Graphic Novels in education Essay

Graphic novels and comic books have been some of the most debated topics recently in many different areas. Many people think that they could be helpful in education, while some others completely disagree. Some people think they are childish, and some think they require just as much comprehension as long, fictional novels. However, despite all the criticism graphic novels often get, the genre is growing recently. Many things have led to this rise in interest, from easier access on the Internet to the many superhero movies sparking interest in a younger audience. Due to this recent rise in popularity for graphic novels, several people believe that this genre can be helpful in all levels of education. There are positives and negatives to this possibility, like everything else, but the positives seem to outweigh the negatives. One thing that weighs in favor of adding more graphic novels into education is that they are easier to read and can be more encouraging for students who may not like to read. There are several things that one must be able to do to read and understand graphic novels, including comprehending visual imagery and making inferences. The biggest factors that are helping push graphic novels into education are what was just mentioned; the way students now learn, the need to make inferences, and the need for students to learn visually. Every teacher can admit to having a few students in class that were not particularly good readers or that did not enjoy reading. If graphic novels were read more widely in classrooms, that would help with these certain students learning. The vocabulary and diction used in this genre is much simpler than in most word-based novels that would be read in class. Often, students who are given a very long book, they simply do not even read for their assignments. However, if one of these same students was given a longer graphic novel, like Watchmen for example, it is very likely that they would be more willing to read. Another method that makes these works easier for some students is that the words are more spread out, which makes the student only comprehend small parts at a time. This makes students who are less confident with their reading skills able to better manage comprehending the purpose in a novel. Although the speech in graphic novels is simpler, students are still â€Å"challenged by the need to infer and decipher a variety of literary devices† (Constantino). Another positive factor in graphic novels is how visual it is. Children today are becoming much more visual learners. This is probably due to the prevalence of television and computers in today’s society. While, television and computers have often been looked at as negative impacts in children’s learning, many students have figured out that there are good things on television and the internet. Also, these students have found out that there are books that are not particularly good, despite what they have been taught. While there is still going to be those people out there who will have their doubts about allowing this genre in education, students would benefit from having more visual learning and less long narratives in class, which is just what graphic novels would bring. One of the most important abilities for a student when reading is learning how to make inferences. Many times in comics and graphic novels, the author will give a â€Å"bare outline† of what is going on, and leave the reader to â€Å"fill in the blanks† with the scenery or facial expressions of the characters (Walter). This ability is key to not only reading, but also in daily life. Inferences often need to be made in conversation to know exactly what situation that person is going through. If graphic novels were added to more school’s curriculum, then not only would students’ reading abilities improve, but their conversational skills would also improve. The reader of comics must also be able to decode the messages that the writer displays in his work. No matter how discrete of a message the author may insert into a work, the reader must be able to put together the pieces of the puzzle to create a continuous story. The reader must perform closure in between the â€Å"encapsulated moments in order to create a completed whole out of fragments† (Duncan and Smith 12). This closure that the reader must make is very similar to making inferences. To do both, one must apply background knowledge and relate events that may be described indirectly to blend these sequences into a constant story. Because of the important skill of making inferences that is necessary to read and understand graphic novels, they can be used as a gateway to reading more challenging works by developing this skill in children. As was mentioned previously, children are relying more and more on learning through visual techniques. Because of that, comics can be much more helpful than long narratives in teaching students to understand imagery, tone, symbolism, and many others. One example of how visual aids can help students learn is by using facial expression or body language of the drawn characters in graphic novels. Students will be able to gain many details of the story by simply looking at these two things. By looking at a character’s facial expression, one can learn the current mood of the story, along with what tone the character may be using. Teaching students to look at these things will not just help them when reading a graphic novel, it can also help them figure out certain situations that may occur during their lives. While some people argue that graphic novels are much simpler or not as mentally stimulating, they do share some characteristics with text-based narratives. One characteristic in particular is that they both use onomatopoeia. While these text-based narratives will insert these words into a sentence, graphic novels will make an entire panel out of one of these words. Although both of these genres do use onomatopoeia equally as much, the usage in graphic novels is more imaginative. In graphic novels, the word is usually brought to the center of the page, and made colorful and exciting. Because of the way that graphic novels display this literary technique, students can easier realize when that literary device is being used. Students can get a better understanding of when this literary device is applicable, and that will make them more confident as they continue reading. Despite the fact that graphic novels can often maintain a simpler vocabulary, they can still teach students simple literary devices like onomatopoeia. While the vocabulary is usually simpler, the material is more complex. As Linda Starr states in her article, an advantage of using graphic novels in the classroom is that these books â€Å"present complex material in readable text†. This gives graphic novels an advantage over other, harder to read, novels because more often than not, these students have a greater understanding of issues that are dealt with in books, but not all the time can they decipher what the issues are because of the more difficult vocabulary. One way to simplify things for these students, while still challenging them mentally is to provide more graphic novels in the curriculum. There is always going to be crowds of people who will deny graphic novels ever being relevant in education, but the different ways students are learning, the way students must make inferences, and the visual techniques that are displayed in graphic novels all provide reasons why these texts should be included in the classroom today. Graphic novels can serve as a spring into a lifelong love of reading or it can simply keep the student interested enough to get through an assignment. Whatever a student’s level of reading skill, there is no doubt that they will be able to read a graphic novel, while still maintaining a certain complexity in the ideas presented. Graphic novels can also teach students how to make inferences, as well as recognize and understand common literary techniques. Above all, students’ imaginations, and possibly interests will rise because of this genre being implemented into a curriculum. As Jesse Karp notes about graphic novels, â€Å"the form reaches young people in a way no other can†, and that is what is most important to future students’ learning. Works Cited Constantino, Correne. â€Å"Teaching English and Reading with Graphic Novels†. Education. cu-portland. edu. Concordia University, n. d. Web. 3 May 2013. Randy Duncan and Matthew J. Smith. The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 2009. Print. Karp, Jesse. â€Å"The Case for Graphic Novels in Education†. Americanlibrariesmagazine. org. Chicago: American Library Associarion, 1 Aug. 2011. Web. 3 May 2013. Starr, Linda. â€Å"Eek! Comics in the Classroom! †. Educationworld. com. Education World, 11 Jan. 2008. Web. 3 May 2013. Walter, Carlene. â€Å"Graphic Novels†. Eclection. wikispaces. com. Tangient LLC, n. d. Web. 3 May 2013.

School Uniforms Debate

The utilization of school uniforms is a subject of sizzling debate among parents and school authorities since long. Some dispute the advantages of school uniforms, while others consider that the shortcomings are far more abundant. In our contemporary world, children have become much more conscious of their clothes and appearance. This basically echoes our contemporary ideals and the concentration of adults in garments. Kids can, nonetheless, without some of the reasonable influences that come with age and understanding, become much more fanatical with clothes and latest fashion trends.Children who come to school in old-fashioned attire can be mocked at, become a laughing stock or even tormented. The expense of those clothing and clashes connected with them leads many schools and parents to review the school uniform. Parents' Stance Few countries, on the other hand, are starting to overturn the decline in uniform usage. While schools in other countries are starting to pioneer uniforms for the first time. This is very contradictory topic, as elder students normally condemn the concept of uniform.Some parents also see an obligatory uniform as pushy and a violation of their fundamental liberty. Students' Stance Many students believe they lose their individuality when it is mandatory for everyone to wear the same clothing to schools. Others think a school uniform brings equality amongst students. Many teachers and school authorities consider a school uniform or a uniform dress code as a way to inculcate a sense of regulation in the classes as well as an environment of education and learning. So, what is your stance regarding the uniform debate?Here are some pros and cons to help get you started! Reasons in Favor of Wearing School Uniforms It takes away the feeling of envy between peers. It helps decrease obedience trouble. A uniform assists the students achieve academically better. Students focus more on their education rather than on deciding what to wear. Besides eliminating distraction, uniforms force students to take school atmosphere more critically. Kids tend to be misapprehended and mocked by peers due to the type of garments they might wear. Consequently, uniforms decrease social clashes and violence in the schools.One of the most insightful advantages of having schools uniforms is that they are extremely cost effectual and alleviate the parents from the trouble of purchasing trendy and costly garments frequently. Reasons Against Wearing School Uniforms It subtracts students' liberty to take decisions. It doesn't let students feel distinctive and unique. School uniforms hinder the need for the self expression of a kid. Sociologists claim that it may cause unsuitable ways of expression by kids, such as offensive usage of makeup and jewelry.Uniforms take away children's identity. The pressure on a uniform dress code in school counters the spirit of unity in diversity and its merriment. It is even believed to confine socialization, an imp erative feature of human nature. In contrast to civil dress, school uniforms prove to be ineffectual and futile once the kid is out of school. Another bad consequence of school uniform is that it denies the children the ease, which one feels on wearing different kinds of garments, as per personal preference.This uneasiness might unfavorably reflect upon the academic performance of the kid. Do uniforms breach liberty of expression prospects? We believe that this dispute is quite frail. Students are liberated to dress as they and their parents decide during extracurricular hours. They also need to understand that dress codes and uniforms are an authenticity of a place of work in the grown-up world including in professional offices, delivery services, and retail and food stores, administration offices and so on.Since many years parents, teachers, school authorities, and students have squabbled over the pros, cons, and advantages of school uniform policies. A socially connected pro is t hat it places everyone on a rank ground in connection to socioeconomic grade. When kids get their preference of school clothing based on how much wealth their parents make, it causes self-esteem concerns. If all kids have to wear the identical outfit in school then it's not as evident as to whose family can have enough money to afford Mango and who can only pay for cheap stuff from Wal-Mart.

Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2 Essay Example for Free

Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2 Essay 1.What percentage of Texans live in urban areas (cities & suburbs)?   90% of the population now lives in crowed cities and suburbs. 2.Name the three cities in Texas that are three of the largest in US?   Houston, San Antonio and Dallas 3.What are the three diverse economic businesses in Texas? 4 Oil and gas producer now work alongside high-tech companies, telecommunications giants, and other important business sectors. 4.In what areas does Texas consistently rank at the bottom in state spending compared to other states? 4 Texas consistently ranks near the bottom of the states in spending on education, welfare, and healthcare for poor. 5.Is Texas a high-tax, high-business regulatory state or is it low-tax, low-regulatory?   Texas is low-tax and low-regulatory climate. 6.Are Texas well informed about government and elected officials? Do they trust government? 4 Texans are woefully ignorant of their state and local government and the public officials who make important decisions affecting their daily lives. 7.Does Texas have a regressive or progressive tax system and what do these mean?   Texas has a regressive tax system, which means a tax that imposes a disproportionately heavier burden on low-income people than on the more affluent. 8.What is meant by economic diversification and has Texas done this? 6 Economic diversification is the development of new and varied business activities. New business were encouraged to relocated to or expand in Texas after the oil and gas industry, which had been the base of the state’s economy, suffered a major recession in the 1980’s. 9.What is meant by ‘cowboy rugged individualism’ and how has this impacted Texans’ views of government as a solution to problems?   The cowboy rugged individualism, with strong connotations of self-help and independence, symbolizes a political culture in Texas that does not like to look to government as a solution to many of its problems. It is the kind of individualism that continues to be exploited by political candidates in campaign ads. 10. What impact did having a frontier have on Texans? On might argue that the â€Å"wide-open spaces† of the frontier shaped Texan’s  view of their autonomy, independence, and vulnerability. It has clearly shaped attitudes toward land and the legal right to use land as one sees fit. 11. What three combined groups now make up the majority of Texans and how does their historical experiences differ from that of Anglos? What celebration are part of their political culture?   African American, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. The white population have limited relevance to the relevance to the cultural and historical experiences of many African American and Hispanic Texans. For African American is Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday as state holiday in 1991. And for Hispanics is the Cinco de Mayo. 12.Just what does political culture mean and describe the individualistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 9 Political culture a widely shared set of views, attitudes, beliefs and customs of a people as to how their government should be organized and run. Individualistic subculture holds that politics and government function as a marketplace. Government does not have to be concerned with creating a good or moral society but exists for strictly. Government should be limited, and its intervention in the private activities of its citizens should be kept to a minimum. The Government primary function is to ensure the stability of a society so that individuals can pursue their own interests. 13. Describe the moralistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 9-10 Moralistic subculture is a view that government’s primary reasonability is to promote the public welfare and should actively use its authority and power to improve the social and economic well-being of its citizens. The Moralistic subculture regards politics as one of the great activities of a man in his search for the good society. 14.Describe the traditionalistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 10 a view that political power should e concentrated in the hands of a few elite citizens who belong to established families or influential social groups. Public policy basically serves the interests of this small group. The traditionalistic subculture  holds the view that there is a hierarchical arrangement to the political order. This hierarchy serves to limit the power and influence of general public, while allocating authority to few individuals who comprise self-perpetuating elites. 15. In what states or colonies did you originally find these three subcultures and what two best describe Texas? 16. How big is the Native American population in Texas and of the three remaining groups, do they have the right to have casinos? 11 Alabama-Coushatta, Tigua and Kickappo are the three small Native American groups that live on reservations in Texas. And the Native American population is less than one-half of 1 percent of the States total population. They have been denied the right to run casinos on their reservation. Even thought, their leader consider casinos a major potential source of revenue, jobs and economic development for their people, but recent efforts to change state law have been unsuccessful. 17. Were there ever a great many Hispanics in Texas prior to 1830 and what was it down to by 1887? How much had this increased by 1930, 1990, and 2012? 12 Prior 1830 the Hispanic population were a small minority of the population. By 1887 the Hispanic population had declined to approximately 4 percent of state’s population. In 1930 it was 12 percent and was concentrated in the border counties from Brownsville to el Paso. By 1990s, it had reached 25 percent, spurred by immigration from Mexico and other Latin American countries. By 2012 the Hispanics comprised 37.6 percent of the state’s population. 18.What two ethnic or racial groups are growing the fastest in Texas and by 2030-what group will be the largest? How have Hispanics done in terms of elected officials compared to other states?12 The two ethnic will be Asian and Hispanics. However the Hispanics are likely to exceed 50 percent of the state’s total. 19. Compare the %s of Anglos, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians found in Texas in 1860 and those found in 2010? Chart 13 In 1860 it was a percent of 63.2% of Anglo. The 30.3 % are African American and 6.5% were Hispanic. However in 2010, 45.3% were Anglo, 11.5% were African American, 37.6% were Hispanic and 5.6% were other. 20.Where do African Americans tend to live in Texas?   African American settled in large numbers in the urban areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin. 21. In 2010, how many Texans were there and what was the growth rate of the state compared to the national growth rate and where did people move from and to in the US? 16 According to the 2010 census, the state’s population was 25,145,561, an increase of approximately 4.3 million people in ten years. This growth rate of 20.6 percent was significantly higher than the national growth rate of growth rate of 9.7 percent. Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2. (2016, Mar 16).

Computer applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer applications - Essay Example The use of computerized physician order entry will make it able for comparison of orders against recommended standards while also conducting a background check on other patient’s health conditions like allergies and the various conditions that could arise from the use of the medication. The four methods for ensuring physical security of health information include having facility access controls, regulating workstation use, workstation security and device and media controls. Facility access controls includes the policies and the procedures limiting physical access to information systems and the facilities an entity houses its electronic information systems and only allowing properly authorized access. Workstation use involves putting in place standards that specify the proper functions to be performed the electronic devices of the entity which might include laptops or desktop computers which should ensure that inappropriate use is not allowed to limit instances of risks like virus attacks. Workstation security on the other hand deals with physical protection from unauthorized users by restriction of physical access to workstations through the use of secured locations with access for only authorized personnel. Device and media controls regulates the receipt and the r emoval of hardware and electronic media within and without the facility and general handling of protected health information. Some of the strengths of potential of future technologies as described in the video The Future of Healthcare: Artificial Intelligence & Clinical Support System include the ability of the medical artificial intelligence to perform diagnosis while also having the capabilities of making therapy recommendations. Additionally, artificial intelligence programs are synchronized with symbolic models of disease entities with their relationship to different patient factors and clinical manifestations which improves the accuracy of the

A Small Network Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Small Network Design - Essay Example The costs of the local area network have also been included by providence of possible prices for the devices. Requirements The company requires a local area network to ensure efficient and effective communication, administration of the branches and it users. The main requirements here then are the devices to implement a local area network without concentrating on wide area network requirements. Some of the devices for a LAN include: routers for communication between branches, switches; for communication between devices in a LAN, cables; to interconnect devices, connectors; which ensure end to end connections between a cable and a device and of course office automation devices like servers e.g., file servers, mail servers and printers for storing and downloading files, for mail exchange and for installing printing software respectively. The company also will require software for their customized uses; the software might be outsourced or in-house. The company also requires operational staff software e.g., word processing. Other devices, which the company is ought to have includes telephony system such as using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and installing VoIP phones. VoIP is IP based and convergent, but use of other implementations like ISDN is possible. The company also requires mail servers e.g. ... The company wants a general LAN design, and it might also decide to include wireless LAN, which uses connectionless media for devices to communicate but not advisable because it is prone to network intrusion such as phishing and spoofing. Almost all computers come with connectors like RJ45 for Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) connection. The main cable type, which will be used, is Unshielded Twisted Pair which are used for LANs. It has several categories according to performance. For this company, the ideal one is Category 5e Ethernet (cat5e). It has a jacket and an outside sheath. Cat5e is an extension of category 5 which has extra features to minimize cross-talk and signal interference, its speed is 125Mbps unlike Cat5 which is 100Mps. Depending on the number of users and need for fast connectivity the company might opt to use Category 7 of UTP. This is also called SSTP (shielded screen twisted pair). It has a data rate of 600Mps. Computers The company requires computers to carry out all the automated work in the company and also to install software for communication. It needs desktop computers for basic office automation software like word processing, emailing and accessing the internet. For software, which require more memory and processing power such as design software and working on graphics, the company will require work stations. Laptops also can be used for both small office work and also large software, a Core i5 laptop can be as powerful as a work station and some can be termed as mobile workstations. Switches Switches are intelligent devices, unlike repeaters and hubs and are suitable for computers in the LAN of the company to

Financial Management Principles And Applications Essay

Financial Management Principles And Applications - Essay Example Long-term liability requires the payment of interest in pre-agreed periods which requires Beta to have enough liquidity to cover immediate payment of interest when it becomes due. Capital from shareholders can also be considered. This is advantageous since Beta will not be required to pay any dividends. However, issuing new shares require the company to undergo certain processes which can delay acquisition. After analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing different financing schemes, it is recommended that Beta raises fund through long-term debt. This is in consideration of the above discussion in addition to the fact that it already has a quite high level of funds from shareholders. b. An organization's trading profit and loss account showing the revenues or funds generated the entity compared to the costs and expenses incurred in its operation. In most companies, it starts with the revenue generated where the expenses are subtracted. The last line shows its net profit for the fiscal period or for listed ones, the return to its stockholders. This financial statement is often the most popular one as it is used by creditors, stockholders, and even ordinary consumers. Entities considering to provide financing for the company also often gauged profitability and ability to pay based on profit and loss account. The balance sheet shows an entity's resources and how they are financed. The organization's assets and liabilities are often listed based on their liquidity, that is, on their capacity to be converted to cash easily. Balance sheets are often scrutinized by creditors and stockholders, the major sources of financing for the company. Balance sheets provide information about the company's level of leverage which informs stockholders and creditors about their share in the company's resources and the riskiness of investing in the company.

