Thursday, December 19, 2019

Leadership Theory And Theory Of Leadership - 1346 Words

Leadership is a state of being a leader/head of a group of people, organization, and/or country. Ken Blanchard state that As leader, we hold the lives of others in our hands, and these need to be gentle, caring and always available to provide support (pg.2). Every leader has different styles or different ways of leading his people to achieve their common goal. This paper will talk about leadership theory and will compare and contract each theory from the each other. According to the readings, they discussed four theories of leadership, which includes Charismatic leadership by Jay A. Conger and Rabindra N. Kanungo, servant leadership by Robert Greenleaf , situational leadership II by Ken Blanchard, and finally the trait of leadership by ... In Situational Leadership II, ken Blanchard stated The leader has endured as an effective approach to managing and motivating people because it foster a partnership between the leader and the people that leader supports and depends upon. (Pg 3). T his theory focus more on a good relationship between a leader and his people to form a great teamwork or partnership to have a successful organization. Ken believed that when that bond is form between the leader and his subordinates, it brings about high level of development and most people are fully committed to their work, which at the end increase competence in their work and increase productivity. However it s the responsibility of the leader to have constant adjustment to his styleShow MoreRelatedTheories Of Leadership And Leadership Theories1234 Words   |  5 Pagesthat they lead. This case study aims to compare three of the more popular theories of leadership. These leadership theories are situational leadership, trait theory and transformational leadership. Summary of Theories Situational leadership, developed by professor Paul Hersey and author and consultant Ken Blanchard. Their approach was based off of a 1967 article by W.J. Reddin called The 3-D Management Style Theory. In his article, Reddin discusses the need to have different styles basedRead MoreLeadership Theory And Leadership Theories1659 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.†- Robin S. Sharma. For decades, leadership theories have been the source of numerous studies. In reality as well as in practice, many have tried to define what allows authentic leaders to stand apart from the mass! Hence, there as many theories on leadershipRead MoreLeadership And Its Theory Of Leadership883 Words   |  4 Pages Leadership Leadership has been around for thousands of years, yet experts are still unable to agree on a universal definition. Perhaps it is because leadership is a complex, multidimensional concept that continuously evolves. Nevertheless, explaining leadership and its theories and approaches is a monumental task (Henman, n.d.). According to Day and Antonakis (2012), leadership is essentially an influencing process. Its effectiveness largely depends on leadership behaviors and followers perceptionsRead MoreThe Theory Of Leadership Theory940 Words   |  4 PagesChapter sixteen discusses various leadership theories which can implemented by leaders to achieve success. The choice of leadership theory differs from leader to leader as they possess different vision and way of managing. A theory isn t always perfect in itself, it is the endless effort of the leaders which makes the theory a perfect one. Two approaches of leadership that I prefer are Situational Leadership Theory and Servant Leadership Theory. Among many theories I prefer these two because I tendRead MoreThe Theory Of Leadership Theory868 Words   |  4 PagesChapter sixteen discusses various leadership theories which can implemented by leaders to achieve success. The choice of leadership theory differs from leader to leader as they possess diff erent vision and way of managing. A theory isn t always perfect in itself, it is the endless effort of the leaders which makes the theory a perfect one. Two approaches of leadership that I prefer are Situational Leadership Theory and Servant Leadership Theory. Among many theories I prefer these two because I tendRead MoreTheories Of Leadership And Leadership974 Words   |  4 PagesTheories of Leadership Introduction It is true that leadership and leadership theories in general, are not scientifically precise in nature. For example, some may argue that going into an apprentice program have a higher level of task-relevance education and/or experience in the field you choose. A higher relevance than a degree in Liberal Arts. Thus, one must evaluate the apprentice program and accept the responsibility of doing the apprentice work. A degree in Liberal Arts scientifically, isRead MoreThe Theory Of Leadership Theory1411 Words   |  6 Pages I do not believe that there is such thing as a correct leadership theory, there I said it, I’ve been holding it in an jesus does it feel great to get it out. Haha what I do believe in is awesome people, people who treat other people great and treat themselves and their business, foundation or institution great now that’s what I believe in. So in the sake of great leaders I will be taking on prompt number two and constructing my own theory by using 3 examples from the book and 6 sources that I willRead MoreSituational Leadership Theory Of Leadership1542 Words   |  7 Pagespowerful people? What do they have that the average person does not? Well, that answer is leadership skills. They did not know when they were born that they were going to become big leaders, but as they were growing up they learned what skills it took to allow them to become different from everyone else and become leaders. As we all know there is no magic when it comes to leadership. You either have the leadership skills or you don’t. While it is a learned behavior that begins at almost birth and isRead MoreLeadership Theories Of Situational Leadership866 Words   |  4 Pagesidea behind one of today’s most talked about leadership theories: Situational Leadership. The model, which celebrates a multitude of leadership styles instead of a single solution, has been considered a transformative and essential new way to manage and to lead. But what does it mean to be a situational leader? Is it always beneficial to change your approach to leading the troops? In this guide, we’ll examine the development of situational leadership, study its core elements and discover the qualitiesRead MoreSituational Leadership Theory Of Leadership Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesSituational leadership can be defined as a concept that helps understand leadership in terms of changing environment. Situational leadership theory was developed in 1969 by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. This type of leadership depends upon each individual situation. This theory requires an individual to analyze the needs according to a particular situation and then act towards it. Ability or maturity of the followers are equally important than leader who leads the situation. Situational leadership theory

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Conceptual framework Australian Government

