, consequently the need to have counter proportions of dodging them and assemble a positive idea or relationship. There is requirement for drawing in the outside partners, to cultivate correspondence among families and the foundation utilizing the school as a public venue. Upgrading connections requires enough commitment from the staff. The pioneer consequently faces the test of drawing in staff in dynamic to heavy weapons specialist their help before including the outcasts. Having legitimate staff-understudies proportion, guaranteeing the wellbeing and, compensations guarantees the exhibition accomplishment as a persistent excursion. Regardless of whether it is endurance of costs, looking for re serves, or requesting execution support from partners, the inquiries chiefs look for answers for concern superior in high-neediness sc
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Unlawful Justice Essay Example for Free
Unlawful Justice Essay Numerous individuals have differences on capital punishment. My sentiment on this contention is that we ought to nullify capital punishment from our criminal discipline framework. As somebody once said two wrongs don't make a privilege and I imagine that he is correct. It isn't doing equity murdering someone else in light of the fact that that individual slaughtered somebody. My companion says this If the individual didnt intend to slaughter them they should live in any case, on the off chance that they needed to murder them, at that point they ought to die(Holeman). The greater part of the nations on the planet have annulled the death penalty from law or practice. A portion of these nations that have annulled it, to us are viewed as underdeveloped nations. Is it true that we are any better than these underdeveloped nations in the event that we despite everything utilize capital punishment and they dont? An aggregate of 109 nations have nullified capital punishment. 749 detainees have been executed since the death penalty was continued in 1977. Practically all the states in the U.S. utilize the deadly infusion on the off chance that they even have capital punishment. Electric shock that used to be generally utilized is currently the second generally utilized. Not very many states utilize the gas chamber, hanging, and terminating crew and the greater part of the states have deadly infusion as an optional. A great many people consider the to be infusion as the most sympathetic yet; every one of them are truly awful passings to bite the dust. On January first 2001 there were around 3,700 prisoners waiting for capital punishment. The normal expense to look for capital punishment is $218,112 and that is added to the all out expense of the case. U.S. is the pioneer in murdering kids around the world. We have condemned 160 youngsters to death since 1973. There isn't generally an official age at which you can condemn a youngster to capital punishment. Mississippi looked for capital punishment in 1996 for children of the age of 13. Most children sent to death row are shaded and details show that two out of three children sent to death row are offspring of shading. Likewise, practically 90% of individuals putâ to passing for carrying out a wrongdoing were sentenced for killing whites be that as it may, about portion of all murder casualties in the U.S. are shaded. It is so terrible in Maryland that in the event that you kill a white individual you are multiple times bound to get capital punishment than if you murder a minority individual. Around 90 % of the individuals that the U.S. Government investigators attempted and execute are Black or Latino. Numerous individuals that look for capital punishment just need it for individuals that are not white. Another serious issue with the framework is that regardless of whether you are guiltless you have a high possibility of being put waiting for capital punishment. Around 23 guiltless individuals have been condemned to death row and have been executed for violations they didn't submit this century. In excess of 69 individuals have been discharged from death row since 1972 for being wrongly indicted. That is more than one blameless individual for each 100 convicts waiting for capital punishment. One case of mixed up blame was of Robert Nelson Drew who was executed considerably after another man admitted to the homicide. A couple of nations other than the U.S. show that we dont execute individuals that awful. Go live in Afghanistan they will batter you to the point of death or possibly go to Sudan where you can be stoned or executed and different nations even decapitate you. Another awful thing about capital punishment is that in Florida every one of the states executions cost $3.2 million and life inprison just expense $600,000. Spending our citizens cash on capital punishment detracts from progressively significant stuff for instance examining drug wrongdoings, aggressive behavior at home, and kid misuse. On the off chance that we didn't have capital punishment we could have better training and restoration. Around five years back numerous Americans vigorously bolstered capital punishment and around 80% of Americans supported executing indicted murders. As indicated by the surveys now it is at 66 percent that is a significant drop. In ten or twenty years will we even have capital punishment? Presently just because for an extremely prolonged stretch of time individuals can discuss whether we ought to have capital punishment or not. Governor George Ryan of Illinois fired up the train to discuss capital punishment and makes them move. Numerous states in the U.S. are investigating capital punishment in their state. During the 1990s capital punishment was the primary concern to do to get extreme on wrongdoing development. During the 90s capital punishment has seen the hardest increment in death line detainees. With President Clinton in office he extended the government capital punishment to extra 60 additional violations. Presently I reach my decision numerous individuals have differences on capital punishment however no one will adjust my perspective. On the off chance that you take a gander at the realities capital punishment has some significant wreckage ups. No one will be ready to address those completely furthermore, the best way to stop the wreckage ups is to annul capital punishment. Numerous blameless individuals are slaughtered and a great deal of members of the jury are bigot and judge the wrongdoing ineffectively. Practically 50% of the nations on the planet have abrogated it why shouldnt we. Imagine a scenario where you were wrongly blamed for carrying out a wrongdoing and were executed would equity have been served I think not. Do you see why it ought to be nullified? Possibly some time or another you will walk against capital punishment regardless of whether you dont simply kindly don't bolster it. Much obliged to you for your time and I trust you took in a great deal about capital punishment. Works Cited www.web.amnesty.org 2 April 2002 www.agitator.com 2 April 2002 www.abcnews.go.com 2 April 2002 www.derechos.org/dp/2 April 2002 www.uscourts.gov 2 April 2002 www.ncadp.org 2 April 2002 www.amnesty-usa.org 2 April 2002 www.alternet.org 2 April 2002 www.prodeathpenalty.com 8 March 2002 Pence, Alex. Capital punishment. Report by Alex Pence. 2001 Holeman, Spencer. Meeting. 4 April 2002
Friday, August 21, 2020
What Drives Chinese Into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21st Century Dissertation
What Drives Chinese Into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21st Century - Dissertation Example The way that the interest for extravagance merchandise by the Chinese populace is expanding quickly has become a subject of conversation in the global market. This exploration consolidates subjective just as quantitative research to recognize the components that impact examples of purchasing choices of the Chinese buyers with respect to extravagance products. As indicated by Vickers and Renand (2003) have said that China is one of the main three markets for extravagance items in the overall economy. China has obtained the top situation sought after for an assortment of shopper products, among which extravagance merchandise involve 19 percent of the interest (Stalk and Michael, 2011). In the interest a huge scope of other customer products China is the second position holder on the planet. The purchasers in China are consistently turning out to be brand cognizant. It puts huge impact on their dynamic about acquisition of extravagance merchandise. Their dependence on brands is permitting the Chinese market to make place for itself in the universal extravagance advertise and furthermore helping the worldwide extravagance brands to build their effect on the Chinese clients. What are the elements that impact the purchasing conduct of Chinese buyers, driving them to buy extravagance products? Research Hypothesis, Aims, and Objectives Hypothesis The monetary development in China has impacted the purchasing conduct of Chinese customers, driving them to purchase more extravagance merchandise, realized by an expansion in their buying power. Point This exploration targets distinguishing factors that impact examples of purchasing choices that make Chinese buyers to build their degree of extravagance merchandise utilization throughout the years. Destinations of the investigation The targets of research are distinctive for various people and associations (Srivastava, 2011). The targets of this investigation are referenced beneath: To clarify the extraordinary
Monday, June 8, 2020
Discussion Of The Sarbanes Oxley Act Writing Assignment - 275 Words
Discussion Of The Sarbanes Oxley Act Writing Assignment (Essay Sample) Content: Students NameProfessors NameCourseInstitutionDateSarbanes Oxley LawSarbanes-Oxley Act is a federal law in the United States that sets requirements for all the public company, public accounting firms and management firms. A number of provisions in this act also regulate the private sectors in the U.S. This bill was enacted as a result of various scandals and it covers the responsibilities of public corporations board of directors, provides for Securities and Exchange Commission to create corporations that clearly define how they comply with the law (Board, 2015).The effect of this act on pricing practices in the U.S is that it has caused more strict compliance with the financial information through conducting procedures in finance, auditing and reporting on the same. The chief financer or issue is then required to certify the financial reporting documents in both annual and quarterly reports (Girasa, 2013). The act provided for procedures in discloser and internal audi ting practices that relates to the treatment of allowance, promotion and discounts regardless of whether the company is receiving or giving these services.The privately held companies could be a victim of this law in future whereby they will give total compliance to this act so that there will be no wrong presentation of information on which parts of the regulation act t...
