a place without time :: essays papers

a place without time From the mountains, you can see it coming. Time sits on the horizon like rain clouds, holding out. In the cities you carry it around in your pocket. Time is organized around where you have to be. You dash blindly around busy corners, always racing against it. But in the mountains, the world sits on the horizon, refusing to move. Before I ever went to the city, I used to know what that meant. Now I found myself trying to remember, waking up every morning to look at the mountains and see what they held. If there were clouds there, you knew there might be rain. But I knew there was something to wait for. I could watch time coming. I returned home because I was still longing for the clouds to roll over the skyline and the water to flow from the hills. It was if time was losing her memory, as the city had made me lose mine. My father used to say, when he would look down at his feet, "they look the same, but the ground is different." I don't know if he was forgetting things too, or remembering them all so well. My father carried it too, in his pocket, so he wouldn't forget. When people asked about it, he would bring it out and laugh. My sister and I needed our father to hold together our memories, to hold together the world before we were born. The world before our time. Where I lived, there were smashed bugs on the windshield, skittish coyotes, and, of course, trout. My dad remembered the river where he taught me about the sands of time, and how to fish. He said that in the days before me there had been fish the size of small children willing to take what ever gift God, or my dad, had to offer. So when I came home, I brought my dad to that stream, looking for a cure. Anyone who lives long enough begins to be infected by a search for time. You look for it everywhere because it is life. After a while, you can feel it in the ground beneath your feet, in the creeks in the back canyons, in the clouds over the hills that may never come back.

Essay --

Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction One of the most common ways for a firm to operate or finances its assets is capital structure. Capital structures refer as a combination of equity, debt and hybrid securities that used in the firm operation. In a perfect market, transaction or bankruptcy cost, inefficient information and taxes will not exist. Therefore, Modigliani and Miller created a theory of capital structure in a perfect market. The use of capital structure is important as it affect the firm profitability. Financial decision of a business organization becomes one of the important decisions that normally will represent by capital structure. Musiega, et al. (2013) claimed that choosing an appropriate capital structure will benefit the firm as it help a firm to adapt with various challenging and competitive business world thereby become more profitability. According to Zeitun and Tian (2007), managers who are able to identify the optimal capital structure will help the companies to increase the firm revenue or profitability and reduce the firm’s cost of finance. Nutshell, capital structure of a firm can influence a firm profitability; a firm health determined by a firm capital structure. By analyzing the choice of firm’s capital structure, financial behavior of a firm can be explained by the pecking order theory and the trade off theory (Ana, Dragan & Monica, 2012). Both of this theory provides a different relationship between the capital structure and profitability. Based on the study of Zabri (2012), the pecking order theory provide a negative impact of profitability on leverage while the trade-off theory provide a positive relationship between the capital structure and profitability. There are some of the findings... ...o investigate the relationship between the capital structure and profitability of firm. In order to have clearer and accurate evidence on the relationship between the capital structure and profitability, 24 of public listed companies in Sarawak Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE), Malaysia are chosen to test it. All the financial statement for 24 companies will record accurate and correctly in order to create an accurate test or relationship. The introduction of the research proposal will be discussed in chapter 1. In chapter 2, literature review will be discussed on various views of previous researches which relate to our topic. Research methodology and the data collection will be present in chapter 3 while chapter 4 will discuss about the result and discussion on the result. A conclusion and policy implication will be discussed in the final chapter of this study.

Health of Children

| |Healthy minds | | |Promoting emotional health and well-being in schools | | | | Contents Executive summary1 Key findings4 Recommendations6The role of schools in providing for pupils with mental health difficulties7 Whole-school approaches to promoting good mental health10 Recognising and providing for individual needs17 Working in partnership with other agencies17 Relationships with parents24 Informal arrangements27 Provision through professional referral31 Notes34 Further information35 Publications35 Websites36 Executive summary This report examines the vital role played by schools in promoting the emotional well-being of their pupils.It analyses practice based on evidence gathered from visits by Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) to 72 schools and reports on the impact of the guidance provided to schools four years ago by the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) and the National Healthy Schools Standards (NHSS), agreed in 1999. [1],[2] Both clarify the importance of goo d provision to ensure that schools meet the needs of pupils with mental health difficulties. Schools’ lack of knowledge of the DfES guidance results from a missed opportunity to improve the quality of provision for pupils with mental health difficulties.The large number of schools visited for this survey who were not working towards meeting the NHSS is of serious concern. Only just over half of them were aware that such standards existed. Of these, only a very small minority of schools were working towards or had met the criteria for providing for pupils’ emotional health and well-being. One barrier was the low level of awareness of the importance of the issue. It is unsurprising, therefore, that training for staff on mental health difficulties was found to be needed in three quarters of the schools.Most training tended to focus on strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour rather than on promoting positive approaches to relationships and resolving conflicts. Des pite such a lack of awareness in schools of mental health issues, there was good practice in one third of the schools in the survey, including: †¢ an ethos which valued and respected individuals †¢ a serious approach to bullying and pupils’ difficulties with relationships, and swift resolution of problems †¢ good arrangements for listening carefully to pupils’ views †¢ the involvement of parents in identifying problems and making provision for their children.Good joint working between health services, social services and schools was at the heart of effective planning and provision for individual pupils. Although multi-agency working was becoming better established within local education authorities, it was unsatisfactory in a quarter of the schools. Schools, parents and pupils were not always aware of how they might gain access to services. The best arrangements included regular meetings attended by a range of professionals, where work was coordinat ed, referrals made and difficulties followed up.Health services, social services and schools used different terms to describe mental health difficulties. The lack of a common language added to difficulties in recognising and meeting pupils’ needs. Schools identified about one in twenty pupils with mental health problems, although the Department of Health suggests a figure nearer one in ten. Arrangements for pupils to refer themselves for support and help were popular with them, as well as effective. This was particularly so where a pupil was struggling emotionally but where the school had not noticed changes in the pupil’s behaviour.Mentoring and support from peers was also very effective at providing a listening ear and opportunities for positive friendships. The report concludes that schools should make the promotion of pupils’ emotional health and well-being a priority and ensure all staff are aware of the guidance available. Key findings were nearly all prim ary or special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs). Secondary schools found it most difficult to make arrangements for multi-agency working a priority and they rarely took the lead in improving this aspect of their work.The lack of common language between education, health and social services professionals contributed to the difficulties in establishing good partnership working. Recommendations Local authorities and other agencies should: †¢ ensure that services for pupils with mental health difficulties are co-ordinated effectively within their area and that access to services is clear to schools, parents, children, young people and other service users †¢ commission, where appropriate, the services of voluntary organisations. Schools and other settings should: use the DfES national guidance on mental health difficulties