Wednesday, October 30, 2019

CWE Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CWE Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example This sets the wheel in motion for others to follow. I have no bias towards Robert F. Kennedy but the quote itself is a great one stressing on thinking differently and taking risks. It tells how once can achieve great feats by thinking out of the box. Most people tend to stick to the routine or bound by conventional thinking. They are afraid to take risks and believe in new possibilities. It is only when we move away from the laid out path that we can find new lands. So it only by thinking out of the traditional mould and embracing new thinking and possibilities that we can achieve great things. Again, you cant connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. – Steve Jobs This is one of the famous quotes from Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Speech. In this quote, Steve Jobs asks his audience to follow their heart and do what they enjoy the most. Most people fail to understand their true talents because they are too afraid to follow their instincts or guts. What you instincts say might not make much of logical sense at the moment but years down the line everything will seem to be perfect. It is only when you believe in your instincts that you will be able to live a life to your full

Monday, October 28, 2019

Better Communication Essay Example for Free

Better Communication Essay Effective communication is the key in the health care critical for health care professionals. The key foundation of any coworkers is being able to communicate clearly. With the help of effective communication people are able to define and understand goals and shear and receive the information better. When there is a lack of communication in the health care industry it can cause a poor medical care and mistakes in patent’s medical history. Therefor; clarity is a must in the health care industry. Active listening is also a part of better communication skills. The supportive and defensive communication is everywhere and lasting. In the health care environment supportive communication is appropriate then defensive communication. Supportive communication expresses encouragement and understanding when communicating with others while during defensive communication the individual feels defended, anxious or threatened. During communication as a individual becomes defensive they are less able to recognize the values and senders emotions Interpersonal communication is the interaction between two or more people. Good interpersonal communication skills are essential in the creation and maintenance of relationships with others. Dwyer (2009, p.62) explains that ‘in any context, our relationships are built through our interpersonal communication.’ Self concept, emotional intelligence, assertive behaviour, empathy and the ability to actively listen and provide feedback are all desirable interpersonal communication tools considered necessary to maintain relationships and aid in conflict resolution. Dwyer (2009, p. 152) states that ‘Conflict arises when needs are not met. Those needs can be physical, financial, social, educational, intellectual, recreational or spiritual, tangible or intangible. However, even in a situation of conflict, it is possible, by finding areas of common ground, to remove some of the differences and to emphasise the similarities while tackling the conflict and working towards the solution’. Good interpersonal communication skills help to create an understanding between persons in conflict whereby they can make common ground and have a better understanding of whe re the other party is coming from. Dwyer (2009, p. 175) explains that ‘Conflict expressed and addressed in ways that respect relationships and consider as many needs as possible is positive and constructive’. In order to achieve common ground, emphasise similarities and work towards conflict solutions, the communication climate must be positive and both parties must be willing to resolve the issue. The role of Interpersonal Communication in Conflict Resolution In order to communicate effectively with others a sound understanding of your own self concept is required. Self concept can be described as your â€Å"self image†, it is the mental picture that you have of yourself. Yahaya, Azizi, Ramli and Jamaludin (2009) explain that ‘Self-concept refers to the totality of a complex, organized, and dynamic system of Interpersonal communication is defined by Brooks and Heath (1993) as â€Å"the process by which information, meanings and feelings are shared by persons through the exchange of verbal a nd nonverbal messages (as cited in Dickson and Hargie, 2003, p.1). In order to demonstrate my understanding of effective and non-effective communication skills I have chosen to analyse a dialogue between a seasoned policeman and a hardened criminal taken from the movie Heat. It is deep and meaningful interaction between two adversaries. After much deliberation I have narrowed down my analysis to the use of rapport building, self-disclosure and empathy, verbally and non-verbally. I will also attempt to identify the barriers to communication in this dialogue and explore the reasons why these skills were used ineffectively, and suggest how they could have been improved upon. Rapport-building is defined by Robbins (1986, p. 207, as cited in Study Guide) as ‘the ability to enter someone else’s world, to make him feel that you understand him, that you have a strong common bond’ I think it is at the very core of effective interpersonal communication because it ‘is one of the most important features or characteristics of unconscious human interaction’ and without it the purpose of the interaction cannot be achieved. It is ‘commonality of perspective, being in sync, being on the same wavelength as the person with whom you ar e talking’ (http://www.inspirationalsolutions-lp.co.uk/theimportanceofrapport.pdf). Following that line of thinking it is essential to establish rapport as soon as possible in a didactic interpersonal conversation, whatever the purpose of the discussion is – to learn, to relate, to play or to help (De Vito, p.80). The very first sentence that Hanna says demonstrates an attempt to establish rapport â€Å"Howya doing?† (he does not wait for an answer and continues talking) â€Å"Whaddaya say I buy you a cup of coffee?†. He is wearing casual jeans and a white sweatshirt. First and foremost, congratulations of your engagement. I am very excited that you chose to reach out to me for advice in understanding interpersonal communication with each other before you get married. After taking classes for interpersonal communication Nicholas Epley explained the differences this way, Our problem in communicating with friends and spouses is that we have an illusion of insight. Getting close to someone appears to create the illusion of understanding more than actual understanding† (2011 para. 8). There are a lot of books that one could read but in all actuality a successful relationship is based on the two people entering the communion and realizing that marriages take hard work and dedica tion, no matter how easy it looks. I will advise you on how to mold the following steps such as learning your role in the marriage, actively listening, opening up to your partner about your feelings, and choosing your words wisely into your everyday life which can produce a successful relationship; all this and effective communication is completely up to you. My first major topic for you to always remember is that you must listen to your partner. You probably find yourself asking over and over are you paying attention to me. Did you hear anything that I said? Do not fret over that because every person in a relationship has asked the same question. You may not like what he or she has to say but to have a positive relationship you must listen actively, critically, and empathically. Now please allow me to explain to you what I mean by those terms. Kathy Sole tells us that listening is important to the conversation because it creates meaning between both people (2011). When you want to have an in depth conversation with your spouse, you need to eliminate all noise, make eye contact, actively listen means to truly think about what you hear. Critically listening ties into actively listening because you understand what your spouse Assertiveness Assertiveness is a simple skill that requires a lot of practice to perfect. Basically, assertiveness requires us to speak our minds, to do so in such a way that the meaning of our communication is clear. Hopefully our expressed wish is acknowledged, but this is not necessary for us to be assertive. To achieve assertive communication, we have to state what is in our minds; that is, our thoughts and feelings. Advanced assertiveness is when we ask for what we want regardless of whether the recipient understands what we communicate, and regardless of whether or not we get what we want. Complete assertiveness requires both levels intellectual and emotional communication. The workplace presents both a challenge and potentially some relief when it comes to being assertive. On the one hand, we work with others, usually often, so there is some sense of familiarity. Yet, we do not live with them. There is a certain built-in interpersonal distance. With acquaintances at work, the challenge is to ask for what we want or at least state our opinion, more or less at intellectual, pragmatic levels. We tend to leave out the personal side, because our relationships are not that personal. From this standpoint, assertiveness is easier because there are less personal consequences. We can state our case and others likely will not take our message so personally. This is truer if the issue at hand is small. It is also more likely to be true of communications among co-workers of equal status. If there are other good elements; that is, more interpersonal warmth, bonding and empathy, talking to the boss can be assertively successful. But we need some slightly deeper personal connection to the boss to make this work, to grease the wheels of information exchange. The workpl ace presents a challenge to being more interpersonally intimate with co-workers who may not really be so friendly. The same is true with bosses that have different levels of power. An Interpersonal relationship in the health care environment is based off the relationship between the people you work with, such as the staff, patients, and doctor. Your interpersonal relationship between you, the coworker, and patients is very important and crucial within the health care environment, you must be able to â€Å"treat your clients with respect†, â€Å"do not be rude or ever shout at them†, never disclose any type of information about a patient to a client†, and â€Å"have feelings for the patients† (2004)(1.3.8). In order for the patients to feel comfortable you must treat them with a certain level of respect and make them feel as comfortable as possible, such as have close relationship with all the patients and staff. For example ask how their day is going, or give them positive feedback about any questions they might have or need help with so he or she is always satisfied with the service. Your â€Å"perspective† in the health care industry is very important and crucial to your coworkers and clients, and you always want to provide them with the best â€Å"quality of care†. Next, a supportive relationship rather than a defensive relationship in the health care environment is more appropriate, and I say this because to be defensive with the coworkers, patients or staff will make that person feel â€Å"uncomfortable†, :†guilty†, or even hostile. On the other hand, a supportive relationship is something you want to have with the clients, staff, and patients because you always want to be able to support them with positive feedback, such as are â€Å"supportive† when a patient asks for advice or a particular type of treatment show â€Å"recognition†, â€Å"acknowledgement†, and â€Å"endorsement†. Supportive is more of a positive feedback and defensive is negative feedback, and defensive or negative feedback is som ething you do not want to happen, you always want to remain supportive, positive, and assertive with people at all times. Assertive style and its appropriateness in health care†the preferred Course Hero has millions of student submitted documents similar to the one below including study guides, practice problems, reference materials, practice exams, textbook help and tutor support. communication1 Interpersonal Interpersonal Communication in your Relationship Christy Fobert COM 200 Instructor Youngs 6/22/11 Interpersonal communication2 Dear Jason and Amber, I am writing in response to your request asking for some advice on interpersonal communication in your relationship. As you know my husband and I have been attending classes that help with communication in relationships. We also believe we can give you some dire advice based on our own personal experience since we have six years behind us. Being a newly engaged couple and asking for advice before marriage lets us know you are both serious in committing to one another. This also makes it seem you are both committed to keeping your relationship alive and well. The best advice I can give you is to keep your communication alive and well. In this letter I will give you some advice on the concepts of good interpersonal communication. I will explain what we have been learning in our classes and also what I can explain to how we have experienced this in our relationship. The first basic but important skill to communication is listening. Listening to each other shows that you both respect one another and care about what the other is saying. There are three important types of listening and they are: active, critical, and empathetic. The first skill that we will discuss pertaining to the listening is actively listening. Active listening is assertive communication that develops a sense of trust. In my personal relationship letting your spouse know that you are listening lets them feel important and build trust within your relationship. Actively listening in your communication will allow you to build trust because of the openness that it builds. Openness within active listening makes your spouse feel a Effective communication in healthcare is essential to deliver good patient care. When delegating tasks to co-workers, one needs to be clear and precise. When people have a full understanding of what their job is, they will perform better and patients will g et better outcomes. Without effective communication we are setting up our fellow co-workers for failure and our patients as well. Effective communication is necessary to convey the importance of instructions and task to co-workers so they can fully understand the importance of their task and the steps necessary to manage the task. Effective communication is also necessary to be able to understand what our patients are telling us, and how to better listen and relate to them. Rashad is attending the team meeting and is being assertive in trying to clarify his role as assistive personnel. He is showing that the nurses would be able to rely on him to help with their patients during the shift for hygienic care and toileting. He is using an assertive form of communication with speaking up during the meeting. This assertiveness is quickly shot down by the aggressive communication of RN, Robin. Her comments of calling Rashad only an aide is belittling and then stating that those cares are the role of a RN farther the belittling. Robin continues to say that Rashad is not expected to think but to do as told is not uplifting at all and developed into feelings of resentment. These feelings are expressed in Rashad’s new goal; of developing a plan to make Robin pay for her comments. Robin’s comments established a tone of superiority and dominance as she shows her expectations that only the nurses know how to think and that the aides should be more like robots to her commands. This aggressive style of communication hurts others and is used to set someone up to overpower Interpersonal communication is the type of communication that people use to communicate their ideas, thoughts, ideas and feelings to one another person. In Interpersonal Communication, you are dependent upon another person for the communication to be effective. With that being said I thought that I would have great interpersonal communication skills but sadly I do not. I thought I that I would have great interpersonal communication skills because most of the time I can tell how a person is feeling, try to understand how they feel, and what is driving them to feel that way. That is the reason why I wanted to become a social worker but I am glad that I am taking this class to understand my interpersonal communication skills better. I never really thought of interpersonal communication skills as being as important as they are. Whether we like it or not interpersonal communication a key skill for personal and professional relationships. What you say and what you dont say both carry a lot of weight in communication. Having effective interpersonal communication means that you use both of these forms to your advantage and remain aware of your behavior throughout a conversation. With that being said there are three key points that I feel that I need to do a great deal of improvement on and they are overcoming my fear to speak, my eye contact, and being aware of my adaptors that I use and how I use them. The first thing I feel that would help my interpersonal communication skills is to overcome my fear to talk people that I do not know. I have to overcome this fear because if not I will never be able to become the great social worker that I can become. I feel that a great way for me to overcome this fear is by talking to strangers at work. By not saying anything or acknowledging my co-worker that I do not know is not sending a message good message to them. If I want to have effective interpersonal communication, I have to get Effective communication is important for psychological well-being for a number of reasons. Communication allows conveying our needs and feelings to others, as well as to respond to and respect the needs of others. Social supports are an important factor to decrease anxiety and depression. Communication helps to develop significant relationships with friends and family, as well as with romantic partners. Developing skills that allow communication between people t hat we trust allows for expression of emotions, as well as the ability to get feedback and support. Three very important skills are needed for communication. They are assertiveness, conversational or verbal communication skills and nonverbal communication skills. Two attitudes are important in developing communication skills that are effective. These skills are being proactive and thinking win/win. Proactive means taking responsibility for your life. A person can choose to be happy and successful. In the win/win situation, society has labeled life as either a clear winner or a loser. In business, the goal is to provide the best service or product to maximize profits and beat the competition. This plays a major role in why society thinks that in interpersonal interactions it too is a game in which there is a clear winner and loser. A mature and confident way to approach human reactions is thinking win/win. This approach allows for both parties to succeed and achieve goals. Being assertive is one of my greatest assets. I have learned that a closed mouth will never get fed. When being assertive it is not necessary to raise our voice or shout at other people. Being threatening is not assertive either. Many people confuse aggression with assertion. Being assertive allows speaking in normal tones, respecting personal distance and the ability to state opinions needs or wants.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Character of Touchstone in Shakespeares As You Like It :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

