Viruses of the Mind by Richard Dawkins Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Viruses of the Mind by Richard Dawkins - Essay Example Religion does not have much to do with reason. Religion imposes a reality rife with belief and faith, and without requiring reason (it is interesting that the very few people who claim that they can converse with god are labeled as quacks or insane by the very ones who believe in god). Religion does have much to do with the pressure of conformity; this, among other reasons, is why most people unquestioningly accept and adhere to the religion of their youth. As Dawkins states, "...it is a telling fact that, the world over, the vast majority of children follow the religion of their parents rather than any of the other available religions." According to Dawkins, a person exhibits faith when he is "impelled by some deep, inner conviction that something is true, or right, or virtuous: a conviction that doesn't seem to owe anything to evidence or reason, but which, nevertheless, he feels as totally compelling and convincing." and that most religions "make a positive virtue of faith's being strong and unshakable, in spite of not being based upon evidence.

Organization Development Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organization Development Change - Essay Example From this essay it is clear that  professional development deals with improvement of individual’s effectiveness in practise, while organizational development entails the ways in which organizations can be enhanced through   overall   productivity,   human   fulfilment, and the response that is necessary towards the   environment.  Ã‚  This study highlights that  scholars such as Rittel and Weber have proposed the concept of wicked  Ã‚   problems and wicked projects as a class of problems that has difficulty in definition and has no ultimate solution. Moreover, they argue that these wicked problems are found in several forms that are in different organizations, as well as, environments. It is worth noting that wicked problems generate from a dense network of interconnected factors that are challenging in understanding how a particular decision is viable towards influencing decisions in other areas.  Change has numerous definitions that go in line with where it has been used. Never the less, a change agent could be best explained as a helper, advisor, coach, and leader or consultant. Its main function is the catalyst effect that entails bringing change to an organization or businesses in specific ways.   In light of this, many companies, as well as, organizations hire change agents to foresee specific changes in organizations.  The practitioner must be adversely knowledgeable about organization development theory.... It is expected that the practitioner has self management skills which makes it easier to practise interpersonal skills to members of the organization. Besides, the practitioner must be adversely knowledgeable about organization development theory (Beyerlin and Marauhn, 2011). Of importance to note is that change is constant as it occurs in both national and international levels, over and above, physical environment particularly in ways that organizations are structured and ways in which the organizations operated politically, socially and economically. Apparently, the world has become so complex and is continuously integrated to the extent of changes that seem too far being affective. Moreover, change appear to be frequent and random, a situation that makes the world a global village. According to Fitzmaurice 2009, incredible amount of change that is being witnessed globally has put the world in a position where individuals and organizations are now able to see the big picture in rel ation to how events are affecting them and vise versa. Change Applications Application of organization development in terms of change ensures that organizations and individuals are aware of the changes and how they are affecting them. Besides, the applications of organizational development support individuals and organizations to deal with change through events such as team building efforts and improvement of functions within the organization, over and above, those that are external through the introduction of planned change efforts (Griffiths 2007). In every organization development change, there are three practitioners’ who are involved ensuring that there is change in

Why is Corporate Governance Important?

Why is Corporate Governance Important? What is Corporate Governance? Why is it important for Business? Corporate Governance can be defined as the organizational structure of a company. It encompasses the overall processes, operations and policies by which a company is controlled and functions. According to James McRitchie corporate governance is  ¹most often viewed as both the structure and the relationships which determine corporate direction and performance`. Within the governing body of a corporation there are various stakeholders. Stakeholders are individuals which are of great importance to the company because they contribute directly or indirectly to its economic activity. Stakeholders retain different degrees of importance within an organization depending on their title or function which are some of the following: shareholders, the board of directors, employees, customers, creditors and suppliers. All together this group of individuals defines a corporate community in which day to day business is conducted and must be sustained in order for the company to survive. Similar to any other community, where there are conflicts of interests, miscommunication, or other organizational problems it affects the entire community and others around it. However is this applicable to the business world? Is corporate governance important for business? Firstly corporate governance implies the notion of hierarchy. As mentioned above the rights and importance of any stakeholders involved in the economic life of the company varies in function of the roles the individual holds. Following this logic we can identify the key actors within the governing structure of a company: shareholders who own shares of stock and have a right of ownership over the dividends which they receive from their stock and the right to vote on company matters such as electing the board of directors. In return the members on the board of directors oversee the management of the company and are paid in cash or stock for the responsibilities they are obliged to fulfill by contract to the company. In terms of internal management the employees of the company supply their skill and expertise in exchange for financial compensation (salary and bonuses). Another important stakeholder is the customer, who pays for the companys product or services because he/she believes in the value it retains for them. Amongst other stakeholders such as suppliers and creditors the customer is essential to a companys activity because a satisfied customer base represents 80% of a companys profits. In order for us to understand corporate governance it is important for us to comprehend that it is a multi-lateral issue, and thus it influences the choices of stakeholders and the outcome of company transactions and relations with the rest of the world. It is important for companies to take into account external factors such as: competition. In order to stay solvent and relevant, companies must engage respective strategies and face other corporate adversaries on the free market. Equally debt management is important as companies need to make sure that their assets outweigh any short-term and long-term debts on a regular basis. Also government regulations should be taken into account as they differ from country to country. For example in the United States corporate governance is known to be very free-market orientated but in North Korea legislation has a tough hold on corporate decisions. Finally the media and other instances are actors of external pressure as they force companies to uphold a certain social standard in their day to day operations, public relations and more and more today their ecological impact on the environment. In todays economic climate no company can afford to be scrutinized in the mass media as this decreases th eir popularity and trust with clients. The trust of clients is an immeasurable asset that can almost never be reacquired once it is lost. Take for example the American International Group that was under a severe media backlash back in 2009 after it was discovered that it was paying huge bonuses to employees of its financial services department during the financial crisis. President Obama expressed his discontentment during a press conference:  ²its hard to understand how derivative traders at A.I.G. warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. How do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat? Existing customers and potential customers need to be reassured by a companys, performance history, social responsibility initiatives but overall its integrity. And this is why corporate governance is critical for business; the atmosphere which it creates has to be one of congruence where it can be held accountable for doing what it says and what it stands for. Another one of the facets of this is issue the internal domain of corporate governance, where the management structure (CEO, middle management) is concerned with maximizing company profits in order to increase shareholders profits. This is motivated by a prospect of self-interest and higher gain (promotion, bonus etc†¦) which generates a need to perform in order to reach that goal. Likewise employees are motivated in a similar way to do their job. However their needs are not directly correlated with that of the members of the upper management structure who have larger responsibilities and more information within the same organization. This situation is called information asymmetry when one corporate body has more information than another. This can create conflict within the workplace if this type of imbalance is not managed. Furthermore employees working in high profile positions such as CEOs may be prone to act out of character and make bad decisions because of the immunity the y may enjoy through their status. For example the Jerome Kerviel former French trader of Societe Generale abused of the companys confidence to commit fraudulent transactions during his late professional career. As a result, the company lost:  ³near â‚ ¬5 billion ( £3.7 billion) in a rogue trading fraud according to the London Times. This example of bad behavior known as a moral hazard, when an individual protected from risk within an organization behaves differently than he or she would have behaved if they were fully exposed to the risks they took. In order for companies to protect their clients and themselves from similar fates they must implement effective rules and regulations that enable internal and external auditing bodies to monitor theyre day to day activities. Therefore rules that corporate governance create must be strong, as the Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli said: Where there are sound laws there is a strong army, for there cannot be a strong army where there are not sound laws. Corporate law ensures that natural rules and regulations are in place in order to encourage correct business practices in the corporate world. Overall good corporate governance should input regular auditing processes. Interiorly, within the company itself an internal auditing body should monitor the companys financial health. In addition to this, the same should be implemented exteriorly through an external auditing company in order to get an objective perspective on company statements and verify their integrity. Also a sound board and management system must be put in place, separating every main executive function throughout the organization. Historically this minimizes the moral hazard factor in the workspace and encourages transparency and a clear flow of information within the institution. The Toyota Motor Company is a fine example of this; the company management structure allows the free flow of information and enables each employee to contribute to operational activities at every scale of the production process. This has had positive effects for Toyota mainly in terms of productivity and logistics efficiency. Finally all stakeholders should be aware of their rights and duties; this minimizes confusion in long-term strategy and goals of the company. Furthermore a clear ownership structure is critical to a corporations legal validity; it has to be a registered and recognized institution according to the appropriate corporate law regulation of the country in which in conducts its business. In conclusion corporate governance is an important component of business. As we have demonstrated affects every facet of business organizations and the various stakeholders involved. Furthermore because of the hierarchal nature of corporate governance it becomes evident that good leadership is equally essential. Members within executive, managerial, technical and administrative positions have to work within their respective roles to create an atmosphere of seamless affinity in terms of corporate governance. Leadership is important but in the context of corporate governance the whole body of the organization is vital, hence the root of the word corp in corporate. Nevertheless corporate governance must retain a standard of order; this is where the term governance gains more weight. Historical facts show that sustained order is the key to the long-term effectiveness of an organization; General Electric is prime case of this. Within the 200 year life span of the company, good choices and exceptional leadership have made General Electric today the most valuable company in the United States with a market cap of 300 billion US dollars. From this we can draw the conclusion that corporate governance is indeed important and will surely continue to gain more and more value in the world of business in the future.

Occupational Stress and Health Essay example -- Business Management St

Occupational Stress and Health Introduction In recent years, occupational stress and health have gained considerable importance to people in all forms life. Keeping in mind, the excessive work load, amount of time spent at work and the recent changes that are affecting the nature of work, it is not surprising that work stress today is increasing (Szymanski, 1999). Stress can be caused due to a number of reasons and in many ways and those things are known as stressors which may vary from person to person. According to the United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1999), job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. It can also lead to poor health and even injury. http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm People should be made more aware about the symptoms of stress and try to precautionary measures before it affect their lives. Stress at work can affect people both mentally and physically. Excessively high levels of stress need to be controlled in order to avoid these health related problems. A number of things can be done by employees and employers to prevent workplace stress. Also, there are a number of stress management techniques that can be used by people to ensure that they lead a stress free life. Job related stressors should be identified and dealt with so that an organisation and its employees can operate efficiently and effectively. Identifying stressors at work The list of potential stressors is limitless. There may be times when these are actually of use to us, creating simply a pressure s... ...herwise, when unplanned things happen, it’ll cause you just as much stress as trying to work without a plan. References & Bibliography International labour organisation – safe work program http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm Kendall, E., Murphee, P., O’Neill, V. & Bursnall, S. (2000). A report to the workers’ compensation and rehabilitation commission (Western Australia).Occupational Stress: Factors that contribute to its occurrence and effective management. Centre for Human services (Griffith University). http://www.workcover.wa.gov.au National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html Szymanski, E. M. (1999). Disability, job stress, the changing nature of careers, and the career resilience portfolio. Rehabilitation Counselling Bulletin. 42, pp 279-284.

