Role and Practices in Management Accounting Today

|ACC601: Managerial Accounting | | | | | |Role and Practices in Management Accounting Today | | | | | | | | | Table of Contents 1. Definition 3 1.1 Management†¦show more content†¦It is an integral part of the management process, distinctly adds value by continuously probing whether resources are used effectively by people and organizations in creating value for customers, shareholders or other stakeholders. The field of organizational activity encompassed by management accounting has developed through four evolutionary yet recognizable stages. Figure below shows the four evolutionary stages Figure: The Four Phases of Evolution of Management Accounting Source: IFAC, 1998: Revised International management accounting practice 1 #1, Management-accounting systems report the results of operations using financial and non-financial measures. These systems also help project and plan future operations. The company ABC for examples need some information to have new product these include better product cost data and metrics of on-time delivery of products. These items exemplify two of the many measures dealt with in management accounting. Cost is an example of a measure expressed in financial terms, while on-time delivery is an example of an operational measure. PURPOSE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING—THE STRATEGIC TRIANGLE The fundamental purpose of management accounting is to help an organization achieve its strategic objectives. Meeting these objectives satisfies theShow MoreRelatedRole Of Managerial And Managerial Accounting1029 Words   |  5 PagesThe role of managerial accounting has played a significant role in the success of businesses dating as far back as the 19th century. Service and production operations during the days of the industrial revolution were not nearly as sophisticated then as they are today. The current initial purpose of managerial accounting is comparable to its purpose throughout history. Managerial accounting has historically been useful in assisting managers with the information they need to make important decisionsRead MoreEssay on Annotated Bibliography1285 Words   |  6 Pages1997, ‘Accounting and the Construction of the Governable Person’, Accounting, Organizations and Society, vol.12, n.03, pp235-265. Main Argument In this article, Miller et al. concern about the understanding of the historical foundation of accounting practice by investigating how theories of costing and budgeting were constructed in the first thirty years of the 20th century. In addition, the authors suggest several radical factors of theoretical understanding of accounting in relationRead MoreWhy Ethics Are Important to Auditors1355 Words   |  6 PagesA qualified person, who inspects the accounting records and the practices of an organization, is the basic definition of a Company Auditor. In financial accounting, an audit is categorized by the self-governing evaluation of the justice by which a companys financial statements are presented and prepared by and to its supervisor. This task is largely performed by the trained, experienced, self-governed and intent persons, known as accountants or auditors. Auditors are on the whole very informedRead MoreHow Business Plays A Major Role Within Our Society1237 Words   |  5 Pagesmajor role within our society. Undergraduates that has chosen business as their major has a huge variety of careers to choose from after they have graduated and got their degree. Business does not only mean that someone is the owner of something, but it also means taking control and being a leader of something within that company .Accounting, Human Resource Management, and Management itself are some fields that follows those characteristics and that these undergraduates embrace in. Accounting is oneRead MoreAccounting : Financial And Management Accounting1025 Words   |  5 PagesAccounting is one of the three careers that is being discussed that a business majors are able to embrace in. Accounting is where employees are keeping up with the company’s records. Accountants take actions on keeping up with the company payroll cost, expenditures, and the sales revenues. They are to also keep track of the company’s losses and profits (Hill â€Å"Accounting† 1-5). When accountants insert all of the information that they are to keep track of, it is important that they insert it correctlyRead MoreApplication Of Management Accounting Theories Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pages Executive Summary Management accounting is one important area which is widely used in many industries and areas. The application of management accounting theories, methods, tools and principles could influence one company’s decision making process, evaluation process, performance estimation and investment management. This report will emphasize two important areas which are investment appraisal and variance analysis which are used to make the decision and estimation. For investment appraisalRead MoreEssay on Report the Role of Accounting in Organizations and Society898 Words   |  4 PagesREPORT The Role of Accounting in Organizations and Society Accounting plays an important role in interfacing society and organization. As it is also mentioned in Burchell article â€Å"it is presumed that accountings are there to facilitate organizational and social actions.†As we know that accounting is helpful for structuring of organizational objectives, to reduce financial risk, to make financial decisions, it also helps organization to take into account different stakeholders interest like investorsRead MoreEthical Issues Of The Managerial Accounting Profession1186 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction In today s high-rise development markets, there are millions of transactions that have been done every second by millions of employees. These transactions are domestically and globally executed, and due to its complexity in today s business world it may generates sort of excesses that can negatively affect the business environment as well as the social life. Therefore, it becomes necessary to stress on the ethics and morals that should be prevalent in the business community. The termRead MoreRomania’s Post Communism Accounting Practices and the Effects of Adapting Ifrs for Smes1725 Words   |  7 PagesCommunism Accounting Practices and The Effects of Adapting IFRS for SMEs â€Æ' Abstract Romania, located in southeastern European, was heavily influenced by the Russian Soviet Union as a socialist republic between 1947 and 1989. With becoming a capitalist country in 1989, its accounting practices began its transformation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Romania accounting practices post its revolution. The paper discusses three major accounting practice conversionsRead MoreThe Theory Of Constraints Of Lean Thinking1128 Words   |  5 Pagesinputs against the value of outputs which implies, matching cost per unit of production against the value of output or selling price. There have been a number of practices implemented over time that includes statistical process control (SPC), Theory of Constraints (TOC), Just-in-Time inventory management (JIT), Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, and Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM). Each of these has made a marginal contribution to the mindset of continuous process improvement. Rather than

Is Schizophrenia A Universal Mental Illness - 2498 Words

Schizophrenia is a universal mental illness which is both complex and devastating. Schizophrenia generally begins in the early stages of life and may lead to lifelong disabilities (Moritz, 2010). The context of this paper shall include an introduction on schizophrenia as well as the reasoning this discipline was chosen. It will include a critiqued research study that will explain how the research was presented. The primary focus on the research study will be a literature review, the methods used, the results found, and a presented discussion. Approximately 1 percent of the world’s population is affected by schizophrenia. This illness does not discriminate. The symptoms usually start between ages 16 and 30. Once an individual reaches the age of 45, it is rare that schizophrenia manifests. Schizophrenia seldom occurs in children; however, awareness of childhood-onset schizophrenia is increasing (The National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). The symptoms tend to effect men more severely than women and those who suffer from schizophrenia are known to have a higher risk of substance abuse and suicide rates. Approximately 10 percent of the schizophrenia communities commit suicide. The most common addiction shared by these individual is (The National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). When comparing nicotine addictions to the general populace, it has been determined that the rates are 75% - 90% versus 25% - 30%, meaning those who endureShow MoreRelatedA Socially Acceptable Form Of Schizophrenia1055 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia†. Doctorow believes writing can be about anything, no matter how arbitrary, and still be acceptable. J.D. Salinger writes The Catcher in the Rye to tell about Holden Caulfield s misadventures in a 1950’s New York. After Holden, the narrator and protagonist, is expelled from yet another boarding school, he hides it from his parents. Mental illness plagues Holden’ s life, and at the end of the book, he ends up in a mental hospital in California. Holden CaulfieldRead MoreGenetics, Brain Structure, and Behavior: Future Directions1261 Words   |  6 PagesGenetics, Brain Structure, and Behavior: Future Directions Nevada Finley PSY/340 May 20, 2013 Stephanie Fernandez Genetics, Brain Structure, and Behavior: Future Directions Schizophrenia is known as a mental disorder that is categorized by confused thinking and the inability to respond, communicate, or behave appropriately. Individuals who suffer with this disease may see or hear things that are not there, but this is a form of hallucinating. They also feel like others are out to getRead MoreA Beautiful Mind By John Nash1393 Words   |  6 Pagesyear 2002 by Universal Pictures. This film is about a man named John Nash who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoid type. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder with key features including delusions, hallucinations, difficulty concentrating, and other negative symptoms (Parekh, 2017). Paranoid schizophrenia specifically, is â€Å"characterized mainly by the presence of delusions of persecution or grandeur† (Sadock and Sadock, 2005). The typical age for the onset of schizophrenia is in late adolescenceRead MoreIs Schizophrenia A Mental Illness?1726 Words   |  7 Pages SCHIZOPHRENIA Kennya Castro â€Æ' Schizophrenia is a mental illness that plagues about 1 out of every 100 Americans. Despite this fact, most of the general public remains ignorant to the basic pathology of the disease and the mechanisms of identifying and treating it. It is considered by some to be a â€Å"scary† mental illness and is often ignored, when compared to the other equally serious and caustic ones like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (also referred to as GAD), ADHD, and Chronic Depression. ThisRead More Ethical Analysis of A Beautiful Mind Essay1595 Words   |  7 PagesEthical Analysis of â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† â€Å"A Beautiful mind† is a story based on the life of John Forbes Nash, who is a famous mathematician. Unfortunately, he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia that majorly affects his personal and social life. Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder in which the patient’s ability to function is impaired by severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes (Hockenbury, 2010). John Nash, the main character, faces many challenges in his professionalRead More Schizophrenia: A Possible Etiology?1590 Words   |  7 PagesSchizophrenia: A Possible Etiology? As for me, you must know I shouldn’t precisely have chosen madness if there had been any choice. What consoles me is that I am beginning to consider madness as an illness like any other, and that I accept it as such. -in a letter to his brother Theo According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 20% of the US population may suffer from a diagnosable mental illness in any given six month period (1991). Obviously the issue of mentalRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Schizophrenia1153 Words   |  5 Pages 1 / 3 Cindy Tien 3-18-15 Per.6 Schizophrenia What is Schizophrenia? Can you imagine living day by day having to hear and see things that nobody else could? You feel alone, lost and different amongst other normal people. Believe it or not, approximately twenty five million people in America have been impacted by this disease called schizophrenia. What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is mental disorder distinguished by disturbances within thought patterns, attention, and emotions. UnfortunatelyRead MoreReligion Vs. Delusions With Religious Content1525 Words   |  7 Pagesissue in the field of psychiatry and my journey through it. Religion vs. Delusions with religious content (DRC) Case Study Mrs A, a 32 year old Cambodian mother of 1 and practicing Buddhist, presented to Unit 1 Dandenong with a long history of schizophrenia, primarily focussed on 3 figures that she visually hallucinates - a â€Å"female Buddha†, an angel and a devil. She also experiences auditory command hallucinations from these figures – the devil commands self-harm whereas the other 2 figures commandRead MoreThe Agency I Am Doing My Practicum Hours At Is A Nonprofit1208 Words   |  5 PagesThe agency I am doing my practicum hours at is a nonprofit mental health agency that serves over 800 adults with mental illness across 28 locations in the Portland Metro Area. Their comprehensive support system includes outpatient clinics, group homes, semi-independent housing, homeless outreach, and peer-delivered programs. I focus on the care of adults, age 18 and over, with serious mental illness, such as Psychotic disorders Mood disorders in one of the residential settings. Within the homeRead M oreThe Mega Marketing Of Depression1448 Words   |  6 PagesIllness is a period of sickness that can be further categorized into two parts: mental illness or physical illness. Physical illness can occur anywhere on or in one’s body, while mental illness occurs in the brain. Since mental illness occurs in such a sensitive area it differs from physical illness in the sense that there is no universal symptom for a certain mental illness such as depression, but there are hundreds of symptoms for a mental disorder throughout the world. These inconsistencies based