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Fast Fashion - 3100 Words
Introduction The clothing industry, as one of the most globalized industries in the world (Bonacich et al 1994), is currently undergoing a restructuring, especially the fast fashion sector. Fashion markets are synonymous with rapid changes and short product life cycles. Therefore, changes in consumer demand for newness and fashion trend force the emergence of ‘fast fashion’ strategy in retailers like Zara and Hamp;M and shifts in the focus of competitive advantage from price towards quick response. That is to say, clothing firms, which are adopting global or offshore sourcing strategy, are not considered to have more competitive advantages as before. However, the question is: should fast fashion retailers adopt quick response†¦show more content†¦Hypothesis: In an era of fast fashion, companies that adopt both global sourcing strategy and quick response strategy have better chance to succeed in the fashion clothing market. 2. Cost, the most basic consideration. In order to have higher profit margin, one of the most effective ways is to cut down production costs. In view of the low labor cost in developing countries, global sourcing seems to be a good choice to reduce costs. With the development of global production networks and the increasing competition, fast all fashion clothing firms have shifted their manufacturing operations to low lost locations over the past decades. The shifts in the jeans manufacturer Levi Strauss’s global strategy could vividly demonstrate how global sourcing strategy works and affect its supply chain. At first, the company was created in the USA. As it developed and became a global company, they began to employ workers all over the world. However, in face of fierce competition, Levi Strauss started to shift its operation to lower-cost countries in the late 1980s. By the year 2003, Levi Strauss closed the last four plants in North American and ‘has become an entirely offshore producer’ (Dicken 2011 p.318). The German fashion company Hugo Boss also provides similar example. In face of high production cost, namely high labor cost in domestic market, more and more fashion retailers choose to outsource their production. Moreover, some fastShow MoreRelatedFast Fashion7521 Words  | 31 PagesJournal of Fashion Marketing and Management Emerald Article: Fast fashion: a financial snapshot S.G. Hayes, Nicola Jones Article information: To cite this document: S.G. Hayes, Nicola Jones, (2006),Fast fashion: a financial snapshot, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 10 Iss: 3 pp. 282 - 300 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13612020610679277 Downloaded on: 07-08-2012 References: This document contains references to 40 other documents To copy this document:Read MoreFast Fashion1699 Words  | 7 PagesFAST FASHION Over the past few years there has been an apparent change in the fashion retail industry which is taking control of it‘s speed. ‘Fast Fashion’ is the new 21st century phenomenon currently dominating high-street retail. Stores like HM and New Look have become the masters of the quick turnaround and are closing in on trends at such a speed that they can have fresh looks on their shelves for the customer, months before the original designer can get their garments shipped out of theRead MoreFast Fashion On The Fashion Industry1148 Words  | 5 PagesThe popularity of cheap and fashionable clothing has been on the rise since the introduction of fast fashion to major clothing companies. The fashion world has become one of the dominating parts of consumer culture. However, the affordable clothing movement, in addition to the fast-paced garment work, has affected more than just our wallets. Advancement of new practices and clothing availability have contributed to many garment factories and businesses for clothing manufacturing. Nonetheless, itRead MoreThe Fast Fashion Business Model1317 Words  | 6 PagesThe Fast Fashion Business Model 1.What are the key characteristics associated with the fashion markets that support this model? Because of the continuous change in consumer demand in a very short span of time creating high complexity for the supply chain, the demand for apparel in fast fashion industry is volatile. A fast fashion retailing company can optimize its performance and remain competitive by creating agile supply chain. Agile supply chain is paramount to achieving the ultimate in profitRead MoreThe Negatives Of Fast Fashion747 Words  | 3 PagesThere are many large companies that we see every day, many fashion garments that we buy monthly, weekly or daily, and many people cannot seem to deal with how we manage to get clothing from India, China and Bangladesh and into our day to day lives. While as a society we are too busy focusing on the negatives of fast fashion, we should begin to view both sides of the argument, and start to focus on the simple positives of how we, Australians, get our clothes. Instead of people believing that we areRead MoreFast Zara, Fast Fashion3460 Words  | 14 PagesFast Zara, Fast Fashion Introduction Everyone, no matter youngsters or middle-aged mothers, love to buy clothes and keep updated on latest fashion trend. In the past, people could only consume western styles clothing if they are rich enough to go shopping by travelling in European countries or able to afford expensive air mail to send the consumed western clothes back from overseas. However, it took a period of time and the fashionable clothing may become â€Å"old†at the time received. As the informationRead MoreZara Fast Fashion2084 Words  | 9 PagesInditexs relative operating economics? Its relative capital efficiency? Note that while the electronic version of Exhibit 6 automates some of the comparisons, you will probably want to dig further into them. Background: Inditex is an international fashion retailer that designed, manufactured and sold apparel, footwear, and accessories for women, men, and children through Zara and other five chains around the world. The six retailing chains were organized as separate business units within an overallRead MoreSpeech On Fast Fashion964 Words  | 4 Pagesdeeper in the world of fast fashion I found out of the vicious cycles that our clothing is manufactured in. B. Relevance: The brands I researched are some many of you have probably heard of. C. Credibility statement: A university of Georgia professor gave an hour-long ted talk talking about her experiences of working and traveling to different countries seeing the fast fashion industry at first hands. She now teaches about fashion sustainability and the cycles of the fast fashion market. D. CentralRead MoreMarket Research Fast Fashion1600 Words  | 7 Pagesï » ¿ Fast Fashion Brands        By Sehee An ID: 376050211 Due Date: 8/09/2014 Background research and short explanation Although the global economic crisis has weakened consumer confidence there is a remarkable consumption phenomenon in fashion market. Fast fashion is a new word used in fashion scene to say that designs move from runaway speedily so as to take the latest fashion at Fashion Week in both the spring and the fall of every year. These trends are designed and produced fastRead MoreZara: It for Fast Fashion1266 Words  | 6 Pagesinfrastructure being antiquated and the possibility that hardware vendors will upgrade their machines leaving them incompatible with DOS. Because Zara’s core business model is vertically integrated, it could specialize in speed and efficiency and the fast fashion trend. By assessing the pros and cons of the new IT infrastructure with Zara’s brand image, they determined that implementing the new POS networking system is beneficial for Zara because 1) it creates a more robust and scalable system that is
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Vice President Of The United States - 1315 Words
John Adams once stated, â€Å"I am vice president. In this I am nothing, but i may be everything.†From its conception, the Vice President of the United States was a position of little relevance. However, over the course of the nation’s history, the vice presidency evolved from a position of irrelevance to one of power. No longer does the vice president operate in obscurity and possess little governing ability. The position’s transformation was not an instant one; mind you the position has been in existence for nearly two and a half centuries. The position of vice president can be seen as a stepping stone to the presidency. After all, when most people think of the vice president, they think, â€Å"Oh, he becomes the president when the incumbent†¦show more content†¦Amendment XII, ratified in 1804, took care of the issue of the election of the President and Vice President. According to the amendment, â€Å"The Electors shall meet in their respective st ates and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President †¦ they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Double balloting still remained in effect, but electors now had to specify who they were casting their vote for. Other than being seen as a â€Å"president-in-waiting†, the Vice President has a few duties outlined in the Constitution. Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution outlines what will take place in the event of the President no longer being able to fulfill the duties of his office. â€Å"In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President †¦Ã¢â‚¬ The other constitutional duty, outlined in Article I, Section 3, Clause 4, places the Vice President as the President of the U.S. Senate, having no vote in the Senate, unless it is to break a tie. Formerly, the vice president oversaw Senate proceedings, but that is rarely the case, especially with modern vice presidents. The President pro tempore is who presides over day to day Senate proceedings. In addition to those duties, the vice president also presides over the counting andShow MoreRelatedVice President of the United States and Archer1346 Words  | 6 Pagesthe new Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Regan Kessel. Archer has a difficult decision to make today, does she want her dream job in Marketing with Kessel, or accept a position offered to her in the Product Services division where she is working now. Both positions have qualities that appeal to her and she needs to decide where she wants to make her future. As the situation stands now, Archer has a great amount of potential power. The CEO and the two vice presidents haveRead MoreVice President of the United States and Task Force4702 Words  | 19 PagesREV: OCTOBER 15, 2004 JOHN J. GABARRO Aston-Blair, Inc. Bringing Aston-Blair s June 12 executive committee meeting to a close Wynn Aston, III, chief executive officer and chairman of the board, asked Peter Casey, vice president of marketing, and Chris Trott, vice president of corporate planning, to seriously reexamine the company s procedures for forecasting sales. Aston hoped that improved product demand projections would lead to better inventory control, financial planning, and productionRead MoreSamuel Popkin on Candidates Running for President and Vice President of the United States773 Words  | 3 Pages The first few chapters discuss presidents such as Carter, H.W. Bush, and Gore and many of the traits they possessed that made them good leaders. Candidates must begin by creating a public identity. They need to develop a vision of the future as well as be able to plan for chaos. A successful campaigner must possess all these