Intervention on Mary’s Crisis

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1994) says that those who are in crisis need immediate intervention through emotional first aid and support. Crisis intervention aims to improve health or resolve a personal conflict through an immediate, short-term psychotherapeutic approach. Mary is just the right person who is in need of immediate intervention. Her problems began when she discovered that she could not conceive a child due to some biological reason. She suffered from this because â€Å"she is incapable of doing something that is a simple biological function of being a woman† (Vasudev, 2005). This could be the reason why she thought she was a failure because she could not give her husband a child. In our society today, those who cannot bear a child are a laughing matter. Even during the times of our ancestors, a woman’s auspiciousness is measured by the number of children she has. This was considered an asset, especially when her children are male. Vasudev (2005) considered children as important for survival and for economic and social situations. He said, â€Å"People did not experience life to any depth with any other aspect except by bearing children. It’s as if you have not experienced life† (Vasudev, 2005). But he added that so many factors are involved, such as social, economic, emotional, physical and biological aspects. What has been embedded in the history of humans about child bearing is still observed today. A woman who cannot bear a child is considered unfortunate or outcast in our society. This was probably how Mary felt with the dilemma she was facing. To make matters worse for her, her inability to produce a child precipitated the bitter divorce between her and her husband. This only made her feel inadequate. This situation proved hard for Mary, especially when her second husband also wanted to divorce her. She blamed herself for losing her husband and his child because she thought she was not a better wife, despite her efforts in devoting herself to them. This indicated that she was crisis prone, as shown by her tendency to feel overly depressed by unfavorable events in her life. Greenwald (undated) explained that depression is caused by many factors, one of which is biological. Mary had problems with eating and sleeping. Another factor is psychological. Greenwald noted, â€Å"If you fail to live up to some internal standard of who or what you are supposed to be, some internal watchdog notes your failures and begins to let you know that you haven’t been all that you could be† (Greenwald, undated). Moreover, people tend to feel depressed because they think they haven’t done what they think they should have. This results to low self-esteem, as is the case with Mary because she could not conceive a child. She also blamed herself for the bad things in her life. Dr. Greenwald added that when important people fail to understand or recognize or appreciate, it could result to depression. Sometimes, this made a person feel that she is not good enough. Mary was sensitive to this since she had a history of divorce. Mary’s condition after learning of her husband’s plans showed that she was in a crisis. She was undergoing a strong, reactive depression, which is not normally experienced by someone who is upset. Moreover, it involved her health, her job and her self-esteem. She also indicated that â€Å"it would be better to be dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which showed that she was considering suicide as an option to end her dilemma. This is an indication that should not be ignored. It is important to let Mary know that someone cares for her, and that is me and it is why I’m there to help her solve her problem. I will use Roberts’ Seven Stage Crisis Intervention Model (2000) in conducting the intervention. After gaining her confidence and trust, I will conduct crisis assessment, including lethality. Is she depressed, lonely or suicidal? Is she safe or alone? Does she mean to harm herself? These questions should be asked with sensitivity. Assessment of danger must be throughout the intervention. I must establish rapport and make her feel at ease in telling me her problems. I will listen for important events and persons so that I know who and what are important to her. I will listen for significant changes, losses, disappointments and failures to identify the major problem/s. I will find out the trigger events so that I can think of strategies in helping her. Through active listening, I will ask about the feelings surrounding the people or events as she tells me her history. Questions include: â€Å"How did you feel about that?† â€Å"What were your feelings?† â€Å"What do you think about this situation?† â€Å"You might have been angry?† â€Å"Were you hurt about that?† It is also important that I listen for problems about anger. I should help the person discover if her depression was to do with unexpressed anger. â€Å"It sounds like you have problems expressing your anger.† â€Å"How do you vent your anger?† If anger is not the issue, I will look for other possibilities. If Mary tells about her depression on her first divorce, I can refer her to psychotherapy. I can also give support through validation. I will convince her that what she is feeling is ok and that she is not alone. She is worthy and can overcome her problems. She is stronger than she can imagine. I can tell her â€Å"I’d feel the same way if I were in your shoes† or â€Å"Of course I’d feel depressed; I think anyone would.† Then I will ask her the areas where she considers she excels. I will tell her that she is not a failure. She just needs to explore her feelings, ideas, skills and accomplishments. I can convince her to join any club or activities where she can use her talents, or to try calling her sister and family because I’m sure they care for her. I will point out resources that she may have forgotten. I can give her the power to make choices and opportunities for herself, and take charge. Mary found out that despite what happened, she can move on because she is strong. The time of feeling down is past; she must look for the brighter things and dedicate her energy to more important things. She felt thankful that she called that crisis hotline; although her problems were not over yet, she felt as though her burdens were lifted. REFERENCES Crisis Intervention and Domestic Violence National Resource. (undated). Roberts’ Seven Stage Crisis Intervention Model. Crisis Intervention Network. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from http://www.crisisinterventionnetwork.com/intervention_roberts.html Greenwald, Barry. (undated). Loneliness, Depression, and Suicide. Retrieved on September 17, 2007 from http://www.uic.edu/orgs/convening/depress.htm Vasudev, Sadhguru Jaggi. (May 3, 2005). Barren Woman. Chennai Online. Retrieved on September 17, 2007 from http://www.chennaionline.com/health/yoga/2005/04yoga45.asp

Health Care Providers Essay

Health Care Providers Respiratory therapists care for people of all ages with restricted breathing problems such as emphysema, chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma. Respiratory therapists may work in hospitals, long term care facilities, physicians’ offices, and home health services. Respiratory therapists must have an associate’s degree, although most have a both an associates and bachelor’s degree from an accredited college. They are licensed in all states except Alaska (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012). Licensure requires passing a state certification or professional examination. Respiratory therapists teach patients how to use inhalers and aerosol machines. They provide counseling on smoking cessation. Also set-up, connects, and monitors ventilators for patients that cannot breathe on their own. Respiratory therapists also perform chest physiotherapy on cystic fibrosis patients to remove mucus from their lungs to make it easier for them to breathe. They also perform dia gnostic testing such as Pulmonary Function Testing and Methocholine Challenge Testing. The Pulmonary Function Tests provides physicians information on the patient’s lung capacity and breathing ability to assist them in prescribing the appropriate medication. The Methocholine Challenge Test determines if the patient has reversible asthma disease. The Respiratory therapist also performs a test called polysomnogram, a test to determine if a person has sleep apnea (breathing pauses during sleep). The annual median pay for Respiratory therapists as of May 2010 is $54, 280 (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012). Employment of Respiratory therapists is expected to grow 28% from 2010 to 20120 (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012) because of the rise in the in the number of elderly with increased incident of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases that restrict lung function or cause permanent damage. Also affecting the increase in the need for respiratory therapists is the continued use of all forms of smoking, air pollution and respiratory emergencies. A podiatrist is commonly known as a foot doctor, but is really a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM). Podiatrists treat and diagnosis conditions of the feet, ankles, and lower legs. Podiatrists must complete four years of training in a podiatric medical school, after earning a bachelor’s degree and three years of residency training in a hospital setting. Podiatrists must be licensed in every state. To become licensed they have to pay a fee and pass  a state exam. Podiatrists can choose to specialize in various fields such as pediatrics, wound care, surgery, sports medicine, or diabetic care. Podiatrists can earn board certification by taking an exam after advanced training and clinical experience. The American Board of Podiatric Medicine and the American Board of Podiatric Surgery are the two certifying boards. Podiatrists traditionally work in private offices either alone or with partners, hospitals, and long-term care. The median annual salary for a podiatrist as of 2010 was $118,030 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012). The job outlook for podiatrist looks very good in the future, partly due to the limited number of podiatric medical schools and the amount of older podiatrists retiring. Education for chiropractors is one of the stringent of today’s healthcare providers. The chiropractor uses spinal manipulation to relieve the symptoms of low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Chiropractors believe your body has a natural way of healing itself, the body’s structure, nerves, bones, muscles, and joints are all enter-related, and chiropractic treatment helps to balance your body and promote self-healing. When a person decides to enter chiropractor school he must have already completed fours of pre-medical undergraduate education. Once accepted into an accredited chiropractic college, four to five years of intense professional study is standard. Due to the hands on approach to chiropractic medicine most of the training is done in the clinical training. Because of their extensive training, chiropractors are able to diagnose health problems and refer patients to other healthcare providers as needed. Doctors of chiropractic are required to pass a national exam to become state licensed prior to practicing on their own. Chiropractors work in a variety of settings, hospitals, private practices, and schools. The median annual salary for a chiropractor varies depending on the location and setting, ranging from $ 31,120 to $142, 000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013). Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Respiratory Therapists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratorytherapists.htm http://www.apma.org/learn/content.cfm?ItemNumber=992&navItemNumber=558 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Podiatrists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/podiatrists.htm http://www.acatoday.org/level3_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID=61&T3ID=151 http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291011.htm http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chiropractic http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists

Eco Plastic Solution Essay

This case focuses on determination of the cost of capital for a firm. The student determines the cost of individual sources of financing, including long-term debt, preferred stock, and common stock. The cost of debt is adjusted for Eco Plastics’ 40% tax bracket. The company is considering a new financial structure, with the replacement of preferred stock financing with debt financing. Additional use of debt increases the common stockholders’ required rate of return. The student is asked to compare the two weighted average costs of capital and identify the better financial structure for Eco Plastics Company. a. Cost of debt: Proceeds from sale of $1,000 par value bond: $1,000 − (average discount & floatation costs) $1,000 − ($45 + $32) = $923 Subsequent payments: Interest payments ($1,000 Ãâ€" 0.105) + Par value Before-tax cost of debt N = 20, PV = $923, PMT = −105, FV = −1,000 Solve for I = 11.50% After-tax cost of debt: ri = rd (1-T) = 11.5% (1−0.4) = 6.9% b. Cost of preferred stock: rp = Dp à · Np = (0.095 Ãâ€" $95) à · ($95 – $7) = $9.02 à · $88 = 10.25% c. Cost of common stock: rj = RF + [bj Ãâ€" (rm − RF)] = 0.04 + [1.3 Ãâ€" (0.13 − 0.04)] = 0.04 + [1.3 Ãâ€" 0.09] = 0.04 + 0.1170 = 15.7% d. Weighted average cost of capital: ra = (wi Ãâ€" ri) + (wp Ãâ€" rp) + (ws Ãâ€" rn) = (0.30 Ãâ€" 0.069) + (0.20 Ãâ€" 0.1025) + (0.50 Ãâ€" 0.157) = 0.0207 + 0.0205 + 0.785 = 0.1197, or about 12% e. 1. Change in risk Premium: Change in beta Ãâ€" market risk premium = (1.5 − 1.3) Ãâ€" (0.13 − 0.04) = 0.2 Ãâ€" 0.09 = 0.018 Shareholders require 1.8% more per year New cost of common equity: rj = RF + [bj Ãâ€" (rm − RF)] = 0.04 + [1.5 Ãâ€" (0.13 − 0.04)] = 0.04 + [1.5 Ãâ€" 0.09] = 0.04 + 0.1350 = 17.5% Note: 17.5% − 15.7% = 1.8% 2. Revised weighted average cost of capital: ra= (wi x ri) + (ws x rn) = (0.50 Ãâ€" 0.069) + (0.50 Ãâ€" 0.175) = 0.0345 + 0.0875 = 0.1220 3. Eco Plastics’ CFO should retain the cheaper current financial structure. Replacing preferred stock financing with debt financing results in more risk to the stockholders. The increase in stockholders’ required rate of return is more than offsets the advantage of using the low cost debt. If Eco Plastics’ CFO were to revise the capital structure, share price would fall and shareholder wealth would not be maximized.

Legal Assignment for Architecture Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Assignment for Architecture - Case Study Example A covenant is an agreement written under seal commonly used with reference to sales or leases of land. Covenants are privately negotiated and agreed not necessarily obligating both parties involved, but a promise to perform or give something to the other party. The legal document is part of the deed of ownership and represents a binding contract between two parties: the covenantor (the person bound to perform the promise or stipulation) and the covenantee (the person on whose favour it is made). In this instance, Robert is the covenantor, one doing the favour, and John is the covenantee, for whom the favour is intended. Favour at this instance is the retaining wall in Robert's property. Covenants are subdivided into numerous classes. Restrictive covenant is a covenant which restricts the use of land, which is binding not only upon the current owner, but also upon the future owners of the land. A covenant real runs with the land and descends to the heir and is also transferred to a purchaser. If the original owner of Robert's land covenanted to maintain the wall, then the nature of the covenant is a restrictive covenant. Robert is obliged by the restrictive covenant to maintain the retaining wall that already exists. Trying to get a covenant enforced is risky and can be expensive and time consuming. If a covenant is breached, John should check if enforcement is possible by going through the courts. He would need to prove if his rights are affected. If Robert fails to maintain the retaining wall on his property and risks to damage or cause detriment to John's property, John must show that the disrepair of the retaining wall amounts to liability on Robert's part. 2. Does John have a right of support from the wall What is the nature and effect of such a right John has a right of lateral support from the wall. Since John's property or soil had not been altered and it was in its natural state, thereby allowing for the right of lateral support. Lateral support is the right of a landowner expected from the neighbouring property against any slippage, cave-in, landslide, flood, etc. In the case of the two owners, in addition to separating lands, the retaining wall serves to retain the earth. Although John's land is at a much lower level than Robert's, he still has the right of lateral support since the right signifies maintaining the land in its natural position. Since Robert owns the retaining wall, it is his obligation to maintain the wall to prevent soil from slippage upon the adjoining property and that the damage or impending damage is due to the natural state of his property, at this instance, the growing roots of a tree in his property. This impending damage on another's natural state of property requires Robert to give due John's right of lateral support. In this instance where John's property is in danger of land slippage from Robert's property due to a caving or damaged retaining wall that has been covenanted by Robert, caused by the growing trees in Robert's property, John may seek lateral support. 3. Can the tree be chopped down if it is subject to a tree preservation order John needs to request from

Workplace motivation techniques Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Workplace motivation techniques - Research Paper Example Their review also indicated that social recognition improved performance by 17% while feedback improved task performance by only 10%. All three factors when combined improved performance by 45%. Perry and Mesch concluded that feedback combined with social recognition and monetary incentives produced the most desirable effect on performance (Perry and Mesch 505). Perry and Mesch investigated motivational interventions in service and manufacturing industries and found that performance improvements were larger in manufacturing than in service industries (Perry and Mesch 506). While financial, non-financial and social rewards produced the strongest effect in manufacturing organizations, financial reinforcement produced a stronger effect on task performance in service industries. Ventrice in his research on effects of motivational intervention on performance found that financial incentives significantly affected performance quantity but not quality (Ventrice 122). He, however, found that the type of task did not affect the relationship between financial incentives and performance quality. Other researchers found that goal setting and monetary incentives influence performance independently. Perry and Mesch in their work on incentives found that merit pay resulted in positive outcomes especially for individuals but different institutional arrangements affected the feasibility and effectiveness of merit pay (Perry and Mesch para10). They concluded that merit pay was at best moderately effective. Carroll, on the other hand, found that merit and pay-for-performance systems were ineffective in the public sector as they had little positive impact on employee motivation and organizational performance (Carroll 67). He attributed this result to insufficient fund allocation for merit pay and the lack of managerial and organizational characteristics necessary for an effective pay-for-performance

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 279

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Orestes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Special Education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Special Education - Coursework Example The discrepancies will indicate whether it is a disability or lower achievement (NICHCY, n.p.). Carmen is likely at risk for behavioral and social problems, due to poor perception by other students who has no learning disability, who are likely to perceive her as incompetent, thus alienating her from social inclusion. This will affect her self esteem, thus impacting on her behavior and ability to interact with the rest. c. Dyslexia- is characterized by difficulty with learning to read fluently and with accurate comprehension despite normal intelligence. This includes phonological awareness, phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, language skills/ verbal comprehension, and or rapid naming. d. Dyscalculia- is difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, and learning math facts. It is generally seen as a specific developmental disorder like

Managing abd training development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing abd training development - Essay Example This demographic shift will result in the drop of by about five percent in employees of the age group 25 to 39 and at the same time the percentage of employees in the age group 50 to 65 could go up by twenty percent. This anticipated shift in the percentage change of age groups among employees is expected to have a positive impact on training of employees. Older employees will need to be trained and retrained to keep pace with the ever-changing work environment to retain them as part of the workforce. This retention of the older employees would cause enhanced competition in jobs among the younger people with minimal educational qualifications, low-level skills and limited work experience. (Newton, B., Hurstfield, J., Miller, L., Akroyd, K. and Gifford, J. 2005. Training participation by age amongst unemployed and inactive people). The significance of training at the workplace has received an impetus in the last ten years, as a result of developments that have occurred all around the world. The factors that have contributed to the transformation seen at the workplace include the growth of the knowledge economy, the impact of globalisation, and the increased use of high performance working techniques in the planning and implementation of work objectives as a result of the dramatic developments in the field of information and communication techniques. (Workplace Learning and Training). The United Kingdom continues to languish on the international league table of qualifications particularly in comparison to France and Germany, despite the efforts put for improvement in recent times. The older workforce in the United Kingdom has a larger role to play in this not too happy position with relation to qualifications and skills and display essentially two groups of over lapping deficiencies namely in terms of poor basic skills and lack of qualifications. The concern of the government can be seen and its