The Character of Touchstone in As You Like It As You Like It features, like so many of Shakespeare's plays, a professional clown, Touchstone, and it's worth paying some attention to his role for what it contributes towards establishing and maintaining the upbeat comic spirit of the play. For the jester is the constant commentator on what is going on. His humour, pointed or otherwise, thus inevitably contributes to the audience's awareness of what is happening, and the way in which other characters treat him is often a key indicator of their sensibilities. Touchstone is one of the gentlest and happiest clowns in all of Shakespeare. He comments on the action, makes jokes at other people's expense, and offers ironic insights about their situation. But throughout As You Like It, such traditional roles of the fool are offered and taken with a generosity of spirit so that his remarks never shake the firm comic energies of the play. When he ridicules Orlando's verses, Rosalind laughs along with him. When he points out to Corin (in 3.2) that the shepherd must be damned for never having lived at court, Corin takes it as good natured jesting (which it is). When Touchstone takes Audrey away from her rural swain, William, there are apparently no hard feelings (although much here depends on the staging). In this play, the professional jester participates in and contributes to a style of social interaction which is unqualified by any more sober and serious reflections. This makes Touchstone very different from the bitter fool of King Le ar or from the most complex fool of all, the sad Feste of Twelfth Night , both of whom offer comments that cast either a shrewd, melancholy, or bitter irony on the proceedings. Touchstone himself becomes the target of much humour by his immediate attraction to Audrey, the "foul" country lass. There is something richly comic here, seeing the staunch apologist for the sophisticated life of the court fall so quickly to his animal lust. But the satire here is very good humoured. Touchstone himself acknowledges the frailty of his vows and does not attempt to deceive anyone about his intentions.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

African American Musuem Essay

The African Museum in Philadelphia is notable as the first museum funded and built by a municipality to help preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Opened during the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations, the AAMP is located in historic Philadelphia, a few blocks away from the Liberty Bell. Charles H. Wesley was a noted African American historian, educator, and author. He was the fourth African American to receive a Ph. D. from Harvard University. An ordained minister, Wesley’s distinguished career included 40 years of leadership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1976, he served as Director of the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia, now known as the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Programs The African American Museum that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has some interesting education programs. These education programs focus on arts, culture, and heritage education. They place a major emphasis on the interests of the students, educators, artists, historians, scholars, and community organizations. These programs offer diversity with scheduling. The programs explore various African forms of cultural expressions. In these programs there are literary performances, hands on demonstrations, workshops, and storytelling performances as well. The African American Museum in Philadelphia feels its programs can be a vital link between the permanent and visiting collections for the many communities they serve. Exhibitions The exhibitions in the African American Museum in Philadelphia can some to be pleasing to the eye and stimulating to the mind. According to the African American Museum of Philadelphia these exhibitions invoke a deep collection of emotion ranging from pride and passion to excitement and enthusiasm. When visitors enter the museum they will come to Gallery 1, which includes a interactive timeline, images draw from historical record, that spans 100 years of history. In Gallery 2 there are full size video projections in which visitors can in engage in them. Once they are activated, a monologue about life in Philadelphia will begin. Some other aspects of the exhibit include an experience where you can walk the streets of Philadelphia through a large scale map, which is located between galleries 1 and 2 .