Significant Health Care Event Free Essays

There have been several events that have helped to change and mold health care throughout history in the United States. Some influences that have are significant to benefit Americans and stay on track with the needs of Americans include society, culture, finance, religion, politics, technology, health trends, environment, and population (Shi Singh, 2012) Significant Event’s Relation to Health Care In the year 2011 there were many reports in the media regarding bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to adverse health effects like cancer, infertility, diabetes, obesity and ADHD (Newbold, 2009) A large amount of BPA has been removed from water bottles as well as baby bottles. We will write a custom essay sample on Significant Health Care Event or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, the epoxy resin lining food cans was still a grave concern and widespread problem throughout the United States. A new study done during this time found BPA in several canned fruits, vegetables, and pasta treats consumed by many children. A Harvard study found that volunteers who consumed canned soup daily for five days had a 1,000 percent increase in urinary BPA (Datz, 2011). BPA is found in many foods and drinks ingested by Americans every day. It has also been proven to be found in sealants and dentistry composites used by dentists. Many countries have banned BPA use in baby bottles, sippy cups, along with other products primarily used by children. BPA has been used in the United States since the 1950s, and was approved as a food additive by the FDA at that time (Rust Kissinger, 2009). Personal Accountability for a healthier lifestyle Another event that has become more common in the United States is personal responsibility of each American to lead a healthier life that leads to a decrease in health care costs in the long run. Access to effective health care is an important component to many people as well as an important social responsibility. Americans as a society can find many ways to promote healthy environments and lifestyles. These ways include pollution control, occupational health, sanitation, preventative medical care and education, along with food and drug safety. Greater attention should be paid to strategies for health promotion other than access to healthcare, such as environmental and public health and health research (Resnick, 2007). The lifestyle of many Americans is the primary cause of the majority of illnesses in the United States. The leading causes of disease have been proven to be contributing factors to disease and death in the United States. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of disability as well as death in the United States and are on the rise. 7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year are from chronic diseases. Heart disease, cancer and stroke account for more than 50% of all deaths each year (Kung, Hoyert, Xu, Murphy, 2005). More than one-third of all adults do not meet recommendations for aerobic physical activity based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and 23% report no leisure-time physical activity at all in the preceding month, cigarette smoking is more prevalent in high school students as of 2007 with a reported percentage of 20%, and more than 43 million adults are cigarette smokers in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and cigarette smoking causes almost all cases. Compared to nonsmokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer and women who smoke are about 13 times more likely. Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% in women. Smoking also causes cancer of the voice box (larynx), mouth and throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach, and causes acute myeloid leukemia (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2004). Chronic conditions that are caused by poor lifestyle choices ultimately create a huge burden on health care spending in the United States. The cost of health care spending for chronic conditions has increased the United States from $75 billion in 1970, $2. 6 trillion in 2010, and is expected to reach $4. 8 trillion in 2021. 75% of these costs is because of unhealthy lifestyles that lead to chronic conditions (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2011). General practitioners and insurance companies must focus more on educational resources related to preventative medicine and care to ensure citizens lead healthier lifestyles that will lead to longevity of life. This can be a difficult task as physicians are taught to uphold a creed to take care of all people who are ill, and Americans as a society are obligated to care for vulnerable citizens. There are no quick fix solutions. However, I believe that education can assist many Americans to strive more to live a better and healthier lifestyle in order to avoid disease and death from one of the many preventable chronic conditions. How to cite Significant Health Care Event, Papers

Optimal Oil Production And The World Supply Of Oil

Question: Describe about How Low Oil Prices Affect The Ad And As of an Economy? Answer: Introduction: A vital energy source for the world is oil. It continues to be important from the time immemorial. Oil affects the entire functioning of the economy. Everything depends on the availability of petroleum. Petroleum is rock oil. This is formed by organic matters that are present deep inside the surface of the earth. The development of petroleum significantly affects the producers and the consumers alike. Statistics has shown that oil provided about 34 percentages of the global oil needs. It is expected that in future the oil demand would increase to a massive extent. It has been projected by the International Energy Agency that oil would provide the 30 percentages of the energy demands by the year 2030. Saudi Arabia holds huge reserves of oil (Aleksandrov, Espinoza and Gyurko , 2012). About 18 percentages of the world oil are possessed by Saudi Arabia. It ranks among the largest exporters of oil in the country. The countrys 50 percentages of GDP is accounted from the oil and gas indu stry. It also holds other resources like the gold, iron ore copper, and natural gas. Factors that lead to the determination of oil prices: The oil prices are governed by some factors they are basically how the global market performs and the demand and supply that occurs in the world market. It is seen that the following factors are very crucial to the oil price determination: 1. The economy of China: China is seen as a large consumer of oil after the United States. Due to this increase there is a question as to how much increase is likely in the coming years. It is expected that Chine would increase its consumption of oil by more the 3 million barrels in coming 2020. There was a slight fall in the growth in the first quarter but the Chinas economy will continue to affect the oil prices in 2015 (Asia Dept, 2013). 2. The Elasticity of Demand: The countries that have regulated prices of oil have low prices in the retail market. The countries like Indonesia are no longer offering any subsidies on petroleum products and, as a result, this will be considered as a disadvantage for the consumers. The gasoline prices of the United States are below 2.4 dollars per gallon. This has led to more gas consumption (Farndon, 2012). With low prices of oil, there could be higher demand of the product that as a result would send the process up high. 3. OPECs Move: The credit to the low oil prices can be given to the body of OPEC. Saudi Arabia has taken a stand to cut no more the quotas of production. The oil price has crushed by the meeting by the cartel in November 2014 (Fund, 2011). 4. Geopolitical difference: The political unrest in the Iraq and Syria has caused the global prices of oil to shot up (Haerens, 2010). Libya violences during the year 2014 had blocked the exports of oil. The geo-political crisis plays a very important role in the effect the prices of for a short interval. Global low oil price and its effects: A low price has both advantages and disadvantages to it. With low oil prices, the importing country can enjoy increased consumption of oil. The overall prices in the economy are also lowered with fall in oil prices (Jain and Ghosh, 2013). This eventually lowers the inflation also. This has a very short term effect. As the resources like oil that is limited in supply may result in shortage due to increased consumption. On the other hand, the oil exporting country is at the loss (Moosa, 2015). Much of the resources are utilized for the exploration and drilling and the owners they dont get the proper price so that they can continue to be in business. The people engaged in the oil industry also face threat to their jobs because many oil industries face a shutdown. The unemployment rate in the economy is also seen to increase. Effect Of Low Oil Price On The Saudi Arabian Economy: Saudi Arabia as the largest exporting and producing countries: Saudi Arabia is the largest states in the Arab in the Western Asia when compared to the area of land size. It occupies the large part of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the only nation that is bordered by the Red Sea as well as the Persian Gulf (Nakaya, 2006). It has a huge carbon reserve making it a tore House of oil reserves. The command economy of Saudi Arabia is petroleum based. The oil reserves of Saudi Arabia accounts for about 260 billion barrels. This means that the country holds about one-fifth of the total oil reserves of the world. During the 1990s, the oil revenues of Saudi Arabia fell and to top the growth of population was also very high. The per capita income also fell to a remarkable level. Saudi Arabia is among the OPEC members. The OPEC has limited its members based on the production of their proven reserves (Once again the global recovery is threatened by rising oil prices, 2012). Current Trend of the Saudi Arabian Oil Market: The following chart shows the trend in the crude oil production for the year 2015 from the month of January to June. Saudi Arabia Crude Oil Production Months Jan, 2015 February,2015 March, 2015 April,2015 May, 2015 June, 2015 Crude Oil Production: 9680 9636 10294 10308 10333 10564 The above bar diagram shows that how the production of crude oil has increased in the country Saudi Arabia from January, 2015 to June, 2015 the crude oil production was low in the month of January and February with about 9680 and 9636 billion barrels respectively. Low Oil Price and its Effect in the Saudi Arabia Economy: Saudi Arabia is one of the influential members of the OPEC. With the global oil prices falling, the only thing that it can do is to cut back on its production as much as possible. This sign, on the other hand, is not revealed by the countrys oil owners. This could be due to two reasons to introduce discipline in the members of the OPEC or to pressurize the United States shale oil and gas industry. The country needs oil prices to be around 85 dollars in the long term. Due to its large reserve funds it was able to stand the low prices (Saudi Arabia may be about to revive stalled gas programme, 2006). The production of oil began to pose a challenge to the United States oil production. Due to large reserves of foreign exchanges by the country the country would be able to survive the low oil prices. The Saudi Arabias long interest rate may serve as a way for the cheaper oil prices. Public spending has raised less as compared to the rise in the foreign reserves (Speight, 2013). The assets were quantifies 2.8 trillion riyals in August 2014. The reason for the country to survive the oil prices was the saving that it incurred when the barrel cost was just 100 dollars. In this economy, it is very difficult to cut on the government schemes and spending. The low oil prices will lead to affecting the social and economic chaos in the Gulf countries that would have a ripple effect on the economy of Saudi Arabia. To cut on the public expenditure is very difficult for the economy. The main strategy of the country is to maintain the market share and sacrifice on the price to put pressure on the United States, who are increasing their production of sales (Survey: Saudi Arabia: outlook for the oil industry, 2011). Effects of low global prices of oil on the aggregate demand and aggregate supply of oil in the Saudi Arabia Economy Diagrammatic View. Oil prices play a major role in influencing the overall prices in any economy. Reduced oil prices have led to the availability of cheaper goods in the economy. We see the effect of AD and AS due to the low global oil prices in the Saudi Arabia economy. By aggregate demand, we mean the total of all the demand in the economy at a given point of time. While, aggregate supply means the total of the supply of goods and services in the economy. The aggregate supply curve in the short run is upward rising while the aggregate demand curve is downward sloping. The figure shows that the economy is at equilibrium A initially. The AD1 shows the aggregate demand while AS1 shows the aggregate supply curve. Due to the fall in global oil prices the aggregate supply curve shifts from AS1 to AS2 downward. Correspondingly the level of prices falls from P1 to P2. The aggregate demand curve is also seen to fall. This leads to the fall in the AD1 to AD2. The output as a result increases for the economy. With the lowering of the prices in the global market the Saudi Arabia economy would not face a negative impact. Conclusion: The abrupt fall in the oil prices will be beneficial for the countries that are into importing and would affect drastically the exporting countries. As Saudi Arabia country is into exporting of oil and much of the countrys GDP also depends on it so a low global oil prices would affect the economy in the long run scenario. The initial low oil prices may be beneficial for the country but it would show its gruesome face at a later point of time. References Aleksandrov, N., Espinoza, R. and Gyurko , L. (2012).Optimal oil production and the world supply of oil. [Washington, D.C.]: International Monetary Fund. Asia Dept, I. (2013).Saudi Arabia. Washington: International Monetary Fund. Farndon, J. (2012).Oil. New York: DK Pub. Fund, I. (2011).Will Natural Gas Prices Decouple from Oil Prices across the Pond?. Washington: International Monetary Fund. Haerens, M. (2010).Oil. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Greenhaven Press/Gale, Cengage Learning. Jain, A. and Ghosh, S. (2013). Dynamics of global oil prices, exchange rate and precious metal prices in India.Resources Policy, 38(1), pp.88-93. Moosa, I. (2015). The effect of oil prices on stock prices: a structural time series approach.International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 38(4/5/6), p.232. Nakaya, A. (2006).Oil. Detroit .: Greenhaven Press. Once again the global recovery is threatened by rising oil prices. (2012).Economic Outlook, 36(2), pp.12-19. Saudi Arabia may be about to revive stalled gas programme. (2006).Oil and Energy Trends, 31(6), pp.7-8. Speight, J. (2013).Heavy oil production processes. Burlington: Elsevier Science. Survey: Saudi Arabia: outlook for the oil industry. (2011).Oil and Energy Trends, 36(11), pp.10-16.