Euthanasia

Topic: Euthanasia General Purpose: To Persuade Specific Purpose: I want to persuade my audience to be against euthanasia. Thesis: Legalizing Euthanasia Central Idea In Hippocratic Oath, Hippocrates as a father of medicine swears, â€Å"I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan† (National Library of Medicine, p. 6).In other words, Hippocrates was against euthanasia. According to the Dictionary. om the definition of euthanasia is â€Å"the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially painful, disease or condition† (Dictionary. com, p. 1). It is also called a mercy killing, some people think that this is a good decision and some don’t. I personally, believe that this is not right; an individual should go into the afterlife naturally. 1. On one side there are people that justify this act as helping a terminally il l individual end his/her sufferings.For example, when an individual was in a house fire and burnt sixty percent of his skin and is going to die but he chooses euthanasia in order to stop the pain. In that case he will die eventually and there are many painkillers that can soothe his pain and help him spend more time with his family. Another case is when a person has been in vegetative state for a long time and eventually the relatives decide to turn the machines off and let the individual die.This is a very sensitive case because if a person didn’t want to die but didn’t have a living will, legally their spouse can pull the plugs off even if the person’s parents would be against it. And let’s not forget that technically if a brain shows a minimum of activity, the person is still considered alive. I consider turning off the machine is same as giving up on a person. 2. On the other side, there are people that are against it, including me, I consider it as m anslaughter, even though an ill person is agreed to die.It is also against my religion, all humans are made in God’s image and God gave us life so we should respect it. At this moment, euthanasia is illegal in every state in the U. S. , not counting two states like Oregon and Washington. In Oregon they have an act called Oregon Death with Dignity Act and in Washington State they have the same act, except it is called the Washington Death with Dignity Act. (Wikipedia, p. 19).I am against legalizing euthanasia because there are some people that are not in sound mind, they may have suicidal thoughts and they will ask their doctor or people around them to help them stop their pain. If euthanasia will be legal some people will be forced to sign their consent to death, when he/she doesn’t know what he/she is signing; for example, a man in a nursing home that cannot read, or hear anymore is asked to sign the consent to his death, he will do it because he will trust people aro und him, people that take care of him.He will go along the process because he wouldn’t even understand what is going on. The reason why people would do that is when they are tired of him or they spend too much money on him so they will try get rid of him, I know it sounds awful but you will be surprised what people are capable of doing because of the money. Also, like I mentioned before, euthanasia is against Hippocratic Oath that every doctor takes before they get their license, in other words, it is against doctor’s moral responsibilities.When we think about euthanasia being legal in every state there would be many horrible cases that we cannot even think of. 3. You probably have a question on where it started. Well according to the History. com Adolf Hitler came up with this idea (History. com, p. 1). He ordered to kill all handicapped and mentally ill children. In addition, after that he moved on to adults and senior population. Hitler called it mercy killing becau se supposedly he was helping people to get out of their â€Å"misery† but it was a way of saving money.I believe that euthanasia is not right, no matter from what angles you look at it, it is manslaughter and as a human being I would not follow Hitler’s way of dealing with sick and dependant people. We should respect life that was given to us by God and end it in a natural way because this is how we were made.ReferencePage North, Michael. â€Å"Greek Medicine | Hippocrates | The Oath. †Ã‚  National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. 24 June 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www. nlm. nih. gov/hmd/greek/greek_oath. html> â€Å"Euthanasia | Define Euthanasia at Dictionary. com.Dictionary. com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary. com. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/euthanasia>. â€Å"Hitler Suspends Euthanasia Program — History. com This Day in History — 8/18/19 41. â€Å"History. com — History Made Every Day — American & World History.A&E Television Network. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www. history. com/this-day-in-history/hitler-suspends-euthanasia-program>. â€Å"Suicide Legislation. †Ã‚  Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 4 Nov. 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Suicide_legislation>. Euthanasia Good day to the teacher and my fellow learners, my speech topic for today is on legalising euthanasia. Imagine yourself being unable to walk, unable to see, and can barely breathe let alone speak. You are in such unbearable pain that you can’t even cry. Your life was well lived all those years before but now, there is no way that you could function without assistance. You think and feel as if your life has no meaning. Although your family is there for your every step of the way you begin to think, could ending your life be the answer to the pain? Well in all reality this isn’t something anyone needs to imagine. This is a real situation for many, many people. These people should be able to make their own choices and have control of their own lives. Everyone has the right to choose how they want to live and die. First of all, deciding if you want to be alive or not is a personal decision. Neither the doctors nor the government has the power to decide if you should live or not. Since it is not their life and they are not in your situation, they cannot make that kind of decision for you. It might sound like suicide, but again, that is our problem, not theirs. They give us the liberty to decide our job, our family, our religion, and even our sex preference. Why should they not give us the right to decide if we want to live or not? That should be the first right before all the ones I have mentioned. It is not logical that we can choose in all those other decisions if we cannot first choose to live or die. It has been argued that for people on life support systems and people with long standing diseases causing much pain and distress, euthanasia is a better choice. It helps in relieving them from pain and misery. In cases like terminal cancers when the patient is in much pain and when people associated with them also are put through a lot of pain and misery, it is much more practical and humane to grant the person their wish to end their own life in a relatively painless and merciful way. Everyone has the right to choose how they want to live and die. Euthanasia is perceived by other people as the answer to their want of a quality life. Spending the rest of your life on a hospital bed, unable to walk, and unable to do the things you normally do, doesn’t define a good quality of life. After all, it is the patient who got to decide how he or she wants to live his life. Euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is the best thing a doctor can offer to a dying patient since he or she cannot offer a patient something that’ll make his condition better. How can say that your life is not worth living anymore? No one but you can decide on this matter. Life and death is a personal decision. Your family, friends, the doctors, and even the government can’t help you decide. Death is a final decision, a final destination. Think about it, euthanasia is about giving people the right to choose how they want to live and die and it also stops the person from having a bad quality of life. Goeie dag vir die onderwyser en my mede-leerders, my toespraak onderwerp vir vandag op te wettig genadedood. Verbeel jou nie in staat is om te loop, nie in staat om te sien, en kan skaars asemhaal laat staan praat. Jy is in so ‘n ondraaglike pyn wat jy kan nie eens huil. Jou lewe was goed geleef al die jare voor, maar nou is daar geen manier wat jy kan funksioneer sonder hulp. Jy dink en voel asof jou lewe het geen betekenis nie. Hoewel jou familie is daar vir jou elke stap van die manier waarop jy begin om te dink, kan die beeindiging van jou lewe wees om die antwoord op die pyn? Wel in alle werklikheid dit is nie iets wat iemand nodig het om te dink. Dit is ‘n werklike situasie vir baie, baie mense. Hierdie mense moet in staat wees om hul eie keuses te maak en om beheer oor hul eie lewens het. Elkeen het die reg om te kies hoe hulle wil leef en sterf. Eerste van alles, besluit of jy wil om te leef of nie, is ‘n persoonlike besluit. Nog die dokters en die regering het die mag om te besluit of jy moet leef of nie. Want dit is nie hul lewe en hulle is nie in jou situasie, kan hulle nie maak dat die soort van besluit vir jou. Dit mag dalk klink soos selfmoord, maar weer, dit is ons probleem, nie hulle s'n. Hulle gee ons die vryheid om ons werk te besluit, ons familie, ons godsdiens, en selfs ons seks voorkeur. Hoekom moet hulle nie gee ons die reg om te besluit of ons wil om te lewe of nie? Dit moet die eerste reg voor al die mense wat ek genoem het nie. Dit is nie logies dat ons kan kies om in al die ander besluite as ons kan nie eers kies om te leef of sterf. Dit is aangevoer dat vir die mense op die lewe ondersteuning stelsels en mense met ‘n lang siektes veroorsaak baie pyn en kommer, genadedood is ‘n beter keuse. Dit help met die verligting van hulle van pyn en ellende. In gevalle soos terminale kanker wanneer die pasient in baie pyn en wanneer mense wat verband hou met hulle ook gestel word deur ‘n baie pyn en ellende is, is dit baie meer praktiese en menslike aan die persoon verleen hulle hul eie lewe te eindig in ‘n relatief pynloos en barmhartige manier. Elkeen het die reg om te kies hoe hulle wil leef en sterf. Genadedood is waargeneem deur ander mense as die antwoord op hul gebrek aan ‘n kwaliteit lewe. Die besteding van die res van jou lewe op ‘n hospitaal bed, nie in staat om te loop, en nie die dinge wat jy gewoonlik doen om te doen, definieer nie ‘n goeie gehalte van die lewe. Na alles, dit is die pasient wat het om te besluit hoe hy of sy wil he dat sy lewe te lei. Genadedood of geneesheer-geassisteerde selfmoord is die beste ding wat ‘n dokter kan bied aan ‘n sterwende pasient sedert hy of sy kan nie ‘n pasient iets wat sal maak sy toestand beter te bied. Hoe kan se dat jou lewe nie die moeite werd is nie? Niemand, maar jy kan besluit oor hierdie saak. Lewe en dood is ‘n persoonlike besluit. Jou familie, vriende, die dokters, en selfs die regering kan nie help om te besluit. Die dood is ‘n finale besluit neem, ‘n finale bestemming. Dink daaroor, genadedood is oor gee mense die reg om te kies hoe hulle wil leef en sterf en dit het ook tot stilstand kom die persoon van ‘n slegte gehalte van die lewe.