Business Environment Analysis of British Airways Assignment

Business Environment Analysis of British Airways - Assignment Example (BA) using a brief description of its mission, vision along with its long and short-term business objectives. The discussion would also focus on describing the extent to which BA addresses different objectives of the stakeholders and explain the key responsibilities of the organisation towards implementing strategies to accomplish them. Moreover, the aim of the assignment is also to understand the nature of the national environment in which BA operates, by evaluating economic system and assessing impact of the fiscal, monetary policy along with competition and regulatory mechanism on BA to achieve its business objectives. In addition, the assignment also tends to explain the current market structure of the airline industry of the UK and reveal how it determines the pricing and output decision on different airline activities of BA. Finally, the assignment will focus on the significance of key global factors that have major influence on the UK business organisations and how they shape the national business activities of BA. Founded in the year 1974, BA has long been witnessed as one of the highly reputed organisations in the global airline business industry. The organisation performs its continuous development through different unprecedented conditions of the global airline industry. In relation to the current business performance, the key purpose of BA is to maintain continuous focus on its strategy of being renowned as the world’s leading premium airline company (British Airways Plc., 2010). The mission statement of BA significantly defines delivering of effective airline services by acting responsibly to ensure better customers experience with adequate safety and confidence while flying to their respective destinations. With due regards to the mission statement of BA, providing adequate safety along with increasing confidence of the customers is the utmost factor

