Digging Up The Facts: Searching For Truth

The search for historical truth is a complex endeavor. It requires collaboration, interrogation, and imagination. Historical archaeologists study modern and post-modern communities and events through the excavation of material artifacts in order to explain and contextualize the past. While the methodology of archaeology employs excavation as well as social and forensic science, the theoretical premise is based the notion that one can â€Å"know† a particular culture by means of an exhaustive collection and analysis of its material documents.According to James Deetz in In Small Things Forgotten, historical archaeologists look at â€Å"material objects from the past† in order to â€Å"decode† the messages that these buried voices might tell (Deetz 4). They supplement and expand the work conducted by folklorists, sociologists, and anthropologists so as to reveal the manner in which earlier individuals lived, loved, and died (Deetz 5).On rare occasions and under favo rable cultural conditions, the findings of historical archaeologists serve as a corrective in that their work uncovers the â€Å"buried truths. † William M. Kelso, one of the most important historical archaeologists of our time, recently led a major project in Jamestown, Virginia. This endeavor centered on the â€Å"unearthing† of the James Fort and other material artifacts. In 2006, Kelso’s groundbreaking work resulted in a published narrative of his archeological dig: Jamestown: The Buried Truth.Subsequent to the book’s publication, in 2007, the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in partnership with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and the National Park Service sponsored an exhibit, Written in Bone, in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. An archeological team, led by Kelso, began their journey by identifying a twenty-two and one-half acre site. Through the use of quilt methods and excavation, they collected and examined the soil composition uncovering numerous seventeenth-century artifacts.Perhaps his greatest find was the remaining portion of the James Fort wall believed to have been destroyed by the James River. Kelso’s work â€Å"proved† that this could not have occurred for he unearthed the walls, interior structures, pits, and nearly one half million objects. Although his fascination with the James Fort reaches back four decades, Kelso’s diligence and skills as both archeologist and historian led him â€Å"literally to the soil† and, in so doing, he established a basis for a major revision of the colonial history of Virginia. Through the use of blueprints, CT scans, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR),Mitochondrial DNA testing, and skeletal analyses, Kelso confirmed, and in 2002, uncovered a â€Å"gable-lidded coffin† believed to have been that of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold previously buried under a pit on the w est wall of the Fort. Although unable to confirm that the skeleton in the coffin was Gosnold’s remains through calcium traces and dental analysis, a captain’s leading staff was buried with him. The staff along with â€Å"wood stains in the soil and the patterns of nails† suggests that he was a significant leader in the founding of Jamestown (Kelso 142).Kelso’s discovery of the remains of the James Fort, constructed in the early seventeenth-century, raised new and important questions about extant historical interpretations regarding the people of Jamestown scholarship that, for the most part, has been based solely on the written documentary record. Gosnold’s buried but â€Å"well preserved pelvis† allowed forensic anthropologist, Douglas Owsley, to recently conclude that the â€Å"five- foot, three-inch European man died in his mid-to late thirties† (Kelso 142). Kelso’s work provides evidence of how Gosnold lived and died.In add ition, Kelso and the National Geographic Society received permission from the Church of England to examine the buried remains of Gosnold’s sister, Elizabeth Gosnold Tinley, buried in All Saint’s Church in Shelly and whose remains, after DNA testing, was determined to be inconclusive as to her biological relationship to the Captain (Kelso 155-56). Kelso’s uncovering of what remains of the James Fort contradicts assertions that the colony of Jamestown had failed because transplanted Englishmen simply refused to work or lacked the wisdom and ingenuity to be successful.In addition, Kelso, through his own â€Å"dig† for the truth, proved them false. The early settlers had been constant laborers and the James Fort had not been completely lost to the river. Kelso employed forensic science and anthropological data to determine erosion and unusual indentations in the soil. Kelso’s methods showed the limitations of utilizing written documents exclusively as a way of interpreting the past. According to Kelso, â€Å"the soil yielded a new understanding of the early years of Jamestown; a new picture of its settlers †¦ a new story of the interdependence between the Virginia settlers and the Virginia Indians† (Kelso 7).Kelso is not alone in utilizing an interdisciplinary approach. If we consider the founding and establishment of Virginia and Maryland, colonies that were constantly engaged in a border dispute, we can see certain patterns of development which the documentary record supports. But the documents do not show us the material items early colonists used such as the houses, tools, and weapons. While the archaeologist needs history to contextualize and identify patterns for the purpose of accuracy, the historian makes a more compelling case by incorporating material artifacts as a significant element of his or her analyses and interpretation.One might agree with Deetz who argues that the â€Å"documentary record and archa eological record complement each other† (Deetz 11). His examinations of the manner in which colonial people, black, white, and brown, in the Chesapeake lived and died provide a telling example of the interrelationship between historical methods and archaeological interpretation. In 1609 the London Company loaded the colonists in three ships and, in 1607, they arrived at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.Ordered by the Crown to seek a more inland region so as to better protect themselves from attacks by sea, the colonists settled farther up the James River near what would later become Richmond and Manchester. Jamestown, founded in 1607, provided protection from foreign attacks but was an unsuitable location due to poor drinking water, poor hunting ground, and farming. In addition, Native American attacks were frequent and unpredictable. Ill prepared and unable to sustain themselves, many of the colonists died from disease, starvation, and from warfare with the indigenous popul ation.With the arrival of Captain John Smith, as the story goes, the colony had its first chance at success. As a result of his leadership, historians argue, the colony sustained itself during the early years. In 1609, after Smith had returned to England, a drought severely limited colonial trade with England. In addition, unfavorable weather from 1609-1610 led to what has been described as â€Å"the starving time. † By 1610 over half of the population had died or was gravely ill. John Rolfe, who arrived in 1612, introduced two types of tobacco seeds to the colony: Orinoco and Sweet Scented.The success of these seed varieties provided a cash crop and a lucrative import item for the mother country. In addition, Rolfe’s marriage to Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhattan, in 1614, offered a relative measure of peace allowing for the use of more land to cultivate the soil depleting tobacco crop. In 1619 nearly one hundred women were brought to the colony as well as twenty Africans, initially as indentured servants and ultimately perpetual slaves. By 1632 Jamestown would be linked to the York River, the Middle Plantation, and later Williamsburg.It would become a thriving colony of landed gentry, small farmers, landless whites, displaced Natives, and enslaved Africans. Deetz offers a provocative discussion about African American dwellings, particularly the shotgun house which he considers the â€Å"most explicitly African vernacular architectural form to be found in America†¦ (Deetz 215). For Deetz, this structure shows clear signs of West African dwellings for â€Å"wherever Archaeologists find the shotgun house they find â€Å"evidence† of the viability of the African tradition in African American material culture† (Deetz 217). At the same time, Barbara J.Heath in her Hidden Lives: the Archaeology of Slave Life at Poplar Forest tells how excavators were able to determine soils connected with cellars, layers under buildings, as we ll as small objects buried adjacent to Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home southwest of his Monticello plantation. From the Poplar Forest slave quarters site, Heath and her crew obtained artifacts by â€Å"[screening] all soil from the site through one-quarter-inch hardware cloth† (Heath 32). They also found root cellars believed to have been the location where slaves stored or hid personal and contraband items (Heath 37).After three periods of controlled excavating, Heath was convinced that they had â€Å"uncovered the remains of a slave settlement† (Heath 31). Soil stains, seeds, tools, and bone fragments recovered from one site revealed the extent to which Africans lived under the restrictions and limitations of slavery in colonial America (Heath 67). Virginia and Maryland were the first colonies to utilize African slave labor on American soil. Unlike Virginia, however, Maryland established slavery at the time of its founding settlement at St. Mary in 1634.But mu ch like Virginia, Maryland transitioned from the indentured servitude to slavery by exploiting Native Americans and then Africans who cultivated tobacco and rice while others labored as skilled carpenters or blacksmiths. By 1664 slavery was perpetual in Maryland, meaning that the children assumed the status of the mother from cradle to grave. Although a colony established for Catholics, Maryland was also a place for Puritans to worship where the primary incentive for settlement was not the acquisition of wealth and status but for the purpose of religious freedom.Still, the increased numbers of Africans forced into the ‘New World† via the transatlantic trade allowed for the development of a distinct African culture on the American landscape. Once in the Chesapeake, colonists altered their views about what was possible in light of the large amounts of available land. Many became small self sufficient or large landowners within a community that was widely dispersed with few urban centers. They were dependent on agriculture and the export of tobacco that required slave labor for its long-term success.Maryland and Virginia used the head-right system, and during the initial landing in Maryland colonists traveled with their wives unlike Virginians who were, for the most part, single men. Marylanders also brought their indentured servants and as a result, the Chesapeake region evolved into an area defined by tobacco and slaves. The condition of enslaved and free blacks contributed to a distinct culture as Africans in America adapted to and transformed their environment. Well into the eighteenth-century Africans were exported directly from the African coast.The process of Americanization was not fully possible during this period because the colonists themselves did not have a clear sense of what it meant to be an American. Their colonial identity was seen through the prism of Great Britain. The mercantile system tied the colonists economically, politically, and culturally and many of the landed gentry saw themselves as part of a colonial aristocracy or as transplanted Englishmen. The ideology of Americanization must include resistance and assimilation.For example, the presence of cellars, according to Heath’s description, allowed for storage of items that may have been private or forbidden by the master. The existence of cellars represent material evidence of personal freedom within the confines of slavery. The process of Americanization is one that has been discussed by many scholars. Some historians argue that when African Americans were brought by ship and, later, in chains they acculturated and assimilated and, in so doing, became something totally different and uniquely American. Kelso, Deetz, and David A.Price in Love and Hate in Jamestown argue that Africans in America created something new but not something unrecognizable. Blacks created something that was at once African and American. The ground was both common and unc ommon situated on a shared landscape. Leland Ferguson’s Uncommon Ground: Archaeology and Early African America 1650-1800 shows that the South Carolina low country, a region defined by gang labor and rice cultivation, received a constant supply of blacks from West Africa and that through language and custom they were able to sustain a clear cultural connection to Africa even as they created their own Africa in America.Whether it be the shotgun house of Virginia, Jope’s arrival in Virginia with twenty slaves, or the pottery found at Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, â€Å"American democracy and American slavery put down their roots within weeks of each other,† processes that developed and changed over time (Price 194). Accuracy in the interpretation and management of written documents and material objects is a complicated task.A primary document, an item, written, visual, or material, from the period, may provide important details about a person or event as well a s context but it cannot provide empirical evidence. An artifact that has been excavated can show how an object was used, how it was made, and the possible status of its maker or user. The quality of the object can speak volumes about the values of the culture or community.When both types of documents are used, material and written, the participant observer walks away with a rich, more detailed and contextualized historical experience which, in most instances, brings the curious historian and the diligent archaeologist closer to that elusive thing called truth. Kelso and Heath used archaeology and history to get at the facts. Price, on the other hand, relied on the letters of John Rolfe, census, and government records. All of the previously mentioned scholars were trying to find out what â€Å"really† happened.They were excavating for the facts in order to arrive at the truth. Heath’s story was â€Å"woven,† Kelso performed an â€Å"autopsy of America† (Ke lso back cover blurb), Leland found commonality on â€Å"uncommon ground, Deetz listened to the soil, and Price combed the records. Heath is correct in her assertion that â€Å"human experience cannot be recovered from the detritus of everyday life. Yet even a partial story opens a fascinating window into the past, creating new questions and raising fresh questions† (Heath 3). Clearly all of the scholars were successful in digging up the facts for truth’s sake.