Matisse Essays - Fauvism, French Art, Modern Art, Modern Painters

Matisse A special chapter in the history of modern sculpture could be devoted to artists who are known primarily for their careers as painters, but who have also made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of three-dimensional form. Henri Matisse, celebrated as one of this century's greatest colorists, is also now recognized for the brilliant invention he brought to his sculptural compositions. Born in La Cateau-Cambr?sis, in northern France, Matisse first studied law before taking up painting at the age of twenty-one, and in 1891 he enrolled at the Acad?mie Julian in Paris. The following year he transferred to the ?cole des Beaux Arts, where he studied under the great Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. In 1899, Matisse was introduced to Andr? Derain, who in turn introduced him to Maurice de Vlaminck. These artists shared a fascination with the tonal dynamics of Post-Impressionism; their vivid compositions increasingly gave color an emotive, independent, and antinaturalistic role. They exhibited together at the 1905 and 1906 Salon d'Automne, where their paintings created a sensation, leading one critic to refer to them as Les Fauves or wild beasts. By 1909 Matisse shifted to a more serene style in paintings, executed with broad color planes, simplified structures, and idyllic subjects. Matisse's first sculptures were created during his student years. Not surprisingly, his earliest figures were copies after small-scale academic bronzes. By 1900 Matisse had begun more ambitious compositions. His Serf, 1900-1903, took Rodin's The Walking Man as a point of departure. Where Rodin cropped the figure to emphasize the dynamism of the pose, Matisse chose to emphasize the static qualities of his standing figure. Over the next decade Matisse created a number of female nudes, variously rendered as standing and reclining figures, which reveal his careful study of the model. Unlike such contemporaries as Aristide Maillol, who consciously echoed classical archetypes, Matisse sought to render the female nude with a new immediacy, freed of art-historical conventions. The Backs are Matisse's most radical works in bronze. The figure, shown from the back, is executed in high relief against a framing ground, a painterly device with few precedents in sculpture. By turning the figure away from the viewer, Matisse explores the challenge of endowing the human form with expressive power. In the succession of works, the figure is progressively straightened and the axis of the spine becomes the increasing focus of the composition. The four panels were executed over a twenty-year span, with each successive image reworked from a plaster cast of the preceding one. The Backs were never shown together during Matisse's lifetime and were not conceived as a series or set. Rather, they should be regarded as one work that passed through four stages-an ongoing sculptural clarification of the artist's vision. Art Essays

5 Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid in Business Writing - BestEssay.education

5 Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid in Business Writing 5 Common Grammar Mistakes to Avoid in Business Writing If you own, operate or represent a business, it is extremely important that you are able to communicate effectively in writing. This includes communicating in advertisements, in blog posts, when sending emails, when posting on social media, and when interacting with customers or vendors. A big part of this is learning to avoid embarrassing grammar mistakes. The problem with bad grammar is that it damages credibility. If your writing is riddled with spelling and grammar errors that you have left uncorrected, people will wonder about the care you put into your products and services. Grammar errors also make your writing less effective. In fact, if you are stating a strong opinion, or you are making an emotional appeal, poor grammar can make your words unintentionally humorous. There are many grammatical errors that you can make in business writing. However, there are 5 that we believe are most common. Here they are, along with some advice on how to recognize and avoid them 1. Confusing i.e. and e.g. The reason that these two abbreviations are commonly confused is that they both have Latin roots and they have somewhat similar meanings. The translation of the abbreviation i.e. to English means 'that is'.   When you see this abbreviation, replace it in your head with the phrase, 'in other words'. The abbreviation e.g. means for example. You would use this at the beginning of a list of supporting examples after you make a statement. Usage Examples: We aren't getting the foot traffic we used to get on Sunday afternoons, i.e., we only had five customers come through our door last Sunday. We employ several different methods of measuring the success of our brick and mortal location, e.g., number of customers per day, dollars in sales per week, and the feedback on our customer comment cards. 2. Using I Instead of Me and Vice Versa For some reason, many of us instinctively want to replace the word me with the word I when we are referring to more than one person. How many times have we sent or received emails with sentences like the following: Will you follow up with David and I via email? Just tell David and I when you are ready to go forward with the project. At first glance, they might seem okay, but they are both incorrect. How do you tell? One way is to take the other person out of the equation, then look at the sentences again. Will you follow up with I via email? Just tell I when you are ready to go forward with the project. Grammar Hint: Now, it is easy to see the difference. It may help to try and remember that... I do something, and something is done to me. 3. Writing Utilize Instead of Use This one is fairly black and white. If you are writing the utilize in your business writing, you should stop doing that. It is one of those words that appears to be more formal and more professional, but it simply is not. If you find yourself typing the word utilize, back space and replace it with use. Better yet, set up an auto correct option to change the word when you type it. 4. Participles that Dangle Any word that ends in 'ing' is a participle. They are intended to modify the word or phrase that follows them. If you place the noun following the participle in the wrong place, you can unintentionally change the meaning of your sentence. Here's an example: Working more efficiently than ever, the computer room staff were thrilled with the new servers. This sentence appears to say that the computer room staff was working more efficiently than ever. However, if that is true, what about the servers? Here is the sentence after it has been corrected: Working more efficiently than ever, the new servers thrilled the computer room staff. 5. Using Quotation Marks Where They Are Not Needed For some reason, many people believe that placing a word or phrase in single or double quotes indicates emphasis. It does not. In fact, single quotes around a word or a phrase, especially one that makes a claim is read as an indication that something is not quite true. For example: We keep your financial information 'safe' and 'secure'! Customers will read this as if you are stating that you won't keep their information safe or secure. It may help to visualize a very sarcastic man using air quotes while reading your statement aloud. There are times when it is okay to use quotes around a word or phrase. If you are indicating to the reader that something isn't exactly true, it is acceptable to use quotes. Here is an example: We offer a vegan wrap with hummus, diced cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and 'cheese'. Your readers would know both from the context clues and the apostrophes that you were referring to a cheese like food, but not to real cheese. Replacement Options: Try using bold print, underlining, or even beginning and ending a word or phrase with an asterisk. Each of these indicates emphasis. Just remember to avoid using all capital letters for emphasis. This is often interpreted as anger or hostility.

Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Impact of Social Media on Adolescent - Essay Example The most threatening issues related to an adolescent with regards to social media is the problem of cyber-bullying. According to Ahlfors,† Cyber-bully is a person who uses electronic means to cause emotional harm to another person. The perpetrator demonstrates a pattern of behavior of repeatedly engaging in online acts to humiliate another; either the same target or targets each time or against random, unknown targets† (Ahlfors, 2010, p. 516). It has been argued that individuals who stay away from bullying in real life tend to divert to cyber-bullying as it seems more attractive. Furthermore, the lack of supervision in online activities, as well as the feeling of being in total control, works as a fueling factor. The behaviors might revert to extremes when there is no system present which would hold them accountable for their deeds. On the other side, the people being bullied tend to be hesitant in reporting such misdemeanors because of the fear of being deprived of the m edia. In addition, according to a research conducted by CASA survey, it was revealed that young adults between the ages of 12-17, who are active social media users, are more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana than other young adults. However, the survey also claims that the results merely show correlation, hence, social media can’t be blamed for causing such addictions amongst adolescent. Nonetheless, it provides ample evidence for parents to maintain a moderate amount of social media exposure for the young adults. It is important to limit the number of online hours allowed, moreover, sufficient supervision is also necessary to keep an eye on the media activities. Furthermore, according to a study, it was deduced that social media is also responsible for mental and psychological distress among adolescents. It has been evidenced that individuals who had a simple adolescent life went on to being mentally disturbed adults when exposed to social media. The reasons for the psychological effects have known to be the negative feedback on these social websites which lay an important role in adversely affecting an individual’s self esteem. Hence, it is important that limited personal information

Change-oriented leadership trans formational and charismatic leaders Coursework

Change-oriented leadership trans formational and charismatic leaders - Coursework Example At the time of her appointment as Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa was five months pregnant. This did not deter her ability to deliver as a leader; in fact, it motivated her to work harder. She only took a two-week maternity leave and went on to build a nursery right next to her office, which meant no telecommuting and constant access to her new-born. Suffice it to say, Marissa gravitates towards a more situational management approach whereby she is more hands-on; a practice that is unorthodox for most CEOs. For example, she takes a more direct approach to hiring staff whereby she follows strict hiring policies, which entail conducting stringent achievement and educational background investigations (Weisberg, 2013). As evidenced by employee remarks and owners of the small companies that accepted mergers with Yahoo, Marissa Mayer is a charismatic leader. David Pogue, a former New York Times columnist cites Marissa’s charisma as one of the reasons why he accepted her offer to join the Yahoo editorial team. In addition, majority of owners of the companies acquired by Yahoo during Marissa’s tenure also cited her charisma as one of the major reasons for accepting acquisition offers. They agreed to sell their companies despite prior knowledge that their companies might face possible dissolution (Weisberg, 2013). Before Marissa took over as CEO, Yahoo had not released any noteworthy new products, which caused the company’s market share to plummet drastically. Since taking over, Marissa Mayer’s first year has been quite eventful. She commenced with the purchase of over twenty (20) small ICT based companies, a strategic decision driven by the need to diversify Yahoo’s product range. Her ability to recognize a problem, identify alternative solutions, and settling on the best alternative solution to the problem attests to Marissa’s exceptional transformational leadership traits. In addition, she did not let critical bystanders

Building a Fleet of Vehicles That Are Able To Serve the Local Demand Essay

Building a Fleet of Vehicles That Are Able To Serve the Local Demand - Essay Example Such instances can be discouraging and unpleasant to clients; more especially in instances where the clients are used to driving specific kinds of cars. In instances where clients fail to find there preferred cars for rental, they are compelled to either settle for the available cars or seek alternative providers. This is either down-cresting or time consuming depending on the option a client opts for. Zip Car Rental seeks to bridge this gap and ensure clients get value for their services through tailor-made services, in addition to getting satisfactory services. Setting up a car rental company requires earlier acquaintance with the industry and hence prior knowledge of the dynamics affecting the industry. Although starting such a business may be considered easy to start, it actually is not and requires a more problem-oriented approach. The proposed approach to solving the described problem takes into multiple considerations that will enhance the position of the business within the industry. A deeper into the fundamentals of the business reveals that procedures for car rental are way more complicated in terms of sales handling as well as managerial operations. This is, as a matter of fact, due to the fact that it does involve a sale of single inventory units (cars), it instead focuses on the allocation of time for usage of the vehicles. The main features will include: The car rental business is one characterized by lots of risks, not just to those who hire cars but also to the fleet of cars and entire business operations. Consequently, liability insurance is important to secure the business from possible losses resulting from any of the aforementioned risks. For a car rental business, the car fleet is a central asset in ensuring success.  Consequently, it will be important to come up with a fleet of diverse cars that will satisfy the needs of the diverse market.  Ã‚  