skills, writes Popkin. Much of the book is comprised of analysis of this sort. Popkin then discusses various difficulties a vice-president running for office could have toRead MorePropaganda: Vice President of the United States1892 Words  | 8 Pages527-28). President Bush states, our national courage has been clear [ . . . ] by confronting problems instead of passing them on to future generations (Address, par. 21). Instead, one needs to examine what is Bushs strategy really about? Do the citizens think that Bush will just turn around and listen to them instead of following his strategy? Does Bush have a kind heart to affiliate such caring feelings for the American people? During the speech that the Vice President gave on FebruaryRead MoreThe Presidential Election Will Elect The President And Vice President Of The United States2648 Words  | 11 PagesLiterature Review: On November 8, 2016, the United States’ 58th presidential elections will take place, where voters will elect the President and the Vice President of the United States. One of the customs of Presidential elections is the debates held between the candidates prior to that event. The topics discussed in these debates are of controversial nature and their role is to target and convince undecided and independent voters - those not belonging to a specific political party. PresidentialRead MoreThe National Government Of The United States1445 Words  | 6 PagesAbstract The National Government of the United States of America consists of three branches. These branches of government, which include the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch, separate the government s power into a form of checks and balances. The system of checks and balances has been set in place to allow the three branches to limit the power of the other branches, this way, no branch is more powerful than the others. Each of these three branches of government willRead MoreElectoral College Essay909 Words  | 4 Pagesthey the people would decide on voting for the President and Vice president of the United States of America. Within the qualification of voting, each presidential candidate running to become the next president of the United States of America, must have their very own electors of the state that they reside in. The future president of the United States, must make a selection of electors, from the political party in their state. In some states laws and restrictions, may apply to future presidentialRead MoreShould We Eliminate The Electoral College?1314 Words  | 6 Pagesthe Electoral College? The validity and necessity of the Electoral College has been questioned approximately since it was formed in the Constitution. Many different events in history, such as the president having a vice president from the opposite party, and the electoral college electing a president that didn’t win the popular vote has caused this to be an area of controversy. After looking into the origin of this system, how it works, and societal and technological changes that have occurred inRead MorePros And Cons Of The Electoral College1165 Words  | 5 Pagesmy best to explain it to people who might know and to help them know so when they re seventeen they know like I should. So the Google definition of the Electoral College is a body of people representing the states of the US, who cast votes in the election of the President and Vice President. I would have not given that explanation, it would have told you it is a College. So helping you and myself, I will first explain how it works, th en how Electors are selected, and the qualifications to be oneRead MoreThe Purpose of Vice Presidency Essay examples902 Words  | 4 PagesThe Purpose of Vice Presidency It appears to me that the vice president serves little or no significant purposes in the American political system. When I think of the role of vice president, the only thing that comes to mind is the fact that if the president dies or is not able to hold office it is the job of the vice president to take over as president. I am sure I share this ideology with many others; however, the role of the vice president is far more complex
Explanation of Investment and Portfolio Management
Question: Discuss about the Explanation of Investment and Portfolio Management. Answer: Introduction The following assignment presents the explanation and concept of share valuation by analyzing the securities of a listed company in Australia. The study aims to determine and present the correct valuation, over valuation or under valuation of securities by considering different methods of share valuation. For the purpose of share valuation and analysis, Woolworths Limited has been selected that is listed on Australian Stock Exchange and included in the top 200 stocks as per market capitalization value (Asx.com.au 2017). Further, share valuation and analysis has been done by considering two types of valuation i.e. absolute valuation and relative valuation. Absolute valuation is considered to measure the intrinsic value of securities based on the fundamentals like cash flow, dividends or growth rate of the organization. On the contrary,relative valuation is considered to present comparable valuation of the securities along with the share valuation of other similarorganizations (Damodar an2016). Accordingly, in order to present the share valuation analysis of Woolworths Limited different models of absolute valuation has been considered. Discussion Background of the company: Woolworths Limited is a public company and second largest organization in Australia in view of the amount of revenue. The company was founded in the year 1924 having its headquarters at New South Wales, Australia while it serves the business in New Zealand and India. According to the current reports on business valuation, the organization has been valued at $30.2 billion whereas the operating income reported at $1.6 billion(Woolworths 2016). It has been observed that the number of locations of the organization reported to more than 3,800 in Australian region. Further, primary business operation of the company includes Australian food and Petrol representing two- third of its total revenue ($39.4 million), revenue from drinks group amounted to $7.58 million and other departmental stores and hotels including the stores of liquor that derives the income of around $6.53 million (Woolworths 2016). Analysis of current valuation: Current valuation of Woolworths Limited involves enterprise valuation that is measured in accordance with the current market valuation by considering the value of liquid assets, outstanding debt and value of equity instrument. Accordingly, the enterprise value of the company is determined by using the value of market capitalization, value of debt deducted by the amount of cash. Currently, the enterprise value of the organization has been reported amounted to $33.56 Billion, which is lower than other sectors in service industry, approximately by 89.26% while 61.55% lower than of the sector involved in grocery industry(Asx.com.au 2017). Currently, the shares of the company have been valued at $24.38 while dividend yield on annual basis reported at 3.16%. It has been noted that the return on assets of the company was 6.56% whereas profit margin reflected negative balance (2.12) percentage and operating margin at 4.40%(Asx.com.au 2017). In order to determine the correct valuation of the securities of Woolworths, absolute valuation would be considered based on the dividend discount model, price earnings ratio, earnings per share model and growth rate model. As per dividend discount model, true valuation of the securities would be measured based on the dividend payment to the shareholders (Andriosopoulos and Lasfer2015). Valuation of securities under this methodology would be considered on the basis of present value of cash value based on the actual payment of dividend amount. It is essential that the payment of dividend should be stable and involves predictable amount considering the growth rate for dividend per share or earnings per share. Valuation of shares as per dividend discount model is estimated by considering dividend growth rate and related rate of discount used to measure the present value (Cornell 2013). Considering the recent data of Woolworths Limited, following equation will be used to measure the present value of securities of Woolworths i.e. Dividend per share/ (Discount rate- Growth rate). As per the current years annual report, dividend per share of the company for the financial year 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 has been 122 cents, 126 cents, 133 cents, 137 cents and 139 cents respectively(Woolworths 2016).The discount rate for Woolworths Limited to be 8% while the growth rate 5% based on the recent years financial information has been assumed. Hence, it can be said that Woolworths dividend payment reflects constant growth over the years in accordance with the earnings. Accordingly, share value of Woolworths for the year 2015 would be measured as $1.39/ (0.08- 0.05) = $46.33 whereas share value for the year 2014 would be $1.37/ (0.08- 0.05) = $45.67(Woolworths 2016). On the contrary, present market value of the securities of Woolworths has been $24.27 hence, the share value of Woolworths as per dividend discount model is said to be undervalued. Since the present valuation of securities of Woolworths has been undervalued, the investors can be recommended to go long on trading the securities. In addition, share valuation can be measured by using another model in absolute valuation i.e. Discounted Cash Flow Model that is used to determine the correct share valuation using future cash flows. This method is mainly preferable to measure the share valuation for the organizations that does not pay dividend. In order to measure the value of business or securities forecasted free cash flow based on the previous years performance as well as based on growth rate (Cumming and Hou2014). As per the financial information of Woolworths Limited, free cash flow during the recent year has been $2,167million; cash flow from operating activities amounted to $4,711.1 million whereas cash flow used in investment activities $1,055.7 million(Woolworths 2016). It was noted that the cash flow from operating activities and used in investing activities declined in the current year in comparison to the previous year. Accordingly, share value as per discounted cash flow model would be determinedby con sidering discounted cash flow of the year along with the use of growth rate i.e. $2,167/ (1+8%) = $ 2,006 i.e. $30.45. As the current price of security of Woolworths has been $24.27 therefore, share valuation of the company as per discounted cash flow model is undervalued and investors either can purchase the shares or can hold the same. For the purpose of appropriate valuation of shares, Earnings per share methodology can be considered, which refers to the amount of net income attributable to the shareholders of the organizations divided by the outstanding shares during the financial year (Raza and Jawaid2014). In certain cases, earnings per share of the company is adjusted by excluding certain non- cash items i.e. amount of goodwill amortization or expenses on stock valuation. For the purpose of appropriate valuation of shares, it is essential to consider volatility of companys EPS for several years (Goodman and McLelland2016). In view of the financial report of Woolworths Limited for the recent financial year, basic earnings per share of the