Question: Describe about the Conceptual framework for Australian Government? Answer: Introduction. Due to development of cross-border capital markets, it is imperative that the financial statement in various countries follows a single, high quality accounting standards that are being accepted worldwide. So the emerging economies have adopted the International Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Board (IASB) which controls the overall system of standards implementation around the world..(Maheswari, 2014) At their meet in the city of Norwalk located in Connecticut, USA on the 18th day of September2002, the (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board(IASB) gave their commitment to develop the standards in such a manner that they might be high in quality, also compatible with the accounting standards as it will be used internationally as well as self country financial reporting. here, the two bodies namely FASB and IASB made joined efforts towards such implementation (a) Implement the present accounting standards into the system of implementation of the new standards and (b) The future work programs that it could be maintained in the long run by the IASB and FASB together. To achieve compatibility, the FASB and IASB (together, the Boards) agree, as a matter of high priority to: 1) to have a program to remove the differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS which are the International reporting standers for the financial reporting as followed by the company like Glaxo Plc, which include International Accounting Standards, IAS as well to be followed 2) Remove the various other differences between the operation of the US GAAP and IFRSs which would be sorted out by January 1, 2005, by coordination between both the Boards 3) Continue progress on the joint projects that they are currently undertaking, and 4) Also encourage the other bodies to form the part of this exercise to reduce the differences between these two accounting principles. These differences could be only reconciled from the support of the supporting bodies as discussed above. Most of the Asian countries like Malaysia India, Colombia as well as Russian and American countries like US, Japan and Russia have moved forward his step in the convergence to International Financial Reporting System to maintain the uniformity in the accounting system. Further, the Adaption of IFRS has also reduced the worries of the stakeholders regarding the True and fair reporting of the Accounts. Further, this will bring account ability and transparency to the reported figures of the financial statements of the Multi - national companies having Branches over India. So the branch accounts could be reconciled easily and there could be a proper analyses of the results by the users of the information in a proper way/ Issues Adressed In the recent figures and estimates it is suggested that much of US money is invested in the shares of the foreign companies. The investors in US also await opportunities for investment in the non-US based companies who often can use the International Reporting standards to prepare their financial statements. There are many companies around the world that follow IFRS and present their balance sheets accordingly with no scope for the reconciliation of US GAAAP to the IFRS and here is the area where the role of this article comes in to play and the challenge arises for the investors as well as the companies. (Tulsian, 2008) To assist investors and preparers in obtaining the skills to read multiple reports, this article would help to understand the differences between these two broad concepts and how to reconcile them and understand it as per the needs of the investors. In this article mainly the areas of differences that had caught enough of light and are significant for the investors are being dealt into so that these areas dont go uncovered. After the emergence of IFRS many companies had been instructed to follow the reconciliation principle with the IFRS standards so that they might help the user to compare the reports with ease. Apart from that there are many differences in the way the annual reports are prepared and they are presented to the stakeholders of the organization. The other areas of differences are the accounting principles that are followed for treatment of various items in the financial statements of the company under which alternative accounting treatments is possible. (FASB, 2013) IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement: IFRS 13: (a) explains fair value (b) develops a framework that would help in finding the fair value (c) The required disclosures that are needed while measuring the fair value are also stated. IFRS 13 says that the fair value as the price at which an asset could be sold or a liability in an orderly transaction. It is just a market based measurement and helps to find the value of the asset, and never a measurement that deals with the valuation in accordance with the enterprise. There are some assumptions based on which whereby it considers the risks within the value of the asset calculated. This means that the value of the items would not be affected by time period for which an asset is held or liability is being held before payment and it would not affect the standard in any manner. These things needed to be kept in mind while measuring the fair value of the asset as per IFRS 13. (Tulsian, 2008) (a) the nature of the asset or liability that is measured (b) if the asset is a non financial one how can it be linked with other financial assets based on which it can be measured. (c) the place where the asset or the liability could be traded with ease should be identified as the market (d) the technique that should be used for valuation of the same (Tulsian, 2008) To increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements and disclosures the standards create a hierarchy of 3 levels which consists of the inputs to the valuation of the assets as per the fair value principle. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to the price of the assets in the open market at which they can be or the identical assets or liabilities can be traded at which are called observable inputs and the least priority is to the unobservable inputs. . (Lefebrve, 2009) An enterprise should present information that would help the of its fair value information so that it can be assessed that (a) for liabilities and assets that are measured at fair value on a timely and regular basis . (b) for those assets which are being valued as per the unobservable inputs named as level 3 inputs and how they are uses to value the items should also be there. (Accountants, 2013) Fair Value v/s Historical Cost: Fair value accounting (FVA) is a method of valuing the assets on a market based rates according to IFRS 13 at the regular intervals whereas the current prices are given much importance for the valuation of the assets of the enterprise. (Tulsian, 2008) Accounting as per the fair value methodology is a concept that helps the companies to use fait value method for the purpose of accounting The fair value concept says that as soon as the value of the asset decrease or liabilities increase, it will be recognized as gains or losses under the head comprehensive income of the enterprise and will be treated as such. (Lefebrve, 2009) As the historical costs of the assets dont possess any value for the investors in the future decisions they are willing to take as they have no relevance to the buy, sell, hold decisions and are not useful for any decisions to be taken. So the concept of fiat value came in due to the relevancy of such information to the investors of the enterprise who can think after seeing the fair values and not the cost values. At the times of growth and deflation this method makes the annual reports much volatile than ever before and changes the picture of the financial statements(Lefebrve, 2009) Historical Cost Accounting: Shortcomings There are large number of issues in the historical accounting concept but one of the primary issue is that the true value of the asset is not demonstrated under this method as the assets are shown at irrelevant costs and the no comparability with the true market value could be achieved. Other issues are as under: (robins, 2001) The method is insensitive to changes in purchasing power of the currency, overstating earnings in periods of rising prices and understating the degree to which capital assets maintain their value. It assumes a concept of going concern which is impractical. Its not able to deal with complex accounting transactions as such as interest rate swaps obligations are there on the assets but it cannot be covered u under the historical costs method there. (F, 2006). The historical cost methods uses the subjective measures to account fall for the transactions and some judgments such as life of the asset, bad debt reserves, warranties etc. (AASB, AASB has approved four new Standards, 2014) Conclusion: Some of the