Presuasive abbreviated outline Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Presuasive abbreviated outline - Research Paper Example The New York State DMV states that a driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08, just above the legal limit, is four times more likely to cause a traffic accident than when sober. Underage drinkers are at even higher risk, being three times more likely to be involved in a fatal alcohol-related crash. (NYSDMV) Therefore, it is vital that our justice system impose penalties to act as a deterrent to these behaviors, and be strict enough to convince drivers to think twice. However, after an analysis of the current legal situation with regard to DUI/DWI penalties, it becomes clear that the current punishments are too harsh for the crime. Preview Statement: In order to analyze the strictness of DUI and DWI laws, we will first look at the current laws on the books, how violations are determined, and finally the success of those laws. I. Current DUI Law A. Legal intoxication - BAC at or above 0.08 in all states. Is â€Å"pre se† law, a finding of BAC at the requisite level is conside red a violation regardless of circumstance (FindLaw DUI Basics) B. Zero tolerance laws (FindLaw DUI Basics) i. target drivers under 21 ii. range from any (above 0.0) to negligible (0.1-0.2) BAC iii. usually involve higher penalties, such as longer periods of license suspension (NYSDMV) C. Most states have penalties that increase with each offense (FindLaw DUI Basics) D.

Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers Essay

Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers - Essay Example The paper "Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers" is the report understanding consumer behavior using purchase-decision involvement scale proposed by Mittal. What is involvement as far as purchase decision is considered? A consumer has some inherent needs values and interests and the object of consideration has to have relevance within that framework. Often the involvement is of two types, one is situational which happens when some one has to purchase the item right then and has to make a purchase decision. There is another more enduring form in which the buyer maintains the level of interest in a product or a service , well after the situation has passed and endures even if the purchase situation does not exist. The purchase decision involvement involves four parties, the individual definitely, the product or the service class , the situation and the communication. The scale which Mittal has proposed at a high level of enduring involvement the product or service would have many attributes evaluated with compensatory decision models a narrow latitude of acceptance and a true brand loyalty. At the low end of the scale attributes are less important, the decision model is non compensatory and a wide latitude of acceptance and spurious brand loyalty. Again on the high end of the scale you have substantive messages on why the brand is what it is on the low end , the ads have little substance. Ads are fewer on the high end and frequent ads on the low end. Price is less important.

Culture, Technology & Ware Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture, Technology & Ware - Essay Example This war led to a division in America. Political and ideological thinking of Americans were also defined by this war. According to Bourque (2010), â€Å"for political and ideological reasons, many today  do  identify all who  willingly engage in sympathy for the Confederate cause,  such as supporting the flying of the Confederate flag, to be engaged in an insult to the United States, an insult to African-Americans, an insult to the human race, an insult to civilized values, close to seditious activity, and close to hate crimes activity.† How people view and think today, can be said to have been rooted to their history. There are many benefits and consequences of wars. One of the most significant effects of wars is its influence to economic institutions and trade patterns (Goldstein, n.d.). War also influenced technological developments. But the despite these influences, chronic wars has drained wealth, disrupted markets and depressed economic growths as well as multiple deaths(Goldstein, n.d.). Across time, changes in the art of war and weaponry occur. Technological advancement often follows necessity in military. According to Professor Goldstein (n.d.), â€Å"governments can coordinate research and development to produce technologies for war that also sometimes find civilian uses (such as radar in World War II).† Developments in communications technology, surveillance, and target acquisitions systems help improve the means of command and control of the military (Anand, n.d). As of right now, we have new advances in biotechnology and nano-technology which have great impact on human health. The conduct in warfare is changing over time. These advances in technology changed the processes in our military and the efficiency of doing their responsibilities. Future warfare may utilize advanced technology and weaponry. Because of these developments, it is just very easy to start a war between one place and

Risks and Internal Controls for Kudler Fine Foods Essay Example for Free

Risks and Internal Controls for Kudler Fine Foods Essay Internal controls are policies and procedures a company uses to ensure the accuracy and validity of their data. Risks are threats to that data that could be internal or external of the company (Hunton, Bryant, Bagranoff, 2004). The following paragraphs will identify and analyze the risks and internal controls as they relate to the information systems for Kudler Find Foods. This will give Kudler information on how to evaluate risks and the application of the internal controls and this document will discuss other external risks associate with buying a new accounting information system (AIS). Identifying and Analyzing Risks There are many types of risks that a company has to confront each day in information technology (IT). The four main types of risk are business, audit, security, and continuity risks. A business risk is when a company will not be able to achieve its goals and objectives; this could be union issues, a competing company, fraud, or production equipment failure. Audit risks include misstatement of financials by an auditor or a failure by an auditor to uncover fraud or material errors. A security risk can be a host of things that would ruin the integrity and access of the data, which can also lead to fraud or misuse of other information from internal (like employees) to external (like hackers) sources. And, finally, continuity risks are information system risks that have to do with backup, recovery and day to day availability of the system. When unplanned risks occur, management and auditor need to act quickly to intercept the risk, balance the risk with cost-effective countermeasures, since it is impossible to plan all risks (Hunton, Bryant, Bagranoff, 2004). It is important to thoroughly evaluate the AIS selected for risks as it includes confidential customer, vendor, payroll and corporate information within the master databases. The types of risks associated with Kudler’s new AIS system are system setup, data transfer and implementation issues, the AIS exceeding server capacity, other technology issues, and internal security breaches such as fraud, loss, or misuse of data. Typically the risks to AIS systems are primarily internal threats, as processing occurs behind the Company’s firewalls and system access is usually limited to only company employees. Kudler has multiple stores, so it might be web-enabled, allowing vendor users and employees to access the system over the Internet, which will expose their system to external threats. This increased connectivity might make unauthorized access easier for hackers and therefore data loss, industrial espionage, fraud and system outages could occur as well (Goldenberg, 2011). Internal controls are vital to put into place from this point of assessing the risks. Identifying and Analyzing Internal Controls The purposes of internal controls for an AIS are to protect the data resources against fraud, damage, and loss. It is also to ensure accuracy, validity, and reliability of the financials and operating data, which will help Kudler to stay compliant with its policies and procedures of the company and make better decision making strategies. For best business practices, internal controls need to be put into place, as the risks are many for Kudler, but in order for management to document their understanding of internal controls, they should use a flowchart to highlights risk issues and areas needing control. Attached are Appendix A, B, C, and D Data Flowcharts for Kudler. On these charts are highlighted areas of possible risks and potential internal controls to put into place (Apollo Group, 2013). The first step to developing an effective internal control system is to identify the areas where exploitation or errors are likely to occur. Separation of duties is the key to eliminate many fraudulent concerns surrounding accounting and finance. No employee should handle more than one of the following responsibilities: record keeping, authorization, reconciliations, and custody of assets. The following areas in accounting should also be reviewed for internal risks: * Cash receipts and disbursements: This will include deposits recorded and made promptly to the bank, checks signed and reviewed by management, petty cash secured and roperly recorded, bank reconciliations are done monthly and reviewed by Management, AP and AR master data files are secured with end user controlled passwords. * Payroll: This will include that all payroll changes should be approved by a supervisor, that disbursements are for actual employees, and tax filing are filed in compliance. * Fixed Assets: This will include all purchases of Fixed Assets are properly labeled and recorded and are used solely for work purposes, should be reviewed by Management monthly. Ordering (Inventory): This will include all orders are approved before placing, audits are done of inventory regularly, and inventory is properly recorded in compliance with depreciation schedules. * System changes: Approval of all changes that will occur to the system must be assigned by the Security Administrator to the Programmers and the Programmers must work with the end users for the changes and then get approval from Management before implementing the changes (BDO Consulting, 2009). Controls Outside of the System Other controls outside of the system that Kudler should evaluate for risks and improvement could be environmental controls, such as physical access to the building or utilities, or operational controls, such as personnel policies, strategic planning, administration, and supply chain, or even reputation controls, such as internal or external communications and media issues. Achieving understandable business controls on any level requires Kudler to clearly state procedures for handling each area, including a system of checks and balances in which segregation of duties has been established from beginning to end of the process. Management has the responsibility for setting a tone and degree of accountability and preciseness regarding the company’s assets and responsibilities. Management fulfills that responsibility in part by approving many aspects of the internal controls (Disaster Recovery Journal, 2011). Conclusion It is the responsibility of Kudler Fine Foods’ management to understand, monitor, and control risks. This document has shed some light on potential risks the company could face, but being prepared for all risks is impossible. Evaluating and implementing a system of internal controls allows the company to have peace of mind that the organization is able to deal effectively with managing its data, resources, and operations from certain risks. Internal controls also support reliable reporting and compliance with laws and regulations, which are necessary for best practices in business.