company during the year 2015 was 170.8 cents whereas 196.5 cents during the year 2014. It has observed that the earnings of the company declined in the recent years in compared to the earnings of 2014(Woolworths 2016). On the other hand, price earnings ratio of the companys se curities is important to consider that provides information on stock price in relation to the earnings for a particular financial year. If the computed price earnings ratio of the company is less than the benchmark of the industry, the shares would be considered undervalued whereas if the price- earnings ratio of the company is higher than the industry benchmark, share of the company would be considered as overvalued (Gregory and Whittaker 2013). As per the current financial economy, standard price earnings ratio 15 is considered while P/E ratio of the company Woolworths has been reported at 12.81 that is lower than the industrial benchmark. Therefore, it can be said that as per the earnings per share and price- earnings ratio, share price of Woolworths limited is undervalued and the investors can go long (Asx.com.au 2017). Growth rate on sales and income is also considered for measuring the valuation of shares of the company based on the historical judgments and future prediction. Valuation on shares based on the growth rate would be sales revenue and other income during the financial year and in comparison to the benchmark of the industry. Growth rate is used to determine the appropriate share price along with the factors of discounting rate and dividend per share. If the value of dividend of the company expects to grow over the period, the stock will be considered as constant growth security (Wang 2013). In case of Woolworths Limited, it has been noticed that the companys dividend for the past years along with that in current year has been increasing whereas revenue income of the company declined in the year 2015. Hence, if the method of constant growth model is considered, valuation of share will be measured by using current dividend amount, expected growth rate and required return (Kung and Schmid2 015). Considering the current financial information of Woolworths, current dividend amounted to $139 cents is provided while expected growth rate is 5% assuming the required rate of return on the security investment would be 12% as per the industrial benchmark(Woolworths 2016). Therefore, price of the share of Woolworths Limited would be determined as $20.85 i.e. [$1.39 (1+.05)/12-0.06] whereas current market price of the share is $24.27. In view of the growth rate model, considering the valuation of securities, it can be said that the companys present share valuation is overvalued and the investors are recommended to go short. Overvaluation and undervaluation of shares is determined by considered the percentage of return on organizational capital, assets, sales as well as market capitalization. Return on invested capital is used to measure the amount of investment in terms of capital that provides information on growth level and derivation of capital return against the amount of cost of capital(Pan, Wang and Weisbach2015). If the return on investment capital is higher then it can be said that the company is efficient and ratio on companys income with that of the invested capital would determine the correct valuation of shares (Wachter2013). In case of Woolworths Limited, invested capital during the current year 2015 amounted to $11,132 million whereas the net income amounted to $2,137 million, therefore return on invested capital would be 19.19%(Woolworths 2016). It can be said that the percentage of return on invested capital is higher than the standard required rate of return i.e. 12% and the valuation o f shares can be said to be undervalued and the investors can go long on the shares. Similarly, return on assets provides the measurement of the efficiency of the organization to generate business income from the use of assets. In order to determine the return on assets, total income after tax as well as total value of assets is to be considered during the financial year. Considering the return on assets, if the return is higher than the expected return, the valuation of the shares is said to be overvalued whereas if the return on assets is lower than the expected value then shares would be considered as undervalued (Dechow, Sloan and Zha2013). Considering the current years financial information, total value of assets of the company is $25,336 whereas net income amounted to $2,137 million. Therefore, return on organizational asset to be determined as 8.43% while the expected return considered is 12%, which is higher than the computed value(Woolworths 2016). Since, the expected return on investment of securities is higher than the actual current rate of return from as sets, shares of Woolworths can be considered overvalued and investors are advised to go short. Other factors that are used to measure the correct valuation of securities involves price to sales ratio, market capitalization, enterprise value and sales ratio as well as enterprise value and earnings before interest and tax ratio. Price to sales ratio is used to compare the current market price of the companys shares along with the amount of sales earned during the financial year (Greenwood and Shleifer2014). Sales value of Woolworths during the current financial year amounted to $60,868.40 million or $48.07 per share while the current market price of stock valued to $24.27 therefore, price to sales ratio equals to 1.98. Considering the price to sales ratio of other similar organizations in the same industry, trading value is 2.0, which is higher than that of the value of Woolworths(Asx.com.au 2017). Hence, the shares of Woolworths Limited can be considered as undervalued and are suitable if investors go long on such securities. However, if market capitalization factor is consider ed to determine the share valuation, it represents the value of entire securities of the company. It is measured by considering current price of each stock of the company as well as total number of outstanding shares. Moreover, enterprise value refers to the total value of the organization that is measured by considering market capitalization value and total value of debt involving short- term and long- term debts (Alti and Tetlock2014). As per the current financial report, market cap of the company has been 71.72B whereas enterprise value has been 76.31B hence it can be said that the stock price of Woolworths Limited is undervalued as the market capitalization is lower and the investors are recommended to go long. Conclusion Share valuation analysis is considered to be one of the essential factors for the investors to determine the organizational efficiency for the purpose of making investments. As the study demonstrates different models and methodology for valuation shares, it presents analysis on the overvaluation, undervaluation or correct valuation of shares for the selected company Woolworths Limited. For this purpose, absolute valuation method has been considered that incorporates dividend discount model, discounted cash flow method, growth rate method, earnings per share method. Following the dividend discount model, security valuation has been done based on the dividend paid by Woolworths over the several financial years along with comparison in the current year. As per the methodology, value of shares determined has been undervalued since the current market price of the security reflected lower value. Similarly share valuation as per discounted cash flow method, share valuation has been determined as undervalued because the value of share as per cash flow method has been higher than the market price. Further, share valuation as per other methodology has been determined as undervalued as the current market value of Woolworths security was lower. On the contrary, valuation based on the percentage of return on assets and growth rate considered to be overvalued since the standard return value has been higher. Market capitalization, return on investment, price to sales ratio and enterprise value has also been considered to value the securities based on the current financial report. As the determined value of market capitalization of company is lower, the current valuation of security of Woolworths considered to be undervalued. However, as Woolwor ths Limited provides dividend payment, the most reliable and absolute valuation method would be dividend discount model that determines the stock of the company are undervalued hence investors can go long. Reference: Alti, A. and Tetlock, P.C., 2014. Biased beliefs, asset prices, and investment: A structural approach.The Journal of Finance,69(1), pp.325-361. Andriosopoulos, D. and Lasfer, M., 2015. The market valuation of share repurchases in Europe.Journal of Banking Finance,55, pp.327-339. Asx.com.au. 2017.Home - Australian Securities Exchange - ASX. [online] Available at: https://www.asx.com.au/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2017]. Cakici, N. and Topyan, K., 2014. Market Capitalization. InRisk and Return in Asian Emerging Markets(pp. 13-27). Palgrave Macmillan US. Cornell, B., 2013. Discounted Cash Flow and Residual Earnings Valuation: A Comparison in the Context of Valuation Disputes.Business Valuation Review,31(4), pp.157-164. Cumming, D. and Hou, W., 2014.Valuation of restricted shares by conflicting shareholders in the Split Share Structure Reform.The European Journal of Finance,20(7-9), pp.778-802. Damodaran, A., 2016.Damodaran on valuation: security analysis for investment and corporate finance(Vol. 324). John Wiley Sons. Dechow, P.M., Sloan, R.G. and Zha, J., 2013. Stock prices and earnings: A history of research.Annual Review of Financial Economics,6, pp.343-363. Dias, A., 2013. Market capitalization and Value-at-Risk.Journal of Banking Finance,37(12), pp.5248-5260. Farrell, M. and Gallagher, R., 2015. The valuation implications of enterprise risk management maturity.Journal of Risk and Insurance,82(3), pp.625-657. Goodman, D.H. and McLelland, M., 2016. The implied private company pricing line (IPCPL): On the nature, scope, and assumptions of IPCPL theory.Business Valuation Review,35(1), pp.18-29. Greenwood, R. and Shleifer, A., 2014. Expectations of returns and expected returns.Review of Financial Studies,27(3), pp.714-746. Gregory, A. and Whittaker, J., 2013. Exploring the valuation of corporate social responsibilityA comparison of research methods.Journal of business ethics,116(1), pp.1-20. Kung, H. and Schmid, L., 2015. Innovation, growth, and asset prices.The Journal of Finance,70(3), pp.1001-1037. Novy-Marx, R., 2013. The other side of value: The gross profitability premium.Journal of Financial Economics,108(1), pp.1-28. Pan, Y., Wang, T.Y. and Weisbach, M.S., 2015. Learning about CEO ability and stock return volatility.Review of Financial Studies, p.hhv014. Raza, S.A. and Jawaid, S.T., 2014. Foreign capital inflows, economic growth and stock market capitalization in Asian countries: an ARDL bound testing approach.Quality Quantity,48(1), pp.375-385. Wachter, J.A., 2013. Can Time?Varying Risk of Rare Disasters Explain Aggregate Stock Market Volatility?.The Journal of Finance,68(3), pp.987-1035. Wang, M.C., 2013. Value relevance on intellectual capital valuation methods: the role of corporate governance.Quality Quantity,47(2), pp.1213-1223. Woolworths 2016.Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. Available at:https://www.woolworths.com.au/[Accessed 30 Nov. 2016].