factors, particularly the rules for taxation, make it difficult for some of the countries to wholly shift to the IFRS. It follows that when nations find IFRS concepts attractive, their approach towards IFRS implementation would be different from others because they are unable to change current rules to reflect the various provisions of IFRSs,or they are not willing to give up the basic local accounting rules to a privately controlled enterprise over which very little or no So it could be said that the implementation of IFRS would bring about lots of changes to the presenting accounting differences that are existing in the financial statements of the company as a whole which effects the decision making process of the country around the world. The impanation of the Global accounting standards will reduce the needed for the reconciliation of the information provided in the statement as per rule of accountancy. The convergence would rather remove the cultural differences in the accounting concepts and the users around the world are being treated at par. Therefore the countries adoption of IFRS would be a great change and positive change also towards the accounting world where the investors would be able to choose correctly by proper comparison of the financial statements This will be a more problematic case when economies mature as there will be a need of more information and such issues will arise and needs to be sorted out with ease. As both of the methods namely the fair value method and the historical method. As the financial problems asks for the clarity in the accounting principles so it is needed that the boards try to increase efficiency and transparency to the assumption and the disclosures that need to be implemented for accurate information to be provided to the investors.. The market and the accounting behavior is needed so that the desired clarity may be brought in the principles of accounting.(F, 2006). References AASB. (2014). AASB has approved four new Standards. Australia Government , 1-1. AASB. (2013). Amendments to the Australian Conceptual Framework. Australia: Australian government. Accountants, C. (2013). Conceptual framework. CA Australia new zealand , 1-1. (2014). Accounting for intangible assets and goodwill under IFRS. US: Power Brnd. By Gary Lasker, C. C. (2011). Comparing and Contrasting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). bassSolomonDowell , 1-1. E.M, B. (2004). Fair values finanacial statemnet volatility. CA , 1-1. F, A. (2006). Mark to Market Accounting liquidity Pricing. Centre for financial studies , 1-1. FASB. (2013). The Objective of General Purpose Financial Reporting. FASB , 1-42. Kov, Z. (2011). Accounting for Intangible Assets . In Z. Kov, Accounting for Intangible Assets (pp. 1-13). Czech Republic . Lefebrve, R. (2009). Fair Value Accounting. Issue In Focus , 1-22. Lightfoot, S. (2013). Research into the accounting for intangible assets. Chartered Accountants Journal , 1-1. Maheswari, S. (2014). IRFS Convergence. CA Journal , 1-1. robins, P. (2001). ACCOUNTING POLICIES CONTRASTED WITH ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES. ACCA , 1-1. Tulsian, P. C. (2008). Accounting Concept. Mumbai.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Night Chapter Summaries Essay Sample free essay sample

Chapter 1 Elie Weisel was born into an Orthodox Jewish household in the little town of Sighet. Because he was interested in larning the Kabbalah. Ellie got the chance to run into Moishe the Beadle. a foreign Jew who taught Elie the Zohar. the Kabbalistic plants. and the secrets of Judaic mysticism. One eventide. all of the foreign Jews were expelled and taken to a foreign land. As months passed. everything went back to normal until one twenty-four hours. Moishe appeared back into the town of Sighet. Having escaped his sureties. Moishe comes back to state his mortifying narrative and have on the remainder of the community about the Gestapo. Unfortunately. no 1 believes him. In the spring of 1944. small by small. the Hungrarian authorities establishes new regulations in Sighet to all the Jews. Finally. the Jews are taken into little ghettos surrounded by 19 foot barbed-wire fencings. They are happy at that place. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Chapter Summaries Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page but non for long because one twenty-four hours his pa receives the intelligence that they will all be acquiring transported to another topographic point where no one knew about. Ultimately. the twenty-four hours arrives where all the Jews must evacuate their places and leave the town. First. Elie’s household is taken off to another ghetto. but a few yearss subsequently. the cattle autos come and take them off. 1 ) â€Å"Jews. listen to me! That’s all I ask of you. No money. No commiseration. Merely listen to me! † -Moishe the Beadle weeps and pleads for the town to believe his narrative about the emptying of the Jews. but no one believes him. This line is really of import because it shows boding and dramatic sarcasm. 2 ) â€Å"The Bible commands us to joy during the eight yearss of jubilation. but our Black Marias were non it in. We wished the vacation would stop so as non to hold to feign. † -This line shows how the Jews started to lose hope and religion . and how fear started to take over. Chapter 4 A ) It proves that Night is a nonfiction novel because it presents a existent life character that he met in the Kommando. which he later brushs with. It is based on existent life people and existent events that happened to both of them. B ) Since Elie Wiesel was a subsister of the Holocaust. it sets the temper for the narrative more realistic. because his tone is really deep and fearful. He being a subsister and composing this book shows that he wants to talk for the lost 1s who can’t speak for themselves. He wants to portion his awful narrative to the remainder of the universe and want in return nil but regard for the subsisters and non-survivors. Undeniably. it makes him more dependable as a storyteller because he is saying his personal ideas the whole clip. which makes the narrative more interesting. C ) Knowing that Night is an autobiography makes the readers feel for him and all of the other captives. One takes the novel more serious because everything is really realistic and intense. Not to reference. really small colored information is present because he experienced the Holocaust so he tells what he lived through. D ) Wiesel’s tone is more unagitated and relaxed after the war when he is speaking to the Gallic miss. He uses the words beautiful. dreamy. and sweet. Those words were neer used when he was speaking about the Holocaust. Chapter 7 The captives are herded into the cattle autos and are being taken off to Buchenwald. The SS state them to throw out all of the dead people ; this made everyone sword lily because so they would hold more room. The workers would throw pieces of staff of life into the trains and that caused tonss of hungering work forces to urgently contend for spots of crumbs. Once. Elie experienced an emotionally scarring event. in which he witnessed a boy beat up his ain male parent for a piece of staff of life ; finally they both died. On the 3rd dark of their journey. Elie was awakened by two custodies strangulating him. and fortuitously. Meir Katz saves him. Afterwards. Meir Katz tells Elie’s male parent that he can no longer last. When they arrived at Buchenwald. 12 out of 100 captives were still alive. that included Elie and his male parent. 1 ) â€Å"Suddenly. the grounds overwhelmed me: there was no longer any ground to populate. any ground to contend. † -This statement made by Elie shows how hopeless he is. It shows how he is tired of contending for endurance andeventually making the breakage point. 2 ) â€Å"When they withdrew. there were two dead organic structures next to me. the male parent and the boy. I was 16. † -This statement is emotionally distressing because he witnessed a male parent and boy relationship fall apart with his ain au naturel eyes at a immature age.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Aspects of Internet Censorship by the Government

