Mutual Fund Performance - 714 Words

Case a) US Mutual Fund Performance Maastricht University | | | | School of Business amp; Economics | | | | Place amp; date: | Maastricht, 5th December 2013 | | | | Name, initials: | Mà ¼ller-Wilmes, VEMCroughs, ZWFWang, WCGerdsen, BHARack, MD | | For assessor only | | ID number: | I6076025I6075042I6117368I6075829I6064576 | | 1. Content | | Study: | International Business Economics | | 2. Language structure | | Course code: | EBC | | 3. Language accuracy | | Group number: | 1 | | 4. Language: Format amp; citing/referencing | | Writing tutor name: | Mike Langen | | Overall: | | Writing assignment: | | | Advisory grade | | | | | Assessor’s initials | | Your UM email address:†¦show more content†¦ct on Market Efficiency, Investment advice considering the impact of costs (Jessica/Miro) Hot hand effect Survivorship bias Appendix Single Factor model E(rpassive) – rf = ÃŽ ±+ÃŽ ² RMarket+ ÃŽ µ R = E - rf Passive | Excess Return | Standard Deviation | Alpha | Market | R2adj | SSGA Samp;P 500 index | 1,0 | | 0,07 | 1,00 | 0,95 | FIDELITY Spartan index fund | | | 0,04 | 1,01 | 0,94 | DREYFUS Samp;P 500 index fund | | | -0,02 | 1,01 | 0,95 | VANGUARD 500 index funds | | | 0,00 | 1,01 | 0,95 | BGI index funds | | | 0,09 | 1,01 | 0,95 | All funds | 1,17 | 3,10 | 0,00 | 1,01 | 0,95 | E(ractive) – rf = ÃŽ ±+ÃŽ ² RMarket+ ÃŽ µ R = E - rf Active | Excess Return | Standard Deviation | Alpha | Market | R2adj | Aggressive growth | 1,07 | 4,87 | -0,31 | 1.18 | 0,74 | Growth | 1,01 | 3,65 | -0.17 | 1,02 | 0,96 | Income | 0,95 | 2,61 | 0,06 | 0,76 | 0,94 | Growthincome | 0,97 | 3,06 | -0,08 | 0,90 | 0,99 | Small cap | 1,14 | 4,32 | -0,05 | 1,02 | 0,68 | All funds | 1,03 | 3,65 | -0,11 | 0,98 | 0,92 | (1) Alpha tested for 0 and Market tested for 1 insignificant (2) At 10% significant, at 5% significant, at 1% significant Multifactor model E(rpassive)-rf = ÃŽ ±+ÃŽ ²Market RMarket+ÃŽ ²SMB E(rSMB)+ÃŽ ²HMLE(rHML)+ ÃŽ ²MOME(rMOM)+ÃŽ µ R = E - rf Passive | Excess Return | Standard Deviation | Alpha | Market | SMB | HML | MOM | R2adj | All funds | 1,17 | 3,10 | 0,06 | 1,01 | -0,26 | -0,01 | -0,03 | 0,99 | E(ractive)-rfShow MoreRelatedPerformance Of Islamic Mutual Funds1773 Words   |  8 PagesThis particular section provides an overall comparison of performance of Islamic Mutual Funds, which is important to consider empirically especially taking into consideration the fact that the Islamic indexes provide different estimations for the performance of these mutual funds, particularly during bullish and bearish periods. What is more important, the results of the current section appear to be the same compared to the related studies devoting themselves to considering the aforementioned questionRead MorePerformance Evaluation of Finnish Mutual Funds6338 Words   |  26 PagesPerformance Evaluation of Finnish Mutual Funds 2014 TABLE OF CONTENT 1! ABSTRACT ............................................................................................... 1! 2! INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 2! 2.1.! Purpose ................................................................................................................. 2! 3! THE FINNISH FUND MARKET ...........................................Read MoreMutual Fund Performance in Bull and Bear Market: The Case of Pakistani Mutual Fund2280 Words   |  10 PagesChapter 2 Overview of the Mutual Funds in Pakistan 2.1 History of Mutual Fund There are main two types of mutual funds are available open end and closed end funds for the Pakistani investors. Close End mutual funds are traded in stock exchange, directly every investor can buy or sell these funds in the stock market. Prices of these funds are determined on the basis of demand and supply of the shares rather than net assets value in case of closed end mutual funds. In 1962, Government ofRead MoreThai Mutual Fund Performance Skill or Luck7969 Words   |  32 Pagesset on Thai open-end domestic equity funds over the June 2000 to October 2007 period. We apply a Bootstrap methodology to distinguish between â€Å"skill† and â€Å"luck† for the individual funds. A Bootstrap approach is necessary because the nonnormal distributions of individual fund alphas. This study points to the existence of genuine stock-picking skill among the top performing Thai equity mutual funds, performance which is not solely due to good luck. At the bottom fund, our analysis strongly rejects theRead MorePerformance and Risk Indicators of Two Mutual Fund Managers953 Words   |  4 Pagesthe performance and risk indicators of two mutual fund managers. After transforming the returns of the mutual funds into the same data-scale with the other variables, we employ a statistically rigorous factor analysis procedure to identify the risk-adjusted performance of ea ch mutual fund. Then, we apply Chow(1960) tests to investigate possible investment strategy similarities and potential structural breakpoints. 2. 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Specifically net cash flows into equity funds grew from $13 billion in 1990 to $310 billion in the year 2000.1 During that same period the number of equity funds rose from 1,100 to 4,395, while the numberRead MoreA Study on the Performance Analysis of Mutual Fund of Six Different Companies11006 Words   |  45 PagesA STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SIX MUTUAL FUNDS OF SIX DIFFERENT COMPANIES Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of Bachelor of Commerce of Christ College(Autonomous) Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction to Finance Finance is a field that studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailedRead MoreSummer Internship Report on Mutual Fund : Performance Evolution Marketing20554 Words   |  83 PagesSUMMER TRAINING REPORT On Mutual Fund: Performance evolution Marketing Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the two year Post Graduate Programme (PGP). Submitted by BIBHUTI JHA Roll No: PGS20090080 Batch: 2009-2011 IILM Institute for Higher Education Under The guidance of Mr. Sunil Sharma Branch Manager Aditya Birla Money Mart Ltd, Faridabad TABLE OF CONTENTS S. NO | PARTICULARSRead MoreHypothesis: Ho: closed ended mutual funds are showing good performances in the Pakistani stock600 Words   |  3 PagesHypothesis: Ho: closed ended mutual funds are showing good performances in the Pakistani stock market compared with KSE 100 index. H1: closed end mutual fund performance are not in the Pakistani stock market, compared with KSE 100 index. Methodology: Data and sample collection: The sample is taken from the narrow range of closed ended mutual funds and the period used to collect data is from July 2009 to June 2013 and the benchmark that we’ve used is KSE 100 index. Five ratios have been used to analyzeRead MoreThe Influence Of Ownership Structure And Determinants On The Performance Of Open End Mutual Funds In Hong Kong?1368 Words   |  6 PagesThe data used to compile this report is retrieved from the Hong Kong Investment Fund Association (HK IFA), the Securities and Futures Association of Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index and the Hang Seng China Entreprise Index. The sample size drawn from Hong Kong Investment Fund Association is 200 mutual fund companies although the HK IFA provides over 1000 companies. The data is assessed to establish the influence of ownership structure and determinants This report applies the Jensen Alpha, Fama and

The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn And The Awakening

Name Instructor Corse Date Realism In the century America, there were changes in the society and politics resulting from the expansion to the westward as well as the civil wars. Artists in America turned to reality and regionalism as a way to bring their concerns during that time. Their concerns included the widening gap in social classes where there were class struggles among those of the working class as well as the middle class who were brought down socially. These artists wrote down these transfo0rmations brought out in the nation by creating removed, impartial status of everyday life. In a bid to bring readers to be fascinated by their stories and to depict their character and the reader’s setting to life, Mark Twain in the adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the awakening by Kate Chopin used regionalism and in the same way, Henry James showed the reality of life in his story Daisy Miller. Mark Twain together with Kate Chopin were experts in crea6ting a regionalism-based America.Regionalism,not forgetting refers to words that concentrate wholly on specific features which are not common of a certain region including the peoples way of life, the speech of the people, the land sloping, the history as well as the characters. It focuses on both the formal and the informal creating analyses on the way other people view other people as well as other communities as they live and how there. The narrator is important in this regional-based fiction since he or she deservesShow MoreRelatedA Brief Note On Book The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1310 Words   |  6 PagesSarah Jane Reshetiloff Mr. O’Hearn Honors British Literature 26 September 2015 Social Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterful social satire that demonstrates the awakening of a young, adventurous boy living in a culture of slavery. 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Mark1341 Words   |  6 Pagesglobal fame because of his travel narratives, such as The Innocents Abroad of the year 1869, Roughing It of the year 1872, and Life on the Mississippi of 1883. He is also famous for his boyhood adventure stories, particularly The Adventures of Tom Sawyer of the year 1876 and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn of 1885. He was known to be a distinctive humorist, and irascible moralist, and a gifted raconteur. Before independence, America was marked by cultural and religious differences among small coloniesRead MoreThe Importance Of Euphemism In Huckleberry Finn1497 Words   |  6 Pagesargument is to leave the novel intact and utilize it as a teachable moment for all teachers and students included. Because Huckleberry Finn is a novel that still arouses controversy evidently it handles issues that as a society we have not been able to overcome. Huckleberry Finn in its raw form is the epitome of a controversial work that arouses discussion. Huckleberry Finn with the message it conveys and the history that it drags through utilizing one word demonstrates the harsh realities that asRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain880 Words   |  4 PagesTwain‘s The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a wonderful illustration of the picaresque nineteen century American novel. The author portrays the world and spirit of the South through the eyes and the journey of a young boy, Huck, and his friends Jim, and Tom. From the beginning, three themes friendship, conflict between society and natural life, and escape, emerge and are developed throughout the novel. Friendship underlines the entire book as the hero is essentially an orphan, Huckleberry Finn. HuckRead MoreMorality and Mark Twain670 Words   |  3 Pages Mark Twain states that â€Å"Morals are an acquirement, like music, like a foreign language, like piety, poker, paralysis, no man is born with them.† The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn focuses on the main character, Huckleberry Finn, and his journey down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave name Jim. Huck Finn grows up in a society that deforms and manipulates his conscience, but Jim is able to awakes his sound heart and influence his morality. Throughout the tale, Huck faces conflicts that attackRead MoreHuckleberry Finn2439 Words   |  10 Pages The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain and published on December 10, 1884. This picaresque novel takes place in the mid-1800s in St. Petersburg,  Missouri and various locations along the Mississippi River through Arkansas as the story continues. The main character is young delinquent boy named Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t have a mother and his father is a drunk who is very rarely involved with Huck’s life. Huck is currently living with Widow Douglas and Miss WatsonRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Great Gatsby 2501 Words   |  11 PagesRealism†, there were many other influential Realist authors. Herman Melville, one of Twain’s contemporaries, was the author of the well-known novel, Moby Dick. Kate Chopin was another very important Realist author. She wrote the short stories, â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"A Pair of Silk Stockings†. Chopin wrote about the average struggle of a middle-class woman try ing to choose between the desire for luxury and the necessities for her family in â€Å"A Pair of Silk Stockings†. 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Using Heart of Darkness, show how the significance of its title is developed through the author’s use of devices such as contrast, repetition, allusion, and point of view. Behind The Name Heart of Darkness The heart of darkness in the title Heart