Tax Havens

TAX HAVENS DEFINING Tax Havens †¢ Def 1:A tax haven is a country or territory where certain taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all. †¢ Def 2: Tax haven or fiscal paradise are terms used to refer to a jurisdiction which enables its foreign residents or companies to reduce their tax liabilities from their homelands. †¢ Def 3: â€Å"What †¦ identifies an area as a tax haven is the existence of a composite tax structure established deliberately to take advantage of, and exploit, a worldwide demand for opportunities to engage in tax avoidance. (The Economist – description by Geoffrey Colin Powell ) †¢ Def 4: US Government Accountability Office was unable to find a satisfactory definition of a tax haven but regarded the following characteristics as indicative of a tax haven: 1) nil or nominal taxes; 2) lack of effective exchange of tax information with foreign tax authorities; 3) lack of transparency in the operation of legislative, legal or administr ative provisions; 4) no requirement for a substantive local presence; 5) self-promotion as an offshore financial center. TYPES of Tax Havens ) Universal Tax Haven is a country's offer to entrepreneurs and investors with a wide range of financial and tax benefits. Such havens include colonial territories and also mini countries. In order to attract both entrepreneurs and investors they offer attractive political, economic, fiscal and judicial arrangements. 2) Special Tax Haven allows for special types of activities. A result of such an orientation a situation may be created in which high taxes exist concurrently with the low fiscal rate for particular economic branches or tax payers. BENEFITS and ADVANTAGES of tax havens †¢ profit transfer is a term used to describe profits achieved from selling goods and services at cost. As a result profits are higher in the country where corporation tax is lower. †¢ rotary company is a company which can be bought or set up in one of the tax havens. Registration procedure is simple: the company's owner does not have to reveal his personal data and therefore can use fictional names. Such companies, often called rotary, are used for providing services, purchase transactions or particular joint stock companies sales. offshore company allows for income to accumulate in a low tax jurisdiction. and is used mainly by corporations and rich people from the world of art. †¢ treaty shopping helps tax payers avoid barriers imposed on them by a double tax agreement, which aim is to prevent people from seeking tax benefits in third countries. †¢ Personal residency †¢ Asset holding †¢ Trading and other business a ctivity †¢ Financial intermediaries DISADVANTAGES of Tax Havens †¢ Some people worry about the inaccessibility of their money as it is located in a far away offshore tax haven. However, in this day and technological age this is not an issue. With the advent of online banking, it is now possible and, indeed, expected in many offshore financial centres that their clients will conduct their transactions online. †¢ The main disadvantage for offshore companies located in tax havens is that many government and governmental agencies will not accept tenders from these types of offshore entities. These contracts would include defence, civil engineering, education, health authority and other such civil contracts. EXAMPLES of tax havens †¢ The U. S. National Bureau of Economic Research has suggested that roughly 15% of countries in the world are tax havens, that these countries tend to be small and affluent, and that better governed and regulated countries are more likely to become tax havens, and are more likely to be successful if they become tax havens. The following are designated as offshore financial centres by the IMF(International Monetary Fund ) or the FSF (Financial Stability Forum): Andorra ; Anguilla ; Antigua ; Aruba ; Bahamas ; Bahrain ; Barbados ; Belize ; Bermuda ; British Virgin Islands ; Cayman Islands ; Cook Islands ; Costa Rica ; Cyprus ; Djibouti ; Dominica ; Ghana ; Grenada ; Guernsey ; Hong Kong ; Isle of Man ; Israel ; Japan ; Jersey ; Labuan, Malaysia ; Lebanon ; Liechtenstein ; London ; Luxembourg ; Macau ; Malta ; Marianas ; Marshall Islands ; Mauritius ; Micronesia ; Montserrat ; Nauru ; Netherlands Antilles ; New Zealand ; Niue ; Palau ; Panama ; Philippines ; Puerto Rico ; Samoa ; Seychelles ; Singapore ; St Kitts and Nevis ; St Lucia ; St Vincent and the Grenadines ; Switzerland ; Tahiti ; Tangier ; Thailand ; Turks and Caicos ; United States (particularly, Delaware, but some other states have offshore characteristics) ; Uruguay ; Vanuatu OECD and Tax Havens: List of Uncooperative Tax Havens In a report issued in 2000, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ) identified a number of jurisdictions as tax havens accordi ng to criteria it had established. †¢ Between 2000 and April 2002, 31 jurisdictions made formal commitments to implement the OECD’s standards of transparency and exchange of information. †¢ Seven jurisdictions (Andorra, The Principality of Liechtenstein, Liberia, The Principality of Monaco, The Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Republic of Nauru and The Republic of Vanuatu) did not make commitments to transparency and exchange of information at that time and were identified in April 2002 by the OECD’s Committee on Fiscal Affairs as uncooperative tax havens. All of these jurisdictions subsequently made commitments and were removed from the list of uncooperative tax havens. †¢ Nauru and Vanuatu made their commitments in 2003 and Liberia and the Marshall Islands in 2007. †¢ In May 2009, the Committee on Fiscal Affairs decided to remove all three remaining jurisdictions (Andorra, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Principality of Monaco) from the list of uncooperative tax havens in the light of their commitments to implement the OECD standards of transparency and effective exchange of information and the timetable they set for the implementation. †¢ As a result, no jurisdiction is currently listed as an uncooperative tax haven by the Committee on Fiscal Affairs. THE END THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