The Evaluation of TOEFL test

The test is used in college admissions for non-native English speaking students to an English- peaking country purposes. Although it provides scores of test takers so that college administrators can know their English proficiency directly, the test is not aim at ranking. The test divides criteria into four parts: reading, listening, speaking and writing. According to process, reading comprehension is the first part should be measured. This part tests test takers' ability to comprehend academic reading materials.In this section, the format of questions Is multiple choices and content of test questions Involves In various ways such as testing vocabulary, details, and mall Ideas. To avoid creating an advantage to examinees In any one field of study, sufficient context Is provided so that no specific subject can be used to answer the questions. It is a big advantage of the test. Moreover, other advantage is like that, due to diversified questions, it helps learners to know how to get inf ormation effectively in a limited time.It also encourages test takers to read more academic materials involving in different area and critically think how to read deferent academic articles when they are learning. However, the questions of reading test mostly adopt multiple choice rather than short answer. It may limit takers to think more about their own opinion. For example, when testing about vocabulary, the question Just gives four choices and asks examinees to choose the best one. Actually, there are also have a lot of words can be selected.The goal of the question Is to assess test takers about their understanding of this word. Therefore, I think If questions may ask examinees to write down their own words based on their comprehension that Is better. In the listening section, it involves in dialogues and academic talks. The purpose of this section is to test listening comprehension in academic environment. In other words, it measures test takers' ability of listening for basic comprehension, listening for pragmatic understanding and to connect and combine ideas presented in multiple information sources.Like reading section, the formats of questions also adopt various ways. Moreover, examinees' note taking can be practiced and improved from the listening test. Dialogues and lectures talking will last more than one minute. To most of them, they cannot memorize the whole content without noting. Therefore, how to write down key information in a limited time can be a skill for test takers who will study In an academic atmosphere. Furthermore, diverse formats provide a good opportunity for them to realize how to master essential Information with thinking different ways.The speed of listening Is normal speed and sometimes, the listening test involves in different voices of pronunciation to make test takers know and listening test as we discussed above. I think the way that listening test needs to improve is similar to reading test. It also means that using open questions replace multiple choices can be thought. Next part is speaking test. This section will test ability to communicate effectively in a variety of situations.The ability of synthesizing and summarizing what test takers have read in their textbooks and heard in and outside of the class, the skill of forming their own opinions in response to the information they have processed, well-developed, coherent and clear idea with effective use of grammar, and good pronunciation and intonation these are main goals to assess speaking ability. The strength of this part is to combine reading with speaking and to provide opinion-based questions. Moreover, the degree of each question be tested is gradually harder.The topic for examinees may also from familiar to a little hard to understand. In my opinion, the speaking test can be a bad section as well as a good one in TOEFL. The good way is that it not Just evaluates speaking ability in academic way but also involves in common environment. I t not just has output but input first such as reading, and then speaking. Nevertheless, due to the test is based on Internet, that is, speaking section also needs to be tested in the computer, and it brings a problem.Compared with talking to examiners, it is not flexible. It has no communication between examinees and examiners. For my perspective, test takers also may feel anxiety because there has no response when hey speak and feel nervous or without good preparation to speak due to time limited. The last component in TOEFL is the writing section. It measures ability to write in standard academic English. It divides into two parts: integrated writing task and independent writing task.The goal of the first part integrated writing task asks examiners to demonstrate that they have understood material coming from different sources (reading and listening) and to combine the information from those sources in a coherent, well organized, summarized written form to draw conclusions of the important points. The independent writing task aims to measure the students' ability to state their opinions or express their comments on topics which are based on their personal knowledge and experience. In general, if test takers want to get a higher score, they should know steps of essay and practice more in academic ways.The good thing of this TOEFL writing test is using academic materials to integrate reading and listening to write a summary. Although topic of independent writing task is not necessary referring to academic issues, the writing steps should follow in academic steps. Moreover, owing to computer-based writing, the score is not influenced by handwriting. Nevertheless, it may also be a problem due to time limit especially for some people who are not good at typing or have not well speediness. It is a little hard to deal with except encouraging these persons to practice more about their typing.To sum up, I think TOEFL test is a good test though it brings some challeng e to me. There have a lot of benefits of this test. Firstly, it ensures that test- takers are being measured objectively on the same material. The grading is standardized based on rubrics provided by TEST, so test scores are the same no matter whom or what is scoring them. Secondly, there is no age, no gender and no nationality limit for taking the test. Anyone who wants to assess their English language performance especially for people who need to study aboard in English feedback.When persons received their result, score will definitely appear in their paper and evaluation of each section will be provided so that examinees are able to know the strength and weakness of themselves in general ways. Finally, the speaking and writing parts integrate some input tasks such as reading and listening to test rather than be measured separately. The integrated tasks may be considered more Hellenizing in the test will help learners build the confidence needed to communicate in the academic envi ronments they plan to enter because students need to be able to combine their language skills in the classroom.Appropriate challenge will improve learners to more think about their weakness of language learning and hence to find effective ways they can develop. However, there still have some limitations in the test. In the first place, although test takers can be offered some feedbacks from the organization, the feedbacks of scores Just simplify the degree of their performance. They cannot get more individual feedback about the strength and weakness they have according to the test. Likewise, each level still has its deviation.Even though examinees can get same level of sections for each test, they may confuse about the score why last time they can get a high score whereas this time is a low score. In the second place, I feel the time arrangement also has its problem. In general, the test will last three hours at least but Just ten minutes for break from morning to afternoon. For man y test takers, the time may make them feel exhausted and influence their performance more or less. In the third place, the procedure of the test may also have its weakness.In order to avoid cheating in the test, examiners require learners to answer extra section such as reading or listening based on different individuals randomly. Hence, it will result in the time of speaking section beginning different. It is unfair to the individuals who are doing speaking earlier while others who are still doing reading or listening part can have a chance to listen others' speaking and have more time to prepare during the break. The final point I want to mention is that there have a lot of test preparation for each section test.Learners will make more focus on searching or studying methods in order to get a higher score rather than improve their language ability. As we discussed above the limitation, not all can get right solution. But I think we still are able to find some ways to improve. First ly, the examiners can provide rubrics of each specific score for test takers instead of the level of performance. That is, I think they need to list more details of each point and make learners more better understanding about why they can get this point and why they cannot get. The feedback should mainly reflect individual's strength and weakness instead of general errors.The general problem also can be placed in the reflection but not in the domain way. Secondly, when talking about dealing with the procedure, I think administers may provide another place for test takers about test speaking. In other words, when finishing their reading and listening part, examiners need to go the place which dedicated to speaking test after having a rest. Finally, due to various test preparation, in my opinion, I believe that form of diversification can be a good way to assess. For example, applying more open questions instead of multiple choices may be helpful for improving learners high order thin king.

How Contract Management can Enhance Long Term Supplier Relationships, and in the Long Run May Contribute to Competitive Advantage for Organizations The WritePass Journal

How Contract Management can Enhance Long Term Supplier Relationships, and in the Long Run May Contribute to Competitive Advantage for Organizations Introduction How Contract Management can Enhance Long Term Supplier Relationships, and in the Long Run May Contribute to Competitive Advantage for Organizations , Van der Meer, 2008, Van Milligen, 2012). Another factor that is critical to the success of supplier relationships is sharing all resources in order to solve problems. 1.3Challenges in Supplier Management Although the literature has highlighted supplier relationship as a favorable act, however it is critical to the success of a business to keep in mind all the challenges they are faced with. A number of challenges that company can be faced with are as follows: 1.3.1 Overreliance on Suppliers In the last few decades companies have shifted more from in-house development to something called outsourcing (Steenbeek et al., 2012, Van der Meer, 2008, Van Milligen, 2012). This increased trend of outsourcing is based on capitalizing other supplier’s resources for making their end product (Steenbeek et al., 2012, Van der Meer, 2008, Van Milligen, 2012). In doing so, the risk that prevails is sheer reliance on vendors have lead to the problems of supply risks. However, most of the companies have no mechanisms of managing these supply risks. 1.3.2 Mismanagement of contracts Companies in order to outsource their tasks to another firm are not sure about what is required by the business. This leads to just signing the contract without any clarity on the roles executives have and responsibilities for both the supplier and the business. In such a chaotic situation, where roles are blurred, leads to a poor supplier relationship management and most of the efforts are duplicated. These duplicating efforts all lead to wastage of money and effort. 1.3.3 Supplier not to be Held Accountable for Performance One of the common problems is that most of the people from the business do not have any knowhow on what the role of supplier is and what is the responsibility of business. In situation where there is no clarity on the actions business can take when anything goes wrong, leaves the business is a challenging situation (Binder and Clegg, 2010, Foerstl et al., 2010, Le Nguyen Doan and Nguyen Phu, 2011). 1.3.4 Suppliers are not Partners Many of the firms while signing a contract with suppliers do not consider supplier as an outside and allow them access to everything. It is important to keep in mind that suppliers can never be strategic partners and the companies need to keep an eye on the cost baseline (Yung et al., 2009, Zhang and Jiang, 2011). 1.3.5 Confusing aims and objectives Many firms are unaware of what is required by the business to be rectified. This confusion aggravates when another party of suppliers get in involved. Literature stresses that suppliers give an objective view on the problem but many a times businesses themselves do not know what is required and hence for the suppliers to first understand the problem and then devising solution gets difficult (Oruezabala and Rico, 2012). 1.3.6 Too Many Vendors In most cases empirical evidence suggests that due to outsourcing too many activities of the business, the companies are not just over relying on the vendors but it’s also leading to a number of complacency issues. Critics have argued that because company has so many suppliers, it gets too tedious and challenging in order to deal with them on daily basis. Therefore, companies indulged in too many suppliers experienced that almost all employees were involved in dealing with suppliers, which resulted in wasted efforts and redundant work (Le Nguyen Doan and Nguyen Phu, 2011, Lu, 2010). 1.4 Rationale of Topic Extant literature available on this topic focuses more on single product development projects and therefore fails to answer the inter-organizational supplier relationships. This project will attempt to address all the relevant issues that hamper supplier relationship management and the key factors that facilitate long-term relationship of trust and risk sharing, from a perspective of inter-organizational supplier relationship. The rationale for choosing this topic that there is a gap in literature from inter-organizational perspective within the UK. 2 Methodology This research proposes to highlight the topic of contract management and examine the related issues and challenges that are associated to contract management. Additionally, the researcher will explore any benefits the stem as a result of supplier relationship and the role trust plays in allowing firms to gain competitive advantage against rivals. With a hope to examine the way relationship management leads to critical success of the company, the researcher has proposed to explore a UK based super market company. The rationale for choosing a supermarket is significant because the structure of super market is such that many intermediaries are involved and the chance of exploring risks, challenges and benefits of supplier relations, leading to competitive advantage is easier. The researcher proposes to maintain contact with the senior manager of the super market. This is important because senior manager has all information on the supplier relation. Another gatekeeper for this research will be at least one or two suppliers for the super market. 2.1 Research Aims and Objectives This research aims at: To explore the field of contract management from UK environment perspective To examine the way inter-organizational relationship among suppliers and businesses can be maintained. To add to the pool of literature on the topic of contract management 2.2 Research Questions Can supplier relation management lead to business success? What is the role of trust in supplier relationship management? What are the benefits of supplier relation management? What are the challenges that are erected by relying on external suppliers? 2.3 Research Techniques This research proposes the use of mixed methods approach (Creswell, 2006), as a method to explore any benefits and challenges that are involved in the supplier relation in contract management. Mixed methods have been used by many past social science researchers, in order to understand their problem at hand (John, 2008). Questionnaires will be used as instruments to gain knowledge on the topic of relationship management, additionally as part of the qualitative strand this research has proposes the use of in-depth interviews (Sharlene, 2010). In-depth interviews will be carried out in order to know the in-depth knowledge on the issues that the company faces with as a result of supplier relationship. In depth interviews will also allow the researcher to gain information on the benefits that the company and supplier are cherishing in the shape of long term trust. This technique of using mixed methods approach is that results will be triangulated by comparing results of questionnaires and that of interviews. 2.4 Target Audience The researcher will maintain a contact with the senior managers and actual suppliers of the super market company. This research proposes to distribute at least a total of 100 questionnaires. These questionnaires will be distributed among their suppliers of the super market. 50 questionnaires will be distributed among one supplier and another 50 among the second supplier of the super market company. Additionally, a total of 15 in-depth interviews will be carried out among the senior manager of the super market and the mangers of the suppliers. 5 interviews will be carried out with the senior manager of the super market itself and the other 10 from the senior managers of the suppliers (5 interviews with each supplier). The basis that the gatekeepers are chosen will be the random sampling technique. In case if the super market has many suppliers, any two suppliers will be chosen randomly. The identity of the super market company that the researcher has chosen cannot be revealed due to privacy issues. References ATUAHENE-GIMA, K. 1995. Involving Organisational Buyers in New Product Development. Industrial Marketing Management, 24, 215-226. BARATA, J. CAMARINHA-MATOS, L. M. 2002. Contract management in agile manufacturing systems. In: CAMARINHAMATOS, L. M. (ed.) Collaborative Business Ecosystems and Virtual Enterprises. BINDER, M. CLEGG, B. 2010. A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT. BONACCORSI, A. L. ANDREA 1994. Strategic Partnerships in New Product Development: an Italian Case Study. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 11, 134-145. BRUCE, M., LEVERICK, F., LITTLER, D. WILSON, D. 1995. Success Factors for Collaborative Product Development: A Study of Suppliers of Information and Communication Technology. RD Management, 25, 33-44. CAREY, K. DOR, A. 2008. Expense preference behavior and management outsourcing: a comparison of adopters and non-adopters of contract management in US hospitals. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 29, 61-75. CLARK, K. B. 1989. Project Scope and Project Performance: The Effects of Parts Strategy and Supplier Involvement on Product Development. Management Science, 35, 1247-1263. CRESWELL, J. 2006. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, London, Sage Publications. DU, C. LIN, J. 2008. Contract Management in the Implementation Process of Municipal Infrastructure Engineering Project-A case study of Beijing City. DYER, J. H. OUCHI, W. G. 1993. Japanese-Style Partnerships: Giving Companies a Competitive Edge. Sloan Management Review, 35, 51-63. FOERSTL, K., REUTER, C., HARTMANN, E. BLOME, C. 2010. Managing supplier sustainability risks in a dynamically changing environment-Sustainable supplier management in the chemical industry. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 16, 118-130. HANDFIELD, R. B., RAGATZ, G. L., PETERSEN, K. J. MONCZKA, R. M. 1999. Involving Suppliers in New Product Development. California Management Review 42, 42(1):59-82. JOHN, W. 2008. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, London, Sage Publications. KWOK, T., NGUYEN, T., LAM, L. CHIEU, T. 2007. A Web-based and email driven electronic contract management system. LANG, K. WILLIAMS, B. 2003. Recovering real money with a contract management system. Healthcare financial management : journal of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, 57, 42-4. LE NGUYEN DOAN, K. NGUYEN PHU, S. 2011. Relationship Quality in Fish Value Chains: Buyer-Supplier Management in the Pangasius Industry, Vietnam. In: STEWART, M. A. COCLANIS, P. A. (eds.) Environmental Change and Agricultural Sustainability in the Mekong Delta. LIU, R. CONG, X. 2010. Evaluation of Construction Contract Management Performance. LU, G. 2010. Assessing the Collateral Benefits of Security and Risk Management Focused Supplier Management. In: ZHAO, X., ZHU, G. FLYNN, B. B. (eds.) Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Operations and Supply Chain Management. ORUEZABALA, G. RICO, J.-C. 2012. The impact of sustainable public procurement on supplier management The case of French public hospitals. Industrial Marketing Management, 41, 573-580. RENDON, R. G. 2008. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT. SCOTT, M. 2007. Contract management. Boosting contracts to minority-owned firms. Hospitals health networks / AHA, 81, 18-18. SHARLENE, N. H. B. 2010. Mixed Methods Research, London, Guilford Press. SOBRERO, M. R. ERIC, B. 2001. The Trade-Off between Efficiency and Learning in Interorganizational Relationships for Product Development. Management Science, 47, 493-511. STEENBEEK, W., VAN DE WIJNGAERT, L., VAN DEN BRAND, M., BRINKKEMPER, S. HARMSEN, F. 2012. A Decision Procedure for the Where and How to Outsource. SUN, L., HE, R. COMM, E. B. M. O. 2011. Discussion of the Investment Control and Risk Avoidance on Contract Management. VAN DER MEER, R. 2008. Global Outsourcing strategies: An international reference on effective outsourcing relationships (hardcover). Journal of the Operational Research Society, 59, 872-872. VAN MILLIGEN, M. C. 2012. Organized Outsourcing. Public Administration Review, 72, 817-818. XU, X., CHEN, X., CAO, J. LI, F. 2009. General contract management information system for China Chongqin Yuchu Hydropower Station Hinge engineering based on the platform of P3EXPEXPVS. YUNG, I.-S., LEE, H.-W. LAI, M.-H. 2009. Competitive advantages created by a cluster collaboration network for supplier management in notebook PC production. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 20, 763-775. ZHANG, X. JIANG, F. 2011. Innovation in Supplier Management of Chinese Sporting Goods Company ANTA.