Aspects of Internet Censorship by the Government Introduction Internet can be defined as computer networks interconnection using a standard protocol to provide information to the entire world irrespective of where one is at any time (Garcia 32). The networks compose of public computers, learning institutions computers, business enterprises computers and private organization computers for local and global scope.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Aspects of Internet Censorship by the Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Earlier the internet was being referred to as the information super highway, its’ main aim of was to avail limitless information to everyone who needs it as fast as possible. Internet censorship refers to the act of controlling information access through the internet. Main motives of internet censorship vary from one website to another (â€Å"Research profiles.† 1). Main reasons are children protection from harmful and expl icit material, enabling grown up avoid contents that may compromise their community and personal standards, imposition of a moral framework in adult communication through the internet, and blocking of information material that is illegal to possess according to the government of a particular country under consideration. The government uses various techniques to censor internet depending on the content they want to restrict. It does so through the use of program software called web filters or censor ware. Internet censorship Main techniques for internet censorship include, IP blocking technique, this target website hosted by a common server. The entire websites hosted by that particular IP address are blocked (â€Å"Research profiles† 1).Whenever one tries to access them he/she is denied the access rights. Filtering domain name server (DNS) method, in this method the domain name is not resolved hence one is unable to access the site. This method uses software that restrict res olving of the domain name, as a result the target website is unavailable. Packet filtering method, this technique uses keywords in filtering the content to be accessed, if the keyword is detected the site content is blocked. Another method is through the use of the uniform resource locator (URL), it uses keywords to block censored site from access. When one try to access a website the uniform resource locator is checked if it consists of the restricting keyword, if the keyword is found in the URL the site become unavailable. Reasons for censorship Different government censors the internet due to different reasons, some may be reasonable and varied, while others are misuse of the power by the government. This has created a controversial situation of whether the government should carry out internet censorship or not (Kenny 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Different pe ople have different views depending on the perspective one look the situation from, each any everyone has reason and evidence to support his/her theory. The positive aspects of internet censorship by the government around the world are immense. World internet censorship ratings Blue No censorship Yellow Some censorship Red Country under surveillance from Reporters without Borders Grey Internet black holes (most heavily censored nations) The rule makers and enforcers should work hand in hand. Their Failure to cooperate leads the rule amounting to nothing. The social contract theory was developed by the philosopher Thomas Hobbes; it argues that without rules and a systematic way of enforcing them the efforts amount to nothing. It uses the concept of cooperation between involved parties, they mutually resolve to follow laid down guidelines.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Aspects of Internet Censorship by the Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The guidelines are the rules set to benefit the people socially. All agree there should be rules laid down and the government should ensure they are enforced to all irrespective of one position. This theory was develop due to no man has authority over others naturally, hence there was need to establish contracts based on covenants. For censorship to be effective the law enforces and the designers should be one body (Eid 1). Currently there are many unethical action been carried out, since the enforcers have absconded their duties. Regulations that govern the internet ethic are no longer being observed while the law enforces are enforcing new rules at will without consulting. Recently the government of Afghanistan censored interactive sites without even consulting. This shows there is a link between the enforcers and the law makers. The rules are desirable if the effect s of their consequences is positive. If the consequences are negat ive then the rule is undesirable. The theory of rule utilitarianism was developed as a result of weaknesses in the act utilitarianism theory. The morals theory argues that an action is morally right, if the consequences of an action results to an increase in the level of happiness. The theory uses the rules when explaining the moral values of an individual contrary to the act utilitarianism which uses the principle of utility (â€Å"Introduction to Content Filtering† 7). It tries to exploit the fact that the rules are universally adoptable, hence result to immense happiness. Rule utilitarianism and Kantianism are similar in that they use the rule to base their argument. The difference between the two is that rule utilitarian emphasis on the action consequences while the Kantianism emphasizes on the action motive. It encourages universal adoption of an action that will increase the pleasure of the affected subjects. In the year 2003 August, a worm by the name of blaster infect ed computer system using windows operating system .The worm exploited a security loophole in the windows operating system. It resulted to excess network traffic and also disabled some of the networks. The infection resulted to computer rebooting itself continually. Another worm named Nachi was developed to exploit the same loophole, but did not infect those immune to the blaster worm. On contrary Nachi worm accessed the computer in the network to destroy blaster worm copies and also to download patches of windows to fix the loophole problem. According to the computer ethics introduction of harmful malware in a network is unethical and prohibited. According to the rule utilitarian it was morally correct since the consequences of the action increased pleasure to the affected subject.Advertising Looking for research paper on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Impact on the society The consequences of an action do not matter. What matters are the actions themselves. The act utilitarianism theory was developed by philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. This contradicted the earlier theory of Kantianism. It based its’ argument on the fact that an action is termed to be good if the result benefit a person and undesirable if the action harm someone. The theory was founded on the principle of utility, where the action is gauged to be right or wrong depending on the effect on the level of happiness on the concerned party. This theory measures the morality by determining the rise or fall of happiness on the concerned party. Attitude behind an action is not relevant in this argument, what is of more concern is the consequences of the actions. Being in this context is used to refer to anything that may experiences happiness and sadness. From the definition the being not only refers to the humans but also other mammals. It is hard to measure utility thus several attribute have been selected to weigh the effect of an action on the pain and pleasure (Carter 1). Intensity measures the experience extent, certainty measures the likelihood, and duration measures the experience length, extent measures the number of being affected, purity measures the concentration of pain or pleasure, and fecundity measures the ability