to develop clear procedures, that are known and used by all staff, for identifying and supporting pupils †¢ ensure that issues concerning mental health are tackled successfully, either through the National Healthy School Standard (NHSS) programme or the PSHE curriculum †¢ establish arrangements for preventing bullying and promoting positive relationships and monitor their effectiveness †¢ work together to ensure that the DfES guidance is disseminated to all staff.The role of schools in providing for pupils with mental health difficulties 1. Many services play an important role in promoting pupils’ emotional health and well-being, including health services, social services, voluntary organisations, early years provision and schools. However, the notion of mental health difficulties carried a considerable stigma for many pupils and their parents. This, together with the need to attend a clinic, created difficulties for Child and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in working with young people and their parents.A few pupils in the survey said that they did not wish to attend clinics for their appointments and did no t want to be labelled as mentally ill. Schools, therefore, play an important role in supporting children and young people in this area. 2. Guidance provided by the DfES in 2001 aimed to help teachers and others, working alongside mental health professionals, to promote children’s mental health and to intervene effectively. [3] It provides a useful description of the nature of pupils with mental health difficulties and a thorough overview of the issues relating to joint working between health services, social ervices and education. It suggests helpful strategies for schools to use. Few schools, however, were aware of the guidance which should have provided a good opportunity to improve the quality of provision for pupils with mental health difficulties. 3. A survey referred to in the DfES guidance indicated that about 10% of pupils experience clinically defined mental health difficulties. The schools visited, however, identified only between 4% and 6% of pupils overall with so me form of mental health difficulty, indicating some under-identification.This might go some way to explaining why schools struggle to manage the behaviour and attendance of some pupils, if they are not correctly identifying their difficulties and providing for them. 4. The 1999 Mental Health Foundation publication Bright futures defined children who are mentally healthy as able to: †¢ develop psychologically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually †¢ initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships †¢ use and enjoy solitude †¢ become aware of others and empathise with them †¢ play and learn develop a sense of right and wrong †¢ resolve (face) problems and setbacks and learn from them. [4] 5. Health services, social services and schools all use different terms to describe pupils and their conditions. There are many definitions of the term ‘mental health difficulty’ ranging from the highly categorised, commonly u sed by many health services, to those based on more descriptive terms which are prevalent in schools and other educational settings. 6. ‘Mental health’ and ‘mental health difficulties’ are more commonly used terms within health and social care.Schools and local authorities are increasingly using the term ‘emotional health and well-being’ in relation to both the care they take of pupils and the curriculum they provide. 7. The lack of shared definitions and understanding of mental health problems, however, makes it difficult for schools to identify and discuss these pupils. In a small proportion of primary schools, boys were pinpointed as more likely to exhibit mental health difficulties, but most schools reported no pattern. Some secondary schools identified more girls who were depressed, self-harming or who had eating disorders.However, no real gender differences were apparent and boys and girls were equally likely to have mental health problem s which were evident in school. Whole-school approaches to promoting good mental health 8. The best schools promoted good emotional health and well-being by valuing and respecting every individual. In the schools visited, those which embodied a value system that embraced all children identified fewer children with mental health problems. These schools promoted many and varied opportunities for pupils to share their thoughts and feelings.They used the curriculum to develop pupils’ listening skills and an understanding of other people’s points of view: this culture permeated school life. Case study A primary school in a disadvantaged area had a caring and supportive ethos in which the personal development and emotional well-being of pupils was very effectively promoted. There was a strong emphasis on developing all pupils’ self-esteem and ensuring that they had the language and opportunities to express their feelings and emotional needs.The school council and staf f were concerned that some pupils did not have friends to play with at break time. Very good initiatives, including ‘Playground Buddies’ and a ‘Friendship Area’, were introduced in response to these concerns. The school worked very hard to build up and maintain supportive relationships with parents and guardians, who felt that the school was a very safe and caring place for the children. The whole staff, including teachers, teaching assistants, administrative staff, catering staff, the site manager and cleaning staff contributed to this whole-school thos. 9. Pupils interviewed for the survey identified a lack of friendships and bullying as reasons for emotional difficulties in school. In all the schools with good arrangements for promoting health and well-being, bullying was not tolerated at any level. Pupils were able to discuss any incidents where they felt bullied and matters were discussed sensitively and resolved speedily. In these schools the pupils s pecifically commented that they were happy at school because they could talk to an adult if they had problems and know that action would be taken. 10.All schools taught a programme of personal, social and health education (PSHE). Nearly all primary and special schools discussed some elements of anger management, conflict resolution, bullying and friendship difficulties through such programmes. The provision was always at least satisfactory, and was good in over half of all schools visited. 11. Very few of the schools, however, tackled mental health difficulties specifically. These were missed opportunities to promote pupils’ general emotional well-being, particularly so in secondary schools where there were generally fewer opportunities to explore such issues.Only a third of the secondary schools visited taught PSHE programmes which included topics such as bereavement, stress and bullying. 12. The Primary National Strategy has provided training and curriculum materials for sc hools which focus on the social and emotional aspects of learning. At the heart of the materials is the belief that positive behaviour requires an active, whole-school approach to developing children's social, emotional and behavioural skills within a community that promotes the emotional well-being of all its members.A few of the schools visited were involved in the pilot stage of this work to very good effect. These schools were teaching pupils how to understand their own feelings and those of others, persevere when things became difficult, resolve conflict and manage worries. Staff found the training helpful and were in a good position to ensure their pupils learned how to take responsibility for their relationships and their learning. Following successful piloting, the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) curriculum resource was made available to all primary schools in June 2005. [5]Case study A Year 5 class explored what it felt like to join a new group. Pupils talke d freely about their own experiences of joining clubs, moving to a new school and trying to make new friends. They used a good range of vocabulary to describe the feelings associated with newness and change, ranging from ‘scared’ and ‘excited’ to ‘apprehensive’ and ‘excluded’. Groups then planned what they would put in a welcome pack for a newcomer to their school. They gave careful thought to the kinds of information that would be helpful and to the ways in which they, as individuals, could be supportive. 3. No similar national programme was observed in secondary schools although one is currently being developed. Overall, secondary schools were less successful than primary and special schools at tackling issues of emotional health and well-being through whole-school initiatives. 14. In over half of the secondary schools visited, behaviour policies created stress or tensions for pupils. For example, in one school, exclusion was a c ommon response to difficult behaviour; as a result, the pupils felt under-valued.Schools made only very limited efforts to provide a suitable curriculum to meet these pupils’ emotional and learning needs. In one learning support centre within a school, pupils were taught by unskilled staff in poor surroundings which contributed to their low self-esteem. In a PRU, Year 11 pupils involved in a transition programme jointly run with the youth offending team reported that they were sent home on study leave two months before their official leaving date, even though they were not taking any formal examinations. They felt unwanted and this has had a negative effect on their self esteem, behaviour and attendance. 