Analysis On The Movie Inception Film Studies Essay

Analysis On The Movie Inception Film Studies Essay The film Inception (2010) captured the imagination of many spectators as one of the best science fiction and fantasy movies to be produced that year. It was produced and directed by Christopher Nolan who also wrote the script of the movie. The development of this script and the story line were Nolans original ideas back in 2001, nine year before the movie was released when he wrote an eighty-page script on dream stealing. This work was inspired by the concept of dream incubation and lucid dreaming which bore this mystery envisioning a world where technology has been developed to allow entrance into the human mind by means of dream invasion. Inception is based on the basic inspiration that a single idea in an individuals mind can be either the most valuable asset or the most dangerous weapon (George, 2009). The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, who in the movie steals information from the minds of his victims during dreams. The last job which Cobs is given, and which is the ce nter of the movie involves performance of an inception so that Cobbs could regain his previous life and be able to visit his children. The movie in general received outstanding applause as an innovative and smart story and many critics gave it positive reviews. Rotten tomatoes for instance gave this movie an average score of 8/10 based on over two hundred and fifty reviews and reported that up to 87% of critics gave this movie a positive preview. Specifically praised in this movie is the producer/ director/writer, Mr. Nolan who received many positive notices and compliments even from the best critics. For instance, a notable critic, Peter Travers from the Rolling Stone magazine complimented this movie and Mr. Nolan stating that it was like an ingenious chess game. Justing Chang who said that the writer applied the best skill to vividly depict the procedural detail of sub-consciousness, quite a surrealists thriller which gave all the viewers a big challenge to explore the intricate and deep working of the mind, has praised the writers skill. The genre of this movie is widely interpreted. Some view it as mystery and suspense, while other individuals categorize it as Drama, action, or adventure. Just like any other movie, the issue of genre has been subject to diverse interpretation and thus becoming an element of widespread controversy. The movie Inception correctly falls in the history of science fiction. The first element supporting this fact is that it whole idea of the movie deals with imagined technological or scientific innovations. This also do not happen in the worlds contemporary setting, but a futuristic setting where given the current technological development, such innovations might be possible but the world is not there indeed (George, 2009). The idea of stealing ideas has not yet been realized, but there are current studies in neuroscience that are not trying to find out this, but working to understand the complexities and working of the human brain and may be in future, science research would bear such frui ts. Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb is the extractor in this case. He is well known and corporate uses him to infiltrate other peoples minds and extract the information they need. More evidence of science fiction is illustrated at the hotel room in dream world where loss of gravity is experienced. The elevator cannot even move and Arthur needs to use an explosion to push it. This is not scientifically possible but it happens in this movies. Among other incidences, the film fits clearly in the historical context of science fiction. Atmans A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre, (1984) explores in depth some of the ways used to differential movies into certain genres. He clearly and explicitly explains both the semantic and syntactic approaches to film genres giving us the proper understanding on how to analyze movies and give them appropriate genres. Looking at the work of Altman (1984), this renowned writer observed the same controversy criticism and recognized this approach to genre criticism at semantic approach. In semantic approach, the genre of a certain film is allocated based on some superficial aspects which are thought to fit to that genre. According to this approach, a film is examined based on the plot, characters, and types of some aesthetics among other superficial elements of the movie. Notably about this approach, it falls short of analysis and criticism. This approach fails to look into the details of the movie and less emphasis is laid on the timelines, production and assessment of scenes. The syntactic approach is quite different from semantic approach according to Altman, (1984). This approach takes into account finer details of the movie like the relationships between some semantic elements of that particular genre or between aspects of the society at large and those elements. It appreciates how isolated elements combine in any given movie to come up with the true meaning of such movie (George, 2009). This approach seeks not only to understand why some aspects of any given film are so, but also examines the effects of such aspects on the audience, the information which it deems valuable. This type of film examination brings a deeper look into incidences which might look insignificant in one film but holds a lot of water if compared or connected with similar incidences of other films. Altman goes further to bring up two more different approaches to genre criticism; ideological and ritual. The ritual approach in this sense occurs when moviemakers bent from societal pressures to produce films depicting the contemporary society such as Hollywood. He notes that this type of approach expresses audience desires in broader sense and it has its focus on the consumption side. With the ideological approach, the genre any movie falls into is based on simple, but generalized approaches to identifiable structures (Grant, 2003). Looking at Inception on the light of the Altmans approaches to genre criticism, it can be universally agreed that the same phenomenon is evident. This film clearly supports the arguments made by Altman. The film has been interpreted differently by different authors/different authorities and that is why we have the varying classification in terms of genre. Altman argues that genre is given based on uses and users instead of a fixed point of reference (Grant, 2003). The movie genre is diverse and serves diverse group of individuals. When summing up his arguments, Altman notes that it is not possible to adopt certain terminology that is neutral under any challenge. The terms that are in use are usually based on and derived from different ways for different viewers. It is possible that a certain approach to genre allocation is invalidated by fans regardless of the fact that the studio and nay be the producers validate it. Movies genre is therefore a site of either corporation or struggle among different groups of users or multiple users and such an understanding would help appreciate genre and break away from the tyranny of genre criticism. Altmans arguments are well supported by the film Inception. Different authorities and audiences describe this movie differently. As noted earlier, this movies genre has been describe as fantasy (like in Rotten Tomatoes website), adventure and action, drama, science fiction, suspense and mystery. A casual audience would dismiss this movie as action or drama given the type of violence and gunfights it portrays. If an individual did not pay attention to the overall storyline and did not glimpse the interchanges between real world in the movie, the dreams and dreams within the dreams, it would be obvious that the individual would easily appreciate the action scenes and therefore label the movie action. If some viewers of this movie paid attention to this movies visual effects and the music used in the movie, then it would be easy for such an individual to label it suspense and mystery (Altman, 1984). The visual effects are well set and integrated with the music well to bring out a thrill ing effect of a suspense movie. A careful observer or a person really interested in the movie would note the scientific details about the human mind, dreams and the fiction part on how the ideas are being stolen through the dream. Those who do not understand or appreciate science would label this movie fantasy coming into agreement with Altmans argument that genre just depends on uses, users or groups of users (Altman, 1984). Altman has shade much light on the understanding genre of movies, not only Science Fiction, but all movies at large. Someone may be confused if a movie they clearly know as action movie is referred to as science fiction but if it is an exaggeration of scientific facts, not yet supported by evidence and most likely happens in a futuristic world, such a movie may fall in the science fiction genre. Such discrepancies are well tacked by the author who shades much light on the diversity of the audience, uses of the film and the discursivity associated with any account of genre.

Dr. Jonas Salk :: Biographies Medicine Papers

Dr. Jonas Salk An American hero once said, "Many wise individuals have had no formal education.... They possess a powerful intuitive faculty and are able to learn from experience, from what they observe" (Pamplin, Jr. and Eisler 127). Although not entirely indicative of his own past, this American hero was Dr. Jonas Salk and he believed that education was not always the key to success. The great innovator believed that the answers to life are often found in an individual's experiences rather than buried among the pages of a textbook. Indeed, the ideas that formed the foundation of Salk's greatest accomplishment–the first effective polio vaccine–were not found in any fancy college textbook, but came to light because he did not believe that some established scientific theories were the only way that problems could be solved. More specifically, as a young medical student in 1936 sitting in a lecture for a course entitled Bacteriology and Immunology, Salk recalls an experience that altere d the course of his life (Sherrow 31): I remember very vividly all the details about where I was sitting and what was happening, almost as if the light was turned on and everything became clear....We were told that one could immunize against diphtheria and tetanus. In the next lecture, we were told it was not possible to immunize with a chemically treated or noninfectious (killed) virus vaccine, so that struck me as rather odd. How could both statements be true? And I remember the answer we were given was that the cells of the inoculated individual that were involved in a virus infection had to go through the experience of the infection itself. Why should that be, when the cells going through that experience were thus destroyed? How could that immunize cells that did not experience infection? Something's wrong here, I thought. For me, what came together was the question: Is it true you need a live virus for a safe, effective vaccine? And if it's not true, then what can be done with viruses, as can be done with a toxin, to render them harmless while retaining their effectiveness for immunization? This encounter stayed with Salk throughout his life and helped to determine the path along which he would conduct his life's work. As stated in the opening quote, this intuitive ability that he possessed did not come from spending hours learning from his textbooks, but simply came from the ordinary experience of attending a lecture for class.

Social Justice – Short Essay

In all multicultural classrooms there are concerns of social Justice for all students. One of the concerns is that all students get a high quality education no matter what their social standing in the world. I low income and poverty stricken areas it is a concern that students will not receive as good of an education as would a student who attends a school in a wealthier area. This is a concern because the low income schools may not receive as much funding.Low funding in turn can lead to students being taught with out of date material and technology. Another social Justice once in the classroom is for disabled or special needs students. It was common up until the quite recently to send all students with physical and mental disabilities to special education classes. Special education classes separate the special needs students from their nondurable peers and there was hardly ever any colonization between the two. There are many students with disabilities that can learn in a regular or inclusive classroom.Students with disabilities are often treated differently and this affects the quality of their education. I believe all students should be taught with the best material and technologies available. No matter their race, gender, religion ability, each student deserves a high quality education. I think we as a community must make sure that this is possible even If it means higher taxes or more fundraising. We need to put our children's future first before all things.Schools districts also need to test disabled students to place them In the proper learning environment. This would allow all students to get the best possible education for their learning curve. I personally plan to teach In a low Income school district so that I can do my part to help give those students a high quality education. I know I will not be paid as much In this district but In the end I am not going Into teaching to fill my bank account but to fill young minds with the skills and Information to make them future leaders.I plan to utilize every resource available to get better material and technologies for the classroom. There are businesses will donate resources to schools and teachers they feel deserve them. I will work my hardest to show them that my school and I deserve them. I will also make sure all my students know that I think they are all equal and that no student Is better than another. I feel that In the ND Just as all men should be treated equally, all students should be treated equally.Social Justice – Short Essay By miasmas community must make sure that this is possible even if it means higher taxes or districts also need to test disabled students to place them in the proper learning their learning curve. I personally plan to teach in a low income school district so that be paid as much in this district but in the end I am not going into teaching to fill my bank account but to fill young minds with the skills and information to make them think they ar e all equal and that no student is better than another. I feel that in the