replicate the experience. Freedom without limit is always abused; most internet users do not observe the internet rules set aside to govern access of information. Almost all government censors sensitive government information or the information is not availed to the internet users. The explicit material in the internet should be restricted to avoid underage from accessing them. Most of the Muslim dominant countries pornographic materials have been completely censored. This ensures the young ones are protected from obscene materials. The action of the government is essential to maintain a morally uprig ht generation in censoring some materials. Due to the complex internet network the government cannot leave the censoring action to parents or private companies, it has to undertake the action itself. The will motivating an action should be the basis of judging an action whether morally right or wrong. An action may not be moral but the motive was moral. The Kantianism` theory was developed by a philosopher named Immanuel Kant. His argument was, people action and deeds should be based on moral laws which are universally acceptable. Citing the bible examples to support his theory, he believed for any supreme moral law to hold it must be based upon some reasoning. Someone who is a Kantian should be able to state something whether it is good or bad and qualify it using specific and varied reasoning. It entails more than arguing whether something is morally right or wrong. The main reasoning was something may be morally right, yet it can be used wrongly to harm others or cause conflict. In this world there are barely good things without need to qualify them to be good. Only good will can be termed to be good, since there is no need to qualify it to be good. An action cannot be termed to be good simply due to the beneficial results; something good is good irrespective of the outcome from the action. What we are meant to do is more important than what we do. We should act out of morals instilled in use rather than what we feel we should do, our moral should be the driving force upon our actions. The oppressive regime use this theory to suppress it citizen and deprive them information access. They censor interactive sites to intimidate those opposing their agenda. Late 2009 China censored interactive site especially in Tibet area. This was meant to curb growing defiance against the government It is hard to say that the consequences of an action do not matter; what’s matter is the action itself. People are more concerned in the results not the way the results ha ve been achieved. Kantianism theory advocate that the motive is what’s matters not he actual result of the actions. If you have a granary infested with rats, there are different ways to remedy the situation. If you burn down the whole granary it is an option but at what cost. As much as the motive of an action is good the consequence are dire. As much as the government may have good motives and intention in censoring the internet, caution should be taken to ensure the consequences do not outweigh the gains. The Kantianism theory should not be employed much in censoring as it may result to undesirable dire consequences. January this year the Iran government censored all interactive site, in a mission to curb government critics who were using them to sell their ideas. In addition they also banned women right websites; this caused more harm than good. It also denied the woman their rights to voice out their view; such school of thought belongs to the Stone Age where women were c onsidered inferior. Error analyses of filters Filtering Product Misdetection False Alarm Error Rate Smart Filter 15% 7% 11% Surf Watch 12% 7% 10% Web Sense 17% 9% 13% I-Gear 36% 10% 23% Cyber Patrol 16% 7% 11% N2H2 14% 7% 11% Conclusion Government Internet censorship is not meant to suppress the society of information access, although it may result not unanticipated negative result. Every government actions to censor internet access are meant for the better of its citizen. But there are isolated cases, where the government censors internet access using unvaried bases. This may result the country citizen being left behind in the fast growing global village. The reason for censoring internet should be clearly defined and measures put in place to protect the law from being abused. The law should also clearly define the method and modes to be used in censoring to avoid safe site from being blocked due to criterion used to block. From the theories discussed above, it i s clear from the different approaches the main objective of all is the effect of censoring to the people. They all agree if censoring result to positive effect then it is worthy but if it is harmful then it is harmful to the same people it ought to be protecting. Irrespective of the reasons behind the censoring of the internet the result should be positive, it should not affect the people’s majority negatively. Whether it uses the rules, consequences of the action or the will motivating the action, the moral effect should be upheld at all times. Internet should be used for moral upright or justifiable action at all time. The internet ethos should be upheld and observed by all internet users indiscriminately of their position. Error analysis of filters for the distinct data set Filtering Product Misdetection False Alarm Error Rate Smart Filter 13% 4% 8% Surf Watch 12% 11% 11% Web Sense 12% 7% 10% I-Gear 36% 7% 21% Cyber Patrol 15% 9% 12% N2H2 11% 1% 6% Compl ete censoring of the internet is contrary to the objective of having it and unhealthy to the people. The main aim of the internet is information sharing among the users and all information about any subject across the world should be accessible from anywhere in the world (Edelman 2). Censoring result to discriminated information sharing and result to the internet falling short of its main objective. This hurt many sector in the world from business to entertainment. Although internet censoring is essential, it should be done up to a certain level where it cause more good than harm to the people. Carter, Wendy. â€Å"How to write a thesis statement.† 2003- July 27, 2010. tadafinallyfinished.com/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html Edelman, Benjamin. â€Å"Documentation of Internet Filtering in Saudi Arabia.† July 27, 2010, http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/saudiarabia/ Eid, Gamal. â€Å"The Internet in the Arab World A Space for Repression?† Reports and Pres s Releases. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information. 2004- July 27, 2010 anhri.net/en/reports/net2004 Garcia_Murillo, M. â€Å"Assessing the impact of Internet Telephony on the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure.† July 27, 2010. http://faculty.ischool.syr.edu/mgarciam/Research/ppr%20IP%20telephonyIEP05.pdf Introduction to Content Filtering. â€Å"What is this service?† July 27, 2010. isu.net.sa/saudi-internet/contenet-filtring/filtring.htm Kenny, Aaron. â€Å"Inside Internet Filtering.† 2009- July 27, 2010, insideinternetfiltering.com/category/government/ Kuwait. â€Å"Research profiles.† July 27, 2010, http://opennet.net/research/profiles/kuwait Saudi Arabia. â€Å"Research Profiles.† July 27, 2010, http://opennet.net/research/profiles/saudi-arabia

Sunday, November 24, 2019

A Random Walk Down Wall Street Book Analysis