Relationship Between Stress and Smiling

Relationship Between Stress and Smiling Free Online Research Papers Investigation 1 hypothesis: In the present study I wanted to test the relationship between stress and the number of smiles because, based on what we learned in class, I expect there to be negative correlation between the variables. I predict that, as stress increases the number of smiles I give will decrease because in chapter 1 it gives the example of a student who studies more will decrease in parting with friends. See figure 1 for a scatter plot of these two variables. Investigation 1 results: according to the scatter plot, the variables seem to be negative though strongly correlated. It appears that stress and smiles (given) are related. This may be due to a number of factors, like I recorded my variables at the same exact time each class period (11:20a.m.), making sure I had a consistent recording time that did not affect my variables. Investigation 1 discussion: The results suggest a negative relationship between the variables of interest. This was stronger than expected and could be because of the consistent time recording my variables and setting a phone alarm to make sure I recorded at that exact time. As a person with respect to the variables is why I may have a stronger correlation compared to someone who does not respect the variables. Some may say that due to my irregular sleep may case for my stress to differ therefore change my smile (given) variable. Overall, I believe there is a negative correlation between these variables for most people, and while it did show up for me, my consistency in recording as well as keeping track of my personal variable strengthen the relationship for me. Investigation 2 hypothesis: For my second investigation, I predict a positive correlation between variables: sleep and mood. As I get more sleep each night, my mood improves tremendously. In class we discussed the relationship between getting proper sleep and overall well being. When you are well rested you have a tendency to be in a better mood and have a better day. The better I sleep, the more attentive I am in class and less easily irritated I am. Also, we talked about how sleep can give you more energy inter having a better mood. See Figure 2 for a scatter-plot of these variables. Investigation 2 results: According to the scatter-plot, my hypothesis appears to have been supported. The variables are closely linked and travel in a positive direction. As my hours of sleep increase, my mood improves. When I get fewer hours of sleep, my mood scores are lower. Investigation 2 discussion: I expected this relationship, and I believe it is true of most people, not just me. Sleep helps you to have more energy and relax, which improves your mood. I was very consistent in recording my variables, which caused this relationship to be strong on the chart. However, because the relationship was expected and is probably true to most people, I do consider this a great concern because more people would get more done on the job and in school. It is interesting to examine variables that exist within me and see that they are related in some meaningful way. Research Papers on Relationship Between Stress and SmilingResearch Process Part OneEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Fifth HorsemanThree Concepts of PsychodynamicComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

PSAT Practice Testsâ€Updated for New 2015 PSAT

PSAT Practice Tests- Updated for New 2015 PSAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're looking for PSAT practice materials, you've come to the right place. This guide contains all free PSAT materials, which you can download- including 10 PSAT practice test PDFs. Unfortunately, since the PSAT's 2015 makeover, the College Board hasn't released a ton of practice tests. Luckily, though, you can still use old PSAT practice tests effectively to prepare. Before getting to the practice questions, we'll go over some of the changes made to thePSAT in 2015. If you care about your PSAT score, read carefully so you don't waste your time studying the wrong things! How Did the PSAT Change in 2015? Let's start by going over some of the main changes to the PSAT so you'll be able touse older PSAT practice tests with a critical eye. In 2015 the College Board changed the PSAT in an attempt to make it more relevant and useful to students. It's possible they were also trying to addresscriticisms of inequityand find a way to stay competitive with theincreasingly popular ACT. The content on both the PSAT and SATis meant to be evidence-based and grounded in real-world situations. Rather than testing obscure vocabulary and rarely used concepts, the PSAT now reflects the skills and abilities you'll need to succeed in both college and your career. Below, we'll take a closer look at the content and skills changes on each of the three PSAT sections: Reading Writing and Language Math If you're using old PSAT practice questions, it's important to be aware of these changes so that you can ultimately study the right material! PSAT Reading Changes Here is a brief overview of the major changes to the PSAT Reading section: The current PSAT does not have isolated Sentence Completion questions. Instead, it tests more commonly used vocabulary words within the context of passages. Reading passages often include charts, graphs, and/or pictures.You will be asked about the relationship between a passage and the data being represented. You are expected to practice evidence-based reading. You will have to find a specific line in a passage that demonstrates style, tone, point of view, theme, etc. You will also be asked to identify the one or two lines in a passage that helped you answer a previous question. The following official sample question shows how the PSAT will ask about your understanding of a relatively common vocabulary word in the context of a larger passage (passage not shown): PSAT Writing and Language Changes The PSAT Writing and Language section has changed in two key ways: The PSAT now asks youto edit the grammar of sentences within passages, rather than that of stand-alone sentences. Passages on PSAT Writing often includegraphs, pictures, and/or tables. Here's an example of a PSAT Writing questionthat deals with data (graph not shown): PSAT Math Changes Here are some of the main ways the PSAT Math section has changed: PSAT Math questions now relate far more to real-life situations in areas such as business, science, and the social sciences. Grid-in word problems have multiple parts. The Math section focuses far more on algebra and data analysis than it does on geometry. Here’s a sample PSAT Math question from the College Board: Now that you're aware of these major changes, you can adapt your approach as you prepare with practice materials from the last few years. Read on to see the PSAT practice tests,and learn how to use these tests to get a high PSAT score. Bonus: Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: Official PSAT Practice Tests (2015-Present, Current Version) The College Board has released bothonline sample PSAT questionsandtwo PSAT practice tests with answer keys. You can download both tests as PDFs along with the scoring guides and answer explanations to use after you finish your practice testing: PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test- Answer Explanations PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations In addition, the College Board created an online prep program in partnership with Khan Academy. While this program is geared specifically toward the SAT, it can help you prepare for the PSAT, too, since the two tests are so similar. Although free practice materials for the current version of the PSAT arerather limited, you can still find a large number of practice test PDFs for the old version of the PSAT. Find the tests below, and then read on for some tips on how to make the most of both new and old practice tests. Official PSAT Practice Tests (Pre-2015, Old Version) We’ve compiled eight old official PSAT practice test PDFs for you to practice with. Download them here (note that the answer keys are included in the last few pages of each PDF): PSAT Practice Test PDF 1 PSAT Practice Test PDF 2 PSAT Practice Test PDF 3 PSAT Practice Test PDF 4 PSAT Practice Test PDF 5 PSAT Practice Test PDF 6 PSAT Practice Test PDF 7 PSAT Practice Test PDF 8 You can also find decent-quality PSAT questions from Peterson’s, which offers a half-length PSAT test if you create a free account with them. As you know, these older PSAT materials don't reflect the format or content of the current version of the PSAT. However, most still test the same fundamental skills and knowledge. So how can you use these old PSAT questions to get ready for the PSAT? How toUse PSAT Practice Tests Effectively: 3 Key Tips Regardless of whether you're using current or old PSAT practice tests, it's important you know how to use them effectively.Our three tips below can help youmake the most of PSAT practice tests in your prep. #1: Take the Test in a Realistic Environment Part of getting the most out of PSAT practice tests is making them feel like the real deal. On test day, you'll take the PSAT in a quiet classroom with other test takers; therefore, you'll want to find a similar environment to take your practice tests in, such as a library. If you try to take a practice test at a park or at the same time your family's watching TV, you'll likely find it difficult to focus, thereby lowering your score. This score will not be an accurate snapshot of your strengths since you didn't take the test in a realistic environment. Additionally, it's best to take each test in one sittinginstead of spread up over several days. This way, you'll not only get a realistic testing experience but can also get used to the length of the test bybuilding up your test-taking endurance. #2: Abide by Official Time Limits While it's important to take each PSAT practice test in one sitting, it's also important to take the test in accordance with official PSAT time limits.What do I mean by this? Basically, never give yourself more time on any section, as doing so can dramatically raise your score and give you an inflated sense of how you're actually scoring on the PSAT. To help you out, here are the time limits on each section of the PSAT, along with the approximate time you'll have per question: PSAT Section Total Time # of Questions Time per Question Reading 60 minutes 47 77 seconds Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 48 seconds Math No Calculator 25 minutes 17 88 seconds Math Calculator 45 minutes 31 87 seconds The Reading section offers the most time and also has the most questions. Meanwhile, despite the differences in total time and number of questions in the two Math sections, you'll still have around 87-88 seconds per math question (No Calculator and Calculator). The Writing and Language section has the second-highest number of questions (44) but gives you the least amount of time per question (48 seconds), so be sure to work fairly quickly here. Note that it'll be more difficult to replicate these time frames on old PSAT tests since the sections and questions are so different. (We'll talk more about how to use old tests in the following section.) #3: Review Your Answers Once you finish taking a PSAT practice test, it's time to check your answers and score your test. But don't just look at your score and call it a day- take some time to go through all the mistakes you madeand figure out what your biggest weaknesses are. The best way toreview your mistakes is to record the types of questions you got wrong, as well as the specific mistakes you made, in a "mistakes" journal. For example, if you missed an algebra problem, you'd write "algebra" as the question type and the specific reason you think you got the question wrong, such as "forgot formula." Make sure to use your test's answer guide to help you figure outwhy you might've missed certain questions. After you've gone through your test, look at your mistakes journal to determine whether there are any patterns to your mistakes. For instance, do you typically struggle withevidence-based Reading questions? Math word problems? Writing questions dealing withfragments and run-on sentences? Once you know what your weaknesses are, you can then customize your PSAT prep to focus more on honing the skills that are most challenging for you. How to Make the Most Of Old PSAT Practice Tests Although many official PSAT tests are outdated, they're certainly notuseless. In fact, these old ones test many of the same reading comprehension, grammar, and math problem-solving skills you'll need for the current PSAT. To make the most of these older official practice tests, you just have to shift your focus toward the skills that are still relevant while ignoring questions that no longer matter. Here are our seven tips for doing this effectively: Focus on evidence-based Reading:The current PSAT is all about using evidence and context to find an answer.If a set of passage-based Reading questions asks you about tone, style, or argument, don’t just try to look for the right answer among the options you're given. Instead, find the specific line in the reading passage that provesyour answer is right. Ignore Sentence Completion questions:You'll no longer encounter these questions on the PSAT, so just skip them entirely. Shift gears with vocabulary: Practicedetermining meaning through context, and make sure you understand subtleties of connotation. Focus on structure and organization:The current PSAT tests your understanding of the structure and organization of whole passages rather than that of stand-alone sentences. Therefore, as you’re reading a passage, take notes on its organization and make sure you understand its main and supporting ideas. Pay attention to graphs, tables, and charts:Try to understand the data and information represented in graphs. If there's no accompanying passage, trywriting your own paragraph to describe the information. On the flip side, consider how the data presented in a passage could be represented visually. For practice, useproblems from your math/science classes, as well as data interpretation questionsfrom the ACT Science section. Choose your math problems: Focus onalgebra, data analysis, and word problems,and spend far less time on geometry. Since the current PSAT involves multi-step grid-in problems, be sure to write out all the steps you take to answer a question. Also, remember the age-old adage: show your work. Learn the grammar rules tested:Both the old and current PSAT testsimilar grammar rules. Be sure to learnthese, as you'll need to be able to recognize grammatical errors in context. How Else Can You Prepare for the PSAT? Since the PSAT is so similar to the SAT, materials for the SAT are good practice. The PSAT is also very similar to the ACT, so ACT prep can be helpfulas well. Another tip is to challenge yourself in your classes. Develop advanced reading and writing skills by reading a variety of genres and writing frequently. In your math and science classes, focus on data analysis and work on your ability to interpret or represent data in graphs, charts, tables, etc. All of this preparation will not only help you get a high PSAT score, but will also help youget ready for theSAT. Since both exams are meant to test and sharpen your real-world reasoning skills, this kind of preparation should behelpful forall kinds of problem-solving in your day-to-day life. What's Next? High scorers on the PSAT might qualify for National Merit.Learn what it takes to becomea National Merit SemifinalistandNational Merit Finalist, as well as how towin the scholarship. Are you wondering whether to take the PSAT before your junior year? Check out these guides to consider whether you should take the PSAT as a freshman or sophomore. Are you curious about how the PSAT compares with the SAT? Read this complete guide to the SAT and learn all about the test. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, 10 official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Canadian politic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Canadian politic - Essay Example In spite of the fact that Canada has a dominance of political parties yet Canada has been labeled with the title of executive federalism emphasizing the importance of the Prime Minister and the First Ministers in the policy making of Canada.2 Smiley has characterized the Canadian government as â€Å"executive federalism†. This is because Canada represents an intersection of parliamentary power as well as federal power. The special characteristic in Canada is that the power is centralized at each level and at the same time is dispersed between different levels. It can be said that in Canada the approval of the Senate is necessary for every issue but at the same time the Senate cannot withhold its consent. Even in the Supreme Court of Canada we can witness the presence of executive federalism. The federal cabinet is also an example of executive federalism in Canada. 3 The advocates of executive federalism were of the opinion that this form of government will reduce the responsibility of the parliament in the governance of the country whereas the provinces will be allowed to take some amount of national responsibility. They also felt that such a government will establish a welfare state in Canada. Canada under the influence of the executive federalism the benefits allowed were family allowance, unemployment insurance scheme, the scheme of old age pension, old age security plans, the Canada Pension Plan and the initiation of Child Tax Credit. Another positive step which was taken during this era was the elimination of child poverty.4 They were also of the opinion that the best way for a country like Canada was to trust the elites and hence they felt that the executive federalism which gave a lot of weightage to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of the Provinces for policy making was most apt for Canada. They were of the opinion that executive federalism provided the