Discuss Marxist’ Theory of Alienation Free Essays

OUTLINE AND ASSESS MARX’S CONCEPT OF ALIENATION When considering the concept of sociology and its definition, one immediately thinks of trying to understand the world in which we live. However, for Karl Marx we should not only understand the world, but also seek to actively change it (Macintosh, 1997). The concept of alienation differs in terms of its sociological meaning in relation to that of the psychological definition and has been used to describe many other phenomena’s over the last four centuries. We will write a custom essay sample on Discuss Marxist’ Theory of Alienation or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aim of this essay is to assess the concept of alienation according to Karl Marx and explore his theory relating to four differing perspectives assigned to this, whilst also researching its historical roots and any relevance in today’s society. The concept of alienation in relation to sociology was developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German philosopher, political economist, revolutionary and the founding father of Communism. His ideas for this theory originated in the writings of Feuerbach, who along with George W. F Hegel, were major influences on Marx. However, unlike Feuerbach, who believed that religion had a negative impact on human experience and that man was alienated from god, Marx considered man to be alienated from man in a social context. Indeed, Marx criticised Feuerbach’s work entitled ‘The Essence of Christianity’, which was published in 1841 for not developing the concept of alienation further by linking it to economic production strategies. In it, Feuerbach insists that visions of god being similar to their own image allow for them to alienate themselves from this fictionally created character. Therefore, issues regarding low self esteem and other social or personal problems can be diluted by visiting places of worship. He insists that guidance, leadership and solace can be found within the church. Indeed, Feuerbach argued that the church was used by the government as state apparatus to control society (Hughes et al, 1995 pp. 29-30). Marx took these points onboard and rather than relate them to religion, embraced it to include the notion that alienation was an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism, thus leading to alienated labour. For Hegel, human thoughts were continuously developing and advancing throughout history, thus providing a more knowledge and rational understanding of society (Hughes et al, 1995, pp. 25-26). Unlike, Marx, who states materialism and economic power, shapes our thinking, Hegel insists it is the other way round and that mind shapes matter. In other words, our knowledge shapes the need and inventiveness needed to shape future materials. Historically, according to Hegel, by exploring previous economic processes, then the material base on which societies, institutions and ideas are built are in evidence due to rational logic and natural progression. Marx however, disagrees with this theory. He believes that such abstract ideas did not exist and therefore provided limited explanations relating to the social world. The true nature of human experience therefore and life were totally under emphasised. His theory of historical materialism was constructed further in future writings. ‘The first historical act is . . . the production of material life itself. This is indeed a historical act, a fundamental condition of all of history’ (Marx Engels, 1976). His many writings, which spanned four decades, underpin what has become known as Marxist theory and are used to develop our understanding of many areas relating to social life (Abercrombie et al, 2000). However, Marxist theory is primarily based around the class conflict of the bourgeoisie, i. . ruling class who own the mode of production and the exploitation of the proletariat, i. e. working class who are forced into selling their labour. The 3 stages relating to the industrial revolution have led to his alienation theory being supported by many sociologists. First came the agricultural revolution (1700-1800), followed by the industrial revolution (1800-1950). The final stage of these phenomena was the service revolution from the 1950s to the present day. Economic and surplus values are at the heart of Marxist theory. For Marx, alienation is an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism and results in alienated labour. The main use of Marx’s theory relating to this concept is in relation to the form of labour in any given capitalist society. However, he also talks of ‘alienation’ in the sphere of social and economic relations (Turner, 1999) Marx argues that humans are denied their basic natural essence, and as such was only realised in their labour. This allowed for a creative activity which was carried out in unison with others. Marx was of the opinion that people transformed a world outside themselves. Now the processes relating to production were one of ‘objectification’. By this he means that man now produces material objects that embody human creativity, yet leaves them feeling detached and separated from the creator. Once the product is objectified, man no longer recognises himself in the product and autonomous manufacturing techniques leave him feeling alienated. Within capitalist societies Marx identified four levels of separation resulting in the concept of alienation. 1) Within a capitalist society the worker has no control over the fate of their production, therefore alienating them from the results of their labour. Although having been involved actively in the production of such commodities the worker is left feeling subdued, unattached and emotionally removed from the end product. This is now controlled by others, and as increased production multiplies, so does the division and separ ation of the labour process. (2) The worker is alienated from the act of production. For Marx, no individual satisfaction is achieved as the worker’s own creativity is alienated from production. Furthermore, external constraints forced upon the worker removes any attachment from the’ fruits of their labour’ and in doing so, the product ceases to be an end in itself with work becoming merely a commodity. To the worker, the saleability of the product is their only concern. (3) The worker is alienated from their ‘specific being’ or human nature. Marx states that the individual’s human qualities are deprived. This is due to the first two levels of alienation, as outlined above, reducing the workers creative production activities and thus removing themselves from their natural self being and converting them into social animals. 4) The worker is separated from other humans. The emergence of capitalism has transformed human social relations into market relations. According to Marx, people are now judged, not be their human qualities and attributes but rather by their position within the market (Giddens, 1970). For example the separation of labour i s also the separation of man from man in relation to class conflict and competition and also lends theory to their alienation of the products of their labour. Capital itself can also be seen as a source of alienation because its accumulation generates its own needs which reduce people to the level of commodities (Haralambos, 1998). The above four levels of separation and alienation of man is intrinsically linked and can be used to identify phenomena in regards to any society. Many pro-capitalist economists agree with Marx’s theory that all humans are treated as commodities that can be rented and that everything can be traded for monies. For Marx, this ensures that the gap between rich and poor widens, with both lasses pushing in opposite direction. However, he attacks other economists’ interpretations of the causes of capitalism and believes that they do not distinguish between both capitalists and the workers. Marx argues that competition is seen as an enforcement mechanism of the capitalist’s mode of production (Reiss, 1997). According to Marx, as all aspects of feudalism are connected, then so too are all aspects re lating to capitalism. He is quoted as saying, ’’the worker becomes the poorer the more wealth he produces’’ (Marx, 1976). In other words, as the worker increases production, this only enriches their bosses whilst they still remain poor. Capitalist economists however, view each aspect of feudalism as an accidental corruption in relation to capitalism. Marx also explores the historical development of alienation and its intrinsic link to the division of labour. As society changes and tribes and villages continue to expand, so too does the division of labour (Rius, 1996). For society to survive trade and exchange must occur. This leads to more growth in exchangeable goods which in turn leads to an upsurge in use-value and exchange-value commodities. When considering use-value, this relates to how in demand a commodity may be of use to the individual. However, exchange-value relates to what commodities can be traded for other objects. For Marx, commodity fetishism has attributed to the alienation of man from the fruits of their labour (cowling, 1989). There are many examples of alienation in today’s society. The term Fordism originates from Henry Ford and the techniques he initiated to instil mass production. Indeed, his ideas and practices are still dominant in today’s society and are at the forefront of all technological mass production facilities and businesses. To enable production on such a large scale, Ford redesigned the whole manufacturing capabilities of his workforce. Unlike industrialists of the nineteenth century where skilled labour and handmade crafts were a necessity in the making of goods, Ford recognised an ability to mass produce by giving individuals a particular task in relation to their labour duties. This would be made possible by re-designing all machines to carry out one specific purpose, rather than numerous functions (Watson, 2003). As such, there was now no need for skilled persons in which to operate machines. Individuals were now taught how to use particular machines which they would now carry out monotonously for the rest of their employment. This de-skilling technique ensured minimum waste and maximum output as the machine only had one way in which to operate. Ford realised that once you standardise the design of the car, you can standardise the whole production system. Thus, with the standardisation of machinery producing standardised parts, it now allowed for mass reproduction as all parts are identical therefore interchangeable. Although production of Fords automobiles had increased rapidly, the initiation of Frederick Winslow Taylor’s (1856-1915) scientific management system would ensure mass production on an even larger scale. Taylor was the man who introduced ‘time and motion’ studies to the workplace. He carried out an experiment on a pig iron gang at work. By observing their working habits, Taylor was able to redesign their work pattern. Like Ford, his task was to break a job down into standardised parts. He initially listed a set of rules to which the workers must comply to and then instructed them when to start, walk, lift and stop. Once the experiment was complete Taylor found that their productive output had increased by 400%. Taylor’s results would now allow for managers to command instructions to staff who would carry out tasks they specifically assigned to. This would undoubtedly lead to a separation of labour and also man’s alienation from man, as people who had previously worked side by side where now given specific tasks (Hughes et al, 1995). Ford would eventually instil Taylor’s scientific management technique into his workplace to generate even more productivity. To do this Ford introduced the assembly line. Before this point, many of his employees worked unsupervised and at their own pace. However, with the emergence of assembly lines, workers now had to work in unison with the speed of the production line, and not that of the individual. This technique has greatly enhanced fords production levels and as such, Fords’ automobile plant in River Rouge USA, is now the largest in the world. By the 1990s over 10,000 people were employed there and over 90,000 cars and trucks were being produced each year (Watson, 2003). . Other examples which support Marx’s theory on alienation include multi-national companies such as McDonalds and Burger King, who epitomise our need for fast food productivity and back up his argument of commodity fetishism. Regardless of which outlet of McDonalds visited, the consumer will receive identical foodstuff and levels of service due to the standardisation of the product (Huczynski, 1991). Also, such companies are immediately recognisable due their uniforms and company logo. Mass reproduction is applied to give the consumer a standardised food source which consists of various items such as burger, bun, relish and tomato. A time scale is also in place and many of the products on offer are controlled by a timer which goes off when certain items such as French fries and burgers are deemed ready. The main objective is to get the product to the consumer as quickly as possible with the minimum fuss. This is made possible by the way each McDonalds’ outlet is designed. By using both Fordism and Taylorist techniques workers can produce vast amounts of food that can then be passed onto the consumer within seconds. Marx’s concept of alienation is evident here as there is no need for skilled workers such as cooks and chefs to be employed due to the nature and resulting end product of such businesses (Huczynski, 1991). A critique of Marxist theory would be to suggest that if alienation is produced and enacted by humans, then surely they also have the ability to change and reverse it. It is also contradictory as individuals opinions of alienation differ in relation to each person’s objective situation and consciousness. Although it cannot be denied that workers within capitalist societies do contribute to the common wealth as stated by Marx, the emergence of flexi-time, paid holidays and overtime empowers the worker and enables them to generate extra sums of money for themselves (Watson, 2003). Also, working for someone else may perhaps lessen the burden experienced by others, such as those who own small businesses. It is easy to engage Marx’s suggestion that workers lack rights, and there is much evidence to support this with the emergence of sweatshops and low paid immigrant workers (Rattansi, 1982). However, trade unions play a significant part in readdressing these issues by way of fair representation. Many jobs available to the masses today, do in fact, alienate workers and help establish capitalist theories, but humans have the freedom to change jobs or start their own businesses and trade unions are also in place to protect and represent employees (Giddens, 1971) His ideologies can also be construed as outdated as most of his concepts and terminologies are from over 100 years ago. Man may have been separated by man in relation to labour over centuries, but although this may be true in some aspects, technology and working conditions have rapidly improved over the same period. We also have the ability to influence each other rather than work in isolation. It appears that his concepts of alienation, although significant in his earlier political works and in lending credibility to research at that particular time, are rarely given a second thought in his later writings. For this reason it could be argued that Marx no longer held the opinion that the alienation of man and the collapse of capitalism was a foregone conclusion. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abercrombie, N. Hill, S and Turner, B. (2000) Dictionary of Sociology Penguin Book Cowling, M Wilde, L. (1989) Approaches to Marx, Open University Press Giddens, A. (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory, C. U. P. Giddens, A. (1970) Marx, Weber and the development of capitalism Haralambos, M. (1986) Sociology – a new approach, Causeway Press Ltd Huczynski, A. Buchanan, D. (1991) Organizational Behaviour, Prentice Hall Hughes, J. A. , Martin, P. J. , Sharrock, W. W. (1995) Understanding Classical Sociology, London: Sage Macintosh, I. (1997) Classical Sociological Theory. Edinburgh University Press Marx, K. , Engels, F. (1976 [1845-46]) the German Ideology, Part 1 London: Lawrence Wishart. Rius, E. (1996) Introducing Marx, Icon Books Turner B, (1999). Classical sociology. 1st ed. Uk: Sage. Watson, Tony J. (2003) Sociology, Work and Industry Routledge How to cite Discuss Marxist’ Theory of Alienation, Essay examples