A Random Walk Down Wall Street Book Analysis A Random Walk Down Wall Street Book Analysis Essay A Random Walk Down Wall Street Book Analysis Essay The book A Random Walk Down Wall Street offers an insight into stock investment with the author aiming at providing an appropriate advice for investors. The book has had ten editions since it was first published in 1973 by Burton G. Malkiel. The author’s main idea is to portray markets as partly efficient and to prove that investors can make appropriate individual investment decisions without the indulgence of financial experts. A Random Walk Down Wall Street Literary Analysis According to the author, the basic secret of investing is committing to stock investment in the long term or diversifying investments in case of short-term investments. The author justifies his assertions by using historical testimonies and expounding on them by using personal experiences. The book has four sections with respective chapters that elaborate on various concepts of investing. The book report will provide the author’s main idea and the insights gained. An analysis will show that Malkiel’s book offers an avenue that allows investors to make sound investment decisions by balancing their investment expectations with options available to them. Part One: Stocks and their Value This part entails the first four chapters that introduce the reader to the world of investments. The part mainly discusses concepts of asset valuation by using theoretical foundations. The author mainly uses the firm-foundation theory and the castle-in-the-air theory to expound on asset valuation. The first chapter is â€Å"Firm Foundations and Castles in the Air† and it offers an introduction to investments. It explains that the firm foundation theory argues that an investor should make investments on the basis of the actual value of the proposed investment. The author uses a real-life example that a person wishing to invest in Coke should base the investment decision on the product’s parent company, the Coca-Cola Corporation. The castle-in-the-air theory asserts that an investor should make investments as a response to actions of the masses. For this reason, the theory argues that an investor usually makes more returns by following the majority who invests based on cu rrent trends or based on the foundations of a firm. The chapter concludes that both theories are right in different investment situations. The explanations of the author of the two theories offer a background for the author to critique them in the following chapters. The second chapter â€Å"The Madness of Crowds† explains historical financial occurrences that prove that actions of the masses have significant investment repercussions. Examples of such occurrences include the Tulip-Bulb Craze, the South Sea Bubble, and the tulipomania. In the three instances, the market expanded in a speedy way and led to the overvaluation of assets. After some time, values of the assets returned to their normal valuation after one or a couple of years. A graphical analysis of the three instances showed that by the end of the overvaluation hype the values of the assets returned to the same values as before the hype. The chapter portrays that investors who just follow the masses blindly tend to lose heavily in the market. The inability of investors to resist the urge of the masses makes them vulnerable to adversities of the market. Chapter three explains the stock valuation between the 1960s and the 1990s. The chapter offers a continuation of the craze that the market experiences. The author uses various examples in the stock market to expound on the modern version of the extremity of markets. He expounds on the multiples of price earnings that formed the base of stock trading at the time. The author also expounds on the roles of underwriters in the issuance of new securities, especially their roles in misleading investors. The misleading happened despite investors having access to the guidelines offered by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. For instance, the stocks in the 1980s were overvalued. The scenario confirms the assertion of the author in the second chapter that such situations continue to recur. Another example offered by the author is the obsession of investors with blue chip companies in the 1970s. By 1980, the values of the stocks had returned to their normal prices. The cases sh ow how firms often manipulate information to increase their value so that they can attract investors. The author concludes that manipulation is inevitable because even though organizations such as the SEC provide the guidelines, they can do nothing to prevent investors from parting with their money. By offering real examples and enlightening historical occurrences, the author remains authoritative and ensures that the reader grasps the real impacts of the masses in making investment decisions. Chapter four explains the internet bubble that sufficed in the late 1990s. The author argues that the public’s obsession with the internet was fuelled by other bubbles similar to the historical ones covered in the previous chapters. For instance, the author cited the IPO mania that prompted the bubble in the 1960s. Similar instances could be seen in the internet era. The main message of the author is that people tend not to learn from past experiences. After the rise of the internet, small investors gained a platform for investments and firms gained a platform for competing with larger firms. Moreover, people became more interconnected. Due to the excitement of the availability of a new platform of trading, people engaged in stock trading by the use of brokerage firms. As a result of overcrowding, people lost money due to the eventual overvaluation and the return to normal prices. In fact, only brokers benefited. This part highlights significant historical influences of the mass mentality on investments. The main point of the author is that markets remain perfect. The assertion means that even if an imperfection comes up, the market will find a way to go back to its normal status. One of the pieces of advice one gets from the part is that investors need to combine both their intellect and curiosity to succeed in investments. The influence of crown activities was also enlightening. The provision of historical examples that led to the overvaluation of assets enables the reader to grasp the author’s main idea. The examples show that an emotional approach without much consideration towards stock investments can be detrimental for investors in the long run. One of the interesting insights from the examples that the author offers is that investors never seemed to learn. All through the 1960s to the late 1990s, economic bubbles would always recur. There would be some hype created that would i n turn entice people to spend more money on stocks. The hype occurred even after authorities such as the SEC warned investors. The above cases remind me of the 2007/2008 economic depression. The scenario was caused by a similar bubble, only that this time it was a housing bubble. The decade ending in 2006 saw prices of houses drastically rise, thus prompting homeowners to refinance their homes due to the availability of adjustable-rate mortgages extended by lenders. Due to the availability of mortgages, people could access loans at interest rates lower than market rates. However, after 2006 people could not refinance their loans because house prices started falling and interest rates rose at the same time. In effect, financial institutions could not recover their loans extended. The situation kick-started the depression that had adverse effects on investors. The situation in 2007/2008 shows that the market has not yet learned about adverse impacts of following the multitude blindly. Part Two: How the Pros Play the Biggest Game in Town This part makes up the next three chapters. The chapters mainly deal with fundamental and technical analysis techniques. Chapter five tries to expound on the extent of the efficiency of the market. It focuses on the elaboration of the technical and fundamental analysis of financial markets. Technical analysis entails studying trends in market prices of assets and then applying historical trends to predict their future prices. The method uses tools such as trend lines and charts. Fundamental analysis entails analysis of the condition of a business by examining its financial records, the market in which the business operates, and the competition. The chapter does not go into much detail about the theories with the next three chapters serving this purpose. The sixth chapter expounds on the technical analysis concept. The author asserts that technical analysis concentrates on identifying correlations. For this reason, the author seems to discredit the technique by arguing that testing the data