The First Europeans To Visit Mexico

The First Europeans To Visit Mexico Free Online Research Papers The first Europeans to visit Mexico were Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba in 1517 and Juan de Greijly in 1518. Hernan Cortes, started the conquest from Cuba in 1519 along with lieutenants such as Pedro de Alvarado managed to conquer the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan; to capture the Aztec ruler, Montezuma, and to bring down the his empire; and to ward off Spanish rivals. In1528 the first royal court was set up under Nuno de Guzman. After Mexico finally established independence, it went through many different constitutions until 1917. The current Mexican Constitution is commonly referred to as the 1917 Constitution. It is the source and origin for all Mexican law. The hierarchy of sources of law in the civil law Tradition to which Mexico’s legal system belongs are, â€Å"constitution, legislation, regulation, and Custom.† The constitution will override all legislation, legislation will override all regulation, and regulation will override all custom. Spanish legislation continued to be used in many key areas, including civil law. During Mexico’s early beginnings, the constant political upheavals and the ruined economy left by the war of independence demanded along and challenging process of consolidation for the law of the new country to finally emerge, be formulated and systematized, and then to gradually acquire its distinct legal contours. In the late 1820’s isolated efforts at the state level had resulted in the formulation of a couple of civil codes. It was until the 1870’s when the codification process gained recognition and stature at the state level. President Benito Juarez was very much in favor of codifying a civil and penal code. As a result, Justo Sierra O’Reilly-Juarez Minister of Education-formulated one of the most advanced and significant civil works in 1861. The French intervention (1862-1867) interrupted these codification attempts. The defeat of the French army, soon followed by the execution of Maximillian of Hapsburg and his generals in 1867. President Juarez then returned to Mexico and started to restore the republican and federal form of government. President Juarez resumed his codification efforts. Finally on December 8, 1870, the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Territory of Baja California. The U.S. did not use codification until much later than Mexico. Mexico is a so called â€Å"law† country. Mexico’s civil law system derived primarily from Roman law as set forth in the compilation of codes and statutes of the Emperor Justinian, called Corpus Civilis. The system is also influenced by the Spanish and â€Å"Indian† law of Spain’s Colonization of areas that became Mexico. The U.S. is a so called â€Å"common law† country. The U.S. common law system is based on the case law and statutory law of England and the American colonies before the American Revolution. The traditional colonial law system Emphasizes case law, customs and usage rather than legislative enactments. The judicial branch of the Mexican government is divided into federal and state systems. Mexico’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Justice, it consists of twenty-one magistrates and five auxiliary judges all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. This court decides the most important cases in the country. Next in the line of authority and significance are the Circuit Courts who take cases on appeal and amparo cases. The District Courts have jurisdiction over amparo cases in the first instance, and functions as courts of ordinary jurisdiction on matters of federal law, such as commercial law cases. The Supreme Court of Justice is divided into four chambers, each with five justices. These are the Penal Affairs Chambers, Civil Affairs Chamber, Administrative Affairs Chamber and the Labor Affairs Chamber. The Auxiliary Chamber, the fifth chamber, is responsible for the overload of the four regular chambers. Court rulings of both the whole, or plenary, court and the separate chambers are decided on the basis of majority rules. Rulings by the separate chambers may be overturned by the full court. Under the Supreme Court of Justice there are three levels of federal courts: twelve Collegiate Circuit Courts, each with three magistrates; nine Unitary Circuit Courts, each with six magistrates; and sixty-eight District Courts, each with one judge. Federal judges for the lower courts are appointed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Collegiate Circuit Courts can be compared to the United State’s Courts of Appeals, and this court deals with the protection of individual rights, usually hearing cases where an individual files a writ of amparo, a type of legal protection that can be compared to a form of habeus corpus that protects individual civil liberties and property rights. The Unitary Circuit Courts handles appeal cases also. Spanish civil law is based on strict adherence to legal codes and minimal jurisprudence. The writ of amparo is the most powerful judicial instrument which can be used against acts by any government official, including the president. The Supreme Court of Justice is prohibited by the constitution from applying their rulings beyond any individual case. The Supreme Court of Justice usually shows greater independence in relation to the president than does the legislature often deciding against the executive in amparo cases. But, the Judiciary does not often try to change the will of the president on major issues. The diversification of administrative regulations in the different legal areas is difficult to control due to the quick growth of Administrative law in Mexico. The administrative courts are classified either federal or state. The federal courts include; the Federal Boards of Conciliation and Arbitration which hear labor cases and are of the utmost importance because of Mexico’s Federal Labor Law which controls each employer employee relationship, the Court of Agrarian Justice; the Court of Military Justice; the Court of Jurisdiction over the Electoral Process; and other special courts. State administrative courts include the Administrative Court of Contentions; Justice of the Peace Courts and other courts of little importance. In Mexico there is not as much civil litigation as in the U.S. Mainly, the reason for this is that litigation in Mexico is expensive, there are no awards for punitive damages, all parties must pay their own attorney fees and costs, and the entire process of litigation can be lengthy. If litigation is unavoidable although, there are no punitive damage awards in Mexico, there are awards for â€Å"normal damages† under certain conditions set forth in the Civil Code. The awards here never amount to some of the high figures seen in U.S. rulings. Another characteristic of litigation in Mexico is that there are no jury trials as is the right in most U.S. cases, formal, written declarations are used more often than the oral hearings used in U.S. courts; negotiation and mediation are encouraged. The â€Å"discovery process† is monumentally significant in U.S. litigation, controlled by attorneys this is where much of the time and expense is associated with Mexican litigation. But, in Mexico the judge controls his process. Mexican attorneys have a much more active role in developing a case than do the judges. They assist in the gathering of evidence and selection of witness. If the accused wants the lawyer to be more in control of the case, this could be to his disadvantage. Not including administrative proceedings, most litigation is settled for the above reasons and because in Mexico, judgment is difficult to enforce against a solvent defendant, judgments can be contested in a separate amparo proceeding which can run for several years. In Mexico, one is judged guilty until proven innocent. The death penalty does exist in Mexico, a feature shared with other Latin American countries for historic reasons. In most cases, arrests can only be made on authority of a judicial warrant, unless the suspect is caught in the act of committing a crime. Oftentimes suspects are arrested without a warrant and judges tend to overlook the irregularity. Those arrested are required to be brought before an officer of the court who takes their statements and within 48 hours then informs them of he charges against them. Within seventy hours of the arraignment, the judge must remand the arrested person to prison or release that person. Criminal trials in most cases are tried by a judge without a jury. The judge acting alone basis his/her verdict on any evidence, although at times oral testimony is presented. Defendants have the right to counsel, if they can’t afford it they are appointed a public defender. This quality of counsel is usually poor. Usually the accused and the lawyer may not appear the important stage of sentencing. The defendants right to a public trials is guaranteed, as is the right to confront one’s accusers and to be provided a translator if the defendant is not Spanish. Under their Constitution the court must hand down sentencing within four months of arrest for crimes carrying the maximum sentence of two years or less, and within a year if the crime carries a longer sentence. The Mexican Penal code stipulates a range of sentences for each offense. Sentences tend to be short, usually not longer than seven years. The actual time of incarceration is usually three fifths of a sentence if, good behavior. These sentenced for less than five years may avoid further jail time by passing a bond. The entire process of trial, sentencing and appeals often takes a year or more. A key element in Mexico’s legal system is their Lawyers. Many of them are highly educated and many speak English. These students enter law school after eleven years of formal education. Law school is five years and is broader and more formal and theoretical than law schools in the U.S. After graduation the person will usually clerk for a firm or government Official until an oral exam is presented to become licensed. Mexican lawyers are licensed to practice throughout Mexico, not in individual states as in the U.S. A â€Å"notary public† in Mexico is different in what is referred to as a notary public in the U.S.A Mexican notary public is a lawyer who is also a public official appointed by the by the Mexican state, or by selection after a rigid application process and examination. This type of appointment is considered a delegation of government authority for the certification or official recognition of certain acts and documents. Mexican notaries are allowed to practice law in some states. This position of notary public in Mexico is coveted, and one acquires this position after years of apprenticeship under the guidance of another public. There are many similarities between Mexico and the U.S. contract law. As in other legal systems, the general principle is freedom of contract between individuals and entities is the backbone of contract law in both countries. The common fundamental principles of contract law Include the initial offer and negotiation of the terms, acceptance; formalization of the contract including the establishment of liquidated damages or other provisions and conditions of default; and termination of the contractual obligations. The major differences between U.S. and Mexican law surround the fundamental U.S. concept of consideration for a valid contract requires that one party receive something of value or that the other party suffer a lost, take on a responsibility or give up an opportunity. If such consideration is absent, the contract is invalid, although the U.S. is evolving away from this requirement. In Mexico, the validity of and compliance within a contract depend only on the existence of the agreement between parties. The parties do not need to present â€Å"legal consideration† to bind themselves, their intent to agree is sufficient Mexico, as in the U.S., freedom of contract depends on the legality of the subject of the contract, and accordingly, contracts involving illegal activities are void. Another important difference between U.S. and Mexican contract law is the degree of formality required of contracts. Mexican contractual law imposes many formalities that are not required in the U.S. One example of these formalities is the requirement to appear before a Mexican notary public to center the legality of certain types of contracts, such as contracts to buy or sell real property this certification process is much more formal than the U.S. requirement that a Notary Public acknowledge signatures on a deed. Finally, the difference between the strength of U.S. guarantee agreements and Mexican guaranty agreements in Mexico, such contracts are â€Å"secondary contracts† because they require the prior existence of a principal contract, a special characteristic of Mexican law. An example of this is the mortgage contract which cannot be guaranteed without a prior contract that gives rise to the obligation to be guaranteed or secured by the mortgage. In the United States, guaranteed agreements are more flexible and independent, and can exist without prior principle contract, as in the case of a standard security agreement. Who’s to say what changes can be made to improve the Mexican legal system, seeing as how the U.S. legal system could also use some improvement. The rule of law is not simply the consequences of what is written down in the constitution and the various laws, but rather a behavioral equilibrium that emerges from the interaction of legal institutions and the strategic choices of political and social actors who attempt to bypass the constraints imposed by those institutions. Research Papers on The First Europeans To Visit MexicoThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationQuebec and CanadaPETSTEL analysis of India19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCapital PunishmentInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Bringing Democracy to Africa

Free Essays on Viking Influence On Irish Society

The Viking people, commonly referred to as the Norse, were the inhabitants of what is now known as Scandinavia. These people terrified Europe from the late 700's to about 1100 AD. During this time the Vikings settled abroad due to a great increase in population and a necessity for land. The Viking raids began in Ireland in about 795 and continued to thrive there until they were defeated by â€Å"Brian Boru in 1014 at Clontarf† (Bottigheimer, 51). After Clontarf, the Viking people of Ireland were slowly immersed by the Irish People. The Vikings introduced many things in Ireland, and had an undeviating impact on the people of that era. Upon careful examination of the past, it seems as if the Viking warfare was not duplicated by the Irish. The Irish were an aggressive race, frequently combating minor wars between the smaller kings. The Vikings were drawn into these wars after settling, as they were slowly engrossed into the Irish culture. At the time the Vikings first arrived in Ireland, the land was nominally ruled over by the Ard Ri or the High King of the Irish, but was in truth a â€Å"†¦warring collection of petty kingdoms which gave lip service only to the ceremonial over lordship of the Ui-Naill family.† (Foster, 33). The petty kings of Ireland, active militaristically among themselves and struggling for power, eventually were the cause of the Vikings' great successes in Ireland, and the divisiveness of the small Irish kingdoms with their many rivalries guaranteed the Celts' downfall. â€Å"It is true that the Vikings attacked the Irish 26 times in the first 25 years after their first appearan ce in Ireland, but the same Irish Annals that record this fact also mention attacks of Irishmen against Irish communities occurring 87 times within the same period.† (Roesdahl, 223). The earliest record of Viking attacks in Ireland is dated 795 AD. By 822 AD, Viking raids became an annual episode along the Irish coastlines. However, by 82... Free Essays on Viking Influence On Irish Society Free Essays on Viking Influence On Irish Society The Viking people, commonly referred to as the Norse, were the inhabitants of what is now known as Scandinavia. These people terrified Europe from the late 700's to about 1100 AD. During this time the Vikings settled abroad due to a great increase in population and a necessity for land. The Viking raids began in Ireland in about 795 and continued to thrive there until they were defeated by â€Å"Brian Boru in 1014 at Clontarf† (Bottigheimer, 51). After Clontarf, the Viking people of Ireland were slowly immersed by the Irish People. The Vikings introduced many things in Ireland, and had an undeviating impact on the people of that era. Upon careful examination of the past, it seems as if the Viking warfare was not duplicated by the Irish. The Irish were an aggressive race, frequently combating minor wars between the smaller kings. The Vikings were drawn into these wars after settling, as they were slowly engrossed into the Irish culture. At the time the Vikings first arrived in Ireland, the land was nominally ruled over by the Ard Ri or the High King of the Irish, but was in truth a â€Å"†¦warring collection of petty kingdoms which gave lip service only to the ceremonial over lordship of the Ui-Naill family.† (Foster, 33). The petty kings of Ireland, active militaristically among themselves and struggling for power, eventually were the cause of the Vikings' great successes in Ireland, and the divisiveness of the small Irish kingdoms with their many rivalries guaranteed the Celts' downfall. â€Å"It is true that the Vikings attacked the Irish 26 times in the first 25 years after their first appearan ce in Ireland, but the same Irish Annals that record this fact also mention attacks of Irishmen against Irish communities occurring 87 times within the same period.† (Roesdahl, 223). The earliest record of Viking attacks in Ireland is dated 795 AD. By 822 AD, Viking raids became an annual episode along the Irish coastlines. However, by 82...