Certified Public Accountant Essay Example for Free

Certified Public Accountant Essay No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. , 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, website www. copyright. com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley Sons, Inc. , 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 070305774, (201)748-6011, fax (201)748-6008, website http://www. wiley. com/go/permissions. To order books or for customer service, please call 1(800)-CALL-WILEY (225-5945). Printed in the United States of America. ISBN 978-0-470-87810-1 Ethical Decisions in Accounting Learning Objectives After studying this module you should be able to: Understand the importance of ethics Know the history of ethics in accounting Incorporate ethics into your decision process Know ethical standards for accounting professionals Understand ethical implications of the U. S.transition to IFRS Appreciate lessons learned from recent business scandals. SECTION 1 — THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS Ethics is an important part of your accounting education and it will play an increasingly important role in all aspects of your professional life. This module is intended to give you an overview of the study of ethics. It is a starting point for the discussion of ethics that will continue throughout all of your accounting studies. We will begin with a definition of ethics and then review some ethical theories that provide a framework for developing ethical standards for accounting students and professionals. Finally, we will discuss why ethics is important to you as you prepare for a career in accounting. DEFINITION OF ETHICS What exactly is ethics? According to Webster’s Dictionary ethics is â€Å"a discipline dealing with good and evil and moral duty, and with moral principles and practice. † Accounting ethics basically involves applying moral principles to accounting and business decisions. Business ethics is a more general form of applied ethics that relates moral principles to business situations. Business ethics examines behavior toward the outside world considering ethical principles and business codes of ethics. Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 1 Simply put, ethics is doing the right thing. It is not easy to define ethics because ethics can be different for different people. You have your own personal values and these values are very important in the decisions you make. When you are in business you will be required to follow codes of conduct that are established by your company and by any professional associations that you belong to. Following the ethical standards of these organizations is important, but you should always bring your own personal values into your business model. ETHICAL THEORIES Philosophers have developed many theories to provide a framework for making ethical business decisions. These theories provide a point of reference for developing codes of conduct for companies and professional associations. Most ethical codes in business are based on the following moral theories: Rights theory. The moral choice is the choice that best protects and respects the moral rights of those involved with a decision. This theory suggests that humans have a dignity that is based on their human nature and their ability to freely choose what they do with their lives. Therefore they have a right to be treated as ends and not merely as means to other ends. Utilitarian theory. The ethical action is the action that provides the most good or does the least harm. The ethical business action is the one that produces the greatest good and does the least harm for all who are affected— business stakeholders such as customers, employees, shareholders, the community, and the environment. Common good theory. The relationships of society are the basis of ethical reasoning and respect and compassion for others is the basis for moral decisions. This theory addresses the common conditions that are important to the welfare of everyone. Virtue theory. Ethical actions should be consistent with ideal virtues that provide for the full development of humanity. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, tolerance, love, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are examples of virtues. Fairness theory. Ethical actions treat all human beings fairly based on some standard that is defensible. We might pay people more, based on the difficulty of their work or the greater amount that they contribute to a company. IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS Information provided by accountants and auditors is relied upon by people who make decisions about companies and organizations. For example, if you are considering buying stock in a company you need accurate and reliable information upon which you can base your decision. Lenders such as banks and financial institutions need reliable information to determine if they will loan money to companies. Government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service collect taxes based on the financial information provided by companies. People rely on the accountants who prepare financial reports. Knowledge of ethics will help you to make good decisions that will give proper information to those who rely on you. With proper information, better decisions will be made. 2 | Ethical Decisions in Accounting Business decisions can affect many people or stakeholders. For example, when you make a decision for your company it can affect the owners and employees of the company, banks who provide resources to the company, customers of the company, and people in the community where the company is located. In addition to the effect of your decision on the profits of the company, your decision may also have other non-financial factors that have important effects on stakeholders. What if you were considering two alternative projects for your company: (1) a project that would make significant profit for your company and also pollute the environment with harmful chemicals; (2) another project that would earn less profit but would have no negative effects on the environment and would not harm any stakeholders. Which project would you choose? Should non-pecuniary factors enter into the decision process? If you consider factors that are not fiscal-only in nature, then how do you measure them? Often, the most important factors in a decision are the ones that cannot be easily measured. Because some things cannot be measured easily, however, does not mean that we should not consider them in our decisions. That is the main point about the importance of ethics in accounting—an awareness that ethics is an important part of business decisions. We often use the cost-benefit decision model to evaluate business projects. We list the costs on one side and the benefits on the other side and the greater number often decides the project. If the benefits are greater than the costs we accept the project; if the costs exceed the benefits the project is rejected. Where does ethics fit into the process? More Profit Less Profit Ethical issues deserve a place in the costbenefit model. It is really quite simple— you consider the possible costs and benefits of ethical issues and place them on the scale along with other costs and benefits. Because ethical issues often are difficult or impossible to measure does not mean that they are not important or that they should not be considered in the decision. A more ethical decision is likely to result if ethical factors are at least brought into the picture when making business decisions. Again, awareness of the ethical implications of business decisions is the key to good business decisions. Not all decisions use the cost benefit model. Some decisions involve choosing different courses of action, such as recording accounting transactions when different alternatives are available under generally accepted accounting principles. You will need to choose the correct action according to the circumstances involved, and not based solely on the amount of profit your company can make. As the U. S. moves toward adopting international accounting standards, the accounting guidance will be based more on principles than on specific rules. The use of judgment will likely play a more prominent role in making accounting choices and ethical principles will play an even more important role in business decisions. Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 3 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Soon you will graduate from college and get a job. What ethical codes of conduct will you have to follow? How will your personal values affect your business decisions? What penalties are there for failure to follow ethical standards? 2. Look at the ethical standards of the AICPA or the IMA included in section 4 of this module. What principles will guide you in making accounting choices? SECTION 2 — THE HISTORY OF ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING In the wake of recent, high-profile accounting scandals, you might think that ethics is a relatively new topic to the field of accounting. Actually, ethics has been an important part of accounting since methods of keeping financial records gained momentum in the thirteenth century. A code of ethics now applies to all accounting professionals and ethics has become an integral feature of accounting education. BRIEF HISTORY OF ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING Luca Pacioli, an Italian mathematician and Franciscan friar, described a method of keeping financial accounts in 1494 when he published his first book Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni, et Proportionalita (translated â€Å"everything about arithmetic, geometry, and proportions†). In this book he wrote about many topics, including the first ever double-entry bookkeeping system, cost accounting – and accounting ethics. Over the years, ethical standards have been developed by many different professional associations, government agencies, and private companies. These organizations created ethical codes of conduct which their members or employees are expected to follow when they perform their professional work. An important organization in the early development of accounting ethical standards was the American Association of Public Accountants (AAPA) which was created in 1887. During that year, accounting became a profession, or a group of people whose members must meet certain standards to engage in the practice of accounting. In 1907, the AAPA incorporated professional ethics into its membership rules. However, membership in the AAPA was voluntary and therefore the ethical standards of the AAPA could not be enforced on a widespread basis. The AAPA was later renamed to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The code of ethics of the AICPA is a major force in applied accounting ethics in today’s business world. The ethical standards of the AICPA are fully described in Section 4 of this module—Ethical Standards for Accounting Professionals. Members of the AICPA are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) who must comply with the AICPAs ethical standards. Noncompliance could result in losing a license to practice as a CPA. 4 | Ethical Decisions in Accounting ETHICS IN THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION In the middle of the twentieth century the Commission on Standards of Education and Experience for Certified Public Accountants identified seven characteristics of a profession: 1. A specialized body of knowledge 2. A formal education process to acquire the specialized body of knowledge 3. A standard of professional qualifications to enter the profession 4. A standard of conduct 5. Recognition of status 6. An acceptance of social responsibility7. An organization devoted to the advancement of the social responsibility Characteristic 4—requiring a standard of conduct and characteristic 6—accepting social responsibility, relate most directly to accounting ethics. What standards of conduct should accountants follow and what is the social responsibility accountants have toward the public they serve? Standards of conduct and accounting codes of ethics as developed by current professional accounting organizations are more fully addressed in section 4 of this module—Ethical Standards for Accounting Professionals. A professional must accept a moral responsibility to act in the best interests of the public. This means that business must look beyond profits to the common good and be sure not to harm the public good. The purpose of business is to make a profit, but profit should not be the only motive for business. Adam Smith maintained that business should seek a profit within the ethical principles of justice and fairness. Therefore, a business professional must protect the public interest while pursuing the profit motive. Many would argue that acting in the best interest of the public is also in the best interest of the company. In other words, ethics is good for business and makes the company successful even as the company looks out for the common good. ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION Colleges and universities in the U. S. have included ethics in their curricula since Harvard University was founded as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Many colleges since then have included ethics courses in their liberal arts programs. In the 1980’s, however, applied accounting ethics really gained momentum and many colleges in the U. S. started incorporating ethics into accounting and business classes. This incorporation of ethics into business and accounting is called applied ethics because the ethical principles learned in the philosophy classes is applied to practical accounting situations in accounting classes. With applied ethics, students get to add a new dimension to their business decision process—soft ethical issues in addition to the hard numbers traditionally used to evaluate business projects. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Some argue that ethics cannot be taught in college because students have already formed their values when they come to college. Do you think ethics should be included in the accounting curriculum in colleges and universities? Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 5 2. Do you feel that good ethical behavior is good for company profits? Describe a situation in which making a decision in the interest of the public good would increase the profitability of a business in the long run. SECTION 3—ETHICS IN THE DECISION PROCESS While you are in college studying accounting you will need to develop a thinking process that will guide you in making business decisions. When you graduate from college and enter the accounting profession you will use the knowledge you learned in college to help your company be successful and to create a better society. Learning accounting is not just about learning numbers, but also about learning to make good decisions. ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION How can you incorporate ethical decision-making when you study accounting? Many organizations exist that provide guidance to universities regarding how to incorporate ethics into accounting education programs. In addition, there are many tools students can use to solve an ethical dilemma. Some ethics tools with links to good web sites are provided at the end of this section. The main way you can bring ethics into your decision process, however, is simply to be aware of ethical issues in accounting situations and to consider these ethical issues as part of your decision model. The need for ethics in education is apparent in light of recent high-profile business fraud cases. In the United States, the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is the accrediting body for business schools. AACSB makes the education standards for business schools, and the AACSB standards do include ethics. Because ethical values differ among countries and cultures, there is no universally accepted code of ethics. Nonetheless, there are basic ethical principles that cross international borders, and International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has attempted to provide some guidance for teaching ethics in all countries. International Education Standards (IES) prescribe standards of generally accepted ethical principles in the education of accounting students. The standards express the benchmarks that you are expected to meet in your accounting education program. They establish the essential elements of the content and process of education and development at a level that is aimed at gaining international recognition, acceptance and application. The standards cannot legally override local laws and regulations but will provide an authoritative reference for informing and influencing local regulators regarding generally accepted ethical principles. The International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) recognizes the wide diversity of culture, language, and educational, legal, and social systems in the countries of the member bodies and of the variety of functions performed by accountants. Therefore, each individual member body will determine the detailed requirements of the education programs. International Education Standards for Professional Accountants are intended to establish only 6 | Ethical Decisions in Accounting the essential elements on which ethical principles for all professional accountants and accounting students should be based. The IAESB has issued eight International Education Standards. These standards cover the entry requirements for accounting education programs, as well as the experience and continuing professional development requirements you will be required to follow when you become an accounting professional: INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS (IES). IES 1: Entry Requirements to a Program of Professional Accounting Education IES 2: Content of Professional Accounting Education Programs IES 3: Professional Skills IES 4: Professional Values Ethics and Attitudes IES 5: Practical Experience Requirements IES 6: Assessment of Professional Capabilities and Competence IES 7: Continuing Professional Development: A Program of Lifelong Learning and Continuing Development of Professional Competence IES 8: Competence Requirements for Audit Professionals IES 4 prescribes the professional values, ethics and attitudes you should acquire during your education program. The aim of this standard is to ensure that you are equipped with the appropriate professional values, ethics, and attitudes to function as a professional accountant. IFAC recognizes that the accountancy profession throughout the world operates in environments with different cultures and regulatory requirements. IFAC has, nevertheless, established an international Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. Professional values, ethics and attitudes relate directly to IFAC’s mission to develop and enhance the profession to enable it to provide services of consistently high quality in the public interest. IES 4 requires that university accounting programs should provide you with a framework of professional values, ethics, and attitudes for exercising professional judgment and for acting in an ethical manner that is in the best interest of society and the profession. The required values, ethics, and attitudes of professional accountants include a commitment to comply with local codes of ethics which should be in conformity with the IFAC Code of Ethics. The coverage of ethics in accounting education programs should include: the nature of ethics differences of rules-based and principles-based approaches to ethics compliance with fundamental ethical principles professional behavior and compliance with technical standards concepts of independence, accountability, and public expectations social responsibility ethics and law consequences of unethical behavior to the individual, the profession, and to society Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 7 ethics in relation to business and good governance whistle blowing, conflicts of interest, ethical dilemmas and their resolution. IES 4 recommends that the presentation of ethics may be treated, at least initially, as a separate subject in the accounting program. As you progress through your accounting curriculum and gain a wider knowledge of other subjects, your business curriculum will likely integrate the various topics covered in other business courses. This will encourage you to look for the possible ethical implications of problems being discussed in your accounting classes and in other business classes you are taking. As an accounting professional you will also need to understand relevant codes of ethics. You can study ethical standards for accounting professionals using the AICPA code of ethics and the IMA ethical standards. You also can examine the ethical standards of other professions and discuss other potential approaches for ethical standards in the accountancy profession. You know from your own accounting education program that you often learn best when you are actively involved learning process, using techniques such as: case studies role playing discussion of selected readings and videos analysis of real life business situations involving ethical dilemmas discussion of disciplinary pronouncements and findings seminars using speakers with experience in corporate or professional decision making Such active learning strategies give you a greater awareness of the ethical implications and potential conflicts that may arise from having to make difficult accounting decisions. It is important for you to learn from your ethical experiences. You should consider an experience, what went well, what did not work, and what approach may be taken in the future in similar circumstances. In this way, you will develop a decision model for ethical accounting choices. All accounting professional associations have codes of ethics that you will be required to follow. Unfortunately, fraud and ethical lapses persist in the business world. What can you do to improve ethical behavior? Awareness of ethical issues and a business decision model that incorporates ethics will help you to apply ethics in your business decisions. Just as you learn to apply financial models in your business decisions, you can also learn ethical models and apply them to business decisions. When you practice ethical situations in your accounting and business classes in college you will be better prepared to make good ethical decisions after you graduate and enter the accounting profession. How can accounting professionals incorporate ethical thinking into their business decisions? Accountants are good at working with numbers, but they need to look beyond the numbers when evaluating business projects. Ethical issues often are not easily measureable in dollars but their impact on accounting and business decisions may be significant and very important. The first step in the process is to be aware that there may be some ethical issues that could affect your decision. Again, awareness is the key. When you bring ethical considerations into the decision process then at least you are considering the possible ethical implications for people who may be affected by the decision you make. 8 | Ethical Decisions in Accounting Accounting professionals who are CPAs must fulfill continuing education requirements to maintain their CPA license. Continuing education in ethics is required in most states. Many CPA firms and large companies have ethics specialists to provide training and serve as resources to address ethical issues. ETHICS TOOLS What are some tools that you can use right now as an accounting student to help you solve ethical dilemmas and develop a process for making ethically good decisions? One tool might be to follow a defined set of steps in making an ethical decision. The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University suggests the following process for making an ethical decision: Recognize an ethical issue Get the facts Evaluate alternative actions Make a decision and test it Act and reflect on the outcome There are also many web sites with resources that will help you learn and apply ethical principles. Here are some websites you can review throughout your accounting career: Ethics Toolkit www. ethics. org/page/ethics-toolkit Cyber Students www. scu. edu/ethics-center/cydent Toolbox, Quiz, and More http://cba. lmu. edu/academicprograms/centers/ethicsandbusiness/toolbox. htm A Framework for Thinking Ethically http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework. html Ethics Cases. www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/cases. cfm? fam=BUSI DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. As an accounting student, how are ethical issues addressed in your accounting curriculum? How can you include ethical issues in a cost-benefit decision model? 2. How should ethical issues be considered in making business decisions? In other words, because ethical factors often cannot be measured, how would you evaluate the effect of ethical issues when you are making a business decision? Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 9 SECTION 4—ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONALS. Having discussed the importance and history of ethics in accounting and some ethical theories that form the basis of accounting ethics, we now turn our attention to the ethical standards of professional organizations. These are the rules that you will need to follow as an accounting professional. We will start with a preview of professional associations of public accountants and management accountants. Then we will look at the American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants’ Code of Professional Ethics and the Institute of Management Accountants’ statement of ethical professional practice. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. As an accounting professional you will belong to a professional accounting association such as the American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) or the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). Professional accounting organizations have codes of ethics that you will be required to follow as a member of that organization. Violations of ethical codes can result in disciplinary action, loss of your professional license, and possible legal prosecution. In addition to the national accounting organizations, states also have licensing bodies and professional associations that have codes of ethical conduct. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) promotes ethical standards through its Center for Public Trust, www. centerforpublictrust. org. Of course, in addition to the ethical standards of professional associations, you also will be required to follow your company’s code of ethics and your personal value system. AICPA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT It is important to know that following ethical standards does not mean simply following the law. You need to distinguish between ethical standards and legal rules. As a CPA when you accept membership in the AICPA you assume an obligation of self-discipline above and beyond the requirements of laws and regulations. The Code of Professional Conduct of the AICPA consists of two sections—(1) the Principles and (2) the Rules. The Principles provide the framework for the Rules, which govern the performance of professional services by members. Principles The six principles of the AICPA code express the professions recognition of its responsibilities to the public, to clients, and to colleagues. 1. Responsibilities In carrying out their responsibilities as professionals, members should exercise sensitive professional and moral judgments in all their activities. 10 | Ethical Decisions in Accounting 2. The public interest Members should accept the obligation to act in a way that will serve the public interest, honor the public trust, and demonstrate commitment to professionalism. 3. Integrity To maintain and broaden public confidence, members should perform all professional responsibilities with the highest sense of integrity. 4. Objectivity and independence A member should maintain objectivity and be free of conflicts of interest in discharging professional responsibilities. A member in public practice should be independent in fact and appearance when providing auditing and other attestation services. 5. Due care A member should observe the professions technical and ethical standards, strive continually to improve competence and the quality of services, and discharge professional responsibility to the best of the members ability. 6. Scope and nature of services A member in public practice should observe the Principles of the Code of Professional Conduct in determining the scope and nature of services to be provided. Rules The bylaws of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants require its members to adhere to the Rules of the Code of Professional Conduct. Members must be prepared to justify departures from these Rules. Rule 101—Independence. A member in public practice shall be independent in the performance of professional services as required by standards promulgated by bodies designated by the AICPA. Rule 102—Integrity and objectivity. In the performance of any professional service, a member shall maintain objectivity and integrity, shall be free of conflicts of interest, and shall not knowingly misrepresent facts or subordinate his or her judgment to others. Rule 201—General standards. A member shall comply with the general standards of professional competence, due professional care, planning and supervision, and sufficient relevant data. Rule 202—Compliance with standards. A member who performs auditing, review, compilation, management consulting, tax, or other professional services shall comply with standards promulgated by bodies designated by the AICPA. Rule 203—Accounting principles. Prohibits a member from expressing an unqualified opinion on financial statements that contain a material departure from GAAP. Rule 301—Confidential client information. A member in public practice shall not disclose any confidential client information without the specific consent of the client. Rule 302—Contingent fees. A member shall not charge a fee on condition that no fee will be charged unless a specific finding or result is attained. Ethical Decisions in Accounting | 11 Rule 501—Acts discreditable. A member shall not commit an act discreditable to the profession. Rule 502—Advertising and other forms of solicitation. A member in public practice shall not seek to obtain clients by advertising or other forms of solicitation in a manner that is false, misleading, or deceptive. Solicitation by the use of coercion, over-reaching, or harassing conduct is prohibited. Rule 503—Commissions and referral fees. A member shall not for a commission recommend or refer to a client any product or service when the member also performs an audit for that client. Rule 505—Form of organization and name. A member may practice public accounting only in a form of organization permitted by law or regulation whose characteristics conform to resolutions of the AICPA. IMA STATEMENT OF ETHICAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE The IMA ethical standards are based on the overall principles of honesty, fairness, objectivity, and responsibility. Members must act in accordance with these principles and encourage others in their organization to do so. Based on these principles the IMA requires its members to adhere to the following ethical standards: Competence 1. Maintain an appropriate level of professional expertise by continually developing knowledge and skills. 2. Perform professional duties in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and technical standards. 3. Provide decision support information and recommendations that are accurate, clear, concise, and timely. 4. Recognize and communicate professional limitations or other constraints that would preclude responsible judgment or successful performance of an activity. Confidentiality 1. Keep information confidential except when disclosure is authorized or legally required. 2. Inform all relevant parties regarding appropriate use of confidential information. Monitor subordinates activities to ensure compliance.