of stock prices over time does not necessarily lead to the correct prediction of the stock prices. The author cites that the above aspect of the technique makes it spurious. He even uses a humorous example of finding a correlation in the average hemline length in fashion. He uses the example to explain that looking solely at the charts robs off one’s opportunity to see the broader picture, meaning that there would be a high probability of poor judgment. The author also touches on the random walk theory and states that the theory employs random measures to process random data. He goes on to compare the theory with a humorous example of the use of coin flips to determine future prices of stocks. The author uses more humorous examples to disre gard the theory and the technical analysis because of the theory limitation. Chapter seven concentrates on the fundamental analysis concept. Malkiel seems to support the fundamental analysis. The support, as he argues, arises because the concept bases itself on logical judgment when admitting data for consideration. Another reason the author prefers the fundamental analysis is that the technical analysis only focuses on the stock price, while the fundamental analysis focuses on the worth of the stock. Despite the support for the theory, the author finds it weak as well. The author provides situations where fundamental analysis can have flaws. The examples include random events such as the 9/11 attacks, the consideration of flawed data from firms, and poor analysis. The author also asserts that financial experts are no better than investors. He states that they only have an edge because they can access more information from companies. The author’s information on stock valuation is very insightful. Although I had some knowledge of the two techniques of stock valuation, I had not deeply analyzed them to an extent of identifying their weaknesses. However, the author’s argument convinced me of the flaws of the systems. I enjoyed humorous examples offered because it was a light way of learning about the techniques. The part of the book also offers a lot of lessons when it comes to stock trading. The first lesson is that one should purchase stocks if their expected growth of earnings is above the market average. Moreover, prospected growth should entail a period of more than five years. The second lesson is that it is too risky to purchase multiple stocks whose prospected future growth has been discounted. The last and the most significant lesson is that an investor should consider whether an asset possesses the likelihood of attracting masses to invest in them. The last lesson means that logic is the key when considering a stock purchase. Another interesting conclusion from the understanding is that I have come to question the roles of financial advisors in aiding investors making investment decisions. The author cites that the only difference between them and investors is that they have more information. Prior to reading the book, I viewed experts as a haven and the best avenue for investors to make right investment decisions. After reading this part of the book, I realized that experts might not be significantly different from investors. I find great sense in the claim because some of the historical bubbles came up since investors had more trust in experts than in the authorities. However, despite gaining the knowledge, I partly disagree with the author’s claim because the fa ct that experts have needed information means that they are in a better position to make sound decisions. Part 3: The New Investment Technology This part entails the next three chapters of the book. The section concentrates on the modern portfolio theory that entails combining assets with different risk levels to create a positive returns diversified portfolio. Harry Markowitz came up with the theory in the 1950s, making him win the 1990 Nobel Prize. Chapter eight introduces the modern portfolio theory by asserting that it is essential for investors to diverse their investments and at the same time minimize their risks to obtain positive returns. According to the author, the risk of an asset is a significant determinant of the nature of returns. It is worth noting that the standard deviation of the stock is usually the measure of risks. The author cites that risks are inevitable irrespective of the nature of diversification. The argument of the author portrays that he partly agrees with the theory. Chapter nine expounds on the theory by explaining ideas highlighted in chapter eight. The outstanding addition to the previous chapter’s ideas is introduction of the beta factor. The author introduces the factor while explaining the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). On the basis of the model, the author argues that investors should avoid diversifiable risks because they do not have premiums. The author also argues that an investor should attain more returns by investing in high-risk assets. However, the risk should be systematic. The premium aspect leads to the introduction of the beta factor. The author explains that the beta factor explains how a stock behaves in the stock market. Specifically, it measures volatility of an asset as compared to the whole market. On the one hand, theoretical application indicates that the price of a stock with a higher beta value will rise at a higher rate than other stocks in case of a bull period. On the other hand, its price will decrease at a higher rate in case of a bear market. However, after introducing the beta concept, the author takes an unprecedented stand by claiming that beta is not a sufficient measure of the relationship between the risk and returns. Chapter ten introduces the concept of behavioral finance. The concept entails application of human cognitive and emotional concepts in making investment decisions. The author argues that behavioral traits such as being overconfident and overreacting often have an influence on investors’ decisions. After explaining the concept, the author concludes that most choices based on personal biases do not reap intended rewards in the long run. Malkiel argues that the common sense aspect of personal biases has a chance of providing a logical judgment on investments that may prove fruitful. Some of the common sense ideas include inner motivation of investors to resist investing in pricey assets in the long run and the desire to avoid overtrading. Another possible aspect of common sense is that an investor should only get rid of stocks that portray a trend of losing value. Chapter eleven entails the author providing a summary of his opinions given in previous chapters. Some of the assertions include that the market is fairly efficient and in most instances corrects discrepancies when they occur. The main attraction point is the author’s use of Benjamin Graham’s argument that investors should always invest in the long-term value stocks. The author does not seem to endorse the Graham’s argument and he goes to the extent of justifying his position. He asserts that in the long run the trends of growth and value stocks do not run parallel to market trends. However, he partly endorses the Graham’s argument by stating that value stocks often tend to perform better during extremities such as bubble and economic depression. After reading the part, I gained more information on the importance of beta. However, after the author providing a lot of information about its importance in determining the risk of an investment, it was surprising for the author to disagree with the beta factor. The author argues that particular differences in the stocks make beta more ineffective. Despite the surprise, I appreciated his insight because it provided a platform for me to read more about the relationship between beta and risk and returns. On the concept of behavioral finance, I have come across real applications of the author’s argument that personal biases affect individual investment decisions. The inner thought that there is an opportunity to make money can urge an individual to make rash decisions. Moreover, the thought of a