A Review of the Literature Essay

Introduction Because the focus on market orientation has steadily increased over the last decade, academicians and marketing managers have begun to debate the effectiveness of market orientation as a profit enhancing strategy. Researchers and marketing managers are attempting to measure the benefits and costs associated with the implementation of market orientation. For researches and managers, the key questions that surround market orientation are whether or not it increases performance, and if so, in which circumstances should market orientation be implemented. In order for market orientation to become a cornerstone of business practices in years to come, these questions must be answered. This review will focus on three articles which address these key questions: â€Å"Market Orientation and Company Performance: Empirical Evidence from UK Companies† by Greenley, G (1995), â€Å"Market Orientation: Antecedents and Consequences†, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) and â€Å"The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability† by Narver and Slater (1990). Summary of â€Å"The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability† by Narver & Slater (1990) In â€Å"The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability† (1990), Narver and Slater address the lack of empirical evidence surrounding the effectiveness of market orientation. They begin the article by stating: â€Å"market orientation is the very heart of modern marketing management and strategy ? yet to date, no one has developed a valid measure of it or assessed its influence on business performance? as a result, business practitioners have had no specific guidance as to what precisely a market orientation is and what its actual effect on business performance may be. † Their study attempts to develop a valid measure of market orientation and its effect on the profitability of the firm. Narver and Slater’s study is designed to test the hypothesis that there is a strong correlation between market orientation and profit levels for both commodity and non-commodity businesses. Narver and Slater  hypothesize that market orientation is a one dimensional construct consisting of three behavioral components: customer orientation, competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination. Additionally, they hypothesize that there are two decision criteria: a long term focus and a profit objective. Based on these criteria, Narver and Slater developed a questionnaire which was given to a sample group of 140 strategic business units in the same division of a major Western corporation. They then used statistical analysis to try to determine the correlation between the adoption of market orientation and the increase in profit and overall performance. In order to obtain accurate results, the researchers attempted to limit the influence of the other forces that impact a business’s profit margin; by doing this, they were able to isolate two key variables and find the relationship between them. Based on their data and analysis, Narver and Slater concluded that there is a monotonic relationship between profit and market orientation for the non-commodity business, whereas the relationship with commodity business was only apparent above the stated median in market orientation. Narver and Slater also concluded that market orientation is economical in all environments, and the question was finding the optimal level of market orientation. Critique of â€Å"The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability† by Narver & Slater (1990). Narver and Slater’s study is one of the first major empirical studies on the subject of market orientation and its impact on the firm’s profit. This ground-breaking study offers empirical validation to theories that were unproven prior to the study. However, based on the results of Narver and Slater’s study, there are still many questions that remain unanswered. I found that the most significant problem with the study is that their sample was taken from a single corporation, meaning that the data they used was limited to only one industry and one region. As Narver and Slater noted in their conclusion, a sample this limited means that their results can be influenced and skewed by many variables, including corporate culture and regional practices. It is also possible that their findings are industry-specific and do not pertain to other companies outside of foresting. However, in the article’s conclusion, Narver and Slater acknowledge these shortcomings and are eager for others in different regions to conduct further research in this field. Although the limited nature of the study makes it difficult to draw any large scale conclusions about the effectiveness of market orientation, Narver and Slater have created a useful model for an empirical study of market orientation which can now be applied to other industries and regions. The most interesting part of the study is not necessarily the results, but the fact that they were able to design the first successful empirical study. Another problem with the study is that Narver and Slater concluded that an equilibrium existed: the point at which the level of market orientation reaches a point at which its cost is equal to its benefit. At this point, any increase of market orientation would only be detrimental to the firm’s profit margin. Although the study states that the equilibrium is present, the authors offer no guidance on how marketing managers can identify this critical point. Further studies should be dedicated to answering this question in order to make market orientation a more effective strategy for businesses. Additionally, in the article’s conclusion, Narver and Slater neglected to discuss a very key finding which surfaced in their data. Their study revealed that market orientation can have a detrimental effect on a company’s overall performance when certain market forces and internal conditions apply. In my opinion, this finding was largely ignored in the conclusion in order to validate their original hypothesis: that market orientation has a positive impact on the performance of an organization. Although this finding was acknowledged in the article, I felt the conclusion was somewhat misleading with regard to the outcome of the study in this respect. Summary of â€Å"Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences†, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) In â€Å"Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences† (1993) Jaworski and Kohli set out to empirically build upon Narver & Slater’s study. Jaworski and Kohli attempt to study the relationship between market orientation and its effect on numerous aspects of the firm. The authors lay out a series of 13 hypotheses which they attempt to prove within their study. The four hypotheses that dealt directly with the key questions noted in the introduction of this review are: A. â€Å"The greater the market orientation of an organization, the higher its business performance. † B. â€Å"The greater the market orientation, the greater the (1) esprit de corps and (2) organizational commitment of employees. † C. â€Å"The greater the market turbulence, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. † D. â€Å"The greater the competitive intensity, the stronger the relationship between market orientation and business performance. † The other nine hypotheses are related to the antecedents of market orientation, including management’s role on market orientation and the impact the organization’s structure and communication has on market orientation. Although these questions are important, I am primarily interested in Jaworski and Kohli’s conclusions on whether or not market orientation affects overall performance and profit/return on equity. Jaworski and Kohli set up two samples from which they derived their data. The first sample was made up of executives from 102 companies; the second sample was made up of 230 executives taken from the membership roster of the American Marketing Association. The authors gathered data via a questionnaire that was sent to participants by mail. Based on the data reviewed, Jaworski and Kohli concluded that market orientation is an important determinant of overall performance regardless of factors such as market turbulence, competitive intensity or technological turbulence. However in both samples, the authors found little correlation between market orientation and return on equity and market share. Jaworski and Kohli also found that the commitment of top management towards implementing market orientation is an important factor on the strategy’s overall performance, as are the levels of interdepartmental coordination and interdepartmental conflict. Critique of â€Å"Market orientation: Antecedents and consequences†, by Jaworski and Kohli (1993) Jaworski and Kohli’s study measures the value that market orientation creates for a business. In their introduction, the authors state their intentions quite clearly: â€Å"The purpose of this research is to address the voids in knowledge [in the Narver and Slater study]. † (Jaworski &Kohli 1993) In this study, Jaworski and Kohli build upon and answer many of the questions left unanswered in Narver and Slater (1990). In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of Jaworski and Kohli’s article is that they attempted to explain their study in an accessible manner by including a section that dealt with the implications of their findings for market managers. Unlike Narver and Slater, I felt that Jaworski and Kohli went to great lengths to try to answer the key questions that managers might have and attempted to lay down guidelines that managers could use in the implementation of market orientation. Jaworski and Kohli also realized the importance of one of the findings Narver and Slater neglected in their conclusion: that market orientation could be detrimental to a business in certain circumstances. Jaworski and Kohli explained the relationships between market orientation and certain environmental contexts including market turbulence and competitiveness. The aspect of the study that I found most interesting was Jaworski and Kohli’s discovery that there is neither an association between market orientation and return on equity nor a relationship between market orientation and market share. Although the two authors still concluded that market orientation was beneficial for overall performance, the finding that it does not help return on equity is very significant. Return on equity, for many firms, is the guiding factor in the decision-making process, especially for private equity groups and investment banking firms. Having worked for a private equity firm, where return on equity is the principal goal, I can confidently say these findings are a huge blow to the advocacy of market orientation. However, I would not feel comfortable ruling out market orientation based on one study; further research must be done on this topic. Additionally, I found one aspect of Jaworski and Kohli’s conclusion problematic: the authors concluded that market orientation had a direct relationship with overall performance, organizational commitment and esprit de corps, yet they stated that it did not influence return on equity and market share. This finding seems to be contradictory to common business beliefs, which would suggest that if market orientation had a positive impact on commitment, overall performance and esprit de corps, it would therefore have an impact on profit or return on equity. This finding is either misleading or it indicates that common beliefs regarding performance and employee motivation are incorrect. Summary of â€Å"Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies† by Greenley, G (1995) In the article â€Å"Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies† Greenley identifies a clear need for an  empirical study in the United Kingdom. As of 1995, no major empirical research had taken place anywhere but the United States. Greenley created his study based upon this research gap. His basic hypothesis, that market orientation is positively associated with performance, is taken from the aforementioned studies by Narver and Slater (1990) and Jaworski and Kohli (1993). Greenley also tested additional hypotheses from Narver and Slater’s 1990 study. The hypotheses Greenley tested dealt with the relationship between market orientation and cost, size of the company, market entry, customer power and competitive hostility in the market. Additionally, he tested hypotheses pertaining to market growth, turbulence and technological change. To obtain his data, Greenley used a slightly altered version of Narver and Slater’s 1990 questionnaire, adapted for UK business culture. The questionnaires were sent to 280 top level managers, mainly CEOs. Of those 280 questionnaires, he received 240 usable responses, which made up the data for his study. Based on the analysis he conducted, Greenley concluded that â€Å"market orientation does not have a direct affect on performance. † (Greenley 1995) He also concluded that with high levels of market turbulence, market orientation is negatively associated with return on equity, whereas with low levels of market turbulence, market orientation is positively associated with return on equity. Critique of â€Å"Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies† by Greenley, G (1995) Greenley’s study is the first major empirical study of market orientation in the UK, and quite surprisingly, his results were very different than the previous findings of studies conducted in the United States. Any reader of Greenley’s study â€Å"Market orientation and company performance† must immediately question whether or not business culture and practices in the UK are so different from their United States counterparts that one strategy empirically proven to work in the United States will be rendered ineffective in the UK. If Greenley’s results are accurate, multinational corporations using a centralized control method would have to rethink using market orientation. This, however, does not seem to be the case. Proctor and Gamble (P&G) appear to successfully implement global strategies, including market orientation, profitably. Therefore, I propose that Greenley’s inability to find a positive relationship between market orientation and performance is a result of a problem in his data collection process. As Greenley stated in his conclusion, his data was gathered during a recession, and therefore a manager’s thoughts on a long-term profit schemes such as market orientation might have been skewed. Also, Greenley obtained nearly 60 percent of his data from top level CEOs and Chairmen, a different sampling base than previous studies in the United States. For instance, Narver and Slater used CPUs and Jaworski and Kohli primarily used market managers for their samples. The difference in sample bases significantly impacts the results of Greenley’s study; typically, CEOs and top management, like those that Greenley questioned, are not as involved in the day-to-day implementation of market orientation and tend to be short-term profit oriented. Managers lower on the organization’s hierarchy, such as marketing managers, might have a more direct involvement with the implementation of market orientation. For future research, I think it would be more prudent to take a broader sample of managers at all levels, thereby eliminating any bias that can occur when only sampling a certain section of the managerial hierarchy. Another problem that I found in Greenley’s conclusion was the fact that he did not make the individual participants aware of the study’s purpose. Although he intended for this to be a tool for gathering accurate and unbiased data from participants, I believe this strategy actually had the opposite effect, given the timing of his article. During a recession, CEOs and Chairmen are attempting to regain short term profitability and/or attempting to scale down costs in order to survive until the recession ends. At such a time, market orientation would not be a viable option and it is unlikely that the top management Greenley questioned would consider it a useful strategy. Therefore, the data collected by Greenley during this period would have little or no relevance for the measurement of the effectiveness of market orientation outside of a recession. Conclusion All three of the articles discussed deal with the task of empirically studying the relationship between market orientation and its effects on businesses. Narver and Slater produced the first major study in this field and their research became a significant starting point for future studies. Narver and Slater’s article stated that they found a direct relationship between marketing orientation and performance; however, the study also brought to light many holes in their research and aspects of this relationship which needed further study. Jaworski and Kohli’s 1993 study attempted to answer some of the key questions that arose from Narver and Slater’s article. The questions Jaworski and Kohli addressed included why some organizations are more market oriented then others and whether or not the linkage between market orientation and business performance depend on the environmental context. The Greenley study in 1995 was the first major study done outside the United States. Greenley followed Narver and Slater’s model in his attempt to empirically study market orientation in the United Kingdom. While his methods were the same, Greenley’s research produced very different results than that of Narver and Slater, and only agreed with some of Jaworski and Kohli’s conclusions. In my opinion, Greenley’s research only added to the confusion that surrounds the study of market orientation; the differences in his results can be attributed to many factors, including gaps in previous research, differences between the United States and the UK, or differences in the economy at the time of the studies. The ambiguous results of this study confirm the need for more research in order to answer the key question of market orientation’s relationship with performance and profit. Therefore, after reading and critically reviewing the above articles, my conclusion is that further empirical research must be done in order for there to be any confidence in the use of market orientation as a performance-enhancing strategy. A multi-national study or the study of multiple multinational companies would provide valuable insight into whether market orientation is exclusively suited to companies operating in the United States or if its implementation in different countries can also be profitable. Further research must also be done in order to affirm or refute Jaworski and Kohli’s claim that market orientation has no positive relationship with market share and return on equity. I believe that if Jaworski and Kohli’s claim is true, managers, especially those operating publically traded companies, will inevitably need to rethink the use of market orientation within their corporations. List of References Greenley, G. (1995). Market orientation and company performance: empirical evidence from UK companies. British Journal of Management, 6:1-13. Jaworski, B. and Kohli, A. (1993). Market orientation: antecedents and consequences. Journal of Marketing, 57(July): 53-70. Narver, J. and Slater, S. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing 54(October): 20-35.

The Housing Market Bubble Burst Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Housing Market Bubble Burst - Research Paper Example The research paper "The Housing Market Bubble Burst" discusses why the housing market bubble burst in 2006 by analyzing the situation from the demand-supply perspective. The burgeoning demand got fuelled due to the availability of cheap credits from the lending institutions such as banks and others. Initial genuine demand from the needy people gets mixed up with the demand from the speculators who take the advantage of available cheap credits start inflating the demand. Demand surpassing supply, prices begin to jump. This is further fueled by the burgeoning economy and good GDP numbers quarter to quarter misguiding masses and almost everybody that this is a genuine demand. The unfortunate part is that in a free economy such as the US, the government cannot intervene directly. Gradually, market reaches to a saturation level where there is no further demand. Meanwhile, supply also keeps pace with the demand. The phenomenon continues for a long time. Underlying weaknesses are not notice d immediately. As in the case of U.S housing scenario, demand between 1993 and 2006 was inflated due to cheap credit that was available coupled with demand from investors aka speculators. It is difficult to estimate but experts say demand from speculators in any rising market is between 60-70 percent. Speculators will hold until they notice the first sign of weakness in the market. All the speculative demand will now take a reversal to book profit. Supply pressure will increase with less and less demand. A downward trend will take many into trappings. A reversal in economy means increased unemployment rate and that will make many people insolvent to pay for their mortgage liabilities. This will eventually lead to foreclosures further increasing the supply manifold. A phenomenon continues until a point where prices are lucrative enough to cause supply matches demand. Prices remain afloat at this level for quite a long time. The point to emphasize here is that artificial demand cannot sustain the housing price for a long and that is what exactly happened. (Thomas, 2006) What Next Given the phenomena of housing bubble burst from the peak of 2006, a question remains to be answered whether housing price has reached to its lowest or there is still a possibility of housing prices going further down to reach its old levels. There are many proponents of the theory that there would be another housing bubble bursting soon or for that matter to say that a downward phenomenon will continue. Ilargi (2011) argues that credit in the US is quickly vanishing. He further states that Treasury and the Federal Reserve are lending our own money. Moreover, the future economic conditions in US will create a severe debt scarcity. The foremost reason given by several analysts is that of the debt saturation that the US economy has almost reached-- a point where total income cannot support total debt. It is also said that new debt cannot increase any GDP. According to them, the U.S househ old debt-income ratio was 136 percent in the first quarter of 2008, which currently is stated to be at 126 percent. Before 2001, it was found to be just 70 percent. In order to reduce debt-income ratio to the reasonable level, current debt needs to be reduced by about $6-trillion. But so far only $600-billion of household debt has been reduced. This proves that American debt has reached to a saturation level and it cannot be increased further. On the other hand, that is being replaced with the in surmountable growth of US government debt. (Ilargi 2011) Housing

Management accounting and control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management accounting and control - Essay Example It acts as a plan developed by experts from within the organization or belonging to external agencies, private or governmental. These professionals make forecasts based on assumptions related to the prices of goods produced, costs of production, wages of labour, level of demand in the market and several other variables. These assumptions are then distributed in the form of a budget to the various departments from the head office. The employees in these departments then infer the status of their respective departments and figure out the ways of action depending on their level of knowledge about the market. Therefore in effect the budget comes true only to the extent up to which the specific departments make accurate assumptions regarding their own operations and also the condition of the market. The moral of this entire process lies in the advice lent out to the different departments that they must try and act in a little more efficient way and that they should be selling more amounts of the products in the coming years (Wallander, 1999). This context is good enough to prove redundancy of the intricate system of budgeting in organizations. The management can also do it without taking refuge under complicated assumptions but rather check at regular intervals that the departments are following the advice. In this paper we shall look into the issue that the process of budgeting is no longer a relevant system for running an organization successfully and that it has been termed by a most well known Swedish author as â€Å"an unnecessary evil† (Chapman, Hopwood and Shields, 2009). Considerable amount of debate has arisen regarding the necessity of budgets in business organizations. The process of preparing an annual budget embodies a lengthy process incurring huge expenses. Thus as Hope and Fraser calls it, the system of budgeting is quite cumbersome and is