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Importance of work groups in organizations Essay

Work groups help members to feel that they belong to a group that is unique and worthy to be in. the group belief that it can perform well as a team and be more effective than when they are apart. The groups develop positive attitude and good behavior which help them to trust each other as they continue contributing to the group. The team ability to face challenge is strengthened and the group feels safe and is able to explore and use their best skill and cooperate to get job well done. The ideas and opinions of group members are appreciated and they understand and respect the qualities that make each one of them unique from the others in order to understand what each one of them is supposed to do. WAYS WORK GROUPS ARE RELATED TO ORGANIZATION OUTCOME The resources available are used efficiently without wastage of any one of them. Time is used well to do the duties allocated to group members and the budget set is well utilized to balance the income and expenditure of the organization. There is increased productivity and less supervision of employees and employees are motivated to perform activities that lead to success of the organization. IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY ON HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Management philosophy helps to simplify activities which results to better performance because when the work to be done is simple, employees will be able to do it well and fast leading to high production. Costs go down in the purchase of raw materials and payment of workers and at the end of it all, profits margins will be high because revenue generated will be higher than the costs incurred in production. The basic skills help employees to do the job well and make contribution to the department they are assigned to work in because they will know what they are expected to do and do it perfectly. Employees will also have the full potential and are equipped to deal with changing demand in the organization. Good communication skills help to maintain safety in the work place and serve customers well. Employees are motivated and are satisfied with the job and problems are solved which results to growth in the organization. REFERENCE Odiorne George; Strategic Management of Human resource; Jossey-Bass, 1984.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Net Cash Flows Essay Example

Net Cash Flows Essay Example Net Cash Flows Essay Net Cash Flows Essay Depreciation, buildingequipment Amortization, patent Gain on sale of equipment 9. 5 1. 0 Changes in current assets and current liabilities: Increase in accounts receivable Increase in inventory Decrease in prepaid expenses Increase in accounts payable Increase in accrued liabilities Net cash flows from operating activities Cash Flows from Investing Activities: Purchase of equipment Sale of equipment Purchase of patent Net cash flows from investing activities Cash Flows from Financing Activities: Issue of notes payable Repayment of notes payable Issue of common stock Payment of dividends Net cash flows from financing activities 0. 3 0. 7 1. 5 3. 7 35. 7 2. 2 3. 0 3. 5 Prepare a cash budget for Elmsford Manufacturing Company for the first three months of 2011 based on the following information: Month Estimated Factory Estimated Selling and Estimated Sales overhead Administrative Expenses December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 $640,000 650,000 670,000 680,000 The company has found that approximately 40 percent of sales are collected during the month the sale is made and the remaining 60 percent are collected during the month following the sale. Material purchases are 30 percent of next months estimated sales, and payments lag these purchases by one month. Labor costs are 35 percent of next months sales and are paid during the month incurred. Factory overhead and selling and administrative expenses are paid during the month incurred. In addition, a payment for new equipment of $1. 5 million is due in February. Also, a tax payment of $1. 6 million and a dividend payment of $650,000 are due in March. The companys projected cash balance at the beginning of January is $1. 5 million. Furthermore, Elmsford desires to maintain a $750,000 cash balance at he end of each month. Elmsford Manufacturing Company Cash Budget First Three months of 2011 December January February March April sales Projected cash balance, beginning of month 1 . 500. Oho 750,000 640,000 Selling and administrative expenses Purchase martial Labor 644,000 taxes Dividends on common stock Purchase of new equipment Total disbursements Rejected cash balance, end of month 3. Baldwin Products Company anticipates reaching a sales level of $6 million in one year. The company expects earnings after taxes during the next year to equal $400,000. During the past several years, the company has been paying $50,000 in dividends to its stockholders. The company expects to continue this policy for at least 2010 follow. Baldwin Products Company Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2010 Cash $ 200,000 Accounts receivable 400,000 Fixed assets, net 500,000 assets $ 600,000 Notes payable Psychotherapeutic 500,000 200,000 1 Total Total liabilities and equity Income Statement for the Year Ending December 31 , 2010 Sales Expenses, including interest and taxes Earnings after taxes $ 300,000 Using the percentage of sales method, calculate the additional financing Baldwin Products will need over the next year at the $6 million sales level. Show the pro formal balance sheet for the company as of December 31 , 2011, assuming that a sales level of $6 million is reached. Assume that the additional financing needed is obtained in the form of additional notes payable. Answer: Additional financing needed=(A/AAAS-Cuscus)-(EAT-D) $500,000 Pro Formal Balance Sheet of DCE. 31, 2011 liabilities $300,000 accounts payable $900,000 Accounts receivable 600,000 Fixed assets, net notes payable 1 long-term debt stockholders equity Total assets Total liabilities and $3,450,000 Stockholders equity

Monday, October 21, 2019

Greece essays

Greece essays Greek culture is a major force behind most of what we know today. In government the Greeks practiced pure democracy. The people were given the power to make decisions about their own city-states. Two important city-states were Athens and Sparta. The Athenian empire was created by Pericles who took pride in the beauty of their city. The main temple in Athens was the Parthenon. It was built in the Acropolis in honor of Athena the War Goddess. Sparta was Athens rival and completely opposite of it. They were a city of great warriors who removed boys from their homes at the age of 7 and trained them to fight. Their lives were devoted to their city-state and they were not concerned with individual rights. The Olympic Games were athletic contests held every for years, which would never be delayed, even if there was a war going on. Athens usually won and Sparta usually lost, but one year, Sparta beet Athens, which made their rivalry even stronger. Great philosophers came from Greece. Socrate s was the wisest philosopher of his time. His motto was "know thyself" which he learned from the Oracle at Delphi. He told his students to ask questions to find out the truth. Plato was a student of Socrates. He believed there were three types of people, voters, soldiers and philosophers. He opened an Academy in Athens which paved the way for colleges and universities we have today. Aristotle had a brilliant mind and attended Platos academy. He classified the various branches of knowledge which is the foundation of todays sciences. The Greeks were famous for their great literature. Their oral literature were stories told by word of mouth. These stories included an epic hero who was larger than life and of cosmic importance. Many of their epics contained mythological gods and muses in the story. One of the most famous Greek writers was Homer. He was blind and wrote the Odyssey and the Iliad. These were both oral literature until he wrote them dow...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Word Choice Discrete vs. Discreet

Word Choice Discrete vs. Discreet Word Choice: Discrete vs. Discreet You know those times when your friend has a massive zit on their face but you don’t say anything because you don’t want to embarrass them? That’s called â€Å"being discreet.† Or should that be â€Å"discrete†? No, it shouldn’t. But many people confuse these terms due to the fact that they sound  identical when spoken. It’s therefore worth taking a minute to run through what these words mean and how to use them correctly in your work. Discreet (Careful or Prudent) As suggested above, the correct term to use when describing something which has been done to avoid embarrassment, or to keep something confidential, is â€Å"discreet†: When I went to the clinic, the nurses were very discreet. Until you left. Then they laughed about your genitals. [Photo: OnCall team/Vlastimil]It can also be used to describe something designed to be subtle, or not attract attention: The pattern on the lapels is complemented by discreet stitching on the collar. â€Å"Discreet† is related to the quality of â€Å"discretion†, although â€Å"discretion† can also mean â€Å"freedom to make decisions† and â€Å"discreet† is not used in this sense. Discrete (Separate or Distinct) When something is â€Å"discrete†, it is separate or distinct from other similar things: Wagner’s Ring Cycle is divided into four discrete parts, played in series. The valkyries were anything but discreet. â€Å"Discrete† also has some specific, technical meanings, though these tend to be related to the idea of being â€Å"distinct† or â€Å"separate.† Discrete mathematics, for instance, is a field of math that focuses on discontinuous structures (e.g., integers, graphs and logical statements). Discreet or Discrete? As you can see, these terms have very distinct meanings (you might even say that they’re â€Å"discrete†). As such, you should take care to use them correctly in your work. When describing a situation in which someone is being secretive or careful not to cause offense, the correct term is â€Å"discreet† (e.g., â€Å"You can tell me your secret. I’m very discreet.†) When you’re describing something which is separate from other similar things, the term to use is â€Å"discrete† (e.g., â€Å"Any machine can be broken down into its discrete components.†) Remember: Discreet = Careful/subtle Discrete = Distinct/separate

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Predatory lending Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Predatory lending - Essay Example ose borrowers with little knowledge on money matters especially those owning expensive assets that can be repossessed in case the borrower fails to fulfill the terms of the loan (Frank 2009). For example, a borrower may be required to read and sign a lot of documents which would bind him to the loan agreement. As a result of lack of skills and trusting the lender, he may assume that all the details in the documents are correct and thus sign them without interpreting the whole information. As such, the unscrupulous lender may take advantage of the situation to add more terms on the signed documents so as to gain more from the borrower. If this happens, the borrower may not have the ability to challenge the discrepancies. If it occurs that the borrower cannot pay the loan, his assets may be seized by the lenders whose main interest would be to sell them at a profit. The recent mortgage debt crises can be attributed to predatory lending. People with high hopes of owning homes found themselves in a situation which was caused by malpractices of brokers whose intension was to benefit from the deals (Frank 2009). To achieve their objectives, the brokers issued loans with high interest rates to unsuspecting borrowers who later became unable to pay the loans. In order to qualify for a loan, a person is supposed to have the ability to repay either in cash or in kind. These brokers managed to benefit from the mortgage lending due to the government’s failure to regulate their activities (Frank 2009). If proper regulation was done, the unfair deals made to the borrowers would have been noted thus avoiding the consequences that arose later which had a negative effect on the economy. The mortgage crises can also be attributed to the fact that mortgage lenders failed to acknowledge this policy and went ahead to give loans to people who were not qualified (Luhby 2009). This resulted to bad debts which could only be solved by reacquiring the houses leaving the borrowers without