Overview Of The Economic Growth Of Poland Economics Essay

Overview Of The Economic Growth Of Poland Economics Essay Polands economy looked bleak during the 1980s. Few would consider Poland as a business hub due to its low economic growth and soaring inflation rate (Nuti, 1986). Fast-forward to the 21st century, Polands economy has changed tremendously. It is not just the only European country to survive the current recession but it is still experiencing rapid growth  [1]  . What could have possibly instigated Polands this drastic change in the time span of only 2 decades? This essay will use the PESTLE  [2]  analysis to understand the positive force that initiated the economic growth and also examine the causes that might hinder Polands future economic growth. Porters Diamond will be used for the critical evaluation and support of the PESTLE analysis. Political Reform The fall of communism in 1989 had led to vast improvements in Polands economy. One might disagree with that because the event took place over 20 years ago, however, the effect of political change does not happen overnight and there would be a time lag involved (Gillespie, 1999). The most significant change after the fall of communism is in stabilising the country. Poland is the 29th politically most stable country with the index score of 4.5 (Economic Intelligence Unit, 2009). This provides a sense of security for investment and business, for example, if Poland is in an unstable situation akin to the current Libyan crisis, people would avoid investing in the country. In contrast to a communist state, a democratic country allows the voice of people to be heard, and their opinions and views to be realised. Citizens in democratic countries tend to have greater respect for the leaders they chose for themselves compared to otherwise. For example, in a company, a bottom-up leadership has a better effect than a top-down leadership because workers would respect the leader and this allows employees to bring out best of their skill set and experience. Similar principle applies for macroeconomic levels. Additionally, a democratic country is highly likely to prosper due to reduced frictional social interactions among citizens (Kariel, 1956). Furthermore, the Polish government has developed a radical program known as the Shock Therapy to curb hyper inflation. Poland was once ruled under a planned economy system. Shock Therapy is a transition from a planned economy system to market economy. It is a sudden release of price, followed by the removal of subsidies and large scale privatisations of previously publicly owned companies (Murell, 1993). This program has both short and long term effects. The planned economy provided employment to almost every citizen but with inflation rates of around 600% (Cottarelli Szapà ¡ry, 1998), low wages and severe shortages of basic necessities. This Shock Therapy suppressed the hyperinflation and stopped the food shortage (Haggard Webb, 1996). However, all these problems are only short term problems. The ideal result lies in the long term measure. One of the key reasons of why Poland economy growth has been so steady in the past few years was because of its market economy (Kornai, 2000). This has provided opportunities for small service firms to contribute to Polands economy (Nunnally, 2010), which was unachievable during the communist era. Market economies encourage international business because the barriers to entry are lowered increasing the opportunity for success and lowering sunk costs. Poland also has excellent relations with foreign countries allowing it to benefit from several advantages such as enjoying tax free zones within the EU since joining it in May 2004 (Papazoglou, Pentecost, Marques, 2006). This is important because imported goods within Europe are cheaper, hence lowering production costs. Another vital factor of entering the EU is curbing the high unemployment rate. Since adopting the free market policy, Poland has high unemployment rates  [3]  . By joining the EU, Polands unemployed workforce is able to look for jobs outside Poland. Lowering unemployment rates is crucial in reducing social problems and creating a better environment for investors. Economic Advantages In addition to political factors, economic factors have also enhanced economic growth. The first step was implementing a floating exchange to curb hyperinflation (Sachs, 1996) which, in addition, helped Poland to survive the current economic crisis by facilitating economic adjustments. During the economic crisis, the Zloty depreciated against the Euro and Sterling. This meant Polish goods were more competitive than European goods both at home and abroad. One might think that there are so many countries with lower exchange rates, so why would investors invest in Poland? The answer lies in the nature of its currency- Zloty is very stable as a currency  [4]  , it only oscillates within a certain range. This is very important for a business because cost of production would not fluctuate and there would be less uncertainty. Investors tend to avoid the risks arising from uncertainty and the Zloty provides a sense of security to businessmen and investors. In planning to adopt the euro i n 2015 (Dnevnik.bg, 2010), Poland will be forgoing the competitive advantage of its currency. To evaluate, this is a good option as the global economy grows as the Euro will provide more advantages (Gulde, Kahkonen, Keller, 2000). Many things have changed since the transitional period of Poland. Polish people have become richer over the years and Poland is one of the richest nations, second only to the Czechs in the Central Europe (Credit Suisse, 2010). Also, an average Polish is three times richer than an average Russian (Jedrzej, 2010). Their wealth leads to strong domestic consumption within Poland  [5]  which led to strong economic growth especially during the recession. Export based countries, such as Singapore, suffered greatly during the recession. The impact of the recession is less in the case of Poland because the domestic market within Poland is large and accounts for more than half of Polands market. Although it is hard to believe, the initial high unemployment rate also boosted economic growth. Polish people are highly educated with 99% of their citizens being educated (TradingEconomics, 2009). Skilled and educated workers tend to be more expensive. However, due to the high unemployment rates, labour costs in Poland are comparatively lower than other countries, such as Germany. This is a strong selling point for investors abroad. These investments are crucial because it has reduced unemployment rates and increased economic activity in Poland, subsequently enhancing economic growth. FDI has increased steadily since 1995 with the exception of 2008 and 2009 due to global economic crisis (United Nation Conference of Trade and Development, 2010). It has boosted economic activities greatly. Other than a cheap but skilled labour force, Special Economic Zones established by the Polish government has also attracted foreign investors. At present, there are 14 Special Economic Zone in Poland (KPMG, 2009). Different areas have different geographical landscapes allowing wide-ranges of businesses to be set up. These areas provide opportunities for tax exemption. The amount of tax exempted will depend on the size of the investment (Nam, 2004). The Special Economic Zones have attracted investors from all over the world, in particular investors from the EU as the benefits are greatly to their advantage to invest. The regulations are more flexible and they share the same benefits as Polish firms. These, combined with the stability exchange rate of Zloty, have attracted FDI from the EU as all investors stand an equal chance. Porters Factor Conditions Although Poland has enjoyed steady economic growth in recent years, there are still a few factors hindering their growth, for example, having poor transportation systems. Having good infrastructures enables a country to fully utilise their resources efficiently and effectively boosting the economy. Therefore for Poland to improve on their economic growth, they must improve on their infrastructure. In my opinion, the infrastructure would not be a concern because Euro 2012 will be held by Poland and funds had been provided by the EU as an aid to improve on their infrastructure (Szafranko, 2010). Evaluation As previously mentioned, political stability is key to economic growth but there are factors that unsettle Polands stability such as corruption  [6]  . This is a significant disadvantage, for instant, if the government invested in a  £10million project but due to corruption, only  £2 million is injected, the project would either be substandard or incomplete due to the amount of money lost. Furthermore, safety will also be a key concern due to the substandard undertakings. With this kind of uncertainties, investors will have their doubts when investing in the country. However, Poland has taken several measures to reduce corruption, and with more effort, corruption can be reduced. Besides that, the countrys high unemployment rate can also be a concern for the country  [7]  . While it is true that the high unemployment rate saved Poland during the recession, it cannot be a long term plan for the country. A high rate of unemployment would cause stress within the country and crime rate would increase causing instability. Furthermore, it would also prevent the country for optimising their resources. Despite the current high unemployment, recent reports show that the unemployment rate is steadily decreasing over the years  [8]  . Conclusion