The Telephone Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Telephone Technology - Essay Example Subscribers who wanted to communicate with more than one point had to obtain and set up as many pairs of telephones as the number of communicating points. Telephone technology was restricted to domestic lines. It was Western Union which first used telephone exchanges to interconnect individual subscribers in 1878. Alexander Graham Bell’s Bell Telephone Company was quick to incorporate the concept of telephone exchanges. Though the Bell Telephone Company was supposed to have monopolized the telephone business for more than 15 years since its invention, there were nevertheless as many as 1,730 telephone companies operating during the period. In the initial days, the most serious contender tot Bell’s monopoly was Western Union which had bought patents from others who had designed variations of Bell’s original principle of telephone, and had created the American Telephone Company as early as in December 1877. Had Bell not own the patent infringement case against Western Union in the Supreme Court of America in 1879, Western Union, with its large telegraph network already in place, was poised to overtake the Bell Telephone Company within a very short period of time. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company was set up in 1885 to provide long-distance service to American Bell Company subscribers. The Bell Telephone Company had been expanded and rechristened the American Bell Company in the meantime. The first automatic commercial exchange began operating in 1892. By the turn of the century, independent telephone companies were fast overtaking the American Bell Company. In 1889 the first public coin telephone had been set up in Hartford, Connecticut. These were attended payphones with the payment collected by someone standing at hand. The invention of the electron tube in 1906 by Lee De Forest made amplification possible and led the way to national phone service. The subsequent development

Edgar Allen Poe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Edgar Allen Poe - Essay Example This relationship between the brother and sister is further examined in terms of the dominant sibling holding sway over the weaker brother. The night of the storm, Roderick is seen in the narrator’s room. â€Å"His head had dropped upon his breast †¦ he rocked from side to side with a gentle yet constant and uniform sway† while he seems aware that Madeline, buried alive in the crypt below, has been struggling for many days to escape her tomb. â€Å"Long – long – long – many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it – yet I dared not – oh, pity me, miserable wretch, that I am! – I dared not – I dared not speak! We have put her living in the tomb!†. While Roderick is incapable of facing his ghastly mistake in order to rectify it, Madeline appears in the doorway with â€Å"blood upon her white robes and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame†. The terror of her appearance is made all the more ghastly as one considers how the two men struggled over the casements that had enclosed her body, the heavy iron door that had blocked her tomb and the completely sealed quality of the dungeon in which she was placed. More than requiring superhuman strength to overcome the several days’ worth of airlessness that she had endured since being buried, Madeline required additional superhuman strength to throw off the heavy, bolted lid of her coffin and tear open the locked door of her cell in order to appear in the narrator’s room that evening. â€Å"Mistakenly we ask these creatures, ‘What do you want?’

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 7

Interview - Essay Example The other similarity in the cultures of both countries is the mish-mash cultural diversity, where American culture comprises of cultural practices from different nationalities and ethnic groups, since America is an immigrant country, while the Kenyan culture comprises of a mixture of tribal cultures and cultures from different nationalities too. Nevertheless, while the American language culture is characterized by English as the predominant language, the Kenyan language culture is multilingual, comprising of 42 different spoken languages, in addition to English and Swahili which are the official Kenyan languages. The youth culture is another notable area that both the USA and Kenya shares a similarity. Despite the fact that Kenya is by way, too far to develop its economy to the level of the American economy, the advancement in education and technology in Kenya has been great especially in the last two decades. Consequently, the youths in Kenya are able to access the social media and other globally interactive platforms where the people share information and cultures internationally. As a result, the Kenyan youths have adapted a high percentage of the western culture, and most especially the American culture, such that the American youths are likely to feel at home while in Kenya. However, there are many aspects in which the culture of the USA and that of Kenya vary. Firstly, the family culture in the USA and in Kenya are very different, considering the fact that in USA, the family unit is basically the nuclear family, with the extended family not often living together. On the other hand, the Kenyan culture comprises of the extended family living together in the same homestead. Additionally, the family cultures in both countries vary in size, with the size of the nuclear family in Kenya being relatively bigger than that in the USA, having on average 2-4 children and 4-7 children respectively.

Leadership, Teambuilding, and Communication Essay - 1

Leadership, Teambuilding, and Communication - Essay Example It distinguishes the causes of group conflicts in organizations from structural and personal factors, its broad consequences on individuals’ groups and entire organizations that are either functional or dysfunctional, and gives strategies for conflict resolution in the organization. Finally, the paper evaluates the traditional (trait, contemporary and behavior) approach, contemporary (organizational, educational, transformational and strategic leadership) approach, and emerging approaches to leadership stating how they impact on the organizational performance. Keywords: Organization, Group, Team, Conflicts, Traditional and Contemporary Approach, Communication, Sender, Receiver, Technology, Stress, Environment Workplace Stress Stress is a major challenge for individuals and organizations performance, due to its effect that may cause negative reactions if left unattended. It exists to interfere with performance, mounting pressure or various demands on individuals that they end u p giving negative reactions, when their capability to cope with the situation is exceeded by the impact of the cause. The causes can be of different factors and situations grouped into those related to work content (e.g. Long working durations and work overload), social context of work (relations and interactions in handling responsibilities) and organizational context of the work, dealing with the effectiveness of organizational changes and structure in performance and working environment (Michie, 2002). Generally, simple activities and situations, like an organization that is not concerned with the working conditions of employees could cause stresses that may pose a health hazard. Assigning an individual worker various tasks to be completed within an impractical duration, so as to minimize costs or workplace bullying on employees can result into stress. There are immediate varying responses to exposure to stress that influence the individual’s behavior based on their psycho logical effect, mood, feelings, and psychical conduct. For example, stress resulting from bullying in the work environment can make some workers to retaliate in aggression, lose focus due to humiliation, become irritated, or even unmotivated. Workloads can make employees suffer from fatigue or even be uneasy, especially when deadlines are closer. In critical cases, depression and frequent headaches do occur when stress is severe. Stress impacts on employees’ physical and psychological capability, ending up lowering performance in the organization as a result of less productivity, competitiveness, creativity, and efficiency (â€Å"The Impact,† 2013). Issues causing poor concentration may lead to accidents in the organization, which may cost the management to cater for employees’ health, hire new staff, or even repair unplanned damages in organizations. Individuals and organizations need to make efforts to prevent and manage stress, as a way of ensuring safety and health in workplaces. Some approaches that can support such activities in the organization include; facilitating conducive working environment, recreational activities for employees, and clear definition of roles and channels of communication, to prevent factors causing stress like repetitive strain injuries and conflicts in

Critical Analysis of the Departments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critical Analysis of the Departments - Essay Example It is a general and accepted notion in financial market that propriety trading is much riskier than non-propriety trading as it results in more volatile trading. Financial analyst believes that firms and investment banks usually leave the financial market in ambiguity when it comes to their quantum of propriety trading and non-propriety trading. TPG believes that it has competitive advantage over other players in the market that is way it has its major investment in propriety trading. Certain percentage of revenue, but comparatively lower, is generated from non-propriety trading which is also referred to as the flow trading. In financial terms, the flow trading is conducted by the firm on behalf of the client funds and the firm’s revenue is the commission earned on this trading. The company has been focusing on its flow trading business as well as it is likely to generate more client information which thus supports propriety trading eventually. The trading department of TPG wo rks in close collaboration with Quantitative Analysis and Sales department which provides the relevant logistic support to the trading department. ... In addition to that, the department is also actively involved in the pricing of derivatives and hedging. This function involves an intricate software development and thus the expertise of the IT department is always required to be at the disposal of the Quantitative Analytics department. The derivative pricing involves advanced numerical techniques and stochastic calculus. The department is also actively involved in risk management which involves both systematic and non-systematic risk. The process usually involves a great deal of time series analysis and back testing. Last but not the least; the department also evaluates the credit analysis. Credit analysis basically involves assessing how much the company is levered which in financial terms would interpret as the debt equity ratio of the company. When the debt to equity ratio of the company exceeds a certain percentage, then the department proactively informs the higher management of the company about the situation and alarming the m to reduce the leverage of the company. Most importantly, the department works for the development of the trading strategy of the firm. Sales The sales department is another crucial department when it comes to the business strategy of the company. The sales department is responsible for approaching the client and maintaining their information. This department acts as the back bone of the organization and is responsible for setting up the web-site through which the trading with the corporate and non-corporate clients is conducted. This department will require a considerable number of highly skilled and dedicated staff who is able to understand the technical need

Marketing Challenges Faced by Gillette Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Challenges Faced by Gillette - Essay Example As the discussion outlines the engineers in the company went on incorporating further elements of innovation to the Mach3 razor through enhancing the quality dimension of the blades used. It is found that the innovation team at Gillette enhanced the quality of the blades in making them stronger by around three times in regards to stainless steel. Again the alignment of the three blades in the Mach3 razor was done in a fashion as to help the consumers in suffering less of irritation. These quality factors incorporated in the Mach3 razors helped Gillette in gaining enhanced penetration in the new generation male consumer sphere. Amount of irritability in regards to the use of razors was considerably reduced through the incorporation of a separate coating known as ‘Diamond-like Carbon’ coat. This type of coating helped in enhancing the innovative nature of producing blades that would be thinner in nature and yet too stronger. Moreover the key element of innovation studied i n regards to Mach3 razors also reflects testifying the product in regards to a target market based on consumers pertaining to different social and national backgrounds. These people were asked to use both Mach3 and SensorExcel and thereby rate the two types based on certain parameters. Mach3 owing to its innovative capability ranked more to its predecessor SensorExcel thereby reflecting a truly different replacement. Gillette is found to counter a number of marketing challenges both in regards to its advertising and promotional campaign and also in regards to its pricing efforts in relation to the launching of Mach3 in the international market. The advertising campaign taken by the company to launch Mach3 in the international market had to work on a global tone where potential investment of around $200 million was rendered.  