Monday, April 20, 2020
The Social Construction of Difference
Introduction Social constructionist inquiry is concerned with explaining the processes by which people come to describe, explain, or account for the world in which they inhabit. Social constructionist attempts to articulate common forms of understanding as they currently exist, as they have existed in prior historical periods and generally, as they might exist should creative attention be so directed (Gergen and Gergen, 2003, p.15).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Social Construction of Difference specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, what humans’ regards and take to be experience of the world does not in itself dictate the terms by which the world is understood neither does what is regarded to be knowledge of the world constitute a product of induction or of the building and testing of general hypotheses. The construction position suggests that the process of understanding is not automatically driven by the forces of nature but is the result of an active, cooperative enterprise of people in relationship. Social constructionism has evolved to become a theoretical orientation to socio-cultural processes that affect humans’ basic understandings of the world. In addition, the concept of social construction as evidenced in many literatures is fundamental to a social science approach to the analysis of social problems. Therefore, the goal of this essay will largely be to unpack the complexity of social life by employing techniques of observation and analysis using sociological perspectives. Understanding the concept of social construction A lot of literature has addressed the issue of social construction especially concerning social problems whereby different explanations have been forwarded. To this level, the dividing line in social construction specifically of problems has occurred in terms of definition, interpretation and explanation of a range of social issues (Sar aga, 1998). As a result, the basic dividing line between different social constructions is the distinction between the natural and the social whereby ideas and concepts about the natural basis of social arrangements or social problems are widespread. An example is given by Yen Le Espiritu (in Foner and Fredrickson, p. 219) on how various social groups have tried to define themselves through their racial identity, for instance, the Asian Americans including the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos joined hands to resist American imperialism and racism despite them having different political and economic ideologies.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This notion is echoed by Tehranian (2009, p. 67) while narrating on how historical grouping contributed to the creation of races, more so the creation of white-black American conflicts based on skin color. Many thoughts about the nat ural basis of society or of social problems within the society refer to a set of claims about the universal laws of biology or evolution that determine how people might behave. The ideas, in most instances, place an emphasis on competition, conflict, and struggles for the evolutionary success where they identify a range of attributes as the biological basis of human society, and usually insist that these are unchanging and unchangeable. The claim of this understanding is that natural, which are biological attributes emerge as explanations of social patterns hence biological differences between men and women are drawn upon to explain differences in social behavior or patterns of social inequality. The above analysis of natural in relation to social widens our understanding of distinctive type of social construction where the claim has been that, humans’ social world is formed and constrained by a variety of natural causes and conditions (Saraga, 1998). Emphasis on natural in t his form of social construction provides a strong claim to authority and truth by referring to a world of natural laws that appear as universal and immutable. As a result, many of the social constructions that refer to natural conditions or causes tend to warn against attempts to change or tamper with these natural laws. On the other hand, social interference is likely to have undesirable and unnatural impacts. Despite the existence of this distinction between ‘natural’ and ‘social’, both types of approach to social issues provide excellent examples of social construction and each provides a way into defining, interpreting and acting in the social world that humans inhabit (Saraga, 1998). Moreover, the two types provide a framework within which events, actions, and types of people become meaningful, which in turn gives people the opportunity to position themselves in relation to them. Social constructionism Social constructionism posits that anything in the world that possesses a meaning in people’s lives originates within â€Å"the matrix of relationships in which we are engaged†(Gergen and Gergen, 2000 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.35). The theory claims that meaning arises from social systems, and humans have no role of assigning such meaning. The conviction of the theory is that â€Å"humans derive knowledge of the world from the larger social discourses†which generally vary across time and place, which in turn represent and reinforce dominant belief systems (May and Mumby, 2005, p.35). At the same time, the theory â€Å"stress the significance of language to construction processes, including its ramifications for identify development†(Leeds-Hurwitz, 1995 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.35).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Social Construction of Difference specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Hruby, social construc tionism strives to understand how humans create knowledge (cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.36). Accordingly, the theory postulates that knowledge is an effect of social processes and humans construct the world through social practices. Social constructionism rejects the essentialist explanations that â€Å"certain phenomena are natural, inevitable, universal, and biologically determined†(DeLamater and Hyde, 2001 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.36). Social constructionism holds some assumptions that have guided how social world has been understood. The assumptions include: 1) there should be critical stance towards taken-for-granted ways of understanding the world, where the theory encourages people to be suspicious of how they understand the world and themselves. In this regard, the theory advises people to challenge categories of social identity such as gender and race because the categories do not reflect the real and necessary divisions (May and Mumby, 2005). In this case , questions need to be asked as to why people highlight and classify some aspects of personhood and not others. 2) All knowledge is historically and culturally specific where labels, classifications, denotations, and connotations of social identity in many cases constitute products of their times and that the outlined processes of constructing social identities depend greatly on social, political, and historical factors. In addition, humans depend on current ideologies to establish social identity categories and their meanings. 3) Social constructionism sustains knowledge, and uses language for purposes of reproducing knowledge as humans enact numerous roles within the various contexts. Further, language become essential in helping people to make sense of the world as it allows the people to share experiences and meaning with one another; lastly 4) social constructionism indicate that knowledge and social action are largely interconnected (May and Mumby, 2005). Essentialist perspect ive In 1970s, Saul Kripke and Hilary Putnam ignited a renaissance of essentialist thinking which rested on the understanding of meaning that relied heavily on the concepts of modality and possible worlds. For instance, this perspective by the two founders made many people to be convinced that water is basically H2O, tigers are generally animals, heat is solely molecular motion, material objects could not have been originally constituted differently from how they were originally constituted. In addition, an animal could not have originated from a different sperm and egg to the ones it actually originated from, and perhaps mind is not identical with the brain (Oderberg, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many writers have argued that essentialist group beliefs are central to racism. The different forms of racism presented such as racial and ethnic are natural, inevitable, and hence unchangeable. These categories in many instances are adopted to represent human types indicating that an individual is fundamentally a certain kind of person. In its nature, racism attempts to fix social groups in terms of essential, quasi-natural properties of belonging within particular political and social contexts (Verkuyten, 2005). Certain traits of mind, character, and temperament are usually considered to be an intrinsic part of an ethnic or racial group’s nature (Davis, 2001) and therefore give definition to ethnic or racial fate. More research done indicates that there are still traces of biological forms of essentialism, and contemporary discourses focus on culture (Verkuyten, 2005). For instance, Blum (2002) describes the belief in cultural inherentism among different groups as follows: â€Å"these people (Jews, whites, Asians) just are that way (stringy, racist, and studious): it is part of their culture†(Verkuyten, 2005, p.124). Other researches done on new or cultural racism show that the idea of fundamental and inherent cultural differences is used to exclude and abnormalize ethnic minority groups. Racism and Ethnicity Before exploring the concepts of race and ethnicity first, social construction is viewed as the way people make ‘reality’ of everyday happenings in their environment. People and groups interact together in a sort of social system form where over time the people provides definitions to â€Å"concepts or establish mental representations of each other’s actions, and these concepts after some time become habituated into reciprocal roles played by the actors in relation to each other†(Davis, 2001, p.1). James Davis, narrating an interview that was conducted by a blind, black anthropologist, he writes quoting the wor ds of the black anthropologist as, â€Å"I am not black and you are not black either, if you go by the evidence of your eyes†(Davis, 2001, p.1). From this statement, it becomes clear that construction of race is ambiguous. For instance, all white people do not look the same, there are situations it is becomes difficult to tell who is a black and who is a white, since many people who have been labeled black could as well qualify to be white due to their physical characteristics. However, Lee and bean (2004) reflect on the differences in identity that existed in American, whereby one was viewed as either black or white in respect that, if one was not a pure white, they were viewed as black regardless of their ethnicity. According to Gwaltney, (1980), â€Å"looks do not mean much the things that make us different is how we think, what we believe is important and the ways we look at life†(cited in Davis, 2001, p.1). According to Haney-Lopez (2006), ‘white’ a s a category of human identity and differences is an extremely intricate phenomenon