5. A significant minority of the secondary schools found ways to promote emotional well-being through their behaviour policies. For example, one large secondary school was developing ways to ensure that older pupils remained engaged with their school, even though they were so on to leave. A group of Year 11 pupils received two days’ training to develop skills of listening and helping pupils to find their own solutions to problems. The pupils subsequently provided a non-threatening opportunity for pupils who were experiencing difficulties to confide in someone and share their problems.The trained listeners received an external accreditation award for completing their training. 16. One barrier to improving provision for pupils’ emotional well-being was the low level of awareness amongst staff of its importance. Hardly any schools were aware of the comprehensive guidance issued by the DfES in 2001. [6] Even fewer schools had provided any staff training to raise awareness of the issues and the strategies described in the guidance. 17. Training for staff on mental health difficulties was unsatisfactory in just over a third of the schools visited and good in only just under a quarter.Most training tended to focus on managing pupils’ behavi our rather than on promoting a positive approach to relationships and resolving conflicts. However, a few secondary mainstream and special schools were developing an approach to conflict resolution based on ‘restorative justice’. This ensured that, where there were conflicts, all points of view were aired and discussed. The pupils valued this: they felt they could ‘have their say’ and that their views were respected. The training programme for staff was effective: teachers and support staff felt able to implement the programme successfully. 8. The National Healthy Schools Standard (NHSS) is at the core of the government’s healthy schools programme. [7] It was introduced in October 1999 to support the teaching of PSHE and citizenship in schools and to provide schools with practical ways to create a safe and productive learning environment and minimise potential health risks. One of its eight key areas of activity is emotional health and well-being (in cluding bullying). Of serious concern, however, was the large number of schools in the survey who were not working towards meeting the standard. Only just over a half were ware that the NHSS existed and, of these, only a very small minority were working towards or had met the criteria for emotional health and well-being in their school. 19. Small schools often had informal but effective arrangements for recording and discussing concerns about pupils’ well-being. Staff quickly perceived changes in pupils’ behaviour, demeanour or progress. An important feature of these effective schools was the quality of the communication between staff, for example between class teachers, teaching assistants and the special educational needs co-ordinator.Recognising and providing for individual needs Working in partnership with other agencies 20. All schools and LEAs recognised the importance of working well with professionals from the health and social services. Joint working with thes e other agencies was crucial in planning and providing for pupils’ individual needs. The challenge, however, for professionals from a range of disciplines was to achieve a common understanding of the problems of pupils with mental health difficulties. The following case study shows the benefits of effective joint working. Case studyA counsellor in a secondary school was working with a pupil who had referred herself for support. The pupil’s mother did not know this. A mental health worker from CAMHS, who worked in a local clinic, was also working with the pupil and approached the counsellor to see if they could work together with the pupil and parent. The counsellor discussed this with the pupil who gave permission for her mother to be contacted. Both professionals became engaged in supporting the parent and child. The consistent approach agreed between the adults ensured more straightforward discussions and properly agreed resolutions to problems. 1. Many of the local authorities visited were in a period of reorganisation as they set up Children’s Services to meet the requirements of the Children Act 2004. Practice is beginning to develop to establish the joint planning and working at the heart of this legislation. For example, one LEA was developing multi-agency patch teams and common referral procedures were being considered. Despite this, the survey showed that there was a long way to go to ensure that the legislative intentions result in better practice in schools. 22.Partnerships with external services were unsatisfactory in nearly a quarter of the schools visited and significant improvements were required in two thirds of them. Only a few of the secondary schools had good arrangements for multi-agency working. Relationships between schools and social services were particularly variable. 23. Unsatisfactory relationships between schools and other agencies were typified by: †¢ the unavailability of social workers, even for urgent c ases †¢ schools’ inflexibilities in approaching the planning of programmes to meet the needs of some of their pupils †¢ frequent staff changes long waiting lists for referrals †¢ reliance on personal informal contacts rather than agreed systems †¢ issues relating to geographical boundaries which remain unresolved. In the third of schools where multi-agency work was good, all the agencies had found ways of resolving such difficulties. 24. The most effective strategies which promoted good joint working included regular, frequent meetings attended by all agencies. Pupils’ needs were discussed and plans agreed and recorded. Case study A Vulnerable Students’ Panel effectively identified students xperiencing emotional health difficulties and provided appropriate multi-agency support for them. The panel met monthly and included representatives from a range of agencies. It was chaired by a deputy headteacher and a psychiatric nurse who was the manage r of the school support centre. All school staff were informed confidentially about the students who had been discussed and this dissemination aided further identification. Decisions made by the panel ensured that agencies were deployed to work most effectively in their areas of greatest competence and avoided unnecessary duplication of effort.Importantly, the school and agency representatives were charged with taking action and reporting back on its success at the next meeting. In this way each organisation was accountable to the panel. 25. Identifying one person to be responsible for co-ordinating and liaising with health and social services helped communication and ensured important information about pupils was disseminated effectively. 26. In a few LEAs, networks of professionals working in the same area met regularly to share effective strategies.They learnt about each other’s working practices and this promoted a shared understanding of issues. There was good practice i n schools where a wide range of professionals including counsellors, therapists, social workers and psychologists were employed by the school. Case study A primary school had formal procedures for logging concerns about a child’s academic, personal, social or emotional development. A nurture group also provided a way of identifying pupils who might have mental health difficulties. The school used short-term charitable funding to employ a family officer.She maintained close links with families identified as being in crisis and was therefore easily able to identify pupils at risk of developing difficulties in their emotional health and well-being. This approach encouraged partnership working so that parents referred their child to the family officer, headteacher or special educational needs coordinator if they had concerns. 27. Regular visits by other professionals helped schools to identify pupils who might be experiencing mental health difficulties. Case study The headteacher attended the school’s breakfast club every day and a mental health worker attended once a week.The club provided an effective method of identification through direct observation of children and regular communication with parents. 28. Sometimes other agencies initiated the joint working and the schools grasped the opportunity to participate. Case study A consultant paediatrician at a local hospital initiated collaboration amongst different schools to promote emotional literacy amongst pupils. The initiative was inspired by an attempt to deal with bullying, cited as a problem by many children who attended the hospital.The project, now in its fourth year, involved pupils from a primary school, special school, high school and the local tuition service. The project’s activities were based on posters which depicted problems faced by pupils. They were encouraged to develop listening skills, understand the perspective of others and to negotiate and compromise. Hospital staff encouraged the use of a common language by colleagues and the project fostered strong links between the health and education services. The result was fewer individual referrals to the hospital. Pupils who experienced bullying were usually referred directly to the project for support. 