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay For more than four decades, the semiconductor industry has distinguished itself by the rapid pace of improvement in its products. Trends have resulted principally from the industry’s ability to exponentially decrease the minimum feature sizes used to fabricate integrated circuits and other products. Of course, the most frequently cited trend is in integration level, which is usually expressed as Moore’s Law (that is, the number of components per chip doubles roughly every 24 months). The most significant trend is the decreasing cost-per-function, which has led to significant improvements in economic productivity and overall quality of life through  proliferation of computers, communication, and other industrial and consumer electronics. All of these improvement trends, sometimes called â€Å"scaling† trends, have been enabled by large RD investments. In the last three decades, the growing size of the required investments has motivated industry collaboration and spawned many RD partnerships, consortia, and other cooperative ventures. To help guide these RD programs, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) initiated The National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (NTRS), which had 1992, 1994, and 1997 editions. In 1998, the SIA was joined by corresponding industry associations in Europe, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan to participate in a 1998 update of the Roadmap and to begin work toward the first International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), published in 1999. Since then, the ITRS has been updated in even-numbered years and fully revised in odd-numbered years. The overall objective of the ITRS is to present industry-wide consensus on the â€Å"best current estimate† of the industry’s research and development needs out to a 15-year horizon. As such, it provides a guide to the efforts of companies, universities, governments, and other research providers or funders. The ITRS has improved the quality of RD investment decisions made at all levels and has helped channel research efforts to areas that most need research breakthroughs. It is forecasted that by the end of this next decade (2019) it will be necessary to augment the capabilities of the CMOS process by introduci ng multiple new devices that will hopefully realize some properties beyond the ones of CMOS devices. However, it is believed that most likely these new devices will not have all the properties of CMOS devices and therefore it is anticipated that heterogeneous integration either at the chip level or at the package level will integrate these new capabilities around a CMOS core. The participation and continued consensus of semiconductor experts from Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S.A. ensure that the 2011 ITRS remains the definitive source of guidance for semiconductor research as we strive to extend the historical advancement of semiconductor technology and the integrated circuit market. ON Semiconductor Corporation was founded in 1999 and acquired Cherry Semiconductor the next year. In the next six years, from 2005 to 2011, the company opened seven Solution Engineering Centers in Korea, Oregon, Taiwan, and Germany, California, China, and Japan. In addition, the company also acquired ten  companies, namely LSI Logic Gresham, Oregon Design Manufacturing Facility, ADI Voltag e Regulation Thermal Management Group, AMI Semiconductor, Catalyst Semiconductor, PulseCore Semiconductor, California Micro Devices, Sound Design Technologies, Cypress Image Sensor Business Unit, and SANYO Semiconductor. The Application Products Group offers analog, mixed-signal, and advanced logic application specific integrated circuits (IC); power conversions and interfaces between AC and DC. The Standard Products Group offers discrete and integrated semiconductor products, such as power switching, signal conditioning and amplification, circuit protection, and voltage reference. The SANYO Semiconductor Products Group offers microcontrollers, analog and digital tuners and signal processing, and memory semiconductors. In 2013, the company introduced the industrys highest resolution optical image stabilization (OIS) integrated circuit (IC) for smartphone camera modules. Strategic Plan Part I: Conceptualizing in Business A solid strategic analysis is beneficial to shareholders, employees, customers, and decisions makers within a company. The core of an effective strategic plan contains a well-thought and informative mission statement. Using the ON Semiconductor Corporation as a benchmark, a mission statement has been developed to differentiate the company’s products from the competition. In addition, the vision statement as plays an important role in communicating the ultimate goal of the company’s strategic decisions. A driving force behind the mission and vision is the company’s values and ethical principles, which often dictate the choices made during strategic planning. When it is fully implemented, the strategic plan will allow ON Semiconductor Corporation to gain a strategic advantage over its established competitors. Mission Statement We will transform ON Semiconductor Corporation from a traditional broad-line semiconductor company to the leading supplier of programmable solutions in systems everywhere. Semiconductor consolidation is the recent trend of semiconductor companies collaborating in order to come to a practical synergy with the goal of being able to operate in a business model that can sustain profitability. Newly established solutions will be able to supply  local communities with quality products at competitive prices while simultaneously creating value for shareholders. Vision Statement ON Semiconductor Corporation will grow into the largest provider in emerging markets. The brand will have an established presence in Asia, South America, and Europe with locations being found within the top 10 major cities on these continents. By saturating the world’s most populous metropolitan cities, ON Semiconductor Corporation will be the most recognizable Corporation in the world. Guiding Principles, Values, and Culture ON Semiconductor Corporation has several important ethical principles that influence major decisions in the strategic planning process. First, the company is concern about making quality products available to the lowest income groups. Therefore, it is important to keep a wide selection of low cost products available on the market. This becomes an especially important consideration as we expand in markets that experience high levels of economic struggle. Second, the company is committed to delivering exceptional customer service to its patrons. Customer loyalty is a driving factor towards the long-term success of the brand. Failing to deliver exceptional customer service could seriously hinder the ability to grow into new markets. In order for employees to express ON Semiconductor Corporation’s guiding principles, it is essential to create a corporate culture that reflects these principles. Providing ample opportunity for advancement within management hierarchy and the ability to participate in supplemental training will keep employee motivation high. As a result, employees will be eager to follow the ethical values set forth in the strategic plan. It is likely that the company will need to make slight modifications to organization culture to meet the preferences of various world cultures. Impact on Strategic Direction The mission, vision, and values of ON Semiconductor Corporation serve as the foundation for strategic decision making while the company gears up for expansion. When an unexpected variable causes a change in direction, the company will continue to use its mission as a guide for future choices. The primary mission is always to maximize shareholder profits, but the values  determine the approach the company will take to achieve this goal. Overall, this will help the company build a corporate culture in these new markets that gains the respect of the community. If the company is considered to be helping the local community, the chances of creating an effective strategic plan are highly unlikely. Addressing Customer Needs Expanding into emerging markets presents a unique challenge to address customer’s needs. Every country exhibits its own unique culture and it is essential to pander to the preferences of each individual culture. A system that works in the United States is not likely to see the same level of success in Bangladesh, unless serious modifications are made to the business model. To overcome this challenge, the company will conduct independent research and use paid consultants to determine how to tailor the brand’s image for success in vastly different cultures. As time progresses, the company will be able to assess strengths and weaknesses by testing different models in each regional area. Gaining insightful knowledge about each country’s cultural preferences will allow the company to attain a competitive advantage. The nature of strategic management today is seen in the environment-driven strategies of successful firms competing in a diverse market. We must understand that faulty assumptions and false information can result in the formulation of poor or even disastrous plans, and change is constant and continuous; that yesterday’s good plan may not be relevant or of any value today (Pearce Robinson, 2009). We have to realize that we live in a changing world and business organizations, governmental units and other entities, just like people, have to adjust and adapt to survive. Strategic Plan Part II: SWOTT Analysis SWOTT Analysis of ON Semiconductor Corporation is one of the most important components. By providing quality products and prices, the corporation has established a worldwide presence. This SWOTT analysis shows the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends that will impact the company in the future. With promising growth prospects in emerging markets, the company has implemented an aggressive plan to be established  throughout the world. This strategy poses several important risks and opportunities that shape the contents of the SWOTT analysis. Economic Trends Economic trends play a major role in the strategic decisions. The brand has an ambitions global growth plan that is sensitive to economic changes. For example, the company reports that China and India are it’s main targets for new locations and expects to see significant growth as economic conditions improve. As income levels rise in these countries, it is expected that new owners will be eager to implement proven concepts into the local community. In addition, higher incomes will provide greater opportunity for a loyal customer base. However, if economic conditions start on a downward trend then an aggressive expansion could be threatened by insufficient demand for their product. If franchise owners are not finding the locations profitable, it could create irreparable damage to the company’s image abroad and force the closure of new locations. Legal and Regulatory Forces Each new emerging market presents a unique mix of regulatory and legal challenges. For example, the company must adhere to specific regulations. Any major violations could create a major backlash to the brand to that could prevent future growth in the country. Supply Chain Operations Maintaining a consistent product is key to building customer loyalty for ON’s. Customers expect to purchase an identical product each time they make transactions with their company. In order to make this possible, the company has a sophisticated supply chain network in place to ensure every location has products available. This feat is achieved by utilizing regional distribution networks that supply owners with the proper equipment. Building a distribution network in overseas markets is significantly more risky than the United. Unknown distributer and freight companies must be chosen by the company to handle these important operational tasks. In the future, ON’s will be able to establish a strong supply network to minimize the threats  faced in international supply chain operations. Opportunities Based on SWOTT Analysis The greatest opportunities for ON’s can be achieved by differentiating the brand from its main competitors. Primary competitors to ON’s market share include Intel Corp, Texas Instruments, Altera Corp and Xilinx Inc., which have established a dominating presence in international markets over the last several decades. ON’s has the ability to demonstrate value to their customers by delivering a product that is completely unique from most other companies. A marketing plan that outlines their unique experience that ON’s offers will help penetrate markets that are already occupied by competing companies. ON’s also has a great opportunity to achieve new innovations that can reduce labor costs. By implementing technology that can automate the duties of employees, the company can increase its operational efficiency. The company can also reduce operational costs within the supply chain by drawing on experiences in the US market. Building a new supply chain in an emerging market will allow the company to design it in the most cost effective manner. Each of these opportunities will play an important role in strategic success of the brand. SWOTT Table External Factors Factor Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Trends Global ON’s has an established image in overseas markets Supply Chain management requires additional investment to establish in global markets Massive new markets in Asia, especially China and India Political unrest in African and Middle East Markets Growing markets overseas will provide exception growth opportunities Economic Improved economic conditions will provide suitable owners. Greater disposable income will prompt some buys to seek more expensive alternatives. Commercial real estate recovery will provide more restaurant locations domestically. Economic collapse and rising materials costs could impact prices. Global economic recovery is remaining consistent Legal and Regulatory Strong safety record New global markets present new regulatory challenges Establish strong relationships with foreign business partners Legal costs for breaking foreign regulations Increased regulation in the USA could raise labor costs. Environmental Strong history of supporting clean environment practices Increasing public disapproval in the USA Show a commitment to environmental friendly initiatives Environmental infractions could create media backlash Consumers place greater importance on environmental initiatives. Competitive Analysis ON’s unique product line separates it from the competition Stronger brands, such as NXP have more overseas locations Differentiate from competing brands Closely related brands establishing locations in emerging markets. Most major brands and expanding globally SWOTT Table Internal Factors Factor Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Trends Strategy Aggressive strategy will provide rapid growth Rapid growth could cause investment in new innovations to lag behind Continue to build presence in emerging markets. Aggressive strategy may be rejected by some cultures Asian countries are showing increasing demand for electronics Technologies Optimized efficiency for product processing Technology still requires significant human capital Automation to cut down on manual labor needs Competitors may develop tech at a faster pace Technology is decreasing in cost overall Innovations Social media marketing in place to build customer loyalty Competitors are offering items that appeal to higher quality Automate payment processing for rapid ordering Negative media coverage could spread on social media Customers prefer products that efficient Intellectual Property ON’s brand is recognizable worldwide Brand is associated with low quality budget oriented products Increase awareness of high quality items Use of IP by foreign competitors without legal recourse Internet makes it possible to market the product rapidly Summary ON’s faces a complex set of challenges as they conduct their aggressive expansion into emerging markets. Ahead of all, the global economic climate poses the greatest risk to the company, as major changes could have a significant impact on the strategy’s effectiveness. However, competitive pressure dictates that ON’s must establish its presence in overseas markets as soon as possible. If the company waits to establish new locations, it many lose the opportunities provided by the current trend of global economic growth. The SWOTT analysis above provides insight that will help the brand mitigate risk as it continues to move forward with the strategy. Strategic Plan Part III: Balanced Scorecard As a method of further analyzing the strategic goals of ON Semiconductor Corporation, the balanced scorecard provides valuable insight into vision, mission, and values of the company. An analysis from the perspective of shareholders, customer, managers, and employees allows the company to gain a  stronger understanding of how strategic initiatives will affect these relationships. Each strategic initiative can have a differing impact, depending on the relationship a person has with the company. A strategic initiative aimed at lower costs might be beneficial to shareholders in the short term, but could have a negative impact on customer and employee values. The balanced scorecard attempts to organize strategic objectives based on their specific relationship to ON Semiconductor Corporation. Shareholder Value or Financial Perspective Objectives Targets Measures Risk Mitigation Increase customer base by expanding product variety Increase domestic revenue by 10% with a new product line over 5 years A trend of 0.5% growth in domestic sales per quarter. Test new items in a limited number of locations to determine nationwide viability. Decrease international supply chain costs. Lower supply chain costs in international markets by 5% over 2 years This objective should also result in higher operating margins Invest in long-term solutions to supply chain management. Improve price-to-earnings ratio. The current PEG ratio sis 9.05 (NASDAQ 2014) and should be increased to 1.50 A quarterly trend of improvement should be seen in the PEG ratio. Expand into international markets that present the highest overall value. Customer Value Perspective Objectives Targets Measures Risk Mitigation Improve company image by marketing new products Increase customer recognition of new product offerings. Growth of new product sales of 10% relative to traditional products. Conduct custom surveys to gain insight into new product reception. Improve overall customer service Increase positive feedback from loyal customers Improve customer feedback by 25% over 1 year. Implement an employee training program focused on customer service Implement delivery to large markets Make ON’s products available with rapid delivery. Implement ON’s delivery in at least 5 US cities Test the delivery system in limited markets before mainstream launch Process or Internal Operations Perspective Objectives Targets Measures Risk Mitigation Streamline payments with mobile devices Allow customers to pay with mobile devices Enable mobile POS systems at 25% of locations Survey customer preferences for mobile payments Increase ordering speed with improved automation. Eliminate need for full time staff by automating production. Reduce total labor costs by 5% over 2 years. Determine long term ROI of investment in automation Learning and Growth (Employee) Perspective Objectives Targets Measures Risk Mitigation Offer new opportunities for advancement within the company Promote more internal employees to middle manager positions Track the progression tenured of employees within the management hierarchy. Implement a training program for employees who desire management positions Improve corporate culture with social media Allow greater communication at all levels of company 25% employee participation on ON’s blog conversations Monitor and track system to ensure conversations are beneficial Summary Strategic initiatives are always associated with a certain level of risk. As an internationally recognized brand, it is essential for ON Semiconductor Corporation to make an effort to safeguard its image with any new strategic choice. Failing to maintain the image that has been developed could lead to a decreased ability to move forward with international growth of the brand. In addition, many of the strategic goals require a significant financial investment. Any large financial investment should show promise of delivering long-term value to shareholders. This is especially important in the process and internal operations category because it directly impacts the operational success of the company. A strategic initiative in this category must be designed for the long-term sustainability of the company. Each perspective on the balanced scorecard has unique strategic implications. For example, the strategic goals of the shareholders are significantly different than those of the employees or customers. The managers in charge or implementing a strategic plan must find middle ground between the objectives of each category listed on the balanced scorecard. Each category plays an important role in the success of the organization at large and it is essential that every category be considered during the process. Ultimately, the balanced scorecard will ensure the strategy meets the objectives and values of ON Semiconductor Corporation. ONs competition in the semiconductor industry is widely varied. Direct competitors are other established brand manufacturers, such as Intel, Defunct, Sony, Silicon Wafer Producers, Foundry and Qualcomm. The closest competitor in terms of popularity, growth, and product line is the Samsung Electronics. In such a climate, the best investment opportunities will be awarded to companies that have the ingenuity and creativity to meet the customers demands for fashion in an industry driven by economic conditions, demographic trends, and pricing. The industry has moved from a buy now, upgrade later consumer to a buy now, upgrade now consumer. The companys management is confident that the ONs’ can achieve its aggressive sales  forecasts, generating total sales of approximately $20.6 million in years to come. In addition, ONs management has carefully considered its market, potential customer base, and its ability to grow its sales average to capture 10% of the semiconductor industry. ON’s has the potential to become a highly regarded resource in local, regional, national, and international markets. Due to the companys aggressive marketing strategy, establishment of the company as a unique entity in its industry, careful development of its products coupled with strategic partnerships with some of the industrys headliners, and the companys profitable revenue model, ON’s has the potential to provide lucrative returns to potential investors. For ON’s to achieve status as an industry leader, it must secure initial capital. This capital will be used for start-up costs, to establish a reputable storefront, and to further develop the business, business infrastructure, internal systems, product development, and extensive marketing and geographic positioning. Providing that the company is able to acquire its funding requirements, ONs should be able to achieve operational success for many years to come. References Pearce, J. A. II, Robinson, R. B. (2009). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control(11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Thompson, A. A., Gamble, J. E., Strickland, A. J. (2006). Strategy: Winning in the marketplace: Core concepts, analytical tools, cases (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Media Essays Media Tool Celebrities