since races are not biologically differentiated groupings but rather social constructions. Race is seen to exists alongside a multitude of social identies that shape and are themselves shaped by the way in which race is given meaning. Accordingly, people live race through class, religion, nationality, gender, sexual identity and so on. Like just other social categories race is highly contingent, specific to times, places and situations and as such being white or black turns to be where one is. The essence here is that, how is a person defined as a black, both socially and legally in countries such as United States of America. As a nation, the adoption of definition of who is black or white has been contentious in USA, for example, some individuals defined as blacks in essence could pass as white and vice versa. Who therefore has assumed the role of defining the race? In USA, the state and federal cou rts have determined and in partial capacity tried to define ‘whiteness’ and ‘blackness’. Haney-Lopez (2006) asserts that courts for a time in deciding racial prerequisite cases have generally relied on both rationales to justify their decisions. However, from 1909, the trend changed, and subsequently the Supreme Court decisions favored common knowledge a situation that demonstrated the court regarded the issue of race categorization to originate in social practices. On his part Richard Alba, observes that the racist caste system was sanctioned by the U.S.A Supreme Court in 1896 during the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, in which the court found out that, â€Å"separate but equal facilities met constitutional tests†(Alba, 2009). In December 1985, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reinforced a district’s court decision noting that no one could change the racial designation of his or her parents or anyone else’s (Davis, 2001). During the same period, the appellate court also affirmed the necessity of designating race o birth certificates for public health, affirmative action and other important public programs. Concluding about the role of law in race construction, Haney- Lopez observed that, â€Å"the operation of law does far more than merely legalize race; it defines as well the spectrum of domination and subordination that constitutes race relations†(Haney- Lopez, 2006, p.xxi). Apart from the courts other key institutions of social, political and economic have in their actions defined race. For instance, U.S.A Bureau of the Census enumerates blacks and I doing so does not provide any scientific definition but relies on one accepted by the public and by the courts (Davis, 2001). The Census Bureau in actual sense counts what the larger nation wants counted and although various operational instructions have been tried, the definition of black being used by the census reflects the nation’s cultural and le gal definition. As such, racism has operated at the macro level of the society and in its operation ha shifted away from a conscious personalized conviction of the inferiority of ‘another’ race. Such conviction has expressed itself in attitudes of prejudice and acted out in discriminatory behavior and thereafter follows social practices that become depersonalized through institutionalization. Over time, prejudice may decrease but patterns of discrimination may persist supported by the inertia of custom, bureaucratic procedure, impersonal routine and also the law. Obama as a Black president The issue of race and how it is perceived in society differently came to the forefront during Barrack Obama’s quest for president. There are those who saw him as ‘white’ since he belongs to the educated elite, others postulated he was a black due to his originality to a black father, while others were convinced that Barrack was a multiracial. According to Lee and B ean (2004), the impression that people are racially defined by their color may not hold water as it may propel some people to classify the Blacks as a racial group, while others recognizing Latinos and Asian Americans as white. Writing such as, â€Å"is Barrack Black/White enough†filled newspapers and other media sources. People question and investigated his identity; but to Barrack, the issue of race identity as he narrates in his book, â€Å"Dreams of my father†has preoccupied his minds, he candidly says that questions such as, who am I, confronted him a lot. Obama was born to an American mother and an African father before spending his childhood in Hawaii not forgetting that he was in Indonesia for about four years. However, how is Barrack race issue constructed? In 2009, the National Association of Black Journalist, in their article titled, ‘Acting White: Is Obama Black Enough?’ asked whether Obama was an African America. To them Obama did not portra y the physical and intellectual experiences of black people, Obama’s ‘degree of blackness’ was questionable, Obama’s characteristics and behaviors were totally different of those Africans, and that Obama was highly-educated, self-responsible and overachieving a rare element in most Africans. Therefore, their conclusion was that Obama was not an ‘African enough’. On the other hand, there are those who saw Obama as neither black nor white but multiracial (mulatto). Further, there are those who say Obama as totally An African, and articles such as, ‘Is America ready for a black president? ‘Between gender and race: which is more acceptable? Is America at crossroads: black or woman? All this statements represented one thing, that Obama was an African America. But narrating in his book, ‘Dreams from My Father, Obama writes that, â€Å"I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds, it is an interior journal foc used on a boy’s search for his father, and through that search a workable meaning for his life as a black American†(cited in Harris, 2010, p.132). As later, Obama would be asked, in which category he belongs to, Obama candidly answered, â€Å"both†(Harris, 2010, p.132). What is evident is that before Obama wrote this book, he did not see his life as a representative of either the black experience or the American experience, but towards elections in 2008, this perception changed and Obama felt that his identity was representative of both. Obama’s case shows how the issue of race/identity is fluid where he is able to accept his identity as an African American, American and multiracial. This circumstance shows how the issue of race changes with time, political expediency and even cultural orientation. As it was evident, Obama would fit in both categories comfortably depending on time, circumstance, or political situation. Therefore, the way race is able to change and modify indicates that as a social constructed phenomenon it disqualifies to be biological. Haney Lopez, writing in ‘The Social Construction of Race’ says that the concept of race categorization is a social construct whereby it occurs because of human interaction and not as a natural differentiation. Analyzing Lopez’s position, it can be deduced that, race is a social construction since people as social beings participate in interaction and through it; they are able to construct its abstract significance (cited in Howard, n.d, p.1). Lopez therefore advices that due to the volatility in the definition of race, the same should not form the basis of trying to provide the classes into which human beings fall. Conclusion Today, different theories and approaches exist used to address the modern world social problems, patterns of social differentiation and organization of social welfare. Of note is the fact that all these approaches have to operate in a social world in which meaning of things shape how people act. What is evident is that, people and not nature create and conform to the different identities created, such as racial and ethnicity, and as created categories in society, they have a cultural and historical origin. They are in essence social and not biological in nature. This assumption does not mean that they do not exist but they are live and health in modern society and in understanding them it is wise to investigate them from the perspective of cultural and social interaction than from the biological perspective. References Alba, R. D. (2009). Blurring the color line: the new chance for a more integrated America. NY, Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=AUiVwEe6Xv4Cpg=PA285dq=America%27s+Changing+Color+lines,hl=enei=DhykTN-hNcyZ4AaWuNnIDQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=America%27s%20Changing%20Color%20lines%2Cf=false Davis, F. J. (2001). Who is black? One na tion’s definition. PA, Penn State Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=9d9FC-gcWaACpg=PA222dq=Who+is+Black%3F+F.+James+Davishl=enei=rCSTTOb7GtPi4ga6grzTBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Who%20is%20Black%3F%20F.%20James%20Davisf=false. Espiritu, Y. L. Asian american panethnicity: Contemporary national and transnational possibilities, in Foner, N and Fredrickson, G. M. (2005). Not Just Black and White: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Immigration, Race, and Ethnicity in the United States. NY, Russell Sage Foundation. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=uHmccaV4MuACpg=PA217dq=Asian+american+panethnicity:+Contemporary+national+and+transnational+possibilitieshl=enei=53qoTP7kL8uUOrKw2LYMsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Asian%20american%20panethnicity%3A%20Contemporary%20national%20and%20transnational%20possibilitiesf=false. Gergen, K. J. and Gergen, M. M. (2003). Social construction: a reader. CA, SAGE. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=eKgEoZNjr1QCprintsec=frontcoverdq=the+social+constructionhl=enei=FOaRTKW8M4qN4Qb40PmWBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepageqf=false. Haney-Là ³pez, I. (2006). White by law: the legal construction of race. NY, NYU Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=gxYqorjC4gUCpg=PR21dq=%27race%27+and+the+construction+of+Human+identity,hl=enei=jxmkTNGNH4n_4AaWoqj_DAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=3ved=0CDIQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepageq=%27race%27%20and%20the%20construction%20of%20Human%20identity%2Cf=false Harris, H. E. (2010). The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign. NY, SUNY Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=XyUdS8NzDQACpg=PA132dq=Obama+as+blackhl=enei=STmnTLDuNJXP4AaMsbCoDQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=Obama%20as%20blackf=false Howard, J. (N.d). On the Social Construction of Race. The Occidental Quarterly Online. Retrieved from http://www.toqonline.com/2010/06/on-the-social-construction-of-race-2/ Lee, J. and Bean, F. (2004). Immigration, Race/Ethnicity, and Multiracial Identification. Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 30 pg. 221. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0sid=5srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=3startpage=-1vname=PQDdid=691458491scaling=FULLpmid=18604vtype=PQDfileinfoindex=%2Fshare3%2Fpqimage%2Fpqirs101v%2F20101003084130759%2F20023%2Fout.pdfsource=%24sourcerqt=309TS=1286109693clientId=29440 May, S. and Mumby, D. K. (2005). Engaging organizational communication theory research: multiple perspectives. CA, SAGE. Oderberg, D. S. (2007). Real essentialism. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=gO_40ZwgdkMCpg=PA21dq=essentialisthl=enei=5hGSTPKHJ4aROJqIofoGsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=essentialistf=false. Saraga, E. (1998). Embodying the social: constructions of difference. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.c om/books?id=kEkbPIX-mxkCprintsec=frontcoverdq=the+social+construction+of+differencehl=enei=78uRTPGMBc614AbGvfjYAwsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=7ved=0CEcQ6AEwBg#v=onepageq=the%20social%20construction%20of%20differencef=false. Tehranian, J. (2009). Whitewashed: America’s invisible Middle Eastern minority. NY, NYU Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=OCI5SvjKRw8Cpg=PA64dq=from+friendly+foreigner+to+enemy+race:+selective+racialization,+coveringhl=enei=DYaoTOHlBYyZOvHMxY8Msa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=from%20friendly%20foreigner%20to%20enemy%20race%3A%20selective%20racialization%2C%20coveringf=false. Verkuyten, M. (2005). The social psychology of ethnic identity. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=GzpkIa0U6bYCpg=PA126dq=essentialisthl=enei=5hGSTPKHJ4aROJqIofoGsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=3ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepageq=essentialistf=false. 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Sunday, March 15, 2020