9. The pupils who were least mentally well were those who were withdrawn or depressed and who were underachieving as a result. Schools commonly identified pupils whose attendance was unsatisfactory and who did not participate fully in school life. Typically, these pupils had few or no friends and were isolated in the play ground. However, they presented few challenges to teachers and, too often, their problems were not followed up. Few schools saw non-attendance, lateness or falling behind in course work and homework as indicative of deeper problems. 30.Schools relied too much on informal methods to identify vulnerable pupils. Primary schools, particularly, insisted that they were able to identify such pupils easily because they knew their pupils very well. 31. Only a minority of the secondary schools used information from pupils’ previous schools to help recognise those who might experience mental health difficulties. Relationships with parents 32. A key to effective identification and provision lay in schools’ relationships with parents. Links with parents and other agencies were closest in the early years.Home visits, where parents could talk openly about their concerns and their children’s behaviour, and initiatives such as parenting classes, supported the identification of any problems or difficulties. As pupils grew older, schools found it harder to sustain such relationships, although there were examples of very good practice in primary, secondary and special schools. The main characteristics of good practice were: †¢ home visits by teachers and other support staff †¢ training for parents in developing healthy minds †¢ parental support gr oups †¢ regular meetings and telephone contact co-ordination with other agencies so that parents had to attend only one meeting. 33. Parental support groups were particularly common in the schools visited. In the following case study, the support groups were run by a local CAMHS team based in the school. The workers were able to talk to teachers while they were in the school and to ensure that information about individual pupils was discussed with them when appropriate. Case study A group of six parents met for ten two-hour sessions. The aim of the group was to help parents enjoy rather than simply manage their children.Parents learned how to play games and stimulate their children, thus strengthening their relationship. They particularly appreciated the opportunity to share their concerns with other parents who understood the problems. One parent reported, ‘You realise you’re not on your own; you don’t feel so bad’. The project was in its infancy, bu t there were signs that it was helping parents to develop confidence and to help each other do better. 34. Difficulties in working with parents stemmed from: †¢ late diagnosis of a pupil’s problems †¢ uncoordinated support from a range of agencies poor information provided for parents about whom to contact †¢ inadequate account taken of parents’ childcare arrangements, so that they sometimes had difficulties in attending meetings †¢ negative feedback to parents about their children †¢ parents’ perceptions that the school had ‘given up’ on their child. One parent observed, ‘Nobody ever said what was available; you had to find out for yourself or hear it from someone else’. 35. Most, but not all, of the pupils identified with mental health difficulties also had emotional, social and behavioural difficulties (EBSD).Some had more than one such difficulty. Ofsted has reported recently on the provision for these pupil s and its effectiveness. [8] This report focuses on the provision required for pupils who do not necessarily have special educational needs but who require additional emotional support to succeed at school. Informal arrangements 36. Half the schools in the survey operated self-referral or drop-in schemes run by peer counsellors, youth and community workers, school nurses, in-school counsellors and those from voluntary organisations.These arrangements enabled the pupils to identify themselves and seek the help they wanted and needed. Case study A secondary school appointed a health practitioner who dealt with a wide range of issues: developing self-esteem, anger management, relaxation and stress management. Pupils were able to make their own appointments and the work was completely confidential. She also did some teaching. This made her more accessible and reduced the stigma for pupils of ‘knocking at the door’. 37. A very small minority of primary schools offered pupils opportunities for self-referral to staff.In these schools, pupils could draw or write about themselves in a ‘reflections book’ or a ‘feelings book’, make use of a ‘bullying box’, and write or talk directly to the headteacher or the PSHE co-ordinator. Pupils who had such opportunities reported that this was supportive and gave them confidence. A Year 6 pupil said of her ‘reflections book’: ‘It helps me to have a confidential conversation with my teacher about things that are worrying me. ’ 38. A programme of education about values also helped pupils to talk freely and openly about their feelings.Each pupil was given a book in which they could write or draw a picture about the things that had made them happy or sad. Teachers monitored the books regularly to ensure that a pupil’s personal difficulties were identified early; they were powerful additions in a school where the ethos was already strongly supportive of pupils’ emotional well-being. 39. Clubs and after-school activities also enabled schools to support vulnerable pupils in a way which reduced the stigma of referrals. 40. In one primary school, 50 pupils regularly attended the ‘happy/sad’ club, where they talked about positive or negative experiences that concerned them.Clear ground rules had been established, which were understood by pupils, such as respecting what had been discussed and not gossiping. Pupils could put a photograph in a scrapbook of people that were special to them. The teacher usually led a short, directed session based on an appropriate text and provided an opportunity for meditation and reflection. The high number attending reduced the possibility of negative labelling and pupils had good opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings openly with their peers. 1. Pupils often commented that they particularly valued opportunities to talk and be listened to. The extent to which pupils with m ental health difficulties have problems in making and sustaining friendships may explain, to some extent, the success of peer support schemes. 42. Nearly half the primary schools visited had effective initiatives which were based on pupils helping each other to resolve difficulties. One school focused on socially isolated pupils by appointing ‘playground angels’.The ‘angels’ had weekly meetings with a teacher and were also represented on the school council. Pupils involved in these activities felt that they helped them to show responsibility towards younger children and to develop into mature and sensible people. 43. Others schools focused on the difficult point of transition between primary and secondary school. Pupils who struggled to make friends were considered by a few primary schools to be particularly at risk of experiencing problems. These schools developed a range of peer support programmes, as in the following example: Case studyA group of Year 4 pupils were considered to be at risk of difficulties on transition and the school decided to make provision in collaboration with the local secondary school. Year 8 pupils were invited to apply for posts of pupil mentors. They were interviewed and successful applicants were trained. Over two years, the primary pupils visited the secondary school at least once each half term for lessons, lunchtimes and social activities. On each occasion they were met by their individual mentor and had time to discuss issues with them. Primary pupils really enjoyed the programme.They were very clear how the transitional programme had helped them to prepare for secondary education. 44. Two thirds of the secondary schools visited had good peer counselling, support and mediation systems. Peer mentors who had themselves experienced difficulties in the past commented on how much they valued helping younger pupils who were also experiencing problems. The most successful schemes provided thorough training f or the pupils offering the support, as well as careful monitoring from the teachers responsible for it. Provision through professional referral 45. Referral systems differed widely.In one area, the consultant psychiatrists responded to requests for information about pupils; the service accepted referrals from any involved professional. More commonly, however, panels of professionals considered referrals. The latter arrangement had some advantages in that there was discussion and agreement on the type of intervention which was most likely to succeed. However, this arrangement also tended to create delays in responding to pupils’ needs. 46. Not all professionals were clear about how referrals should be made, and who ought to make them, for particular types of provision.This lack of clarity meant that pupils who might have benefited from services were not given access to them since the school was unaware that it could make such a referral. 