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table Dissertation

Impulsive buying in luxury consumption among Chinese consumers ( table of contents ) - Dissertation Example The number of affluent households (whose annual income exceed RMB 250,000) in China is expected to reach 4.4 million by 2015. With the growing affluence in China and the demand for luxury brands on the rise, marketers need to evaluate the needs and wants of the luxury consumers. Thus, with the aim to evaluate impulsive consumer buying behaviour in the luxury segment in China, three objectives were stated and all the three objectives have been met. The study finds that consumer buying behaviour is influenced by the internal and external factors. The thought process and emotions behind consumer decisions, the environmental variables, the motivations, the individual differences and personal factors influence the purchasing decisions. The Chinese consumers associate luxury goods and consumption with culture and history, although some did associate luxury with price. Most Chinese consumers demonstrate Veblen, Snob and the Bandwagon effect, while some do lay emphasis on their own thoughts and feelings (hedonists). The Chinese consumers do attach importance to price but not too much significance to the CoO (Country-of-Origin) possibly because they follow what the others do. Culture influences the psychological factors in the luxury segment. The psychological factors include perception, attitudes, and motives towards luxury consumption. Chinese society is a collectivist society where conforming to the societal norms comes naturally to people. The growing affluence has enhanced the trend towards luxury consumption. The Chinese consumers find luxury brands deliver psychological values as it enhances their self-esteem and self-confidence. Since the Chinese consumers are affluent, status-seeking behaviour was found to influence luxury consumption. Such consumption satisfies their inner drives and gives them self-fulfillment. The Chinese consumers demonstrate impulsive buying behaviour in luxury consumption. Self-esteem and enhancing social status appear to be the strongest motivators in impulse purchase of luxury goods. Because of the impulsive tendencies they may become compulsive buyers as well. The study concludes that the consumerism has changed the way people consume. The definition of luxury too needs to be redefined as it is no more the prerogative of a few. As affluence has grown consumerism and materialism has grown which in turn has changed buying behaviour. The motives, attitudes and perceptions have undergone change and this change is ongoing. Consumers are becoming impulsive in their buying behaviour and this is predominant even in luxury consumption. The task for marketers is complex in trying to segment, target and position luxury brands. However, since impulsive buying does exist in luxury consumption, promotions can be designed to stimulate impulsive buying. The study concluded by suggesting area for further research on the subject. Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Rationale for research 2 1.3 Research Aims and Objectives 3 1.4 Structure of the Study 4 Chapter Two: Literature review 2.1 Chapter Overview 5 2.2 Consumer buying behaviour 5 2.3 Stages of consumer buying behaviour 9 2.4 Types of consumer buying behaviour 11 2.5 Factors affecting consumer buying behaviour 15 2.6 Luxury buying behaviour 18 Chapter Three: Methodology 3.1 Research Philosophy 22 3.2 Purpose of the research and phenomena 22 3.3 Epistemology 22 3.4 Research strategy 24 3.5 Data

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods Essay

Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods - Essay Example Broadly, research methods are divided into two categories namely quantitative research method and qualitative research method. Both are different in nature and have different applicability. Both the methods find their applications in different disciplines and have strengths and shortcomings in various domains. There are certain pre requisites that apply to each of them and each of them underlines a specific method of implementation. Qualitative research method: This method of research is subjective in nature which mostly contains case studies, interviews, unlike quantitative methods the outcomes are in textual form and not in digits and statistical values. Questions like why, where when who are touched upon by this type of research method. Qualitative approach is scientific in nature and may not have a fixed deterministic solution by end of research conducted. Such research can be helpful in studying the behaviors, approach, their fears and concerns including natural response, dealin g with opinions and possibly culture oriented issues. While quantitative research provides fixed results, their counterpart lay foundation for the study and research beyond the point where the scope of quantitative research ends. Such research approaches are inductive in nature and the mode of language used is informal .Furthermore, qualitative research is most suited to the initial stages (Merriam, 2009). The tools and techniques that might be used during qualitative approach can possibly include memos, interviews, artifacts, picture or any piece of video (Pitney & Parker,pg53, 2009) . Stressing on the importance of qualitative approach Donald Campbell stated that â€Å"All research ultimately has a qualitative grounding† (Farrell, pg8, 2011). Characteristic feature of such an approach is its ability to address the intangible aspects of society and human nature. Lincoln defines qualitative research as interpretive and naturalistic in nature (Flick,pg2, 2007). Three broad typ es of qualitative research encompass Case studies: while adopting case studies for purpose of research, focus is concentrated on an individual phenomena and concept that are constrained by duration and activities. Various data collection procedures are adopted during the case study approach. Phenomenological studies: In such approach attempt is being made to get the response of people based on their personal experience about a particular instance and event, intensive research is being carried out number of times through the aide of detailed elaborations Ethnographic studies: As the name implies, the focus of research in this category is a particular group of individuals that are involved in a similar kind of task. This kind of research is conducted over period of time with focus on one type of cultural group that have something in common between them. The commonality could be the interest, an experience, cultural trend or any other event undergone by the people being examined (Marie , pg 172, 2008). Role Play Simulation: In such kind of research role assignment might be done or the individuals conducting research might be required to observe a particular role to deduce any conclusion from it Comprehensive Interviews: The aim behind such type of research is to get into the details of the matter and probe all possible options .The method of interrogation and opinion determination is slightly different from quantitative research. Other forms of qualitative research include grounded theory. Quantitative researc

Ethics and Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Ethics and Governance - Essay Example Historically, interest in business ethics accelerated dramatically during the 1980s and 1990s, both within major corporations and within academia. For example, today most major corporate websites lay emphasis on commitment to promoting non-economic social values under a variety of headings (e.g. ethics codes, social responsibility charters). In some cases, corporations have redefined their core values in the light of business ethical considerations. The emergence of business ethics is similar to other management disciplines. For example, organizations realized that they needed to manage a more positive image to the public and so the recent discipline of public relations was born. Organizations realized they needed to better manage their human resources and so the recent discipline of human resources was born. As commerce became more complicated and dynamic, organizations realized they needed more guidance to ensure their dealings supported the common good and did not harm others so business ethics were born. Now 90% of business schools now provide some form of training in business ethics. Today, ethics in the workplace can be managed through use of codes of ethics, codes of conduct, roles of ethicists and ethics committees, policies and procedures, procedures to resolve ethical dilemmas, ethics training, etc. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the worlds largest public corporation by revenue. It was Founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and it was incorporated on October 31, 1969. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. It is the largest private employer in the world and the fourth largest utility or commercial employer, trailing the Chinese army, the British National Health Service, and the Indian Railways. Wal-Mart is the largest grocery

General Muslim Religion Essay Example for Free

General Muslim Religion Essay Islam is the world’s second great monotheistic religion (Armstrong, 2002). Islam, an Arabic word, comes from a root word meaning commitment or surrender: hence the foundation of Islam is submission to the will of the Only God, Allah. The word ‘Muslim’ also itself means ‘one who lives his life according to Allah’s will (Esposito, 2002). Allah also has laid down the five pillars of foundations of Islam which are: 1. Confession of faith (shahada): the basic idea of Islam which is submission to Allah’s will 2. Prayer (salat): An exercise done five times daily to remember Allah’s influence in a Muslim’s life 3. Fasting (Roza): In the month of Ramadan for a month 4. Almsgiving (Zakat): Annually by rich Muslims at the rate of 21/2% of wealth 5. Pilgrimage (hajj): Once in a lifetime What holidays or events are important to your religion and why? The Muslims follow the Islamic calendar which is based on the position of the moon and their holidays fall accordingly to it. This includes 1. New Year which for them is the first day of Hijra (migration) when we celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s departure from Mecca to Medina in AD622 2. 12th Rabi-ul-awwal that is the birthday of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) 3. Shab-e-Baraat (night of forgiveness): In preparation of Ramadan, Muslims seek to forgive old grievances against each other and beg for mercy from their Lord 4. Lailat-ul-Qadr (night of power) when the Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet. It takes place on the 27th of Ramadan. 5. Eid-ul-Fitr which takes place after Ramadan and is like Christmas to the Muslims 6. Hajj: The pilgrimage which constitutes the fifth pillar of Islam is one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar and takes place in the month of Hajj 7. Eid-ul-Azha: Another Christmas type celebration which celebrates the end of the Meccan pilgrimage and animal sacrifices are made during the three days How does your group handle conflict? What are some examples of conflict? If there are criminal or family conflicts, they can be resolved through Islamic courts which decide the cases according to Shariah or the Islamic law. These are practiced in almost al Muslim countries though such Shariah courts are disallowed in western countries and over there Muslims must follow the law of the country they are residents of. One of Britain’s MPs recently suggested that Shariah courts be allowed in Britain also but this created uproar by non-Muslims who were afraid of Islamization. Other then that, if the solution of an issue is not mentioned in the Quran or its explanation is murky, knowledgeable Islamic scholars gather together to find an answer to a certain problem and it then becomes a rule of the Shariah. This practice has been prescribed by Allah to keep Islam updated with emerging problems in this fast changing world. What is the focus of your religion? The focus of Islam for Muslims is again submission to Allah’s will. This can be done through reading, understanding and following the word of God, which Muslims believe to be the Holy Quran. They should also follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) called the Sunnah and only then can they live the life of a true and complete Muslim. For the Western world though, the focus of Islam has always been its fascist beliefs and what they consider to be its outdated traditions, not understanding that there is only a minority of Muslims who distort the name of Islam by interpreting it so harshly. Who are your current leaders? Who are leaders of the past? Like most religions, Muslims have also had pious men of God lead them by example. There have been a total of 124000 prophets sent by Allah though the Quran only mentions 25 of them. The first prophet was Hazrat Adam and the final and undoubtedly the greatest prophet was our last prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). Allah revealed in the Quran that no more prophets shall come after the Holy Prophet (PBUH). After the prophets, came numerous Caliphs or religious leaders. Currently, tough there are learned Islamic scholars in the Muslim world; there are no leader as such. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) in the words of Allah was the Seal of the Prophets. How do your members participate and what is expected? All Muslim males are required to congregate in a mosque for the five daily prayers, especially the afternoon Friday prayers (Clark, 2003). For Muslim women, assembly in mosques is not mandatory. Other then that, all Muslims are required to uphold the basic principles of Islam by fulfilling all their obligations. Are there any special requirements, such as fasting, personal sacrifice? Fasting is the third pillar of Islam and without fasting, a Muslim is incomplete. It is prescribed for Muslims in the form of a month long abstinence from food and drink, accompanied by intense devotional activity. Physical relations and swear words are also prohibited to be performed or uttered. Similarly, smoking, losing temper, telling lies and all negative activities are also discouraged. Fasting, as is made clear by Allah, is not to be taken as self torture but mainly a way for Muslims to learn about patience, fortitude and self sacrifice and also to realize the plight of the needy and poor. During Eid-ul-Azha, Muslims are also required to sacrifice goats in God’s way and share the meat with the poor. Where do you see your religion in 25 years? What changes have occurred recently? Keeping in mind the fast growing popularity of Islam, I see Islam in 25 years, as the world’s largest religion. This is because as the concept of religion is dying in the west and more churches are being converted to museums and restaurants, Muslims, now more than ever are embracing their faith with a greater fervency and non-Muslims are also converting to Islam which they accept as a complete way of life and not just a religion. Muslims have now grown more receptive to Western ideas and Ijtehad or consensus helps keep Islam updated with the modern world. How has the modern world changed the direction and or movement of your religion? The recent of War on Terror, which often tends to depict Islam as a rigid and extremist religion has resulted in more Muslims delving deeper to understand their religion (Lewis, 2004). This has led to increased knowledge of Islam and a growing number of Muslims defending their faith as actually a very flexible one. My religion’s name has been besmirched by a few misguided individuals who believe suicide bombings and terrorist activities are completely acceptable in the eyes of God which is not at all the case. Islam’s very basis is peace. Are there any other validated forms of the religion practiced? What are some of the factors that have contributed to changes in ideas or customs? The Muslim sect is predominantly divided into Sunnis (around 80%) and Shiahs. The major difference between them is the way in which divine guidance is discovered. Sunni Muslims take their stand on the consensus of the community making known the Sunna (Holy Prophet’s example) of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Shiah Muslims look instead to inspired teachers and Imams who are descendents of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Other sects include the Aghakhanis who are followers of the Aga Khan who considers himself a spiritual leader sent by God. His followers believe the five pillars of Islam to be non-mandatory, preferring to give charity to the poor instead. They don’t share the Muslim taboo associated with drinking. Many believe theses changes have occurred due to undue influence of the West. Other sects are the Qadianis and Bohris. Conclusion Muslims all over the world follows a religion known as Islam which is a monotheistic religion. The word Islam means to submit oneself to god. There are almost 2 billion Muslims around the world practicing the teaching of Islam making it the second largest religion of the world. The follows the teachings of Prophet Mohammad on whom a holy book Quran was revealed. The faith of a Muslim is based on five pillars of Islam that are tauheed, salaat, zakat, hajj, and fasting. References Book Armstrong. (2002). Islam: A Short History. Esposito, J. L. (2002). What everyone needs to Know about Islam. Clark. (2003). Islam for Dummies. Lewis. (2004). The Crisis of Islam.