History of the Tibetan Genocide Essay Example For Students

History of the Tibetan Genocide Essay For 48 years, China has occupied Tibet. In Tibets history, there has been over 17 percent of the Tibetan people killed, and 6,000 monasteries ruined. For starters, Tibet was never part of China. During the first few years when China was in control of Tibet, the Chinese declared that Tibet should be part of China, because an Emperor of Tibet once married a Chinese princess. Years later, the Chinese said that Tibet was part of China because of the warrior Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan and the Mongolians were in control of Tibet, but they never made Tibet belong to China. Secondly, the Tibetan people and the Chinese are totally different, culturally and socially speaking. Both peoples have their own culture, way of life, and religion. Of course the language is very diverse, too. Tibet had their own government before the Chinese took over. It was led by His Royal Highness, the Dalai Lama. Before the Chinese came in and took over Tibet, Tibet had nothing to do with China. The Chinese invaded Tibet in July of 1949. They caused many disasters and much sadness to the Tibetan people. Today Tibet is nothing but a prison. The Chinese continually spy on the Tibetan people. Seventeen percent of the Tibetan population was killed. Many Chinese forcibly removed Tibetans out of their homes at any time, day or night, and sometimes these people were thrown into prison. These people also were often killed for no reason. Ever since the Chinese have taken over the Tibetan people, there have been over 1 millon people killed. There were 6 million Tibetans living in Tibet before the Chinese came and took over the country. In the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, the natives of Tibet are being rid of by the Chinese; the Chinese are filling up Lhasa with Chinese people and the Chinese want to make Tibet throughly Chinese. Today, the Tibetan people are a minority in their own country! All the better jobs go to the Chinese people living in Tibet. The Tibetan people cannot find jobs for themselves, the best job sometimes they can get is to become a truck driver. What the Chinese are really doing is committing against the Tibetan people, a cultural and religious genocide. The culture of Tibet is based on Bons ancient beliefs, and also on Buddhism from India. The Tibetans take the best of the two religions, and their entire culture is based on that. But now the Chinese have gotten rid of the beautiful Tibetan artifacts, and turned them into museums, for tourists only. The Dalai Lama is always trying to make contact with the Chinese, but they keep the door to peace talks closed. Some time ago, the Dalai Lama said: All the 6 million Tibetans should be on the list of endangered species. This struggle is my first responsibility. (Dalai Lama: http://www.meaus.com/Tibet_-Give_Us_Liberty.html) There are people all over the world who feel sincere solidarity with the courageous people of Tibet, and wish them success in their long, truly heroic struggle for liberty and peace. .

Anne Bradstreet Essays - DudleyWinthrop Family, Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreets poetry reflects Puritan thinking like sunlight softly shimmering on a quiet country pond. There is life and much activity just below the quiet surface, yet one must look below to discover its depth. As the first notable poet in American literature, it is fitting that this young woman, a product of an atypical upbringing, should use her extensive education to express thought and emotion well beyond the writings of her time. Still, her writings always reflected the natural values and religious foundation of her time period. In the poem IN REFERENCE TO HER CHILDREN she writes , I had eight birds hatched in one nest, Four cocks there were, and hens the rest. I nursed them up with pain and care, Nor cost , nor labour did I spare, Till at the last they felt their wing, Mounted trees and learned to sing ( 1 6 ). This imagery is very concrete, she need not describe the chirping of the fledglings or the rustling of the leaves as the nest sways gently on its arborous perch. Yet the reader provides this filler because she writes in a manner that is familiar to us all. Certainly it is familiar to the Puritans, who no doubt were in tune with nature. The very survival of the Puritans depended on their interaction and understanding of nature. Although, she expresses her instinctive motherly concerns in her writing , the poem ends in an expression of realistic resolve to the inevitable cycle of life. Farewell, my birds, farewell adieu, I happy am, if well with you. (93-94) It is not only her observations that Anne Bradstreet shares with us, but she truly lets her feelings take form in her prose. This is really the first time in American literature that an author has opened the door to the room of their inner emotions. In fact, she never really thought that they would be published or even read at all by anyone else. What a loss it would have been to us all if we never had the opportunity to share Anne Bradstreets experiences with her. She had much to offer even though she was critical of her own writings. In the poem THE AUTHOR TO HER BOOK she writes: Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain, Who after birth didst by my side remain, Till snatched from thence by friends, less wise than true , this is a humble yet witty verse that gives a great deal of insight as to the sassy spirit and humoruos side of Ms. Bradstreet. Still , in her writings she maintained a certain decorum. While often tackling serious subjects such as the burning of her house and the death of a grandchild she stayed centered to the path of Puritan faith. _ English Essays

Free Essays on Colt .45 Automatic Pistol

The Colt .45 Automatic Pistol The Colt .45 automatic pistol was designed to comply with the requirements of the U. S. Army, who had discovered that its .38 revolver was incapable of stopping attackers in the campaign in the Philippines. (Caradimas) John Moses Browning, an employee for Colt Manufacturing, redesigned the .38 revolver to accommodate a .45 diameter cartridge of his own design. The development of the .45 automatic pistol took about 5 years to perfect. The design requirements for the pistol specified a gun that could be serviced in the field with a minimum number of tools and completely disassembled using only its own parts. The result was a pistol that was selected as the official sidearm of the United States Armed Forces. The story of the Colt .45 automatic pistol includes a brief history of John Moses Browning and how the pistol operates and has changed over the years. John Moses Browning is considered the most famous and most competent gun maker the world has ever known. (Caradimas) Gun making ran in the family of John Moses Browning. He grew up in his father’s gunsmithing shop and knew the name of every gun part before he could even read. He produced his first gun from scrap iron at the age of 13. It was here that he learned much more than just the art and science of gunsmithing. John was more interested in designing and building new, innovative firearms than repairing broken ones. He received his first patent at the age of 23. After his father died in 1879, John Moses and his brothers expanded the business into a small gun making workshop that employed several people. They first began producing rifles. When a representative of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company saw the quality of one of John’s guns in 1883, he bought it and sent it to the company headquarters. The managing director of Winchester immediately went to visit the Browning brothers and bought the rights to produce the guns, leaving Joh... Free Essays on Colt .45 Automatic Pistol Free Essays on Colt .45 Automatic Pistol The Colt .45 Automatic Pistol The Colt .45 automatic pistol was designed to comply with the requirements of the U. S. Army, who had discovered that its .38 revolver was incapable of stopping attackers in the campaign in the Philippines. (Caradimas) John Moses Browning, an employee for Colt Manufacturing, redesigned the .38 revolver to accommodate a .45 diameter cartridge of his own design. The development of the .45 automatic pistol took about 5 years to perfect. The design requirements for the pistol specified a gun that could be serviced in the field with a minimum number of tools and completely disassembled using only its own parts. The result was a pistol that was selected as the official sidearm of the United States Armed Forces. The story of the Colt .45 automatic pistol includes a brief history of John Moses Browning and how the pistol operates and has changed over the years. John Moses Browning is considered the most famous and most competent gun maker the world has ever known. (Caradimas) Gun making ran in the family of John Moses Browning. He grew up in his father’s gunsmithing shop and knew the name of every gun part before he could even read. He produced his first gun from scrap iron at the age of 13. It was here that he learned much more than just the art and science of gunsmithing. John was more interested in designing and building new, innovative firearms than repairing broken ones. He received his first patent at the age of 23. After his father died in 1879, John Moses and his brothers expanded the business into a small gun making workshop that employed several people. They first began producing rifles. When a representative of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company saw the quality of one of John’s guns in 1883, he bought it and sent it to the company headquarters. The managing director of Winchester immediately went to visit the Browning brothers and bought the rights to produce the guns, leaving Joh...