47. Schools and pupil referral units (P RUs) did not always receive an equitable service from other agencies, especially where education, social services and health services had not agreed how resources should be allocated and work prioritised. It was common to find that a CAMHS worker was based in a school in one part of a local authority, while, in the same authority, another school had to make referrals to a panel.The schools were unaware of why these differences existed. 48. The most common types of provision were: †¢ counselling †¢ family work †¢ mentoring and support workers who visited the pupils regularly and provided advocacy and support through discussion and activities †¢ a modified curriculum and timetable †¢ nurture groups and sanctuary space. 49. This provision was largely effective when it was matched well to the assessment of the pupils’ needs. However not all schools were able to attract the additional resources required to provide these types of opportunities.Larger school s had more funding to be able to establish support centres specifically for pupils with mental health problems. 50. Local and national voluntary organisations played an important role in working with schools and local authorities to provide services for children and young people with mental health difficulties, and they were often represented on local CAMHS strategy groups. In some local authorities, partnerships with voluntary organisations provided helpful services for schools and parents, such as counselling and family therapy.Voluntary groups were often better at monitoring and evaluating the impact of their work since they depended on such evidence to attract further funding. Case study In one local authority a charity had been working in some schools for five years. For an annual fee, the school received a large amount of support from the charity which provided an art therapist and a dance instructor who worked with pupils identified by the school and provided counsellors, sup ervised by team leaders, from the charity. NotesThis survey is based on the findings of a survey of 72 settings in eight local authorities. The settings and almost all the authorities were selected randomly to represent a mixture of shire and unitary authorities. One authority was chosen because of known good work in the area of mental health. Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) visited early years settings, primary and secondary schools, pupil referral units, hospital schools and settings, maintained and independent schools for pupils with EBSD and learning difficulties, and specialist provision for pupils who had been bullied.HMI observed lessons and other activities, scrutinised policies and records and held discussions with 269 pupils and 115 parents. Discussions were also held with a range of local authority staff, headteachers and senior managers, teachers, teaching assistants, learning mentors, and representatives of voluntary organisations. They also met CAMHS regional dev elopment workers. Further information Publications Promoting children’s mental health within early years and school settings, (DfEE 0121/2001), DfEE, 2001. SEN and disability: towards inclusive schools (HMI 2276), Ofsted, 2004.Managing challenging behaviour (HMI 2363), Ofsted, 2005. Mental Health and Social Exclusion, Social Exclusion Unit Report, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004. http://www. socialexclusionunit. gov. uk/downloaddoc. asp? id=134 Promoting social, emotional and behavioural skills in primary schools, Primary National Strategy, DfES, 2004. Developing emotional health and well-being: a whole-school approach to improving behaviour and attendance, Key Stage 3 National Strategy, DfES, 2004. Behaviour and attendance toolkits, Key Stage 3 National Strategy, DfES, 2005. http://www. standards. fes. gov. uk/keystage3/respub/ba_toolu Promoting emotional health and well-being through the national healthy school standard (NHSS), NHS Health Development Agency, 2004. http://www. hda-online. org. uk/Documents/promoting_health_wellbeing. pdf Guidance on new ways of working for psychiatrists in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency context: national steering group interim report, NIMHE, CWP, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Department of Health, 2004. http://www. dh. gov. uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4087352=01RXVr Effective joint working between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and schools, Research report no. 412, Bridget Pettitt, Mental Health Foundation, DfES, 2003. Websites www. dfes. gov. uk/mentalhealth DfES Mental Health www. rcpsych. ac. uk Royal College of Psychiatrists www. socialexclusionunit. gov. uk Mental health and social exclusion www. standards. dfes. gov. uk/primary DfES guidance on developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills www. teachernet. gov. uk/management/atoz/n/nhss/ National Heal thy Schools Standard ———————– 1] Promoting children’s mental health within early years and school settings (DfES 0121/2001), DfES, 2001. [2]Promoting emotional health and well-being through the national healthy school standard (NHSS), NHS Health Development Agency, 2004. [3] Promoting children’s health within early years and school settings, DfES, 2001. [4] Bright futures: promoting children and young people’s mental health, Mental Health Foundation, 1999. [5] The SEAL resource box can be ordered from Prolog, Tel. 0845 602 2260, [email  protected] uk. com (ref: DFES 0110 – 2005 KIT), or viewed and ordered from the Teachernet website: www. eachernet. gov. uk/seal. [6] Promoting children’s mental health within the early years and school settings, DfES, 2001. [7] The NHSS is funded jointly by the DfES and the Department of Health, hosted by the Health Development Agency (HDA). It forms part of the government’s drive to reduce health inequalities, promote social inclusion and raise educational standards through school improvement. [8] Managing challenging behaviour (HMI 2363), Ofsted, 2005. ———————– Primary and SecondaryJuly 2005 HMI 2457 ———————–

To What Extent Is Macbeth Responsible for His Own Downfall

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, he depicts the rise and downfall of the eponymous protagonist, Macbeth. The text illustrates that there is no sole person to blame for Macbeth’s downfall but numerous reasons for Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth is only partially responsible for his own downfall for his eventual downfall at the hands of Macduff. Macbeth is driven by the prophecies given by the witches and this is perpetuated with the manipulation of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s own ‘vaulting ambitions’. All of these are factors which lead to Macbeth committing murders in order to become King and his ultimate downfall. The main cause of Macbeth’s fall from grace is due to the three witches and the prophecies which they give to Macbeth at the start of the text. The Thane of Glamis is content with his position until the witches prophesise †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Hail to the, Thane of Glamis†¦ Thane of Cawdor†¦ That shalt be king hereafter! † After the previous Thane of Cawdor’s execution, Macbeth is appointed the new Thane of Cawdor and as the prophecy is partially fulfilled, he contemplates how the rest of the prophecy will play out. Due to his ambitious personality and a prophesised kingship, he murders King Duncan and Banquo in order to become King faster. This eventually causes his downfall at the hands of Macduff in the final scenes of the play. The witches are responsible for his downfall as it is their prophecies which instigate Macbeth’s killing spree to become King and his downfall because of the murders he committed. Lady Macbeth is also to blame for Macbeth’s downfall. Lady Macbeth is obsessed with becoming royalty, even more than Macbeth, and will do anything in order to achieve it. Lady Macbeth is fearful of her husband’s good nature as it is ‘full o’ the milk of human kindness. ’ And so Lady Macbeth has to challenge his manliness and goad him in order for him to follow her plan so he can become King. It is Lady Macbeths shaming which causes him to murder King Duncan and Banquo and incur the retribution of Macduff which causes his eventual downfall. Without Lady Macbeth, Macbeth would have not gone though with the plan to become King and would eventually have become King in an honest manner, and so would not have had his downfall at Macduff’s hands. Macbeth is responsible for his own downfall as his own downfall due to his ‘vaulting ambitions’ to become King, his fear to retain his crown and his temperament. Macbeth’s ambitious desires to become king very fast results him killing King Duncan, who he was fiercely loyal to at the start of the text, becoming a traitor. With the King gone, the princes flee to England and Ireland and Macbeth ascends to the throne. Fearing the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons will become king, he orders their murders but Fleance is able to get away. Macduff’s family is killed as Macbeth wanted to watch Macduff in order to stop a potential plot to overthrow him but Macduff fled to England. Macduff angrily returns and avenges his family by killing Macbeth and causing his downfall. In Macbeth, there are many people responsible for Macbeth’s downfall including the three Weird Sisters, his wife Lady Macbeth and Macduff and Macbeth himself. It was the interaction of these people with Macbeth and Macbeth’s own mindset which caused his downfall in Dunsinane. Therefore, Macbeth is only partially responsible for his own downfall.