In conclusion, there are many factors driving Polands economic growth such as political stability and stable exchange rates. Polands external competitiveness has been tested by the rise of the BRIC, notably China. There are numerous reasons why Poland has been able to attract large volumes of FDI, one of which is the Special Economic Zones with tax exemptions lowering business costs. Sound macroeconomic policies have sharpened Polands competitive edge and positioned it well to seize opportunities from joining the EU, therefore attracting more FDI leading to further growth. The main difficulty Poland now faces is corruptions. However, the extent to which this has affected Polands economic growth is hard to determine but the pull factors of economic growth outweighs this problem. There is also room for supplementary improvement to further boost the economy especially the developments of infrastructures. Nonetheless, the growth for Poland is sure to progress with the adoption of Euro an d Euro 2012. Critical Reflection The PESTLE analysis allows clear insight of the country in the macroeconomic level. The political and economic aspects of the PESTLE provide a clear framework on how it affects the economical growth and the extent of the influence. However, the usage of PESTLE is limited to the present and does not give a wider picture of the future such as Poland is planning to adopt Euro in 2015. Under some circumstances, analysing the PESTLE is insufficient in certain aspects such as the infrastructure in Poland. Nevertheless, the Porters Diamond Factor Conditions are used to complement the weaknesses of this issue. However, both models fail to address one major factor, the regulatory factor given in the STEER  [9]  analysis which is important given the recent financial crisis. Furthermore, in my opinion, safety of a country is important as well. Safety is indispensable because it provides certainty for foreign investors. Although the PESTLE analysis is widely used and it provides information on various factors, I think a new model that incorporates more factors should be introduced. There are many factors driving Polands economic growth, however, the level of contribution of each factor is uncertain. One might wonder how Hungary suffered from a different fate from Poland despite both having floating exchange rates. In my opinion, it is not just the floating exchange, but the different factors that complement each other that exist only within Poland to have boosted Polands economic growth. Lastly, research was made based on recent statistics for data accuracy. However, sources from research using resources that date back to 20 years were also used. The results are important because this data provides an insight to the initiation of Polands economic growth after the downfall of communism. Some resources are subject to biased views, making it impossible to obtain a perfectly accurate reasoning. Mixed responses can be seen regarding the countrys progress. According to local Polish people in the university, it is said that Polands economy is not very promising. However, according to other reports, the results say otherwise. In my opinion, Polands progress is very promising but the government should provide more social benefits to the local Polish to prevent outward migration which may lead to brain drain. Bibliography Business Monitor International. (2011). Poland Infrastrucuture Report Q1. Warsaw: Business Monitor International. Cottarelli, C., Szapà ¡ry, G. (1998). Moderate inflation: the experience of transition economies. Hungary: International Monetary Fund. Credit Suisse. (2010). Poles getting rich quickà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Warsaw: Global Wealth Report. Dnevnik.bg. (2010). Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic to adopt euro in 2015 analysts. Sofiaecho , 50. E, P. M. (1990). The Competitve Advantage of Nations. Harvard Business Review , 73-93. Economic Intelligence Unit. (19 March, 2009). Viewsfire. Retrieved 2011 April, 4, from Viewsfire: http://viewswire.eiu.com/site_info.asp?info_name=social_unrest_tablepage=noadsrf=0 Eurostat. (6 April, 2011). Poland Unemployment Rate. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from Eurostat: http://sdw.ecb.europa.eu/quickview.do?SERIES_KEY=132.STS.M.PL.S.UNEH.RTT000.4.000 Eurostat. (6 April, 2011). Real GDP Growth Rate. Retrieved 7 Aptril, 2011, from Eurostat: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=tableinit=1plugin=1language=enpcode=tsieb020 Gillespie, P. (1999). Too early to say if 1989 was a liberation or a revolution. World News , 16. Gulde, A.-M., Kahkonen, J., Keller, P. (2000). Pros and cons of currency board arrangements in the lead-up to EU accession and participation in the Euro zone. International Economic Review , 173. Haggard, S., Webb, S. B. (1996). Voting for reform: democracy, political liberalization, and economic adjustment. New York: Oxford University Press. Jedrzej, B. (13 October, 2010). Poles are at the forefront of nations increasingly rich. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from Gelda Waluty Finanse, FT: http://forsal.pl/artykuly/458053,polacy_sa_w_swiatowej_czolowce_bogacacych_sie_narodow.html Kariel, H. S. (1956). Democracy Unlimited: Lewins Field Theory. The American Journal of Sociology , 280-289. Kornai, J. (2000). Ten Years After The Road to a Free Economy: The Authors Self-Evaluation . SSRN , 29. KPMG. (2009). A Special Economic Zone in Poland. Warsaw: Invest in Poland. Laposte. (4 January, 2010). Polands Consumptio. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from Laposte. McKEEVER INSTITUTE of ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS. (December, 2004). POLAND: Economic Policy Analysis. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from McKEEVER INSTITUTE of ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS: http://www.mkeever.com/poland.html Murell, P. (1993). What is shock therapy? What did it do in Poland and Russia? Post-Soviet Affairs , 111-137. Nam, C. W. (2004). Types of Tax Concessions for Attracting Foreign Direct Investment in Free Economic Zones. Munich: Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute for Economic Research. National Bank of Poland. (7 April, 2011). Exchange Rate Archive. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from National Bank of Poland: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=tableinit=1plugin=1language=enpcode=tsieb020 Nunnally, S. (2010). Economic Growth And Low Labor Costs Make For Attractive Investments. Articlesnatch , 1. Nuti. (1986). Hidden and Repressed Inflation in Soviet Economies:Definition, Measurements and Stabilisation . Contributions to Political Econo , 37-82. Papazoglou, C., Pentecost, E. J., Marques, H. (2006). A Gravity Model Forecast of the Potential Trade Effects of EU Enlargement: Lessons from 2004 and Path-dependency in Integration. The World Economy , 1077-1089. Sachs, J. D. (1996). Economic transition and the exchange-rate regime. The American Economic Review , 147. Szafranko, E. (2010). Evaluation of a Possible Development of the Transportation Network in Poland Supported by the EU Funds. Olsztyn Economic Journal , 357-379. TradingEconomics. (2009). Literacy rate; youth total (% of people ages 15-24) in Poland. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from Trading Economics: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/poland/literacy-rate-youth-total-percent-of-people-ages-15-24-wb-data.html United Nation Conference of Trade and Development. (22 July , 2010). World Investment Report 2010. Retrieved 7 April, 2011, from Invest in Poland: http://www.paiz.gov.pl/files/?id_plik=13224 Appendix Appendix 1 Polands economic growth has been steady with the exception of the economic crisis in 2008. Source: Adapted from (Eurostat, 2011) Appendix 2 PESTLE Analysis In this essay, I utilised the Political and Economical factors in the PESTLE analysis. The PESTLE analysis provided me a clear framework to facilitate my research on the essay. Appendix 3 Polands have high unemployment rate. However, over the last few years, unemployment has been decreasing steadily. C:UsersNicoDesktopunemplo.png Source: Adapted from (Eurostat, 2011) Appendix 4 The Polish currency, Zlotych had depreciates against the Euro from 2008 to 2009 which caused the Polish currency to be more competitive in the market. Low currency value reduces the cost of borrowing hence it attracts investors to invest more in the country. Furthermore, the exchange rate is very stable, making it a reliable currency. Source: Adapted from (National Bank of Poland, 2011) Appendix 5 Polands domestic consumption is much bigger than the export. The high domestic consumption is one of the reasons that allowed Poland to enjoy a positive GDP despite the current economic crisis. Source: Adapted from (Laposte, 2010) Appendix 6 Polands is generally stable politically with the exception of corruptions. Source: Adapted from (McKEEVER INSTITUTE of ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS, 2004) Appendix 7 Porters Diamond Factors Condition The Porters Diamond factors condition analyses nations position in factors of production (E, 1990). From there, the key opportunity and threats can be highlighted clearly. In this case, the infrastructure is examined because it is the weak link in Polands economic growth. However, Poland infrastructure has been growing steadily (Business Monitor International, 2011). Appendix 8 STEER Analysis The STEER analysis is the updated version of the PESTLE framework. The main factor that differentiates STEER from PESTLE is the regulatory factor.