Beowulf: Symbolisms of Masculinity and Heroism

Beowulf: Symbolisms of Masculinity and Heroism Germanic warrior culture replaced the Romans as the dominant force in Western Europe beginning in the fifth century AD. They deposed merely all roman traditions and customs, superseding them with their own beliefs. The whole empire was ruined by people, who most of all praised war, manhood, and dignity. Cultural peculiarities of those people are widely reflected in the archaic epos of Anglo-Saxons, written by an unknown poet around 700AD. Beowulf is an amazing unity of motives, topics, views of various ages merged in one integral masterpiece. We could find the elements of different epic genres: elegies, other heroic stories (song about Sigmund), religious epos (song about the creation of the world). The views of tribal society are combined with feudal ethics; heroic image of a warrior is combined with the image of wise and fair ruler. The action of the poem takes place before the great migration of Germanic tribes somewhere around 500AD. The descendant of famous ancient ruler Shield Sheafson king Hrothgar of Danemark suffers from the attack of a powerful and horrible demon named Grendel. For 12 years he has been killing noble and brave men in Heorot, a great mead-hall of Hrothgar, terrorizing Danes every night, giving them no chance to fight back. â€Å"Long was the time: Twelve winters time suffering endured The friend of the Scyldings, each one of woes, Of sorrows extreme† (Beowulf, 146-149) Eventually, help comes from Geatish warrior Beowulf, who sails to the land of Danes with a company of devoted men. His help is gladly accepted by Hrodgar and they happily celebrate till the night. In the night Beowulf fights Grendel unarmed and tears his arm off. Grendel creeps back to his swamp and dies there. His horrible mother wants to revenge but she is much weaker and kills only one man, who is the most respectful in Hrothgars kingdom. Beowulf volunteers to kill Grendels mother. â€Å"Arise, kingdoms guardian! Let us quickly go to view the track of Grendels kinsman.†(Beowulf 1390-91).He fights her in deep waters and in her lair. He kills her with a special sword, made not for ordinary humans, finds Grendel and takes his head off. When he returns, he is praised by everyone, given a lot of treasures and fame. Afterwards he returns to his land and gives all his treasures to his ruler. Beowulf becomes the co-ruler and after the death of king, he becomes the ruler for 50 years. A terrible dragon attacks his land, because one of his men robbed the treasury guarded by that dragon. Beowulf fights the dragon, kills him but gets mortally wounded. The dragons treasury is burned together with Beowulfs body. The era of wars comes to the land, when Beowulf cant unite the people anymore with his strength and wisdom. Beowulf is a treasury of historical information. It presents the major social characteristics of medieval warrior society; depict their beliefs, standards of living, relations with other nations, etc. Merely absolute domination of men in all the spheres of life was a characteristic feature of early medieval times. Women characters are mentioned only several times as wives or daughters of kings. Even strong and powerful queen Modthrytho, daughter of Herod obeys to her fathers command to marry King Offa. She tortured and killed people who she imagined were offending her. â€Å"Such is not queenly custom For a woman to practice, though she be peerless, That a peace-weaver of life should deprive, On account of fierce anger, any dear man†(Beowulf, 1940-43). After marriage her character improved. Thats why all the material and spiritual values of the medieval society represent men views upon the reality. Every man was a warrior. A good warrior should be strong, successful, respected, rich and lucky. The description of king Shield Shiefson is merely and ideal image of mans life. Being an infant he rose under the sky and became true warrior and king. He had decent life, decent deat h and his treasury was vast.â€Å"The earl caused terror since first he was found thus forlorn: gained he comfort for that, grew under the clouds, in honors throve, until each one of those dwelling around over the whale-road, him should obey, should tribute pay: that was a good king† (Beowulf, 6-11). King always should be honored and respected. The idea of ultimate loyalty is very strong in the hearts of medieval people. The desire to be praised by chieftain, lord or king is very strong, because for the society of warriors king is the strongest, wisest, most powerful and honored man. He generously gives prosperity to eminent warriors and judge inexorably dishonorable men. Beowulf comes home and gives merely all his treasures to his king. â€Å"To Hygelac was,in battle brave, his nephew devoted. And each to the other mindful of kindness† (Beowulf 2169-71). The leader provides all necessary things. Kinsmen have their own property, land and money. All that is given for good military service. Warriors feast in big halls, where they praise their ruler, theirselves, their achievements and famous battles and plan future war campaigns. â€Å"in time it befell Quickly with men, that it was all ready, The greatest of halls: Heort as name gave he it†(Beowulf 76-78) â€Å"the warriors were living in joys Happily then† (Beowulf, 99-100). Beowulf is an image of ideal hero, whose deeds are honored and praised. He has all features that are valued in medieval warrior society strength, courage, wisdom, loyalty, leader and military skills, dignity, self-sacrifice and devotion. He respects his comrades and treat them as equals, he is fair and zealous. â€Å"do not thou refuse me, defender of warriors, Dear friend of the people, now thus far am I come,- That I may alone and my band of earls, This company brave, Heorot cleanse. (Beowulf 429-32)   This prominence is leaded by inner qualities, the strength and beauty of the soul leads to prominent deeds. â€Å"Then the chief me by thine own life Adjured, sad in mind, that I in the seas flood Should do valiant deeds, should risk my life, Should honor gain; he promised reward† (Beowulf, 2131-2134). If a person is not active, successful or determined, he might not be respected. â€Å"Long he was despised, As him the Geats children did not reckon good, 2185Nor him at th e mead-bench as worthy of much†(Beowulf, 2183-86) One can be considered as a lucky and successful person, but this luck and success if always reached by hard work and inner aspiration. Religion also plays an important role in medieval society. In â€Å"Beowulf† a certain merge of religions is presented. From one hand, there are certain pagan beliefs of German tribes. From the other hand Christianity, that is revealed for example in the characterization of Grendel, who is named Cains son. â€Å"Upon Cains kin that crime avenged The Lord eternal, for that he slew Abel: Joyed he not in that feud, but him afar banishedFor that crime the Creator away from mankind: Thence evil demons all were produced† (Beowulf, 107-111). Endlessly violent, illiterate and rural culture of medieval Europe contrasted greatly with literary, politically specified urban culture of Athens. There was no place for philosophical thoughts or developed political intrigues Beowulf claims that an aggressive approach to vengeance is the real warriors response .and fundamental value of warrior culture are true love and loyalty. â€Å"It is better for each that his friend he avenge than that he mourn much† (Beowulf, 1384-85). Another obvious difference is attitude to religion. Beowulf and his nation praise God, he could give blessings and inspire people. They need to be brave and act with dignity for God to take them in better world. But the only thing that will remain after warriors death is his glory and this glory is fought for the whole life. â€Å"Each of us shall the end await of worldly life: let him who may gain honor ere death. That is for a warrior, when he is dead, afterwards best† (Beowulf, 1386-89). The artists of that period were illiterate bards, who sang the poems about ancient heroes and epic battles in vast and rich halls of noble men and in small and dirty wooden halls of leaders of small tribes. The whole situation of the nation was frightening constant fights for lands, money and military power, poor social and medical condition, low level of culture , but the ideas spoken about in those epic tales were inspiring for every man. Strength to be able to protect own land and family, dignity to behave a real warrior, personal swords and armory that protects him from death and play the role of   the most important warriors property and characteristic. Medieval times were not good-looking or pleasant. In the hard fight for new lands and freedom suffered a great number of people. The world was primitive but this unbearable spirit of manhood survived and built modern European society with its emphasis on personal liberty and the rule of law. Commentary on Luke 23:32-43 Commentary on Luke 23:32-43 SERMON COMMENTARY ON LUKE 23:32-43 Reflecting on the commentary of my sermon preached as a part of an assignment at Spurgeon College on 12 May 2014. I will be taking into account and reflecting on the hermeneutical and homiletically issues that came up both in the preparation and after the sermon. Taking a closer look at the preparation, the sermon and comments from both lecturers and fellow students, I will want to start with discussing how I came to decide on the title of sermon The three men on the cross at Calvary. As part of my commentary, I will be reflecting on how different Bible commentaries were access and utilized in the preparation for the sermon. In addition, I will be discussing on how I picked the particular structure I employed, in addition I will be reflecting on the delivery of the sermon and what I learnt from my delivery. Finally, I will reflect on what I might do differently in the future. Whenever I have the privilege of preaching to others either in a short sermon or to a large congregation, my aim as always been to be able to take my listener to a journey of connecting to the love of Christ and their rediscovery of the path that is lay before them; the path of perseverance, faith, mercy and kindness. Paul speaking to the Galatians summaries it like this, let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary[1] For an effective preaching, I believe it must come from the leading of the Holy Spirit who is also the Godhead. He inspires, teaches and guides us in the way of God the father. The aim of any preaching is to show the audience the mind of God as regarding his love and justice[2], which further passes on to the community then back to God in thanksgiving and adoration. HERMENEITICAL ISSUES The passage was to preach on was Luke 23:32-43, a very popular passage of the bible with very great event story. I took time to read the text from several other synoptic to help in understanding other writers view of the event. I took time to reflect carefully on all the other writers writings on the event. Ordinarily when looking at the passage, very strong topic will easily come to mind, which is about the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus but I believe that the Holy Spirit did not want me to take that route of preaching the sermon at this instance rather consider other importance of the event on the cross. Most of the sermons on this passage always focus on the Jesus death on cross, a very significant event that form the core of our faith but there are other lessons I believe God wants us to learn from the cross at Calvary.[3] These shape my reading in preparation for the sermon. Although the cross is the main centre of our Christianity, the cross is at the heart of the Christian faith. That is why it isthesymbol of the church. Buddhism has the lotus flower a symbol of beauty and harmony. Islam has a crescent an ancient symbol of sovereignty and power. Marxism had the hammer and sickle a symbol of industry and agriculture. Christianity has the cross. The bible is always interested in all other things of life but more important than beauty, power or the economy is the death (and then the resurrection) of Jesus. This is at the heart of everything.[4] However, God always wants to show us much more on his mysteries, he always want us to learn more about his readiness to answer our requests even at the heart of our storms and pain like the cross where three men with different situation were hanged hence the topic for the sermon, the three men on the cross at Calvary. I felt that speaking on this topic I would be more able to speak on something I am familiar with a nd a deep reflection of what I personally has experienced as relating to Gods love and answer to prayer in the face of deep pain and trials,[5] Robinson stated that the preacher cannot be separated from the message.[6] Finally, considering my audience in the instance of this sermon (fellow students and lecturers), I sensed that the topic will be relevant having listened to some of the students challenges and struggles during several of our pastoral group discussions. Clifford quoted Kelly saying, our present hope in the face of all challenges of life, suffering and death, is an effect of the resurrection[7] (the cross, death and resurrection of Jesus. He further said, if resurrection had not happened, hope would be best be a repressive optimism, or an accommodation to routine despair.