Competition Bike Incs Essay

Horizontal analysis compares a company’s performance from year to year. I will be reviewing Competition Bikes Inc(CBI) balance sheets and income statements. During CBI year 6, 7 and 8 I have found their net sales , cost of goods to be fluctuating, and few various other items. The net sales from year 6 to 7 increase 33.34 %. The cost of goods from year 6 to 7 was 31.82 %. The gross profit increase 30.89. Comparing year 6 and 7 I found that year 7 improved, but when I compared year 7 to 8 the results were not good for year 8. The company had experienced a 15 percent reduction in net sales. Cost of goods drops 14.8 % from year 7 to 8. Advertising Expenses CBI advertising expenses increased by 37.5 % from year 6 to 7. CBI made a great investment from year 6 to 7 because the net sales increase at a higher rate the increased advertising cost. CBI reduced their advertising expenses by 16.3 % from year 7 to 8. I believed this was done because of the fragile economy. Many companies are trying to make cuts back during a weak economy. These reduces expenses will hold them over until the economy becomes stronger. Website/Sales The website creation and maintenance expenses during year 6, 7 and 8 stayed the same price. Sales commission increase 33.371 % during year 7 from the previous year. Sales commission decrease by 15 % the following year (8). Distribution Network The Distribution network expenses had a positive increased in year 7 by33.3 % jump from the previous year. Distribution expenses are normally supposed to maintain similar numbers, but when you have an increase in sales it is acceptable to increase the distribution expenses. Distribution network expenses decreased 15 percent in year 8. This was caused due to less revenue. Transportation CBI had 33% transportation increase from year 6 to 7. This was caused CBI had more products sold and required more products to be shipped. CBI saw 15 % transportation decrease from year 7 to 8. CBI had less products sold and this caused transportation to decrease in year 8. Administrative Expenses from year 6 to 7 saw 21.43% increase. Administrative Expenses maintain the same expenses from year 7 to 8. Executive expenses increased 29.42 % from year 6 to 7. Year 7 and 8 maintain the same level of expenses. Employment taxes rose by 25.81 % increase from year 6 to 7. Year 7 and 8 maintain the same level of employment of expenses. Administrative expenses are expected due to company having increase production and sales. Utilities expenses rose 3.84 % from year 6 to 7. CBI operation worked proficiently in year 7, and this helped them experienced only an increase of 3.8% in utilities. This was caused due to increase production. CBI utilities increased by 11.11 during year 8. I would suggest CBI have their utilities monitor from day to day to see how they can prevent an increase in expenses when the company is not performing well compared to the previous year. Research CBI saw research and development saw a 37.5 % percent increase from year 6 to 7.During year eight CBI reduces their research and development expenses by 16.3 %. A company should never reduces their research and development if they company perform well in the previous year. I believe this was one of the reasons why CBI had a great year during 7 because they knew what consumers wanted. Due to lack of spending on research and development this caused their sales to drop. Research and development is an important component of competition against other companies without a company will fail to succeed. Interest Income CBI interest income rose 38.1% from year 6 to 7. During year 7 CBI income was properly invested. During year 8 CBI investments had a 3.4% reduction. The reduction was small, but small things do add up over time. I would suggest CBI to monitor their investments and make plans to move around their money if the current trend continues. Balances sheets CBI accounts receivable rose 164.3% from year 6 to 7. During year 8 CBI accounts receivable drop 15 percent. CBI should monitor accounts receivable more closely to make sure past due balances are paid on time. This was caused due to the company noticing a large increase on accounts receivable during year 7 and they tried to capitalize on it. This caused their accounts receivable to drop. Raw Materials CBI manages their raw materials well during year 7. CBI had 3.1% percent reduction in year 8. CBI should incorporate lean production method and Just in time production to avoid wasteful spending and production. Liabilities CBI liabilities increase 1.2% from year 6 to 7. This is expected due to year having 7 having an increase in sales and productions. CBI reduces their liabilities by 3.1% from year 7 to 8. This is good because CBI had a 15 percent reduction in net sales. Vertical analysis A method of financial statement analysis in which each entry for each of the three major categories of accounts (assets, liabilities and equities) in a balance sheet is represented as a proportion of the total account. The main advantages of vertical analysis are that the balance sheets of businesses of all sizes can easily be compared. It also makes it easy to see relative annual changes within one business(Investopedia,2013). Income Year 7 net sales were 7% higher than year 6.CBI preserved their selling expenses at 6.7% of total Net Sales. CBI reduced General & Admin Expenses from 17.1% during year 6 to 15.5% during year 7.This would lead to an increase in Operating Income from 2.8% of Net Sales from year 6 to 5.3% in year 7 and CBI Net Earnings would increase from 1.1% (year 6) to 3.3% (year7). CBI did not perform well in year 8 because their expenses increase during year 8. This caused CBI net earnings to reduce.. CBI Administrative expenses increased 15.5% from year 6 to 7. CBI net sales increase 18.4% from year 7 to 8. CBI operating expenses income was reduce 5.3%of net sales to 1.9 % causing CBI net earnings from 3.3% to a .7%. I would recommend CBI to monitor their general and Admin expenses. Majority of expenses stayed the same during year 6,7 and 8. However during year 8 the CBI did not perform well. I believed CBI needs to find ways to reduces expenses when the company is having a low sales volume. CBI should incorporate just in time principles and lean manufacturing principles. I believe this would help reduce wasted production and this would help reduce utilities expenses. Just in time principles and lean manufacturing principles could also reduce employee expenses. ASSESTS CBI in the cash and cash equivalent accounts drop from 6.2 % in year 6 to 2.7%. However, during year 7 more products were sold compared to year 6. CBI accounts receivable had a major increase from year 6(6.5%) to year 7(16.6%).CBI needs to monitor their accounts receivable accounts more closely and make sure they’re collecting the amount owed to them. During year 8 CBI cash and cash equivalents had risen from 2.7 %( year 7) to 10.3%(year 8). The reason why this happen was due to CBI had started to monitor their accounts receivable. This helped them collect the money they were owed on past due accounts. I would recommend CBI to avoid making purchase on accounts and find ways to use the cash in a more efficient way. CBI should realize it important they have enough reserves during a recession. This will help hold them over until the economy bounces back. â€Å"Trend Analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information (Wikipedia,2012).†CBI sales were lower than year 7, but they still were able to make a profit. CBI should expect to see growth in the next few years based on their current trend. CBI is expected to have 3,510 units sold in year 9. CBI will have 3,660 units sold in year 10. Finally during year 11,CBI will sell 3,800 units. The forecast numbers are based on the economy recovering. This will encourages CBI sponsors to invest in professional riders and this will increase new bike sales. Currently is cost CBI 1,047.50 to make each product. I would recommend CBI find suppliers who have the same quality parts, but at a lower cost. I would also make recommend CBI is following just in time and lean manufacturing principles. This could help CBI increase their profit margin. Ratio analysis- analyzes numbers Ratio analysis is a method used by businesses to assess their financial situation by comparing two sets of linked data. Current ratio will measure a company’s ability to pay short-term obligations. CBI had a reduction from year 7 (5.9%) to 8(5.35%). Two wheel racing (TWR) current ratio was 4.2% for year 7 and 8. A debt ratio will determine if a business is able to handle any unexpected liabilities it that may come up. A business needs to make sure they enough money to pay off debt to avoid problems with their debt. During year 7 CBI debt ratio was 46.8%. The follow year the debt ratio was 46%. The debt ratio only drops .08 percent during year 8. TWR debt ratio was 38% in year 7 and 8. An acid test ratio will determine if a company can back their liabilities. CBI is doing better than (TWR) by 1.12% and .85%. Inventory turnover- determines the number of times a company can sell it average level of inventory