Saturday, August 31, 2019

The Thousand and One Nights: Abridged, Restructured

Jeff Stephens Dr. Swenson English 2111 11-22-11 The Thousand and One Nights: Abridged, Restructured, but Ever Lasting You may have read the story many times; you may have even watched the live-action movie or animated film, but only a few have been able to discern the unique traits inherent in The Thousand and One Nights. Willis G. Regier, a writer for World Literature Today, wrote that â€Å"the Nights has been read, admired, studied, illustrated, adapted for the stage, and Disneyfied† (321).The traits that I would like you to remember are how I used interruption to structure the story and how I implemented love within the stories to help me win back King Shahrayar’s trust and pacify his fear of psychosexual replacement. While telling the king stories of grandeur and impossibility, I snuck in little snippets of truth and morality. Richard Burton, once said, â€Å"Without the nights, no Arabian nights,† by which he meant that in dividing the story into separate e venings it was given structure and without that structure The Arabian Nights would be no more than a collection of short stories (qtd. n Van Leeuwen 183). Burton could not have been any more correct. However, I would also like to point out that without the nights themselves, my own story would have ended long before the king changed his mind in the case of my death sentence. Structure in a story like The Arabian Nights is like the branches of a tree that bears fruit; not every branch will produce the fruit, but all the branches will have leaves to help collect the energy to make the fruit.In the same way that a tree bears its fruit, my mini-stories bear the fruit of change within King Shahrayar’s heart. Through my stories, I was able to help the king reclaim some of the hope, understanding, and even love that he had once lost because of his unfaithful wife. I also showed him that women could yet be good and kind, faithful and true, and be intelligent without the wickedness wh ich so many other storytellers have been unwilling to show over the centuries.Van Leeuwen wrote an excellent article that mentions how odd it must seem in my breaking up the stories with the nights, but he also says that by breaking them up I multiplied the dimensions and meanings within the stories themselves and gave a kind of fluidity to the whole thing. I like Van Leeuwen’s interpretation of my actions. He describes the most basic interruption as the break between the fantasy world of the stories that I tell and the world of the frame story in which I, myself, take part. Incidentally, he did his homework on the subject.During that time it was quite usual for my people to use frame stories in order to create a more profound and comprehensive anthology. In using these frame stories, rather than teaching a lesson directly to the listener, we can teach vicariously through the understanding of the frame story’s characters’ understandings. When I decided to try an d save the rest of the kingdom’s women from our vengeful king I knew that a direct approach would never work, so I had to drop him coy little hints in the form of fairytales, bedtime stories, and religious parables and sayings.Although a king be a foolish man, it doesn’t make him less of a king, it just means he is less of a man. So, using the art of interruptive story telling has been around for a very long time, even long before my own time, but Van Leeuwen has a much better grasp on the many useful techniques that using frame stories and interruptive techniques can yield as well as how they help to structure a story by allowing intervals between different perspectives.Van Leeuwen also describes how the stories that I told King Shahrayar could be directly related to the frame story in which he experiences so many wrongs on behalf of women. My poor husband was practically raped by a woman being held captive by a demon, he was cheated on in his own home by his wife and a common servant, and he watched as his brother suffered the same disgrace in multiplicity. Van Leeuwen says, â€Å"As a mechanism for the generation of meanings, the juxtaposition of viewpoints enhances the cycle’s character as an initiation into new forms of knowledge† (185).Throughout the stories there are always several characters that give an account from their own perspective about what has happened in the past in order to help the reader’s and the protagonist’s understanding of the problem and how to remedy the situation properly. When I told the story about the fisherman and the demon, for instance, the demon was fixated on killing the fisherman because no one else had come to release him in hundreds of years. However, the way the fisherman saw it, the demon owed him a reward for being the one to release him after so much time.Allowing both parties to speak their thoughts about the situation in conversation made it much easier to discern a mediat ion point. In other words, knowing both sides of the story helped to rectify the situation amicably for both parties in the end. I was trying the show the king that jumping to conclusions is never a good way to solve a problem. His ex-wife’s betrayal leads him to pronounce vows with a new woman each day and then break those vows by killing them the next so that they would not have a chance to betray him first.I was able to slowly give meaningful and constructive criticism of King Shahrayar’s decisions over the course of many nights and because of that criticism he changed on the inside. He became whole again, with an understanding that he had found a woman (myself) that would never betray him. Throughout my Thousand and One Nights, love is a catalyst to reveal the true nature of the person within a given character, because love defines us. Love of one’s self versus love for others, love of money versus love of one’s family, love for love’s sake ver sus love for the sake of sex and wiles.Wills G. Regier pointed out that â€Å"Love is everywhere†, and I could not agree more. Within every expression of love there is a story to be told about those involved and the feeling of love in and of itself. I told King Shahrayar stories of this sort each night, some with violence and murder, some with mystery and suspense, and some with sexual escapades. OK, a lot with sexual escapades. I practically bored the man to sleep some nights! I had to improvise to continue to keep his interest in my stories, but I always tried to find ways to wrap them up with love.My king seemed to have forgotten what love really was, so I needed to remind him of the feeling he so desperately sought even if, to begin with, it was sought unconsciously. Regier actually nailed it when he said that I gave King Shahrayar spiritual instruction a couple of times (311). I was attempting to do just that by reciting proverbs and Muhammad’s sayings. I was atte mpting (and apparently successfully so) to help him regain his moralistic views and understandings of the world. Love plays a large role in one’s understanding of how people view each other and how and why the react in the ways that they do.He needed to understand that part of why he reacted to his ex-wife in such an over-the-top manner was because he loved her so much that it hurt him more deeply than anything had ever hurt him before. He needed to understand that love and the loss of love was what drove him to such drastic measures. John J. Brugaletta wrote an interesting essay about my stories regarding the different allegorical properties from which new knowledge could be gleaned when comparing the situations in the stories to situations in real life (7).He was right, I was providing stories that the king could relate to at the time. There seemed to be some ominous trend in the women of my day to be more sexually attracted to black men. Honestly, it was probably more to d o with the fact that black slaves tended to be in better physical condition than the white nobility, sitting in their lush palaces, eating meat and drinking wine all day, and going on hunts for pleasure rather than out of necessity. Some of King Shahrayar’s emotional issues undoubtedly stemmed from his seeming fear of â€Å"psychosexual† replacement by the black slaves.Brugaletta says that â€Å"the societies in which this book took form were preoccupied with a sense of inadequacy in sexual competition with blacks† (6). One way or another, every story could be directly proportionalized with King Shahrayar’s own life-experiences. I engineered the stories to reflect King Shahrayar’s mishaps in a kind-of worse-case scenario type of schema to help him reconcile with his unhappiness and help him to understand that while his wife was at fault in cheating on him, so was he in his exacting vengeance upon all the women of his kingdom because of one womanâ⠂¬â„¢s infidelity.While my king and husband listened to my stories, I was able to postpone my own demise and prevent others from falling to the same fate as my predecessors. As long as I kept the man intrigued, the king stayed his bloody hands. I showed him through my stories that he was missing out on living life and he understood that although he had become an angry, bitter tyrant, he could change his ways and become a loving husband and king again. Through my stories, he was able to trust women and believe in their goodness again. Works Cited Brugaletta, John J. The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. † Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-6. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. Lawall, Sarah N. , and Maynard Mack. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Second ed. Vol. B. New York: Norton, 2002. Print. Leeuwen, Richard Van. â€Å"The Art Of Interruption: The Thousand And One Nights And Jan Potocki. † Middle Eastern Literatures 7. 2 (2004): 183-198. Ac ademic Search Complete. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. Regier, Wills G. â€Å"Shahrazad's New Clothes. † World Literature Today 84. 2 (2010): 30-34. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Nov. 2011.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Hipster

The word Hipster in the dictionary is described as a person who is Hip, I however think there is much more to the term than that. Hipsters are people who represent certain ideals and stand up for causes significant to them through their fashion. Their fashion allows them to make a statement on a particular issue. They also value independent thinking, politics, and art appreciation. Really, being a Hipster is more than being cool or popular; it is a state of mind.My definition of Hipster would be, someone who is able to stand up to society and defend what they think regardless of he discrimination they may receive as a result of their actions. A Hipster needs to be steadfast in their decisions and be a leader amongst his or her peers; standing up against their adversaries. The first example I have to prove my definition of the ‘Hipster' is their sense of fashion. Fashion statements, which are symbols of subcultural lifestyles that are being discriminated by the higher classes, a re a tool the Hipster utilizes to make his statement known.Their fashion sense consists of them wearing vintage and thrift store merchandise. As a result, their clothing choices are meant for attacking the ulturally-ignorant and mainstream consumers. They also enjoy expressing themselves through their hair styles. The haircuts used by Hipsters are considered edgy and effortlessly cool. These hair styles are a combination of messy shag cuts and asymmetric side-swept bangs; thus, giving these styles the Hipster feel. The combination of attire and hair doe's exhibited by these folks leaves an impression on the viewer.To most of society, Hipsters seem as unintelligent hippies who are looking for trouble. They are the outcasts striving for attention. On the contrary, many Hipsters are well educated and very intelligent. Most Hipsters delve into the Liberal Arts world earning respected degrees in that field of study. Others have been known to earn degrees in mathematics and science. They are independent thinkers that value counter-culture, progressive politics, creativity intelligence, and witty banter. Being well educated also requires certain analytical thinking abilities.These abilities allow them to analyze their political surrounding and understand their rights from that view point. It goes to show that you cannot always Judge a book by its cover and you need to dig deeper to truly pass Judgment on another. As I stated previously, the word Hipster referrers to people who are so called hip or popular. Although, â€Å"hipsterism† is an actual state of mind, Hipsters have different political appeals than most people, but they are equally matched to any actual politics.Looking like a Hipster doesn't mean you are necessarily a Hipster; once again don't Judge a book by its cover. The true meaning of being a Hipster is the ability to understand the cultural, artistic, and political appreciations around the world. Although they like to express their feelings tow ards issues by their fashion, they mainly stick to their rights and stand by their beliefs. Sometimes being a Hipster is a mental state only intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities.Either way one has to respect the ideology of these people and commend them on their tenacity to conform to traditional beliefs. To conclude, a Hipster is someone who expresses their problems through their clothing and through their actions. They will style and dress themselves to their liking as only a part of the cause they are supporting. Through their actions they are able to speak out for those who cant do it for themselves. They know how to start movements and how to keep them going until they receive the appreciation and ompensation they desire.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Advocacy in Social Work