Mans Search for Meaning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mans Search for Meaning - Essay Example However, the 20th century revealed another image of human, less generalized and, in his drives, a more individual one. Viktor E. Frankl, mostly basing his ideas on his psychoanalytic experience in concentration camps during World War II, had developed quite opposite to Freud’s one, and more current point of view on a subject. According to Frankl, one of the key drives for human existence is finding a meaning of life. Considering human as an animal of higher order, Freud naturally generalizes drives of human life to instincts, which are common for all people, and also are inherent for all human beings. Thus, the reasons for individual to behave in particular way also originate from the â€Å"inside† of a human, because those reasons are rather inherent or based on individual’s past. Freud is known to be the â€Å"father† of psychoanalysis, and in his studying of neuroses he also believed, that the common origin for all mind disorders is a past psychological trauma. Therefore, neuroses are caused by those human desires which once in the past were repressed by individual himself (even if he was forced to repress his desires as the result of psychological trauma). This idea naturally comes from Freud’s structural model of human’s psyche, which consists of three parts. â€Å"Id† is a driving force for all human actions and behavior, and is in common for all hu man beings. â€Å"Ego† is human’s individuality, which is reasonable, and therefore establishes connections between â€Å"id† and â€Å"superego†. â€Å"Superego† is a human inner censor, who gauges actions. â€Å"Superego† is based upon issues of authorities. Yet Freud rests most of the responsibility for human behavior on that â€Å"id†, which always stays in common for all individuals while â€Å"ego† and â€Å"superego† depend on conditions very much. In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning Frankl brings next Freud’s utterance.

Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Term Paper Example Corporate social responsibility on the other hand can be defined as the responsibility that a Corporation has, beyond economic and legal obligations, to act ethically and to contribute in a positive way to the good of the society (Trevino &Nelson). Corporate social responsibility requires that every business organisation contribute to the good of the society in which it operates. This paper looks at whether or not the common practice of corporations making campaign contributions in hope of political and legislative favours is in line with these three values of business organisations. In America, Politicians, especially presidential candidates are sponsored by big corporations in exchange for favourable legislations if the sponsored candidates win in the elections. The funding of the political campaigns by corporations is a controversial issue; some people are of the idea that the funding of the political campaigns by politicians is in line with the law, the ethics, and the social responsibility of business organisations, while other people are of the idea that the funding of the political campaigns by corporations is against the law, the ethics, and the social responsibility guiding business organisations. This topic is quite significant because the sponsoring of political campaigns has big influence in the American politics, i.e. without the corporations sp onsoring politicians in America, many politicians in America, especially the presidential candidates would not be able to fund their campaigns. Before we explore the controversy of the funding of political campaigns by politicians, it is important to have background information regarding this topic. On the law and the funding of the political campaigns by the corporations, it is argued that since the law recognizes business corporations as persons, the business corporations have rights to influence the political process by

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 80

Case Study Example To determine the effectiveness of the partnership, customers need to be involved in the process. The research should be conducted to find out how the customers receive this new partnership. The research should look into how the changes in service delivery have been received by the customers. For example with, the partnership the airline will only be making one stop instead of two across Europe. This should also be looked at in terms of operational cost effectiveness. If the partnership is effective in terms of operational costs incurred by Qantas, then it should be sustained to help in bringing back Qantas to international profitability. The research should also include the dynamics involved in the aircraft operations industry. With a good service delivery as a result of this partnership, the Qantas Company can get back to international profit making. The most important thing is that if the customers accept the new services, they will purchase and recommend them to their friends (Gun n,

Companies engage in CSR because, for a number of reasons, they think Essay

Companies engage in CSR because, for a number of reasons, they think it will be good for their profit margins Critically d - Essay Example A multitude of definition of CSR exist, and the range of views on the proper scope and extent of a firm’s social responsibilities, as well. Whether CSR is about companies giving charities, taking care of the environment, being sympathetic to workers or assisting their communities with expectations of financial gains remain a controversial subject (Bacher, 2007, p 12) The right definition of corporate social responsibility becomes more difficult when real business examples are taken into consideration. For instance, was Google acting in a publicly accountable manner when it put up with the Chinese law by sieving the content found through its google .cn search engine? Was UBS Bank acting socially responsible by opting to spend investors’ money to willingly reduce its carbon emission to attend to global warming when there is no legal duty to so. Does Heineken beer firm offer costly HIV/AIDS medication to its African workers and their beneficiaries if this is not anticipate d to bring financial gain to the company? In order to address these questions, it is essential to examine why firms go beyond the bottom line in an attempt to defend their CSR (Adams & Zutshi, 2004, p 32). A possible definition of CSR holds that the idea of social responsibilities presumes that the company has not only economic and lawful obligations, but also definite duties to the community, which go beyond these duties. Another explanation states that social responsibility is the duty of decision makers to take actions that guard and enhance the wellbeing of society as a whole along with their own interests. CSR is also taken to mean the continuing commitment by businesses to act ethically and contribute to economic development whilst enhancing the quality of life of the employees and their relations, the local community and the wider society, as well. Several elements found in various definitions suggest that corporations have duties that go beyond their bottom line (that, is, p roduction of goods and services at a gain). These duties entail helping unravel significant social problems, which the business itself has helped create (Adams, 2008, p 366). Companies have a wider constituency than shareholders only. Organizations serve a broader assortment of human values than can be captured by a sole focus on economic values. Narrower points of view on CSR hold that businesses have two main responsibilities. One is to abide by the elementary canons of each day face to face civility and to seek material gain. The second duty is the fiduciary obligation to investors (owners) is the bedrock of capitalism, and free enterprise will dry up without it. As such, definitions of CSR fall under two broad schools of thought: those with the view that business is mandated only to make profits within the boundaries of minimal ethical and legal compliance. The other school of thought holds that CSR entails broader responsibilities. Numerous factors and influences have resulted in mounting attention being devoted to the role of businesses and corporate social responsibility. They comprise of sustainable development, globalization, corporate sector impact, governance, finance, communications, ethics, leadership, business tool and consistency