throughout the year. CBI bicycles are customizes for customers so I am unable to compared CBI and TWR. Average collection period, This determines how well a company is able to collect money to the customers they extended credit to.CBI has higher collected amount compared to TWR. CBI was 11.3% higher in year 7 and 8. Gross Profit Margin, will tell investors how much revnue was gain after selling the product(Cost of Good-revenue/gross profit. TWR profit margin is 32.10% higher than CBI profit margin in year 7(27.4%) and 8(27.0%). TWR is operating more effectively. Operating profit margin Measures management efficiency (Operating income/total sales). CBI year 7 was 5.3% and TWR was 5.2%. Year 8 TWR performed better with 5.3% compared to CBI(1.9%). Net Profit Margin show investors the percentage of each sale dollar earn as net income. During year 7 CBI net profits was 3.3% and in year 8 it was .8%.TWR was 5.14% year 7 and 8. The portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. Earnings per share serves as an indicator of a company’s profitability(Investopedia,2013).TWR was $.08 for year 7 and 8. CBI was $.20 during year 7 and $.04 in year 8. Return on total assets-determine how successful a company is to earn profit with their assets. TWR total assets was 4.8% for year 7 and 8. CBI was 4.5% in year 7 and year 8 was .8%. Return on Common Equity- Income between net income and stockholder equity. During year 7 CBI equity was 8.5% AND TWR was 8.1%. CBI equity in year 8 was 1.5% and TWR was 8.1% Price / Earnings Ratio- Stock prices and company earning. CBI earning share 49.67 and TWR was 29. During year CBI price jump to 83.73 and TWR was still 29. Times Interest Earned Determines the numbers of times operating income can pay interest expense. Year 7 interest earn was 5.27 and TWR was 4.24. During year 8 CBI interest earn drop to 1.77 and TWR remained 4.24. ‘Working capital is a financial metric(current assets minus company liabilities) which represents operating liquidity available to a business, organization or other entity, including governmental entity(Wikipedia,2013).† The financial metric system will analyzes if a company will be able to pay their short term liabilities or do they need to take an alternative solution. CBI working capital in year 6 was $382,394: CBI working capital at the end of year was 1,306,617. CBI increased their working capital by 70.7% at the end of year 8. After reviewing CBI working capital the results indicated they will be able to pay their short term liabilities Recommendation I would recommend CBI to have their accounts executives to build a better relationship with customers and make sure they’re satisfied with the work they are receiving. One of the most important things a company can do is listen to their employees. I would also recommend CBI to reduce their accounts receivables. This could be done by making sure that larger orders from customer are sent out faster. CBI inventory cost increase over 24% from year 6 to year 8.CBI should follow the just in time and lean manufacturing principles. This will reduces inventory cost for CBI. CBI transportation expenses are one of their highest expenses. I would recommend CBI to consider to purchasing their own delivery truck and see if this will help them reduce their transportation expense. Internal controls Internal controls helps a company infrastructure run smoothly. Internal controls also help protect and prevent fraud. Internal control will try to remove the temptations for employee to act unethically in the aspect of putting the company at risk of lawsuit. CBI purchase department (PD) will purchases orders from suppliers based on their monthly budget. Once the order has been received the PD will evaluate bids from different suppliers. Once the order has been received they’re given to the production line. The invoice will be sent to the PD. If there are any supplies left they will be sent to raw materials. The PD will then send an accounting department who issues a check to the supplier. Recommendation I would recommend the whole entire processed be revamped. The first thing I would recommended is to separate the duties of researching the bid and purchasing orders. The next thing I would suggest is to make the receiving department in charge of verifying the shipping when the packages arrive. The receiving department needs to verify every item is there from the supplier and their no missing item from the delivery. The receiving department should maintain an inventory control system. After the receiving department has approved the invoice, they should forward to the purchasing department. The purchase order will be forward to the accounting department for payment. Accounting has currently been only receiving unverified invoices. Risk Accounting has currently been only receiving unverified invoices. The lack of verification could cause CBI to get double charge for item they already paid for. Currently their lack of inventory control system. Currently unused supplies are being sent to raw material without anyway of tracking it. This would make it easy for employees to steal because lack of inventory control system. Recommendation I would suggest an inventory control system be implemented. I would make sure all packages received by receiving department be verified by management to avoid being double charge. The inventory control system will help prevent theft from employees. I would also hire outside firm every quarter to check inventory levels to make sure no one is stealing from the company. Sarbanes-Oxley Act Sarbanes-Oxley Act is government regulation that congress pass in order to improve financial disclosures. This would help prevent accounting fraud and improve financial disclosures from corporations(Wikpedia,2013).†Section 302: A mandate that requires senior management to certify the accuracy of the reported financial statement Section 404: A requirement that management and auditors establish internal controls and reporting methods on the adequacy of those controls. Section 404 had very costly implications for publicly traded companies as it is expensive to establish and maintain the required internal controls (Investopedia,2013). CBI does not mention that they were audited by outside firm. I highly recommend CBI to hire auditing firm to review the company’s annual statement before releasing the numbers to the public to make sure there is no accounting errors. Internal controls are implemented and effective at the end of year 8(Dec 31). The CEO, and CFO certification is need because it is required by SOX and this could not be located. Auditor releases the following statement to shareholders. A material weakness is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis Recommendations CBI needs to make sure they are in compliance with the regulations set forth by Sarbanes-Oxley CB. The first thing I would recommend is to conduct a internal control assessment. The next thing I would recommend CBI to hire accounting firm to review their internal controls. The control needs to be based on Sox guidelines. The CEO and CFO needs to certify they’re aware of the CBI internal control and the actions the company have taken to protect investor’s investments. It is very vital CBI CEO and CFO certifies they’re aware of internal control because Sarbanes-Oxley requires this to be done. Since the accounting firm made assessment that the internal control is effective their might be some problems that could arise from the following statement, â€Å"A material weakness is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.† I would recommend the CEO or CFO to take action fix the internal control problem because they could face jail time for making statements that were not true. .† CBI should base their guidelines set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Tread Way Commission(CSOTWO). CSOTWO is joint inivate five private sector organizations devoted to providing leadership through progress and guidance on enterprise risk management, internal control and fraud dictation. This is a great way for C BI to improve the internal control process. References Free Dictionary(2013) http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Sarbanes-Oxley+Act+of+2002 Investopedia(2013) http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/horizontalanalysis.asp#axzz2Hh4rgfuE True Bussiness(2013) http://truetobusiness.com/finance/ratio-analysis Wikipedia(2013) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_control

Jack Ryan and Palisades Produce Essay