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi - Essay Example Venice at that time was the capital of the republic of Venice. The president of the union joined by his father, Giovanni Legrenzi, was maestro di cappella at the Basilica of San Marco and noted early Baroque composer. He was believed to have taught the young Antonio to compose. Scholar Walter Kolneder of Luxemburg figures that the liturgical work Laetatus sum ((RV Anh 31, written in 1691) written when he was just 13, showed influence of Legrenzi style. He began studying priesthood and in 1703, at the age of 25, he was an ordained Venetian priest and was nicknamed "Il Prete Roso" or The Red Priest but he did not practiced his vocation due to a sickness which is his tightening of chest, suspected as asthma. In 1704, he was given dispensation from celebrating the Holy Mass due to his illness and he withdrew from active priesthood in 1706. By December 1703, Vivaldi was appointed maestro de violino at the Ospedale della Pieta, one of Venetian girls' orphanage. At that time, the institution had four branches in Venice giving shelter and education to orphaned, abandoned or children from impoverished families as funded by the Republic. The boys were taught a trade before leaving at age 15 while the girls had musical education and the talented were retained to be members of the Ospedale's orchestra and choir. Ospedale under the ministration of Antonio Vivaldi began to gain appreciation even abroad as Vivaldi wrote most of the cantatas, concerto and sacred music. The position of teacher of viola all'inglese was also added on his duty as maestro de violini by 1704 and although he is already starting to prove his talent at that time, he was retained at the Pieta until 1709 only when the board dismissed him, for many perceived him a difficult man. He worked as a freelance musician for a year until the board recalled him in 1711 realising his potential. From then, Vivaldi was in his most productive years writing music or operas and concertos. His first collection of his works called Raccolta, a trio sonata was published in 1705 with his Opus 1 a collection of 12 sonatas for two violins and basso continuo in conventional style. His Opus 2 is a collection of 12 sonatas for violins and basso continuo and was published in 1709. L'Estro Armonico (Opus 3) his first collection of 12 concerti for one, two, and four violins with strings was published by Estienne Roger in Amsterdam in 1711. It became a success all over Europe as followed by another success La Stravaganza (Opus 4) in 1714 which is a collection of concerti for solo violin and strings. Musicians sought sought him out in Venice and commissioned works from him including for the Dresden court. Johann Sebastian Bach transcribed five Opus 3 concertos for keyboard and he influenced many German composers. Antonio and his father went to Brescia in 1917. His Stabat Mater (RV 621) was played as part of a religious festival and although the work was apparently done in haste, the forced essentiality of the music revealed musical and emotional depth that made it one of his masterpieces. He also started traveling in 1718 to promote his music and in even during his travels, he retained connection with the Pieta and wrote two concertos each month sending them by post. He also found time to rehearse

Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Critical Review - Essay Example Mike and Scott, the main characters in this film, are deviant individuals in the society. Viewers cannot emulate their behaviors, for instance. Besides being drug addicts, Mike and Scott earn their money through prostitution that is an immoral act in the society. The Scene at the cafe shows young and desperate male prostitutes willing to engage in sex with strangers to earn money. The scene emphasizes on the dominance of homosexuality in the society. Bob appears at the Hotel scene for the first time in film and display unacceptable characters such as drug abuse, theft, and planning robbery. Gus Van Sant’s film is a story of two friends, Mike and Scott, leading their lives on the streets and engaging in homosexual prostitution. The film is not open-minded about homosexuality in society. The film does not command influence to transform individuals political sensitivity. Instead, it majorly focuses on societal vices such as prostitution, homosexuality, and drug abuse. Canby, Vincent. â€Å"Movie Review: My Own Private Idaho (1991).† The New York Times. September 27, 1991. Web. October 15, 2014. Accessed from,

How does al etihad company benefit from the employment from overseas Research Proposal

How does al etihad company benefit from the employment from overseas graduates - Research Proposal Example al., 2013). Subsequently, the proposed study will help identifying how the company will be benefitted from recruiting skilled and talented graduates of the overseas labour market. This outcome of the proposed study will be crucial in determining a better set of workforce that can contribute towards the sustainable existence of the overall business (Gold Bars Worldwide, 2013). A better understanding of the research topic can be gained from the brief analysis of secondary sources. As per Chandramohan (2008), HRM ensures proper and productive management of the resources in businesses, deemed as the most vital assets required for the sustainability of any organisation (Chandramohan, 2008). Correspondingly, Sims (2012) argued that proper HRM ultimately leads to business success since well-managed employees work efficiently and with utmost productivity towards attaining the business goals. However, prior to the application of the HRM principles, effective recruitment of productive members is important to build an effective set of workforce (Dowling & et. al., 2008). As per the report of CBI (2013), employing graduates from overseas markets not only enhances workplace diversity but also helps companies in the global markets to tackle cultural differences amid customers in an efficient manner. It is through this mechanism that by recruiting skilled and education candidates from numerous regions, companies can ensure compliance with the modern day challenges of diversity and continuous changes (CBI, 2013). As per the study of Hoo & et. al. (2009), in the presence of graduates from the overseas markets, companies are able to better exploit the potentials of the overseas markets and gain better share in the international markets (Hoo & et. al., 2009). Besides, as Al Etihad is among the fastest growing players in Gold and Silver refinery industries, the company requires highly skilled and technically sound employees, capable of dealing with such on-the-job