Psychology Literature Review
Psychology Literature Review Critically evaluate the statement that it is inappropriate for psychologists to use standard personality tests to interpret and understand the Behaviour of Indigenous people such as Aboriginal Australians.Indigenous people such as Aboriginal Australians are a different culture and diverse population and compared to that of non-indigenous Australians (Altman, 2009). For these reasons, understanding and interpreting the behaviour of our Aboriginal Australians would be a benefit not only to non-indigenous Australians, but also indigenous people so both cultures can develop more cultural awareness and competence with one another (Ranzijn, McConnochie, Day, Nolan, Wharton, 2008). This is where it may be appropriate for psychologists to use standard personality tests for the purpose of understanding their behaviour. How appropriate a test is, is determined by the reliability and validity in measuring the intended variable (Hill, Pace, Robins, 2010). Within using any type of personality tes t, there is a cultural and gender component in assessing behaviour (Stansfield, Smith, 1949).The didgeridoo, an instrument of the Indigenous Au...This cultural component varies from one culture to the next, depending on the factors such as complexity, tightness, and individualism and collectivism in culture. The component of gender affects behaviour in such a way that each gender has appropriate and expected behaviours of them, within a culture. However, there is potential for conflicts to occur with such tests, such as cross-cultural misunderstandings, and miscommunication. An example of this is common gestures can bring different meanings across different cultures. This essay will further evaluate the use of standard personality tests (using the interview method to illustrate) as a form of reaching an understanding of how indigenous people such as Aboriginal Australians, behave.A standard personality test can be useful in interpretation and understanding of behaviour, which is det ermined by the reliability and validity (Reddock, Biderman, Nguyen, 2011). There are various methods for assessing the personality...
Friday, February 28, 2020
School Culture and Climate Management Research Paper
School Culture and Climate Management - Research Paper Example The author of the essay "School Culture and Climate Management" begins with the short introduction of the topic. He tells that upon entering the premises of a school, a visitor may immediately feel a sense of the school’s prevailing social climate. A positive atmosphere should be palpable upon walking through the school premises. Classrooms may be designed differently, but my school maintains a standard by which each classroom teacher adheres to. Several studies have been completed on the topic of classroom climate and how it affects student learning. Wilson et al. (2007) concluded that an effective classroom climate encompasses a warm, child-centered, positive environment in which the teacher exhibits sensitivity to each student’s emotional and instructional needs and structures instruction to encourage student autonomy and self-control. The teacher is enthusiastic and respectful of students and encourages students to pursue their interests. (Douglas, 2008, p. 41) Wilson adds that a well-managed, positive school environment where adults manifest sensitivity and allow autonomy in the students’ learning coupled with evaluative feedback results in the development of positive social behaviors of the people within that school. Therefore, It follows that quality of interpersonal relationships within the school determines the factors that create a school’s culture and climate. Fulfilling relationships flourish in pleasant learning environments, influencing academic achievement. (Van Petegem et al., 2008). A pleasant learning environment brings about well-being among students, which is described as â€Å"a positive emotional state that is the result of harmony between the sum of specific context factors on the one hand and the personal needs and expectations towards the school on the other hand†(Engels, Aelterman, Van Petegem, Schepens, & Deconinck, 2004, p. 11). Dynamic factors such as the nature of students’ experiences in their positive interactions with their teachers are more essential than structural factors. According to Munro (2007), Pianta devised certain questions to explore these dynamics: What do children experience in the school? How do their experiences and interactions affect their learning? How can the quality of interactions and experiences in classrooms be improved through observations and professional development? (p. 46) In the implementation of the school’s mission and the achievement of its vision, the school culture and climate has to be consistent in meeting set expectations. Widespread agreement among researchers prevails that a positive and pleasant environment that emphasizes sensitivity to student needs from caring and supportive teachers and school staff increases the likelihood of student success (Wilson et al., 2007; Douglas, 2008; Van Petegem et al., 2008; Munro, 2007; Black, 2006). Blankstein (2004) identified the six principles that promote student achievement and these reflect the school’s culture and climate: common mission, vision, values and goals; ensuring achievement for all students by establishing systems that provide
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
IT GOVERNANCE WITH RISK MANAGEMENT IMPACT ON THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR Essay
IT GOVERNANCE WITH RISK MANAGEMENT IMPACT ON THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR BUSINESS STRATEGY - Essay Example It has the capability of influencing how the company objectives are set and achieved, how risks are being monitored and assessed and how the performances are being optimized. Applying the concept of governance to IT, Rego and Wilson (2012) define IT governance as the setting up of structures, processes and relational mechanisms around the way an organization aligns its IT strategy with its business strategy. IT is a critical element of governance and usually entails the study and use of systems such as computers and telecommunication equipments for storing, sending and retrieving information (Rego & Wilson, 2012). Erkens, Hung and Matos, (2012) place the responsibility of IT governance on the board of directors and the executive management. From this perspective, IT governance is seen to be a crucial part of the enterprise management and entails leadership and organizational structures and processes that ensure that the company IT sustains and extends to the organization strategy and objectives. From this definition, IT management remains a main actor within the IT governance process. However, although IT management and IT governance are closely related, the two concepts are different since IT management is in charge of providing effective IT services, with supplying and management of IT services and products. On the other hand, IT governance focuses on the performance and service deliv ery aimed at achieving the demands of customers and shareholders. IT governance is surrounded with risks, which means that risk management is inevitably a component of IT governance as well as corporate governance. It follows, therefore, that the teams responsible for the governance of a governmental entity must consider IT and understand how critical the risks are to the organization and manage them according to their priority level. This becomes more important when it is considered that the government sector often struggles to deal with inadequate or
Friday, January 31, 2020
Rice and Beans Essay Example for Free
Rice and Beans Essay Rice-and-beans, the staple of Belize Cuisine. Although originally considered primarily a Creole dish, today it’s eaten daily by all and is simply called Belizean rice and beans. Ingredients 1 cup red kidney beans 1 cup thick coconut milk 1 garlic clove (optional) salt pepper 2 cups rice 1 onion, sliced 1 piece of salt meat (cut into small pieces) Preparations 1. Soften beans (soak first) with garlic. 2. Boil until tender and whole, adding salt meat (previously boiled to soften) when almost tender. 3. Add the milk, onion and seasonings. 4. Wash rice, then add to the beans. 5. Cook over gentle heat until liquid is absorbed. 7. Stir gently with a fork, and add a little water from time to time until rice is cooked. Serve hot with a meat dish. (Some favorite meat dishes with rice and beans are: stuffed baked chicken, stew chicken, stew fish, fried fish or meat balls). Yoana Alvarez Period 2.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Solutions to the Church Music Controversy Essay -- Music
Solutions to the Church Music Controversy There are many different approaches churches are taking to solve the controversial issue of the use of instrumental accompaniment to singing and contemporary ways of worshiping in churches. Contemporary churches are encouraging the use, whereas traditional churches are preaching against the use and are educating the people of their churches with what God and the Bible say about music. Some churches that use instruments in their services are holding different services for different types of audiences, like one for the elderly that will use the more traditional songs and hymns, and then another for the youth, or divorced, or the single people, or the married. Then there are those who say that this should not be something churches should even be arguing about, and that there are worse things happening in the church that should be focused on eliminating. In the article, â€Å"Churches Use Hip-Hop to Draw Teens†of the Rockford Register Star, reporter Edith Webster writes from an interview with minister Ralph Hawthorne, director of Let’s Talk It Out; which was part of the ‘Summer Showcase 2003’ program in Rockford, Illinois, â€Å" ‘Summer Showcase 2003’ includes free food, giveaways, a puppet show and a variety of gospel music for the entire family, but the young people will most likely be all into the gospel rap. ‘There is a generation of people who are unreached,’ said minister Ralph Hawthorne,’ †and to justify his actions he claims, â€Å" ‘To get the gospel out and to be relevant, we need to not change the message but maybe change the method’ †(Webster). Assuming that this is how God wants His message to be taught, I think there exists a tremendous amount of wrong in this way of think... ...Works Cited Deville, Nancy. "Gospel Singing at Mass is Break from Tradition." The Tennessee [Nashville, TN] 24 Jul. 2003: M1. InfoTrac Custom Newspapers. TexShare. Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 29 Oct. 2003. Furr, Joe E. "Working Around Tradition."17 Nov. 2003. Christian Homesite. 29 Oct. 2003 . Smith, James B. Rich Mullins His Life and Legacy: an Arrow Pointing to Heaven. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000. Webster, Edith C. "Churches Use Hip-Hop to Draw Teens." Rockford Register Star 2 Aug. 2003: 6C. InfoTrac Custom Newspapers. TexShare. Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 29 Oct.2003. Zondervan Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985, 1999, 2002.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Fair Value Accounting Essay