Tropical rain forest Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tropical rain forest - Research Paper Example Tropical rain forest Tropical rain forests are categorized into three: the monsoon, equatorial rain forests and the subtropical rainforests. They are characterized by very tall trees of different kinds and produce 40% of Earth’s oxygen. The trees form canopies which provide shelter to the plants and animals from the sun. Tropical rain forests host more than half of the estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects (Terashima, 49). The vegetation is ever green. The dominant species in the rain forests are plants, animals and insects. Location According to Newman (The Tropical rainforest), tropical rain forests are found on the earth’s surface between the tropic of cancer in the North and the tropical of cancer in the south around 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator. Areas around the equator receive a constant amount of sunlight and rainfall which favours the growth of rainforest. Tropical rain forests are mainly found in central and South America, South East Asia and is lands near it and in West Africa. The largest tropical rainforest across the globe is the Amazon rainforest. Climate According to Terashima (52), ecosystem is usually very wet with the total rainfall between 1500 and 2500 mm per year. Most of the rains stays on the rain forest, evaporates, cools to form clouds and fall again. The rainforest soils are infertile since the nutrients are washed away by the rains. There are usually no dry seasons and the day temperatures are around 30-35 Degree Celsius (Terborgh, The midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. This means there is more direct sunlight hitting the ground and the sea and much water evaporates into the air (Newman, 2002). At night the temperatures range between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Little difference exists between the warmest and coolest months. Tropical rainforests have a high humidity and the type of climate is known as the equatorial climate. Tropical rainforest climate is found at latitudes within five degrees North and South of the equator. The high humidity is due to the warm sunlight, rainfall and the tree canopies which help retain the moisture. Major interactions Among the Organisms that live in the Tropical rain forests Competition According to University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest) there is a wide diversity of animals in the tropical rain forests. The tropical birds such as Costa Rica, parrots, macaws and hornbills eat fruits, nuts insects, seeds and nectar. Monkeys such as gorilla and the Lar gibbon feed on leaves, fruits, leaves and bark while the orang-utan and spider monkey feed on leaves fruits, nuts, seeds and insects. Also in Whitemore (195), spiders which live on the canopies eat fruits and leaves hence competing with the birds and some mammal for food in the ecosystem. Both the birds, monkeys and spiders compete for the same food in the ecosystem. Predation The bats also prey on frogs which also prey on insects. Jaguar feeds on r odents and frogs the bats and the jaguar are the predators whereas the frogs and other rodents are the prey. Snakes which are also predators feed on other rodents (Terborgh, 121). Predators use poison, camouflage and strength to kill their prey. Man is another predator whose prey is edible animals and plants. Men use the animals and plant

Companies engage in CSR because, for a number of reasons, they think Essay

Companies engage in CSR because, for a number of reasons, they think it will be good for their profit margins Critically d - Essay Example A multitude of definition of CSR exist, and the range of views on the proper scope and extent of a firm’s social responsibilities, as well. Whether CSR is about companies giving charities, taking care of the environment, being sympathetic to workers or assisting their communities with expectations of financial gains remain a controversial subject (Bacher, 2007, p 12) The right definition of corporate social responsibility becomes more difficult when real business examples are taken into consideration. For instance, was Google acting in a publicly accountable manner when it put up with the Chinese law by sieving the content found through its google .cn search engine? Was UBS Bank acting socially responsible by opting to spend investors’ money to willingly reduce its carbon emission to attend to global warming when there is no legal duty to so. Does Heineken beer firm offer costly HIV/AIDS medication to its African workers and their beneficiaries if this is not anticipate d to bring financial gain to the company? In order to address these questions, it is essential to examine why firms go beyond the bottom line in an attempt to defend their CSR (Adams & Zutshi, 2004, p 32). A possible definition of CSR holds that the idea of social responsibilities presumes that the company has not only economic and lawful obligations, but also definite duties to the community, which go beyond these duties. Another explanation states that social responsibility is the duty of decision makers to take actions that guard and enhance the wellbeing of society as a whole along with their own interests. CSR is also taken to mean the continuing commitment by businesses to act ethically and contribute to economic development whilst enhancing the quality of life of the employees and their relations, the local community and the wider society, as well. Several elements found in various definitions suggest that corporations have duties that go beyond their bottom line (that, is, p roduction of goods and services at a gain). These duties entail helping unravel significant social problems, which the business itself has helped create (Adams, 2008, p 366). Companies have a wider constituency than shareholders only. Organizations serve a broader assortment of human values than can be captured by a sole focus on economic values. Narrower points of view on CSR hold that businesses have two main responsibilities. One is to abide by the elementary canons of each day face to face civility and to seek material gain. The second duty is the fiduciary obligation to investors (owners) is the bedrock of capitalism, and free enterprise will dry up without it. As such, definitions of CSR fall under two broad schools of thought: those with the view that business is mandated only to make profits within the boundaries of minimal ethical and legal compliance. The other school of thought holds that CSR entails broader responsibilities. Numerous factors and influences have resulted in mounting attention being devoted to the role of businesses and corporate social responsibility. They comprise of sustainable development, globalization, corporate sector impact, governance, finance, communications, ethics, leadership, business tool and consistency