[8] In a setting like our school, a theological college, sometimes the concept of God can be very technical and distant through many lectures and lot of discussions. However, focusing on my topic on the God of love who answered in desperate situation if we will look up to him in our hours of needs can be of great encouragement to my hearers and remind they that all hope is not lost regardless of the cross they are bear ing in live, family or ministry. Reading couple of commentaries and books related to the cross, I was assure that going the path I was taking regarding the cross was a possibility and it will serve as either warming or encouragement to people. Howard Marshall writes, The story contrasts the two attitudes which lead to condemnation and salvation, although it is improbable that they are meant to mirror the attitudes of Jews and pagans respectively to Jesus.[9] Crysdale writes, there is a drama as it plays itself out in the life of Christians, who confronted with Jesus crucified, finds all the evil in crete for him in a man on the cross.[10] The central focuses of the sermon are the three men on the cross representing the Christian who is going through challenges because of the faith, the two criminals on the cross and the cross. Crysdale further explains that the process of acknowledging our own self-destruction, mediated through the crucified Jesus, leads to insights into how we are not only crucifiers but also the c rucified. The more we can see the ways in which we sabotage our own flourishing, the more we are able to see how we ourselves are victims, are objects of crucifixion.[11] Luke 23:32-43 highlights numerous themes such as Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary (Luke 23:32), the forgiving Saviour (Luke 23:34), the sinners advocate (Luke 23:34), the crucified king of the Jews (Luke 23:38), A prayer of remembrance on the cross (Luke 23:43) and many more. Due to the short time given, I felt it was appropriate to focus on one rather than several. However, I am aware that Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem the world, as Paul puts it, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him[12] (1 Cor 5:21). I felt that naturally everyone would expect a sermon on such a very crucial topic because that is the core of our faith. In preparation for the sermon, I came up with different titles for the sermon.[13] In the end I resolved to give a title that will help my audience to listen, carefully in order to discover what is the main theme of the sermon themselves. All through the process of the preparation, I regularly remind myself to make sure I do not give the wrong meaning to the passage.[14] Base on my understanding of the passage through consultation of commentaries, reading of scholarship articles, journals and books on Luke 23:32-43 in general, I felt very confident that choosing my topic for the sermon, and by speaking on it , I should do justice to the passage. HOMILETICAL ISSUES Having decided on what I am communicating across, I then reflected on how to deliver the sermon. I am very much aware that sermons are present in different ways.[15] My aim was that my hearers would take away God as a loving God who can answer prayers if we come to him regardless of the state and time of the challenge. (Luke 23:43). My aim is to filled them with ideas and images that paint a picture of God, that answers in desperate time and desperate situation if one looks up to him and not shift the blame on others.[16] This I do, using dramatic narrative preaching with some inductive method of sermon preaching.[17] I hoped achieve this by starting with the story of betrayer of friendship, ingratitude and the pain associated with it.[18] I tried to make my hearers to look at when they were letdown, the disappointment and pain they went through. This was to get to look at Jesus though God yet a man with all the emotions and disappointment of been letdown by friends and neighbours. T he motivation was that the sermon would be pastoral sermon that is communicating the essence of the subject effectively.[19] After brief introduction on Jesus journey to Calvary with the cross and pain, I went back to the main passage (Luke 23:32-43) to lay a foundation on historical context using contemporary description of the event. Brindley states that the pastor preacher moves from hearer to the Scripture.[20] Getting to the end of my sermon, I related the sermon to our contemporary day with additional illustration and description using Matthew 7:1-4 and Hebrew 12:2. I tried not to allow the sermon to be too pastoral in other to avoid making it individualistic, which could conflict with the passage itself. Luke 23:32-43 is a message for the church today and the text can be applicable to both corporate and individual setting both back to the day of the event and to our contemporary day. REFLECTION ON THE PROCESS From feedback from both lecturers and fellow students, I felt the preaching went well because the feedbacks were positive. I was confident that I will strive in the delivery but was less confident looking at the importance of the passage and the angle of approach. I know the passage was so important that the hearers would be expecting so much particularly relating to deity of Jesus Christ on the cross instead of his human nature. I know I could stay within my text but going by the time limit, I was not sure I could stay within the allocated time given for the message. As I did not want to be rushed or be in a hurry, I decided to cut down my sermon significantly. Reflecting on how I felt it went, the feedback of both the lecturers and students, I believe that the message was well communicated to the hearers. Based on the lectures of this module as well as this particular preaching opportunity, I have learned the importance of spending time in preparing myself considering the various preaching methods accessible to me as a preacher. Reflecting on who I am preaching the sermon to, I need to be more ready to give good exegesis to the congregation I speak to in order to make the message more applicable and relevant to them. Just as in this exercise of reflecting on the sermon I gave at Spurgeons College, I have learnt that giving time to reflect on every of my sermon preach is very important and essential. Doing this helps to improve my skill of preaching and communication. CONCLUSION: It is a wonderful speaking to lecturers and students who themselves are preachers. The experience I had strengthen my confidence especially speaking to a multicultural group of different denominations. The three men on the cross of Calvary is a very wonderful and passionate message that cut across all groups of people both in the church and in world at large. In conclusion, I hope to be able to apply what I learnt both in the module and the preaching exercise constantly to my regularly preaching in my ministry. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brindley David, Story, Song and Law: The Craft of Preaching in Todays Church, (Stonehill Green: England,Bible Societies/HarperCollins, 1996) Clifford Ross, Johnson Philip, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012) Crysdale Cynthia S.W., Embracing Travail: Retrieving the cross Today (Continuum: New York, The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2001) Marshall I. Howard, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke (Grands Rapid, Michigan: W.B.EErdmans Publisher, 1978) Robinson Haddon W., Expository Preaching (Leicester: IVP. 1986) Latham Steve, Preaching Practice, Lecture at Spurgeons College, week 8 28.04.2014 Holloway David, The Two Criminals, A Sermon Preached on Luke 23:39-42, Mar 29, 1998 at Jesmond Parish Church. P. 2 Luke 23: 32 43 The three men on the cross at Calvary 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said,â€Å"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.†cAnd they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, â€Å"He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.† 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, â€Å"If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.† 38 There was a written notice above him, which read:THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: â€Å"Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!† 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. â€Å"Don’t you fear God,† he said, â€Å"since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.† 42 Then he said, â€Å"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.† 43 Jesus answered him,â€Å"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.† The book of Luke generally known as the Gospel according to Luke is one of the synoptic Gospel that account for Jesus birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Chapter 23:32-43 give account for the death of Jesus. Jesus after been betrayed by Judas Iscariot and concluded for crucifixion was hanged on the cross like a criminal with two thieves. The death of the cross to the Romans was a capital punishment for criminals and is likened to death sentence in today’s system. Jesus as God came to earth in form of man was subject to shameful death. 1 Peter 2: 22 said, He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. Paul further said in Phil 2:5a said He humbled Himself and lived among them, helped, fed and healed them yet he was chosen for condemnation and death instead of the criminal (Barabbas). Finally, on the cross were with Him two thieves, one on the right and the other on the left. Hence, I titled this message, The three men on the cross at Calvary. In this message, it is important to understand the role played by individual on the cross. First, Jesus knew no sin yet He went through shame and humiliation to the point of praying to the Father asking why the Father had abandoned Him. As a Christian, sometimes we feel abandoned by God especially when circumstances around us are like the cross Jesus was upon. We hardly think of the reward God might be having in mind for us in such situation, Jesus after death and resurrection is now seated at the right hand of the Father. We need to understand that every good thing have a price to pay. The Father (God), paid a price for wanting to restore man back to his rightful position and the only price was to sacrifice His only begotten son (Jesus). We all have needs and wants but do not want to pay any price. Life is not all about bed of roses, obstacles are there but the truth is these obstacles are stepping stone to success in life. See any successful man today you will realise that the road towards success is not any road, very narrow and full of discouragements but only the strong get through. Jesus was betrayed, denied, rejected and despised yet in all He brought salvation to mankind. Do you want to make it in life? You might be going through rejection by families, friends and even those that are in the same situation with you. Looking at the thief on the left hand side of the cross, it shows that people in the same situation as you can sometimes look for ways of mocking, challenging or prejudging you testing your faith instead of facing their situation. If these people will take moment to consider the fact that for every cross, there is glory if they will seek the king of glory who is the saviour regardless of their situation even if they were the cause of the situation like the thief on the right side. Gods love and kindness is always available. The thief on the right side of the cross realised that he deserved to be in the situation he found himself (to die) but saw a way of escape by grasping the opportunity of salvation without procrastination and he was saved. We might sometimes find ourselves in bad and terrible situation not because God is testing our faith but due to our sins, misdeeds or stupidity. If we will come to the redeeming grace like the thief on the right side on the cross, there is assurance of salvation, peace and joy overflowing. 1 John 1:9 says, Butif we confess our sinsto him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness Regardless of your state at the cross, God is doing something even if you do not see it. It is good you look carefully within your condition. Search why God is doing what is doing, or saying in the circumstance you are in now, stop looking for the spike from others eyes neglecting with the log on yours. Then you can be sure of a ray of light at the end of your tunnel for salvation and eternal rewards as the case of the criminal who cried to Jesus for salvation. 1 [1] Galatians 6:9 NASB [2] David Brindley, Story, Song and Law: The Craft of Preaching in Todays Church, (Stonehill Green: England, Bible Societies/HarperCollins, 1996), P.2 [3] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012), P.20 [4] David Holloway, The Two Criminals, A Sermon Preached on Luke 23:39-42, Mar 29, 1998 at Jesmond Parish Church. P. 2 [5] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, The Cross is not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection (Grand Rapids, Michigan: BakerBooks, 2012), P.85 [6] Haddon W. Robinson, Expository Preaching (Leicester: IVP. 1986), P.24 [7] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, P.29 [8] Ross Clifford, Philip Johnson, P.29 [9] I. Howard Marshall, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Luke (Grands Rapid, Michigan: W.B.EErdmans Publisher, 1978), P.870 [10] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, Embracing Travail: Retrieving the cross Today (Continuum: New York, The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2001), P.8 [11] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, P.9 [12] New International Version Bible [13] Such as; This is the king of the Jews [14] Steve Latham, Preaching Practice, Lecture at Spurgeons College, week 8 28.04.2014 [15] David Brindley, P.52 [16] David Brindley, P.30 [17] David Brindley, P.52 [18] Cynthia S.W. Crysdale, P.11 [19] David Brindley, P.48 [20] David Brindley, P.63