Essay --

JFC is building a competitive advantage to go against some global competitors such as KFC, McDonald’s and Burger King. The secrets of its success from perspective of marketing are focusing on the Filipino market, building brand equity and offering variety and convenience. JFC builds very strong brand equity. The brand sign is the bee, which is really engraved to the minds and hearts of Filipinos. And also they are engaged in socio-civic programs to serve its communities. JFC puts major resources in the Filipino market to serve local style meals that cannot be found in competitors’ chains. They serve spaghetti, rice and burgers in Filipino style. JFC is offering a menu with a wide variety of meals. And JFC’s one-stop outlet will bring convenience to all customers. From perspective of operations, JFC is learning McDonald’s operating systems and trying to gain more control on costs, service and quality to be able to reduce production time and ensure quality and higher standard of cleanliness. From perspective of human Resource, JFC provides high-class services in its stores. JFC is only looking for service-oriented staff through high- standard processes of recruitment and selection. JFC offers higher compensation to increase staff loyalty and encourage better service performance. JFC also offers training programs to help staff to gain necessary skills and builds a better working environment to increase the standards of service. 2. Although the new brands have its own different identity; JFC can still leverage its resources and skills in management, recruitment, training, selection, marketing and logistics. And also they can use economies of scale to reduce cost of production. I think that there should not be dilution of the Jollib... ...e brand equity. JFC should bring the same IT system technology to ensure operation efficiency and understand consumer trends overseas. JFC should figure out what the local customers want, and build localized service standards. And also they should train local staff by using the same methods to train its best crew to ensure consistent high-level service. 5. I believe that JFC should concentrate on the Philippines market since this market is growing at the fastest rate and has 89 percent of all stores. And JFC should also focus on China market since China’s market and economy are developing very quickly, and both McDonald’s and KFC are operating very well in China. However, expanding in overseas should not be the main focus. It takes a lot of efforts, investments and costs, especially marketing cost to introduce this unfamiliar food culture to the local customers.

The Black Death :: essays research papers

The Black Death Early historians argued about the origin of The Black Death. Many, Christians who witnessed the carnage brought on by The Plague, believed that it came from the Jesuits, and that the Jews had poisoned the wells and groundwater, this type of thinking brought about the death of many Jews. Some believed that it came from the 'land of darkness' (Mongolia) Modern day chroniclers agree that The Black Death moved from east to west spreading like a shadow, crossing from India to China to Europe. Lois Sanctus of Avignon reasoned that The Plague originated in India, and notes that it had arrived on the Mediterranean coast of France in 1347. Historian and scholar Nicephorus Gregoras from Constantinople testified that in 1347 the disease had invaded humanity starting from Scythia, (southern Russia) and spread to Maeotis and the mouth of the Tanais, (Don River) and lasted throughout the year. Still another testimony from a Muslim author, Ibn al-Wardi claims that the Black Death had been present in the Mongol Empire as early as 1331 before spreading to India and China. Most historians today however agree that The Plague was carried by fleas, living on rats in the Asian Steppes, and were transported by Mongol armies moving east. The Plague would then have spread through the rest of Europe via merchant trading. Michele Da Piazza a Franciscan friar in the convent of Catania in Sicily succumbed to the disease, but not before noting the symptoms of The Plague including pustules on the arms and legs, and that The Plague penetrated the body so that its victims coughed up blood from the mouth and nose for days before the dying. Giovanni Boccaccio, a writer from Florence noticed further symptoms, certain swellings in the groin or armpit, roughly the size of an apple, accompanied by death. Further documentation from Lois Sanctus of Avignon states that The Plague had three definitive forms, Bubonic ? Painful swelling of the lymph nodes in the arm pits and the groin. Pneumonic ? affects the respiratory system. Septicemic ? The poisoning of the blood. It was believed that one could become afflicted if you so much as looked at an infected person. The Plague would however have been spread like the common cold, through physical contact or airborne contact. Medieval doctors of the 14th century were far lacking in the medical technology that we rely on today. Chroniclers of the Black Death attacked medical practitioners, accusing them of being cowards, incompetent and greedy.

Youth Gangs and Violence In Schools Essays -- Youth Gangs Essays

The theme, which I have decided to research and base my portfolio on, is Youth Gangs and Violence In Schools. The term â€Å"Youth† is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as the period between childhood and adulthood and is also commonly used as a noun to describe young people. The same dictionary defines a â€Å"Gang† as an organised group of criminals or disorderly young people. Youth gangs are groups of young people who assemble and often engage in criminal and illegal activities such as graffiti, vandalism, theft, robbery and violent activities including, gang fights and brawls. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines â€Å" violence† as behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt, damage or kill. Violent acts committed by gang members are often done with the intention of causing physical and or psychological trauma/ injury to persons. These acts include bullying, threatening, inflicting physical injury or applying any physical force, which hurts a person, the throwing of objects and missiles at or towards persons, destruction of a victim’s property or any type of sexual abuse and sexual harassment. ====================================================================== Nowadays, there is a small minority of students attending elementary and more so secondary schools who are forming gangs. The growth of gang culture has not only occurred in places like the United States of America and Great Britain, but also in smaller lesser-developed countries in the Caribbean. ====================================================================== Sad to say, Gang Violence in my very own school is on the rise. As re... ... In conclusion, neither the level nor incidence of school violence and gang culture has yet gripped the Caribbean as it has elsewhere. However, the youths here are influenced by the cross fertilization of contemporary social behaviour as depicted in songs, music videos (MTV; BET; VH1) films and literature. American culture is dominant and is very influential on Caribbean society. The two pieces are good starting points. They are informative, well written and documented. The level and type of violence, which is emerging here has American influence and thus the studies are relevant, though not in all respects. Our socio-economic and demographic factors are quite different. Both studies are well written, clear and easy to follow and can undoubtedly assist the reader, as it did me, in my research on this topic.