Advocacy in Social Work Advocacy, Rights and Partnership This reflective report contains my experience and understanding of advocacy and explains the types of advocacy and its methods and models, I will explain the theories and relate it to my practice and finally discuss the strengths and weakness of my area of practice and discuss the conflicts of interest implication up on the service user. DEFINITION OF ADVOCACY Advocacy is defined as a key concept in social work practice. It is defined as exerting influence on behalf of organisations and groups within legal power and political structure. † Advocacy involves either an individual or group, or their representatives, pressing their case with influential others, about situations which either affect them directly or, and more usually, try to prevent proposed changes, which will leave them worse off† .(Pardeck, 1996). Gates (1994) cites four variations of advocacy: legal advocacy, the representation of the user in a formal context, for instance a health-review tribunal; self-advocacy, where the individual or a group of individuals speak up for themselves, a form of empowerment; collective or class advocacy, the large organisations who speak for the interests and rights of a category of people; and citizen advocacy, the representation of the user’s interests by a competent advocate (eg a Social worker). Advocacy is a concept embraced by social work and advocating for clients is vital for the social work profession. The primary goals of advocacy are achieving social justice and people empowerment. In achieving these goals, a proactive, responsive and participatory approach is necessary (Pardeck, 1996). My role as an advocate during my placement was to speak on behalf of my clients and to empower them to advocate on their own behalf, whenever their rights have been denied; for example in accessing state benefits or demanding repair work from local Housing departments. The advocacy role, from a social context, includes t he redistribution of power and recourse to an individual or group, guarding their rights and preserving their values, conserving their best interests and overcoming the sense of powerlessness (Pardeck, 1996. pg 151). RESOURCES AVAILABLE WITHIN PLACEMENT My second year practice placement was with a charity organisation, in the London Borough of Newham called RAMP (Refugee And Migrant Project). RAMP is one of The Renewal Programme projects and is registered with the Home Office – Office of Immigration Services Commission. RAMP works to enable refugees and migrants (including asylum seeker) to realise their potentials and facilitate their integration into society. The focus of the organisation is to provide advice and advocacy and support on welfare benefits, housing and education and NASS – National Asylum Support Services. RELATING THEORY TO ADVOCACY When I began working with migrants, refugees or asylum seekers, I took a very holistic and Person Centred Approach that allowed me to work in partnership and give them the opportunity to go through their own problems and find their own solutions to them. Carl Rogers was the founder of Person-Centred therapy. As a psychologist in the 1950’s and 60’s he studied the process of counselling and came to the conclusion that a number of basic principles were required in order for there to be a positive relationship and outcome between the client and the therapist. These are also known as ‘ core conditions’ :

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Strategic Mangement Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Mangement Case Study - Essay Example This analysis is useful, because it helps to understand both the strength of current competitive position, and the strength of a position the company is looking to move into. At the early maturity of the industry's lifecycle, the number of new entrants into the smaller production end of the industry continued to grow. However, concentration was occurring among the medium and large players as a result of both local acquisitions and acquisitions by overseas purchasers. The newer producing countries, such as Chile, are perceived to be the bigger threat due to rapid advancements in production quality. The demand for the wine in the domestic market and in the international market was growing since the establishment of the company. We can see that from the fact that in 1998 from 120 tonnes of grapes crushed and less than 1 per cent export volume to 670 tonnes crushed in 1999 and greater than 49 per cent export volume, growth was achieved with minimal comparable overheads and infrastructure. The export figures testify that the growth of the buyer power is increasing over the time. Coopers Creek's own branded product was the winery's focus and, in 2000, it was anticipated that it would sell more in the USA than in the UK. The owner of the winery was concentrating on the development of a small number of markets and selling a broad range of higher margin wines in the on-premise segment. This focus allowed the company to reach consumers willing to pay more expensive prices as New Zealand wines became a permanent category on restaurant wine lists. Supplier power This factor defines the ability of a supplier to control the cost and supply of the inputs in the market. With the management of the quantity and quality of the grape supply proving to be a critical resource issue within the New Zealand industry, investment in plantings are important for the industry as a whole. In order to be successful and sustain profitability in the market, wineries are obligied to reduce costs of production by investing extensively in their own vineyard plantings. Over supply of the wine that takes place in the industry when the harvest is better than previewed, leads to production of lower-cost wines, either by growers forming a cooperative to utilise the excess grapes and produce their own wine or by wineries focusing on low-cost competition. It is anticipated that a low-cost competitor would affect the export market more than the domestic markets. Major decisions in the production of the wine are made at the supply stage and sometimes this involves the buying of bulk wine from other New Zealand producers to keep supplies going. For example, Tesco's in the UK wanted to do a summer price promotion in 1997 on a New Zealand wine. When one of the larger New Zealand wineries failed to respond, Coopers Creek took up the challenge, although it did not have all the wine to meet Tesco's requirements. The

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Law for business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law for business - Essay Example A person who makes an offer is called as an offeror; and a person who receives that offer is called as an offeree. It is utterly important that offeror must make an offer to offeree. This would start a process of contract. Before going to reach a point of a valid contract, the valid contract may come across points like invitation to treat, counter-offer, query, time to consider, they may not make the contract valid; rather they may create other types of contracts. And some of them may revoke the valid contract. But, some scholars do not agree on one theory of contract; rather, there are two theories of contract-Will Theory and Declaration Theory (Beever, 2009). The main purpose of this report is to advice Acorn Antiques Ltd whether it should be ready to pay for legal liabilities for the injuries sustained by one of its customer, Erica, in the shop and whilst travelling to the hospital. To give a piece of advice, it is important to understand some basic information about the company a nd its employees. Acorn Antiques Ltd is run by two directors: Mr Clifford and Miss Babs; they have employed two people, Miss Berta, a sales person, and Mrs Overall, who provides the cleaning and catering services in the company. In order to give a piece of advice to Acorn Antiques, it is utterly significant to understand whether any contract exist between the injured party and the company. If a contract is established between Erica and Acorn Antiques Ltd, this would clearly require Acorn Antiques to pay for legal liabilities. If the contract is not established between Erica and the Acorn Antiques, no legal liabilities could be established or advised to the company. In the subsequent parts of this report, all the elements of contract are discussed for the purpose of determining whether they exist between the customer and the company. On the basis of this discussion, a piece of advice is given to the company. Contract: Definition and elements A contract encompasses offer and acceptanc e. According to Sir Frederick Pollock contract is defined as â€Å"a promise or set of promises which law will enforce,† (Keenan et al., 2009, p.204). This means, if a contract is established between the contracting parties, and it is legally bonding as well, in this case, it becomes a responsibility of law to enforce the elements of contract. Additionally, to enter into a contact, offeror must make an offer to an offeree. And in return, the offeree must accept the offer. These are the fundamental elements of the contract. The establishment of offer and acceptance creates a contract. If offer is made but acceptance is not made by the offeree, in this case, legally contract cannot be established. To establish the contract, both, offer and acceptance, must exist. Offer Offer contains fundamental ingredients of the contract (Emerson, 2009). An offer is an expression of willingness to the specific terms of contract, these terms are established with the intention that they would b ecome binding as soon as these terms are accepted by the offeree (Treitel, 2003). An offer determines the terms on which an individual shows his willingness to enter into a legally enforceable contractual relationship with another person. An offer must be capable of acceptance; it must be understandable and it must not be vague or unclear (McKendrick 2010, p136). Offer, once accepted, may become legally enforceable but many times all statements would not be amount to an offer. It is significantly important to make a

Monday, August 26, 2019

PBL2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PBL2 - Essay Example The ischemic necrosis of kidneys gradually heals by undergoing progressive fibrous scarring (Alpers, pg. 1012). Destruction of extracellular matrix occurs. The regenerative capacity of renal tissue is maximal in cortical tubules, less in medullary tubules, and nonexistent in glomeruli. Hence this is the correct answer. B: Granuloma formation: Granulomas are formed following chronic inflammation and are encountered in some immunological mediated reactions, infections and some non-infections conditions. Some of the common conditions in which granulomatous inflammation occurs are tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, cat-scratch disease, leprosy and syphilis. The granuloma consists macrophages mainly (Kumar, pg.83-84). Hence this is not the correct answer. C: Liquefaction: Liquefaction or liquefactive necrosis is a condition in which the affected cell is completely digested due to powerful hydrolytic enzymes. It usually occurs in fungal and bacterial infections and causes formation of abscess. Also, ischemic injury in brain causes liquefaction (Mitchell, 138). Hence this is not the correct answer. D: Metastatic calcification: Deposition of calcium salts in otherwise normal tissue is known as metastatic calcification. It occurs due to elevated calcium levels. It is commonly seen in the kidneys and lungs. Hence this is not the correct answer. A 25 year old-woman sustains a deep laceration over the right forearm in a motorcycle accident. The wound is cleaned and sutured. During the next 3 months, the wound heals with formation of a linear scar. Which of the following nutritional factors is required for proper collagen assembly in the scar tissue of the patient? A. Folic acid: Folate, the useful form of folic acid is an essential nutrient for the production and maintenance of new cells because it is needed for the replication of DNA. It is not useful for collagen production. Hence this is not the correct

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Financial Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Financial Analysis - Essay Example It has a workforce of over 100,000 employees worldwide. Before Dell moved to Round rock it had its main offices in the Arboretum complex in northern Austin, Texas. In 1989 Dell occupied 127,000 square feet in the Arboretum complex. As at 1990 Dell had more than 1,200 employees in its headquarters (Gomez, 2009). In 1993 Dell submitted a document to Round Rock officials, titled "Dell Computer Corporate Headquarters, Round Rock, Texas, May 1993 Schematic Design." Despite the filing, during that year the company said that it was not going to move its headquarters. In 1994 Dell made a move of switching its employees out of the Arboretum to its new acquired offices though it still maintained that it was going to continue to occupy the top floor of the Arboretum and that the companys official headquarters address would continue to be the Arboretum. The upper floor still played a greater role of holding Dells board room meetings; also it was used as a center for its demonstrations and visitor meeting room. For less than one month prior to 29 August, 1994, Dell moved most of its customer support and telephone sales employees to Round Rock. It was later on in 1996 that Dell decided to move to Round Rock, this was due to its high rate of growth which created the need of finding a new place that could allow it to carry out its activities in the best manner possible and also be able to manage its first growing markets globally. Dell has notably has widened its customer base since its inauguration through acquisitions and going for mergers with other companies including Perot Systems and Alien ware. Dell main activities involve selling computers, network switches, servers, data storage devices, software, and computer peripherals. The company is also known for its innovations in delivery administration and electronic commerce. Some of the available outlets in the United States are located in North Carolina, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Miami,