Topic: To what extent is â€Å"Fair Value Accounting†an effective method in measuring the values of financial instruments in financial statement? In recent years, the breakout of global financial crisis has raised controversial debates about whether or not fair value accounting (FVA) is an effective method in measuring the values of financial instruments (Laux & Leuz, 2009). As two main accounting standards around the world, both International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and US Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) have adopted FVA as an accounting method to judge the values of some financial instruments (Mala and Chand, 2011). This essay will argue that although FVA can provide timely and transparent price information to the users of accounting information in some cases, there are potential problems of FVA in measuring the values of financial instruments on account of unreliable evaluation models, biased prices in inefficient markets and a negative price contagion effect. There are three main parts in this essay. Firstly, it will give the definition of FVA and then it will analyze why the effectiveness of FVA may be limited from three aspects, namely unreliable evaluation models, biased prices in inefficient markets and a negative price contagion effect. At last, it will consider the pros of FVA regarding the timely and transparent information it provides in some cases and analyze the pros. According to Financial Accounting Standards 157, fair value accounting can be defined as â€Å"an accounting method to measure the values of assets and liabilities based on the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date†. That is to say, FVA relies on the actual market prices of the financial instruments and records the exact market prices on the financial statements. In fact, FVA replaces historical cost accounting (HCA) with the development of accounting standards (Boyer, 2007). Compared with FVA, historical cost accounting can be described as an accounting measurement of values based on the original or historical cost when the company got the assets or liabilities. For example, a company bought a stock for 50 pounds last year. In this year, the price of the stock increases to 100 pounds. Under FVA, the company should record the value of the stock at 100 pounds this year while 50 pounds will be recognized under HCA. As the replaced FVA has been regarding as accelerating the global financial crisis, it draws a lot of attention in respect of its potential weaknesses in the accounting field. Firstly, the model to estimate fair values of financial instruments in illiquid markets seems to have insufficient reliability (Laux & Leuz 2009 and Mala Chand 2011). If the markets for the identical or similar financial instruments whose values need to be evaluated are active, the available prices can be used to evaluate the fair values of them (Laux & Leuz 2009). However, if the markets do not exist, which means the the markets are inactive or illiquid, the fair evaluation model is needed to estimate the fair value of the financial instruments (Ball 2006). Specifically speaking, the model to evaluate fair values of financial instruments rely on the future cash flow of the financial instruments and borrowing rate of the company. The future cash flow can be described as the future cash inflow (income) and outflow (expense) brought by the financial instruments whilst the borrowing rate of a company can be considered as the cost of capital which can be invested in other investments rather than the financial instruments. The users of the evaluation model should firstly predict the future cash flow of the financial instruments and then use the borrowing rate of the company to calculate the present fair values. Ljiri (2005) states that using model to estimate the values of financial instruments provides significant discretionary power to the users and gives uncertainty, which may influence the objectivity of the valuation of financial instruments. Indeed, the same financial instrument could be evaluated differently on account of different estimation of future cash flows and distinct borrowing rate. Because the users of the evaluation model have the power to forecast the future cash flow, different users may have distinct estimations of the same financial instrument based on their perspectives of its future profitability. In addition, different companies may have different borrowing rates due to distinct industries involved. Thus, the above two uncertain factors affects the objectivity of the fair evaluation of the financial instruments, which limits the reliability of the evaluation model. Secondly, the inefficient markets could distort prices, which has a negative effect on the basis of FVA (Laux & Leuz 2009). An inefficient market can be defined as a market in which the prices of financial instruments can not be measured accurately due to the inefficient information it provides (Aboody et. al 2002). Additionally, Lim and Brooks (2010) review the empirical literature about the evolution of market efficiency over time and find that the market cannot be always efficient and market inefficiency can be easily caused by investor irrationality and liquidity problems. That is to say, the market prices of financial instruments could be distorted by biased behaviors of investors, such as overconfidence or overreaction to a stock, and liquidity problems, such as illiquid market for a long-term bond. What’s more, the distorted prices can not reflect the real values of financial instruments, which makes FVA lose the reliable basis to measure the fair value of financial instruments. Therefore, the biased prices in the inefficient markets tend to the appropriateness of fair evaluation of financial instruments. Thirdly, Laux and Leuz (2009) argues that FVA could enforce negative price contagion in the financial markets, which has been considered as the main cause of rapid spread of global financial crisis. It is argued that FVA has stimulated the financial crisis in a vicious spiral and leading to the spread and depth of the financial crisis (Begtsoon 2011, Allen and Carletti 2007, Appelbaum 2009 and Jones 2009). To be specific, after financial crisis broke out, the liquidity of financial instruments’ markets dried up, which means very few trades of the financial instruments existed in the markets (Begtsoon 2011). As a result, the market pricing mechanism became dysfunctional because the prices should be evaluated from very few trades, which resulted in low prices of financial instruments (ibid). In turn, the low prices put pressure on the financial statements of some financial institutions in terms of assets depreciation under FVA (Allen & Carletti 2008). In order to keep capital requirements, the financial institutions had no choice but to sell assets at low prices, which led to lower prices of financial instruments in the markets and stimulated further assets depreciation on other financial instruments’ financial statements under FVA (Plantin et al. 2008a). To sum up, the prices in the market could negatively influence the evaluation of financial instruments under FVA and at the same time, the evaluation of financial instruments under FVA could have a further negative effect on the market prices, which forms a vicious circle that can speed up the price contagion and fluctuations. Nevertheless, supporters of FVA believe that FVA can provide transparent and timely information for the users of accounting information (Brown 2008). As Hughes (2009) says, the function of FVA is â€Å"like that of the thermometer-it mirrors reality, it does not create it†. Since FVA can reflect what is happening in the market on the financial statements immediately, it allows the information users to get easy access to the most timely and transparent market information. In addition, Hinks (2009) argues that the useful information provided by FVA allows the investors and regulators to approach to the up-to-date position of financial institutions and encourage them to make corrective decisions. Indeed, it cannot be denied that FVA can provide prompt and transparent price information in some cases. However, it is not always the case which contributes FVA to an effective measurement to value financial instruments. First of all, in an illiquid or inefficient market for some financial instruments, even if FVA could provide timely price information of the financial instruments, the timely information provided is unreliable, which leads to the uselessness of the timely and transparent information provided by FVA. Secondly, even though the financial instruments have an active or efficient market, FVA cannot result in increased transparency of information in financial statements as expected (Krumwiede 2008). Thirdly, under FVA, timely price information would lead to volatility of financial statements (Barth 2004). The continuous volatility of financial statements causes confusion for the users of accounting information and raises the company’s cost to keep accounts. Hence, although FVA could offer some timely and transparent information to the users, these information limits to some extent because of unreliable information, limited transparency and volatility of financial statements. In conclusion, this essay has discussed three aspects limiting the effectiveness of FVA to measure the values of financial instruments, including evaluation model, inefficient markets and price contagion effect. In addition, it also considers the pros of FVA in terms of timely and transparent information provided in some cases. It can be concluded that even though up-to-date and transparent information could be provided by FVA occasionally, the effectiveness of FVA to measure the values of financial instruments has been limited due to the unreliable evaluation model, distorted prices in inefficient markets and a negative price contagion effect. Because of word limit, this essay cannot cover the detailed application of FVA to specific kind of financial instrument. However, the above discussion can clearly show that FVA has some general problems in measuring the values of financial instruments. Based on above analysis, it can be suggested that the problematic aspects of FVA could be improved or revised by providing more clear explanation and more specific regulations by the constitutors of accounting standards and for some specific financial instruments with illiquid or inefficient markets, it is better to use some other methods to measure their values.
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