Evaluating the Research Process Essay Example for Free

Evaluating the Research Process Essay Literature Review The following paper will address the research process using the article Assessing Pregnancy Intention and Associated Risks in Pregnant Adolescents. The research process consists of nine parts that include; selecting a problem, formulating a hypothesis, reviewing the literature, listing the measures, describing the subjects, constructing a design, constructing and identifying measurement devices, analysis of the data, and generating conclusions (Neutens Rubinson, 2010). The literature review shows that adolescent pregnancy is a multifaceted problem. Adolescent pregnancy has risk factors that must be taken into account. Ethics Some of these risk factors would be the ethical considerations. The Nuremberg Code which was established in 1947 tried to provide regulations. These regulations were to prevent any more atrocities in human research (Neutens Rubinson, 2010). One of the ethical considerations would be informed consent. Informed consent came about after the Nuremberg Code. Informed consent is about telling the subject about the details of the research, any risks or benefits that could come about (Neutens Rubinson, 2010) Ethical considerations must be taken into consideration when performing tests on human subjects. If anything is not disclosed in the informed consent, it would leave the researchers vulnerable to a lawsuit as well as invalidating the research study. In the article, Assessing Pregnancy Intention and Associated Risks in Pregnant Adolescents, informed consent was followed. â€Å"Informed consent was obtained from the participant and if the participant was younger than 18 years old, conse nt was obtained from her guardian with assent of the minor (participant)† (Phipps Nunes, 2012). The researchers found the subjects during their first prenatal care appointment to the â€Å"Women and Infants Hospital Women’s Primary Care Center, Providence, RI between March 2002 and February 2005† (Phipps Nunes,  2012). Steps were taken to ensure that the participants would be considered adolescents even after their babies were born and that they would understand what was expected of them. The research study was conducted by using research assistants that interviewed the participants. They were questioned about their â€Å"demographic characteristics, life plans, social supports, peer and family relationships, financial support, behavioral risks, and medical history† (Phipps Nunes, 2012). In example, research surveys â€Å"included validated questions where available and where not available content-relevant questions were assessed for face validity. The surveys underwent a process of review and revision that included both clinical experts and age-relevant volunteers† (). In the survey, subjects were asked about pregnancy planning, so that the assistants could assess the subjects’ level of agreement with statements. The statements were coded to assess for risk factors. The state ments ranged from trying to getting pregnant and best age to get pregnant as well as overall feelings about pregnancy (Phipps Nunes, 2012). Statistical Analysis All of the information that was gathered by the research assistants from the participants is used in the statistical analysis to determine the significance level. â€Å"The significance level of a statistical hypothesis test is a fixed probability of wrongly rejecting the null hypothesis, if it is in fact true. The significance level is typically set at five percent† (The Statistics Glossary, n.d.). So anything higher than five percent would be considered statistically insignificant. The researchers â€Å"did observe significant associations between our pregnancy intention metrics and known risk factors for poor outcomes† (Phipps Nunes, 2012). There were two dimensions of pregnancy intention that the researchers assessed. The two significant dimensions were emotional readiness and planning. Emotional readiness was more â€Å"strongly associated with risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnant teens identified as not emotionally ready were at increased risk for delayed prenatal care, inadequate prenatal care utilization, delayed use of prenatal vitamins, recent smoking, recent drinking, recent drug use and depression† (Phipps Nunes, 2012). The findings in the research study article is statistically significant. The study showed that emotional readiness and planning are critical for having a  healthy pregnancy. Before this study came out, researchers thought that being emotionally ready was not nearly as important to pregnancy as proper health care. However, if one is not emotionally ready it can affect getting proper health care. Research Conclusions The conclusion to this study determined that emotional readiness and planning are the main risk factors for adolescent pregnancy that has adverse outcome. This study tests the thought that emotional readiness and planning are the two most important factors against family type as the most important risk factor. If the study was looking into preventing adolescent pregnancy, then family type is the most important risk factor. Emotional readiness and planning are important so that one will have a healthy pregnancy. The results to this study are appropriate. There is enough information to determine that the article was indeed effective. The statistics provided in this study were quantitative in nature. The data was collected in an ethical manner. This can be determined by the appropriate exclusion criteria. The article further indicates that previous research was conducted on the topic adolescent pregnancy. This research enabled the creation of a scoring method to identify adolescents tha t are at risk for pregnancy. The results to this study are very appropriate and there is enough information to determine that the article was indeed effective. The statistics provided in this study were clearly listed and defined. The data was ethically collected and appropriate exclusion criteria were indicated to avoid producing biased results. The article further indicates that previous research was conducted on the topic of adolescent pregnancy. This research enabled the creation of a scoring method to identify those at risk of adolescent pregnancy. The article, Assessing pregnancy intention and associated risks in pregnant adolescents, looks into risk factors for adolescents becoming pregnant and having a health pregnancy. The article uses the research process to come to the conclusions that family type, emotional readiness and planning are all important. Family type is statistically important because it states that an adolescent is more at risk for pregnancy if they come from a less than ideal home. Emotional readiness and planning is statistically important because they can affect pregnancy outcome. These conclusions are the same con clusions that the researchers came to in their article. References Neutens, J. J., Rubinson, L. (2010). Research techniques for the health sciences (4th Ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. Phipps, M. G., Nunes, A. P. (2012). Assessing pregnancy intention and associated risks in pregnant adolescents. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 16(9), 1820-7. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0928-0 The Statistics Glossary. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/glossary/