Business Essays Motivation In Business

Business Essays Motivation In Business Motivation In Business. Introduction Motivation has been defined as the psychological process that gives behaviour purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). In psychology, motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of behavior (Green, 1995). In simplistic terms, we can define motivation as the desire and willingness to do something and the inner force that helps individuals achieve their goals. Understanding what motivates employees and what can employers do to motivate their internal customers has been the focus of research by many researchers and the topic has gained special prominence in recent years. This is mainly because motivated employees can provide a firm with a distinctive advantage and a comptetitive edge and by being more productive they can help organisation thrive and survive. There are two schools of thought on motivational theories, the scientific school of thought and the behavioural school of thought. Scientific Model The basis of scientific management is considering employees as an input to the production of goods and services. The approach stresses on scientific selection, training and development of workers instead of allowing them to choose their own tasks and training methods and its objective is to carry out work in accordance with scientifically devised procedures. One of the pioneers and inventor of scientific approach to management was Frederick Taylor. Frederic Taylor, (1856-1915) was the first to analyse human behaviour scientifically with his machine model by making individuals into the equivalent of machine parts. He broke down the tasks to its smallest unit to figure out the best approach. After careful analysis of the job, workers were trained to do only those motions essential to the task. Taylor attempted to make a science for each element of work and restrict behavioural alternatives facing worker and looked at interaction of human characteristics, social environment, task, and physical environment, capacity, speed, durability and cost. The overall goal was to remove human variability. (Terpstra, 2005) Taylors machine model was a success and did increase production and profitability because rational rules replaced trial and error and management became more formalized which eventually led to increased efficiency. But Taylors treatment of human beings like machines faced resistance from managers and workers who considered thi s way of working as dehumanization of work. One of the other features of Taylors work was stop-watch timing as the basis of observations and breaking the timings down into elements. This method also faced stiff group resistance because no one likes to be so close monitored for each little part of the work he/she does. Despite its criticisms, Taylors methods had a great impact on work because he invented a new, efficient and more productive way to work that changed the complete nature of the industry. Before scientific management, departments such as work study, personnel, maintenance and quality control did not exist. (Buford, 2000) The core elements of scientific management remain popular and have only been modified and updated to suit the current scenario. Behavioural approach Unlike scientific approach behaviour approach places emphasis on what motivates people and seeks to identify and account for the specific influences that motivate people. Some of the distinguished theories of behavioural approach to motivation are discussed below. Maslow (1943) put forward the hierarchy of needs theory which saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from lowest to the highest. He argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need and once one set of needs is satisfied, this kind of need ceases to be a motivator. The five needs are: Physiological needs These are the most basic human needs which are important for sustenance like food, water, warmth, shelter, sleep etc. Maslow argued that unless physiological needs are satisfied to a degree, no other motivating factor can work. Safety or Security needs These are needs to be free of physical danger and emotional harm like the fear of losing a job, property, food or shelter. It relates to security, protection and stability in the personal events of everyday life. Social Needs These are needs for love, affection and belongingness and social acceptance. People are social beings and try to satisfy their needs for acceptance and friendship. Esteem Once peoples social needs are satisfied, they look for esteem (reputation). This need produces such satisfaction as power, prestige status and self confidence. It includes both internal esteem factors like self-respect, autonomy, achievements and external esteem factors such as recognition and attention as well as personal sense of competence. (Source) .Self actualization This need is the drive to become what one is capable of becoming. Its the need to grow and use abilities to the fullest potential. It includes growth and self-fulfillment by achieving ones potential to accomplish something Looking at Maslows hierarchy of needs triangle, as each needs are substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. (eg. esteem needs become dominant after social needs are satisfied).Also, when a need gets substantially satisfied, it stops to be motivating. The crux of Maslows theory is to focus on finding out the level of hierarchy the person is in and focusing on satisfying his/her needs and the needs above it. Maslows theory of needs has been wider recognised and is being practiced by managers across the globe. The theorys ease of understanding and intuitive logic makes it easy to implement, but there is no empirical evidence to validate the theory and there is no metric to measure the success of the theory after being implemented. So, the quantitative impact of Maslows theories cannot be accurately measured. Frederick Herzbergs (1959) famous quote says If you want people to do a good job, give them a good job to do. Herzbergs motivational theory has a two component approach and is known as the two-factor theory. His theory suggests that things which prevent dissatisfaction are not the same as things which create satisfaction. (Herzberg, 1959) When people are dissatisfied (de-motivated) with their work it is usually because of discontent with environmental factors which he terms as Hygiene Factors. These hygiene factors include factors such as, security, status, relationship with subordinates, personal life, salary, work conditions, relationship with supervisor, company policy and administration (Bedeian, 2003). These are the factors whose presence in the organization is natural and does not lead to motivation, however its absence does lead to de-motivation. Hygiene factors include the work and the organizational environment. The second component of the theory involves factors whose absen ce causes no dissatisfaction but whose presence has huge motivational value. Herzberg terms these factors as Motivational factors which are factors such as growth prospects, career progression and advancement, responsibility, challenges, recognition and achievements. The theory concentrates around the fact that the opposite to satisfaction is not dissatisfaction and merely removing dissatisfying characteristics from a job does not necessarily makes the job satisfying. Herzberg stresses that both the approaches (hygiene and motivational) should be done simultaneously to be effective. Herzbergs theory, in a way, is a modification to Maslows hierarchy of needs. Some critics term Herzbergs theory as vague, but considering todays business world where job context and content are major issues, the theory if practiced effectively can give good results because it is based on superb motivational ideas. Diagramatic representation of Herzberg two-factor theory (Taken from Web 2) Vrooms Expectancy Theory Vrooms expectancy theory argues that motivation is based on values and beliefs of individuals and examines motives through the perception of what a person believes will happen. It is based on the belief that employee effort will lead to performance and performance will lead to rewards (Vroom, 1964). The theory states that individuals can be motivated if they believe that there is a positive correlation between the efforts they put in and their performance and when that favourable performance leads to a reward. Consequently, the reward helps satisfy an important need and the desire to satisfy that need is strong enough to make the efforts worth wile. The theory states that the strength of an individuals motivation will depend on the extent to which they expect the results of their efforts to contribute towards their personal needs or goals and posits that motivation is a result of a rational calculation(Vroom, 1964) The calculation is based on peoples beliefs (pointed above) about the probability that effort will lead to performance (expectancy), multiplied by the probability that performance will lead to reward (instrumentality), multiplied by the perceived value of the reward (valence) (Source) Vroom argues that the equation Motivation = Expectancy * Instrumentality * Valence can be used to predict whether a particular reward will motivate an individual or not. Vrooms theory can apply to any apply to any situation where someone does something because they expect a certain outcome. The theory is about the associations people make towards expected outcomes and the contribution they feel they can make towards those outcomes (Bowen,1991) Critics have applauded the basics of Vrooms theory but questions have been raised about the validity over the motivation equation as a product of expectancy, instrumentality and valence. Porter-Lawler Expectancy theory Porter-Lawlers theory is much on the same lines as Vrooms and suggests that levels of motivation are based more on the value that individuals place on the reward.  Actual performance in a job is primarily determined by the effort spent and is also affected by the persons ability to do the job and his perception of what the required task is. The theory states that performance is the responsible factor that leads to intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards and these rewards, along with the equity of individual leads to satisfaction. Hence, satisfaction of the individual depends upon the fairness of the reward (Bowen 1991) Porter and Lawler point out that perceived inequality in this model plays a pivotal role in job satisfaction. The perception of equal or unequal reward may cause dissatisfaction which means that organizations have to continuously keep evaluating their reward system. The theory along with equity theory demonstrates the importance of avoiding discriminatory practices in the workplace and states that it is imperative for employees to give equal treatment to employees on the job. Elton Mayo with his behavioural experiments known as Hawthorne Experiments was among the first few to analyse the human aspects of motivation He conclusions were that motivation was a very complex subject and was not only about pay, work condition and morale but also about psychological and social factors. He concluded that the need for recognition and a sense of belonging were very important motivational factors. Reinforcement based approach to motivation Reinforcement was propounded by Skinner and this theory is based on motivation approaches are in some way similar to expectancy theory as both consider the process by which an individual chooses behaviour in a particular situation. It emphasises re-designing the external environment by making positive changes to encourage motivation. Skinner states that work environment should be made suitable to the individuals and that punishments actually leads to frustration and de-motivation. This approach explains the role of rewards in greater detail as they cause the behaviour to change or remain the same. Expectancy theory focuses more on behaviour choices, and reinforcement theory focuses more on the consequences of those choices (Skinner, 1953) Other theories of behavioral motivation are Adams theory of Equity and Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. Most of the behavioural theories seem to borrow a little from each other. Maslows theory concentrates on basic human needs, Herzbergs two factor theory brings out the distinction between motivation-demotivation. Because of its quantitative nature, Vrooms theory, is more suited to managers trying to gauge the effect of decisions on employees. Maslow describes which outcomes people are motivated by and Vroom describes whether they will act based upon their experience and expectations. (Harpaz,2004) Maslows theory can be too simple and rigid for todays environment. Porter-Lawler model brings out the perceived inequality and brings out the demerits of discriminatory practices which may be more suitable for more diversified workforce. All behavioral theories have their own significance and its up to the management to decide which theory to apply. Application of motivational theories is purely contextual and specific to a particular workforce. Workplace might merge two theories and apply s ome of the features of each. Because of its contextual nature, none of the theories are generic and better than the other. Comparison of Scientific and Behaviour approach There is an underlying difference between the two approaches to motivation. Scientific approach assumes that work is inherently unpleasant to most people and the financial incentive is more important to them than other factors such as nature of job, role profile, work environment etc. While the behavioural approach to management emphasises the role of social processes in organisations and stresses on belongingness and the need to feel useful. It emphasises that these human needs motivate employees more than money. According to this view, people want to contribute to organisational effectiveness and want to make a genuine contribution towards its success. Scientific management is an effective technique for a capitalist system and a money economy where the companys sole objective is the improvement of efficiency and profitability. (Higgins, 2004). In todays workplace environment, where companys success is judged by various qualitative parameters and where employee motivation forms a si gnificant input to organisations success, human approach to management is more suited. Conclusions Motivation remains a challenge for organizations today. With the changing environment, the solution to motivation problems are becoming even more complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates employees changes constantly (Bowen Radhakrishna, 2001) Managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they perform and understand the process, theories, and fundamental components of motivation. Regardless of which theory is followed, interesting work and employee pay are important links to higher motivation. Options such as job enlargement, job enrichment, promotions, monetary and non-monetary compensation should be considered. Research done by (Higgins, 2004) has come out with ten most motivating factors which are: interesting work, good wages, full appreciation of work done, job security, good working conditions, promotions and growth in the organization, feeling of being in on things, personal loyalty to employees, tactful discipline, and sympathetic help with personal problems. The key to motivating employees is to know what motivates them and designing a motivation program based on those needs. ReferencesBooks and Journal Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. New York: Academic Press. Bedeian, A. G. (2003). Management (3rd ed.). New York: Dryden Press. Bowen, B. E., Radhakrishna, R. B. (1991). Job satisfaction of agricultural education faculty: A constant phenomena. Journal of Agricultural Education, 32 (2). 16-22. Buford, J. A., Jr., Bedeian, A. G., Lindner, J. R. (2005). Management in Extension (3rd ed.). Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Extension. Buford, J. A., Jr. (2000). Extension management in the information age. Journal of Extension, 28 (1). Dickson, W. J. (1973). Hawthorne experiments. In C. Heyel (ed.), The encyclopedia of management, 2nd ed. (pp. 298-302). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Harpaz, I. (2004). The importance of work goals: an international perspective. Journal of International Business Studies, 21. 75-93. Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: John Wiley Sons. Higgins, J. M. (2004). The management challenge (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan. Kovach, K. A. (1997). What motivates employees? Workers and supervisors give different answers. Business Horizons, 30. 58-65. Kreitner, R. (2005). Management (6th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, July 1943. 370-396. Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. New York: Free Press. Smith, G. P. (1994). Motivation. In W. Tracey (ed.), Human resources management and development handbook (2nd ed.). Terpstra, D. E. (2005). Theories of motivation: borrowing the best. Personnel Journal, 58. 376.Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York: Wiley . Web sites (Web 1) Motivation theorists and their theories (online) (cited 15 December) Available from http://www.accel-team.com/motivation/theory_01.html(Web 2) Motivation (online) (cited 16 December) Available from URL http://choo.fis.utoronto.ca/FIS/Courses/LIS1230/LIS1230sharma/motive1.htm

Character Analysis of Dee Johnson in Everyday Use by Alice Walker Essa

Alice Walker crafts the character of Dee Johnson in the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† in a clever way. Starting from the first paragraph, Walker creates an image of Dee, who at first seems very shallow. Dee then becomes a more complex character as the story progresses. Blessed with both brains and beauty, Dee emerges as someone who is still struggling with her identity and heritage. Dee is a flat character, who is described as arrogant and selfish. Through the eyes of Dee, one can see her egotistical nature. Dee is portrayed as a light-skinned black person who feels as though she is better than everyone else because her waist is small, her skin is light, she has a nice grade of hair, and she is somewhat educated. Although she may be educated when it comes to college, she is not educated w...

Environmental Degradation Essay

The deterioration of the environment by natural or human forces is known as environmental degradation. Natural happenings like heavy rain, floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes etc. are not under human control and they play havoc with environment time to time by making the land unfit lor cultivation. Here man is helpless. He can do nothing except to see the havoc. But when man himself plays a vital role in degrading the environment in which he lives, and then the problem becomes more serious. Needless to say that environmental degradation is one of the major global issues. The overuse of resources is it land or water and the industrialisation process are the major causes of this phenomenon. Man has been felling the tress for his various purposes. He never minds if this process goes on without check it will lead to soil erosion, floods, silting of irrigation canals and cultivated lands, which finally degrade our environment. Our population is increasing fast, which has also degraded the environment to a great extent. Man’s insatiable needs and distress have disturbed the whole environmental equilibrium. The race of armament among countries is no less responsible for this global issue. Apart from these our industries emit smoke and discharge liquids including polluted water. The smoke contains many undesirable gases such as carbon monoxide and sulpher dioxide. All borne particles in solid, liquids and gaseous form. The pollution in atmosphere has tendency to form their layers and sinks in atmosphere. The chlorofluorocarbons which come from aerosol sprays nuclear weapons, refrigerators etc., have caused a hole in the ozone layer of atmosphere. This hole is allowing increased amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching our earth. The above mentioned factors have really degraded the environment and if ways to check it are not applied we will have face serious consequences. We must put an end to our ir satiable needs and desires. There must not be indiscriminate cutting of trees because it will lead to ecological imbalances. Instead, we should know the value of tree plantation and should plant trees as many as we can in our surrounding area. Next, our ever growing population must be checked because it puts an extra burden .on our natural resources. Last but not the least, factories should not be allowed to emit large quantities of harmful effluents into air through their chimneys. They should discharge them into the rivers aid other water bodies because this dirty water can be treated aid recycled to be used again. Our environment must be protected by all means. We must realise the fact that so long environment is there, our life is there. The day, when there is no environment, there will be a complete doom.

Free Essays on The Holocaust

The Holocaust during World War II was arguably one of the worst human induced disasters that have happened to the human race. The Holocaust orchestrated by the Nazi Empire destroyed millions of lives and created questions about humanity that may never be answered. Many psychological effects caused by the Holocaust forever changed the way the Jewish people view the world and themselves. The Jewish people have been scarred for generations and may never be able to once again associate with the rest of the free world. Further, these scars have now become the looking glass through which the survivors and their children view the world. Through narrow eyes, the survivors relate everything to the experiences they endured during the Holocaust. Likewise, these new views on the world shapes how the survivors live, interact, and raise a family both socially and spiritually. Some survivors are scarred so deeply they cannot escape the past feelings and images of terror; psychologists call this â €Å"Survivor Syndrome†. A survivor of the war is one who has encountered, been exposed to, or witnessed death, and has himself of herself remained alive. The symptoms affected not only survivors, but their families as well. These symptoms were also caused by some of the horrifying experiences that happened especially to the Jewish women. The symptoms included an inability to work, and even at times to talk. The Jewish people fear that it may happen again. Also a fear of uniformed police officers because of their position of power became very common. There were also many feelings of guilt for having survived when others had not. "Why am I alive?" â€Å"Why not my sister and brother...my whole family?" The Jewish holocaust survivors posed those and other questions. The survivors had thoughts of death, nightmares, panic attacks, and various other symptoms. Disinterest in life, people, and sometimes even in reality played a huge role in marital problems and suicid... Free Essays on The Holocaust Free Essays on The Holocaust The Holocaust â€Å"Do You Remember When† This exhibition was written about Gad and Manfred, two Jewish friends who went through torture, discrimination, and suffering, only to be ripped apart in the end. Manfred was born on September 8, 1922 in Berlin. His father worked as a barber while his mother stayed home to take care of him and his 4 siblings. Gad was born on June 30, 1923, along with a twin sister named Miriam. Gad was only considered â€Å"half-Jew† because his mother had been a Protestant before converting to Jewish. Manfred had written Gad a journal, titled â€Å"Do you remember when,† to make Gad happy when he read it. In Manfred’s journal, he wrote about Hitler, saying, â€Å"how could anyone bring us someone like this?† The two friends used to spend nights together in the basement of their Jewish school as part of an obligatory air raid patrol. Gad and Manfred became members of the He-halutz youth group, a band of Jewish teens. Although the youth group did have their fun pl aying games, they were soon forced to work, as were all Jewish people over the age of 14. By September 15, 1941, all Jews were forced to wear a yellow star. The He-halutz group reacted by banning together and becoming more political. These two men eventually became more than friends, bringing out their homosexuality. As torture from the Nazis grew stronger, conflict rose in Jewish communities on how to react. Rumors about the Jewish’s destination had been heard, but nobody knew the exact truth. In the Fall of 1942, Manfred’s family â€Å"got their lists.† They were being forced to go to Grosse Hamburger Strasse, a destination â€Å"for work.† Gad, disguised as a Hitler-lover, managed to sneak in to see Manfred. Gad gave him $20, as Manfred told him that he did not have the heart to escape, he could not leave his family. â€Å"Hidden History of the Kovno Ghetto† The Holocaust began in the summer of 1941, as German troops invaded... Free Essays on The Holocaust The Holocaust is a major event in world history. Indifference was to blame for the millions of unique people slaughtered. Prejudice begins with the â€Å"less than we are† logic. Hitler and the Nazis believed that the pure Arian race was above all other races. They believed this to the extent of butchering all who didn’t fit in, or anyone challenging Hitler's master race. These were the gradual steps that led to the ultimate consequence, sprouting from that first name calling. Some of the first Anti-Semitism acts were boycotts of all Jewish shops. This was instigated by the S.A. Not only small business owners suffered, the same action was directed against Jewish physicians and lawyers. Schooling for Jewish students was forbidden. Around the same time, Jewish people were to wear the Star of David so they could be identified without confusion. Many people are surprised to hear that the German government elected in 1933 was completely democratic. Remember, Hitler was voted into power, there was no military overthrow. However, Hitler did have his 50 000 body guards which he named schutzstaffel (SS) founded in April 1925. Heinrich Himmler was the commander from 1929 until its collapse in 1945. 1934 to 1936 served as the high point of Hitler’s rein of horror; The SS now gained control of Germany’s police forces, which included â€Å"racial matters†. The SS divided into two sub-units: Allgemeince-SS (general SS) and the Waffen-SS (armed SS). These two organizations combined totalled over 250 000 troops by 1939. The main component of the General SS was the Reichssicherheitshauptamt ("RSHA," Reich Security Central Office in German). 4 sub-groups were included within the RSHA including the notorious Gestapo controlled by Heinrich Muller. The Armed SS consisted of three main groups. The first was the Leibstandarte, they served Hitler as his personal bodyguard. The Totenkopfverbande were in charge of the death ... Free Essays on The Holocaust The Holocaust during World War II was arguably one of the worst human induced disasters that have happened to the human race. The Holocaust orchestrated by the Nazi Empire destroyed millions of lives and created questions about humanity that may never be answered. Many psychological effects caused by the Holocaust forever changed the way the Jewish people view the world and themselves. The Jewish people have been scarred for generations and may never be able to once again associate with the rest of the free world. Further, these scars have now become the looking glass through which the survivors and their children view the world. Through narrow eyes, the survivors relate everything to the experiences they endured during the Holocaust. Likewise, these new views on the world shapes how the survivors live, interact, and raise a family both socially and spiritually. Some survivors are scarred so deeply they cannot escape the past feelings and images of terror; psychologists call this â €Å"Survivor Syndrome†. A survivor of the war is one who has encountered, been exposed to, or witnessed death, and has himself of herself remained alive. The symptoms affected not only survivors, but their families as well. These symptoms were also caused by some of the horrifying experiences that happened especially to the Jewish women. The symptoms included an inability to work, and even at times to talk. The Jewish people fear that it may happen again. Also a fear of uniformed police officers because of their position of power became very common. There were also many feelings of guilt for having survived when others had not. "Why am I alive?" â€Å"Why not my sister and brother...my whole family?" The Jewish holocaust survivors posed those and other questions. The survivors had thoughts of death, nightmares, panic attacks, and various other symptoms. Disinterest in life, people, and sometimes even in reality played a huge role in marital problems and suicid...

Free Essays on Why War

Why we shouldn't go to war with Iraq By With the publication of a report in last week's New York Times about the Bush administration's plans for the invasion of Iraq, it seems that war with that country is fairly certain. Previous rhetoric from the president or one or another of his surrogates could always be explained as some kind of politically driven chest-thumping, but it's hard to see the political advantage of the kind of secret and detailed war plan the Times disclosed. The details in fact sound pretty ferocious. "The document envisions tens of thousands of marines and soldiers probably invading from Kuwait. Hundreds of warplanes based in as many as eight countries, possibly including Turkey and Qatar, would unleash a huge air assault against thousands of targets, including airfields, roadways and fiber-optics communications sites." The Times' description makes it sound like the biggest war flick since The Sands of Iwo Jima. Indeed, it sounds bigger and far more violent than anything the United States has carried out since at least the "liberation" of Kuwait (i.e., the restoration of the despotic emirate that the Iraqi armed conquest had toppled) and perhaps since well before that. What the document discloses is not a "police action," and not a "rescue mission"; this is full-scale war. Since the American Republic has now evolved to the point ... Free Essays on Why War Free Essays on Why War Why we shouldn't go to war with Iraq By With the publication of a report in last week's New York Times about the Bush administration's plans for the invasion of Iraq, it seems that war with that country is fairly certain. Previous rhetoric from the president or one or another of his surrogates could always be explained as some kind of politically driven chest-thumping, but it's hard to see the political advantage of the kind of secret and detailed war plan the Times disclosed. The details in fact sound pretty ferocious. "The document envisions tens of thousands of marines and soldiers probably invading from Kuwait. Hundreds of warplanes based in as many as eight countries, possibly including Turkey and Qatar, would unleash a huge air assault against thousands of targets, including airfields, roadways and fiber-optics communications sites." The Times' description makes it sound like the biggest war flick since The Sands of Iwo Jima. Indeed, it sounds bigger and far more violent than anything the United States has carried out since at least the "liberation" of Kuwait (i.e., the restoration of the despotic emirate that the Iraqi armed conquest had toppled) and perhaps since well before that. What the document discloses is not a "police action," and not a "rescue mission"; this is full-scale war. Since the American Republic has now evolved to the point ... Free Essays on Why War Why War What happens to the aggressive instinct when people unite to form a lawful society they still do violent things but they think it is right because the community backs it. I believe that they still act in violence but they do it through the community so they believe it is not wrong. What it is controlled violence thought the community and nothing else. It is just having the hole community making the dictions in steed of one person , but they are still acting in violence they just have the backing of a majority of the community this is what I believe that they are saying in there letters. People still have the same instinct for violence they just do not believe it is right for one person to act on it the majority of the community has to believe they did something wrong, and must be punished for it. Basically a jury trial were twelve of your peers decide if you are guilty or not and decide how violent your punishment will be. Like I said it is just the community acting in violence instead of one person. They will punish one person for being violent, but if the whole community backs the act it is ok at least that’s what we think. I think that if it is the whole community backing it or just one person acting out of rage it is wrong to act out in violence period. But even I act out in violence it is a instinct we can’t break it is necessary for are survival for the human race. I don’t think we could ever live without violence we are not even capable of the thought. I mean sit down and think about it you can’t even picture it you may think you can, but if you look deeper in your thoughts about it even in your perfect society in your mind some were there is some act of violence. This is my opinion you may have a different one and I would like to here it. The aggressive instinct stays there it is just the way we have been raised that we do not think it is wrong to act out in mild violence or in murder if the community is bac...

Curriculum leadership pack Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Curriculum leadership pack - Essay Example le number of children in our elementary school do not receive enhanced physical education programs persist to insult whatever development has been accomplished at that level. Policymakers in our country might still be questioning the requirements for our schools’ physical education program, and multitude of us have concluded a definition of political triumph as sustaining a status quo in the schools, rather than the reinforcement of curricular prerequisites. The reality that several of these same policymakers have expressed their advocacy on quality, regular physical education is an irony that expresses a great deal about the ambiguous position of physical education as an academic discipline. Based on the Inspection Report of May 2008, our students perform poorly in key physical education activities namely, game plays, gymnastics and dance, particularly in body control, coordination, balance, posture and other coordinated body movements. Moreover, our students are not given equal opportunities to become mentally, emotionally and physically involved in the various physical education activities. And lastly, which I think is the most important deficiency of the physical education curriculum is the absence of a whole school policy for the subject. In order to resolve these deficiencies and problems in physical education outcomes, an action plan is written which addresses important components of strategies for teaching physical education at the elementary level. These components that were included are proposed staff development activities, responsibilities, necessary resources, monitoring strategies, success criteria and indicative date of completion of the proposed strategy. Furthermore, an INSET plan is included to provide a synopsis of the various trainings that the teachers should undergo in order to successfully fulfill the objectives of the six specified strategies in the action plan. A number of physical educators do formulate exceptional action plans.

The U.S Constitution and the Bill of Rights Research Paper

The U.S Constitution and the Bill of Rights - Research Paper Example Initiatives for the Constitution In 1787, on May 14, the Federal Convention assembled in the Independence Hall in Philadelphia in order to revise the articles of confederation. Since the delegates were in a minority meeting was adjourned for a day awaiting the arrival of the rest of the states. This adjourning continued for eleven days when on May 25 seven states joined in with the delegation for the purpose of taking a mutual decision (World Digital Library, 2012). However, the debates continued between the states until mid of June that the jury reached a conclusion that the terms could not be amended rather it called for a fresh effort and a total change in the articles of confederation. Thus, the first mutual decision between the gathered delegates was to draft a new structure in order to give a direction to the government (World Digital Library, 2012). After continuous secret debates among the delegates, a constitution was proposed and submitted to the state for an approval. Alth ough the vote was sealed in some states, the constitution was finally sanctioned. A new Federal government came into existence in 1789. In accord with the constitution the government was established that exists till to date in the U.S. The Bill of Rights During the debates for the constitution the delegates constantly mentioned that there should be a law that would protect the citizens against violation of rights. The opposition party argued that if the constitution was established without considering the citizens it will become a tyrannical rule by the central government. During the revolution, the British had violated the civil rights. This was a fresh memory for the opposition party and a mitigating factor that brought the Bill of Rights into existence. In accord with the arguments of the opposition party, there should be rules that were required to be spelled out in order to protect the citizens against any violation of rights (The Charters of Freedom, 2012). Nevertheless, on Se ptember 25, 1789, the Congress of United States proposed to the State legislatures 12 amendments to the constitution. These amendments were deduced after the argument by the opposition party. Bearing in mind the argument of the opposition the Congress deduced amendments; these considered the representation of the constituents and the compensation of the congressmen. Thus, in order to guard the rights of the citizens, George Mason had composed the Declaration of Rights, which was approved by the Virginia assembly on June 12, 1776. However, on June 8, 1789, James Madison of Virginia presented amendments to the Constitution. The Federalists honored their word and on September 25, 1789, the First Federal Congress of the United States approved twelve amendments to the Constitution to be submitted to the states for ratification. Today the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights (The Charters of Freedom, 2012; The U.S. Bill of Rights, 2012).

Comparing and Contrasting the book and movie Act of Valor Essay

Comparing and Contrasting the book and movie Act of Valor - Essay Example passionately. It is up to the Navy SEALs to find the terrorist groups and eliminate the threats. They embark on threat elimination missions in various parts of the world where their different units are stationed. The Action filled film is as captivating as it is enlightening. Unlike the common occurrence, the Act of valor film precedes the Act of Valor book. The film story writer wrote the story from a fictional original idea and the book authors borrowed their ideas and plot from the book. The book is written by Dick Couch and George Galdorisi. The book goes deep into the details in the description of the characters and the events that take place. This paper will compare and contrast the Films and the book, Act of Valor. The book is more accurate than the movie since it gives more details of the story and anyone looking for a thrilling action story should read it. Comparison and Contrast The Plot in both the book and the film is similar. The plot begins with the Navy SEALs team bein g dispatched on a rescue mission in Columbia where a U.S. CIA agent is held captive by an enemy group. The SEAL team seven is dispatched on a ship to perform the mission that is expected to be simple and fast but they later get information that there are plans underway to attack the U.S. The SEALs are then given intelligence information to embark on a global manhunt to stop the terrorists’ plan that is very well coordinated. The action moves from Chechnya shifting to the Philippines and later to Ukraine and Somalia where the SEALs conduct combat attacks to stop the terrorists. With each mission that the SEALs accomplish, a new puzzle is served to them and they are sent out to join the pieces in different parts of the world where the terrorists are stationed. The Film and the book capture the lives of the SEALs members and how the missions affect them and their families back at home. The action filled plot turns into an emotional rollercoaster once in a while when the lives an d worries of the SEALs are detailed (McCoy & Wuagh). The characters in both the movie and in the book are the same. The book writers took their ideas from the film and they were obliged to ensure that all the characters in the film appeared in the book exactly as their lives are portrayed in the film. The fact that the book is written from the screen play makes it difficult for the book writers to ignore any significant occurrence in the film. One of the greatest differences between the book and the film is the lengthy description in the book. The book has to capture the exact character image portrayed in the movie and this calls for detailed description to create a mental picture of the character’s lives and descriptions. The movie features actual Navy SEALs and the book’s description is intact on their image and lives (McCoy & Wuagh). The writers of the book enjoy the availability of time and space in the book to add more information to the lives of the characters. T he movie is time bounded and the story had to be shorter. The book in the other hand goes deeper into the details of the SEALs description and the way they handled the missions. In the book, the attacks that the SEALs engage in are vividly described, making what the film shows seem like just a sneak peak of the real event. The book illustrates every single detail of the fictitious story in a very clear way that the reader can almost visualize the experience. In the movie, the combat scenes are well

Childhood and Adolescent Depression and the Risks of Suicide Essay Example for Free

Childhood and Adolescent Depression and the Risks of Suicide Essay Introduction Problem and its Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most common reasons for referral of children and adolescents to mental health professionals is suspected depression. There are continues debate as to whether childhood and adolescent depression are a reflection of normal variation in mood. It is reasonable for the primary care physician to view childhood depression as a constellation of factors that forms a syndrome. This constellation consists of a persistent mood disorder and dysfunctional behavior that intrudes and distorts the child’s day-to-day activities (Gottlieb Williams, 1991 p. 1). A firm denial gave way into a general and strong conviction about significance of depressive syndromes in childhood and adolescents, and of the implications throughout the life course. The realization of the problem occurrence made it possible for the therapeutic interventions and prevention programs to be developed and set up for depressive children, and to have these programs sponsored and evaluated on a scientific perspective. Various factors have facilitated the progression of this study concerning the recognition of childhood depression. Society is approached with enormous cost of untreated childhood depression later on in life (Corveleyn etal, 2005 p.165).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concept of a depressive syndrome that is distinct from the broad class of childhood onset emotional disorders has been linked to incidence of suicidal rates worldwide. The condition of such incidence is becoming evidently alarming as the number of suicidal rate continue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment of such depressive states range from pharmacologic drugs up to psychological modifications and therapies, such as behavioral, peer and group focused groups, etc. With the serious nature of childhood / adolescent depression, it is crucial that treatments with known efficacy and more than transitory effects be provided promptly and skillfully (Maj Sartorius, 2002 p.292). Scope and Limitations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment procedures and the condition of health care management for the case of childhood and adolescent depression are the primary subjects of the study. The concept on treatment procedure involves the pharmacologic, medical and psychological interventions that are absolutely necessary in the health care management of such condition. The study shall cover the discussion of depressive condition of the childhood and adolescent age group. Diagnostic procedures and issues shall be tackled in this research in order to portray possible conflicts and difficulties that occur in diagnosing the condition. The neurobiology of the depressive state shall be elaborated utilizing psychophysiology of the disorder, and linked to probable external physiological occurrences. Lastly, since the study focuses on therapy and medication as treatment modalities, the following methods and means of treatment shall be involved in the study. The following shall be the objectives of the over-all study. To be able to define, discuss and elaborate the conditions involved in the occurrence of depression in adolescent and childhood stages To be able to provide and tackle the treatment procedure as the center scope of study, accompanied by the issues, physiology and specific drugs involved in depression health care management. Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cases of despondency and depression in children and adolescents were reported as early as the seventeenth century. Prior to the 1970s, however, little attention was paid to depression in youth (Hersen Hasselt, 2001 p.243). The study on depression had been more inclined to adulthood depression and not on childhood and adolescence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression among children and adolescents is relatively common, enduring, and recurrent disorder that has an adverse impact on a youngster’s psychosocial development and in some cases is associated with self-destructive and life-threatening behaviors. Depressive disorders during childhood and adolescence may be more virulent and of longer duration than depressive disorders in adults. Depressive disorders during childhood are a risk factor for the development of additional psychological disturbances and for the development of depressive disorders later in life. The number of youths who are experiencing depressive disorders is increasing at the same time that the age of onset is decreasing (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression can be conceptualized both as a dimension and as a category. Epidemiological studies suggest that juvenile depression is a continuum that is associated with problems at most levels of severity. According to Oregon Adolescent Depression Project, the level of psychosocial impairment increased as a direct function of the number of depressive symptoms. Moreover, in line with studies of adults, much of the morbidity associated with depression occurred in the â€Å"milder† but more numerous cases of minor depression. Such results suggest that even mild forms of adolescent depression are a risk factor for depression in early adulthood (Rutter Taylor, 2002 p.463).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In recent years, increased attention has been given to evidence-based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for depressed youth. The need to highlight what we know about treatment is underscored by the fact that most depressed youth do not receive treatment. However, as knowledge about treatments for youth depression has increased, the rate of treatment appears to have developed. Although depression among youth is treated more often, it is not clear that standard practice is effective at alleviating depressive symptoms or preventing recurrence. Moreover, there is a bias toward the utilization of pharmacologic drugs and extremely brief psychosocial interventions (Gotlib Hammen, 2002 p.441). Diagnostic Issues involved in Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision groups mood disorders into two categories: depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Both types of disorders are characterized by depressive episodes. For a diagnosis of depressive disorder, the child must be experiencing a mood disturbance for a period of at least 2 weeks, and the symptoms must be present more often than not. At least four of the following symptoms must be present during the same period (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.337): Significant, unintentional weight gain or loss Insomnia or hypersomnia Psychomotor retardation or agitation fatigue or loss or energy feelings of worthlessness or extreme guilt Diminished concentration pr ability to make decisions Recurring thoughts of death, suicidality, or suicide attempts In depressed preadolescents and adolescents, a lack of perceived personal competence was associated with depression; however, in adolescents, the more abstract concept of contingencies is also related to depression (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.338). Confusion sometimes arises in the childhood depression field, as it does with adult depression, because of different usages of the term â€Å"depression† and associated differences in methods of assessment. Moreover, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the primary reference of psychiatric diagnosis, frequently changes. One example is in studies of childhood and adolescent depression, the term is variously used to identify depressed mood, a constellation of mood and other symptoms forming a syndrome, or a set of symptoms meeting official diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder. The usage of such term connotes various meaning, such as depression as a symptoms (lonely, fear impulses, guilt, etc.) and depression as a syndrome (comprises clusters of various signs and symptoms) (Mash Barkley, 2003 p.336). Neurobiology of Childhood Adolescent Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Biologic studies in children are difficult to implement since they often require several blood draws, subjects remaining still more long periods of time, and the overall cooperation of the children and adolescents. Three types of investigation have provided information on possible developmental differences in the neurobiology of depression. The first is the study of Cortisol secretion, measured by investigations such as the dexamethasone suppression test (Rapoport, 2000 p.230).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies of neurotransmitters in depressed adults have focused on norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. Serotonin regulation studied in adults with depression reported that in response to L-5hyroxytrytophan in 37 pre-pubertal depressed children secreted less Cortisol and more prolactin than age-matched and gender-matched normal controls, suggesting a deregulation of central serotonergic systems in childhood depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abnormalities of the hypothalamic pituitary-thyroid axis and the hypothalamic pituitary-growth hormone axis have been reported in depression in adults. However, Cortisol hypersecretion, as measured by repeated samples over a 24-hour period or by nocturnal sampling, has not been identified in depressed children and adolescents although adolescent showed a Cortisol elevation at the approximate time of sleep onset (Coffey, 2006 p.266).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of sleep. Polysomnographic studies of depressed children and adolescent have tended to demonstrate abnormalities of sleep, including shortened rapid eye movement (REM) latency and reduced slow wave sleep. These generally positive results of polysomnographic studies with children have shown few differences (Rapoport, 2000 p.231).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of growth hormone. A variety of pharmacological challenge agents that stimulate release of growth hormone have been studied in depressed adolescents and children. Interestingly, the results with adolescents have been negative in terms of slow blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli. However, some studies have reported high levels of growth hormone in adolescents with major depression. Moreover, pubertal children both during depressive episode and after recovery have demonstrated blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Psychopharmacology: Antidepressants (SSRIs)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Special considerations arise in treating children and adolescents with antidepressants. Empirical data on antidepressants in young patients are quite limited. Psychiatrists, faced with depriving children of potentially effective medication or prescribing medication or prescribing medications â€Å"Off Label,† need information on which to base treatment decisions, and efforts are underway to promote research in this area. Clinically significant differences in pharmacokinetics and possibly pharmacodynamics between adults and younger patients can also complicate treatment. Moreover, younger patients may also be more sensitive to adverse effects of medications (Preskorn, 2004 p.356).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The antidepressant drugs are a heterogeneous group of compounds that, in adults, have bee found to be effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. This particular pharmacologic intervention is also utilized in adolescent and children with major depression; although, there have been no studies that validate the appropriateness of such medications. The following are considered as the major treatment of adolescent depression, specifically Tricyclic Antidepressants and (SSRI) Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have long been the first-line antidepressants used by most clinicians for adults because of their established efficacy, safety, and ease of administration, but they have been less successful in the treatment of child and adolescent conditions. The mechanism by which TCAs are effective in the treatment of adult depression and other disorders has not been clearly established. There is, however, evidence that these agents affect monoamine neurotransmitter systems in the central; nervous system, such as serotonin and norepinephrine (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28-29). The TCAs inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, potentiating their action. It has been suggested that antidepressants work by increasing noradrenergic and/or serotonergic transmission, compensating for a presumed deficiency. Controlled studies failed to demonstrate that TCAs are superior to placebo in the treatment of childhood and adolescent depression (Rossenberg Ryan, 1998 p.28-29).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since serotonin is also implicated in the etiology and maintenance of affective disorders, particularly depression; hence, the use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) is possible. SSRIs prevent the re-uptake of serotonin, which poses significant therapeutic value although has been shown to be less effective in therapeutic trials in children (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384). The SSRIs are now first-line agents for treating child and adolescent depression. The newer antidepressants, such as bupropion and mirtazapine, do not have an adequate empirical base with children; however, they are sometimes used as second-line treatments for those youths who do not respond to SSRIs. Thus far, none of the SSRIs has produced irreversible damage in children and adolescents. However, as the SSRIs gained wide use with depressed adolescents, concerns emerged about the safety of this class of medications. Reports suggested that they were responsible for increased suicidal ideation and behavior among youths (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384). In 2003, the British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency   (MHRA) concluded that most of the SSRIs do not show benefits exceeding their risks of suicidal ideation, and thus should not be prescribed in the child and adolescent population (Mash Barkley, 2006 p.384).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the adolescent fails to respond to any SSRI, then switching to a different class of antidepressant is recommended. At present, no data support the use of one agent over another. Therefore, whether the clinician chooses a TCA, nefazodone, or venlafaxine should be based on clinical experience. Other factors to consider for a given adolescent are medication side effects, medical conditions, previous medication trials, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and familial history of a positive response to particular antidepressants (Esman, 1999 p.222). Other classes of antidepressants are fluoxetine, setraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, bupropion, trazodone, and nefazadone. As major depression has a high recurrence rate, it is recommended that pharmacologic treatment continue for a minimum of six months achieving resolution of symptoms. Medication discontinuation should be accomplished gradually, with a slow, stepwise reduction in dosage over a two- or three-month period. The health care providers should carefully monitor the adolescent for withdrawal syndromes and reemergence of depressive symptoms (Esman, 1999 p.222). Relationship to Suicide Rates   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suicidal thoughts and attempts are among the diagnostic criteria for major depression. Suicidal ideation is quite common, and has been reported in more than 60% of depressed preschoolers, preadolescents, and adolescents. Actual suicidal attempts also may occur, at rates that appear to be higher among depressed adolescents than among depressed adults (Mash Barkley, 2003 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies have shown consistently high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders in depressed children and adolescents. The comorbidity rate in children and adolescents with depression has been reported to be 80% to 95%. The most common comorbid disorders in adolescents with depression are anxiety disorders, with rates ranging from 40% to 50%. Moreover, substance abuse frequently co-occurs with depression. Adolescents with major depression are at risk for impairment in school performance and interpersonal relationships, which may interfere with achievement of appropriate developmental tasks. Suicidal behavior is a common sequela. A 10-yar follow-up of depressed child and adolescent outpatients found that 4.4% committed suicide. Mood disorder, prior to suicide attempt, and substance abuse are major risk factors for adolescent suicide (Esman, 1999 p.216).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depressed and suicidal children and adolescents are often not identified. Identification of children and adolescents who express suicidal ideation or suicidal acts is crucial since such symptoms are recurrent and strong predictors of youth suicide. Other risk factors for youth suicide behavior have been described including family, other environmental and biological factors. Notably, family history of suicidal behavior increases risk for youth suicide (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Reference Coffey, E. C. (2006). Pediatric Neuropsychiatry. Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Corveleyn etal, J. (2005). The Theory and Treatment of Depression: Towards a Dynamic Interactionism Model. Routledge. Esman, A. H. (1999). Adolescent Psychiatry: Developmental and Clinical Studies. Routledge. Gotlib, I., Hammen, C. L. (2002). Handbook of Depression. Guilford Press. Gottlieb, M. I., Williams, J. (1991). Developmental-behavioral Disorders: Selected Topics. Springer. Hersen, M., Hasselt, V. B. (2001). Advanced Abnormal Psychology. Springer. Maj, M., Sartorius, N. (2002). Depressive Disorders. John Wiley and Sons. Mash, E. J., Barkley, R. A. (2006). Child Psychopathology. Guilford Press. Mash, E. J., Barkley, R. A. (2006). Treatment of Childhood Disorders. Guilford Press. Preskorn, S. (2004). Antidepressants: Past, Present, and Future. Springer. Rapoport, J. L. (2000). Childhood Onset of Adult Psychopathology: Clinical and Research Advances. American Psychiatric Pub., Inc. Rossenber, D., Ryan, N. (1998). Pocket Guide for the Textbook of Pharmacotherapy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders. Psychology Press. Rutter, M., Taylor, E. A. (2002). Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Blackwell Publishing.