Importance of Agriculture in Economy Essay Example for Free

Importance of Agriculture in Economy Essay The direct contribution of the agriculture sector to national economy is reflected by its share in total GDP, its foreign exchange earnings, and its role in supplying savings and labor to other sectors. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry and fishing accounted for 18.5 percent of total Indian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2005-06 (at 1999-2000 constant prices) and employed about 58 percent of the countrys workforce (CSO, 2007). It accounted for 10.95 percent of India’s exports in 2005-06 (GoI, 2007) and about 46 percent of Indias geographical area is used for agricultural activity. There has been a structural transformation in the Indian economy during the past few decades. The composition of Gross Domestic Product at 1993-94 constant prices reveals that the share of agriculture including forestry and fishing has declined as growth in industrial and services sectors far outpaced agricultural sector (Figure 1). The share of mining, manufacturing, electricity and construction sector has increased from 21.6 percent in 1970-71 to 27 percent in 2004-05 and services sector has increased significantly from 32 percent to 52.4 percent during the same period. Despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, agriculture is still an important sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic development of the country. Therefore, fostering rapid, sustained and broad-based growth in agriculture remains key priority for the government. Consistent with the trends of economic development at national level, role of agricultural sector in the state economies is also changing rapidly. The share of agriculture in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has declined significantly during the last two decades. In some States, such as Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Orissa, the sector today contributes more than one-quarter of GSDP, while in some states, such as Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, the sector contributes less than 20 percent to GSDP (Figure 2). However, contribution of agriculture to GSDP has declined in almost all States between 1993-94 and 2004-05. The decline was the highest in Karnataka (16%), followed by Haryana (14.2%), and Kerala (13.7%). In Karnataka, decline was mainly due to significant increase in the share of service sector (from 37.9% in 1993-94 to 54.7% in 2004-05) mainly driven by informational technology (IT) industry. Similar is the case with Haryana the decline is due to faster development of services sector in cities around the national capital, Delhi. Despite declining share of agriculture in the economy, majority of workforce continue to depend on agricultural sector for employment and in rural areas dependence on agriculture is more as nearly 75 percent of rural population is employed in agricultural sector. However, there is disguised employment in the sector due to limited opportunities for rural non-farm employment. This disguised employment leads to lower labor and resources productivity in the sector relative to other sectors of the economy. The low labor productivity leads to higher rates of poverty in rural areas (Figure 3). Agriculture in India is constitutionally the responsibility of the states rather than the central government. The central governments role is in formulating policy and providing financial resources for agriculture to the states. Agriculture finance Meaning: Agricultural finance generally means studying, examining and analyzing the financial aspects pertaining to farm business, which is the core sector of India. The financial aspects include money matters relating to production of agricultural products and their disposal. Definition of Agricultural finance: Murray (1953) defined agricultural. finance as â€Å"an economic study of borrowing funds by farmers, the organization and operation of farm lending agencies and of society’s interest in credit for agriculture .† Tandon and Dhondyal (1962) defined agricultural. finance â€Å"as a branch of agricultural economics, which deals with and financial resources related to individual farm units.† What is Agriculture Finance Agricultural finance is the study of financing and liquidity services credit provides to farm borrowers. It is also considered as the study of those financial intermediaries who provide loan funds to agriculture and the financial markets in which these intermediaries obtain their loanable funds. John B. Penson, Jr. and David A. Lins (1980) Why Agriculture Finance India is mainly an agricultural country. Agriculture accounts for approximately 33 percent of Indias GDP and employs nearly 62 percent of the population. It accounts for 8.56 % of Indias exports. About 43 % of Indias geographical area is used for agricultural activity. Agricultural production in this country depends upon millions of small farmers. It is intensity of their effort and the efficiency of their technique that will help in raising yields per acre. Finance in agriculture is as important as development of technologies. Technical inputs can be purchased and used by farmer only if he has money (funds). But his own money is always inadequate and he needs outside finance or credit. Because of inadequate financial resources and absence of timely credit facilities at reasonable rates, many of the farmers, even though otherwise willing, are unable to go in for improved seeds and manures or to introduce better methods or techniques. The farming community must be kept informed about the various sources of agriculture finance. Agricultural finance possesses its usefulness to the farmers, lenders and extension workers. The knowledge of lending institutions, their legal and regulatory environment helps in selecting the appropriate lender who can adequately provide the credit with terms and related services needed to finance the farm business. Nature and Scope: Agricultural finance can be dealt at both micro level and macro level. Macrofinance deals with different sources of raising funds for agriculture as a whole in the economy. It is also concerned with the lending procedure, rules, regulations, monitoring and controlling of different agricultural credit institutions. Hence macro-finance is related to financing of agriculture at aggregate level. Micro-finance refers to financial management of the individual farm business units. And it is concerned with the study as to how the individual farmer considers various sources of credit, quantum of credit to be borrowed from each source and how he allocates the same among the alternative uses with in the farm. It is also concerned with the future use of funds. Therefore, macro-finance deals with the aspects relating to total credit needs of the agricultural sector, the terms and conditions under which the credit is available and the method of use of total credit for the development of agriculture, while micro-finance refers to the financial management of individual farm business. Significance of Agricultural Finance: 1) Agril finance assumes vital and significant importance in the agro – socio – economic development of the country both at macro and micro level. 2) It is playing a catalytic role in strengthening the farm business and augmenting the productivity of scarce resources. When newly developed potential seeds are combined with purchased inputs like fertilizers plant protection chemicals in appropriate / requisite proportions will result in higher productivity. 3) Use of new technological inputs purchased through farm finance helps to increase the agricultural productivity. 4) Accretion to in farm assets and farm supporting infrastructure provided by large scale financial investment activities results in increased farm income levels leading to increased standard of living of rural masses. 5) Farm finance can also reduce the regional economic imbalances and is equally good at reducing the inter–farm asset and wealth variations. 6) Farm finance is like a lever with both forward and backward linkages to the economic development at micro and macro level. 7) As Indian agriculture is still traditional and subsistence in nature, agricultural finance is needed to create the supporting infrastructure for adoption of new technology.   8) Massive investment is needed to carry out major and minor irrigation projects, rural electrification, installation of fertilizer and pesticide plants, execution of agricultural promotional programmes and poverty alleviation programmes in the country .LECTURE -2 Credit needs in A Credit needs in Agriculture – meaning and definition of credit-classification of credit based on time, purpose, security, lender and borrower. _____________________________________________________________________ The word â€Å"credit† comes from the Latin word â€Å"Credo† which means â€Å"I believe†. Hence credit is based up on belief, confidence, trust and faith. Credit is other wise called as loan. Definition: Credit / loan is certain amount of money provided for certain purpose on certain conditions with some interest, which can be repaid sooner (or) later. According to Professor Galbraith credit is the â€Å"temporary transfer of asset from one who has to other who has not† Credit needs in Agriculture: Agricultural credit is one of the most crucial inputs in all agricultural development programmes. For a long time, the major source of agricultural credit was private moneylenders. But this source of credit was inadequate, highly expensive and exploitative. To curtail this, a multi-agency approach consisting of cooperatives, commercial banks ands regional rural banks credit has been adopted to provide cheaper, timely and adequate credit to farmers. The financial requirements of the Indian farmers are for, 1. Buying agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals, feed and fodder for cattle etc. 2. Supporting their families in those years when the crops have not been good. 3. Buying additional land, to make improvements on the existing land, to clear old debt and purchase costly agricultural machinery. 4. Increasing the farm efficiency as against limiting resources i.e. hiring of irrigation water lifting devices, labor and machinery Credit can be classified on the basis of time, purpose, security, lender and borrower. (i)Time classification:- It classifies credit into three groups, i.e. short, medium and long term. (a) Short-Term (for periods up to 15 months): The short-term loans are generally advanced for meeting annual recurring purchases such as, seed, feed, fertilizers, hired labour expenses, pesticides, weedicides, hired machinery charges, etc., and termed as seasonal loans/crop loans/production loans. These are expected to be repaid after the harvest. It is expected that the loan plus interest would be repaid from the income received through the enterprise in which it was invested. The time limit to repay such loans is a year or at the most 18 months. (b) Medium-Term (from 15 months up to 5 years): Medium-term loans are advanced for comparatively longer lived assets such as machinery, diesel engine, wells, irrigation structure, threshers, shelters, crushers, draught and milch animals, dairy/poultry sheds, etc., where the returns accruing from increase in farm assets in spread over more than one production period. The usual repayment period for such type of loan is from fifteen months to five years. (c) Long-Term (above 5 Years): Loans repayable over a longer period (i.e. above 5 years) are classified as long-term loans. Long-term loans are related to the long lifed assets such as heavy machinery, land and its reclamation, errection of farm buildings, construction of permanent-drainage or irrigation system, etc. which require large sums of money for initial investment. The benefits generated through such assets are spread over the entire life of the asset. The normal repayment period for such loans ranges from five to fifteen or ev en upto 20 years. (ii) Purpose classification:- Credit is also classified based on purpose of loans e.g. crop loan, poultry/dairy/piggery loan, irrigation loan, machinery and equipment loan, forestry loan, fishery loan etc. These loans signify the close relationship between time and use as well as rate of return (or profitability). Some times loans are also classified as production and consumption loans due to the fact that production loans are diverted for consumption purposes by the weaker sections. So, the banks have also started financing for consumption purposes (exclusively for home consumption expenditures) besides financing for the production purposes. The consumption loans are also to be repaid from the sale proceeds of the crop. (iii) Security classification:- Security offered/obtained provides another basis for classifying the loans. The secured loans are advanced as against the security of some tangible personal property such as land, livestock and other capital assets, i.e., medium and long term loans. The borrowers credit worthiness may act much more than the security offered, which if doubtful may result willful default. Moreover, the secured loans are further classified on the basis of type of security e.g. mortgage loans, where legal mortgage of some property such as land is offered to the lender, i.e., loans for intangible property such as land improvement, irrigation infrastructures, etc. and hypothecated loans, where legal ownership of the asset financed remains with the lender though physical possession with the borrowers i.e. loans for tangible property such as tractor, machinery and equipments. The private money lenders, usually possess items such as gold ornaments / jewellery or land as security, which reminds the borrower about his obligations of loan repayments. On the contrary, unsecured loans are generally advanced without offering any security e.g. short-term crop loans. (iv) Lender classification:- Credit is also classified on the basis of lender such as (a) Institutional Credit e.g. co-operative loans, commercial bank loans and government loans; (b) Non-Institutional Credit e.g. professional and agricultural money lenders, traders and commission agents, relatives and friends etc. (v) Borrower classification:- The credit is also classified on the basis of type of borrowers (i.e., production or business activity as well as size of business) such as crop farmers, dairy farmers, poultry farmers, fisherman, rural artisans etc. or agricultural labourers, marginal/small/medium/large farmers, hill farmers or tribal farmers etc. Such classification has equity considerations. credit is broadly classified based on various criteria: 1. Based on time: This classification is based on the repayment period of the loan. It is sub-divided in to 3 types Short–term loans: These loans are to be repaid within a period of 6 to 18 months. All crop loans are said to be short–term loans, but the length of the repayment period varies according to the duration of crop. The farmers require this type of credit to meet the expenses of the ongoing agricultural operations on the farm like sowing, fertilizer application, plant protection measures, payment of wages to casual labourers etc. The borrower is supposed to repay the loan from the sale proceeds of the crops raised. Medium – term loans: Here the repayment period varies from 18 months to 5 years. These loans are required by the farmers for bringing about some improvements on his farm by way of purchasing implements, electric motors, milch cattle, sheep and goat, etc. The relatively longer period of repayment of these loans is due to their partially-liquidating nature. Long – term loans: These loans fall due for repayment over a long time ranging from 5 years to more than 20 years or even more. These loans together with medium terms loans are called investment loans or term loans. These loans are meant for permanent improvements like levelling and reclamation of land, construction of farm buildings, purchase of tractors, raising of orchards ,etc. Since these activities require large capital, a longer period is required to repay these loans due to their non liquidating nature. 2. Based on Purpose: Based on purpose, credit is sub-divided in to 4 types.   Production loans: These loans refer to the credit given to the farmers for crop production and are intended to increase the production of crops. They are also called as seasonal agricultural operations (SAO) loans or short – term loans or crop loans. These loans are repayable with in a period ranging from 6 to 18 months in lumpsum .Investment loans: These are loans given for purchase of equipment the productivity of which is distributed over more than one year. Loans given for tractors, pumpsets, tube wells, etc. Marketing loans: These loans are meant to help the farmers in overcoming the distress sales and to market the produce in a better way. Regulated markets and commercial banks, based on the warehouse receipt are lending in the form of marketing loans by advancing 75 per cent of the value of the produce. These loans help the farmers to clear off their debts and dispose the produce at remunerative prices. Consumption loans: Any loan advanced for some purpose other than production is broadly categorized as consumption loan. These loans seem to be unproductive but indirectly assist in more productive use of the crop loans i.e. with out diverting then to other purposes. Consumption loans are not very widely advanced and restricted to the areas which are hit by natural calamities. These loams are extended based on group guarantee basis with a maximum of three members. The loan is to be repaid with in 5 crop seasons or 2.5 years whichever is less. The branch manager is vested with the discretionary power of sanctioning these loans up to Rs. 5000 in each individual case. The rate of interest is around 11 per cent. The scheme may be extended to 1) IRDP beneficiaries 2) Small and marginal farmers 3) Landless Agril. Laborers 4) Rural artisans 5) Other people with very small means of livelihood hood such as carpenters, barbers, washermen, etc. 3. Based on security: The loan transactions between lender and borrower are governed by confidence and this assumption is confined to private lending to some extent, but the institutional financial agencies do have their own procedural formalities on credit transactions. Therefore it is essential to classify the loans under this category into two sub-categories viz., secured and unsecured loans. Secured loans: Loans advanced against some security by the borrower are termed as secured loans. Various forms of securities are offered in obtaining the loans and they are of following types. I. Personal security: Under this, borrower himself stands as the guarantor. Loan is advanced on the farmer’s promissory note. Third party guarantee may or may not be insisted upon (i.e. based on the understanding between the lender and the borrower) II. Collateral Security: Here the property is pledged to secure a loan. The movable properties of the individuals like LIC bonds, fixed deposit bonds, warehouse receipts, machinery, livestock etc, are offered as security. III. Chattel loans: Here credit is obtained from pawn-brokers by pledging movable properties such as jewellery, utensils made of various metals, etc. IV. Mortgage: As against to collateral security, immovable properties are presented for security purpose For example, land, farm buildings, etc. The person who is creating the charge of mortgage is called mortgagor (borrower) and the person in whose favour it is created is known as the mortgagee (banker). Mortgages are of two types a) Simple mortgage: When the mortgaged property is ancestrally inherited property of borrower then simple mortgage holds good. Here, the farmer borrower has to register his property in the name of the banking institution as a security for the loan he obtains. The registration charges are to be borne by the borrower. b) Equitable mortgage: When the mortgaged property is self-acquired property of the borrower, then equitable mortgage is applicable. In this no such registration is required, because the ownership rights are clearly specified in the title deeds in the name of farmer-borrower. V. Hypothecated loans: Borrower has ownership right on his movable and the banker has legal right to take a possession of property to sale on default (or) a right to sue the owner to bring the property to sale and for realization of the amount due. The person who creates the charge of hypothecation is called as hypothecator (borrower) and the person in whose favor it is created is known as hypothecate (bank) and the property, which is denoted as hypothecated property. This happens in the case of tractor loans, machinery loans etc. Under such loans the borrower will not have any right to sell the equipment until the loan is cleared off. The borrower is allowed to use the purchased machinery or equipment so as to enable him pay the loan installment regularly. Hypothecated loans again are of two types viz., key loans and open loans. a) Key loans : The agricultural produce of the farmer borrower will be kept under the control of lending institutions and the loan is advanced to the farmer . This helps the farmer from not resorting to distress sales. b) Open loans: Here only the physical possession of the purchased machinery rests with the borrower, but the legal ownership remains with the lending institution till the loan is repaid. Unsecured loans: Just based on the confidence between the borrower and lender, the loan transactions take place. No security is kept against the loan amount 4. Lender’s classification: Credit is also classified on the basis of lender such as Institutional credit: Here are loans are advanced by the institutional agencies like co-operatives, commercial banks. Ex: Co-operative loans and commercial bank loans. Non-institutional credit : Here the individual persons will lend the loans Ex: Loans given by professional and agricultural money lenders, traders, commission agents, relatives, friends, etc. 5. Borrower’s classification: The credit is also classified on the basis of type of borrower. This classification has equity considerations. Based on the business activity like farmers, dairy farmers, poultry farmers, pisiculture farmers, rural artisans etc. Based on size of the farm: agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, small farmers , medium farmers , large farmers , Based on location hill farmers (or) tribal farmers. 