Music In Advertising And The Media Media Essay

Music In Advertising And The Media Media Essay Music is all around us. It is a constant in our lives. Although the music that we hear changes over time it is always there. What is in today may be out tomorrow. We hear it in the car in the way to work, and once we get there it is playing in the background in the office. It is at the stores where we shop, in the elevators we ride, during the commercial breaks of our favorite television programs, at the gym where we exercise, and many more places we go. With the astronomical amount of music that surrounds us in our everyday lives is no wonder that companies use it as a median to advertise their services and products to us. Advertising is the means by which on party attempts to convince or entice another into purchasing a particular product or service. It differs from the sort of one-on-one sales pitch an individual might encounter at the point of sale in that it addresses a larger, more general audience (Huron). Advertising is instrumental to the success of businesses. If no one kno ws that the business exists or they have no idea what products or services are offered, how will they get customers? The key to business is to advertise, to make sure that a companys products or services are known to the world. People love music. Combining the two is sheer genius. Music can accomplish many things when integrated with advertisements. In advertising it is used to entertain, as a mnemonic device to trigger memory, and to target a specific demographic. When music is used in advertising for entertainment purposes it makes the advertisement more appealing to its targeted audience. A good advertisement gets and holds the attention of the audience. It is simply used for aesthetic purposes. Creating an attractive advertisement allows it to appeal more to an audience thus engaging the audiences attention. Music is also used in advertising as a technique to aid in memory. Early advertising embraced this technique. Rhyme and repetition were used to keep a brand or name of a product in mind. There are several reasons that consumers purchase certain goods or services. According to an article in The Economic Times one of the major factors in consumer purchasing is the fact that the human brain releases the chemical dopamine in response to the product. Usually sound or fragrance are the stimuli that cause this effect. The reason this happens is that the human mind is complex and Because consciously or not, we calculate purchases based on how they might bring us social status-and status is linked with reproductive success (Dobhal). There are several different options for advertisers to choose from to promote their product or service. There is print, radio, and television to name a few. The following is a brief history of advertisements from print to television: Early print advertisements appeared in the newspaper and as posters with pictures and text in popular locations. This form of advertisement is still in use today and is also successful and is found everywhere from newspapers, magazines, to popular trade journals. Billboards are another form of print advertising, they a rather large signs that are located in a conspicuous location that people will notice (Phillips). Radio advertising is one of the earliest forms of advertisement is mass media. The first speech transmission by radio was in 1915 from New York to San Francisco, five years after this historic day, the first radio program aired. A revolution had begun. With thousands of Americans tuning in to hear the radio programs, this is where advertisers hit the jackpot. Television advertisements soon followed. Since the television has such a broad reach, from the beginning it became an attractive medium for advertisers. U.S. advertising rates are determined by Nielsen ratings which are audience measurement systems that were developed by the Nielsen Research Company. The time of day and popularity of the channel are factored in to determine the advertising rates. The television become commercially available in the 1930s but did not gain popularity until the 1950s. Today 99 percent of households in the United States have at least one TV and 66 percent have three or more. The average American watches one thousand five hundred hours of TV per year (Television and Health). In the early 1980s the interest in using music to advertise dramatically increased. Following a study dubbed the attitude towards the ad which showed that consumers responded negatively towards the manipulative and pressured approach that advertisers were using. The study concluded that consumers were left with a more positive feeling towards the product music was introduced into the advertisements. The study also proved that when pairing popular music with the product consumers would associate the two and if they like the music they would like the product. (Chingning Wang)This approach has been criticized however it the lyrics are catchy and remain in your head the advertiser has effectively accomplished their task. Advertisers originally wrote their own catchy tunes to market a product. These are known as jingles. There are many jingles for products that you may still remember to this day although you havent heard them in years. One such jingle is for Oscar Mayer, and goes like thi s My bologna has a first name. Its O-S-C-A-R. My bologna has a second name. Its Mayer. Oh, I love to eat it every day and if you ask me why Ill say cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A. That is one jingle that most likely has been heard by nearly all Americans. Prior to the 1980s these are the kinds of music that one would here in a commercial occasionally the lyrics of a popular song would be changed to create a theme song for a particular product or service. On one occasion a theme song that was written for coca-cola called Id Like to Buy the World a Coke was re-recorded by the New Seekers as a pop song called Id Like to Teach the World to Sing (The Hilltop Ad: The Story of a Commercial). This song became a hit. The use of previously recorded pop songs was eventually integrated into commercials. In 1985 Burger King used an original song by Aretha Franklin called Freeway of Love in an advertisement to promote the fast food restaurant (TV Commercials in the United States). In 1987 Nike adopted the Revolution by The Beatles to advertise their shoes and other athletic gear as well as using as an effort to overhaul their advertising and marketing campaigns to compete with the number one shoe brand at the time which was Reebok (The Pop History Dig). An interesting but unproven theory is subliminal messages. A subliminal message is a hidden message within a commercial, music, or even a movie. These messages are meant to be unnoticed by the listener yet they are meant to provoke the listener to respond in some way. According to an article by Robert Fink in the Journal of Ancient of Ancient Music advertisers have claimed that they can make anyone buy anything by including subliminal messages within their advertisements (Fink). In 1957 James Vicary, a market researcher stirred up trouble with consumers when he announced that by embedding subliminal messages in the music of radio advertisements he could persuade consumers to purchase anything. The public feared that this was true and thought that they were being hypnotized with advertisements (Crossen). One company that probably comes to mind when you think of music and advertising is the popular soft drink Pepsi. The company, PepsiCo has a history of mixing popular music into their advertisements. Some of the many artists Pepsi featured in their advertisements include Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Akon, Bob Dylan, and many more. PepsiCo is a very successful company. Consumers are bombarded with music and advertisements throughout their typical day. Advertising is a powerful and effective tool, it is meant to inform the listener of the product or service, and then persuade them to purchase it. It is obvious to point out that the better an advertisement is the more effective it will be at persuading the customer to purchase the product. Advertisers employ many techniques some of which are peer pressure and manipulation. Advertisers target an audience and use these techniques to try to convince the listener that they will be part of the in crowd if they purchase the product. This is a highly effective form of advertisement. Advertisers target a specific demographic such as 18-24 year olds. To use music effectively in this demographic they would obviously use music that most 18-24 years olds would listen to and not something like classic rock although some people in that demographic may enjoy classic rock they are trying to reach the majority. Think about this, can you remember a particular jingle or song and automatically associate it with a product. I am sure that most everyone can. Researchers have shown that the most effective commercials advertisements are the ones that stir up emotion and create an association with the product (Vaughn). Since people are bombarded with so many advertisements every day advertisers are increasingly using unconventional techniques. One such technique involves the use of incongruent advertisements. This is where advertisers mix things up a little. They use music and other art that would normally be unexpected. This works because of something called brand schema which is when a person becomes so familiar with a product from advertisements it becomes almost invisible to them, they dont really pay much attention to it. Advertisers now are trying to mix it up and once again regain their attention to the product that they are selling. This research was conducted to determine the impact of audiovisual congruency in ads and the moderating role of product involvement on three aspects of consumer response: attention to the ad, attention to the brand, and purchase intentions. The participants were shown one of eight TV ads for 30 seconds, afterward they were asked to rate the ads on several dimens ions. The results indicated that congruent product and music type invoked favorable responses from the consumers. (Lalwani). What is it about music that makes it so important in advertisements? First and foremost, it is so much easier to remember a song or jingle than spoken words. Second, it is entertaining. Whether the listener really cares about the product or not they may create a mental association with the song and the product. Imagine this scenario, two friends are talking and one says that they are in need of a cleaning service for their home but are new to the area and have no idea who to choose. The other friend says I just heard an advertisement on the radio for a cleaning service, I dont know their name but they have that catchy song in the advertisement. The friend in search of the service replies with Oh yeah, I heard that too. Ill give them a call. The advertiser has created a successful advertisement and the music or song that they chose was to thank. This is a scenario that occurs quite frequently and advertisers count on this. As you have seen, music is everywhere it is no wonder that advertisers tapped into the music source. Music is a beneficial and constructive addition to our society. It has many purposes and definitely holds its own in advertising. The business of advertising has clearly come a long way in the United States, from only having print advertisements available to the creative and catchy television and radio advertisements. Just think, if you had to watch a commercial without music, you would just be listening to someone talk. There wouldnt be catchy lyrics to aid in your memorization of the product nor would it even be interesting. Advertisers hit big when they integrated music and advertisements. Next time you are watching television or listening to the radio pay attention to how many of the advertisements contain some form of music, whether its a pop song, a creative jingle, or just a little background music.