Case Study Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study Analysis - Essay Example The upholding of these values is what has made IKEA what it is today. This is because in trying to please and satisfy the customer, they learnt how to expand and offer the best customer service and maintain their ethical conduct and also manage competition. One of the strategies was carrying out market research on what the customers and other regular people wanted. By so doing they came to realize that they wanted good quality but at an affordable price. This made them come up with ways of reducing the miscellaneous costs like storage and transportation which made the end product is expensive. They therefore started the â€Å"knockdown† where the customers went to assemble the furniture on their own hence cutting the transportation and storage costs. The other strategy was developing a mutual relationship with the suppliers. This way the company was able to purchase the best raw material at a lower cost and even on credit. They got to know what the competitors were doing since the suppliers of the products were the same. This made them be on top of their game by having the best raw materials and the cheapest final products and hence more and more customers (Bartlett et al. November, 2006). The formaldehyde issue was responded to by the company working directly with manufactures to ensure that the substance did not exceed the gas it produces. Later on when the problem returned, IKEA pulled their bookshelves from the market as an immediate measure before resolving the problem. In the second crises, IKEA sent a team to Geneva to learn more about the child labor problem and how they could correct the problem without having to hurt too many people in the long run and at the same time maintaining and protecting its status. This was such an ideal move that made it even move higher up in customer service and its values (Bartlett et al. November, 2006). IKEA demonstrated that it

Friday, October 18, 2019

Compare and Contrast Buddhism and Daoism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Compare and Contrast Buddhism and Daoism - Essay Example ine being; it does not have worship, praying to, or praising of a divine being (although some sects do.) It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness, no heavenly hope, or a final judgment to those practicing its system. Buddhism is a moral philosophy, an ethical way to live for the here and now of this world to gain the ultimate state. It has more in common with humanism and atheism than its original religion Hinduism it separated from. But Buddhism is not atheism just because they don’t believe in a personal God. It is more like pantheism, there is an impersonal force the void which is the ultimate. For centuries, Buddhism has been the dominant religion of the Eastern world and still remains the predominant religion in China, Japan, Korea, as well as Southeast Asia. In Japan alone there are approximately 200 sects. This makes it difficult to address this religion as a whole since it can be so diversified.1 Gautama, whose personal name according to later sources was Siddhartha, was born in ancient India. It is believed that he was born in the city of Lumbini and raised in Kapilavastu, near the modern town of Taulihawa, Nepal. The traditional story of his life is as follows; little of this can be regarded as established historical fact. Born a prince, his father, King Suddhodana, was supposedly visited by a wise man shortly after Siddhartha was born and told that Siddhartha would either become a great king (chakravartin) or a holy man (Sadhu). Determined to make Siddhartha a king, the father tried to shield his son from the unpleasant realities of daily life. Despite his fathers efforts, at the age of 29, he discovered the suffering of his people, first through an encounter with an elderly man. On subsequent trips outside the palace, he encountered various sufferings such as a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These are often termed The Four Sights.† After abandoning asceticism and concentrating instead upon meditation and Anapanasati

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective Essay - 11

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective - Essay Example The managerial enterprise concept has been evolved from the â€Å"Theory of Firms† as proposed by Chandler. The theory of firms is linked with various managerial concepts as used in the organisations. The theory is developed with respect to large firms to explain the reason behind success. The Chandler’s model comprises of economic components that explains the causes behind the existence of large managerial enterprises. In order to develop long-term success it is essential to expand organisational capabilities with respect to professional skills. According to the â€Å"Visible hand† concept developed by Chandler the large firms exists because of increased investment in managerial hierarchy of the organisation. Such investments results into productivity gain that in turn results success for the organisation (Bucheli & et. al., 2010). It has been further stated in the theory that managers of an organisation face difficulties in predicting the market demand. The the ory also analyses the natures of investment made by the firms. According to the concept proposed by Chandler the firms should invest in production facilities to exploit the economies of scale. Apart from the need for technological development, it also focussed for the success of the large firms in the long run. A further investment in marketing and distribution of product is essential to raise the volume of sales with respect to the production capacity of the firms. The higher authority of the organisation takes the investment decisions for greater effectiveness.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Leadership and management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and management - Assignment Example I will measure the productivity of the skills that I will have acquired on communication and relationship building. A – Attainable literature search can be done through the internet library and am able to appraise websites to find credible sources of information. Peter, Psychiatrist officer, has agreed to meet with me next week. I have the support of Peter, to practice my skills and obtain the feedback. R – Relevant I am currently working as a nurse and would like to become a manager within my organization or another organization after I have completed my BSN. I believe that the in building my communication and relationship skills in the position of a nurse will aid me to be more comfortable and competent in a manager position because I will have learned how to relate with everyone in the organization. I will resolve any conflict that might arise, leader of change, communicating freely with the patient , employing all types of communications in the organization and coming up with a culture. T – Time bound literature search through the library and the internet are in progress and will be completed by week three. The interview with an expert is scheduled on the second week. Practice of the skills will occur during weeks 3-5, evaluation during week six, and later complete my development (Rossiter, 2004). S – Specific I will identify patient care management skills by undertaking a search in libraries and also conducting experts in the skill. I will practice patient care management skill in order to better my skills. A – Attainable learning from my fellow colleagues is the simplest way of grasping full ideas that will be required of me. I will be able to delegate duties, my deliveries should be directed to the patient, communicate effectively with other departments within the organization. S –Specific I will identify the strategic planning skills after working in the

Argumentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Argumentation - Essay Example While many experts decry the negative effects of global warming, it is in fact turning out that global warming is a good phenomenon going by its numerous positive benefits. Scientists note that the earth’s temperature is rising undoubtedly as a result of the greenhouse effect. The atmosphere is saturated with carbon dioxide that traps heat leading to a steady increase in the earth’s temperature and consequently, changes in climate. This carbon dioxide does not come from outer space but from burnt fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal. The other factor contributing to global warming and climate change is the rate at which forests are lost, especially within the tropics as a result of deforestation. Scientists are overwhelmingly in agreement that global warming is a reality and that human activities are its main causes. (Union of Concerned Scientist par 6-7). According to scientists, each year, for the past 37 years, has been warmer than the average temperature of all the years in the 20th century. In the United States, the 12 warmest years have occurred since 1998 with 2012 standing out as the hottest years. Since the late 1800s there has been an increase of more than one degree Fahrenheit on the average surface temperature of the earth. The past three decades have experienced the lion’s share of this increase (Union of Concerned Scientist par 4-6). The current decade has been the warmest since 1880. Scientists note that the earth could experience a 7.2 degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature in the 21 century if nothing is done to curb global warming. This would be the case if emissions from fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which are the main culprits, not reduced. Scientists are worried that a number of negative consequences in relation to global warming are quite evident (Natural Resource Defence Council par1). For one, weather

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Leadership and management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and management - Assignment Example I will measure the productivity of the skills that I will have acquired on communication and relationship building. A – Attainable literature search can be done through the internet library and am able to appraise websites to find credible sources of information. Peter, Psychiatrist officer, has agreed to meet with me next week. I have the support of Peter, to practice my skills and obtain the feedback. R – Relevant I am currently working as a nurse and would like to become a manager within my organization or another organization after I have completed my BSN. I believe that the in building my communication and relationship skills in the position of a nurse will aid me to be more comfortable and competent in a manager position because I will have learned how to relate with everyone in the organization. I will resolve any conflict that might arise, leader of change, communicating freely with the patient , employing all types of communications in the organization and coming up with a culture. T – Time bound literature search through the library and the internet are in progress and will be completed by week three. The interview with an expert is scheduled on the second week. Practice of the skills will occur during weeks 3-5, evaluation during week six, and later complete my development (Rossiter, 2004). S – Specific I will identify patient care management skills by undertaking a search in libraries and also conducting experts in the skill. I will practice patient care management skill in order to better my skills. A – Attainable learning from my fellow colleagues is the simplest way of grasping full ideas that will be required of me. I will be able to delegate duties, my deliveries should be directed to the patient, communicate effectively with other departments within the organization. S –Specific I will identify the strategic planning skills after working in the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Systems and Operations Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Systems and Operations Management - Assignment Example For example, adoption of new technologies may not be strategic to an organization since other similar operations can adopt and imitate similar technologies. Human resources are, however, unique since their replication is not easy. As a consequence, effective management and utilization of these resources is pivotal in the attainment of the set objectives and goals. The significance of managing these resources effectively in any operation cannot be overstated. Role of Human Resource Management in operation As mentioned previously, management of human resources is important for success of any organization. There are numerous benefits that organizations accrue from effective management of human resources. Rutherford & O'Fallon (2011) asserts that creating and maintenance of competitive edge requires effective management of human resources. They further argue that other resources, for instance technology, are imitable and do not count as sources of competitive advantage to an organization . The importance of human resource management is discussed in detail in the subsequent paragraphs. HRM aligns skills of staff with the organization’s objectives and utilizes such skills in the attainment of the desired goals. HRM examines the right profile of the staff, the abilities, expertise, qualification, capabilities potential and allocate responsibilities in line with the requirements of an operation. HRM, therefore, ensures that the right skills are utilized, in the required sectors, to achieve the desired goals of an organization (Lussier 2012). This human resource function can be termed as staffing as it channels the right staff force towards specific tasks. HRM also facilitates the acquisition, training and retention of talented employees. HRM establish future needs of an operation and develop strategies for acquisition of an able workforce. The rate of staff turnover has to be minimized in all operations. This is important to alleviate the problems that arise with increasing staff turnover. HRM identifies employee needs and work upon them so that they feel important. This move helps reduce staff turnover to a great extent. HRM undertakes training and development of the organization’s workforce. It avails the right tools and training programmes so as to improve the competency levels of operational staff. Prior to training, needs analysis has to be done to recognize the gaps that exist in an operation. Training ensures that an organization maintains its competitive edge and increases productivity (Loosemore et al 2003). It also helps reduce obsolesce among the staff of an operation. HRM helps create conducive work environment for employees of an organization. It helps to manage grievances that arise among employees or in the work place. It is important for an operation which seeks to be productive to have contended employees. Such a workforce tends to be more productive since HRM attends to their problems. This is also important to an o peration as problems get attended to before they escalate to uncontrollable heights. The other benefits that both staff and the organization gain from HRM include: Motivation of employees, through adequate compensation, which in