6. Based on liquidity: The credit can be classified into two types based on liquidity and they are Self-liquidating loans: They generate income immediately and are to be paid with in one year or after the completion of one crop season. Ex: crop loans. ï‚ · Partially -liquidating: They will take some time to generate income and can be repaid in 2-5 years or more, based on the economic activity for which the loan was taken. Ex: Dairy loans, tractor loans, orchard loans etc., 7. Based on approach: Individual approach: Loans advanced to individuals for different purposes will fall under this category Area based approach: Loans given to the persons falling under given area for specific purpose will be categorized under this. Ex: Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) loans, etc Differential Interest Rate (DIR) approach: Under this approach loans will be given to the weaker sections @ 4 per cent per annum. 8. Based on contact: Direct Loans: Loans extended to the farmers directly are called direct loans. Ex: Crop loans. Indirect loans: Loans given to the agro-based firms like fertilizer and pesticide industries, which are indirectly beneficial to the farmers aSource of Agricultural Credit are called iidirct loans. The sources of agricultural finance are broadly classified into two categories: (A) Noninstitutional Credit Agencies or informal sources, and (B) Institutional Credit Agencies or Formal Sources. A. Non-institutional Credit Agencies i) Traders and Commission Agents: Traders and commission agents advance loans to agriculturists for productive purposes against their crop without completing legal formalities. It often becomes obligatory for farmers to buy inputs and sell output through them. They charge a very heavy rate of interest on the loan and a commission on all the sales and purchases, making it exploitative in nature. ii) Landlords: Mostly small farmers and tenants depend on landlords for meeting their production and day to day financial requirements. iii) Money lenders: Despite rapid development in rural branches of different institutional credit agencies, village money lenders still dominate the scene. Money lenders are of two types- agriculturist money lenders who combine their money lending job with farming and professional money lenders whose sole job is money lending. A number of reasons have been attributed for the popularity of moneylenders such as: (a) they meet demand for productive as well as unproductive requirement; (b) they are easily approachable at odd hours; and (c) they require very low paper work and advances are given against promissory notes or land. Money lenders charge a very high rate of interest as they take advantage of the urgency of the situation. Over the years a need for regulation of money lending has been felt. But lack of institutional credit access to certain sections and areas had facilitated unhindered operation of money lending. B. Institutional Credit Agencies The evolution of institutional credit to agriculture could be broadly classified into four distinct phases 1904-1969 (predominance of co-operatives and setting up of RBI), 1969-1975 [nationalisation of commercial banks and setting up of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)], 1975-1990 (setting up of NABARD) and from 1991 onwards (financial sector reforms). Institutional funding of the farm sector is mainly by commercial banks, regional rural banks and co-operative banks. Share of commercial banks in total institutional credit to agriculture is almost 48 percent followed by cooperative banks with a share of 46 per cent. Regional Rural Banks account for just about 6 per cent of total credit disbursement. i) Government: These are both short term as well as long-term loans. These loans are popularly known as Taccavi loans which are generally advanced in times of natural calamities. The rate of interest is low. But it is not a major source of agricultural finance. ii) Cooperative Credit Societies: The history of cooperative movement in India dates back to 1904 when first Cooperative Credit Societies Act was passed by the Government. The scope of the Act was restricted to establishment of primary credit societies and non-credit societies were left out of its purview. The shortcomings of the Act were rectified through passing another Act called Cooperative Societies Act 1912. The Act gave provision for registration of all types of Cooperative Societies. This made the emergence of rural cooperatives both in the credit and noncredit areas, though with uneven spatial growth. In subsequent years a number of Committees were appointed and recommendations implemented to improve the functioning of the cooperatives. Soon after the independence, the Government of India following the recommendations of All India Rural Credit Survey Committee (1951) felt that cooperatives were the only alternative to promote agricultural credit and development of rural areas. Accordingly, cooperatives received substantial help in the provision of credit from Reserve Bank of India as a part of loan policy and large scale assistance from Central and State Governments for their development and strengthening. Many schemes involving subsidies and concessions for the weaker sections were routed through cooperatives. As a result cooperative institutions registered a remarkable growth in the post-independence India. iii) Commercial Banks: Previously commercial banks (CBs) were confined only to urban areas serving mainly to trade, commerce and industry. Their role in rural credit was meagre i.e., 0.9 per cent in 1951- 52 and 0.7 per cent in 1961-61. The insignificant participation of CBs in rural lending was explained by the risky nature of agriculture due to its heavy dependence on monsoon, unorganized nature and subsistence approach. A major change took place in the form of nationalisation of CBs in 1969 and CBs were made to play an active role in agricultural credit. At present, they are the largest source of institutional credit to agriculture. iv) Regional Rural Banks (RRBs): RRBs were set up in those regions where availability of institutional credit was found to be inadequate but potential for agricultural development was very high. However, the main thrust of the RRBs is to provide loans to small and marginal farmers, landless labourers and village artisans. These loans are advanced for productive purposes. At present 196 RRBs are functioning in the country lending around Rs 9,000 crore to rural people, particularly to weaker sections. v) Microfinancing: Microfinancing through Self Help Groups (SHG) has assumed prominence in recent years. SHG is group of rural poor who volunteer to organise themselves into a group for eradication of poverty of the members. They agree to save regularly and convert their savings into a common fund known as the Group corpus. The members of the group agree to use this common fund and such other funds that they may receive as a group through a common management. Generally, a self-help group consists of 10 to 20 persons. However, in difficult areas like deserts, hills and areas with scattered and sparse population and in case of minor irrigation and disabled persons, this number may range from 5-20. As soon as the SHG is formed and a couple of group meetings are held, an SHG can open a Savings Bank account with the nearest Commercial or Regional Rural Bank or a Cooperative Bank. This is essential to keep the thrift and other earnings of the SHG safely and also to improve the transparency levels of SHGs transactions. Opening of SB account, in fact, is the beginning of a relationship between the bank and the SHG. The Reserve Bank of India has issued instructions to all banks permitting them to open SB accounts in the name of registered or unregistered SHGs. Genesis and Historical Background The Committee to Review Arrangements for Institutional Credit for Agriculture and Rural Development (CRAFICARD) set up by the RBI under the Chairmanship of Shri B Sivaraman in its report submitted to Governor, Reserve Bank of India on November 28, 1979 recommended the establishment of NABARD. The Parliament through the Act 61 of 81, approved its setting up. The Committee after reviewing the arrangements came to the conclusion that a new arrangement would be necessary at the national level for achieving the desired focus and thrust towards integration of credit activities in the context of the strategy for Integrated Rural Development. Against the backdrop of the massive credit needs of rural development and the need to uplift the weaker sections in the rural areas within a given time horizon the arrangement called for a separate institutional set-up. Similarly. The Reserve Bank had onerous responsibilities to discharge in respect of its many basic functions of central banking in monetary and credit regulations and was not therefore in a position to devote undivided attention to the operational details of the emerging complex credit problems. Thispaved the way for the establishment of NABARD. CRAFICARD also found it prudent to integrate short term, medium term and long-term credit structure for the agriculture sector by establishing a new bank. NABARD is the result of this recommendation. It was set up with an initial capital of Rs 100 crore, which was enhanced to Rs 2,000 crore, fully subscribed Role and Functions †¢ NABARD is an apex institution accredited with all matters concerning policy, planning and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas. †¢ It is an apex refinancing agency for the institutions providing investment and production credit for promoting the various developmental activities in rural areas †¢ It takes measures towards institution building for improving absorptive capacity of the credit delivery system, including monitoring, formulation of rehabilitation schemes, restructuring of credit institutions, training of personnel, etc. †¢ It co-ordinates the rural financing activities of all the institutions engaged in developmental work at the field level and maintains liaison with Government of India, State Governments, Reserve Bank of India and other national level institutions concerned with policy formulation. †¢ It prepares, on annual basis, rural credit plans for all districts in the country; these plans form the base for annual credit plans of all rural financial institutions †¢ It undertakes monitoring and evaluation of projects refinanced by it. †¢ It promotes research in the fields of rural banking, agriculture and rural developmentby the Government of India and the RBI. Mission Promoting sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development through effective credit support, related services, institution building and other innovative initiatives. In pursuing this mission, NABARD focuses its activities on: Credit functions, involving preparation of potential-linked credit plans annually for all districts of the country for identification of credit potential, monitoring the flow of ground level rural credit, issuing policy and operational guidelines to rural financing institutions and providing credit facilities to eligible institutions under various programmes Development functions, concerning reinforcement of the credit functions and making credit more productive Supervisory functions, ensuring the proper functioning of cooperative banks and regional rural banks Objectives NABARD was established in terms of the Preamble to the Act, for providing credit for the promotion of agriculture, small scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts and other allied economic activities in rural areas with a view to promoting IRDP and securing prosperity of rural areas and for matters connected therewith in incidental thereto. The main objectives of the NABARD as stated in the statement of objectives while placing the bill before the Lok Sabha were categorized as under : 1. The National Bank will be an apex organisation in respect of all matters relating to policy, planning operational aspects in the field of credit for promotion of Agriculture, Small Scale Industries, Cottage and Village Industries, Handicrafts and other rural crafts and other allied economic activities in rural areas. 2. The Bank will serve as a refinancing institution for institutional credit such as long-term, short-term for the promotion of activities in the rural areas. 3. The Bank will also provide direct lending to any institution as may approved by the Central Government. 4. The Bank will have organic links with the Reserve Bank and maintain a close link with in. sources of Funds Authorised share capital of NABARD is Rs 500 crores and issues and paid up capital is Rs 100 crores. NABARD accrues additional funds from borrowings from the Government of India and any institution approved by the Government of India, issue and sale of bonds i.e. Rural Infrastructural Development Bond, borrowings from RBI, deposits from State Governments and local authorities and gifts and grants received . NABARD have been providing financial assistance to various financial institutions engaged in Rural Credit Delivery System. These agencies include Co-operative Credit Institutions, Regional Rural Banks and Commercial Banks. The demand for funds for rural development has come up considerably in recent times. To meet the increasing demand of rural credit, NABARD raises funds from the following sources: (i) Capital: It went up from Rs.100 crore in March 1992 to Rs.1500 crore in March 1998 and further Rs. 2000 crore in 1999. The total Capital of NABARD is contributed by Government of India and RBI. The capital remained at Rs. 2000 crore in March 2002. (ii) Deposits: The deposits mainly come from Rural Infrastructural Development Fund (RIDF) introduced in Central Government Budget from the year 1995-96. Another source of deposits comes from banks which fall short of attaining priority sector target. The total outstanding RIDF deposits aggregated Rs. 9725 crore as on 31st March 2002. (iii) Borrowings: NABARD raises funds through market borrowings, Loans from Union Government and borrowings in Foreign Currency from abroad. Apart from these they also borrow funds from RBI. Their borrowings are mainly from three sources. They are by issue of bonds, borrowings from Government of India and borrowing abroad in foreign currency. The total outstanding borrowing amounted to Rs. 15,772 crore in March 2002. (iv) Reserves and: The excess of income over expenditures is generally accumu- Surplus lated as Reserves and surplus. As on March 2002, these reserves aggregated to Rs. 3626 crore. (v) Nation Rural Credit: These funds were earlier provided by RBI to NABARD in con- Funds (Long-term section with assistance under Agriculture Sector. These were Operation Fund given out of profits earned by RBI. They stood at Rs.11064 crore Stabilization Fund) as on March 99. However it has gone up to Rs. 13,975 crore as on March 2002. However, Reserve Bank stopped contributing large sums towards these two Funds from 1994. Presently, the RBI contributes only Rs.1.00 crore each to these funds as a symbolic gesture because the RBI Act provides for such contributions. The balance contribution now comes from NABARDs own profit. (vi) Rural Infrastructural Development Fund (RIDF): The setting up of RIDF was announced in the Union Budget for 1995-96. The RIDF was set up with a contribution of Rs. 2000 crore mainly to provide assistance to State Governments to take up infrastructure projects pertaining to irrigation, rural roads, bridges and flood control measures. Contributions to this Fund came from Indian Scheduled Commercial Banks (other than RRBs) which failed to achieve the minimum agricultural lending target of 18 per cent of net bank credit. The shortfall of amounts in the target achievement was required to be kept in the RIDF with NABARD. Similarly RIDF II was set up in 1996-97 with contributions made by public sector banks which failed to achieve the minimum priority sector advances of 40 per cent. The shortfall in their target amount has to be kept in RIDF II. RIDF III was set up in 1997-98 with shortfall in priority sector landings of all private and public sector commercial banks. The contributions to these Funds were eligible for interest payment to be decided by Reserve Bank from time to time. The Funds are managed by NABARD. Loans out of these funds are mainly provided to State Governments to complete existing rural infrastructural projects and also for taking up new infrastructural projects in rural areas. Loans out of RIDF I was provided interest at the rate of 13.0 per cent and at 12.0 per cent out of RIDF II and III. The projects generally pertain to irrigation facilities and construction of Roads and Bridges in rural areas. Similarly RIDF IV and V were created in the Union Budget during 1998-99 and 1999- 2000. Further RIDF VI and VII were created in 2001 and 2002 with a corpus of Rs. 4,500 crore and Rs. 5,000 crore respectively. The scope of the fund has been extended to cover Gram Panchayats, Self Help Groups to develop rural infrastructural facilities like soil conservation, rural market yards, drainage improvement, etc. Students may observe the capital of NABARD has gone up by Rs. 1,500 crore to Rs. 2,000 crore during the year 2002. Similarly, the RIDF deposits which were only Rs. 3,608 crore in March 1999 were increased to Rs. 9,725 crore as on March 2002. The borrowing of NABARD has gone up substantially in the recent past from Rs. 9,000 crore in March 1999 to Rs. 15,772 crore in March 2002. The aggregate resources of NABARD were also substantially increased from Rs. 28,986 crore in March 1999 to Rs. 45,098 crore in March 2002. On the uses of funds while the loans and advances increased by about 25% between March 1999 and March 2002 loans out of RIDF funds went up substantially from Rs. 3,667 crore to Rs. 10,435 crore during the same period.