An international expansion plan for Ferrero Rocher Essay

An international expansion plan for Ferrero Rocher - Essay Example International business expansion strategy has become one of the profitable and important business growth strategies of several leading multinational business organizations. There are several advantages of international business expansion. Organizations can increase its market share through the help of global expansion strategy. In addition to this, multinational organizations can develop potential client base around the globe through this strategy. Major objective behind this internal expansion is to maximize business profit (Blenkhorn and Fleisher, 2005, p.76). The market demand and test or preference of the customers for global products is increasing significantly due to the significant effect of globalization and technological advancement. However, the organizations’ business expansion strategy can get affected due to several risks that are associated with the business operations in international market place. Ferrero Rocher, an Italy based spherical chocolate sweet has bee n chosen as a product for the assignment. The organization is planning to introduce this product in the potential South Korean market. This assignment will determine the business environment of the host country and preferred market entry mode for Ferrero Rocher. A description of the product Ferrero Rocher is one of the popular spherical chocolate sweets. This particular product has gained huge popularity among several regional and international customers. This product is made by a popular Italian chocolate producing organization named Ferrero SpA. Ferrero Rocher was introduced in the Italian market in the year 1982. The chocolate consist of roasted hazelnut. It is encased in a unique thin wafer shell that is filled with vegetable oil and hazelnut cream. This specific chocolate sweet is covered in chopped hazelnut and milk chocolate. Each and every sweet item contains 73 calories. In addition to this, each and every sweet item is packaged individually insider an attractive gold-colou red rapper. The product already has presence in several emerging international market. This specific product achieved huge popularity among millions of people around the globe due to its quality and taste. The product is considered as the leader within the industry and in its category. Effective quality control, innovative shape, original recipe, unique advertising campaigns and refined packaging attract the global customers toward this product (Ferrero, 2013, p.1). It can be stated that the creamy filling, delicious hazelnut centre and crunchy wafer increased the demand of this product. In addition to this, the organization implemented economic pricing strategy for the products. These products are often identified in the retail chains, stationary shops and confectionary stores. A description of the organisational context Ferrero Rocher is the product as well as the brand extension of parenting company Ferrero SpA. Ferrero SpA is known as one of the leading and popular Italy based m anufacturers and distributors of the chocolate and other confectionary products. The organization was established in the year 1946 by famous confectioner Pierto Ferrero. The organization is headquartered in Alba, Italy. The founder of the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Fashion and Buying Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Fashion and Buying - Dissertation Example In today’s retail world there are thousands of competitors, and millions of items being pushed at a customer to buy. It is highly likely that a customer will be able to buy an item similar to yours from a competitor. So how do you keep customers loyal? It boils down to making shopping an individualized experience for each customer. Having top customer service, as well as tailoring each shopping experience to each individual shopper will ensure that customers remain loyal for years to come. What exactly is customer service? It is something different for everyone, however we can simply define customer service as putting the customer first, and making shopping as easy and enjoyable for the customer as is possible. Using IT makes it easy to achieve this goal. These are just some ways to improve customer service and individualize the shopping experience online. There are things we can do in its stores as well. Since the goal is to make the customer as happy as possible, the more information you have on a customer, the better. One way to do this is to keep a log in the store’s computer of each item the customer has purchased. This way, sales associates can make suggestions for the customer’s future purchases based on items they already know he or she likes. This will give the customer a feeling that the sales associates really value them, and will increase customer loyalty as well as store revenue. In addition,We could also use these customer logs to send out notices of upcoming sales to customers. Excellent customer service and shopping convenience is not the only way to increase a company's overall revenue. Employee satisfaction plays a big part in a store's success. Studies have shown that happy employees are productive employees. Simple things, such as creating a regular work schedule as opposed to having rotating shifts, can decrease turnover by 50%, thus helping to cultivate more long-term relationships between sales associates and their customers (Smith, 2003). Employees are also happy when they feel they are good at their jobs. An excellent way for Gap to determine whether or not their employees are excelling at their jobs would be to keep track of each item the employee sells. If an employee is assigned to the women's department, however they continuously are making sales of men's clothing, the store manager will see this and can move them to the men's department, where they could potentially be more useful and happier. Not only do happy employees stay with a company longer and are more productive, they also make customers happier (Glanz, 2003). When employees are happy, they create an atmosphere of friendliness and dedication. Shopping in such an atmosphere makes customers happy and relaxed. Only good things can come from this. The new market place is all about customization and personalization. Knowing what each individual customer wants, and knowing how he or she wants it. No longer will product sell to entire segments of the market. With so many competing forces the masses demand personal touches. Automobile companies have 20 different lines of cars and trucks, computers offer

Friday, August 23, 2019

Undergraduate Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Undergraduate - Research Proposal Example While looking at evolution of mammals, keen focus will be set on the GSD, (Genetic Sex Determination). The purpose of this research is to dig deeper into the behavior of the conserved sex determination genes in mammals. By investigating on this, findings could be used to develop an evolution pathway. This way, analysis on patterns of the mammal and birds gene development can be determined. I have decided to use an approach that investigates every sex-determination gene in the different species. Comparisons and behavior relations are observed to determine where each gene differs from each other (Haag & Doty, 3). The project will first proceed by gene collection. Types of the collected genes will go further into the different sex determination genes. For instance, while studying the genes involved in the sex determination process, the somatics will be studied different from the germ-line, focusing on the behavior of each under its classification. Study of these genes will be conducted for mammals and birds and chosen vertebrates of interest. For the vertebrates, the master genes for the sex determinants must be identified. In most of the mammals these genes are indicated in the Y-chromosomes. Alongside this, the NM accession number is to be determined and the knowledge of the longest transcript. This way a sex determining loci can be observed. A complete nucleotide has significant impact on the study of evolutionary impact of sequential pathways. DNA sequences tend to have information about the background of a certain species’ gene. Study on the rate of variations in genomes and relation to environment and population helps to draw a conclusion on the relation between the gene sequences and their evolution. So as to effectively analyze the sequence alignments for quality control, analysis of the palms would be conducted. This type of analysis enables one to determine the protein

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Google Analytics Results Essay Example for Free

Google Analytics Results Essay Within a week, your site should get some traffic. The report of this traffic will be found on the dashboard of your site as well as the Google site. Take your screen shot of the main analytics page (from the Google site) and paste it to a word document. In addition to this screen shot, include the following items: 1.Visit the Google site and analyze the total visits, bounce rate, traffic sources, and page views on your site. Write a short paragraph summarizing the specific numbers and what they mean (not the definitions of these fields but what the data is telling you). I found 1 visitor in my Google site. The bounce rate and traffic source was 100%. The page view was 1. 2. List three specific changes you can make to your site to increase the total visits. Search engine optimization is about ways to get your website to the top of search engines: This cannot be stressed enough. I can do this by generating useful content like articles and blogs, by social networking and the development of multimedia. This sounds easy but it’s a lot of hard work. Still, I can also strategically spread my content in different websites while keeping my target niche in mind. Be very careful not to over link to pages within my site, this is a new penalty from Googles most recent update. Use social media: Post compelling content and I’ll soon build a loyal following. Follow and share with other users, who may reciprocate and follow me. Keeping up to date with social media and finding time to post can be tricky, but it’s well worth it. Let people talk and become part of a community and they’ll promote your content for me. This will save me a great deal of time, and it will share much further. Be patient: Search engines need a lot of time to index a new website and domain. They need time to index all my content; its worth the wait and should be factored into my website profitability and/or popularity timeline. In the meantime, continue to add high quality content to my website and keep it up to date and relevant. 3. Write a short paragraph which explains how you could use this tool in the future to help you distribute information or sell products/services on the web more effectively. The good thing about the internet is that I can reach people from different countries of the world. Not only that, I can also find a plethora of great info on the web with a bit of research. Just imagine how my business can benefit from the powers of the internet when online users find me. Your business can be at an advantage if I can create your own website. Your site should be fully optimized and should contain highly relevant content so that online users can easily find me. Provide different pages for various information products that I am trying to sell. I can use articles, images, videos, and other effective marketing tools. What kind of info do I want to sell? Perhaps I can offer the info product in downloadable form or I can have your own shopping cart. The cart can provide a different shopping experience to all your customers and so they will not hesitate to come back again soon. My information products should also be updated regularly. No one is interested in obsolete information and make sure that I focus on the in-demand info or topics. Determine what other people are interested at the moment or perhaps in the near future. From there, I can already create the info products that can provide me with higher earnings. Monitor my sales and take out the ones that don’t get much attention from buyers. I can even ask for feedbacks so that I can choose my products well.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Behaviour through a lifespan perspective

Behaviour through a lifespan perspective What are the advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour through a lifespan perspective for social work practice? This assignment will look at the advantages and disadvantages a social worker viewing behaviour through a lifespan perspective may encounter. It will look at developmental theories that relate to the chosen service user group, and how, as a social worker, this knowledge would increase understanding of the service user and how this in turn may affect the role of a social worker in practice. The service users age group being explored in this assignment will be older adults aged from 65+. Lifespan development starts from conception and finishes with the death of each individual. During each individuals lifespan there are constant changes and developments taking place, the majority of stages and life changes each individual passes through are due to their common psychological and biological heritage as humans and are shared by all people. Culture and social class, and the individuals environment are all factors that help shape the course of development (Niven. N.1989). There are five main theoretical approaches for lifespan development; these are biological, cognitive, humanist, behaviourist and the psychodynamic approach. Ageing in late life is shaped by the accumulation of life events and the proximity of death; a misperception about ageing is that disability and poor health in later adult life are inevitable (Davies, M, 2002). During each individuals lifespan, they will experience a series of crises and life transitions. Throughout the lifespan there are certain periods or stages where each individual will face a transition from one state to another. These periods have been referred to as life crises by some psychologists, each crisis needing to be resolved in order to progress to the next stage. Each individual proceeds through the stages of development, and the way in which they deal with each crisis in each stage of development shapes their personality (Niven, N, 1989). Other approaches agree that there are certain stages in development that have significance for each individual, but they state that there are also other events that can also shape development these being experienced by some indiv iduals but not all. Retirement is just one of a number of changes that need to be adjusted to in late adulthood, among the others are declining health and physical strength along with physical and sensory impairment which can result in increased dependency on others in late adulthood (Beckett.C.2002). Several physical and cognitive changes also take place in old age (Bee Mitchell, 1984) cited in (Sugarman. L. 1990. Pg 53). The bodily changes that are associated with ageing are summarized in five words- slower, weaker, lesser, fewer and smaller. As ageing occurs experience gained throughout the lifespan helps the individual and they learn to compensate for the many gradual declines that accompany old age. (Corse 1975) cited in (Sugarman. L. 1990. Pg 53) concludes that experience, intelligence, and education can help maintain normal perceptual and sensory functioning. Many changes in appearance take place in old age. Outward appearances begin to show ageing, older peoples skin begins to lose elasticity, which causes lines and wrinkles to appear, hair loss and grey hair may be one of the first signs of ageing, and hearing and eye sight now begin to deteriorate (Windmill.V.1987). Internally the kidneys, lungs, heart and intestinal tract all begin to function less and there may be deterioration of muscles which can literally cause old people to shrink. The reduction of calcium in the bones makes the old person more prone to fractures and brittleness of the bones is also a problem in the older population. Arthritis is one of the more serious health problems affecting older people and for most people these changes may be gradual (Windmill.V.1987). A social worker needs the basic insight of childhood studies, as without them it would be difficult to assess adults on adulthood theories alone. Freud is credited with beginning the psychoanalytic approach. The central assumption of this approach is that behaviour is governed by the unconscious as well as the conscious processes; some are present at birth while others develop over time. (Beckett.C.2002) The second assumption of the psychoanalytic theory is that our personalities have a structure that develops over time. Freud proposed three parts of the personality- the id, the ego, and the superego. Freuds key assumptions were that adults personalities depend on childhood experiences; he assumed children go through five psychosexual stages. The first being the oral stage, the second the anal stage, and the remaining stages being the phallic stage, the latency period and the genital stage. (Beckett.C.2002). When looking at human lifespan development, Erik Eriksons theories can be of use to a social worker. Erikson was a student of Freud; however he had some very different ideas. He thought development was psychosocial and due partly to maturation and partly due to society. Erikson also thought that personality development continued across the lifespan, unlike Freud, who suggest personality development finished in adolescence. Erikson (1980) cited in (Niven, N, 1989, pg 155) proposed eight stages of development which he called developmental crises, these being viewed more as a period of difficulty or dilemma. They are times when individuals face a turning point or transition in their lives often involving a degree of stress associated with having to resolve each dilemma. Not only do these transitions of change affect the individuals behaviour they also affect their family and friends. Eriksons stages are phrased in terms of an opposition between two characteristics and each individual mu st successfully negotiate the task or stage in order to be able to move on to the next one. Erikssons eighth stage (late adulthood) is integrity vs despair; this suggests if the individual has managed to negotiate the previous stages, then the individual will have developed a sense of integrity. This refers to the acceptance of the limitations of life, with the sense of being a part of a larger whole which includes previous generations. It enables the individual to approach death without fear, if one looks back on ones life and sees it as unsatisfactory, despair occurs and a feeling of what if prevails. Erikson suggests that at each transition individuals may need to revisit unresolved issues from previous stages. The main strength of Eriksons theory is that it offers a framework for explaining changes in childhood and adulthood. His work has been criticised in that it represents a set of assumptions instead of precise descriptions of relationships and causes. A disadvantage here is the lack of empirical evidence- this is also another criticism of Eriksons work. The advantages for a social worker using Eriksons theory is that it provides markers for those events in a service users life that may be proving difficult and in using this approach, social workers can highlight the problems that are likely to affect people during specific stages of their life. (Niven. N. 1989). An area of life course development most associated with older adults relates to end of life issues. In the later stages of adulthood the end of life is expected. Death is the end of biological and physical functioning of the body. Factors to be taken in to account for social workers working with service users who have suffered a loss, are gender and cultural differences, as these can affect a social workers understanding of what may count as a loss and what in turn can be done about it (Currer. C 2007). Each individuals reaction to grief and emotional trauma is as unique as a fingerprint. When thinking about bereavement and loss it is useful to look at attachment theory, Bowlbys (1946) cited in (Davies, M, 2002), major work was Attachment and Loss; sadly it is the case for many individuals in later adulthood that there is a price to pay for the benefits of forming attachments. According to Bowlbys attachment theory adults, who as children had secure attachments with their carers, are able to form satisfactory relationships in adult life and this will help them to cope with the pain of bereavement in later life. Bowlbys aim of this originally was to explain the consequences for personality development and how severe disruption of attachments between infant and mother could have negative effects on development. (Butterworth. H. Harris. M. 2002). Adults who did not have secure attachments as children can be identified, according to Howe (1995) cited in (Davies, M, 2002), who suggests that avoidant individuals are the ones who show self reliance. They may display delayed reactions to grief, they attempt to be emotionally self reliant and are wary of forming relationships. This means the loss of someone who is close to them usually triggers defence mechanisms- they may not cry or appear to be upset but are vulnerable to future losses. Exaggerated reactions to grief can be accounted for when the individual has not adjusted or come to terms with earlier loss of an im portant attachment relationship. On the other hand ambivalently attached individuals may experience self-blame and guilt when their partner dies. Where there has been an insecure attachment in childhood (an attachment that does not meet the childs needs- the need for safety and security etc) Bowlby (1998) cited in (Beckett. C. 2006) suggests the anxious child will try to protect themselves against anxious situations. The child uses a variety of psychological manoeuvres and this results in what Bowlby called a faulty working model of themselves and of other relationships. To maintain this model the child will use defensive exclusion to avoid feelings that may threaten the childs already precarious stability. Attachment theory is backed up by empirical evidence. This is beneficial as it can help social workers identify causes from an individuals past and this helps to provide explanations for present behaviours and their ability to deal with change (Beckett. C.2006). Each individuals reaction to grief and emotional trauma are as unique as a fingerprint. When looking at loss it is important to remember that older people may lose friends, abilities, connections and many other things that are important to them. The significance of grief and loss in old age is dismissed by the ageist stereotype that older people will be used to loss because they are at an age where they have experienced lots of it. However the reality is that loss can be cumulative at this age and this results in negative experiences for those whose loss or grief is not recognized or addressed (Thompson.N. et al. 2008). It is important that social workers take a holistic approach to understanding life course development in older adults, as life course is central to any understanding of ageing. A social worker should be aware that an individuals life experiences and life course developments are affected by several factors- these include economic and social aspects, historical, cultural, psychological, and cognitive and physiological influences. (Crawford, K, Walker, J, 2007). All transitions expected or unexpected, sudden and unplanned, present opportunities and challenges for the individuals development and growth. Each individual will have different experiences of transitions even when the life event is common to many in society, each person will respond and adapt to that change in a unique way. (Crawford, K, Walker, J, 2007). There are disadvantages for social workers when viewing individuals through a lifespan perspective as most of the theories being used are Euro centric (European studies) and cannot be applied to all cultures. As a social worker care must be taken when using any of the behavioural approaches as they raise the issues concerning the use of power and oppression. The social worker should not focus too much on narrow behavioural issues at the expense of the larger picture (Beckett.C.2006). It is in a social workers interest not to oppress or discriminate service users but to treat them with unconditional positive regard, not forgetting to treat each service user as an individual with their own opinions and values. The theories used do have limitations as not all individuals or cultures fit the suggested norms and each person develops at a different rate. As a social worker knowing about the different viewpoints from theorists and their suggested viewpoints may enable a better understanding of what problems a service user may be experiencing. When working with service users from any age range, it is important that the social worker does not influence these transitions with their own life experiences. References Beckett.C.(2006).Essential Theory for Social Work Practice. Sage Publications Ltd. London. Beckett.C. (2002). Human Growth Development. Sage Publications Ltd. London. Bee.H. Boyd. H. (2003) 3rd Ed. Lifespan development. Pearson Education Inc. Boston. USA Butterworth. G. and Harris. M. (2002). Developmental Psychology. A Students Handbook. Psychology Press Ltd. Hove. East Sussex. Crawford. K. Walker. J. (2007) 2nd Ed, Social Work and Human Development. Learning Matters Ltd. Exeter. Currer. C. (2007). Loss and Social Work. Learning Matters Ltd. Exeter. Davies. M. (2002) 2nd Ed. The Blackwell Companion to Social Work. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.Oxford. Niven. N. (1989) Health Psychology. An Introduction for Nurses other Health Care Professionals. Churchill Livingstone. Sugarman. L. (1990). Lifespan development. Concepts, Theories and Interventions. Routledge. London. Thompson.N. Thompson. S. (2008) The Social work Companion. Palgrave Macmillan. Basingstoke. Windmill.V. (1987). Human Growth Development. Hodder and Stoughton Ltd. Kent.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Shareholder Activism Business

Shareholder Activism Business This paper looks at the issue of shareholder activism from an Irish and International perspective, in the context of understanding agency theory and corporate governance which acts as catalysts to this new phenomenon. This is done by looking at past and current published papers that revolve around the subject matter. Theoretical concepts within the business and finance literature are explained in relation to how agency theory and corporate governance are practised worldwide. Three countries namely, the OECD countries (European Union as one whole entity), Ireland, and China, are assessed to identify how these concepts are practiced to gain a better insight into this new problem known as shareholder activism. Finally a critical review of matches and mismatches is used to compare and contrast similarities between the theoretical concepts and the empirical evidence within the literature review that is gathered for this paper to identify whether this problem is a worldwide problem or it is at the growth stage of becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Chapter 1: The Concept of Shareholder Activism Shareholder activism has begun to play a role in reshaping the corporate governance in companies all across the globe. In industrialised or advanced countries, institutional investors or financial intermediaries serve the function of active shareholders. In general, shareholder activism has become one of the most important and highly debated issues of the 21st century. The issue of shareholder activism (shareholder revolt against management objectives) can be said to have arisen due to the recent collapse of huge international organisations; in theoretical terms it is known as Corporate Governance. Now, Corporate governance refers to structures and processes for directly and controlling companies. Collectively, these constitute a set of rules that govern the relationships among management, company shareholders, and other stakeholders including consumers, creditors, employees, the general public, neighbouring people and suppliers. The rules of corporate governance aim to ensure that managers act in the best interests of their shareholders rather than simply acting in their own interests or those of a majority shareholder. Good corporate governance can provide companies in emerging markets in particular, better access to outside capital by making them more attractive targets for portfolio investment. The impact of recent corporate scandals, which has opened the debate as to the validity of corporate governance, has been felt all across the world and Ireland is no exception. Domestic scandals such as the fallout from the Inquiry into no-collection by certain banks of applicable tax on deposit accounts prompted a report on auditing standards which eventually resulted in the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act (2003), essentially is Irelands Sarbanes- Oxley Act. Until relatively recently, meanwhile, there was scant compliance with corporate governance and companies legislation which led to government committee report on the matter in 1997 and ultimately to the enactment of company Law Enforcement Act, 2001. This Act established the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement, which now has responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Companies Acts (1963 -2003) in Ireland. This government body has significant powers of investigation and prosecution, which are being exercised vigorously. In the European Union (OECD), although this had been a subject of thought for over a decade, it was originally developed in response to a call by the OECD council meeting at ministerial level in 1998, to develop, in conjunction with national governments, other relevant international organisations and the private sector, a set of corporate governance standards and guidelines. Since the principles were agreed in 1999, they have formed the basis for corporate governance initiatives in both OECD and non-OECD countries alike. Accordingly, they form the basis of the corporate governance component of the World/IMF Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC). Aims and Objectives The aim of this paper is to address the issue of aligning management objectives with the objectives of shareholders and help identify why this has not been successful. I.e. this genesis has led to shareholder activism at annual general meetings, which management have found it very unpleasant to bear with within organisations all across the globe. The objective of this research paper is to first look at the genesis (beginnings) of this problem pertaining agency theory and corporate governance with regard to their relevance in satisfying shareholder objectives. Secondly, to explain the current trend in relation to shareholder activism within organisations and also how companies are preparing and dealing with this phenomenon at AGMs. I.e. The right information is given to shareholders as to the accurate financial earnings and gains of the organisation which they were appointed to manage. This will be looked at from an Irish and International perspective. Finally, a critical appraisal of the validity of published material so far covering agency theory and corporate governance within organisations will be addressed. Chapter 2: Existing Literature Review The need to understand and deal with shareholder activism is one that has come of recent due to the collapse of major international organisations around the world within the past decade. According to Grace (2004), in Ireland, the role of the institutional shareholder and the extent of their responsibilities as such, insofar as these differ from those of individual shareholders, are governed by practice rather than legislation. In addition, she adds that in Irish incorporated companies the overall management function vests in a board of directors, although the directors may delegate functions to certain executives or committees of the board. There is no statutory limit on the number of directors (hence wasting company funds on management) that can comprise a board, although limits may be imposed in the Articles of Association. Current legislation (Companies Act 2003) in Ireland requires a minimum of two directors, both of whom must be natural persons and one of whom must be an Irish resident. Grace (2004) also argues that the Articles of Association set out the requirements for the convening and holding of board meetings, while the corporate governance requirements for listed companies ensure that regular meetings are held. Written notice is usually required, including an agenda and all relevant documents to be considered at the meeting. All minutes of board meetings must be kept in the register of minutes but these are not generally available to shareholders, a major reason for shareholder activism. Daily et al.(2003) suggest that the overwhelmingly dominant theoretical perspective applied in corporate governance studies is agency theory. This serves as an explanation of how the public corporation could exist, given the assumption that managers are self-interested, and a context in which those managers do not bear the full wealth effects of their decisions. The theory responds to the observation 70 years ago of some of the key problems inherent in the separation of ownership and control. Daily metal. (2003) also add that in nearly all-modern governance research, governance mechanisms are conceptualised as deterrents to managerial self-interest. Corporate governance mechanisms provide shareholders some assurance that managers will strive to achieve outcomes that are in the shareholders interests. Shareholders have available both internal and external governance mechanisms to help bring the interests of managers in line with their own. They also argue that internal mechanisms include an effectively structured board, compensation contracts that encourage a shareholder orientation, and concentrated ownership holdings that lead to active monitoring of executives. The market for corporate control serves as an external mechanism that is typically activated when internal mechanisms for controlling managerial opportunism have failed. Abelson (2001) argue with regard to the collapse of Enron, that what made the Enron case different is how sudden and final the companys fall was for its shareholders, i.e.it was the shareholders that lost out and not management, adding that how can someone (people on the board of directors in Enron) who cannot own stock in a company serve on its board. In Europe, the OECD principles of corporate governance (2004) state that corporate governance is one key element in improving economic efficiency and growth as well as enhancing investor confidence. Corporate governance involves a set of relationships between a companys management, its board, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Corporate governance also provides the structure through which the objectives of the company are set, and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance are determined. Good corporate governance should provide proper incentives for the board and management to pursue objectives that are in the interests of the company and its shareholders and should facilitate effective monitoring. In addition the OECD (2004),also argue that while a multiplicity of factors affect the governance and decision making processes of firms, and are important to their long-term success, the principles focus on governance problems that result from the separation of ownership and control (agency theory). However, this is not simply an issue of relationship between shareholders and management, although that is indeed the central element. In some jurisdictions , governance issues also arise from the power of certain controlling shareholders over minority shareholders. In other countries, employees have important legal rights irrespective of their ownership rights. The OECD (2004) also suggests that corporate governance is affected by the relationships among participants in the governance system. Controlling shareholders, which maybe individuals, family holdings, bloc alliances, or other corporations acting through a holding company or cross shareholdings, can significantly influence corporate behaviour. As owners of equity, institutional investors are increasingly demanding a voice in corporate governance in some markets. Individual shareholders usually do not seek to exercise governance rights but may be highly concerned about obtaining fair treatment from controlling shareholders and management. Creditors according to the OECD (2004) play an important role in a number of governance systems and can serve as external monitors over corporate performance. Employees and other stakeholders play an important role in contributing to the long-term success and performance of the corporation, while governments establish the overall institutional and legal framework for corporate governance. The role of each of these participants, OECD (2004), and their interactions vary widely among OECD countries and among non-OECD countries well. Adding that these relationships are subject, in part, to law and regulation and, in part, to voluntary adaptation and, most importantly, to market forces. Bebchuk (2003) also argue that in theory, if directors fail to serve shareholders, or if they appear to lack the qualities necessary for doing so, shareholders have the power to replace them. This relates to a document presented to the securities exchange commission in New York, considering the improved rights of shareholders. Bebchuk (2003) also states that this shareholder power, in turn, provides incumbent directors with incentives to serve shareholders well, making directors accountable. He suggests that although shareholder power to replace directors is supposed to be an important element of corporate governance system, its largely a myth. Attempts to replace directors he states are extremely rare, even in firms that systematically underperform over a long period of time. By and large, directors nominated by the company run unopposed and their election is thus guaranteed. This varies from country to country. Hamid (2005) argues with regard to the International Financial Corporation, which is part of the World Bank in relation to corporate governance models in China. It states that corporate governance is a new concept in China and most managers and boards remain unaware of basic governance procedures, often confusing governance with general management. As a result, bridging the gap between rhetoric and reality is required. It adds that the private sector in China has clearly become the engine of growth, seemingly offering enormous investment opportunities. But the structures in place at private companies are often immature, reflecting the newness of the private sector. Most small and mid-sized enterprises in Chinaware run informally. They are family owned, they dont have checks and balances, and their financial reporting is not transparent. It goes on to argue that the state-owned enterprises on their way to becoming private enterprises suffer from a different set of governance problems. When these companies take on private ownership, they carry the legacy of the state-dominated decision making regime. They often have complex and opaque corporate ownership structures, overlapping new and traditional bodies of corporate control, and reporting practices that are focused on satisfying the information requirements of the authorities rather than the needs of investors. Stutchbury (2001) states that in Australia, when AMP handed down its 1999 results showing a $1.2 billion abnormal loss from the GIO takeover, the AMP chairman was nowhere to be seen. He did not deem it necessary to front up to the cameras or to face media questioning to explain himself to shareholders. He left it to the relatively new CEO, who was required to dead bat the many serious questions about the companys board, its relationship with top management, and the departure of its former CEO. These were questions, which the new CEO could not properly answer. They had to be answered by the Chairman, if they were to be answered at all. This shows across misconduct of rules and guidelines with regard to corporate governance. Although CSR has only become one of the most heated topics of the new millennium, its roots undoubtedly go back to some of the key philosophical debates over ethics, values, equity and equality, Smith(2003). However, the systematic treatment of business ethics has been neglected in most advanced economies, which directly relates to CSR. Hartley (1993), for example, suggests that the interests of a firm are actually best served by scrupulous attention to the public interest and by seeking a trusting relationship with the various stakeholders with which a firm is involved. In the process, society is also best served because the firm is forced to consider a whole range of competing objectives and to move away from activities, which are derived from short-term performance indicators. Hartley (1993) also adds that any philosophy or course of action that doesnt take the public interest into consideration is intolerable in todays society. Todays firms face more critical scrutiny from stakeholders and operate in a setting, which is becoming more regulatory and litigious. The Pensions and Investment Research Consultants (PIRC) (2000) in the UK, argue that the law should require all proxy votes are brought to bear on the business of a companys annual general meeting, which should encourage institutions to vote their proxies. Adding that they do not consider that abolishing the show of hands would act as a disincentive for small shareholders to attend and vote as they are aware of their lack of voting power under current UK law arrangements. The show of hands is largely symbolic. The PIRC (2000), also state that if the annual general meeting (AGM) is not made the focus of the decision making process, but merely one moment in the process, companies would be tempted to lobby shareholders after the AGM, thus undermining the value of the AGM. They emphasise that such a proposal gives companies an ability to evade accountability to their shareholders. The OECD (2004) states that shareholders have access in a number of countries to the companys proxy materials, which are sent to shareholders, although sometimes subject to conditions to prevent abuse. The OECD (2004) also states that co-operation among investors could also be used to manipulate markets prior to proxy voting, and to obtain control over a company without being subject to any takeover regulations. For this reason, in some countries, the ability of institutional investors to co-operate on their voting strategy is either limited or prohibited. Shareholder agreements may also be closely monitored. On the other hand although corporate governance around the world varies with regard to successes and failure, Reuters(2004) stated that News Corp, one of the worlds largest media empires, had a proxy vote, in which more than 90 present voted in favour of the Chairmans plan to reincorporate the organisation in the United States, where it generates more than 75 present of its earnings. This can be seen as very good reaction from the shareholders of the company, in which corporate governance in this case has been a success. It is worthwhile noting that the adherence and practice of corporate governance to avoid shareholder activism does vary from country to country and so the rules, guidelines, regulations, and procedures governing this concept are subject to different interpretations in companies around the world. Chapter 3: Theoretical Perspectives On Agency Problem, Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance It is often assumed that the role conflict between those who own firms(i.e., who want the firm to maximise the value of their stake in the business) and those who manage them (who want to maximise their own reward) will be detrimental to the pursuit of profit maximisation as an overriding objective. The significance of this separation of ownership and control and the potential problems it can cause is known as the agency problem. While, corporate governance deals with how an organisation establishes who it is there to serve, how this should be decided, and by whom. This relates to how managers deal with issues of ethics and corporate responsibility. The following is a detailed elaboration of the agency problem and corporate governance with regard to the concepts acting as a catalyst that leads to shareholder activism. The Agency Problem Potential conflict arises where ownership is separated from management. The ownership of most larger companies is widely spread, while the day-to-day control of the business rests in the hands of a new managers who usually have a relatively small proportion of the total shares issued. This can give rise to what is termed managerialism, self-serving behaviour by managers at the shareholders ‘expense. Examples of managerialism include pursuing more perquisites(splendid offices and company cars, etc.) and adopting low-risk survival strategies and satisficing behaviour. This conflict has been explored by Jensen and Mackling (1976), who developed a theory of the firm under agency arrangements. Managers are, in effect, agents forth shareholders and are required to act in their best interests. However, they have operational control of the business and the shareholders receive little information on whether the managers are acting in their best interests. A company can be viewed as simply a set of contracts, the most important of which is the contract between the firm and its shareholders. This contract describes the principal-agent relationship, where the shareholders are the principals and the management team the agents. An efficient agency contract allows full delegation of decision-making authority over use of invested capital to management without the risk of that authority being abused. However, left to themselves, managers cannot be expected to act in the shareholders best interests, but require appropriate incentives and controls to do so. Agency costs are the difference between the return expected from an efficient agency contract and the actual return, given that managers may act more in their own interests than the interests of shareholders. Managing the agency problem To attempt to deal with such agency problems, various incentives and controls have been recommended, all of which incur costs. Incentives frequently take the form of bonuses tied to profits (profit-related pay) and share options as part of a remuneration package scheme. Share options only have value when the actual share price exceeds the option price; managers are thereby encouraged to pursue policies that enhance long-term wealth-creation. In reality, the agency problem between investors and directors is more illusory than real for the following reasons: †¢ The principal in the business relationship is the company rather than the shareholder and the directors set the priorities and goals forth business, not the shareholders. †¢ Because directors, in most firms, invariably own shares in their business they will benefit in the same way as the ordinary shareholders from the activities of the firm. Chief executives in a number of large companies have recently come under fire for their outrageously high pay resulting from such schemes. Executive compensation schemes, such as those outlined above, are imperfect, but useful, mechanisms for retaining able managers and encouraging them to pursue goals that promote shareholder value. Another way of attempting to minimise the agency problem is by setting up and monitoring managers behaviour. Examples of these include: †¢ Audited accounts of the company †¢ Management audits and additional reporting requirements, and †¢ Restrictive covenants imposed by lenders, such as ceilings on the dividend payable or the maximum borrowings. To what extent does the agency theory problem invalidate the goal of maximising the value of the firm? In an efficient, highly competitive stock market, the share price is a fair reflection of investors ‘perceptions of the companys expected future performance. So agency problems in a large publicly quoted company will, before long, be reflected in a lower than expected share price. This could lead to an internal response, the shareholders replacing the board of directors with others more committed to their goals, or an external response, the company being acquired by a better-performing company where shareholder interests are pursued more vigorously. Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is now on the global policy agenda, with the last 20 years having seen great strides forward inks. Domestically and internationally governmental, business and other organisations are getting involved with CSR initiatives. This relates to the fact that independent legal entities such as pension fund managers, institutional investors, private investors, green peace, and Christian churches are leading the way in attending annual general meetings of organisations, to ask tough and environmental questions concerning the conduct and performance of management within organisations. This has proved difficult to comprehend with in recent times for major organisations such as the Shell, Financial Times(1997), facing its shareholders on the grounds of its ethical approach on human rights grounds in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. At the European and UK domestic levels, the European Commission in 2002adopted a new strategy on CSR, and in the same year the UK government published its second national CSR report. The UK government has now also appointed a minister for CSR. Internationally, organisations such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have also taken the lead. Initiatives such as the UN Global Compact, theology Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and the OECD voluntary guidelines for multinational enterprises now dominate the corporate agenda, thus making CSR important for organisations of all kinds, large and small alike Hopkins (2003). The emergence of business ethics and responsible action on the corporate agenda is, however, more a function of the growing awareness of the social, political, and environmental impact of the modern industrial enterprise. Many of the shifts in political attitudes towards firms, for example, reflect serious abuse by specific companies and specific business leaders. The misappropriation of pension funds, repression of workers in the Third World, environmental incidents, and even the bribery and corruption associated with deals to gain large government contracts is all issues which have hit the headlines over the last few years. One of the major sticking points with regard to the rise in shareholder activism is the fact that corporate decisions are linked to a set of business ethics, and that by considering the structures and procedures which define the ethics of an organisation we ought to be able to say something about the prospects and preconditions for corporate performance. These v arious stakeholders, whom the firm must consider, are its customers, suppliers, values on which stakeholders requirement are based can be, in themselves, contradictory. The traditional way of resolving these issues is for the organisation to assume primacy over individuals, allowing it to pursue objectives dictated by senior management subject to financial constraints imposed by owners and lenders. The notion of public trust is also becoming more important. A clear measure of how far we have come towards a more responsive and responsible business climate is indicates by the fact that if a firm violates public trust, then it is likely to be surpassed by its competitors, who will be eager to please customers by addressing their wants more accurately. Moreover, while the overwhelming majority of business dealings arena-controversial, any abuses increasingly receive considerable publicity, harming the image of business. Once a companys image has been damaged, it often takes a long time to reverse that damage. In order to remain economically active, organisations need to learn from their mistakes or from those of other organisations. They need to take care to avoid situations and actions that might harm their relationship with their various stakeholders. In the worst of all cases, where an organisation faces a catastrophe, suddenly and without warning, its whole market image and business strategy can be destroyed. Examples of such events are increasingly commonplace. For example, in the case of Union Carbide, when one of its chemical plants in Bhopal, India leaked 40 tons of toxic chemicals, the event had (and continues to have) a profound effect on the reputation of that company. Although the company quickly rushed aid to the victims, it was bitterly condemned for complacency and the loose controls that permitted the accident to happen in the first place. Environmental considerations are only one of many issues, which might be included under the umbrella of business ethics. They nevertheless constitute an issue, which has grown in importance. As a result of them any accidents and growing environmental damage caused by organisations, there have been increasing demands from consumers for firms to operate more ethically in this area. The consumer movement has fundamentally shaped and contributed to the significant increase in legislation and regulation at all levels of government. This has been aimed at preventing abuses in the marketplace and in the environment and, therefore, environmental management strategies are increasingly commonplace in leading organisations around the world. To date, however, environmental considerations have not been given enough attention within the framework of business ethics, because dominant ideologies are being shaped more by short-term financial considerations than by the need to do business in a sustain able way. Ethics also vary internationally, due to cultural differences that exist across borders. The Corporate Governance In recent years, there has been considerable concern in the UK and around the world about standards of corporate governance, the system by which companies are directed and controlled. While, in company law, directors are obliged to act in the best interests of shareholders, there have been many instances of boardroom behaviour difficult to reconcile with this ideal. There have been numerous examples of spectacular collapses of companies, often the result of excessive debt financing in order to finance ill-advised takeovers, and sometimes laced with fraud. Many companies have been criticised for the generosity with which they reward their leading executives. The procedures for remunerating executives have been less than transparent, and many compensation schemes involve payment by results in one direction alone. Many chief executives have been criticised for receiving pay increases several times greater than the increases awarded to less exalted staff. In the train of these corporate collapses and scandals, a number of committees have reported on the accountability of the board of directors to their stakeholders and risk management procedures. The principles of Good Governance and Code of Best Practice, which apply to all listed companies from 1999 onwards within the OECD countries, are mentioned below: †¢ Directors and the Board An effective board is required to lead and control the company. It should have a balance of executive and non-executive directors; no individual or group must dominate the board; running the board and running the business are separate activities; no individual has unfettered powers; timely and quality information is given to the board; clear procedures for appointments; re-election at least every three years. †¢ Directors remuneration Executive remuneration is linked to corporate and individual performance; directors are not involved in deciding their own remuneration. †¢ Relations with shareholders Encourage dialogue on objectives with institutional shareholders; seams to communicate with shareholders and encourage participation. †¢ Accountability Reports influencing share price to give a balanced, understandable assessment of the companys position and prospects; a sound system of internal control to safeguard shareholders interests and company assets. Chapter 4: Critical Analysis of Theoretical Perspectives and the Empirical Evidence Gathered In The Literature Review The critical analysis in this chapter covers all aspects relating the theoretical perspectives of agency theory, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance from published books and articles. An analysis is made as to whether there is any consistency from the published material as far gathered and the already established theories. Due to the lack of time attached to this paper the empirical evidence used is one that has been covered in the literature review. One could say that the issue from shareholder activism from an international perspective is one that has come about of recent. Thesis rectified by the new guidelines, which only came into effect in1999, within the OECD countries including Ireland, and in China, it is still seen as a very new concept. The issue of agency theory with regard to the objectives of management and shareholders still varies from country to country. It can be

Monday, August 19, 2019

Beowulf As An Epic Hero Essays -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They have a noble birth and show great bravery. They display great intelligence and resourcefulness. They have a reverence for G-d and for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil (Vivone 9/27/99). In addition to Beowulf’s heroic qualities, he is very strong. Beowulf was said to have â€Å"the strength of thirty [men] in his mighty handgrip† (Bloom 11). Early proof of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength is evidenced by his dismemberment of Grendel’s limb, the fight in the cave under water, and the magic sword (Klaeber xiv). Beowulf partook in many supernatural battles and events. The demeanor of Beowulf is considered a main fantastic element. When Beowulf fights Grendel and Grendel’s mother, he is immo rtal. Then, suddenly, he becomes mortal and falls to the dragon (Klaeber xxiv). In Beowulf, marvelous elements are everywhere. They include a fire breathing dragon and sea monsters (Burlin 119). There are additional examples of the use of fantastic elements in Beowulf. Beowulf single-handedly carrier thirty suits of armor from the battlefield in Frisnia and swims with them through the North Sea and the Skagerrak to Geatland, a distance of five hundred miles (120). In Beowulf’s early life, he swam for five to seven days with his companio...

The Connection between A Bug’s Life and The Chosen People Essay example

The Connection between A Bug’s Life and The Chosen People In the essay The Chosen People, Stewart Ewen, discusses his perspective of middle class America. Specifically, he explores the idea that the middle class is suffering from an identity crisis. According to Ewen’s theory, â€Å"the notion of personal distinction [in America] is leading to an identity crisis† of the non-upper class. (185) The source of this identity crisis is mass consumerism. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and mass production, products became cheaper and therefore more available to the non-elite classes. â€Å"Mass production was investing individuals with tools of identity, marks of personhood.† (Ewen 187) Through advertising, junk mail and style industries, the middle class is always striving for â€Å"a stylistic affinity to wealth,† finding â€Å"delight in the unreal,† and obsessed with â€Å"cheap luxury items.† (Ewen 185-6) In other words, instead of defining themselves based on who they are on the inside , the people of middle class America define themselves in terms of external image and material possessions. A Bug’s Life is an animated Disney film that tells the story of how a colony of ants fight back against and overcome the domination and oppression of the bullying grasshoppers. When looking at the movie through the lens of Ewen’s theory about identity, several connections concerning identity are found between A Bug’s Life and The Chosen People. Furthermore, by looking at identity issues in A Bug’s Life under this new light, Ewen’s theory becomes incomplete. In the Chosen People, Ewen fails to explore the positive aspects of conformity, gender in relationship to identity or the correlations between tradition and identity. Under the microscope of Ewen’s theory, A Bug’s Life changes from an everyday kid movie to a film riddled with identity issues. The first connection between A Bug’s Life and The Chosen People occurs when Ewen is explaining the rise of industrialism in the United States. He asserts that â€Å"For those laboring in many of the factories, industrial conditions systematically trampled upon their individuality and personhood† and that â€Å"artisan craft and small-scale manufacturer fell to an emerging economy of larger scale.† (187) The ants of the colony can be seen as beings who have had their â€Å"individuality and personhood† trampled because of the grasshop... ...nd less likely to change. Ewen does suggest that the trends of the middle class are becoming increasingly ingrained in the values and mindset of the middle class because of World War II and the â€Å"yuppie culture of the 1980’s.† (196) Yet, Ewen’s trends, fashions and styles that could be appropriately deemed traditions, are not explored from the perspective of tradition. Upon comparing the issues of identity crises suggested in A Bugs Life with those in Stewart Ewen’s The Chosen People, the sources and characteristics of identity crises in Ewen’s essay are found incomplete. Ewen limits his exploration of the sources and characteristics of identity crises of the middle class to consumerism and materialism as well as the obsession with image, style and fashion. By restricting his analysis to these issues, Ewen overlooks the perspectives of identity crises in relationship to tradition, the positive aspects of conformity and gender roles. Bibliography: A Bugs Life. Walt Disney and Pixar Productions. 1998. Ewen, Stewart. â€Å"The Chosen People.† Literacies. Ed. Terence Brunk, Suzanne Diamond, Priscilla Perkins and Ken Smith et al. New York:: Norton, 1997. 183-97.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Government and Politics - The Benefits of Federalism :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Government and Politics - The Benefits of Federalism In the early days of the United States, it was obvious to many that a system combining both federalism and representative democracy was needed. According to the textbook, â€Å"the people were too widely dispersed, and the country’s transportation and communication systems too primitive to be governed [solely] from a central location† (pg. 58). Although today both communication and transportation are highly advanced, America still maintains a federal system. The driving force behind that system is our increasingly expanding diversity. The United States ranks fourth in the world in size (www.stats.demon.nl/chart.area25.htm) and third in population (www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbrank.html). There are 213 languages spoken in America (www.sil.org/ethnologue/countries/USA.html) and probably just as many religions practiced. Federalism is the method by which this diverse population is better represented in the democracy of the United States. The national government makes many important decisions that impact our daily lives; however, there are some issues on which the opinion of the American public varies widely. In our federal system, the states are usually responsible for making policies that involve social, family, and moral/religious issues. This is one of the most important advantages of a federal system. The decentralization of the government allows the desires and needs of smaller groups of people to be acknowledged and fulfilled at the local level. Californians differ in many ways from residents of Arkansas who differ greatly from Alaskans. Variations in culture and lifestyle create needs for different political policies. A large, single, centralized government would be unable to make efficient social policies that were compatible with the convictions of a majority of America’s diverse groups. However, the national government still has enough power, through a system of checks and balances , to obliterate local policies that infringe upon the human rights of smaller factions. Federalism is not, of course, without disadvantages. To begin with, more levels of government equal a larger bureaucracy with many more people involved in the decision-making process. This provides more opportunities for corrupt government officials. Federalism also means that a complex tax system must exist so that each level of government receives funds from those in its jurisdiction in order to carry out laws and policies.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Banks in the Philippines

————————————————- List of banks in the Philippines From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The  Philippines  has a comprehensive banking system encompassing various types of banks, from large  universal banks  to small  rural banks  and even  non-banks. As at 31 March 2011, there are 19 universal banks, 19  commercial banks, 73  thrift banks, 595 rural banks, 40  credit unions  and 15 non-banks with quasi-banking functions, all licensed with the  Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(Central Bank of the Philippines) under  Republic Act  No. 791, also known as the General Banking Act of 2000, share roughly the same powers. ————————————————- —————————————â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Powers of a universal bank A universal bank has the same powers as a commercial bank with the following additional powers: the powers of an  investment house  as provided in existing laws and the power to invest in non-allied enterprises. List of local universal banks Government-owned * Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines * Development Bank of the Philippines Land Bank of the Philippines [edit]Private-owned 1. Banco de Oro Universal Bank 2. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company 3. Bank of the Philippine Islands 4. Philippine National Bank 5. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation 6. UnionBank of the Philippines 7. China Banking Corporation 8. Citibank 9. East West Bank 10. Philippine Savings Bank 11. Philtrust Bank  (Philippine Trust Company) 12. Security Bank 13. United Coconut Planters Bank 14. Allied Bank Corporation ———————————————â€⠀- [edit]Powers of a commercial bankIn addition to having the powers of a thrift bank, a commercial bank has the power to accept drafts and issue  letters of credit; discount and negotiate  promissory notes, drafts,  bills of exchange, and other evidences of  debt; accept or create demand deposits; receive other types of deposits and deposit substitutes; buy and sell foreign exchange and  gold  or  silver  bullion; acquire marketable  bonds  and other debt securities; and extend credit. [edit]List of local commercial banks * Asia United Bank * Bank of Commerce * BDO Private Bank  (subsidiary of Banco de Oro) * Philippine Bank of Communications Philippine Veterans Bank * Robinsons Bank Corporation [edit]List of foreign banks with commercial banking operations [edit]Branches * Australia and New Zealand Banking Group * Bangkok Bank * Bank of America, N. A. * Bank of China * Chinatrust Commercial Bank * Citibank, N. A. * Deutsche Bank AG * Hongkong and Shanghai Ba nking Corporation * ING Group * JPMorgan Chase * Korea Exchange Bank * Mega International Commercial Bank * Mizuho Corporate Bank * Standard Chartered Bank * The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. ————————————————- [edit]Thrift banks [edit]Powers of a thrift bankA thrift bank has the power to accept savings and time deposits, act as a correspondent with other financial institutions and as a collection agent for government entities, issue mortgages, engage in real estate transactions and extend credit. In addition, thrift banks may also maintain checking accounts, act as a depository for government entities and local government units and engage in quasi-banking and money market operations subject to the approval of the Bangko Sentral. As per the banker Amit Malhotra, the performance of thrift banks are underrated. [edit]List of local thrift banks [edit]Government-owned * Ph ilippine Postal Savings Bank edit]Privately owned * Accord Savings Bank * Allied Savings Bank  (subsidiary of Allied Bank) * Anchor Savings Bank * Area Development Bank * Asiatrust Development Bank * Bank of Calape * Bank of Cebu * BankOne Savings and Trust Corporation * Bankwise * Bataan Development Bank * Bataan Savings and Loan Bank * BPI Direct Savings Bank  (subsidiary of Bank of the Philippine Islands) * BPI Family Savings Bank  (subsidiary of Bank of the Philippine Islands) * Business and Consumers Bank * Century Savings Bank * Chinabank Savings  (formerly Manila Bank; subsidiary of Chinabank) * City Savings Bank * Citystate Savings Bank Cordillera Savings and Loan Bank * Dumaguete City Development Bank * Dungganon Bank * EIB Savings Bank  (subsidiary of Export and Industry Bank) * Equicom Savings Bank * Express Savings Bank * Farmers Savings and Loan Bank * First Consolidated Bank * GSIS Family Bank  (subsidiary of the  Government Service Insurance System) * Hi yas Bank * Iloilo City Development Bank * Inter-Asia Development Bank * ISLA Bank * Kauswagan Bank * Legazpi Savings Bank, Inc. * Lemery Savings and Loan Bank * Liberty Savings and Loan Association * Life Savings Bank * Luzon Development Bank * Malasiqui Progressive Savings and Loan Bank Malayan Bank * Metro Cebu Public Savings Bank * Micro Enterprise Bank * Microfinance Maximum Savings Bank, Inc. (MAXBANK) * Northpoint Development Bank * Opportunity Microfinance Bank * Optimum Development Bank * Pacific Ace Savings Bank * Palawan Development Bank * Pampanga Development Bank * Penafrancia Savings and Loan Association * Philam Savings Bank  (subsidiary of  Philam Life) * Philippine Business Bank * Philippine Savings Bank  (Metrobank Group) * Planters Development Bank * Premiere Development Bank  (to be acquired by Security Bank) * Progress Savings and Loan Association * Queen City Development Bank Quezon Coconut Producers Savings and Loan Bank * RCBC Savings Bank (subsidiary of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation) * Robinsons Savings Bank  (subsidiary of  JG Summit Holdings) * Sampaguita Savings and Loan Association * San Pablo City Development Bank * Sandigan Savings Bank * Silangan Savings and Loan Bank * Sterling Bank of Asia * The Real Bank * Tower Development Bank * UCPB Savings Bank  (subsidiary of United Coconut Planters Bank) * University Savings and Loan Bank * Village Savings and Loan Association * Vizcaya Savings and Loan Association * Wealth Development Bank * Winbank * World Partners Bank edit]List of foreign banks with thrift banking operations * Citibank  (through Citibank Savings) * HSBC  (through HSBC Savings Bank) * United Overseas Bank ————————————————- [edit]Cooperative and rural banks Rural and cooperative banks are the more popular type of banks in the rural communities. Their role is to promote and expand the rural economy in an orderly and effective manner by providing the people in the rural communities with basic financial services. Rural and cooperative banks help farmers through the stages of production, from buying seedlings to marketing of their produce.Rural banks and cooperative banks are differentiated from each other by ownership. While rural banks are privately owned and managed, cooperative banks are organized/owned by cooperatives or federation of cooperatives. A rural bank has the power to provide adequate credit facilities to farmers and merchants or to cooperatives of such farmers and merchants and, in general, to the people of the rural communities of which the rural bank operates in. [edit]List of cooperative banks * Agusan del Norte Cooperative Bank * Bataan Cooperative Bank * Banco Cooperativa de Zamboanga * Camiguin Cooperative Bank * Capiz Settlers Cooperative Bank Cooperative Bank of Agusan del Sur * Cooperative Bank of Aklan * Cooperative Bank of Aurora * Coopera tive Bank of Benguet * Cooperative Bank of Bohol * Cooperative Bank of Bukidnon * Cooperative Bank of Bulacan * Cooperative Bank of Cagayan * Cooperative Bank of Camarines Norte * Cooperative Bank of Camarines Sur * Cooperative Bank of Cavite * Cooperative Bank of Cebu * Cooperative Bank of Davao del Sur * Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte * Cooperative Bank of Iloilo * Cooperative Bank of La Union * Cooperative Bank of Lanao del Norte * Cooperative Bank of Misamis Oriental * Cooperative Bank of Mountain Province Cooperative Bank of Negros Oriental * Cooperative Bank of Cotabato * Cooperative Bank of Nueva Ecija * Cooperative Bank of Palawan * Cooperative Bank of Pampanga * Cooperative Bank of Quezon Province * Cooperative Bank of Surigao del Sur * Cooperative Bank of Tarlac * Cooperative Bank of Zambales * Cooperative Bank of Zamboanga del Norte * Cooperative Bank of Zamboanga del Sur * Countryside Cooperative Bank of Batangas * First Isabela Cooperative Bank * Ilocos Sur Cooperativ e Bank * Leyte Cooperative Bank * Metro South Cooperative Bank * National Teachers and Employees Cooperative Bank * Occidental Mindoro Cooperative Bank Samahang Nayon Cooperative Bank of Nueva Vizcaya * Sorsogon Provincial Cooperative Bank * Southern Leyte Cooperative Bank [edit]List of rural banks [edit]Agusan del Norte * Green Bank [edit]Agusan del Sur * Peoples Bank of Caraga, Inc. [edit]Aklan * Rural Bank of Altavas * Rural Bank of Balete * Rural Bank of Banga (Aklan) * Rural Bank of Makato * Rural Bank of New Washington * Rural Bank of Malinao – Microsavers Bank [edit]Albay * Camalig Bank * Cagsawa Rural Bank * Ibalon Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Guinobatan [edit]Bataan * Balanga Rural Bank * Orani Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Abucay * Rural Bank of Bagac [edit]Batangas 5 Speed Rural Bank * Balayan Bay Rural Bank * Banco Batangan * Banco ng Masa * Bangko Kabayan * Batangas Rural Bank for Cooperatives * Bolbok Rural Bank * Calaca Rural Bank * Classic Rural Bank * Dynamic Bank * Empire Rural Bank * Excel Rural Bank * Farmers Rural Bank * First Coconut Rural Bank * Limcoma Rural Bank * Lipa Bank * Lipa Public Bank * Lobo Rural Bank * Malarayat Rural Bank * Mount Makiling Rural Bank * New Rural Bank of Agoncillo * President Jose P. Laurel Rural Bank * Progressive Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Alitagtag * Rural Bank of Padre Garcia * Sto Rosario Rural BAnk * Women's Rural Bank, Inc. [edit]Bohol First Consolidated Bank [edit]Biliran * Rural Bank of Naval, Inc. [edit]Benguet * Benguet Center Bank * Diamond Rural Bank * Highland Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Baguio [edit]Bukidnon * Malaybalay Rural Bank * Asian Hills Bank [edit]Bulacan * Agricom Rural Bank * Apex Rural Bank * Baliuag Rural Bank * Banco Rural de General Tinio * Bangko Luzon * Bangko Rural ng Kalumpit * Rural Bank of San Pascual inc. * Delmont Bank  (Rural bank of  San Jose del Monte City) * East Coast Rural Bank of Hagonoy * Emerald Rural Bank * Fil-Agro Rural Bank * Gateway Rural Bank * Meyacaua yan Second Rural Bank, Inc. * La Consolacion Rural Bank Rural Bank of Angat * Rural Bank of Dona Remedios Trinidad * Silahis Bank * Rural Bank of Bustos * Rural Bank of Pandi [edit]Cagayan * Providence Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Gattaran * Claveria Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Sanchez Mira [edit]Camarines Sur * Bangko Rural ng Magarao * Bangko Rural ng Pasacao * First Naga Rural Bank * G-7 Bank * Municipal Rural Bank of Libmanan * Municipal Rural Bank of Nabua * Penafrancia Rural Bank of Calabanga * Rural Bank of Sipocot * Rural Bank of Pamplona * Rural Bank of Minalabac * Rural Bank of San Fernando * Rural Bank of Cabusao * Rural Bank of San Jose * Rural Bank of Pili * Rural Bank of Milaor Rural Bank of Ragay * Rural Bank of Iriga [edit]Camiguin * Mambajao Community Rural Bank * Philippine Intercity Rural Bank [edit]Capiz * Farmer's Bank of Capiz * President Roxas Rural Bank, Inc. * Rural Bank of Mambusao, Inc. * Rural Bank of Panay, Inc. * Rural Bank of Dao, Inc. * Rural Bank of Pil ar, Inc. * Rural Bank of Pilar, Inc. , Roxas City Branch * Rural Bank of Ivisan, Inc. * Rural Bank of Cuartero, Inc. * Rural Bank of Jamindan, Inc. * Rural Bank of Sapian, Inc. [edit]Cavite * Advance Rural Bank * Bangko Mabuhay * Capitol City Rural Bank of Trece Martires * Cavite Rural Banking Corporation * Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank Central Equity Rural Bank * Community Bank * First Reliance Bank * GMA Rural Bank of Cavite * Imus Rural Bank * Masuerte Rural Bank of Bacoor * Rural Bank of Amadeo * Rural Bank of Magallanes * Rural Bank of Maragondon * Unlad Rural Bank of Noveleta, Inc. [edit]Cebu * Frontier Rural Bank * Aspac Rural Bank * Banco Maximo * Banco of East Asia * Banco Rural de Isla Cordova * Cardinal Rural Bank * Coastal Bank * Community Rural Bank of Catmon * Community Rural Bank of Medellin * First Agro Industrial Rural Bank * Frontier Rural Bank * Lapu Lapu Rural Bank * Mactan Rural Bank * Philippine Countryside Rural Bank * Pilipino Rural Bank Plaza Rural Bank * Upl and Rural Bank [edit]Compostela Valley * Rural Bank, Inc. * Money Mall Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Montevista(Davao), Inc * Rural Bank of Compostela(Davao), Inc * Rural Bank of Mawab [edit]Davao del Norte * First Tagum Rural Bank, Inc. * Century Rural Bank [edit]Davao del Sur * First Tagum Rural Bank, Inc. * Community Rural Bank of Magsaysay * One Network Bank * Rural Bank of Digos, Inc. [edit]Davao Oriental * First Tagum Rural Bank, Inc. * Rural Bank of Baganga [edit]Ifugao * Lagawe Highlands Rural Bank [edit]Ilocos Norte * Banco Dingras * Ilocandia Community Bank * Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte San Nicolas Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte-Laoag City * Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte-Batac City [edit]Ilocos Sur * Cordillera Bank * Vigan Banco Rural Incorporada * Rural Bank of Tagudin, Inc * Rural Bank of Cabugao, Inc. * Rural Bank of Sta. Maria, Inc * Sadiri Rural Bank, Inc. * Rural Bank of Magsingal, Inc. * Ilocos Sur Cooperative Bank [edit]Iloilo * Rural Bank of Guimbal (Iloil o) * Racso's Bank * Bangko Buena Consolidated * Rural Bank of Santa Barbara (Iloilo) * Community Rural Bank of San Joaquin * Farmers Trader Rural Bank * First Midland Rural Bank * Janiuay Rural Bank * LifeBank * Progressive Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Alimodian Rural Bank of Anilao * Rural Bank of Badiangan * Rural Bank of Leganes * Rural Bank of Oton [edit]Isabela * Banco Agricola * Golden Rural Bank of the Philippines * Mallig Plains Rural Bank * Philippine Rural Banking Corporation * Rural Bank of Alicia * Rural Bank of Angadanan * Rural Bank of Benito Soliven * Providence Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Magsaysay, Isa. Inc. * Rural Bank of Cauayan, Inc. [edit]Laguna * Rural Bank of Bay,Inc. * Binan Rural Bank * Card Rural Bank * De La O Rural Bank * Entrepreneur Rural Bank * First United Farmers Bank * Key Rural Bank * Ormon Bank * PlanBank Rural Bank of Canlubang Planters Provident Rural Bank of Santa Cruz * Rural Bank of Alaminos * Laguna Prestige Banking Corporation * Rural Bank of Lumban * Rural Bank of Mabitac, Inc. * Rural Bank of Nagcarlan * Rural Bank of Paete * Rural Bank of Pagsanjan * Rural Bank of Calauan * Rural Bank of Calamba * Malarayat Bank * Rural Bank Of Magdalena (Laguna) * CARD Bank [edit]Lanao del Sur * Bagong Bangko Rural ng Malabang * Maranao Rural Bank [edit]Leyte * First Interstate Bank * Rural Bank of Dulag * Rural Bank of Hindang * Rural Bank of Hilongos * Rural Bank of Bato * Rural Bank of Burauen * Rural Bank of Ormoc * Rural Bank of Naval, Carigara Branch edit]Southern Leyte * Rural Bank of Maasin * Rural Bank of Malitbog * Rural Bank of Padre Burgos * Rural Bank of Hinundayan * Rural Bank of San Juan [edit]Maguindanao * New Settlers Bank [edit]Metro Manila * AMA Bank * Baclaran Rural Bank * Banco de Jesus Rural Bank * Banco San Juan * Bangko Pasig * BMS Rural Bank * Builders Rural Bank * Country Rural Bank of Taguig * Enterprise Capital Rural Bank * Filipino Savers Bank * Finman Rural Bank * First Country Rural Bank * First Macro Bank * Insular Rural Bank * MVSM Bank (A Rural Bank Since 1953) * Rodriguez Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Alabang * Bank of Makati * Tambunting Bank edit]Misamis Occidental * Community Rural Bank of Clarin * First Community Cooperative Bank of Misamis Occidental * Panguil Bay Rural Bank of Ozamiz * Rural Bank of Bonifacio * Rural Bank of Tudela * Bank of Misamis. The merging of Rural Bank of Tudela, Mis. Occ. and Rural Bank of Kolambogan, Lanao del Nort * Rural Bank of Plaridel [edit]Misamis Oriental * Bangko Rural ng Tagoloan * Community Rural Bank of Naawan * Philippine Farmers Bank * Rural Bank of Talisayan * first Valley Bank [edit]Mountain Province * Rural Bank of Sagada [edit]Negros Occidental * Rural Bank of Marayo * Community Rural Bank of Magallon First Community Bank * First State Rural Bank * Nation Bank * New Rural Bank of Binalbagan, Inc. * New Rural Bank of Victorias * Rural Bank of Bacolod City [edit]Negros Oriental * Central Visayas Rural Bank * Dumaguete Rural Bank * R ural Bank of Amlan * Rural Bank of Ayungon * Rural Bank of Bacong * Rural Bank of Guihulngan * Rural Bank of Valencia * Rural Bank of Manjuyod * Rural Bank of Larena * Rural Bank of Basay * Rural Bank of Pamplona * Rural Bank of Santa Catalina * SG Bank [edit]Nueva Ecija * Aliaga Farmers Rural Bank * Banco Rural de General Tinio * Bangko Luzon Inc. * Cabanatuan City Rural Bank * Citizen's Rural Bank Cooperative Bank of Nueva Ecija * Cuyapo Rural Bank * FARM Bank * GM Bank Inc. * Kabalikat Rural Bank * Masagana Rural Bank * Merchant Rural Bank of Talavera * Millennium Bank * New Rural Bank of Guimba * New Rural Bank of San Leonardo * Producers Rural Bank of San Jose City * Rural Bank of Laur * Rural Bank of Lupao * Rural Bank of Quezon * Rural Bank of Makati * Rural Bank of Sto. Domingo * Small & Medium Enterprise Bank * Towncall Rural Bank * Westmont Bank [edit]Nueva Vizcaya * Agri Business Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Aritao * Rural Bank of Solano * Cooperative Bank of Nueva Vizcaya [edit]Oriental Mindoro Oriental Tamaraw Rural Bank of Naujan * Rural Bank of Baco * Rural Bank of Gloria * Rural Bank of Bansud * Rural Bank of Pinamalayan * Rural Bank of Pola * Rural Bank of Naujan * Rural Bank of Victoria * Rural Bank of Socorro * Rural Bank of Bongabong [edit]Pampanga * Rural Bank of Porac * Banco Nuestra Senora del Pilar * Bank of Florida * Bangko San Lus (2nd Rural Bank of San Luis) * Crown Bank * Delta Civic Bank * Guagua Rural Bank * Guagua Savers Bank * Rural Bank of Angeles * Rural Bank of Apalit * Rural Bank of San Luis * Unity Bank [edit]Pangasinan * Banco Rural de San Antonio * Bangko Pangasinan * Bani Rural Bank BHF Rural Bank * Corfarm Rural Bank of Umingan * CSF Rural Bank of Bayambang * Gulf Bank * Kaluyagan Rural Bank * Kaunlaran Rural Bank * Pangasinan Bank * People's Rural Bank of Binmaley * Rural Bank of Agno * Rural Bank of Alaminos * Rural Bank of Anda * Rural Bank of Dasol * Rural Bank of Bautista * Rural Bank of Mangaldan [edit]Quezon * St. Jude Cooperative Bank * Quezon Capital Rural Bank * Grand-Agri Rural Bank * Mega Rural Bank * Polillo Island Rural Bank * Quezon Capital Rural Bank * Quezon Traders Rural Bank of Candelaria * Rural Bank of Alabat * Rural Bank of Atimonan * Rural Bank of Candelaria * Rural Bank of Dolores Rural Bank of Lucban * Rural Bank of Mauban * Rural Bank of Sariaya * Rural Bank of Tagkawayan * Tiaong Rural Bank [edit]Rizal * Binangonan Rural Bank * Eastern Rizal Rural Bank * Filidian Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Cardona * Growers Rural Bank * Tanay Rural Bank * Rizal Rural Bank (Taytay), Inc. * Rural Bank of Angono * Rural Bank of Antipolo * Rural Bank of Cainta * Rural Bank of Montalban * Rural Bank of Pililla [edit]Romblon * Community Rural Bank of Romblon [edit]Sarangani * Rural Bank of DAR Beneficiaries Cooperative * Rural Bank of Alabel * Sarangani Rural Bank, Inc. [edit]South Cotabato * Peninsula Rural Bank People's Rural Bank * Partner Rural Bank, Surallah, So. Cot. * Rural Bank of Norala (Norala, So. Cot. ), Inc. [edit]Southern Leyte * Community Rural Bank of Maasin [edit]Sultan Kudarat * Partner Rural Bank, Tacurong City [edit]Surigao del Sur * Bangko Carrascal * Enterprise Bank  www. ebi. ph]] * Cantilan Bank, Inc. [edit]Surigao del Norte * Surigaonon Rural Banking Corporation * Evergreen Rural Bank,Inc. * Siargao Bank * Rural Bank of Placer [edit]Tarlac * Bangko Santo Nino * Camiling Rural Bank * First Provincial Bank * Rural Bank of Tarlac * Rural Bank of Victoria * Rural Bank of Pura * Rural Bank of La Paz * St. Michael Rural Bank edit]Zambales * Community Rural Bank of San Felipe * Countryside Rural Bank of Palauig * Maharlika Rural Bank * Rural Bank of Cabangan * Zambank * Unity Bank * Rural Bank of Candelaria Zambales, Inc. * Rural Bank of San Narcisco, Inc. * Rural Bank of San Marcelino, Inc. [edit]Zamboanga del Norte * Rural Bank of Labason * Community Rural Bank of Dapitan City * Rural Bank of Roxas * Katipunan Rural Bank * Rizal Rural Bank * Rural Ban k of Dipolog City * Rural Bank of Siocon * Rural Bank of Liloy [edit]Zamboanga del Sur * Rural Bank of Pagadian City * Rural Bank of Salug Valley [edit]Zamboanga Sibugay * Rural Bank of Kabasalan Inc. edit]Zamboanga City * Rural Bank of Siocon Inc. * Rural Bank of Zamboanga * Banco Cooperativa de Zamboanga ————————————————- [edit]Defunct or merged banks * Citytrust  Savings Bank (acquired by Bank of the Philippine Islands) * Acme Savings Bank(Acquired by the Sy Group of Companies and Renamed  Banco De Oro) * Far East Bank and Trust Company  (acquired by Bank of the Philippine Islands) * People's Bank and Trust Company(acquired by Bank of the Philippine Islands) * SolidBank Corporation (acquired by Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co) * G7 Bank * Insular Savings Bank  (acquired by Citibank) International Exchange Bank  (acquired by Union Bank of the Philippines) * Insu lar Bank of Asia and America (Merged with  Philippine Commercial International Bank) * Monte de Piedad Savings Bank  (acquired by Keppel Bank) * Mindanao Development Bank(Merged with  Equitable Banking Corporation) * Ecology Bank(Merged with  Equitable Banking Corporation) * Keppel Bank  (acquired by  GE Capital Finance) * Philippine Commercial International Bank  (merged with Equitable Bank forming  Equitable PCI Bank  and now merged with  Banco De Oro) * PCIBank Savings (bought by the HSBC Group and renamed HSBC Savings Bank. * DBS Bank Philippines Ltd. (acquired by BPI) * Equitable Banking Corporation  (merged with PCI Bank forming  Equitable PCI Bank  and now merged with  Banco De Oro) * Prudential Bank  (acquired by Bank of the Philippine Islands) * Urban Bank  (forced to close then merged with Export and Industry Bank) * Equitable PCI Bank  (merged with Banco de Oro) * Export and Industry Bank * American Express Bank  (Renamed BDO Elite Savi ngs Bank) * Equitable Savings Bank  (merged with BDO) * Banco Santander Central Hispano (Philippine subsidiary acquired by  Banco De Oro  and renamed BDO Private Bank) * Dao Heng Bank  (acquired by Banco e Oro) * 1st E Bank  (Philippine Branches acquired by Banco de Oro) * United Overseas Bank  (66 out of 67 Branches merged with  Banco De Oro * BDO Elite Savings Bank (merged with BDO along with Equitable Savings, Equitable PCI and PCI Capital Corp) * GE Money Bank  (acquired by Banco de Oro) * Green Bank of Caraga(Acquired by East West Bank) * LBC Development Bank * Traders Royal Bank (Acquired by Bank of Commerce) * Capitol Bank (acquired by RCBC, now named as RCBC Savings Bank) * Asianbank (acquired by Metrobank)