Monday, October 14, 2019

College Student Pressures Essay Example for Free

College Student Pressures Essay Students committing to the college of their choice are unaware of the peer pressures that arise when one attends school. Many may feel as though peer pressures tend to happen more often when one lives on campus, but it can occur off campus too. For example, peer pressures can lead to partying, drinking and drugs. The want to attend class is a daily pressure because there aren’t any consequences when no attending. Another main college pressure is financial stress. The percentage of partying that goes on throughout college is very high and is a common interest that happens every week. From facing the pressures of to staying and studying for a huge test, friends bothering each other constantly to go out and drink with them and pressure to take drugs to â€Å"have a good time. † These examples happen very often, and it is hard to say no to them, one factor is that friends may say â€Å"you’re no fun†, and making friends feel bad about not going out, and then the students start to not care about studying thinking you don’t need to do it anymore. In high school, going to school every day was a daily routine. Children always did because their parents made them, and if they didn’t, there were consequences. In moving up to going to college, there are no consequences in skipping class. If students skipped then they would miss the lesson of the day, and there is no â€Å"making up the work,† teachers are there to teach and not to babysit, so they could care less if students show up to class or not. This is a main pressure, students think, I don’t need to attend class today, and if they don’t go, there is no punishment or consequence. The common question of how am I going to pay for this, is commonly asked daily in a college students head. Financially pressures are high and rising throughout universities. The stressing and struggle to find enough money to pay for tuition and the costs of books and housing while living at school add up. Even though some student can qualify for financial aid cover the costs only temporary and have to deal with the costs later after graduating. This pressure leads some college students to either drop out or to focus more on working and less on their school work.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Foreign Exchange Risk Management In Multinational Corporations Finance Essay