Julius Ceaser Essays -- essays papers

Julius Ceaser Julius Caesar Julius Caesar was born on July 13th in 100B.C. His full name is Gaius Julius Caesar, which was the same as his father’s name. Julius Caesar was the most famous Roman general and was one of the most influential political and military leaders in history. He helped establish the vast Roman Empire. Caesar gained all his power in four different areas. Those areas are politics, government, religion, and in the military. Using these amazing powers he controlled many aspects of Roman life. In 84B.C. Caesar married Cornelia, the daughter of Lucis Cornelius Cinna, a noble who was Marious’ associate in revolution. Lucis Cornelius Sulla demanded they divorce in 83, but Caesar refused, risking his job and his life. Caesar went to Rhodes to study oratory. Pirates captured him on his way. His relatives paid a ransom and he was released. Once he was out he recruited private troops and captures the Pirates. Then he executed them. Caesar had won victories in Spain and had attracted many men in Rome. In 60B.C, Caesar and Pompey formed an alliance with Marcus Lucius ...

Capital Punishment Essays - For the Common Good :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Capital Punishment Essays - For the Common Good      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Putting to death people judged to have committed certain extremely terrible crimes is a practice of ancient standing, but in the United States in the second half of the twentieth century, it has become a very controversial issue.   Changing views on this difficult issue led the Supreme Court to abolish capital punishment in 1972 but later upheld it in 1977.   Although capital punishment is what the people want, there are many voices raised against it.   People all over the country debate this issue quite frequently.   They question the deterrent effect, morality, executions of innocents, and many more.   I have heard a lot about the death penalty and feel that the arguments against it are not at all convincing.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some people argue that capital punishment is morally wrong.   They feel that killing some one for their crime is murder.   In any dictionary it states that murder is the unlawful act of killing.   Since capitol punishment is within the law it is not murder.   Also if executions   is murder then prison is kidnapping and charging taxes is extortion.   There is a difference between crime and punishment.   Are police officers wrong for speeding to enforce the speeding laws?   No.   They also say that we should value all human life.   Even the most despicable.   It is because we value human life so much that we put such a terrible consequence for taking it.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One argument states that the death penalty does not deter people from murdering.   To abolish capital punishment on this basis would be way off base.   You would also have to get rid of prisons because they do not keep people from committing crimes also.   Texas A&M University collected data and the results are horrifying.   In 1960 there were 56 executions and 9,140 murders.   In 1964 there were 15 executions and 9, 250 murders.   In 1969 there were no executions and 14,590 murders.   Seven more years without executions and there was 20,510 murders.   As you can see the deterrent effect is there and works very well.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As you can see the death penalty is for the common good and it saves lives.   People out there say that the death penalty is wrong, but

All Quiet On The Western Front :: essays research papers

All Quiet on the Western Front  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The remains of Paul Baumer's company had moved behind the German front lines for a short rest at the beginning of the novel. After Behm became Paul's first dead schoolmate, Paul viewed the older generation bitterly, particularly Kantorek, the teacher who convinced Paul and his classmates to join the military, feeling alone and betrayed in the world that they had left for him. Paul's generation felt empty and isolated from the rest of the world due to the fact that they had never truly established any part of themselves in civilian life. At boot camp, Himmelstoss abused Paul and his friends, yet the harassment only brought them closer together and developed a strong spirit amongst them. Katczinsky, or Kat, was soon shown to be a master scavenger, being able to provide the group with food or virtually anything else; on this basis Paul and him grew quite close. Paul's unit was assigned to lay barbed wire on the front line, and a sudden shelling resulted in the severe wounding of a recruit that Paul had comforted earlier. Paul and Kat again strongly questioned the War. After Paul's company were returned to the huts behind the lines, Himmelstoss appeared and was insulted by some of the members of Paul's unit, who were then only mildly punished. During a bloody battle, 120 of the men in Paul's unit were killed. Paul was given leave and returned home only to find himself very distant from his family as a result of the war. He left in agony knowing that his youth was lost forever. Before returning to his unit, Paul spent a little while at a military camp where he viewed a Russian prisoner of war camp with severe starvation problems and again questioned the values that he had grown up with contrasted to the values while fighting the war. After Paul returned to his unit, they were sent to the front. During an attack, Paul killed a French soldier. After discovering that this soldier had a family, Paul was deeply shattered and vowed to prevent other such wars. Paul's unit was assigned to guard a supply depot of an abandoned village, but he and Kropp were soon wounded when trying to escape from the village. Paul headed back to the front, only to engage in final battles where all of his friends were killed. The death of Kat was particularly hard for Paul because they were very close. One month before the Armistice, Paul was killed.

Founding Brothers Essay

The book, Founding Brothers, tells about the struggles of the American leaders after the revolution to establish a new government and the events that occurred during this time. Famous Americans such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams along with their opposite points of view about the Constitution are given equal focus. The author brings to light the amazing ability of the colonies to come together, bring about change and break away from England to establish a nation built on democracy. This story is one that every American will have a stake in, as it forms the backbone of our national history. The author of Founding Brothers is Joseph Ellis, who has degrees from Yale and the College of William and Mary. His writing centers on American history, and he won the National Book Award in 1997 for his work American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson. One of his other works is titled Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams (Ellis, 2000, title page). Ellis goes right into the details of the debate that was fueling between the two sides in reference to the new American Constitution. He talks about James Madison who, with Alexander Hamilton, wrote the Federalist Papers. Madison was pushing for compromise on the Constitutional question and was doing his best to create a middle ground (2000, p. 52-53). Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and many of the others were already seeing a small example of the legacy they were creating, but didn’t fully understand it yet. The author points this out by saying: Men make history, and the leading members of the revolutionary generation realized they were doing so, but they can never know the history they are making (2000, p. 4). Ellis also points out how important that the decade in which the Constitution was written was to American history. According to him, these ten years of dealing with many of the issues that face the nation set the stage for future events to come, such as the Civil War (200, p. 9-10). During the debate of the Constitutional convention, slavery was a major obstacle and one that would not be settled completely here. The debate that took place in 1790 between those for and against slavery shows not only the struggle to create a new nation but also the fact that these leaders were considering what would happen as the nation grew and changed (200, p. 88). Another major aspect of this time period that the author addresses is the presidency of George Washington and the political divide that began to form among the nation’s leaders. Throughout his role as the first president, Washington was seen as an immortal figure that was beloved and respected. When he decided to retire as president in 1796, he left a strict warning for those he was leaving in charge: to avoid breaking apart and political parties in taking sides against each other. He wanted the nation to be united as one, and also to have its leaders be united as well (Ellis, 2000, p. 128-129). The author gives the reader an interesting view of these major characters by providing behind the scenes details that is often opposite to the stereotypes they are seen as now. For instance, Ellis goes into detail about George Washington’s character during his time as president. For instance, the author says: First, it is crucial to recognize that Washington’s extraordinary reputation rested less on his prudent exercise of power than on his dramatic flair and surrendering it. He was, in fact, a veritable virtuoso of exits (2000, p. 129-130). Along with relevant details about Washington’s health and personality, the reader sees a different side of this famous individual. Throughout the entire novel, Ellis organizes the book in a way that makes it easy to follow the events that occurred right after the revolution up to the time when the Constitution was being written. He provides personal quotations and references from those involved that gives the reader a deeper understanding of how they felt and what they were thinking when living through this time. He also provides the reader with enough information on the historical events that were going on in the country that helped to frame the interactions of the founding fathers. Founding Brothers adds to other his storable writing of this time by giving an inside view of not only the events but also the people who helped to create America during the revolutionary period. He makes it clear how certain obstacles, such as slavery, were not completely agreed upon or settled and how this affected the nation later on in its history. Ellis is able to explain both the short-term view of the founding fathers and the long-term view of the Constitution that they were trying to take. The debates and compromises that made up the writing of the Constitution and the establishment of a new government are laid out to support these points. As a history book, this novel will give the reader a good understanding of what was going on behind the scenes as the nation was born. Its clear explanations and interesting takes on the first leaders will hold the reader’s attention throughout the book. It is a valuable addition to the many writings that have been done on the revolutionary war and the writing of the Constitution. References Ellis, Joseph. (2000). Founding Brothers. New York: Vintage Books.