Media Essays Media Tool Celebrities Media Tool Celebrities In Order to Feed the Public’s â€Å"Need to Know† the Media has Become a tool of Celebrities to Facilitate Their â€Å"Out of Control† Life-Styles Daily we read them, headlines that are crafted to focus our attention on the lives of celebrities. Whether those headlines are found on the opening screens of our Internet Service Providers or, be they the headlines that we read while standing in line at the check-out counter of our local grocery store, we are spoon fed daily doses of the moral and ethical failures of the rich and famous. Daily we hear about them, they are the lead-in stories for our local news broadcasts and the fodder for jokes on late night television. They are true life accounts of extreme and outrageous conduct of celebrities. Whether we hear the accounts as news items or as punch-lines, celebrity escapades seem to document a wasting away of talent and squandering of the endless possibilities that are celebrities are afforded. Even though we would expect these headlines to appear in dramatized versions of tabloid newspapers known for sensationalized journalism. More and more we find the exploits of the same few persons repeatedly making their way into main stream media as well. This outcome was most predictable, as the habits and life-styles that are practiced and lived by celebrities; together with the indulgences provided to them collide with the norms of social conscience and the requirements of law. We the consumer, are encouraged to fill the void in our lives by being observers to their’s. To a large segment of society those daily doses of celebrity voyeurism serves to feed a craving not unlike doses of heroine to a junkie. We as a society crave to know more because we have for the longest period of time, been given glimpses of these celebrities successes and failures. Some of us relish when their lives are filled happiness and success, taking pride in their accomplishments. Some of us are jealous of them, consider them pampered and spoiled, relishing the fact that they find themselves in trouble or, are acting in conformity with a self-destructive path. What is happening in the lives of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Jen, or Lindsay Lohan? Who is their latest love interest? Where do they party and with whom? What are the latest fashion trends they are setting? What problems have they gotten themselves into most recently? All these questions and more are answered for us even before the questions are asked. Are these questions answered for us because the media wants to fuel our interest in celebrities’ lives? Or, are they answered for us because the media is merely responding to the demands of the public’s â€Å"need to know†? Or, is the media being used as a tool of the celebrity, a means for the celebrity to increase demand for themselves as a commodity that results in their ability to earn ever increasing sums of money that can be used to sustain their life-style? The media and celebrities have a strange symbiotic relationship. Celebrities go out of their way to garner the spot-light when it is convenient for them and when the headline or photos help to foster their image. Yet, that same celebrity will not hesitate to berate the media when the headline writers and paparazzi portray them in a bad light or invade the privacy the celebrities claim they desire. This inter-relationship between celebrities and the media is aimed at one audience, the public that fuels both with money. Consequently, it must be argued and I firmly believe that the media is a tool of celebrities that facilitates their â€Å"Out of Control† life-styles in an attempt to capitalize on the general public’s tendency to â€Å"Celebrity Worship†, a tendency that has recently been classified by degree and personality type in the â€Å"Celebrity Attitude Scale†.1 The Celebrity Attitude Scale identifies three (3) personality profiles, â€Å"Entertainment-Social† (This dimension comprises attitudes that fans are attracted to a favorite celebrity because of their perceived ability to entertain and become a social focus); â€Å"Intense-Personal† (The intense-personal aspect of celebrity worship reflects intensive and compulsive feelings about the celebrity, akin to the obsessional tendencies of fans); and, â€Å"Borderline-Pathological† (This dimension is typified by uncontrollable behaviors and fantasies regarding scenarios involving their celebrities). Whether the medium is print, television or Internet web sites, the media is â€Å"banking† on every member of the public to whatever degree, being inflicted with Celebrity Worship and if not already smitten, the media is dedicated to causing those not yet smitten to become so by discovering the latest tidbits that can be converted into breaking news about the lives of celebrities. â€Å"Banking† is the appropriate word. It was in 1957 that American citizens’ obsession with celebrities was fist responsible for attaining gross merchandising revenues that exceeded One Billion Dollars (US$1,000,000,000.00) annually.2 It would be a monumental task to estimate the current gross merchandising revenues generated and numbers of persons that â€Å"Celebrity Worship† is directly responsible for employing. However, it is easy to comprehend that from the scope of the task of writing, photographing, publishing, distributing and selling accounts of celebrities latest adventures on a national and international basis; and, taking into consideration payrolls, travel expenses, advertising revenues, publication and broadcast processes and the sales of merchandise, that the number of persons employed would total into the hundreds of thousands; and, gross revenues would exceed the Gross National Products of many of the world’s nations. Not only are the media outlets scoring big profits from publicizing the information they obtain about celebrities in order to obtain increased readership and ratings that translate into increased revenue from advertising and magazine sales, so too are the celebrities who are getting rich in the process as their names, likeness and mere presence become a commodity to a hungry public. By way of example, in 2004 through 2005, Paris Hilton was paid as much as $300,000.00 to attend foreign events, including parties thrown in her honor. During the course of that year, she earned an estimated $6,500,000.00 in personal appearance fees, was mentioned in 17,591 press clips and 592 radio and television shows.3 However, after her release from jail, it was reported but subsequently denied by her publicists, that she was demanding Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand British Pounds ( £350,000.00), which is approximately $662,000.00, to appear on a British Radio Show to discuss her prison ordeal. Likewise, Lindsay Lohan granted Ok Magazine an exclusive interview within 17 hours of checking herself into the Cirque Lodge rehabilitation facility and again, upon returning to Los Angeles following her discharge from the facility. The interview was not motivated merely by a desire to evidence to her fans that she was sincere about changing her life’s direction. Rather, to a great extent, it was motivated by the fees she charged them to publish the exclusive interview and the pictures taken of her with her estranged father. The media’s coverage of celebrities creates a spiral effect. The more publicity they garner propels them to earn increasing sums of money. The increasing sums of money then allow them to engage in outrageous conduct that garners them more publicity all of which fuels the public’s demand in furtherance of the adage that has now become entrenched in the marketing of celebrities: â€Å"there is no such thing as bad press†. Either because celebrities believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as bad press†, or because their lavish life-styles and high profile names make them believe they are beyond suffering the repercussions of their conduct, celebrities have been â€Å"Out of Control† in the conduct of their lives and pose a risk of harm to themselves and to others. Whether their â€Å"Out of Control† conduct is the product of attempts by some to keep their names in the public spot-light in what they perceive as a marketing ploy that will inspire, delight and perhaps enlarge their fan base; or, the arrogance that is fueled by their celebrity status, the acts and omissions of some celebrities has in many instances shocked the American conscious. Moreover, to a certain degree, it may have had very strong backlash that is only now being recognized and that may result in some celebrities learning that they need to exert self-control and discipline in their lives. The masses observe and interact with each other in idle gossip about the lives of celebrities. The masses comment on the unacceptability of these celebrities conduct. Yet, that same society encourages these celebrities’ actions by continuing to pay for the magazines, watching the shows and reading the web site â€Å"blogs† perpetuated by the media. The added publicity then provides positive reinforcement to their unacceptable conduct. Consequently, the general public’s reaction to the media coverage contributes to these celebrities’ downward spiral by â€Å"Operant Conditioning†, the psychological theory that positive reinforcement of bad acts will perpetuate bad acts.4 The lives of celebrities take over our world in many ways. We turn on the television the celebrities are there. We go to the market the celebrities are there. We turn on our computer and search them out. Our societies’ pop culture has turned watching drugged out or drunken, half naked, rich girls into a national past-time. We have to take the time to ask ourselves, are these people desired to be our next generations’ role models? If so, the world is going to be a very scary place. Yet, our consuming dollars elevate them in the hearts and minds of the young who observe their parents and their peers obsessing on the lives of these celebrities. Through the demand placed by the public for access to more and more information on these celebrities, we are giving these celebrities more opportunity, career success, name recognition, and profit from their own bad behavior. This in turn results in more and more outrageous conduct as they take us to new moral and social lows. It has often been said by celebrities that they do not want to be role models for our children. Yet, the spot-light that is cast upon them by media attention puts them in that power position. â€Å"As tweens [children between the ages of 8 to 12 years] grow up they don’t have a lot of prior knowledge when it comes to lots of situations, and so they look for someone to imitate. [†¦] For tweens this often means the person is someone they want to be like†.5 Since these celebrities are role models nonetheless, should we not let our dollars force them into becoming if not good role models, role models that will not engage in conduct that is reckless to the life and property of others? This was the message being sent with the incarceration of Paris Hilton; this is the message that awaits Lindsay Lohan now that she has emerged from rehabilitation to face the consequences of her reckless driving while under the influence of controlled substances; and, this is the lessen that has been learned by Brittany Spears, who is now paying one of the most costly of all prices for her conduct, the loss of her children. As the news of the effects of the harm caused by each of these celebrities reached out to society through the media what was the result? Vehement protests by their ardent fans to how their favorite celebrity was treated; bashing and name calling by those that dislike or are envious of them; and, increased sales of magazines for those that got the â€Å"Money Photo†. Persons with untold wealth can always afford to do what those who do not have such vast amounts of discretionary money cannot afford to do. But we as a society can little afford to support the publications that would flaunt their conduct and make it appear to be acceptable. A message must be sent to the media, that they are a tool of these celebrities who are using them to gain access to ever increasing sums of wealth. Therefore, if the media will not censor their own publications, then it is necessary for the power of money to do it, by way of boycotting the publications that support these celebrities’ bad acts by providing publicity to them. Bibliography 1.Maltby, J., Houran, J., Lange, R., Ashe, D., McCutcheon, L.E. (2002). Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Unless They Are Celebrities. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1157-1172. 2.The Teacher Who Lured Celebrities Paul E. Duffield Music Educators Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5 (Apr. May, 1957), p. 80 and 82 3.Forbes Magazine Top 100 Celebrities (2005), Estimates compiled by Forbes; published sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Publishers Weekly and Nielsen SoundScan. Press clips compiled by LexisNexis; TV/radio mentions compiled by Factiva. 4.Ferster, C. B., Skinner, B. F. (1957). Schedules of reinforcement. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. 5.Adapted from National Institute of Child Health Human Development (2003). Modeling your own behavior to provide a consistent, positive example for your child. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health. Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pike County, Tween Topics (2003)