Leadership Style and Its Impact on Employees

FACULITY OF GRADUATE STUDIES MBA PROGRAM THE BANK MANAGERS' LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES' JOB SATISFACTION IN THE SOUTH OF WEST BANK BY AFNAN MOHAMMAD AMER ADVISOR DR. SHARIF ABUKARSH This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA), College of Graduate Studies, Hebron University. 2009 1 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my appreciation to those who provided valuable advice and assistance during preparation of this thesis My appreciation to my Advisor Dr. Sharif Abukarsh for his guidance and support. And my appreciation to all the Bank anagers who allowed me to conduct the research in their branches My appreciation to every one helped me to make this piece of work completed.3 DECLARATION No portion of the work referred in this study has application qualification for to been submitted another this or as degree any or other university or institute of learning. 4 an DEDICATION This piece of w ork is dedicated to all my family members, especially to the great father I have, to my precious mother, my best friend Akram, and my lovely kids; zaid, Sanad, Manar and mohammad, for their patience and supporting. To them and to everyone who participated, helped, and encouraged me o complete this work, I dedicate this thesis 5ABSTRACT THE BANK MANAGERS' LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES' JOB SATISFACTION IN THE SOUTH OF WEST BANK Job satisfaction is one of the most important human resource-related outcomes, Further; organizations that have more satisfied employees are likely to be more productive and profitable. Among determinants of job satisfaction, leadership is viewed as an important predictor and plays a central role. This study recognizes the types of the existing Bank managers' leadership style in southern part of West Bank and its impact on employees' job satisfaction from the view oint of its employees. All the employees of (20) Bank branches in the southern par t of West Bank which are (390) employees, were the target population of the research. The researcher developed one questionnaire used as a primary source consists of of three collecting main data, parts: the this first questionnaire part contained questions about the employees demographic variables, the second part is about the indicators of the current leadership styles of the Bank managers in the southern part of West Bank and the third part is a bout the job satisfaction of the Bank employees. One hundred distributed employees in to twenty a the three tratified Banks of questionnaires systematic southern 6 part have sample of of West been the Bank. Eighty nine questionnaires were returned which make the respondents rate (72. 4%). The results of the research highlighted a strong positive relationship between democratic leadership style and employees' job satisfaction, a slightly weak positive relationship employees' between job autocratic satisfaction and leadership a strong style and negative relationship between the laissez fair leadership style and employees' job satisfaction.7 CHAPTER ONE THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND 1. 1 Introduction Job human satisfaction is resource-related ften-studied topic the one outcomes, in of the and most important perhaps management and the most industrial psychology. Further, organizations that have more satisfied employees are likely to be more productive and profitable. Job satisfaction, characteristics likely such result as customer low together and in with environmental other turnover satisfaction, other characteristics, organizationally reduced positive valued absenteeism and organizational job satisfaction, job will outcomes productivity, effectiveness. (kim 2004) Among determinants of leadership is viewed as an important predictor and plays a central role. Leadership is management function, which is mostly directed towards people and social interaction, as well as the process of influencing people so that they will a chieve the goals of the organization (Rad and Yarmohammadian, 2004).By using appropriate leadership styles, managers can affect employee job satisfaction, commitment and productivity. Leadership style can be viewed as a series of managerial attitudes, behaviors, characteristics and skills based on individual and organizational values, leadership interests 8 and reliability of employees in different situations (Mosadeghrad, 2003). And because of the historical development of the Banking ector in Palestine which was, initially, marked by weakness and deformity in its structure and activities due to the political circumstances that Palestine went through. Apparently, there was an immense need for building a strong Banking system able to meet the economical and financial requirements of Palestine. And this strong Banking system mainly depends on the human force that like any business must be satisfied previously in mentioned, the work employee's place. job And as it was satisfaction is affected mostly by the managers' leadership style. (Parker, 2003) 1. 2 The Paradigm of the Study Independent variables Dependent variableManagers' Leadership style Job satisfaction Autocratic style Democratic style Laissez-fair style Employees' demographic variables †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Sex Academic qualification Salary Hierarchy level Moderator variables 9 F igure 1. 1: Conceptual framework There is one independent variable: managers' leadership style, which will affect the dependent variable: employees' job satisfaction. There are three leadership style indicators (autocratic, democratic, laissez fair), In addition, there are four moderator variables: employees' sex, their academic qualification, salary, and hierarchy level, that will affect the strength of the relation etween the dependent and independent variables. (Kenny, 1986) 1. 6 Objectives of the Study This study aims to accomplish the following objectives: 1. To explore the leadership styles of Bank mangers in s outhern part of West Bank. 2. To identify the best style achieving of high level job satisfaction that to be recommended and followed. 3. To explore the impact of sex, academic qualification, salary, hierarchy level, in determining the job satisfaction of the south West Bank employees. 4. To explore the level of job satisfaction of employees in south West Bank Banks. 1.3 Statement of the Problem Most of the time the success or failure f any business in general and Banking in particular is determined by the efforts and by the hard work done by its human workforce. And since one of the important factors influencing the employees activities and job satisfaction is the leadership style of their managers, a study of the 10 leadership style of the Bank managers and its relation with the employees satisfaction is essential for these managers to identify their styles and its impact on their employees performance, which will directly affect the Banking performance, with all its implications on the Palestinian economy. In order to accomplish the main objective of this study, nswers to the following specific sub-problems are sought: 1. What are the primary leadership styles of the Bank managers from the view point of its employees in southern part of West Bank? 2. What are the most remarkable characteristics of these styles from the view point of the employees? 3. What is the employees' job satisfaction level in southern part of West Bank? 4. What are the most remarkable characteristics of the employees' job satisfaction in southern part of West Bank?5. Is there a clear relationship between Bank managers' leadership style and the employees' job satisfaction in southern part of West Bank? . Is there a particular sub items in managers' leadership style or styles that result in the highest job satisfaction for the employees in southern part of West Bank? 1. 4 Null Hypothesis Based on the problem statement mentioned above, the research hypotheses for this study are as follow s: 11 1. There is no significant relationship between the leadership style of the Bank managers and the job satisfaction of its employees in southern part of West Bank. 2. There is no significant difference in the level of job satisfaction demographic of Bank employees variables (sex, in relation academic to the qualification, alary, hierarchy level). 1. 5 Significance of the Study Job satisfaction is an essential aspect of the human resource- related outcomes. And because of its significance in an organization, job satisfaction is perhaps the most often-studied topic in management and in industrial psychology (Kim 2004). And since job satisfaction is highly affected by managers' leadership style.The significance of this study is underlined as this study is the first in Palestine according to the knowledge of the researcher done in the Banking sector The importance development of of this Banking study sector, lies and in its studying mpact on the factors that may improve or hinder e mployees' job satisfaction. On the customers level, the more employees satisfaction, means the insurance of a better service, from one hand, and on the other hand , the well being of the Banking employees will have its clear effect on the Banking sector success,12 which the customer will directly feel; as a success in major economy key player. The results of this research will highlight the effect of management style on the job satisfaction, which will be an additional contribution to the national literature that will help in a better planning for future developmental lans of the Banking sector in Palestine. 1. 7 Scope and Limitation of the Study The time scope: the time of the research from January, 2008 to March, 2009. The place scope: The research will be composed of all the Palestinian Banks in the southern part of West Bank (Hebron, Bethlehem, Betjalah). Human scope: all the employees of the Palestinian Banks in the southern part of West Bank will be the population of the resea rch. Limitations of the study: 1. Some of the subordinates did not have time to fill the questionnaire in due time, and because of that it took the researcher more than planned to collect the data. 2.Some of the branch managers were reluctant or refused to cooperate, due to the contradiction of the excepted results of the study with their interests. 13 Banks framework table 1. 1 The working Banks in Palestine according to Palestinian Monetary Authority. Bank number Bank name 1 Arabic Bank 2 Cairo Amman Bank 3 Alquds Bank for Development and Investment 4 Palestine Islamic Bank 5 Arab Islamic Bank 6 Palestine Investment Bank 7 Bank of Jordan 8 The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance 9 Jordan Ahli Bank 10 Egyptian Arab land Bank 11 Bank of Palestine PLC 12 Al Rafah Microfinance Bank 13 Commercial Bank of Palestine 4 Palestine International Bank 15 Al-Aqsa Islamic Bank16 Arab Palestinian Investment Bank 17 Jordan Commercial Bank 18 Jordan-Kuwait Bank 14 Bank number Bank name 19 Union Ban k for Savings 20 HSBC Bank Middle East Limited 21 Principal Bank of Development and Agricultural Source(Palestinian Monetary Authority web site (http://www. pmapalestine. org) 15 1. 8 Definition of Terms Bank: a commercial institution that keeps money in accounts for individuals or organizations, makes loans, exchanges currencies, provides credit to businesses, and offers other financial services. (Macesich, 2000) Bank manager: manager of branch office of a Bank. (Macesich, 2000, p. 80) Leadership: ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen (Kouzes and Posner 2007) Autocratic leadership style: A leadership style where the leader solves the himself/herself problem using the or makes information the decision available at by the time.(Richard and Robert, 2009) Democratic leadership characterized by group style: a style participation in of leadership decision-making where the leader shares the problem with the relevant team members as a group. (Parker, 2003) Laissez fair leadership style: It s one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. (Richard and Robert, 2009) Job satisfaction: and an attitude (Cranny, 2002) 16 towards one’s job First line supervision manager: of a An middle individual manager who and is works under the responsible for managing the daily activities of a group of workers (Abas, 2003) Southern Part of West Bank: Bethlehem, Betjala and Hebron 17 CHAPTER Two REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ANDSTUDIES This chapter international studies includes about literature, the topic of local the and research, which is collected by reviewing different books and studies from different university libraries. The chapter has two parts; the first is about literature of leadership style and job satisfaction, whereas the second is about international and local studies related to the topic of the research. 2. 1 Literature Review of the Leadership Style In this part, the literature and theoretical framework about the leadership style is provided. 2. 1. 1 Leadership Concept In a competitive and quickly changing business nvironment, the effective leadership becomes one of the most critical needs and requirements (Pierce and Newstrom, 1995). Leaders need to hold visions, values, assumptions and paradigms that are oriented, empowered in agreement workforce successful. (Kotter, 1990) 18 in with having order to a team- be most Many researchers have defined leadership (Specrtum, 1999) defined leadership as the ability to influence others to achieve a specific goals and objects. Another definition influencing a of leadership is of persons achieve group to the process the of required goals of an organization. (Shachleton, 1995) There are some asic elements shape the concept of leadership, which are: 1. The ex istence of a group of people working in a certain organization. 2. The existence of a leader from the group who got the ability to influence their actions. 3. The existence of a specific object to obtain. (Kan'an, 2002) The ends of leadership involve getting results through others and the means of leadership involve the ability to build goal-oriented teams. (Richard and Robert, 2009) Finally the researcher defines the leadership as the ability to influence a group of people or a community to achieve specific goals. 2. 1. 2. Sources of Leadership Strength Where does the leader's power come from?Do leaders have it? Or do followers give it them? As we shall see the answer may be both†. (Richard and Robert, 2009, p. 138) 19 The sources of leadership that gives the power and authority to a leader are 🙠 Parker, 2003) †¢ Expert power: Is the power of knowledge, some people are able to influence others through their relative expertise in particular area. †¢ Referent power: refers to the potential influence one has due to the strength of the relationship between the leader and the follower. †¢ Legitimate power: is based on the official authority that a person got in the organizational structure Reward power: involves the potential to influence others due to one's control over desired resources like the power to give raises or promotions. †¢ Coercive power: the opposite or reward power, is based on expectations of punishment for not doing the expected duties and work. 2. 1. 3 Types of Leadership Leadership style is an approach of giving direction, motivating people and implementing plans. As there are many leaders, there are different leadership styles. A good leader uses the right leadership style according to the situation.There are three types of leadership styles that vary in terms of decision making (Nathant, 2007) . Autocratic style 20 2. Democratic style 3. Laissez-fair style 1. Autocratic Leadership The autocratic style is chara cterized by maximum control by the leader on the group members (Bernhard & Walsh, 1990) This leadership style is based on the notion that enlisting people in decision making processes encumbers the efficient running of a business. (Zowelif, 1996) Autocratic leadership goes beyond decision making; it involves attempts to dominate or force values and opinions on followers. The predominant use of economic values should relate to autocratic leadership. Because they are supported in their decisions by the strong logic of efficiency’ these executives have confidence in their own decisions and feel less need to involve subordinates in the decision-making process. Subordinates may perceive these leaders as dominating and likely to force their values and opinions on others, tell others what to do, and make decisions in an overbearing way (Nathant, 2007). Autocratic leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. (Berson and Linton, 2005) This leadership style surly has some major drawbacks, which are: 21 1.Increased workload for the manager: By taking on as much responsibility and involvement as possible, an autocratic leader naturally works at their full capacity, which can lead to long term stress and health problems and could damage working relationships with colleagues. 2. People dislike being ordered around, they also dislike being shown very little trust and faith. 3. Teams become dependent upon their leader: After becoming conditioned to receive orders and act upon them perfectly, workers lose initiative and the confidence to make decisions on their own. This results in teams of workers who become useless at running operations if hey loose contact with their leader. (Rad, 2004) In summary, an autocratic leader retains full authority, responsibility, and is concerned primarily with task and goal accomplishment and he/she uses one way communicati on pattern with the group. A leader using this style displays little trust and confidence in employees who generally fear their leader. 2. Democratic Leadership Democratic promotes the Leadership sharing of is the leadership responsibility, the style that exercise of delegation and continual consultation. The democratic leader acts as a part of the team, he/she receives the employees thought and suggestions with respect