The concept of “morality” has traditionally informed notions of respectability within capitalist society

Particularly since the Industrial Revolution of circa 1790-1840 women have been subordinated in all walks of life by the patriarchal thinking of capitalist society. Humphries (1995) in Sociology 4th Edition looked at the traditional image of both men and women during the first half of the 20th Century and found that men were thought of as active, rational, less emotional and less sensitive whilst women were considered to be passive, irrational, emotional, weaker and more sensitive. During the first half of the 20th Century, women's social role was primarily within the home, showing a tendency towards domesticity, an instinctive predisposition towards nurturing and caring, being submissive towards and supportive of the male and having trivial interests. Women who had any role outside the home were generally in low paid, low skilled, part-time work. Men, however, traditionally held a social role outside the home and their position as father within the home was meticulously established and reinforced by women (Humphries, 1995 in Sociology 4th Edition). Therefore, patriarchy allows both sexes to defend the right to oppress and be oppressed. Feminists have embraced the term â€Å"patriarchy† to refer to male supremacy in all its forms. However, the real power of patriarchy is not in physical force but in institutional control. It must be understood that Western culture has a definite male partiality based on the fact that its methods of production and its financial strategy are intrinsically capitalist (Walby, 1990). The opinion of men is that they are more inclined towards issues which affect the efficient operation of social institutions and therefore, masculinity has for the most part governed social, economic and political concerns because of the rudimentary tenets on which traditional philosophy has been based. Ideological concepts of morality have governed social norms and values within capitalist society since its origin in the late 18th Century. The family, the Church and educational establishments are all organisations of socialisation. The media also plays an important part in socialisation but is, in fact, nothing more than an instrument of politically and financially powerful groups within society whose philosophical beliefs are considered superior to those who are exposed to it. The media can shape culture to some extent and it has been claimed that the same politically and economically dominant groups control both the media and, as a result, the culture. Therefore, it would be realistic to assume that the mass media can also control capitalist society's morality in the form of philosophical infiltration by those who would profit most from a selection of ideological perceptions. Political power is justified by social acceptance of the State's norms and values. State authority uses formal control and concepts of morality to regulate behaviour and preserve the interests of the ruling classes. State intervention in moral issues, for example, benefit payments to single mothers, validates the authority they hold and allows the State to govern those who are deemed unable to be self-disciplined and totally morally degenerate. Karl Marx states that from the moment of birth we are part of a social unit. He realised that individuals are not the creators of society but creatures of society and to this end he reasoned that the loss of individuality originates from the advancement of capitalist society. Marx claimed that what would seem to be a rational choice is, in fact, predestined by the class in which individuals find themselves. He critically analysed the ruling elite and dominant ideology that accompanied it to show how temporary, historically condition and produced features of society become everlasting facts of human nature. Marx's interest in the idea of â€Å"real† people, not the ideological notion of people, and their activities and interaction with each other, indicates his fixation with the economic structure of capitalism. The Functionalist argument for the rationalisation of social inequality is based on the belief that there is a necessity for functional roles within capitalist society. Functionalist ideology provides the justification for a proletariat and the incentive for self-improvement. Emile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons, both world-renowned Functionalists, argue that greater inequality within society encourages more competition and, as a result, greater effectiveness. The relationship between capitalist interests and dominant religious beliefs has been formed over several hundred years. The occupational authorities of any country with multi-religious philosophies are overwhelmingly Protestant Christian. Furthermore, business owners and individuals with high grades of expertise, in addition to commercially trained people, would also prove to be Protestant. However, religious association is not the cause of economic conditions but may be a result of them. Gender inequalities within capitalist society have become accepted primarily because religious teachings encourage clear-cut moral standards that women ought to aspire to. Religious bodies bestowed the responsibility of guarding husband's and children's decency upon women. Sexual inequalities are not biologically established but are the unequivocal result of culturally determined gender roles within capitalist society. Religious scriptures and Bible texts predominantly underpin society's notions of morality. Countryman (1992) in Sociology 4th Edition found that biblical teachings about sexual behaviour are principally focussed in the direction of the control of women's conduct and have their foundations based in social unease about purity and property rights over women and children. The origins of capitalist society commenced in the 14th and 15th Centuries with Puritan and Calvinistic doctrines. Puritan ideology was based on the notion of foregoing wealth on earth for future glory. The wealthy led exceptionally self-denying lifestyles, believing luxury to be a sin. They were particularly parsimonious and did not squander their accumulated wealth but merely reinvested it to further expand their economic activities. In so doing, they were unable to accomplish their substantial involvement in future financial expansion. On the other hand, Calvinists openly flouted the commonly held belief that human beings are God's instruments on earth. They believed that they were required by the Almighty to toil in a vocation that sanctioned His great glory. Perhaps more importantly, another aspect of Calvinism was the concept of predestination where only certain individuals would enter Heaven after death. The Calvinists believed that who would enter Heaven was predetermined by God and nothing could be done to change it. However, this belief caused such anxiety and consternation that â€Å"the Almighty† revised His position and deemed certain qualities worth of selection for life eternal! This is proof that dominant ideology can alter to suit humankind. Calvinist ideology therefore gave credence to Max Weber's argument that the fundamental nature of capitalism lay in this line of reasoning in that vocational devotion and material affluence became the most sought after qualities before God, which loaned substantial motivation towards economic achievement. Although Weber's theory has been criticised by many, it offers a convincing, modern, economic and social explanation which has been indirectly prejudiced by something that appears to be undeniably abstract from it; that is, a collection of spiritual principles. The English Reformation that took place particularly between 1529 and the early 1600's resulted in a new form of control for the Church, not the elimination of that control. Monasteries either vanished or were reduced to a pile of stones and the contents of parish churches were destroyed. The newly dominant monarchy forced Acts of Parliament recognising the king as supreme head of the Church. By 1603, England's aesthetically pleasant magnificence was no longer to be found in great churches but in the marvellous palaces of the monarchy and the stately homes of the nobility. Even for the working classes, the ceremonial splendour once found in Latin Mass was now only to be found in magnificent representation of Queen Elizabeth I (Lost Treasures of Britain). The English Church was severed from Rome in 1532-33 and Thomas Cromwell was, in 1535 given the role of the king's vicar-general. In 1538, Cromwell and his corrupt commissioners were told to demolish all well-known shrines. Relics were to be removed to the Tower of London and the shrine was ordered destroyed. At around the same time, Thomas Cromwell was also the key player in the dissolution of the monasteries (Lost Treasure of Britain). Western definitions of religion correspond closely with a belief in one supreme being who commands us to behave in accordance with moral conventions of Christianity found in the Bible; the same moral standards that directly insubordinate women. Cahill (1996) indicates that Christian ethics may present convincing criticism of sexual and procreative activities, gender expectations and family forms, all of which dominate the female gender. Although Cahill (1996) indicates that this does not essentially suggest that gender differences are not inbuilt and grant the male gender power over the female gender in capitalist society, she adopts a feminist point of view, which tries to gain equal personal respect and equal social authority for both men and women. Karl Marx believed that human beings endure harsh conditions, prejudices and discrimination because of religious indoctrination. The Bible gives accounts that justify inequalities of wealth and power, accounts of suffering and teach attitudes of non-resistance, for example, â€Å"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God† and â€Å"whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also†. In conclusion, it appears that the English Reformation, the destruction of shrines and relics and the dissolution of the monasteries all participated together to suppress the religious houses and secularise their property. However, religious teaching have not been concealed by these occurrences and it would appear that the Church Universal and the ruling classes have been working in partnership to control humankind's morality since the early 16th Century.