The workplace is littered with ethical dilemmas no matter where you work. For Pacific Trust the primary ethical issues that need attention are Jack Ryan’s negligent behavior toward his work with the Palisades Produce contract. His negligence caused him to be faced with lying to his superior or taking responsibility for his mistakes. The necessity for a course of action to help Jack comes partly from the underlying issue of Stephen Wood’s misconduct within the Middle-market Group. Jack Ryan had been closely working with Palisades Produce for over a year and in his excitement over finally landing them as a client, Jack did not closely read over the stipulations in the contract set forth by Gretchen Marks, Senior Banker in Risk Management. These stipulations were that Jack would obtain monthly Borrowing base reports from Palisades Produce. The Borrowing base reports show the bank how much collateral a company has to cover how much they are requesting to borrow from the bank. Without these reports, a bank could lend out money to companies that could not pay it back. Jack’s first step was to inform his boss, Stephen Wood, of the mistake he made. The response from Wood was for Jack to lie to Gretchen Marks by obtaining and submitting Borrowing base reports of the last four months at the current time as if Jack had always had them. This is clearly an unethical and unwise course of action for anyone to do. Since Jack has not seen the Borrowing base reports, he does not know if Palisades Produce has any flaws in their records or insufficient collateral. Such flaws would cause Pacific Trust to get into trouble by lending out money they could not get back. After leaving Wood’s office, Jack should have reported to Gretchen Marks to inform her about his mistake in not obtaining the Borrowing base reports. If Jack decides to follow the advice of Stephen Wood in order to maybe save his job, then he will most likely lose his job along with Stephen Wood. Covering up a mistake made in the business world can have dire consequences for any parties involved. The Borrowing base reports could be flawless; however, if there is an inconsistency at all with the reports, Gretchen Marks will inquire as to why Jack never brought such inconsistencies to her attention in the month they arose. This would immediately indicate that Jack had lied about when he obtained the Borrowing base reports, putting Pacific Trust and himself in a bad situation. Pacific Trust could not only fire but also sue Jack for his negligence if it did cause harm to the bank. In this case Palisades Produce would most likely leave Pacific Trust since Jack, the person responsible for courting the company, would no longer be with the bank. This course of action is definitely risky for Jack Ryan; he may lose his job either way. However, this is the only course of action likely to allow Jack to keep his job. Gretchen Marks could respect the honesty and responsibility of Jack and help him with the reports, allowing him to keep his job. The person partially responsible for Jacks ethically dilemma is Stephen Wood. Wood has been known to behave inappropriately in the workplace. Wood plays favorites and helps only those employees who do things his way. His use of derogatory language toward female employees on top of his temper issues should have been reported to a higher-up already. The attitude displayed by Wood shows that he is willing to make unethical decisions and having someone like this in your company is a liability. Jack does not have to reveal that Wood was going to help him with a cover-up, but Jack or one of the other subordinates of Wood should have filed a formal complaint on Stephen Wood’s behavior. Since Jack is a rising star within the company and Wood is highly regarded within the company, a complaint coming from Jack might carry more weight and consideration with the senior bank managers. This could sever the close relationship Jack has with Wood; however it would lead to a more effective and peaceful work environment. The reason Wood should be reported instead of being left alone is that since Wood was willing to do unethical things with Jack, he would probably attempt to do other unethical things if he has not already done so. These courses of action for the ethical dilemmas present in this case have the least negative impact. Jack taking responsibility will either hurt himself or hurt nothing at all if the Borrowing base reports are flawless. If they are not, Jack’s career and possibly Palisades Produce’s involvement with Pacific Trust will be damaged. Filing a report against Stephen Wood for workplace misconduct would allow all of the subordinates to work together in a more peaceful and effective environment because there would not be division amongst the employees based on loyalty.

Beauty Contest: Do they serve any purpose in society? Essay

A. Beauty contest almost xxxx refers to contest for women xxxx is usually for both genders; however for men are are mainly body building contest. Most contest are designed for women. Beauty contest compels especially women to conform to certain type of fantasy or unrealistic form of beauty. B. This topic is important because beauty contest affect women of all ages around the world on so many levels. It affects how women perceive themselves against other women. Most of all it affects women self confident and self-esteem and how beauty is defined in general. C. Beauty contest or pageants have been in existence since 1857 but became popular in 1920’s. The first beauty pageant was in 1854 but was protested against so much that the contest had to be put on hold for a while. In 1888 , the first ever beauty queen was crowned in Spa-Belgium in 192. The 16 year old Margaret Gorman was crowned as the first Miss America. Since then many countries have followed; especially Germany and USA. D. Beauty contest is a competition which mainly focuses on physical beauty the participants usually women are judged on their attractiveness with a prize and often a title awarded to the winner. E. There has always been divided opinions when it comes to the topic of beauty contest and how important it is. There have been argument for and against the purposes of beauty contest in society especially today. In my opinion beauty contest does not serve any purpose in our society today. Beauty content were first introduced in the USA in 1854 and was put on hold due to the intense criticizes made by the general public. The very first beauty queen crowned ever was crowned in Spa in Belgium in 1888 followed by many countries especially Germany and USA. 16 years old Margaret Gorman was the first Miss America crowned in 1921. In 1922 and 1923 one person xxx after which the rules changed so no one person can win the title more than ones. Originally Miss America was called the National Beauty Tournament and  then the organizers decided to call it Miss America as presently known. When the Miss America pageant started as a way to improve tourism on the New Jersey coast in Atlanta City. At the first beauty pageant contestants were asked to send pictures from which 21 were selected to appear before a panel of judges. Currently there are four main big international pageants; Miss World founded in 1951, Miss Universe founded in 1952, Miss International in 1960 and Miss Earth in 2001. In 2004 Brazil won all four beauty pageants. The purpose of beauty pageant in society has always been a controversial topic because women from all over the world are judged by the same standard of beauty present by these pageants. There is the argument that beauty pageants promotes women empowerment because part of the goal of the organizers of Miss America was to empower young women to achieve their personal goals while providing a forum in which to express their opinion, talent and intelligence. This may be true to some extend ; afterall there is xxxx. Where contestants are required to enter with a platform a course to advocate during their one yearlong reign. Time to persue her own cause is limited at best-per Amanda Angelotti in confessions of a â€Å"beauty pageant drop out† published in campus progress. Secondly, how it’s looking good and attractive for men whether through beauty pageant or cosmetic surgery real empowerment. Moreover as observed by Prof. Stoeltyle â€Å"that is to say that women should continue to be seductive and to be governed by the powers. In view of all the above reasons, beauty pageants obviously does more harm than good to the women and the society as a whole. Women need to learn the true meaning of beauty that their unique personality and inner beauty is what makes a phenomenal woman. Women need to be educated and to understand that it is not acceptable to be judged by other people’s perspective; being beauty or otherwise. Courtney E. Martine author of â€Å"Perfect Girls† starring daughters describe how the quest of perfection is having young women. â€Å"Beauty pageants must die..!. I would rather live in a world where those same girls don’t have to learn hours to walk in high heels to afford college. Lately there has been a tremendous increase in child beauty pageant and the age keep dropping. Putting the same kind of pressure on being evaluated solely on the looks on children who don’t even understand the make of their bodies yet. If the harmful results of beauty pageants are not highlited enough and women are educated to accept themselves just as they are more and more women both young and old will continue to search for this unatainable ideal beauty which is only a fantasy resulting in more young women suffering from various dietry disorders and more. The buttom line is that, â€Å"beauty is an organic process not a contest. Women deserves better says Courtney E. Martin; in her article to New York Times â€Å"Beauty Pageant Should Die†.