possible loss can influence similar decisions. The significance of personal biases in investing has led to the creation of various notions in the modern investment world. Some investors have the tendency to disregard the efficient market hypothesis and endorse unproven beliefs. An example is the January effect when people tended to think that stocks perform well in January. Despite their unproven status, beliefs may make an investor invest heavily during the month. In effect, such an investor may end up experiencing losses. Part Four: A Practical Guide for Random Walkers and Other Investors This part aims at giving the reader an insight into the practical side of investing. The part also offers advice to investors by affording them strategies that they can use to choose their investment portfolio. Chapter twelve offers investors advice on how to start an investment venture. The author encourages stock investors to ensure that they have emergency funds available in case their investment decisions lead to losses. Moreover, the author argues that investors should consider investing in â€Å"insurance† investments such as bonds and real estate investments. He argues that ordinary shares and real estate investments provide a viable option for investment. He concludes with the assertion that prior research is vital for investors in coming up with the best portfolio. Chapter thirteen mainly deals with the author’s opinion on the better choice between stocks and bonds. The author argues that an investor should not entirely rely on the past performance of a stock to predict its future performance. However, he states that the past performance partially influences its future value. The author believes that investing in stock in the long run offers more returns than in bonds due to the elimination of risks. Moreover, he asserts that investing in stocks in the long run may provide the needed safety to fight inflation. However, Malkiel insists that the period cannot be shorter than a decade. He states that a shorter period than a decade is too random and investors do not have a choice but to invest in risky stocks. The assertion means that investors who intend to venture into the short-term investments have to choose between risks and adopt the one that they feel comfortable to carry. Chapter fourteen entails the author insisting that investors willing to commit their resources for more than a decade should commit themselves to stocks. He also insists that it would be better for short-term investors to concentrate on a diversified portfolio that include bonds. The author also advises short-term investors to consider retaining some of their resources as cash to cover any case of emergency. The chapter offers guidance on how investors can approach the market. Despite offering the above options, Malkiel encourages investors to venture into long-term investments. He advises investors to consider venturing into long-term stocks as a way of saving a retirement fund. Chapter fifteen is the last one in the section and the entire book. Apart from providing a summary of the book, it goes into the specifics of investing. The author argues that an investor does not have to perform an extremely detailed analysis to make an investment analysis. Instead, the author encourages investors to venture into an index fund. He encourages investors intending to purchase individual stocks to venture for the long term instead of trading them. Moreover, he asserts that investors should concentrate on stocks that have a record of good performance. Concerning managed funds, the author has reservations about them. He asserts that they may not be an advisable option because they may have misleading information. The also advises investors to purchase stocks that create positive stories about their potential to improve their value. After reading the last part of the book, I came to get the picture of intentions of the author. The first intention is to prove that the market efficiency hypothesis offers a realistic guidance in the stock market. The second aim was to reconcile market efficiency and perceptions of the market towards economic bubbles. The last aim of the author was to identify various ways of analyzing the stock market, highlight their weaknesses, and apply lessons from their weaknesses in offering investment advice to investors. The fourth part culminates his aims by combining strengths of different investments theories and techniques and avoiding their weaknesses to come up with a hybrid investment decision-making guideline. In conclusion, investors ought to read the Malkiel’s text. The book is organized in well-thought sections that cover aspects that entail financing progressively. Reading all the parts enriches a reader with information necessary in making appropriate investment decisions. The author came up with investment theories and techniques and highlighted their roles in investments. He aimed at offering the best financial advice. It is undeniable that the author believes in a partly efficient market and he justifies it by giving out real-life historical examples. The book has a lot of lessons for all investors. The main lesson is that an investor should have the courage to make investment decisions instead of relying solely on financial experts. Moreover, investors should apply logic in the decision-making. With the author analyzing crucial investment theories and concepts and then offering their critique, his aim is to communicate that none of them is efficient. For this reason, a hybrid way of the approach that entails picking strengths of the theories and techniques would be the preferable way to approach investments. Personally, I have learned that caution is the key to approaching investments. Moreover, I have learned that over-ambition or moving along with the crowds can be detrimental in some instances. I have also learned that having long-term investments is a preferable way of saving in the long run. The book also teaches that if an investor chooses to invest for a short-term period of fewer than ten years risks are inevitable. For this reason, diversification is the key. Due to the above lessons, investors, whether they believe in the efficiency or the market or not, need to read the book to expand their investment knowledge.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sicilian Mafia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sicilian Mafia - Essay Example Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra) is among the highly dangerous organized criminal groups of Italy. This research paper will discuss regarding the background, history, and formation, past and present criminal activities of the Sicilian Mafia. It will highlight how it has impacted the social and economic life of the people in the world and which policies have been made by the authorities to restrict the mafia from affecting the lives of the people. Whether there has been any restriction policy on this major mafia group or not is another big question which will be answered by this research paper (Sinai, 2007). The paper will start with background information following the related theories regarding the Sicilian Mafia. The current situations of the criminal group along with their economic impact on the entire world will be discussed. The methodology of the research paper will also be presented and the results will be drawn out of the economic statistics. The main objective of this research p aper is to check the association of the origin of Sicilian Mafia with the higher profits earned in the lemon and citrus fruits markets. The work has basically been done by taking the data from the imperfect market situations of the 19th century. The paper is going to highlight the facts regarding the Italian imperfect markets of citrus fruits where the fixed costs of growing citrus fruits were very high. This entry barrier caused only a few people to grow these fruits, thus earning significantly higher profits as well (Dimico, 2012). At that time the government rule was also very poor, but in order to prevent the people from earning higher profit