Foreign Exchange Risk Management In Multinational Corporations Finance Essay Corporations (MNCs) Introduction: Globalisation has had economic, cultural, technological and political effects. Over the last few decades the increase in globalisation has led to rapid growth in several industries around the world and it has also had a strong influence on the flexibility of firms. Hundreds of new MNCs have emerged globally due to the liberalisation of trade and capital markets. MNCs are not limited to the big firms with huge investments like Coca Cola, Nike and Shell, due to advances in technology and liberal markets many small firms operate internationally to maximise their profits. This growth has highlighted the various risks faced by MNCs operating in different countries. One such risk is the financial risk involved with the foreign currency exchange markets. Most of the time MNCs deal in more than one national currency and hence the changes in the foreign exchange rates can have an adverse effect on the firms profits. This paper discusses the various foreign exchange risks faced by multinationa ls around the globe and the necessary steps taken to manage these risks. A study on the Malaysian MNCs has also been covered in the paper. Foreign Exchange Risks: Foreign Exchange risks also known as exposures can be termed as an agreed, projected or contingent cash flow whose scale is not certain at the moment. The magnitude depends on the value of the changes in the foreign exchange rates which in turn depends on various variables such as the interest rate parity, purchasing power parity, speculations and government policies on exchange rates. According to G.Shoup (1998), a company has exposure if there is a currency mismatch in some aspect of the business such that a shift in foreign exchange rates, nominal or real, affect its performance either positively or negatively. These exposures may be classified into three different categories: Translation exposure Transaction exposure Economic exposure Translation Exposure; this is the net asset/liability exposure in the home currency of the MNC. In other words, it is the profit gained or loss incurred in translating foreign currency financial statements of foreign subsidiaries of the MNC into a single currency which it uses in its final reports (Yazid Muda, 2006). In essence, translation risk can be defined as the effect of exchange rates on the figures shown on the parent companys consolidated balance sheet. Although this exposure does not affect the shareholders equity, it does influence the investors due to the changing values of the assets or liabilities. (Shoup, 1998) Transaction Exposure; it is a risk associated with a transaction that has already been contracted. It is as a result of unexpected changes in foreign exchange rates affecting future cash flows which the MNC has already committed itself to. Usually MNCs enter an international contractual obligation, the payment or receipt of which is expected on a future date, hence any change in the foreign exchange rate during that period will expose the MNC to transaction risks. Transaction risks can be easily identified and thus get more attention from the financial managers. (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007) Economic Exposure; this is the most complex risk as it not only involves the known cash flows but also future unknown cash flows, hence also termed as a hidden risk. It is a comprehensive measure of a companys foreign exchange exposure and therefore sometimes termed as a combination of translation and transaction exposure. Identifying economic risks involves measuring the change in the present value of the company resulting from any changes in the future operating cash flows of the firm caused either by adverse or desirable change in the exchange rate. (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007). As Dhanani (2000) noted, economic risk can be viewed as the consequence of long-term exchange rate fluctuations on a firms predicted cash flows and as the cash flows linked to the risk are not certain to materialize, the risk is hard to identify. Economic exposure to a MNC may last for a long duration making it difficult to be quantified and hence limiting the use of possible management techniques. (Shoup, 1998) Foreign Exchange Risk Management Foreign exchange risk management is a process which involves identifying areas in the operations of the MNC which may be subject to foreign exchange exposure, studying and analysing the exposure and finally selecting the most appropriate technique to eliminate the affects of these exposures to the final performance of the company. (Shoup, 1998) Risks involving short term transactions can be dealt with using financial instruments but long term risks often require changes in the operations of the company. As in the case of translation exposure the MNC can have an equal amount of exposed foreign currency assets and liabilities. By doing so the company will be able to offset any gain or loss it may have due to changes in the exchange rates of that currency, also known as balance sheet hedging. (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007) In dealing with economic exposures efficiently, a MNC may have to diversify either its finance or its operations. It can diversify its operations by either moving to locations where the cost of production is low, or having a flexible supplier policy, or changing the target market for its products and the types of products it deals in. As it can be illustrated from the 1994 example of Toyota, when a strong Yen made Japanese exports to US more expensive, it decided to shift its production from Japan to US, where it achieved comparatively lower costs of production, enabling it to compete in the US car market. (Eun Resnick, 2007) The management of transaction exposures may either involve hedging using special techniques or applying pro-active policies. The pro-active policies commonly used include (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007): Matching currency cash flow Risk sharing agreements Back to back loans Currency swaps Lead and Lag payments Use of re-invoicing centres Hedging is the act of protecting a pre-existing position in the spot market by trading in derivative securities; that is guarding of existing assets from future losses. According to Eiteman et al (2007), hedging is the taking of a position, acquiring a cash flow, an asset or a contract that will rise or fall in value and hence offset a fall or rise in value of an existing position. Several studies on this issue have emphasized that MNCs have a higher probability of facing exchange rate volatility in their operations as they expand their involvement throughout the world. Therefore, the extensive use of various hedging techniques by most companies has been widely recognized to ensure the companys overall interests, cash flows and equity are safeguarded. Some of the most commonly used hedging techniques include: Forward market hedge Money market hedge Options market hedge Forward market hedge; this is the case where the MNC in the forward contract has a legal obligation to buy or sell a given amount of foreign currency at a specific future date which is known as the contract maturity date at a price agreed upon at present. (Nitzche Cuthbertson, 2001) Money market hedge; under this hedging technique, the transaction exposure can be hedged by lending and borrowing in the local and foreign markets. For instance a MNC may borrow in a foreign currency to hedge the amount it expects to receive in that currency at a later date and similarly it could lend to hedge payables in a foreign currency. By doing so, the MNC will be matching its assets and liabilities in the same currency. (Eun Resnick, 2007) Options market hedge; this is a technique used by a MNC which gives it the right but not the obligation to buy or sell a specific amount of foreign currency at a specific price, by or on a specific date. Although not a widely used tool, it can be useful when a MNC is uncertain about the future receipt or payments of foreign currency. (Nitzche Cuthbertson, 2001) Hedging helps in reducing the risks involved in international transactions and also improves planning capability. By hedging a MNC can ensure its cash flow does not fall below a necessary minimum, particularly in cases where there is a tendency of a company to run out of cash for necessary investments (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007). A very good example would be that of Merck, a pharmaceutical company. Kearney and Lewent (1993) identified that Merck was one of the pioneers to have used hedging to ensure that its key investment plans could always be financed, which in their case was the research and development aspect of their business. Mathur (1982) came to the conclusion that, to decrease the negative outcomes caused by fluctuations of foreign exchange rate on earnings and cash flows, most companies employ a hedging program. He also noted that a formal foreign exchange management policy is more common among larger firms. According to Bartov et al (1996), if MNCs do not institut e a hedging program, they are more likely to be exposed to risks which may result in substantial losses. Despite its advantages, hedging does not increase the companys expected cash flows, on the other hand it uses up the company resources in the process (Eiteman, Stonehill, Moffett, 2007). According to G.Shoup (1998), unless there are clear defined objectives, safeguards in place and clear communication at every level of management, a hedging program may turn into a disaster. As the chairman of Zenith Electronic Corporations, Jerry K Pearlman once said, It is a, damned if you do and damned if you dont situation. (Shoup, 1998, p15.) In 1984, Lufthansa a German airline company placed a major purchase order for airlines from an American firm. The financial managers at Lufthansa had forecasted a stronger dollar in the days to come and therefore locked up the German Duetsche mark against the American dollar. Due to an unfavourable effect, a weak dollar, in one year Lufthansa lost around US$150 million and half of the financial managers team lost their jobs (Shoup, 1998). In another instance, two years later in 1986, the chairman of Porche found himself unemployed as he had engineered the company into a dependence on the US market for 61% of its revenue without hedging against a downturn in US$, as a result forcing Porche to suffer major financial losses. (Shoup, 1998) According to a study by Marshall (2000), the trend in the objectives of managing foreign exchange risks was quite similar between the UK and US multinationals who gave significant importance to certainty of cash flow as well as minimising fluctuations in earnings. On the other hand, a higher number of Asian multinationals managed these risks to minimise fluctuations in their earnings. The trend observed is summarised in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Foreign exchange risk management in UK, USA and Asia Pacific multinational companies by Andrew P Marshall, Journal of Multinational Financial Management, 2000. Belk and Glaum (1990) undertook a study which involved investigating several UK MNCs. The study revealed that although majority of the companies considered translation exposure to be important, not all were prepared to hedge this risk actively. On the other hand transaction exposure was given most importance in the management of foreign exchange risks. The level of hedging the transaction exposure varied between the companies investigated, some hedged totally while others did so partially. The study also seemed to show that the size if the MNC influenced its involvement in foreign exchange risk management, the larger the company the higher the propensity. In another study carried out by Makar and Huffmann (1997), it was found that there is a linear relationship between the amount of foreign exchange derivatives employed and the degree of foreign currency exposure in US MNCs. Foreign Exchange Risk Management in Malaysian Multinational Corporations (MNCs) During the financial crisis of 1997, most Malaysian MNCs suffered foreign exchange losses due to currency fluctuations, thus leading to the increased involvement of Malaysian MNCs in foreign exchange risk management (Yazid Muda, 2006). It can be seen that before the financial crisis fewer MNCs considered hedging their foreign exchange risks to be vital, as the General Manager of the Malaysian Monetary Exchange Bhd indicated that local MNCs were very passive and reactive in managing their financial risks (New Strait Times, 30 May 1998: 11). A similar statement was given by the then Minister for International Trade and Industry, Rafidah Aziz, which implied that MNCs should manage their foreign exchange risks well (New Strait Times, 3 July 1998). A very good example of the losses suffered would be that by Malaysian Airline System (MAS), MAS lost around M$400 million in the first half of 1998 because of its foreign debt of about M$3.16 billion. Yazid and Muda (2006) studied 90 out of th e then 113 MNCs listed under the Bursa Malaysia. The main objectives cited by MNCs in this study relating to the foreign exchange risk management were to minimise the following; Losses on operational cash flow Cash flow fluctuations Losses on consolidated balance sheet Losses on shareholders equity Business uncertainty Foreign exchange risk to a comfortable level According to Yazid and Muda (2006), Malaysian MNCs became very proactive in managing their foreign exchange risks during the financial crisis and once the crisis was over, the priority attributed to foreign exchange risk management decreased slightly but not to the point it was before the crisis. This has been illustrated as a summarised result of the survey shown in table 1. Objectives Before During Current Minimise Losses on operational cash flow 3.59 4.62 4.09 Minimise Cash flow fluctuations 3.29 4.41 3.88 Minimise Losses on consolidated balance sheet 3.26 3.91 3.82 Minimise Losses on shareholders equity 3.24 3.56 3.50 Minimise Business uncertainty 3.21 3.50 3.41 Minimise Foreign exchange risk to a comfortable level 2.91 3.53 3.29 Table 1 (Yazid and Muda, 2006) Note: The results are based on five-point progressive Likert scale (1 is the least important; 5 is the most important) Large MNCs in Malaysia are more likely to get involved in foreign exchange risk management compared to smaller firms or firms with relatively lesser operations outside Malaysia. This trend seems to be consistent with other MNCs around the globe (Yazid et al, 2008). Majority of the Malaysian MNCs centralise their foreign exchange risk management and it can be said that foreign exchange risk management in Malaysia is still at its infant stage in comparison to other MNCs in the west. Their management practices are very informal and no proper documented policies can be found in regard to foreign exchange risks. Although the use of hedging tools is on a steady rise amongst the Malaysian MNCs, the objectives behind their involvement remain uncertain (Yazid and Muda, 2006). The past decade has seen rapid growth of a new segment in the global finance industry, the Islamic finance sector. To qualify for Islamic foreign exchange hedging, transactions must involve tangible assets. Malaysia, which is pre-dominantly an islamic country has highlighted the need of hedging tools which are compliant with Islam. Hence CIMB, a leading Malaysian bank among others, have introduced an Islamic foreign exchange hedging instrument, which would assist their clients to manage their risks. (Reuters, 2008) Astro, which is a leading services provider in the Asian entertainment indutry is based in Malaysia. Being a MNC, foreign transactions are dealt in different foreign currencies other than the Malaysian Ringgit. Consequently, there is an exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. Astro uses foreign currency derivatives such as forward contracts and interest rate swap contracts to hedge currency exchange risks. Forward contracts are commonly used to limit exposure to currency fluctuations on foreign currency receivables and payables as well as on cash flows generated from anticipated transactions denominated in foreign currencies. In 2007 Astro made a loss of RM 137,000 due to foreign exchange fluctuations and henceforth decided to emphasize the use of hedging techniques. This can be proven by Astros estimated principal amounts of outstanding forward contracts which as at 31st January 2009 was RM188,083,636, whereas at the same time a year before it was at RM 5,109,000. The emphasis o n risk management resulted in a substantial gain of RM 7,680,000 for Astro in the year ended 2008. In addition, as Ringgit Malaysia is Astros functional currency; all the financial statements have to be consolidated into this currency. Hence Astro is exposed to translation risk due to the fluctuating exchange rates. According to Table 2.0, the significance of the foreign currency risk management is noticeable as Astro experienced a huge gain in 2008 relative to the loss they suffered in 2007. Table 2.0: ASTRO; Result of Foreign Exchange Risk Management Cash Flow due to Operating Activities 2008 RM000 2007 RM 000 Net Effect of Currency Translation on Cash and Cash Equivalents 4854 (1529) Gain on Realisation of Foreign Forward Contracts 7680 (137) However, hedging of foreign exchange does not always yield a positive result, as illustrated in the case of AirAsia, one of the leading budget airlines in Asia. AirAsia like many international airlines used a technique refered to as fuel hedging, this allows the airline to purchase fuel at a price fixed at an earlier date despite an increase in the fuel price. During the fuel crisis of 2007-2008 when prices rose to over US$150/barrel, AirAsia made a significant loss as it had hedged for fuel prices not to exceed US$90/barrel and as a result AirAsia recorded its first ever full year loss of RM471.7 million for the year ended 31st December 2008, despite achieving a growth of 36.6% in revenue. This led to the removal of all hedges on fuel prices and AirAisa declared itself as completely unghedged. Although AirAsia intends to re-introduce fuel hedging in 2011, for now it deals in spot prices for its fuel. (Leong, 2009) (Ooi, 2008) Conclusion Multinationals are exposed to various kinds of risks, which includes the foreign exchange risk. This risk which is as a result of exchange rate volatility is said to have a pervasive impact on the profitability and certainty of a MNC. Globally, multinationals face translation, transaction and economic risks due to the frenzied system of floating exchange rates. To avoid the adverse effects of these risks, multinationals often take measures which although do not entirely eliminate the losses; they do enable the firms to minimize the losses. Hedging is very common risk management tool used by multinationals and has often resulted in positive results when used after a correct analysis of the exposure is made. Despite its advantages, not all multinationals around the globe decide to manage their risks in this way. The objectives behind foreign exchange risk management and the techniques used to manage are seen to differ across regions. In the case of Malaysian multinationals, foreign exchange risk management is deemed to be at a lower level relative to their counterparts globally. Until recently, majority of the Malaysian multinationals were not actively managing these risks. The Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s had a significant effect on their stance and the level of foreign exchange risk management amongst Malaysian multinationals has since increased considerably.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The University Health System Should Distribute the Morning After Pill E

The University Health System Should Distribute the Morning After Pill The United States of America is known for many of its outlandish and outrageous statistics in comparison to other countries. Statistics regarding obesity, homicide rates, and political issues have displayed many of the nation?s weak points. However, the amount of teen pregnancy has become so excessive that it is becoming a cry for help and a statistic that is greatly standing out and can no longer be ignored. In 1999 about one million teenagers experienced a pregnancy. This rate was twice the amount in England, Wales, and Canada and nine times greater than that of the Netherlands and Japan. About 78% of these American teenage pregnancies were said to be unplanned. (The Alan Guttmacher Institute home page) The country has come up with many solutions to this problem, yet nearly every solution has caused ethical debate. The use of contraception is rejected by many religions and groups of people; while the option of abortion, is even more widely rejected. Many Christian religions stand firm on preventing the use of either contraception or abortion as well as sex outside wedlock. Other religions such as Judiasm, Muslims, and Hinduisms also stand against it. Politicians are also known for taken a stand on the issue, as those running on a conservative platform (Republicans) are more likely to go against. The liberals (Democrats) stress the need for womens? right to chose and consistently fight for the continuation of the practice of abortion. Although, the younger generations are more accepting of these options, does that mean it is the right decision? One quick fix to pregnancy began years ago with the introduction of the condom. This method of contraception h... ... at an early age is a fear for many young women in high school and college. About 70% of the high school age students that become pregnant will finish high school but fail to continue there education in college. (The Alan Guttmacher Institute facts and statistics on teen pregnancy home page). Many young women have goals and dreams that are sometimes shattered due to an unexpected visitor. One night can change the lives of these students and they should have an option if a mistake is made or an accident happens. If women on the James Madison University campus had the choice to receive the morning-after pill from the Health Center and take it, then there would be a lot less stress in the lives of these young women. Knowing that if something unexpected where to happen, that there is a solution, is a good feeling to have for the woman of this college university campus.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Reflection Paper Economics Essay

All in all, demand refers to how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers. And it is determined by the determinants like taste and preferences, income, population and price expectation. Price must always come first. Consumers are more tend to buy a product. if the price decreases. This kind of behavior on the part of buyers is in accordance with the law of demand. According to the law of demand, an inverse relationship exists between the price of a good and the quantity demanded of that good. As the price of a good goes up, buyers demand less of that good. This law will only be valid if ceteris paribus assumption is applied that means â€Å"all other things are equal or constant†. It means that the determinants of demand must be constant. This inverse relationship is more readily seen using the graphical device known as the demand curve, which is nothing more than a graph of the demand schedule. Change in demand means the change in the determinants of demand. So, an increase in demand shifts the demand curve to the right while a decrease in demand shifts a demand curve into the left. If there is a change in demand, there is also a change in quantity demand, this is different to change in demand because it only shows a movement from one point to another point (a price-quantity combination to another price-quantity combination). Another thing is the supply, it is the schedule of various quantities of commodities which producers are willing and able to produce and offer at a given, place, price and time. Its determinants are technology, cost of production, number of sellers, prices of other goods, price expectation and taxes and subsidies. The law of supply states that â€Å"as price increases, quantity demanded increases and as price decreases, quantity demanded also decreases†. According to the law of supply, a direct relationship exists between the price of a good and the quantity supplied of that good. As the price of a good increases, sellers are willing to supply more of that good. The law of supply is also reflected in the upward-sloping supply curve. A change in the quantity supplied is a movement along the supply curve due to a change in the price of the good supplied and a change in supply, like a change in demand, is represented by a shift in the supply curve. Law of demand and supply explains that when the demand is greater than supply, price increases and when supply is greater than demand, price decreases. The law of supply and demand is not an actual law but it is well confirmed and understood realization that if you have a lot of one item, the price for that item should go down. At the same time you need to understand the interaction; even if you have a high supply, if the demand is also high, the price could also be high. In the world of stock investing, the law of supply and demand can contribute to explaining a stocks price at any given time. It is the base to any economic understanding.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Kitchen Layout

After gaining enough experience and capital from my previous restaurant employment, I have decided to start my own restaurant offering Authentic Italian dishes. Stated below are the highlights of my idyllic Italian restaurant. My restaurant shall have six large tables complete with basic table amenities such as pepper, salt and a variety of well-picked sauces.   Tables will be large due to the prominence of Italian food and culture for entertaining families or large groups. Another four small tables however will be added for small companies or pairs. In compliment to this, the interior shall be well-ventilated and equally lighted for maximum space utilization. For my restaurant’s menu, I shall adapt the menu of the Via Carducci because they give special importance to pasta dishes, which are the marker s of Italian food.   Their menu, including wine choices are offered at very affordable yet reasonable prices, but not sacrificing the quality and the over-all effect of the products. Their specific cuisine is the Rustic Southern Italian which originated from the owner’s home town, Calabria. Their type of cuisine specializes in organic and fresh ingredients perfect for medium to heavy diets. My Kitchen shall adapt the open G-shaped layout. This consists of four walls, two pair of walls opposite each other; the, the sink, the refrigerator and the cooktop are located at one of the pairs such that creating an imaginary work triangle with the three as points.   This layout enhances the use of the three basic elements of the kitchen mentioned above. It also gives ample space for other cooking equipments to be located at the other pair of walls. The cleverness of the layout allows for even-trafficking in the work triangle. The said layout also makes room for one or two additional cooks for more efficient service.   The kitchen shall be open for the customers to view the brilliance of the cook(s). To add, a large over head mirror shall be ingeniously placed also for maximized viewing. I have only three specific kitchen equipments to mention (1) the World Cuisine’sLillo pasta machine: able to produce different kinds of pasta from any type of flour, with or without the use of eggs. The product comes with four durable pasta attachments for Spaghetti, Tagliatelle, Penne, and Macaroni. The item is ideal for fast-paced kitchens with just enough working space. The lillo pasta machine is also recommended for Italian kitchens serving quality pasta. (2) The Silex line of Knives. Qualities include; purity of metal achieved through the secondary melting process it underwent, unique hardness provided by the strength of the material used, the fineness and precision comparable to a surgical scalpel, special resistance to corrosion, easy to sharpen blades given by the hardness and purity, and the extraordinary length of time it remains sharp. Its handle is designed for comfort in working for long periods of time. It also has a polymer-based handle which is anti-bacterial. This line of cutlery provides proficiency in the work place due to its efficiency, durability and cleanliness in the workplace. This is ideal for busy restaurant kitchens which specialize in salads and fresh sauces. The next item (3) would be the World Cuisine’s Large oval cast-iron grill. This product is ideal for indoor-grilling. The heavy ridged cast iron surface preserves heat which equally and quickly grills. The item is suggested for class gourmet meals. Other kitchen equipments which were not mentioned will also be hand-picked with care. Costs shall also be given much attention. The above mentioned factors and elements were cautiously selected taking into consideration the availability, efficiency, monetary cost, and over-all quality. This, for me, is the ideal kitchen layout together with the visualization of the ideal Italian restaurant. References: Atlanta Home improvement, Kitchen Layouts, August 8 2007 From: http://www.homeimprovementmag.com/Articles/2004/04Dec_k&b_layouts.html         