Beaver’s Self-Report Family Inventory | Evaluation

Beaver’s Self-Report Family Inventory | Evaluation Contents (Jump to) Introduction Literature Review Psychological Test Beaver’s Self-Report Family Inventory Administration of SRFI Scoring and Interpretation of SRFI Validity and Reliability Strengths Limitations Conclusion References Introduction This write up is to analyze the effectiveness of an instrument used as a psychological test to gather information. The chosen instrument is Beaver’s Self-Report Family Inventory – Version II (SRFI). Parents and family environment or more appropriately family relationship plays a very important role in the well-being of children. (Lambert,M., 2010) In Malaysian context, discipline problem is an increasing phenomenon in primary schools as well as secondary schools. The root cause or the first and foremost reason behind those discipline problems is the family environment and relationship. SRFI is considered to be an instrument that can help the counselors and other helping professionals to identify the family functioning so that further plans can be done in order to help the children. Literature Review Previous literature on family assessment instruments for use in child welfare includes descriptions of instruments (Pinsof, 2009) and guides for developing comprehensive assessment strategies as part of community-based child welfare services reform (Pinsof, 2010). This structured literature review builds on these efforts by identifying the most valid and reliable instruments that address the following four federally-defined domains of family assessment: (1) patterns of social interaction, including the nature of contact and involvement with others, and the presence or absence of social support networks and relationships; (2) parenting practices, including methods of discipline, patterns of supervision, understanding of child development and/or of the emotional needs of children; (3) background and history of the parents or caregivers, including the history of abuse and neglect; and (4) problems in access to basic necessities such as income, employment, adequate housing, child care, t ransportation, and other needed services and supports (US, HHS, 2006). Several additional behaviors and conditions have been associated with child maltreatment, such as domestic violence, mental illness, poor physical health, disabilities, and alcohol and drug use. Ideally, a comprehensive family assessment instrument will address these conditions and indicate whether a need for more specialized assessment exists. An objective of this review was to identify measures that addressed these behaviors and conditions as part of a comprehensive family assessment strategy. However, the review of specialized instruments for these conditions and various disabilities was outside the scope of this review. A structured review on the assessment of children and youth in the child welfare system is the focus of a separate review. These major theoretical and disciplinary influences have given rise to several practical issues when considering the appropriateness of a family assessment measure and met hod. While there are many approaches, family assessment methods typically fall into three categories: client self-report, observation, and interviews. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. A key distinction is the degree to which the method is formalized. Formal methods, such as self-report questionnaires, tend to have procedures that are clearly outlined to facilitate consistently repeated administrations. By contrast, informal methods such as interviews may be less clear in their specification and more variable in terms of administration. Family assessment measures also vary in terms of the perspective obtained. Typically, child welfare practitioners will consider the perspectives of multiple individuals during the family assessment process, including â€Å"insider† reports from family members and children as well as â€Å"outsider† reports from school personnel, extended family members, and others that may be involved with the case. Integration of the assessment of multiple reporters with insider and outsider perspectives is reflected in the â€Å"multisystem-multi method† (MS-MM) approach (Greenberger, 2000) Self-report questionnaires provide a unique insider view of family life as well as reliable methods, simplified administration and scoring, and a measurable link between an individual’s perceptions or attitudes and behaviors. Given these advantages, they are by far the most commonly used method in research as well as in practice. Observation rating scales provide another cost-effective method of generating outsider information regarding family interaction patterns that can also be evaluated for reliability and validity. However, rating scales can also be limited in their usefulness by the competence of the rater and the psychometric quality of the scale. Raters must have a clear understanding of the concepts that are measured and the behaviors that represent the concepts in practice. They must also poss ess adequate knowledge of different populations in order to place observed behavior on a continuum, a concern that adequate training and clinical supervision can begin to address. However, as with self-report measures, evidence of the validity and reliability of an observational rating scale is critical in the instrument selection process, particularly with regard to specific stages of assessment. Psychological test Psychological tests are administered by many different professionals to many different individuals, and the results of these tests are used in ways that significantly affect us and those around us. Psychological test is something that requires us to perform behaviour to measure some personal attribute, trait, or characteristic or to predict an outcome. Psychological tests can differ in terms of how they are administered and their format. A test can be administered in paper-and-pencil format (individually or in a group setting), on a computer, or verbally. Similarly, a psychological test may consist of multiple-choice items; agree/disagree items, true/false items, open-ended questions, or some mix of these. There are also tests that ask respondents to perform some behaviour such as sorting cards, playing a role, or writing an essay. Psychological tests can differ in terms of how they are scored and interpreted. Some tests are completed on scan able sheets and are computer scored. Some are hand-scored by the person administering the test. Others are scored by the test takers themselves. In terms of interpretation, some tests generate results that can be interpreted easily by the test taker, and others require a knowledgeable professional to explain the results to the test taker. Psychological tests have various similarities and many differences. All psychological tests require an individual to perform one or more behaviours, and these behaviours are used to measure some personal attribute, trait, or characteristic thought to be important in describing or understanding behaviour or to predict an outcome. However, psychological tests can and do differ in terms of the behaviours they require individuals to perform, the attributes they measure, their content, how they are administered and formatted, how they are scored and interpreted, and their psychometric quality. All good tests have three defining characteristics in common. First, they include a representative sa mple of behaviours. Second, they collect the sample under standardized conditions. Third, they have rules for scoring. When using psychological tests, we must make some assumptions. We must assume that a test measures what it says it measures, that any inferences that are drawn about test takers from their scores on the test are appropriate, that an individual’s behaviour (and therefore test scores) will remain stable over time, that individuals understand test items similarly, that individuals can and will report accurately about their thoughts and feelings, and that the test score an individual receives is equal to his or her true behaviour/ability in the real world plus some error. Testing professionals refer to psychological tests in various ways. Sometimes they refer to them as tests of maximal performance, behaviour observations, or self-report. Sometimes they refer to them as standardized or non-standardized. Other times they refer to them as objective or projective. P rofessionals also refer to tests based on the dimensions they measure. It is important to remember the distinctions among four commonly misunderstood terms: psychological assessment, psychological test, measurement, and survey. First, although both psychological assessments and psychological tests are used to gather information, a psychological test is only one of many tools in the psychological assessment process. Second, a psychological test can be considered to be a measurement when the sampled behaviour can be expressed in a derived score. Third, psychological tests are different from surveys in that psychological tests focus on individual differences and often report one overall derived score (or scaled scores), and surveys focus on group similarities and typically report results at the question or item level. Beaver’s Self-Report Family Inventory (SRFI) Version II The Self-Report Family Inventory: Version II (SRFI) is a 36-item measure of perceptions of family functioning in five domains: Health/Competence, Conflict, Cohesion, Leadership, and Expressiveness. The instrument is a screening device to assess a family member’s view of overall family competence, based on the Beavers Systems Model of family functioning. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale; for the first 34 items, the scale descriptors are 1 = YES: Fits our family very well, 3 = SOME: Fits our family some, and 5 = NO: Does not fit our family. The last two items have response scales specific to the items. Lower scores represent greater family competence. Administration of SRFI It is a paper pencil method of administration for children aged 12 and above and also for the adults in the family. Interview also can be done for those who are illiterate or have reading and writing problem. Time given is within 5 to 10 minutes. Scoring and Interpretation of SRFI Summary scores for each of the five subscales can be obtained as follows: (An â€Å"R† refers to an item score that must be reversed prior to summing). To reverse score, change all numbers where indicated to their opposite. For example, five becomes a one, four becomes a two, three stays the same, two becomes a four, and one becomes a five. Health/Competence: Items 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18R, 19R, 20, 21, 24R, 25R, 27R, 28, 33, 35, and 36 Conflict: Items 5R, 6, 7, 8R, 10R, 14R, 18R, 24R, 25R, 30R, 31R, and 34 Cohesion: Items 2, 15, 19R, 27R, and 36 Expressiveness: Items 1, 9, 13R, 20, and 22 Leadership: Items 8R, 16, and 32 For each numbered item, fill in the score from the SFI. For items , reverse the score and enter the reversed score on the score sheet. Lower scores represent greater competence and higher scores indicate greater problems within the system. Validity and Reliability of SRFI Validity was measured by correlating the SRFI with the observational scales of the Beavers System Model. The results indicate a high degree of convergence of family constructs across the two methods at .62 or above (Beavers Hampson, 2000). The authors claim that this indicates that the SRFI is roughly equivalent to observations (Drumm, M. Carr, 2000). The authors of the instrument report high internal consistencies reliability with Cronbach alphas between .84 and .93 and test-retest reliabilities of .85 or better (Beavers Hampson, 2000). Strengths The great advantage of SRFI is that it gives the respondents’ own views directly. It gives access to phenomenological data, i.e., respondents’ perceptions of themselves and their world, which are unobtainable in any other way. Furthermore, self-report methods can be used to obtain information in situations where observational data are not normally available. Able to study large samples of people fairly easy. Able to examine a large number of variables. Can be carried out relatively cheaply. Limitations The main disadvantage of self-report is that there is a number of potential validity problems associated with it. The data are personal and idiosyncratic and thus may bear little relationship to ‘‘reality,’’ as seen by you or others. More importantly, people are not always truthful. Furthermore, research participants may not be able to provide the level of detail, or use the concepts, that the researcher is interested in. People may not respond truthfully, either because they cannot remember or because they wish to present themselves in a socially acceptable manner. We cannot establish cause and effect relationships from survey data as other variables which could have had an effect may not have been considered in the questionnaire or interview. It may be difficult to obtain a random sample of the population because some people who are selected refuse to answer questions or it may be difficult to obtain a full list of the population from which to select a random sample. Conclusions SRFI is best use for a quick access of information and it is easy to administer. To have a comprehensive assessment of family the same SRFI can be used as a tool for interview for a qualitative research. More information can be gathered if it is used while observing the family with their consent. Teachers, counsellors and discipline masters in school can use SRFI to plan future programs in order to help the children with complicated family background. It will be a very helpful tool in school environment. References Beavers, R., Hampson, R. B. (2000). The Beavers System Model of Family Functioning. Journal of Family Therapy, 22(2), 128-143. Drumm, M., Carr, A., Fitzgerald, M. (2000). The Beavers, McMaster and Circumplex clinical rating scales: A study of their sensitivity, specificity and discriminant validity. Journal of Family Therapy, 22(2), 225-258. Greenberger, E., Chen, C., Beam, M., Whang, S. M., Dong, Q. (2000). The perceived social contexts of adolescent misconduct: A comparative study of youths in three cultures. Journal of Adolescent Research, 10(3), 365–388. Johnson, L., Ketring, S., Anderson, S. (2010). The Intersession Report: Development of a short questionnaire for couple’s therapy. American Journal of Family Therapy, 38, 266–276. Kim, S. Y., Ge, X. (2000). Parenting practices and adolescent depressive symptoms in Chinese American families. Journal of Family Psychology, 14, 420–435. Lambert, M. (2010). Prevention of treatment failure: The use of measuring, monitoring, and feedback in clinical practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Miller, S., Duncan, B., Brown, J., Sorrell, R., Chalk, M. (2006). Using outcome to inform and improved treatment outcomes: Making ongoing, real-time assessment feasible. Journal of Brief Therapy, 5, 5–23. Pinsof, W., Chambers, A. (2010). Empirically informed systemic psychotherapy: Tracking client change and therapist behavior during therapy. In J. Bray M. Stanton (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of family psychology (pp. 431–446). Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Pinsof, W., Zinbarg, R., Lebow, J., Knobloch-Fedders, L., Durbin, E., Chambers, A., et al. (2009). Laying the foundation for progress research in family, couple, and individual therapy: The development and psychometric features of the initial systemic therapy inventory of change. Psychotherapy Research, 19, 143–156. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2006). Comprehensive Family Assessment Guidelines for Child Welfare. Washington, DC: Administration for Children and Families Childrens Bureau. www.ets.org www.pearsonassessments.com www.hoganassessments.com www.ipat.com www3.parinc.com www.psytech.co.uk www.psionline.com www.testagency.com www.upress.umn.edu/tests/default.html Should The Abortion Be Encouraged? Should The Abortion Be Encouraged? Abortion is a process of termination of pregnancy. The classic definition of abortion is the expulsion of the fetus before it is viable. This could include spontaneous abortion, which is a miscarriage, or induced abortion such as a doctor, the woman herself, or a layperson causes the abortion. Before modern methods of abortion, this sometimes meant the introduction of foreign objects like catheters into the uterus to disrupt the placenta and embryo (or fetus) so that a miscarriage would result (Family Jrank 2002). Abortion can be carried out by few ways such as taking pills and operation. Statistical information and cases. According to the report prepared by the Better Health Channel, in the year 1990, 23 percent of all pregnancies in Australia were terminated. This makes abortion become one of the most common surgical in the country with around 80,000 women undergoing abortion every year. Our current ratio of one abortion in every four pregnancies is an improvement over the estimated one in three recorded in Australia in the 1930s. Australias abortion rate is reasonably low by international standards compare to the United States of America has a 30 percent abortion rate. The majority of the Australians support the idea of the safe and legal abortion. The typical profile of a woman who is seeking abortion includes the ages in the 20s, single, educated and childless. Thesis statement This study has been carried out to determine whether abortion should be encouraged to the public. This study investigates the advantages and the disadvantages of the abortion to conclude that whether abortion should be encouraged to the public. This study draws on information gathered from International articles, World Wide Web sites, books and a survey. Abortion should be encouraged. First, abortion should be encouraged because an unwanted childs future will be affected. The young parent such as the teenager who has the unplanned pregnancy, they are unable to provide a good environment for the child. The teenager which is still studying and they do not have a job which causing them could not give a good environment to the child. Most of the juvenile crime happened is because of the children did not grow up in a good environment. Children who not grow in a good environment will cause them to do illegal things for getting attention from the others (Associated Content 2006). An unwilling parent is unlikely to be a good parent so the unwanted child is far more likely to drop out of school or commit acts of violence than children who are wanted, nurtured and well parent. The young parents are unable to take care of the child because they are immature. Parents play an important role in the childs education but the young parents have an immature mind so they can not give a good example for their child. When the young parents did something that is immature w ould affect the child do to the same mistake too. The young parents can not give accurate information that parents should give because their immature mind can not differentiate the rights and wrongs. If their children had done some mistake, the young parent could not give the right punishment and guide the child to the right pathway. In an addition, abortion should be encouraged because the future of the young parent would be affected if there is an unplanned pregnancy. According to the book, Should abortion rights be restricted? (2003), when a teenager is pregnant she has to face social problems, such as reduced education and employment opportunities. They are forced to stop their education because they have to spend more time on the child. For example, the young parent has to work hard to earn money for feeding the child. And due to the low education of the young parent, jobs with higher salaries may not want to hire them. There are only low salary jobs that would hire the low education teenager, which are typically hard-working employment types. The teenager could not afford to that job which is too heavy work. This will cause them to do illegal things to earn more money for their family such as become a robber, a thief, drug dealer and so on. And they will have to take the risk of getting caught by the police and going to jail. They also may be influenced by criminal associates and addicted to bad habits, such as smoking and gambling. So if they have an abortion, their future might include a  high standard of education, working with a high salary job and live happily. Furthermore, abortion should be encouraged because it can prevent the unwanted child. There are some cases such as rape or the incest pregnancy which is an unwanted pregnancy. The trauma will follow all of her life after the raping case, therefore, abortion is the right way to solve this problem or else an unwanted child would be the nightmare for the mother. We can not force a girl in her early age to become a mother after being raped. Abortion should be done toward the mother whom she does not know who is the father of the child. It will be a very hard life for the mother and the child which without a father. The mother is not ready to enter the parenthood yet. It is not easy to bring up a child by a single mother. The mother has to work hard for the child and have to spend time on taking care of the child at the same time. If a child grew up as a homely and because of it an unloved child, he or she will remember those painful experiences for the rest of your life (Associated Content 2007). Abortion should not be encouraged. On the other hand, abortion should not be encouraged because of the humans right. It is a process that is too cruel to a baby. The most basic human right of the human is the right to life there is no doubt which everyone knows it. The Catholic Bishop of the United States stated that since human life is sacred from conception until natural death, they contend, abortion is immoral. A person who did abortion is a murder because this action is taking away a human persons life. It is so unfair for a child who does not have a chance to enter this world. It is no different between abortion and infanticide. The parent should think about the rights of the child and not just make such selfish decide by their own opinion. We should appreciate the life that the god gives. It is the fate that the parent who get an unplanned pregnancy. God give them a chance to have a baby and guide them to another stage of life. All people, regardless of the circumstances of their conception, or whether they are healthy or handicapped, have been personally knit together by Gods fingers. He has planned out all the days of the unborn childs life before one of them has happened (Leadership U 1992).Some of the people might think that the embryo is just a bunch of cells but it actually a soul is inside the embryo. We have human rights because we are human beings. Therefore, direct abortion is never a morally tolerable option. Moreover, abortion should not be encouraged because a womans health would be affected badly by abortion. Abortion brings both physically and mentally harms to women. A woman who done the process of abortion has to face some physical health problem. Abortion is linked to the breast cancer due to the hormone changed after the abortion and resulting in an increase in a number of new breast cells. Infertility also one of the health problems that have to face by whom had done the process of abortion. As everyone knows that infertility which means being unable to have a child is a high risk of the abortion procedure. This health problem occurs is because, during the process of abortion, it damaged our uterus. Abortion brings mentally disturb to a woman too. At the early emotional effects, many women will experience the feelings of relief and numbness. In the later emotional effects, they have to face the complex feelings. They will have some complex feelings such as depression, tearfulness, guilt, anger, shame and so on. The mother who done the process of abortion may find difficult to face t he others who are pregnant or have babies. Flashbacks to the abortion experience also one of the mentally disturb to those who done abortion procedure. In a study report, 92 percent of women who have had an abortion will also feel guilt on that. As stated in Leadership U(1992), the mother would hear this little voice in her head says she is a terrible, awful person because she had done abortion. Due to the guilty feelings on taking away the childs life, they will feel very regret on it and causing they have an illusion that there is a ghost child following them. Lastly, abortion should not be encouraged because the parents have to take their responsibilities seriously towards the child. The parents behave badly so they have to pay the price. As a parent, they should know the values of a childs life and not just take abortion as an easy way to solve problems. Once they get pregnant, they have to do what a parent should do which they have to put afford on the baby and being a good example for the child. To prevent the same mistake again, they should give birth to the child and take care of the child. Whether or not a baby is unwanted is irrelevant. Just because a human being is not wanted does not mean that the human being has no value or should be killed. In addition, there are huge numbers of families who are willing to adopt those unwanted babies. So, those babies are wanted, not unwanted (CARM 2001). Conclusion Based on the evidence above, I strongly disagree abortion should be encouraged. It can not be a smart choice for the parent to do abortion. Abortion brings many disadvantages to the mother such as health problem as stated above. It brings both physically and mentally side effect. Abortion also is an immoral activity which is killing an innocent baby. Besides, if abortion is encouraged, it might cause the citizen to get involve in sexual activities easily because once they get pregnant and abortion could help them to solve the problem. There are many ways to solve the problems of unplanned pregnancy such as adoption, not just abortion. In the 50 sets of the personal survey, 44% of the public thinks that if one of their friends gets an unplanned pregnancy; continue the pregnancy and give the baby up for adoption is the best way for the mother. If the parent does not prepare to have a child yet then they should take action to prevent it before they get pregnant such as a condom. Besides, the government can help to prevent the unplanned pregnancy through education too. For an example, the Minister of Education has to implement sex education in schools to give students a better idea of sexual intercourse. When they get to know more about the sex knowledge, they would know the importance of preventing unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, it helps to prevent it. At the end of the essay, the 50 sets of the personal survey show that 84% of the public do not agree that abortion should be encouraged. The personal survey will be shown in the pie chart below: