Happiness: The Key To Life Essay

Hap-pi-ness: the quality or state of being happy. One crucial standard for living is being able to be happy. Happiness can be found in an numerous amount of ways. It can be found by buying inanimate items that help us better our life or it can be found with communicating with someone. To truly reach full happiness you need to recognize that everything in your life if good and accept that you can be happy with individuals that help shape your life. Many people feel as if they are unable to live without many of their precious belongings but, some would be happy to give them up or throw them away. It is extremely difficult to look face to face to someone and find an acceptable answer to the question â€Å" Can happiness be bought? †. Achieving happiness can be a very simple thing ; for instance the life of a cat. Cats do not have many possessions / items yet they seem very happy and enjoy their lives. Cats have a reliable friend and are constantly loved by someone or another cat. They have everything to be happy so why shouldn’t they be? This can relate to humans because not many people have the same items or electronics as others yet they are happy with the simplest of things. As an example; homeless people receiving a meal on thanksgiving while others just think its another holiday, another family meal. People feel or believe that they can buy happiness but, think about how long that one Martins 2 item keeps/ makes you happy. You spent all your money on a new outfit but, you realize you have no one to see it, do you still feel happy? Or would you feel better at a friends house and hanging out. Think about this: You bought a movie and watch it three times. First time your â€Å" ROLF† rolling on the floor dieing of laughter, second time it funny and by the third time you done, sick of it. Or even when you buy a need game, you play a couple of time than something new, better , more expansive comes along. You never get tried of the simplest things in life, that is true happiness. For instance, my grandma comes over my house and makes me her special hot chocolate because she thinks I’m too skinny. It warms your stomach and makes you feel like special and thankful for everything. You can have all the things in the world but, you will never be happy if you do not have anybody to share it with. If you have no one you feel you can trust of call your true friend buying items will not help fill that void in your life.â€Å"True friends can not be bought at any store and love is not sold in a bottle† but, it can happen and bring you so much happiness. These are things you can get with your heart, even people that are extremely poor or in debt find happiness in the people they love and friends that truly care for them. It is crazy what effect money has. If you can not get happiness with it than isn’t even worth all the money in the entire universe. To be happy, many people need to come to the realization that everything that has occurred in the present or past happened for a logical reason and that’s it has happened in order to make you a better human being. It does not only make you a better person but make you see how well off you have it or can be able to have it. Even though certain events in life can be Martins 3 difficult at a certain moment, people need to realize that you can learn from your experiences and learn to take what is good out of it. In the end, certain situations will help many strive for happiness. Happiness is not free, you need to work and earn it to keep it. To exceed fully happiness people need to go through rough times and happy times as well. Many need to learn how to get the best out of their surroundings. Many things in life go wrong or not how you expected it would turn out but, that does not mean you need to live in fear. You need to live your life to the fullest and be happy, have fun even if things do not always go as planned. People say the best kind of happiness you can feel is when you are in love with someone and you know that they love you back. Whether it is a relationship or just your friends, you care about them so much that you wish them the best in life and their own journeys. This is the purest form of happiness. When two individuals will do anything to make sure the other person is happy and you are as well, it is an unspoken agreement. Happiness may come and go like seasons but, in the end, every moment you have that is filled with happiness will be well worth the unhappy and happy times that you have once endured. Think of those times as milestones in your life. Those little times of being happy or sad are bringing you to the bigger picture in your life. Remember that happiness is a gift that can be and should be shared with everyone. Sure buying things can make you feel amazing for a couple of days or even hours but, in the end you will find greater / true happiness in the little, simplest everyday things that life offers.

Dr. Jose Rizal’s My Last Farewell: Last Notes Before His Execution

â€Å"Mi ultimo adios† (Spanish  for â€Å"My Last Farewell†) is a  poem  written by  Philippine  national hero Dr  Jose Rizal  on the eve of his  executionon 30 December 1896. This poem was one of the last notes he wrote before his death; another that he had written was found in his shoe but because the text was illegible, its contents remains a mystery. Title Rizal did not ascribe a title to his poem. Mariano Ponce, his friend and fellow reformist, titled it  Mi Ultimo Pensamiento  (My Last Thought) in the copies he distributed, but this did not catch on. â€Å"On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1896, a day before his execution, Dr.Jose Rizal was visited by his mother, Teodora Alonzo, sisters Lucia, Josefa, Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and two nephews. When they took their leave, Rizal told Trinidad in English that there was something in the small alcohol stove (cocinilla), not alcohol lamp (lamparilla). The stove was given to Narcisa by the guard when the party was about to board their carriage in the courtyard. At home, the Rizal ladies recovered from the stove a folded paper. On it was written an unsigned, untitled and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas. The Rizals reproduced copies of the poem and sent them to Rizal's friends in the country and abroad.In 1897, Mariano Ponce in Hong Kong had the poem printed with the title â€Å"Mi Ultimo Pensamiento. † Fr. Mariano Dacanay, who received a copy of the poem while a prisoner in Bilibid (jail), published it in the first issue of  La Independencia  on Sept. 25, 1898 with the title â€Å"Ultimo Adios†. †Ã‚  [1] The stove was not delivered until after the execution as Rizal needed it to light the room. This 14-stanza poem of Jose Rizal talks about his â€Å"Goodbyes† to his dear Fatherland where his love is dedicated to. He wrote it on the evening before his execution. Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress'd Pearl of the Orient seas, our E den lost! Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's best, And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost. On the field of battle, ‘mid the frenzy of fight, Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed; The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white, Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight, T is ever the same, to serve our home and country's need. Interpretation The first stanza speaks about Rizal’s beautiful description of his Fatherland. He used the biblical Eden to describe the Pre-Hispanic Philippines which is an imaginary time of purity and innocence.He adores the beautiful country that he and others are fighting for. He said that he is glad to give his life to Filipinas even though his life was brighter, fresher, or more blest than it is  now  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ pertaining to the time when he wrote the poem. The second stanza speaks about the men who gave their life to his beloved country. Riza l said that their dedication and patriotism to the country is without second thoughts. It doesn’t matter how one struggles, that all struggles, all deaths, are worth it if it is for the good of the country. The third stanza speaks about Rizal’s love of liberty.The image of dawn that Rizal used in the first line signifies the liberation that he adores. In the third and fourth line, he says that if the colour of liberation lacks his blood, he must die for the country to attain freedom. The fourth stanza presents the flashback of Rizal’s love for the patria that started when he was young. He was young when he saw the martyrdom of the GOMBURZA and promised that he would dedicate himself to avenge one day for those victims. His dreams were to see his country in eminent liberation, free from sorrow and grief. The fifth stanza repeats Rizal’s dream of complete liberation. All Hail! † signifies that he is positively welcoming the dawn of freedom after his d eath. He also repeats what he has said in the third stanza that it is his desire to dedicate his life to the Patria. The sixth stanza describes the image of Rizal’s grave being forgotten someday. The grassy sod may represent the country’s development, the growth of liberty, and that with the redemption of the country, he becomes forgotten. Rizal does not say here that he wants monuments, streets, or schools in his name, just a fond kiss and a warm breath so he could feel he is not forgotten.In the seventh stanza, Rizal says he wants to see or feel the moon, dawn, wind, and a bird over his grave. The moon’s beam may represent a night without its gloom like a country without its oppressors. The imagery of dawn has been repeated here and its radiant flashes represent the shining light of redemption that sheds over his honour. Only the wind will lament over his grave. The bird does not lament him but sings of peace, the peace that comes with liberation and the peace with which he rests below.In the eighth stanza, the metaphor of the sun drawing the vapors up to the sky signifies that the earth is being cleansed by the sun like taking away the sorrows and tears that has shed including his last cry. Line 3 reminds us to remember why he died – for the redemption of the country. And he wants to hear a prayer in the still evening – evening because he may also want to see a beam of light from the moon which he stated in the stanza 7, and that it is before the  dawn. Prayers he stated that will make him rest in peace in God’s hands.Rizal said in the ninth stanza that he also wants his fellowmen to also pray for others who also have died and suffered for the country. Also pray for the mothers, the orphans and widows, and the captives who also have cried and have tortured, and again, for his soul to rest in peace. The tenth stanza says that Rizal’s tomb is on the graveyard with the other dead people. Rizal says that in the night, he does not want to be disturbed in his rest along with the others and the mystery the graveyard contains. And whenever we hear a sad song emanating from the grave, it is he who sings for his fatherland.In the eleventh stanza, Rizal says a request that his ashes be spread by the plough before it will no longer take significance. His ashes represent his thoughts, words, and philosophy making it his intellectual remains. The symbolic ashes should be spread all over Filipinas to fertilize the new free country long after he is forgotten. The twelfth stanza again speaks about being forgotten but Rizal does not care about it anymore. Oblivion does not matter for he would travel far and wide over his beloved fatherland. He keeps his faith with him as he sings his hymn for the nation.Rizal says goodbye to his adored Fatherland in the thirteenth stanza. He gives goodbye to his parents, friends, and the small children. He gives everything to Filipinas. Now, he satisfies his death by s aying he will be going to a place where there is peace – no slaves, no oppressors, no killed faith. He is going to a place where God rules over – not the tyrants. Finally, in the last stanza, Rizal cries his farewell to all his fellowmen – his childhood friends, and his sweet friend that lightened his way. In the last line, he repeats that â€Å"In Death there is rest! † which means that he, being ready to be executed, is happy to die in peace.

Opening Case.

I researched the entrepreneurial story of giftzip. com. This is about Giftzip. com by Sam Hogg who is the founder. He took MBA course from Michigan State University. When he took the courses he and friend thought about waste and discarded plastic gift card and he decided to make it online. After he gets MBA degree he established Giftzip. com and he makes large choice to buy gift card from $25~$250 on the net. Also recipient gets gift card by redeem code or e-mail from the company that they look at it.Sam Hogg has difficulty with big retailer such as amazon. com he almost gave up when he failed to make a deal with them. However he waited the time comes and luckily his business turned succeed. In fall 2008 gift market grows, people are more prefer to buy gift card on the internet and feel comfortable. It turns Giftzip as successful company and in 2009 Giftzip designated as 10 hot startups to watch. And Gift card industry expected to top $100 billion.Reread the opening case, and then li st all the smart or effective moves Sam Hogg made in the early days of building GiftZip. com. Which three moves were most instrumental in GiftZip. com’s early success? Be prepared to justify your selections. 1. He did what others didn’t do before. – (Challenging) 2. He continues to control his company whether it will be succeed or be fail. And he got luck to succeed it. 3. As Sam’s entrepreneurship he believes that his idea/work will be succeed.

Assignment 1 - The Financing Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment 1 - The Financing Decision - Essay Example inder of sales are non-food grocery items like toothpaste, soap, health and beauty products and non-grocery items such as electrical goods, fuel, and house wares. 75% of sales are made in supermarkets and superstores owned by large multiple supermarket chains, with the remainder consisting of sales at small convenience and traditional retail stores accounting for a decreasing 7% of total sales (Defra, 2006, p. 1-2). Amongst the latter are stores that stock a range of specialist products such as newsagents selling confectionary, tobacco, and newspapers, specialist grocers, food specialists such as chain stores of bakers, butchers, and health food shops, and independent specialist retailers. The industry captures 13.1% of total household expenditures, which is expected to increase as these giants widen their business to include non-traditional products and services such as banking, health care, and mobile phones. Some 1.2 million people, 5% of UK’s workforce, are employed in over 102,000 stores all over the nation (Defra, 2006, p. 3). The size, visibility, and influence of grocery retailers have made them the focus of much attention and controversy. Their economic power, key industry trends and characteristics, and the nature of competition amongst the different grocery retailers have profound economic, social, and environmental impact on the UK. This is why the sector is highly regulated by the UK government and, more often than not, is the target of civil society groups that want their say in the pricing and the sourcing of goods and services, the location of shops, the employment opportunities, their accessibility to disadvantaged social groups, and the health and safety standards of what they sell, amongst many other things. The industry is dominated by the so-called Top Four: Tesco, Asda-WalMart, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons, all of which are publicly-listed UK companies that grew organically at a steady rate in the last three decades. The remainder

The Jobs Crisis in Easter Europe and Central Asia (2007-2011) and The Assignment

The Jobs Crisis in Easter Europe and Central Asia (2007-2011) and The Informal Labour Market in the Czech Republic(2012) - Assignment Example the recession, can be felt through four transmission channels, namely the financial markets, product markets, labour markets and government services. This report of World Bank particularly focuses on labour markets and the government services. The findings of the report clearly point out that the factor which can be attributed for the major decline of household welfare is the loss of jobs in labour markets. This period had witnessed major job cuts in most of the industries (more in construction and manufacturing), which had directly impacted the households. The youth unemployment had also reached record high in this period. The biggest disadvantage was, perhaps, long-term unemployment in the labor market. The workers, who could save their jobs, had also experienced a contraction in their real wages as most companies started to cut back on the paychecks. The households began to cope by reducing their expenditure and increasing their labour supply to earn more. The reduction in expenditure was felt most in sectors of healthcare and food. The governments in most of the countries were aware of the plight of people in the economy and the government launched social assistance programs to help the poor of the country. However, the results of these were not immediately felt because of the bottlenecks that had existed in various sectors during that period. Therefore, there were delays in response of the programs to improve the plight of the poor (Ajwad, n.d.). The report had applied the concept of GDP to measure the reduction in economic growth of the country and its consequent effect on the labour market. GDP measures the total income earned domestically, including the income earned by foreign factors of production, whereas GNP measures the income earned by all residents of the nation, including factors of production from abroad (Lochner, 2013). GDP was used as it captured the economic performance of the geographic region that is under study. If residents of the country

Staying on Course to Your Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Staying on Course to Your Success - Essay Example As an adopter of ‘on course’ principles, I wish to elaborate the ‘on course’ elements and how they can be incorporated to bring positive results, and thus, success in daily activities and thoughts. For success in one’s education, he or she must be willing to perform the creation role, as opposed to the victimization role. What does this mean? Being a creator implies that one acknowledges and takes responsibility for their course of actions or thoughts. In other words, a person adopts self-responsibility as aforementioned. As an elaboration, ‘on course’s’ self responsibility as an element requires one to perceive the primary causes of their experiences and outcomes as self. This, as opposed to seeing oneself as a victim, helps in guiding the person to focus on ways of changing their course of actions to make their situations better than they currently are. Contrary to victims, creators (the self-responsible ones) do not blame extern al factors like luck, fate, or other powerful individuals as the cause of their predicaments. Applied in education, creators are able to own their dissatisfying academic results, with an optimism of revising more and discussing with their classmates in an attempt to improve their grades. Such students also identify where they could have gone wrong previously to warrant such wanting results, maybe they missed classes, or failed to consult their instructors. The outcome of such self-analysis and meditation results in creators outlining their success activities. Victims, on the other hand, will fault family problems, errors in marking and ex cetera for their diminished performances. It is ones mandate to choose whether they prefer being a creator to being a victim. My advice for those who aspire to be successful is to opt for creator roles. Many successful stories have been linked to positive self-image. This implies that for one to succeed, they must believe in themselves and posses h igh levels of self-esteem. How can this lead to a success story? Positive self-image implies that one perceive themselves worthy as individuals. This has a great impact on their attitude towards life and its challenges thus they are capable of transforming negative situations into positive ones. Often, self-esteem and mastery of self-management go hand in hand. As such, individuals with high self-esteem also know how to plan for their activities geared towards achievement of their dreams and goals. In contrast, people with low self-esteem do not consider themselves worthy individuals; instead, they doubt their personal worth as well as their competence. Such people will always doubt their ability to make their outcomes and experiences desirable, and appear frustrated and depressed. In addition, those with low self-esteem show tendencies of failing to plan effectively for their actions. Consider the cliche that ‘no man is an island’ However outdated it seems, this phrase holds true if success is to be achieved. One must develop interdependence in order to achieve their goals. This is helpful because through sharing, one learns new things, as well as teaches others what they know. As such, interdependence brings mutual benefits that are crucial in the steps towards success. In addition, forming supportive relationships brings with it the satisfaction of helping others with one‘s knowledge. That in itself helps in enhancing self-esteem, in that one will view him or herself capable of creating a positive impact in life.

Marketing Segmentation and Targeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Segmentation and Targeting - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that A market, in contemporary terms, is defined as a place where both buyers and sellers come to meet with the objective of exchanging of goods or even services. In this text, the general definition of a market is a group of both people as well as businesses with a clear interest, purchasing ability and willingness to spend some money to get the goods or services to satisfy their specific needs. Market segmentation is the grouping of customers who may be individual or corporate into a pool of customers with similar demands (goods and services) in terms of prices and designs. It can also be termed as a marketing strategy where a large market is divided into various subsets according to the customers’ demands. A good market segment should be homogenous meaning all customers in a specific segment would prefer a common product quality. on the other hand, buyers from different segments are expected to have different products and services tastes. However, all these should yield many returns.   The term can also be described as grouping customers with similar needs and charged differently from other groups or segments. Statistical analysis is done on some characteristics to come up with a certain market segment. Among the characteristics are the customers’ location, price, income, religion, and gender. Market segmentation is a business strategy upon which other marketing decisions are based.  ... The first is the geographic segmentation which is determined by various regional variables like nations, neighborhoods, climate, and rate of population growth as well as the population density. Demographic segmentations consider age, level of education, income, status of family, occupational factors, and the customers’ gender. Psychographic market grouping is making use of psychological science to know customers well and is based on the attitudes and the general customers’ lifestyle as well as values. Finally, behavioral market differentiations is done according to the rates at which the customers use the goods or services in question, price sensitivity, how loyal the customer is to a certain brand, as well as the benefits attained. The greatest purpose of market segmentation is to enable sales activities to put more emphasis on a certain market segment with the highest chances to buy the products or services. If properly done, higher sales will be realized. In other pe rspectives, it is aimed to improve business or company’s competitive nature as well as serve the customers in a better way which translates to better output such as sales increase, better market share, and a good business image. Other benefits of this market strategy is to get to the bottom understanding of the customers’ needs and this translates to improvement of a company or business in general. This confers on the business a competitive advantage due to the better services offered to the grouped customers. The other advantages are that the goods or services termed as responsive could be designed to satisfy the wants of a certain market place. Secondly, it can be used to decide on effective costs and creating awareness on a certain

Superfund sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Superfund sites - Essay Example Elfring and Gordon (n.d.) generally define the phrase â€Å"superfund program† as a long string of â€Å"interacting issues, conditions, and decisions† (p. 67). By issues and conditions, they mean to speak of the potential number of physical sites that are harmful, in the biological sense, to the surrounding community. Within this stage of in the many series of interacting issues, the data are also gathered in order to determine the state or condition of health and environmental effects of a particular potential superfund site. And by decisions, Elfring and Gorden imply the discretion or judgment of the superfund program management to categorize a specific/potential site for its eligibility or non-eligibility in the inclusion of NPL or National Priority List. That is, if the identified site has a high level of pollution and that it causes great harm to the social environment. Finally, the relatively last part of the series of the interacting decisions heavily comprises the program goals and evaluation criteria. According to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office (1994), the superfund program is tasked mainly to clean-up the waste hazards apparent in a site â€Å"contaminated with hazardous substances† which is administered markedly by the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency (pp. 1-2). A particular example of a superfund site is the Claremont Polychemical (CP) Superfund Site. Located in Old Bethpage, New York, this Superfund Site greatly spans 10 acres of land area (Environmental Protection Agency[EPA], 2002). In Figure 1-1 (Please see Appendix A), Claremont Polychemical Superfund Site is situated at the northern portion of the Bethpage State Park and at the northwestern direction of the Gold Course visible in the said region of New York. At the southwestern side of the Claremont Polychemical Superfund Site is the Old Bethpage Landfill (OBL) Superfund Site. Farther away from the OBL in the southwestern direction is the Nassau County Firemen ’s Training Center. In terms of the hydro geologic setting, the Cretaceous Magothy Formation is placed underneath the CP Superfund Site. The only aquifer found in the Long Island, this formation -- which is located near the Claremont Site -- has the vertical length of roughly 300 feet below the ground surface. As characterized in the Cretaceous Magothy Formation, it is composed of unconsolidated sand, silt, and clay materials (Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). The sand material is largely found in the southern boundary of the site while the silt and clay are situated in its northwestern part. Further, Old Bethpage Landfill has an up gradient slope with respect to the Claremont Site. The Claremont Site was where the Claremont Polychemical Company (CPC) was formerly erected. The CPC was a manufacturing company in the late 1960s that widely produced chemicals or pigments of plastics, dyes, among other substances. Through tank and basin leakage, the company had contaminated the site with VOCs or volatile organic compounds (Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). In particular, tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene are chemical elements that spread out into the landscape. Not just the land mass salient in Old Bethpage, its groundwater was also affected by the sheer operation of the CPC from the 1960s to the 1980s. In 1979, it was discovered that the site was contaminated by hazardous chemicals. The environmental problem was complicated by the fact that Old Bethpage was composed of numerous wells.

Native Americans Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Native Americans - Assignment Example Albanese (36) explains that Native Americans have responded positively to other religions assimilating some foreign practices, integrating religions, or conversion to new religion. Any of the three actions demonstrated compatibility, in either principles or beliefs, between Native American religions and religions among immigrant groups, and therefore suggests possible religious effects on the immigrant groups. Commonalities within the native religions, that distinguished them from foreign religions is another aspect that establishes the traditional religions as a microcosm for other religious adaptations. Even in their interactions with other religions, the native religions have sustained their identity, with peyote religion as an example (Albanese 37), and this shows that immigrant groups would monitor religious interactions for sustainability of their respective religious identities. Identity aspect of commonalities within religion would influence religions to establish distinct values for sustainability among other religions. Existence of relationship with a supreme authority, which is common among the Native American religions and other religions such as Christianity (Albanese 23- 25), is another illustration of the native religions as a basis for understanding possible religious adaptations among immigrant groups. The groups’ changes in religion would therefore be limited to such relationships with supernatural beings. Existence of distinct practices and beliefs among the native religions and foreign religions, together with compatibility into systematic religious interactions for sustaining religious identity are therefore microcosm for understanding religious adaptations of immigrant

Enforcement action of the commission against EU member states Assignment

Enforcement action of the commission against EU member states - Assignment Example ‘Economists certainly argue that reducing trade barriers will improve economic welfare or, at least, potentially so depending on whether losers can be and are, in fact, compensated by those who gain.’(Bob 2003) The law and legislation of the European Union is actually a whole body that regulates and governs a 28 member body. ‘The European law already has some sort of a constitution’ (Jurgen 2011). The law has its backbone on three main sources; the primary law, which composes different treaties, secondary comprising of regulations and different directives that are in tandem with such treaties The European Union was put in place by treaties from the member. Raisch (2007) posits that treaties form the backbone of the laws of the European Union. February 1992 welcomed the ‘Treaty on European Union.’ Up to date, this is a very important treaty. This is because; it realigns institutional arrangement as well as political systems. According to Raisch, â€Å"It added a new treaty alongside the Treaty Establishing the European Community.† (1992) Another important treaty that institutes the European Union is the â€Å"Treaty of Nice.† 2003 was the year the treaty received its approval. This treaty provided a complete amendment into other treaties. This treaty boosts the role of the parliament as a partner-legislator and establishes fresh legal arrangements. It mandates the council to drop regulations presiding over political parties at the level of the European Union. With an expectation of an increase in members of the European parliament, the treaty restricts membership to 732 and reserves seats for member states as well as countries represented as candidates. This is not all, we have several treaties that have been ratified and accepted at different times in order to improve the functioning and progress of the

Estonia Gender Problems Essay Example for Free

Estonia Gender Problems Essay Throughout history, women have constantly struggled for equal rights. However, even after women have gained increased equality in many countries, gender inequality still exists on an international scale. The European country Estonia, in particular, faces a noticeably greater gap between men’s and women’s rights in comparison with its European neighbors. Despite the Estonian Gender Equality Law passed in 2004, sexism and gender stereotypes are still largely prevalent in Estonia’s government and society. The problem of gender inequality has negatively impacted Estonian women in economic, social, and political aspects of life in Estonia. One major result of gender inequality is the limiting of economic opportunities for women. Because of traditional gender stereotypes, Estonian women are believed to be less valuable in the workplace than men. This form of sexism has heavily impacted the ability of women to obtain and maintain employment and salary: â€Å"in the 1990s women’s unemployment exceeded that of men (38.3% of women and 24.7% of men)† (Erickson 278). In addition to the high unemployment rate for women, Estonia’s pay gap (the difference between men and women’s wages for the same job) is currently the highest in Europe: â€Å"women are paid over 30% less than men for the same profession† (Domsch 73). Since Estonian women are economically disadvantaged by unfair employment and salary, many women are forced to become economically dependent on their husbands or fathers. Overall, Estonia’s large pay gap reflects its economic sexism and the detrimental effects of gender ineq uality on women. Gender inequality in Estonia has also led to social prejudice against women. Since Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union, gender roles have been deeply established into Estonian society. These gender roles dictate what women are allowed to do and what small spheres of influence they have on economics, government, and politics. Gender roles have also inevitably led to sexism: â€Å"The relationship between men and women on a societal level represents relationship with unequal power distribution, where men dominate and women are subordinated or under-represented in most spheres of life.† (Morten para. 6). The social dominance of men stems from Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1940. During this period, Estonia’s once Western attitudes and views on gender equality shifted to Soviet-centered beliefs, which emphasized the importance of submissive women who served men. Although the Soviet Union often used feminist propaganda to encourage women to work, women were frequently treated unfairly at home and in society. The gender roles established during the Soviet Union era continue to play a major role in Estonia’s society today. Gender inequality is prevalent in both the household, where men are expected to exert dominance over their wives, and in social gatherings, where women’s opinions are held in lower esteem (Domsch 148). In summary, gender inequality in Estonia has led to social discrimination against women. Another major result of gender inequality is the political prejudice that Estonian women face. After World War II, a period in which Estonia was politically and economically run by women due to a lack of men, the Communist Party reestablished men in the ruling bodies of Estonia. During this period, Estonian women were removed from politics and their political power was undermined. Very recently, some attempts have been made to solve the political gender inequality problem. In 2004, the government passed the Gender Equality Act to ensure that women had equal political power and economic stability (Domsch 127). However, many of the rights guaranteed in the Gender Equality Act were pre-existent in the Constitution of Estonia. In practice, women have yet to see true equality in political or economic aspects. For example, a recent study showed that â€Å"roughly 8% of Estonian government positions are held by women, while only 20% of parliament members are women† (Morten para. 4). The small percentage of women in Estonia’s government directly reflects on the sexism in Estonian politics. Estonia’s male and female populations, though equal in size, are not equally politically represented, as shown by the clearly imbalanced gender ratio in their government. Overall, although small steps have been made toward gender equity, sexism and gender inequality are still widely extant, and have led to comparatively less political empowerment for Estonian women. Although women’s rights have been improved internationally, many countries still face challenges in establishing true gender equality. Estonia currently faces significant problems for women in many major aspects of society. Originating from Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union after World War II, gender stereotypes have negatively affected Estonian women to this day. With one of the largest pay gaps between men and women in Europe, Estonia has a significantly imbalanced gender ratio for employment. Furthermore, sexism has also led to the diminished social and political power of women in Estonian society. Despite the recent improvements that have been made by the Estonian government in the past decade, the economic, social, and political opportunities of Estonian women are still severely limited by gender inequality.

British Air Essay Example for Free

British Air Essay Strategy: In this context, strategy is to be taken as the nature and also the direction a company can take in light of the choices which are at its dispose. Therefore, from this definition of strategy, strategic responses can be inferred to mean the responses that an organization takes in achieving its strategies and hence strategic responses. Nature: refers to the very essence of the company, for instance BA is an airline and hence in the airline industry. Direction: refers to where the organization in question (BA) is headed and hence strategic responses. Pestle Analysis: It refers to a methodology whereby the macro environment is analysed. It will be used to analyze the political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental forces affecting the airline industry under which BA operates and to which this forces impacts on the strategic making of BA. Abstract The airline industry is in the service industry which experiences very volatile changes all over the world and hence companies have to keep up with the changes as well as plan for future changes and challenges in the service industry of airlines through strategic making. Strategy making is an important aspect in the organization in light of the organization succeeding in the environment it is operating in. Though the airline industry is changing like any other typical service industry, it does not mean that the airline industry can afford to lag behind or sleep in terms of making strategies suitable for the now markets tastes and the then (future) markets tastes. Therefore the paper critically reviews the corporate strategy of British Airways (BA), the company’s competitive strategies through critical appraisal of the company’s strategy, industry and company analysis. However, an overall industry analysis is undertaken before any analysis of the company’s strategy through analysis of a three dichotomies impact in the company and in the context of three paradoxes in the company and the perspectives which are applicable to the paradoxes. Industry Analysis Overview BA is a renowned airline in the UK and among the largest airlines in the world, facts which are derived from fleet size of the airline, the number of passengers carried and the number of international flights made by the airline. It was established in 1971 with the motives of gaining control of BOAC and BEA which was the then nationalized airlines alongside other two airlines, which were Cambrian Airways and the Northeast Airlines. The merger of the four companies that formed the presently BA airline was effected in 1974 and become a state owned company. However, the company was later privatized in 1987 and its expansion was gained through acquiring the British Caledonian together with Dan Air in 1992. BA is currently trading in the UK Market share as the largest airline in terms of the fleet size and boasts of being in 2nd position in terms of its market share (IATA 2012), trading under the name of International Airlines Group following a merger in 2011 with Iberia. In the global arena, the presence of BA is felt through the company being 5th largest airline in terms of the passengers who are flown using the BA airline (See; Figure 1, position of BA in the global arena). Current and Future Key Issues Affecting the Airline Industry In researching on the current and future key issues affecting the airline industry together with researching the trends and the competitive forces that are affecting the airline industry in the modern times, in light of BA strategy making and the influences that are to effect on BA, a pestle analysis, SWOT analysis and the Porter’s Five Force Analysis are the tools that are going to be utilised. However, for greater specificity, the focus of the pestle analysis is the European Airline Industry. Pestle Analysis Political Issues Having state owned airline, which are owned by governments and therefore enjoys government protection resulting to regulated competition. This classic example of government regulation of international air was seen in BA in the merger of British Caledonian together with Dan Air in 1992, to combat competition on long haul routes. Development of aviation policies which are politically generated, for instance, the Aviation policy in UK of increasing the capacity at Heathrow, which according to Civil Aviation Authority are only short term measures that would do Europe no good in terms of competing with other global competitors for instance USA, China and India. The idea is to have more capacity through building other airports (Reals n.d.). In UK, airlines’ belonging to another country are not allowed to operate within the route of another country (cabotage) and hence eliminates competition in the airline industry in the UK for there is no competition from the non – European countries. Increase in APD (Air Passenger Duty) by 8% for which all airlines have to comply and which can translate to less travels to the UK for ADP ultimately increases the cost of travels (BBC News 2012, 1st April). Airlines constrains in terms of adhering to government policies for instance the pledge by the UK government to reduce carbon emissions by 60% reflected in the UK Climate Change Bill. Economic Factors Severe crisis in world economics where financial systems have been destabilized and paralyzed and therefore needs to be restored to stability, otherwise translates to less travels by air. Stiff competition in the airline industry in the UK due to presence of competitors who even offer low fares flights. Competition was brought about by the deregulation of the Airline Industry in UK Socio – Cultural Factors UK’s ageing population which is approximated to rise over the years. Projections in UK’s populations estimates that there would be more elderly people than there are presently (see; Figure 2 and Figure 3 for the projections) Accessibility of airline travels by the lower social groups in the UK Technological Factors Development of cleaner engines in the aviation industry which means that airlines like BA have to adopt the new technologies and also in light of the pledges in support of government’s policies to reduce carbon emissions. New operating procedures which can be as a result of sudden changes in weather patterns The use of Bio – fuel by the airline industry is the various developments in the world of technology that the airline industry has to deal with. Environmental Factors Development of environmental policies for instance the UK Climate Change Bill Health scares which mostly are as a result of the changes in climate and weather patterns for instance earth quakes and bird flues. Emissions policy in the UK, for instance the move to have airlines charged for their share of green house gas contribution on flights that are to and fro Europe. Legal Factors Open sky agreement ending the protection of national carriers and introducing completion in the airline industry. EU regulatory changes; for instance the increased call for better care of the customer US regulatory changes; for instance the ban on liquids and gels past the screening checkpoints affects the customers of air transport mode who may be in possession of such goods (liquids and gels). BA’s SWOT Analysis Strengths A Strong Brand Global appeal Established Fleet Operations Latest fleets that provide the calm to its customers Innovativeness in the development of products and services by the company Strong analytical and marketing skilfulness Weaknesses The organization’s culture (the â€Å"us† culture) Decline in operations efficiency Unhealthy financial performance Lack of provision of competitive customer packages Poor marketing strategies that are to reinforce competitiveness of the company to the standard of its competitors Opportunities Global tourism, which continues to increase due to globalization Technological advancements in the airline industry UK’s ageing population Corporation tax reductions Threats Competition from low fares airlines (e.g. British Airways Low Cost Airline {BALOW}) Increase in ADP by 8% Oil price volatility Increase in regulatory conditions and laws which are varying Substitute means of transport like electric trains and buses The ever changing customer behaviour which is hard to predict Porter’s Five Force Analysis Porter’s Five Forces study is important in order to check whether BA’s proposed strategies are to become profitable to the organization (Porter 2008). Diagram illustrating a simplified 5 Forces Model By Micheal Porter; adopted from http://www.brs-inc.com/porter.asp, Analysis distinct to BA as provided below: Degree of Rivarly BA operates both the small and the long flights BA is different in policies and terms with their competitors in the airline industry Other companies like Virgin Atlantic criticisms of some of BA’s strategies for instance the merger of BA with AA and thus disregarding the company’s strategies to its customers. Threat of Entry Competitors are discouraged from entering the market by; Existing firms in the airline industry having a competitive advantage Changing new technlogy Transformed government policies Threats of Substitutes Internal substitutes include;busses, cars, electric trains External substitutes include; international airlines like EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic Buyer Power Availmability of the internet to consumers increases the consumer’s conciousness and exposes the consumers to BA competitors. Supplier Power Supplier’s makes use of trade unions to have a high bargaining power Market characterised by suppliers having a high power BA has only two supply manufacturers of its aircrafts and a sole fuel supplier The Paradox of Markets versus Resources The airline industry being a very volatile industry has to survive through tough financial times, for instance economic recessions. In light of all the changes that occur in the airline industry, an organization has to continuously adapt to the environment in which it is operating in. In light of BA’s environment, i.e. the service industry, it is paramount that the organization’s strategic thinkers acknowledge that imitation of what other companies are doing in the market may not always produce the same results and hence BA needs to constantly study the market to identify the asymmetries that keeps emerging in the service industry and hence develop the asymmetries to capabilities for the organization. This therefore proposes that the organization has to keep in touch with the market for instance through continuous research and development of the organization’s products and services and in light of the company’s strategy of becoming an airline of choice to customers of long and short haul premium. BA differentiation from its competitors is seen through continuous research and development of the industry which can be inferred through the analysis of the SWOT, PESTLE and the Porters Five Forces tool, continuous improvements of the company’s products and services to its customers for instance through maintaining the organization’s networks in the long, short and cargo segments. In addition, BA as a front-line in the airline industry has an advantage over its competitors due to its long presence in the industry which dates to the years where it was a state owned airline. This clearly shows that in adopting some strategies for instance the acquisition of Iberia, BA tries to make its presence felt in the global arena. In addition, the organization resources allows the organization to apply the inside out logic as compared to its competitors who may not have a good command of resources at their dispose and therefore making BA have a competitive advantage. The inside out logic follows that for a firm to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors, it must have the capability of converting the processes of production in a quick and cheap way and which BA has exhibited and continues to exhibit through its various acquisitions of other airlines and through mergers formed with other airlines. BA’s strategy that is consistent with achieving its strategy of being an airline of choice to customers of long and short haul premium is through acquisition of other airlines so that all customers are within in its reach enabled through the mergers and the acquisitions. While the theories of completive advantage suggest that for an organization to gain competitive advantage, the organization must establish a cost effective way of attaining its strategies. This means that the company’s operational costs are lowered and this leads to the company having a competitive advantage over its competitors. Therefore, BA’s strategy of mergers and acquisitions is geared or leans towards the company having a global presence in the world and hence appealing to its customers and reduction of operational costs. The reality of the environment that the organization operates in is realised through the SWOT, PESTLE and analysis of Porters five force (Fine 2009). In as much as an organization has to adapt to the environment for instance through continuous development of services and products to meet the ever changing needs of the consumer, the resources that are at the dispose of an organization in light to adapting to the current trends, tastes and preferences of the consumers in the industry can indicate otherwise. A company’s resources refers to the tangible and the intangible resources for instance land, money and materials which are tangible while the intangible resources include the rational resources for instance the relationships and reputation and the competencies which include the knowledge and capabilities. One of BA’s strategies is becoming an airline of choice to customers of long haul premium and which is counter acted by strategies for instance through continuous research and development in order to identify the tastes and the preferences of the customers, continuous improvements in products, services and networks and through maintaining its presence in the long, short and cargo segments. However, these strategic responses are evaluated against a background of whether the market needs of the consumers are the once to guide the strategy making process of the firm or the firm is the one to leverage the strategies that BA is to take owing to the fact that whether there are adequate resources to respond to the needs of the markets so identified through the research and development process in order for BA to attain its strategy of becoming the airline of choice to customers of the premium long haul (Clegg, Kornberger Pitsis 2008). BA’s markets versus Resources The strategic responses put forth by BA illustrates its commitment towards attaining it strategy of becoming an airline of choice to customers of premium long haul which is achieved through BA building a terminal which increased the operations of the airline. In addition, BA also appeals to customers through transforming the customer’s service in that the customer service exceeds punctuality and hence customers are more satisfied which represents the rational resources of the company. BA has also continued to grow in order to meet at the crossroads with the needs of the customers through launching of routes from London to St Kitts, launch of the open skies and also flights from continental Europe to countries in North America. In addition, BA also made L’Avion and started to fly from London to NY JKF. The expansion is made in the efforts of BA coordinating its efforts to have a more international perspective that is cable of meeting the demands of the customers. BA Plc (2010), recognises that there are 5574 BA resources oversees and approximately 35, 920 in the UK. However, greater specificity is to be achieved through coordinating the resources and market availability (Schneider, Gunnarson Niles-Jolly 1994). BA’s commitment to the needs of the customers is seen through the purchases of aircrafts which are modern which are also in the effort of appealing to customers. Other ways through which BA appeals to its customers is through being corporate responsible through its commitment in reducing carbon emissions (Johnson, Scholes, Whittington 2008). Therefore BA is driven by the outside – in logic other than the inside – out logic for the balance between the company’s resources and the markets availability will always indicate a different shift where the company strategies are more bound towards meeting the demands of the market and hence the outside – in logic prevails. The Paradox of globalization versus localization Globalization is a strategy that is being adopted by international corporations in order for them to gain a competitive advantage over competitors. Strategic tensions that a company for instance BA has to face in light of globalization revolves around the concept of globalization that is to be adopted in light of achieving strategic goals. For instance, one of BA’s strategy is to increase its global presence with the strategic tensions in attaining this objective being whether global is to be taken in the terms of a worldwide scope that is to refer to the geographic presence of BA in the world, worldwide similarity of the BA’s products for instance, using the word global to refer to the homogeneity of BA’s products around the world or whether globalization (Thompson, Strickland Stappenbech 1994) would be in the context of the integration of the operations of BA, that is linking the world as a system through its services (See Figure 5 for illustrations of the dim ensions of globalization). A different tension lies in whether BA is to respect the differences that exist between markets defined by national boundaries which can be done through designing products and services that meet the needs of customers in different countries. The paradox of globalization and localization is a challenge that BA has to address in light of its strategy of having a global presence with questions ranging on how the company can address the globalization synergies and at the same time remain relevant in addressing the local synergies. BA’s Globalization and Localization To begin with, one of the ways through which BA’s strategy of global presence is achieved is through the strategic response of having a global connectivity for all the customers and this is achieved through BA establishing tier in most of the major cities in the world or through expansion which is gained through BA partnering with other airlines for instance the low fares airlines or through mergers for instance the merger of BA with Iberia, code sharing with Kingfisher carrier in India (in 2010) and the recent acquisition of BMI from Lufthansa in 2012. In addition, BA is one of the largest airlines in the UK a position that the company has gained through having a large fleet size, flies to over 300 destinations in the world and has shareholdings in BA city Flyer, Comair, Flybe, Open Skies, AIG, ICCR and BMI. In addition, the global presence of BA is felt through BA being the 5th largest airline by scheduled passengers. Without much further ado, the paradox of globalization versus localization for BA is congruent with the dichotomy of whether BA develops a business model distinctively different from its competitors or whether industry logic is the one that largely determines the firm’s strategy. In analysis, the drivers of globalization are market drivers, government drivers and competitor’s drivers which have less to do with BA developing a business model that is distinct from its competitors. As a major airline in UK, BA enjoys economies of scale and understands that it must have the oligopoly characteristics where firms operating in an oligopoly market cannot act independently on their own (De Wit Meyer 2010) and hence disputing the fact that BA can develop a business model distinct from its competitors (Porter 1985). Owing to the drivers that make a firm to be globalised, BA’s strategies are interdependent with its competitors. For instance, deregulation brought new agreements for example the EU – US Open Skies agreement in 2008 which brought a shift to competition in Transatlantic Routes and as a result the US Carrier Deltas, US Airways and the Continental started operations at Heathrow in 2009. Therefore, it is less convincing to claim that BA develops a business model distinct to it for clear facts exists to establish the claim that it does not act independently of its competitors and one of the ways it does so is through the strategy of having a global presence in response of what its competitors are achieving (the operations of other airlines which are taking advantage of deregulation to coin agreements and operate in other countries) (Roth Ricks 1994). The paradox of Responsiveness and Synergy This paradox brings into focus a company’s dilemma of how to respond to the competition in the industry and whether the company can match the demands of the market and at the same time maintain the responsiveness of the business. In order to have synergies in an organization there is need for a company to unify the different activities carried out in the organization which in some instances may make a company lose its business responsiveness. For a company to attain synergies and at the same time attain responsiveness (Mintzberg, Quinn Ghoshal 2002), the organization must draw out clearly its corporate scope for instances of how many businesses the company should have, corporate distribution, for instance the weight that is to be placed on each business unit in the organization, integrated mechanisms for instance of how the synergies in the company’s business should be achieved and the management mechanisms that ensures that the synergies so developed are a reality to the company. The meeting point of a business responsiveness and the synergies so created, results to the paradox of responsiveness versus synergy. Business demands presents a business to forces that pull it apart while the synergies pull s the company into an integrated whole. BA’s Responsiveness versus Synergy One of BA’s strategies is to meet the ever changing needs of the consumer for instance meeting the needs of the ageing population which requires the company to provide more value to the products offered to this market segment, reinforce the company’s brand, development of new products and also through enhancing customer loyalty (Mintzberg Ahlstrand 1998). For the company to achieve the above strategy through the strategic responses discussed above, there is need to coordinate the various units of the organization into a functional whole whereby units so entrusted with the development of new products, researching on upcoming market trends are an integrated whole of the organization and hence the synergies. For instance, the finance department of the organization needs to avail funds to the research and development of the organization so that proper research on upcoming trends is conducted effectively. This principle is consistent with making the parts an integrated part of the whole for the whole to function as one unit, that is the organization (Raynor 2005). The paradox of responsiveness and synergy can be best achieved when the management and the leadership style demonstrates control or managed chaos. In a controlled leadership, a company attains responsiveness (Porter 1996) and at the same time attains synergies because the management of the organization is organized in such a way that the different businesses or the department in the organization are headed by leaders who have the same goals. In a leadership where there is chaos, the synergies and the business responsiveness losses focus for the management is not organised to attain the responsiveness and the synergies (Mintzberg Ahlstrand 1998). . Conclusion In light of the volatility of the airline industry, the strategies that BA has put in place are best achieved when the paradoxes of globalization versus localization, markets versus resources and responsiveness versus synergies are analysed in the context of the dichotomies applicable to paradoxes. In so doing, BA will not only maintain its current position as being the best airliner in the UK, but also attain competitive advantage over other airliners who are its competitors and also potential entrants (McGahan Porter 1997). Bibliographies Reals, K. n.d., UK will Suffer Unless Long – Term Aviation Policy is developed: CAA. Retrieved from; http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-will-suffer-unless-long-term-aviation-policy-is-developed-caa-366738/, Retrieved on 28th May, 2012. De Wit, B. Meyer, R. 2010, Strategy Process, Content, Context. New York; Cengage Learning. 4th Ed. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M. Pitsis, T. 2008, Managing and Organizations: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. New York; Sage Publications. Fine, L. 2009, The Swot Analysis: Using your Strength to Overcome Weaknesses, Using Opportunities to Overcome Threats. New York; CreateSpace Publishers. Mintzberg, H. B. Ahlstrand, J. L., 1998, Strategy Safari, New York; Free Press. Schneider, B., Gunnarson, S.K., Niles-Jolly, K. 1994, Creating the climate and culture of success. Organizational Dynamics, 23(1), 17-29 Roth, K. Ricks, D. A. 1994, â€Å"Goal Configuration in a Global Industry Context.† Strategic Management Journal; 15, 103 – 120 Porter, M. E. 1996, â€Å"What is Strategy?† Harvard Business Review. pp. 61 – 78. Porter, M. E. 1985, Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York; Free Press.

HSBC Pricing Strategy Analysis

HSBC Pricing Strategy Analysis As long as the wider economic situation remains doubtful, it is advisable for HSBC to adopt a wait-and-see approach and a careful look at their businesses, stress testing them for both economic downturn and full-blown recession. And it would be useful to factor in the wider commercial and operational impacts through combined risk, valuation, economics, operations and HR teams. Certainly, for financial services firms like HSBC, crisis management still necessary in the form of asset and portfolio revaluation on a mark-to model basis for both management and constitutional accounting purposes and this may need some independent validation. Within the last decade the best consumer bank HSBC garnered awards along with soaring rankings. This was just one of those awards won by the HSBC in its excellent performance. Such achievements, rankings, and awards can be directly resulting from HSBCs business strategies. As the last decades success is not ever lasting due to increased competition in the industry facilitated by globalization, trade liberalization rather is become more difficult for the corporation to maintain its leading position through offering the excellence in the service. The company needs to add diverse values to its strategy to establish its position in the target segment. Traditional views on competitive advantage have highlighted such barriers to entry as economies of scale, patent protection, access to capital, and regulated competition. More recent views have highlighted different aspects of competitive advantage, a firms human resources and human capital. New demands facing organizations as a result of heightened competition, globalization, and technological advances have put a premium on creativity and innovation, speed and flexibility, as well as efficiency. The UK government is amending its regulation in an aggressive manner to secure the industry from the future crisis. Operating environments in the economy have continued to improve as the effects of government and central bank policies work through the system and it may be that HSBC has passed, or are about to pass, the bottom of the cycle in the financial markets. Reducing branded activities that present high risks has become a key governing issue for the retail banking industry. After the crunch, the key challenges the banking industry facing is the shortages of capital liquidity/lack of funding, high credit costs, and global price volatility. HSBC may modify its strategy to comply with the economic down-turn and the tightened regulation. Financial projecting and strategy may need careful reappraisal as many expectations supporting HSBCs strategies, plans, budgets and transactions could well need revision and material change might also have to be disclosed under regulatory, statutory or stock exchange obligations. A comprehensive contingency strategy to overcome disaster and business continuity need to be organized to gain a transparent understanding of decision making process in the case of sharp market fall. Plenty effort may need to be considered to establish changes to models, policies, processes and operations in response to lessons learned. HSBC needs to be organized to comply with the next once in a lifetime financial shock. The UK government, which has been widely criticised in the wake of the near collapse of the Northern Rock, wants to reform the current system by imposing new rules and regulation. HSBC may follow a flexible strategy where it can easily adopt the regulation maintaining the higher customer satisfaction level. As the crunch could well shake out further changes in regulation, or prompt further demands for change from stakeholders. Reviewing risk model adequacy by transparency of exposures or by back-testing of model assumptions on asset volatility, correlation, and liquidity may be carried out by HSBC to maintain the safeguard. Reviewing the adequacy of the reporting system, focusing on the transparency, rationality and strength of valuation models; accuracy and quality of underlying reference data; adequacy of controls on model use and maintenance; consistency in the bases and assumptions of risk and valuation models (particularly as assumptions may not reflect recent experience); and effectiveness of risk escalation procedures in the event of serious market volatility or disruption. HSBC may check policies, procedures and availability of skilled people to respond quickly and effectively to serious market volatility or disruption to stem losses (or even make profits). It may also review the adequacy of: Limit framework; reporting framework; Stress-testing procedures. HSBC needs to play their pricing strategies very carefully; as it has generated many hundreds of millions of pounds per annum in revenue from these charges. Review operational capability to handle the situation, with particular focus on: effectiveness of the process, infrastructure along with functional capacity (front, middle, back office) and straight through process/workflow evaluation. Specifically, in response to a competitors pioneering new product introduction, academic research finds many conditions that suggest a greater desirability of immediate market entry while many other conditions suggest a greater desirability of a delayed response. The areas where there is a consensus among decision makers with the academic literature, as well as areas where views differ from that of the literature. Changes and discusses insights gained into the decision making processes of managers for market entry timing decisions. The study can help managers in follower firms achieve greater success in formulating market entry timing strategies by reducing ambiguity in the timing implications of many internal and external conditions, as well as by drawing attention to potential action biases. As the Crucial Official Government and Agency Economic and Financial Data are of highly questionable in terms of validity; HSBC may educate itself about the realities of the marketplace using Alternative Data Sources. Collecting and staying familiar to genuine information about the market can save one much financial grief as well as positioning one for profit. As technology plays an important role in the Banking industry, HSBC may integrate the latest features in their operational strategy to get the competitive advantage. Technology helps the company to introduce differentiation among the industry where it can help the bank to charge extra if that technology adds values to the customers. Customers Satisfaction by providing customized service to establish the bond with the customers so that they can rely on the Banks activities. By redesigning product with additional facilities HSBC can attract the lower and the mid-level customers. Customer-facing business requirements are also more easily accommodated, and if these principles are applied, operational productivity and operating performance can both be raised. The key to success relies on the quality customer interface and experience, with identifying the need to offer people/individuals something they want to be identified with; fits in with their own brand choices; gives them a sense of control; and is easy for them to use at the time that they want to use it. The expectations of the Customers of the Retail Banking industry towards the service providers is getting higher to get their transactional needs right for every time. With minimizing the tolerance level for error, politicians and regulators championing consumer rights and editors being ready to run headlines about banking mistakes, it is a must for HSBC to have resilient, available and effective transactions processing and management systems. These systems and the change environments within which they are maintained must also be capable of meeting the needs of the current and emerging market needs. It is observed that non-banks have achieved high levels of personalisation in their engagement with customers, and new entrants to the retail market such as PayPal have established the competitive standard. Although PayPal is now a bank, it has achieved a financial performance to rival that of a global banks transactions business by providing an interface to bank services, having an effec tive launch strategy and giving to customers the things that they valued: convenience and the ability to keep their financial accounts private. HSBC may create new channel to get the competitive advantage over the industry rivals. At this time all the organisations now understand the importance of knowing their customers as individually and uniquely as possible. This means understanding individual needs and then being able to relate those individual needs to the actual priorities of each customer at any given point in time. Few systems have the ability to provide insight into a customer lifecycle or into current customer priorities as transactions systems do. In mature markets with high barriers to entry and which display stable market share, data mining can be vastly effective in generating new revenue streams and in establishing a differentiated service proposition. Successful data mining will include the use of refined cross-examination tools and a periodic ad hoc analysis along with data warehouse. Success is determined by integrated process management, detailed transactions analysis and alignment with a clear customer segmentation and strategy. Small and Medium Enterprises have become key players in the retail banking industry as its segment it getting bigger day by day with the globalization and increased competition. A careful selection of SMEs and product modification to attract those SMEs can help HSBC may generate increased revenue. As interest rate is a parameter which plays a key role in the banking industry and investment industry, HSBC can tailor its product in a way where the customer will be attracted and communicate the benefit of the product to the target market to gain competitive advantage. Economic profit may be easier to manage though the environment is more competitive than before by simplifying the investment decision and clarifying the accountabilities. Understanding the value of the customers and identify the sacrifice the bank will have to make to that is the vital issue. Investing in understanding and developing this aspect of their service to customers is a parallel, to develop new products, services, markets and pricing strategies. Operational and business interactions may be obtained by bringing the transactions management at the same place, and these scale efficiencies may also be applied to effective risk and incident/ disaster management. Results for the affected banks are definitely substantial which damage to their good will, opportunity loss of potential revenue and also the cost of modification and remediation. For the people involved in managing the incident it was an uncomfortable time: dealing with imperfect and incomplete data while trying to provide coherent and reliable information to many internal and external stakeholders.

The Impact of Smoking Essay -- Health, Diseases, Lung Cancer

The Impact of Smoking The current problem with smoking in today’s society is that its not only killing peoples wallets its literally killing people themselves. In many cases around the globe older and younger men and women are dieing from lung cancer because in fact they are smokers and the tobacco companies could care less because they are making money. Smoking causes emphysema in the lungs which is a build of tar in the lungs from the chemical Nicotine found in cigarettes. Dictionary.com deffine’s smoke is the visible vapor and gases given off by a burning or smoldering substance especially the gray, brown, or blackish mixture of gases and suspended carbon particles resulting from the combustion of weed, pent, coal, or other organic material. So the real issue with smoking in the end is that its killing people in today’s society but there’s one point they can argue its there choice to smoke or not to harm themselves or stay healthy by not smoking. In return cigarette comp anies have created a new type of electric cigarettes that give the same effect but just don’t contain the harmful chemicals. Many products have been created and organizations to help smokers quit but cant simply reach out and connect with tobacco users they have patches people put on for approximately 3 weeks and it declines their need to smoke. It is up to the people to decide if they will smoke or not but its up to the tobacco companies to provide a product that will satisfy there customers and not only keep them safe but keep them loyal. Unfortunately they have not stayed loyal to a healthy product and this is a growing issue today. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer in all people who smoke. The issue with smok... ...hey could careless about the sate of people’s health they just want to make a profit. Smoking has had many problems with people’s health state and the well being of others. So the government has created certain agencies that would otherwise help the people in a situation that involved Smoking. These agencies protect not only the health of the people but they provide support for those in need and they give stability to all who look to quit and other options if a person is struggling. Some of these agencies include the ATF, AHRQ, the IHS, and NCI the National Cancer Institute particularly pertaining to smoking and the effects of long exposure to nicotine and other harmful substances in cigarettes. One of the most important agencies is the NCI- National Cancer Institute because it directly deals with the cause and harmful effects of cancer from smoker patients.

Essay --

I was on my way to the band room to see a few of my friends. I was dressed in my red McKinley High marching band sweatshirt and a plain pair of jeans. As soon as I walked in, I noticed my Spanish teacher, Mr. Schuester talking to my band teacher, Mr. Toffelmeir. Mr. Schue wore a smile and Toff wore that grumpy face. They were polar opposites, so I was kind of curious to see why they were talking. Mr. Schue said, "I was wondering if you had anyone that would be willing to join our Glee Club as a musician. We have almost everything covered, but we do need a mallet player and someone that can play a bunch of cool auxiliary." Toff looked around and his eyes stopped on me. He pointed. Mr. Schue grinned at me. "Myranda! Perfect! We'll be meeting today at lunch. Thank you, Mark." Then, he hurried out of the room. I blinked. "What just happened?" Toff laughed flatly. "You just joined Glee Club." I frowned. "But, Toff..." I sighed. He started to walk away. He said, "I'll be able to put on your letter of recommendation that you were willing to help me at any given chance and you were so willing to try new things." I stopped myself from groaning out loud. He got me there. I'm sure he didn't want to socialize with Mr. Schue, so he bribed me with that comment. After complaining about what Toff made me join, I went to class. I had AP Literature alone. I'm glad I did, because it was easier to pay attention that way. At least when the head cheerleader didn't walk by me, it was easy. She always tends to distract me with that short red skirt of hers. But, hey it's not my fault that the color red attracts more attention because it is such an intense color. It's even said that red quickens heartbeats. So, it doesn't entirely help that she wea... ...ion to what Rachel was saying. My eyes were stuck in a trap and so was my mind. Why was she staring into my eyes? "Myranda?" Rachel repeated and almost looked behind her to see what she was missing, but I cleared my throat. "Sure, Rachel. What do you need?" I asked, saving myself. "Email address and cell phone number would be great." She smiled as she pulled a notebook and a pen out of her bag. She handed it to me and it took me a moment to remember my phone number because all I could think about were Quinn's eyes and the intense the gaze had been. My heart was thumping. I took a deep breath and then handed the information over to Rachel. She beamed, "It was great to meet you, Myranda. Thank you very much." After the confrontation with the co-captain, who I decided I liked, I drifted back towards the band. Derik smiled at me widely. "What do you think of Rachel?"

Temptations :: essays research papers

Temptation I. Introduction: Temptation is a vast topic. The bible is filled with temptation from cover to cover, mostly about how God dealt with our problem of sin and giving us victory. God deals with temptation and we deal with it too. It is reality that everybody gets tempted from time to time by the devil. Jesus also was tempted but never sinned , temptations goal is to lure you away from God. There are a lot of ways the devil can tempt you, just make sure to stay focused and filled with the Spirit. And understand the goals of the devil to want to send temptation to us. II. Today’s situations of getting tempted to do wrong. A. Temptation is everywhere Picture this: Like a scuba diver in the ocean, we feel engulfed with water and alluring sights. B. The ways a person can be tempted are through materialism, pride, laziness, sexually, greed, envy, gluttony, and lying. III. FILLING: of the Spirit A. No wonder the Bible instructs believers to get filled with the Spirit of God: Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 5:18-19 B. See how God helps? It is in our distress, when we feel weak, the Spirit prays for us. It is all about trust and dependence on God. God will work things out. So stand firm in truth that God assigns no blame, truly forgiven of sins. No condemnation for those in Jesus (Rom.8:1 ff.) So the Spirit of life dwells in all true believers and it is His Spirit that continues to help. Apart from God we have no life. IV. Goal of Temptation A. Temptation’s Lure: Find life apart from God -That is what Satan wanted to do with Jesus – go for the â€Å"do it yourself, instant fix† B. Strategy: Twisting Scripture That is what Satan specializes in. He knows the Bible well enough to twist it with some from of innocent looking deception. What’s wrong with telling a stone to become bread? V. Conclusion Jesus has promised to help, let go of the seeds and seek His help. The story of Jesus’ temptation reminds us Jesus knows the experience really well, the battle isn’t over, Satan will want to get at us at an "opportune time", but he is able to help, be like Jesus, full of the Spirit, full of God’s acceptance and love.

Insurance and Payment Expectations

HEALTHCARE PAYMENT EXPECTATIONS Unit 1 Individual Project Tina Nguyen HLTH420 – Healthcare Finance November 7, 2012 Abstract This research paper will explain the payment expectations of government, commercial, and liability insurances, as well as self-pay/cash pay patients. An in depth explanation of how they differ, such as rules, will be made. This report will help readers understand the different types of programs in bill collecting, and account and project financial expectations. Healthcare Payment Expectations Payment expectations are the reimbursement of the services given to patients.There are many alternatives to how healthcare organizations collect their payments or revenues. They can be handled through cash transactions or through various types of insurances, such as government-assisted, commercial, and liability insurances. Some of the health insurances that are government-assisted are Medicare, CHIP, and Medicaid. Government-assisted insurances, such as Medicare an d Medicaid, are provided for low income families and adults over the age of 65 or even those under 65 that has certain disabilities (USA. gov, 2012).Medicaid’s health coverage will vary by states, as they will set their own rules and guidelines. In order to be granted for these government health insurances, an individual must meet certain criteria to be eligible, depending on which program it is catered for (New Horizons Un-Limited Inc. , 2011). Payment expectations of government-assisted health insurances, such as Medicaid, are reimbursed through co-pays, and premiums (â€Å"Medicaid Payment Expectations, â€Å" n. d. ). As mentioned before, payment expectations will vary by state but should not be much different.Co-pays are the rate at how much is to be paid for the services or a prescription a patient will be receiving (â€Å"Medicaid Payment Expectations,† n. d. ). Co-pay rates are rates that are agreed upon by the Medicaid program and type an individual has. Pre miums are out of pocket expenses that need to be paid by the individual to maintain and retain medical benefits (â€Å"Medicaid Payment Expectations,† n. d. ). Premiums are a monthly expense and it also depends on each individual and will vary by state.If premiums are not paid in a timely manner, that can be considered as a non-payment and there may be a possibility that an individual may lose their insurance coverage. If that was to occur, the individual would need to reapply. Commercial health insurances are health insurances that cover medical and health expenses for those that are already insured. For example, since commercial health insurances is for profit and is not offered through a government entity, these health insurances are usually offered through group insurances (â€Å"What Is Commercial Health,† n. . ). In many instances, commercial health insurances will be offered through the individual’s employer. Typically, these insurances will have a monthl y or even a bi-weekly premium that will be deducted from an employee’s paycheck. Depending on how the commercial health insurance is planned, employees will usually see a payment of the entire monthly premium or a percentage of it in their paycheck. Liability insurance is also known as medical malpractice insurance.Liability health insurance helps protect the insurer from lawsuits and mistakes that can or will arise from the workplace. Liability insurance can be purchased through many types of companies, such as insured insurance companies, risk purchasing and risk retention groups, and etc (Texas Department of Insurance, 2012). Payment expectations are that liability insurance information must be provided at the time of registration in order for a claim to be filed.Depending on the responsible party of paying that claim, it can either be the insured or the insurance company; it varies with each plan per individual. Self-pay or cash pay patients are usually those patients tha t does not have medical insurance or those who just prefer not dealing with the hassles of Medicare or insurance reimbursement or claims, will pay an out of pocket expense for the medical services they seek and get. Medical doctors and clinicians view these patients as more compliant and motivated to doctor’s orders (Carter, 2011).Without any insurance help, self-pay patients would usually get a discount percentage due to the high cost of medical services. Self-pay or cash patients will have to pay the full amount or partial before or after the service, and if a balance remains would need to pay in the next couple of months depending on the payment plan. All of these components of payment expectations of different insurances would need to familiarize with by medical business professionals in order for efficient billing, collecting, accounting, and the projection of financial expectations to occur.All health insurances, it doesn’t matter what type of insurance, has to f ollow basic standards of regulations of the service and product, but each state and health facility has its own discretion in how to price their services and also deciding how much a patient is responsible for their balance. There is much that needs to be considered if the payer mix is the basic determinant of the healthcare organization’s financial projections. Payer mix is a medical term of the percentage of revenues that comes into the organizations is from private to government insurances to self-pay patients (Wall, 2010).Unfortunately, revenues from government insurances, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are considered losses to healthcare organizations due to these government insurances pay less to hospitals and healthcare organizations than what they charge patients for services. Through this knowledge, healthcare organizations need to be aware of areas like this in order to compensate for what is lacking. | References Carter, J. (2011, November 7). How Self-Pay Patients Have Made Me a More Effective Clinician. Retrieved from

Dysfunctional Families in Today’s World Essay

Children are supposed to grow up together with their parents. A family environment helps them not to feel depress(ed). They learn that their feelings and needs are important and can be expressed. Children growing up in such supportive environments are likely to form healthy, open relationships in adulthood. Family dysfunction can be any condition that interferes with healthy family functioning. In most families, there occurs some periods of time where functioning is impaired by stressful circumstances. These stressful events could be a death in the family or a parent’s serious illness, among others. But for healthy families, the moment the crisis is over, then normal functioning resumes. In dysfunctional families, however, problems tend to be chronic. The children then do not consistently get their needs. As a result, the negative patterns of parental behavior tend to be dominant in their children’s lives. Healthy families are not families who never argue or have disagreements. These families may have yelling, bickering, misunderstanding, tension, hurt, and anger – but not all the time. In healthy families, emotional expression is allowed and accepted. Member of the family can freely ask for and give attention. Rules tend to be made explicit and remain consistent, but with some flexibility to adapt to individual needs and particular situations. Healthy families allow for individuality; each member is encouraged to pursue his or her own interests, and boundaries between individuals are honored. Children from healthy families are consistently treated with respect, and do not fear emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Parents can be counted on to provide care for their children. Children are given responsibilities appropriate to their age and are not expected to take on parental responsibilities. Finally, in healthy families, everyone makes mistakes; and most importantly, mistakes are allowed. II. The rise of dysfunctional families and its impact in society There are many types of dysfunction in families. Some parents choose to under-function. They leave their children to fend for themselves. On the other hand there are some parents who over-function. These parents seem to never allow their children to grow up and be on their own. Others are inconsistent or violate basic boundaries of appropriate behavior. Below is a brief description of some types of parental dysfunction along with some common problems associated with each. Deficient Parents Deficient parents hurt their children more by omission than by commission. Frequently, it is because of a chronic mental illness or a disabling physical illness that contributes to parental inadequacy. Parental emotional needs tend to take precedence over the needs of the children. The children, on the other hand, are often asked to be their parents’ caretakers. Thus, children tend to take on the adult responsibilities at a young age in these families. They are robbed of their own childhood, and they learn to ignore their own needs and feelings. Because of this experience, where these children are simply unable to play an adult role and take care of their parents, they thenoften feel inadequate and guilty. These feelings continue into adulthood. Controlling Parents Unlike the deficient parents described above, controlling parents fail to allow their children to assume responsibilities appropriate for their age. Often, the controlling parents are driven by the fear of becoming unnecessary to their children. These parents then continue dominating and making decisions for their children, even if they are already well beyond the age at which this is necessary. This fear leaves them feeling betrayed and abandoned when their children become independent (Forward, 1989). On the other hand, these children of controlling parents frequently feel resentful, inadequate, and powerless. Transitions into adult roles are quite difficult, as these adults frequently have difficulties making decisions independent from their parents. When they act independently these adults feel very guilty, as if growing up were a serious act of disloyalty. Alcoholic Parents Alcoholic families tend to be chaotic and unpredictable. Rules that apply one day do not apply to another one or to the next instance that you happen to be part of. Promises are neither kept nor remembered. Expectations vary from one day to the next. Parents may be strict at times and indifferent at others. In addition, emotional expression is frequently forbidden and discussion about the alcohol use or related family problems is usually nonexistent. Family members are usually expected to keep problems a secret, thus preventing anyone from seeking help. All of these factors leave children feeling insecure, frustrated, and angry. Children often feel there must be something wrong with them and this is the reason that makes their parents behave this way. Mistrust of others, difficulty with emotional expression, and difficulties with intimate relationships carry over into adulthood. Children of alcoholics are at much higher risk for developing alcoholism than are children of non-alcoholics. Abusive Parents Abuse can be verbal, physical, or sexual. Verbal abuse – such as frequent belittling criticism – can have lasting effects, particularly when it comes from those entrusted with the child’s care. Criticism can be aimed at the child’s looks, intelligence, capabilities, or basic value. Some verbal abusers are very direct, while others use subtle put-downs disguised as humor. Both types are just as damaging. Definitions of physical abuse vary widely. Many parents, at one time or another, have felt the urge to strike their child. With physically abusive parents, however, the urge is frequent and little effort is made to control this impulse. Striking a child has much to do with meeting the parent’s emotional needs and nothing to do with concern for the child. Often, parents erroneously justify the abuse as a process of â€Å"discipline† that is intended to â€Å"help† the child. Physically abusive parents then create an environment of terror for the child. This is particularly worse since the violence is often random and unpredictable. Abused children often feel anger. Children of abusive parents have tremendous difficulties developing feelings of trust and safety even in their adult lives. While parents may justify or rationalize verbal or physical abuse as discipline aimed at somehow helping the child, there is no rationalization for sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is the most blatant example of an adult abusing a child purely for that adult’s own gratification. Sexual abuse can be any physical contact between an adult and child wherein that contact must be kept secret. The demonstrations of affection that occurred then — such as hugging, kissing, or stroking a child’s hair — that can be done openly are quite acceptable and even beneficial. When physical contact is shrouded in secrecy then it is most likely inappropriate. Sexual abuse happens to both boys and girls. This act is perpetrated by both men and women. It cuts across lines of race, socioeconomic level, education level, and religious affiliation. In most cases, sexual abuse is part of an overall family pattern of dysfunction, disorganization, and inappropriate role boundaries. Responsibility for the sexual abuse in all cases rests entirely with the adult. No child is responsible for being abused. Most sexually abused children are too frightened and scared of the consequences for themselves and their families. In most cases, they do not risk telling another adult what is happening. As a result of this bottling-up, they grow into adulthood carrying feelings of self-loathing, shame, and worthlessness. They tend to be self-punishing and have considerable difficulties with relationships and with sexuality. When problems and circumstances such as parental alcoholism, mental illness, child abuse, or extreme parental rigidity and control interfere with family functioning, the effects on children can sometimes linger long after these children have grown up and left their problem families. Adults raised in dysfunctional families frequently report difficulties forming and maintaining intimate relationships, maintaining positive self-esteem, and trusting others; they fear a loss of control, and deny their feelings and reality (Vannicelli, 1989). There is a great deal of variability in how often dysfunctional interactions and behaviors occur in families, and in the kinds and the severity of their dysfunction. However, when patterns like the above are the norm rather than the exception, they systematically foster abuse and/or neglect. Abuse and neglect inhibit the development of children’s trust in the world, in others, and in themselves. Later as adults, these people may find it difficult to trust the behaviors and words of others, their own judgement and actions, or their own senses of selfworth. Not surprisingly, they may experience problems in their academic work, their relationships, and in their very identities. In common with other people, abused and neglected family members often struggle to interpret their families as â€Å"normal. † The more they have to accommodate to make the situation seem normal, the greater is their likelihood of misinterpreting themselves and developing negative self-concepts (e. g. , â€Å"I had it coming; I’m a rotten kid†). III. The relationship between religion and dysfunctional families Dysfunctional family members have common symptoms and behavior patterns as a result of their common experiences within the family structure. This tends to reinforce the dysfunctional behavior, either through enabling or perpetuation. The dysfunctional family usually suffers from a variety of issues that may require the help of trained professionals. This is in addition to prayer and other spiritual disciplines. Some of those issues include: (1) Individual personality differences and personal issues; (2) Unresolved issues from the past; (3) Marital and family problems due to domestic violence and abuse, infidelity, and poor communication; (5) Financial problems and poverty; (6) Separation/divorce resulting in grief and loss and abandonment issues, depression, and sometimes a lack of financial support; (7) Mental and physical health problems; and (8) Spiritual disconnection. Any of the aforementioned problems can create high levels of distress, and failure to seek help can be lethal. Furthermore, when a major trauma strikes, families are rarely prepared to deal with it, and if they are unaccustomed to seeking outside help, family members may never recover emotionally. Many people stay away from connecting with God in a Christian community because they feel they are not good enough. Maybe they are overly critical of themselves, or maybe they know they have not lived the way God would want them to live. They may be afraid that Christians in church will judge them and reject them, and so they stay away. They say, â€Å"God couldn’t really love someone like me. God must be angry with me. † They could also be very adept at meeting the perceived expectations of others through self-denial. Denial, repression, splitting, and a false sense of self are often well-developed defense mechanisms. The black and white thinking expressed in such conflicting pairs of opposites as God vs. devil, church vs. world, sin vs. righteousness, leads to repression of anything that might possibly be construed as unacceptable. Constant self-monitoring and rigid self control, along with confession of every sin in prayer, are often considered the only means of avoiding divine condemnation. In the literalism characteristic of fundamentalism, an â€Å"evil† thought or feeling is regarded as just as sinful as an evil act. Impulses and feelings may be considered demonic in origin. In truth, religion can play a part in furthering the dysfunction of families. For one who has a dysfunctional family, its teachings of obedience, respect for authority and quiet compliance further enforce the debilitating situation. But when you dig deeper into what religion is, you will see clearly what God wants. Religious Institutions throughout history have used fear, control and manipulation to build kingdoms made by man. They have left many wounded or dead in the battlefield of Satan’s kingdom. Religion is a powerful tool of the enemy. An extreme example of this is The Taliban and Bin Laden. Religion teaches obedience to law. And Christ teaches grace. But the scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. † Galatians 3:22-23. Learning to trust wholeheartedly in God, and depend on Him to break free from whatever bondage, will bring emancipation from these bondages, and make an impact in our broken society. The church should be the one institution where the spirit of fear does not exist and coercion and manipulation are not practiced. IV. Healing dysfunctional families Two centuries ago there was relatively little dispute over the existence of God, or the societally beneficial effect of popular belief in a creator. In the twentieth century extensive secularization occurred in western nations, the United States being the only significant exception (Bishop; Bruce; Gill et al. ; Sommerville). Theists often assert that popular belief in a creator is instrumental towards providing the moral, ethical and other foundations necessary for a healthy, cohesive society. Many also contend that widespread acceptance of evolution, and/or denial of a creator, is contrary to these goals. As he helped initiate the American experiment Benjamin Franklin stated; â€Å"religion will be a powerful regulator of our actions, give us peace and tranquility within our minds, and render us benevolent, useful and beneficial to others† (Isaacson: 87-88). Changes in family life have transformed our society in the last thirty years. One of the biggest has been the virtual disappearance of the male-breadwinner lifestyle and the emerging dominance of the dual-earner couple. Working wives and mothers face questions about the effects of their choices on their children’s welfare and their own health under the strain of the â€Å"second shift,† while their husbands confront–and respond to in a variety of ways–new opportunities to construct a masculine identity not focused exclusively on breadwinning. Leaders in education, business, and government debate what policies should be in place to help people manage their work and family lives and who should bear the cost of work-family management. Changing patterns of family formation and disruption have also created widespread concern and vociferous policy debates. High divorce rates raise questions about the effects of divorce on children’s well-being and future success and how to make â€Å"blended† families work. The problems facing single-parent families have become a focus of policy makers, religious leaders, and the national media. Debates about homosexual unions have led to battles over gay and lesbian marriage in a number of states and many local controversies over what legal rights should be extended to homosexual partners. Delayed marriage and childbearing mean that more American households comprise single adults and childless couples, and remaining childless throughout life has become much more common, fueling concern among some about the decline of the family. All of these changes have led to an increasing pluralism in family life and a new consensus that there are many kinds of loving, caring families. Most people spend some portion of their adult lives outside of a nuclear family, forming and reforming family-like connections periodically over the course of their lives, causing many to rethink long-held assumptions about the necessity of marriage and parenting for adults’ happiness, security, and well-being. But this pluralism is intensely contested and debated for both moral and social philosophical reasons. Not everyone agrees about what constitutes â€Å"the good family† and what kinds of families are morally legitimate. Many people see the family as the bellwether of our society and find the rapid and numerous changes in family life over the last few decades to be troubling. Some even argue that a devaluing of family life, and especially of lifelong, heterosexual marriage, inevitably leads to a decline of the nation. These debates also focus on questions of resources and inequality. Who has access to the rights that marriage confers? Why does divorce lead to a reduction in women and children’s standard of living, and what can be done to change that? Making Changes Changes in family life have been a central concern for religious leaders, activists, and local communities of faith. Throughout American history, religion and family have been intertwined and interdependent institutions. Congregations, parishes, and synagogues have provided an important context for families to spend time together and have shaped the religious education and moral development of children and youths. Sociologists have long noted that marriage and parenthood make religion more important to people and increase their participation in local congregations. Sometimes, children who come from dysfunctional families continue in their roles because they are waiting for their parents to give their â€Å"permission†; to change. Like most people, parents in dysfunctional families often feel threatened by changes in their children. As a result, they may thwart efforts to change and insist that the children â€Å"change back. † Some specific changes one can do are: (1) Identify painful or difficult experiences that happened during your childhood; (2) Make a list of your behaviors, beliefs, etc. that you would like to change; (3) Next to each item on the list, write down the behavior, belief, etc. that you would like to do/have instead; (4) Pick one item on your list and begin practicing the alternate behavior or belief. Choose the easiest item first; (5) Once you are able to do the alternate behavior more often than the original, pick another item on the list and practice changing it, too; (6) Believe in God’s grace that he will heal all the painful experiences in your list (in no. 1) and pray His love will help you change all the behaviors listed and free you from bondage. References: Bishop, George. (1999). â€Å"What Americans Really Believe, and Why Faith Isn’t as Universal as They Think. † Free Inquiry 19(3): 38-42 Bruce, Steve. (2001). â€Å"Christianity in Britain, R. I. P. † Sociology of Religion 61: 191-203. Forward, S. (1989). Toxic parents: Overcoming their hurtful legacy and reclaiming your life. New York: Bantam Books. Gill, R, C. Hadaway and P. Marler 1998 â€Å"Is Religious Belief Declining in Britain? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 37: 507-16 Isaacson, Walter. (2003) Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York, Simon & Schuster. â€Å"Meeting the Needs of Dysfunctional Families† Catechist, January, (1993) Sommerville, C. (2002) â€Å"Stark’s Age of Faith Argument and the Secularization of Things: A. Commentary. † Sociology of Religion 63: 361-72 Vannicelli, M. (1989). Group psychotherapy with adult children of alcoholics: treatment techniques and countertransference. New York: Guilford Press.