A Brand I like

In this fast changing world, consumerism is a predominant aspect in human life. The path that most individuals take in life follows a certain pattern. This pattern points toward the direction of the culture of capitalist creating differences in human values. The modern world is a ground for people to set standards on certain products allowing them to have a unique position in the society.The so called product â€Å"brands† became a medium that actually let people possess things that would somehow set them apart from other individuals in the society. As such, most of the consumers today are more conscious on the products that they purchase.They care more about branded products compared to the unbranded counterparts because most people believe that branded products are far more dependable than the unbranded ones (Hasan, 2008). In addition to this, numerous people have unwavering affection for beautiful things. Some are particular for the brands quality and history (cited in Mah, 2007).According to Elissa Moses (2000), certain brands serve different purposes for different people. It could define an individual's identity while being able to bring satisfaction to the individual at the same time. Brands serve as passes to success and global culture. It is a reflection of all the good things in life and a promise for better opportunities.Also, brands are reinforcements that can assure a solid and ongoing lifestyle in such a way that they serve as a refuge for those people who are seeking reliable pleasure. Moreover, brands serve as status symbols that can reflect the position of an individual and his or her family   economically. In the United States â€Å"branded† products are easily available because most of the stores and supermarkets are piled up with these products yet, they come in affordable prices.However, in different countries like Asia and Latin America, brands are considered as scorecards indicating how a person could follow the latest tren d and how they are well depicted within the society. Generally, branded products are well recognized by people because it identifies who a person really is.Recent researches showed that nowadays, consumers have a strong connection with the brands that they purchase. Whenever an individual tends to buy certain product such as cars, technological devices and items that will comply for their daily needs, the brandnames greatly affect the product purchasing decisions of the consumers (Hasan, 2008).This is pretty interesting because like any other individuals I take note of the brand before I purchase a certain product. As a sports enthusiast, I always see to it that I use sports equipments and athletic shoes that would compliment my passion for the said activity. This is why I am very particular with Nike products most especially the Nike air max shoes.I do believe that only few people do not recognize the Nike logo which is known as â€Å"Swoosh.† I was able to say so because fo r one, Nike has been endorsed by well known athletes such as Michael Jordan, Venus and Serena Williams, LeBron James, Andre Agassi and other superstars. The Nike swoosh logo is a representation of the wing of the Greek goddess of victory known as Nike.According to researches, Nike served as the inspiration for the greatest and courageous Greek warriors. Legends told that Greeks would utter â€Å"When we go to battle and win, we say it is Nike.† Originally called as the strip, the Swoosh logo is described only in three words: simple, fast and fluid. Since it was first created by Carolyn Davidson in 1971, Nike became one of the worlds most trusted and recognized brands.Although one would say that the logo is very simple, it connotes positivity which well complimented its mission towards â€Å"bringing inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world† (Nike logo,† 2008).Aside from the fact that Nike is really popular, the logo alongside with its slogan †Å"Just do it† relates very much with my purchase decision because it communicates a very strong and positive outlook in life. As a sport person I take this brand as something that reinforces me to go on with my passion for sport because I believe that Nike   was able to deliver the benefit that it promised which is deeply reflected within its mission.And unlike any other brands, Nike for me is an embodiment of all the good things that sports life has to offer. In addition to this, I think that the advertisers in charge for the promotion of Nike did an effective and efficient use of their money because from a consumer's perspective, the brand created a radical change in the sportswear industry that never failed to please its consumers.Also, I noticed that the usage of this brand is not limited to sports enthusiast. I saw other people who are not deeply engaged in sports using different Nike products, which is a testimony that Nike was able to broaden its reach in every nook o f the world.This is an indication that there is an increase in the demand for the products that have the Nike brand and that the company is exerting more effort in promoting brand awareness for the products they create. Somehow, there is a link with the brand, the company that produces the products and the consumers. This type of relationship is beneficial for the three key players who are dependent with each other. A Brand I like In this fast changing world, consumerism is a predominant aspect in human life. The path that most individuals take in life follows a certain pattern. This pattern points toward the direction of the culture of capitalist creating differences in human values. The modern world is a ground for people to set standards on certain products allowing them to have a unique position in the society.The so called product â€Å"brands† became a medium that actually let people possess things that would somehow set them apart from other individuals in the society. As such, most of the consumers today are more conscious on the products that they purchase.They care more about branded products compared to the unbranded counterparts because most people believe that branded products are far more dependable than the unbranded ones (Hasan, 2008). In addition to this, numerous people have unwavering affection for beautiful things. Some are particular for the brands quality and history (cited in Mah, 2007).According to Elissa Moses (2000), certain brands serve different purposes for different people. It could define an individual's identity while being able to bring satisfaction to the individual at the same time. Brands serve as passes to success and global culture.It is a reflection of all the good things in life and a promise for better opportunities. Also, brands are reinforcements that can assure a solid and ongoing lifestyle in such a way that they serve as a refuge for those people who are seeking reliable pleasure.Moreover, brands serve as status symbols that can reflect the position of an individual and his or her family   economically. In the United States â€Å"branded† products are easily available because most of the stores and supermarkets are piled up with these products yet, they come in affordable prices.However, in different countries like Asia and Latin America, brands are considered as scorecards indicating how a person could follow the latest trend and how they are well depicted within the society. Generally, branded products are well recognized by people because it identifies who a person really is.Recent researches showed that nowadays, consumers have a strong connection with the brands that they purchase. Whenever an individual tends to buy certain product such as cars, technological devices and items that will comply for their daily needs, the brandnames greatly affect the product purchasing decisions of the consumers (Hasan, 2008).This is pretty interesting because like any other individuals I take note of the brand before I purchase a certain product. As a sports enthusiast, I always see to it that I use sports equipments and athletic shoes that would compliment my passion for the said activity. This is why I am very particular with Nike products most especially the Nike air max shoes.I do believe that only few people do not recognize the Nike logo which is known as â€Å"Swoosh.† I was able to say so because for one, Nike has been endorsed by well known athletes such as Michael Jordan, Venus and Serena Williams, LeBron James, Andre Agassi and other superstars. The Nike swoosh logo is a representation of the wing of the Greek goddess of victory known as Nike. According to researches, Nike served as the inspiration for the greatest and courageous Greek warriors.Legends told that Greeks would utter â€Å"When we go to battle and win, we say it is Nike.† Originally called as the strip, the Swoosh logo is described only in three words: simple, fast and fluid.Since it was first created by Carolyn Davidson in 1971, Nike became one of the worlds most trusted and recognized brands. Although one would say that the logo is very simple, it connotes positivity which well complimented its mission towards â€Å"bringing inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world† (Nike logo,† 2008).Aside from the fact that Nike is really popular, the logo alongside with its slogan  "Just do it† relates very much with my purchase decision because it communicates a very strong and positive outlook in life. As a sport person I take this brand as something that reinforces me to go on with my passion for sport because I believe that Nike   was able to deliver the benefit that it promised which is deeply reflected within its mission.And unlike any other brands, Nike for me is an embodiment of all the good things that sports life has to offer. In addition to this, I think that the advertisers in charge for the promotion of Nike did an effective and efficient use of their money because from a consumer's perspective, the brand created a radical change in the sportswear industry that never failed to please its consumers.Also, I noticed that the usage of this brand is not limited to sports enthusiast. I saw other people who are not deeply engaged in sports using different Nike products, which is a testimony that Nike was able to broaden its reach in every nook of the world.This is an indication that there is an increase in the demand for the products that have the Nike brand and that the company is exerting more effort in promoting brand awareness for the products they create. Somehow, there is a link with the brand, the company that produces the products and the consumers. This type of relationship is beneficial for the three key players who are dependent with each other.Based from the ideas that were presented, it is apparent that brands affect the decision making of the consumers. There are some people who are deeply attached to a specific brand,   which in the long run, are the very same people who will invest on products that contain the   preferred brand because it was able to meet the needs of the consumer (Hassan, 2008).Moreover, the study was able to address the statement â€Å"what others say about your brand is much more powerful than what you say about yourself† in a sense that the images portrayed by the brands refle ct an individual's outlook in life. They are powerful tools that can serve as an expression of who you are and what you have.ReferencesHasan, T. (2008, April 28). Influence of brand name on consumer decision. (Undergraduate dissertation, Umeà ¥ University, 2008) Umea univesitet. Retrieved August 6, 2008 from http://www.diva-portal.org/umu/abstract.xsql?dbid=1623

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Syntactical issues for a education bilingual Research Paper

Syntactical issues for a education bilingual - Research Paper Example For this reason, English speakers have the difficulty in choosing the gerunds, which can fit a specific context or the infinitive ending of a verb if they need to translate the language. While there is a specific way of determining the different ways through which gerunds are formed in Spanish, some cases are difficult to determine in interpretation of the different things from Spanish to English may not be straightforward. For example, in forming gerunds with Spanish word that end with -er, -ar, and –ir, the addition of the words are added the –ando for all that end with –ar and –iendo for all words ending with the –er and –ir. This may be a form that people may have ease in interpreting but still this could pose a difficulty in interpreting the different words that the English language use in different contexts. In interpretation of the words that end with the –ando or iendo, the English speakers interpret them as by adding –i ng at the end of the of the verb form of the word. This makes it easy to understand the meanings of all the words that appear in the language in both language and interpret them with ease of determination of the endings (Jehle par 2-3). In understanding the gerunds, however, there are words that take only the verb form only in Spanish but in English, they are either verbs or nouns in the language. For instance, the word viviendo in Spanish, which means living in the English language has the form of a verb only in Spanish but is both a verb and a noun in English. Another word like bablando, which means speaking in Spanish, may take the verb and a noun and therefore, may make it difficult to determine the correct meaning of the word. This means that an English speaker may have difficulty in determining the best way to translate the different forms of the words that they need to use in the English form from the Spanish language. For instance, those who are learning to use the Spanish m ay encounter difficulty to determine whether a word written in Spanish is either a verb or a noun in English (Schwartz and Causarano par 1). In having gerunds in the Spanish language, there are special cases that are common in the language use, which do not necessarily take the form of –ando for -ar or –iendo for –er and ir. This is because some forms of gerunds take the other forms of gerund, which is not the usual even though they may end with similar letters from at the end. These are determined by the endings of the stem of the sentence in which case, it is not obvious to determine when an English speaker is using it. Some of the special cases of determination of gerunds in Spanish include the change of –iendo to –yendo in some cases of words whose stems have a vowel ending that is in its basic form of the word. For instance, the word caer in its continuous form becomes cayendo and in the same case, the word leer will take the form of leyendo i f there is addition of a gerund. Another special case is some words have their own change of the stems, which may take change of –o- to –u- or to –ue- so that they may have their own gerund. For example, in addition to the gerund of the word dormir, the word changes to durmiendo, this does not take the form of the first stem and then the normal ending of the gerund (Jehle par 3-7). In terms of infinitive there are

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Module 2 SLP PLANNING FOR EMERGENCIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Module 2 SLP PLANNING FOR EMERGENCIES - Essay Example It could also be a result of increase in flow of water from rivers, streams, and other inlets. Hurricanes also have a big role to play in the motion of coastal waters in the Riverside County. Riverine flooding is the major cause of flooding in Riverside County. This comes as result of rivers and streams breaking their banks due to an increase in rainfall caused by changing weather patterns. Flash flooding usually last a short time and are a product of irregular high rainfall in the inland regions with compromised drainage facilities. A good example is regios with high population especially major towns. Modern day construction of subways, highways, and rail lines are partly to blame because these structures interfere with drainage systems thus causing floods. As reported by NBC Southern California, eight people had to be rescued from floodwaters in Riverside after a thunderstorm pummelled the region (Avila & Schwartz, 2014) Depending on severity, floods can be classified as major, moderate, and minor. Major floods causes the greatest property damage. For instance, flooding caused the closure of Highway 74 in Riverside County on both ends from Willowbrook to Highway 243 (McAllister, 2013). In addiiton, the floods could result in loss of life in serious incidences. It may involve the evacuation of people and closure of major transport networks. In moderate floods, the risk is at medium level but not as pronounced as in major floods. In the case of minor floods, there is no property damage. Earthquakes are most frightening and devastating occurrences in nature, they can happen in any time of the year, it’s important for people and governments to prepare in advance for earthquakes to avoid mass destruction of property and loss of lives, various methods can be used to reduce impact of earthquakes, for instance, use of earthquake surveillance systems, planning of construction places. Earthquake risk maps have been used in land management