Analysis of Unilever’s Risks and Risk Management Strategies Essay

With the rapid development of modern economy, companies are always exposed to risks which are penetrating to all walks of life and not only exist in the products market, but also exist in financial market (Ballou, 2005). It is undoubtedly that risks jeopardize the company’s development in that they may increase the cost of a company’s operation and make it harder for a company to make a crucial decision. Accordingly, it is essential to know risks and find out risk management strategies. This essay will firstly map out Unilever’s business model and have a brief analysis on it. Following this, it will illustrate specifically risks Unilever is exposed to in light of the business model. Meanwhile, it will point out some risks Unilever has not managing enough. Next, the essay will assess some risk management strategies Unilever has taken to mitigate or avoid the risks. Finally, it will recommend the company some more risk management strategies in order to help it mitigate or prevent risks. Analysis of Unilever’s Business Model Business Model A business model, strictly speaking, is the organization’s core logic for creating value (Jane & Susan, 2000). After over 80 years’ development, Unilever has become one of the largest suppliers of consumer products in the world. Its strong portfolio of foods, home and personal care brands is trusted by consumers the world over. Unilever’s top 13 brands account for total sales of over EUR23 billion and top 25 brands represent nearly 75% of the sales (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Unilever is a well-operated company, and its business model is mapped out as follows: Key Partners Suppliers Contractors Distributors Key Activities Research Design Production Sale Value Proposition Produce innovative and good-quality personal and household care goods for consumers and try to make people feel good and comfortable every day; Produce and sell nutritious foods, such as tea, ice cream, dressing to people and to make them enjoy a better life. Customer Relationships Deliver goods to customers via various channels Customer Segments Huge segment of customers Customers all over the world Key Resources Brands /Labels Employees Production Sites & Lines Technology Information, Intellectual Property, Embracing Diversity Channels Malls Supermarkets Stores Groceries Pharmacies Terminal Markets Cost Structure Research cost, design cost, production cost, supply and sale cost, marketing and promotional spend, management cost Revenue Structure Sales of the consumer goods the company researches, designs and produces. Analysis of the Business Model The business model mapped out above indicates that a multi-national enterprise like Unilever has an integrated and inseparable business chain which is global on the one hand, and multi-level on the other hand, that is, its economic activities involve employees, suppliers, producers, storage, terminal markets, retailers, customers and other beneficiaries (Ian, 2009). Such business model enables Unilever to become a world top supplier of consumer products. However, each coin has two sides. Since the Unilever’s business chain connects each other so closely and relates to numerous parties and factors, thus the company’s whole operation is rather vulnerable and is easily subject to various risks. Risks Exposed to Unilever in light of the Business Model Market Uncertainties As a top supplier of consumer products, Unilever’s business activities are operated within a global, vigorous and competitive market. Its business development is subject to the condition and change of the whole market. Firstly, economic condition plays a crucial role on the development of Unilever’s business as consumption demand and purchase ability of consumers directly influence the sale of the products. 2008 and 2009 were relatively tough years for Unilever due to the global economic crisis (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). The economic downturn reduces consumers’ wealth and makes them unable to buy as many products as before. Meanwhile, customers purchasing ability was greatly undermined and turned to buy those inexpensive but substantial products rather than those top-grade products. Customers’ reactions affect Unilever’s turnover, profit and cash flow. Next, more and more companies are targeting the market of consumer goods due to the attraction of billions of consumers. Thus, the market of consumer goods is just like a piece of pie and is shared by more and more competitors. Therefore, the whole market is uncertain and Unilever has to be well prepared for the fight against the economic uncertainties and the industrial fierce competition. Financial Instability The interest rate risk is a risk brought to the value or the cash flow or profitability of a company when the change of the interest rate occurs. To clarify it more specifically, the floating interest rate exposes the company to the risk of the increased interest cost and the increased borrowing afterwards; while the fixed interest rate makes the company subject to the risk of the loss of the fair value. Meanwhile, as a multinational company whose business activities are operated in more than 180 countries, Unilever is exposed to the risk of the fluctuation of the exchange rate during the process of the change of currencies and the actual value of the currency may be decreased due to such fluctuation (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Provided that Unilever does not handle the issue of interest rate and exchange rate well, the company may be subject to the exposure of the reduction of cash flow, turnover, profits which may subsequently adversely impact the company’s credit rating, ability to raise funds and confidence of investors. Environmental Risk As a top producer of consumer goods, some waste water is generated for disposal and the company also discharges some CO2 from energy that the company uses in the process of the production (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). In case the said issues are not dealt with appropriately, the environment will probably be polluted. One of the Unilever factories in Brazil discharged a great deal of stink smell to the air due to the false operation in 2008 which impacted upon more than 100 thousand people’s normal life and Unilever was imposed a fine of 10 million Brazilian Real by the Brazilian government due to such pollution (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). Similar accidents will greatly damage the reputation of the company as not only the government but also common people’s awareness of environmental protection has been greatly improved nowadays. Accordingly, Unilever is exposed to the environmental risk which may result in the heavy fine and adverse reputation. Loss of Customers Unilever’s extraordinary achievement obtained nowadays is on the one hand because of the superior products it supplies and on the other hand is inseparable to the customers’ sufficient trust of the company and its brands. However, the following three factors may undermine customers’ trust to the company and its brandsï ¼Å¡ a. Products fail to meet high product safety standards. Quality inspectors in each state have set many standards and are doing lots of inspection work to ensure the safety of products sold in the market. In case the product is found insecure or with any shortcomings, customers will feel disappointed; b. Lack of new products and technical capability. Customers have quite high requirements on products. Lack of new products and technical capability will push customers to other supplier of similar consumer goods; c. The service and product provided by the competitive company is better than Unilever. Loss of customers’ trust may be caused by several reasons, while the result is simply the loss of the company’s cash flow and the damage of the company’s growth and profitability. Operation Risk Each step of Unilever’s business activity is separable to each other (Unilever Annual Report, 2009). For example, the company’s production of goods is conditioned by the timely and secure supply of the raw-material, while the successful sale of goods needs effective storage and distribution capability. However, the supply of the company’s raw material, mostly agriculture products, is based on the secure and sufficient agricultural production which may be influenced by weather, water scarcity, and farming practices. Similarly, the storage and distribution of products is usually influenced by the storage and distribution capability, the cost of it and the local social stability. Any issue of the foregoing may badly influence Unilever’s normal production and sale and subsequent cash flow, turnover, and profit and other business indexes. Risk of Employees and Talents Unilever is a company with more than 300 operation agencies in 88 countries, more than 1000 well-known brands and sells its products in more than 150 countries. Thus the successful operation of the company not only depends on the superior products, but also needs appropriately qualified employees. In the event that the company suffers high employment turnover rate, it may be exposed to the risk of high cost of training, suspended market share and loss of some investment opportunities which will impact the smooth development of the company and undermine the company’s capability of competitiveness in the market. Legal Risk Unilever is doing business in more than 150 countries. Different country has very different legal system and regulations concerning the employment, the product safety, the pricing, the intellectual property rights, the disclosure, the environment and other factors (Ian, 2009). Legal risk may probably bring a suit to the company and will do harm to the company’s reputation in local market. Other Risks exposed to but not identified or Elaborated by Unilever Unilever has found out and elaborated some risks exposed to the company; however, there are some risks which have not aroused Unilever’s great attention: Risk of New products Exploitation In order to confront the industrial competition, Unilever needs to exploit continually new products to attract customers and consolidate the relationship with customers. The exploitation of a new product basically involves following steps: design, research, selection of the scheme, the involvement and allocation of the resources, the production and promotion of the products. However, there are some uncertain factors existing in the process of new products exploitation, such as technology, market, fund and environment and each uncertain factor may lead to the unsuccessful exploitation, loss of cost or negative reputation to the company (Michel, 2001). Physical Risk A company is unavoidably exposed to some natural disasters or accidents (Jane, 2000), such as fire, windstorm or earthquake which will cause the property damage or employees’ body injury. Such damage or injury will cause the company’s normal operation affected and subsequently, turnover, cash flow and profitability will be impacted. Other risks The company is also exposed to other risks such as fiscal, tax and so on. Interaction of Risk Factors Economic Downturn ↠ → Market Uncertainties ↙â†â€" ↓↑ Risk of New Product Exploitation↠ → Financial Instability ↓↑ â†â€"↘ ↓↑ Legal Risk ↠ → Loss of Customers ↓↑ ↙â†â€" ↓↑ Risk of Employees and Talents ↠ → Operation Risk All risks illustrated above do not exist independently but rather influence interactively (Geert, 2008). The economic downturn will lead to the financial instability which may cause the company to operate adversely and the subsequent poor operation may cause the company to face more fierce industrial competition and environmental risk. The said issues are easy to lead to the loss of employees and talents which may also subsequently lead to poor operation and vice versa. To sum up, the factors function with each other and the company has to take some effective and holistic measures to defend these risks. Assessment of Unilever’s Risk Management Strategies Unilever has recognized that most of the risks exposed to it may become material obstacles to the company’s further development. Accordingly, it has tried to taken some effective and structured measures to identify and then exploit the key risk management strategies for the business (Michael, 2007). The specific risk management strategies it has exploited are as follows: 1. Unilever has been carefully monitoring economic indicators and consumer behavior in different areas through extensive and professional research in order to respond quickly and take new and flexible measures to meet the changing demand of customers. 2. In order to deal with the issue of financial instability, the company has been making efforts to get access to global debt markets through various ways such as short-term or long-term debt programs. Unilever attaches great importance to the fluctuation of interest rate, trying to have different types of financial services and balance the risks between floating and fixed rate interest after a professional prediction and assessment of the interest rate; Regarding to the foreign exchange rate, Unilever sets a policy which limits the operating companies’ financial foreign exchange exposures so as to minimize such risk. 3. Unilever has made a series of standards and policies for the procedure of design, manufacture, and distribution of products to ensure the high standards of products’ quality. Unilever also has a â€Å"Sustainable Development Group† which is comprised of five external specialists, engaging in the company’s development of the strategy. Unilever also has specific policy concerning products recall in case there’s products quality incident. 4.Unilever has set complete and effective contingency measures and system to ensure the material supply or to share the production task between different production sites or to use substitute materials in case of the lack of the material. The company also calculates the cost of transportation and distribution from time to time and to adjust the policy and service promptly to optimize the cost. These measures enable the company to operate well. 5. Unilever needs to find a way to attract, develop, train and retain qualified employees. The company has an admiring human resource system. It has established Resource Committees to identify employees’ skill and capability, define employees’ career paths. It also provides numerous opportunities for employees to improve their skills, leadership abilities through training and coaching. Meanwhile, Unilever shall take measures to enhance employee’s risk management ability. Ballou and Heiger (2005) propose â€Å"shifting the employee’s attitudes about risk management to include monitoring, measuring, and controlling certain risks while sharing, avoiding, and accepting that other risks will not occur effectively in a short period of time†. 6. Unilever has set policies to make sure employees follow policies and abide by local laws and regulations in all relevant aspects concerning its business and activities. Regarding those crucial issues and activities, the prior legal check and consent are needed in the company. In a word, Unilever has been making great efforts to build effective, reasonable and practicable strategies for risk management. The boards have overall responsibility for Unilever’s risk management and the company has a Code of Business Principles which stipulates the standards of business operation and requires employees to abide by the code. The above strategies enable Unilever to operate its business well in the global market. New Risks Exposed to Unilever and Recommended Risk Management Strategies Besides risk management strategies mentioned above, the writer will recommend some more strategies for Unilever and try to give it some ideas on better monitor and manage its risks. Transfer and Divert Risks In order to avoid the damages and losses brought by such risks to the development of the company, Unilever may select to transfer risks by applying for insurance. Modern insurance system is the idealist way to transfer risks (Mike, 2006). For example, Unilever may transfer the risks of property, employers’ liability and business interruption by applying for the insurance of Property All Risks, Employer’s Liability and Business Interruption so as to transfer risks to the insurance company. Establish an Effective Control System Risk management is not only to establish a risk management for business procedure, more importantly, the company shall establish a comprehensive and effective risk management control system to make sure the effective implementation of the risk management strategy. The company can establish a Risk Management Committee in the head office and shall be directly responsible for the board of directors. â€Å"The board needs to be consulted on matters of risk management and it needs to be able to give guidance to the risk management committee in its deliberations. To do this effectively the board needs to ensure the whole company is engaged in managing risk, thereby making it an intrinsic part of the company culture†. (Corporate Governance: An International Review, 2009, 546-558). The function of the Risk Management Committee is to implement the risk management, to be especially responsible for the risk supervision of the whole company and to make unified risk management policy and procedure; each branch of the company shall establish an independent risk supervisor, responsible for the risk management and to report the matter of risk to Risk Management Committee without consent of the local manager. Establish a Database of Risk Accidents Database of risk accidents is a tool to effectively predict and assess the risk. The data in the database shall include both internal and external data concerning risk accidents. â€Å" We can try to estimate how bad this problem is by looking at the historical severity of these events in relation to any risk factors that we define and then examining the prevalence of these risk factors†(Michel, Dan and Robert, 2001). Through correct analysis of such data, the company will learn a lesson and consider its risk management policy and procedure so as to judge whether the company will prevent the occurrence of the risk accident and how to take precautious measures to avoid the occurrence of similar accidents. Conclusion In conclusion, risks exist in the whole process of business operation, any company shall attach great importance to the risk management to effectively predict and avoid the risk. Unilever is a company which has well recognized its major risks and taken effective risk management strategies. Research on risk and risk management strategy is a long journey and need all employees of the company to make effort and abide by the policy and standards to monitor and manage risks proactively. References Ballou, B. & Heitger, D. L.2005. A building-block approach for implementation COSO: Enterprise risk management-integrated framework. Management Accounting Quarterly, 6(2):1-10. Geert Bouckaert and John Halligan, 2008, Managing performance: international comparisons. Routledge, 2008, pp221-225. Ian Brown, Adam Steen, and Julie Foreman. 2009. Risk Management in Corporate Governance. A Review and Proposal Corporate Governance: An International Review, 2009, 17(5):546-558. Jane Linder, Susan Cantrell, 2000, Changing Business Models: Surveying the Landscape, Business Publisher: Accenture, Pages: 1-15 Michel C., Dan G. and Robert M., 2001, Risk Management, McGraw-Hill. Michael R. Czinkota, Ilkka A. Ronkainen, 2007, International marketing, Cengage Learning, 2007, p417-422. Mike Walker. 2006. Managing international risk. International Business Briefings. The Institute of Risk Management. 2006. P 5-6. Unilever Annual Report, 2009, Unilever Annual Report, from: http://annualreport09.unilever.com/downloads/Unilever_AR09.pdf (Accessed on May, 25, 2011)