Sound of Thunder Essay Example for Free

Sound of Thunder Essay The story is about traveling in the time. It takes place in 2055; a Time safari INC company provides a time traveling machine to its customer, so they can travel in time and go to million years ago. Eckles, who was the first character of the story, decided to go to million years ago to hunt gigantic animal. He believed he can be the first person who has hunted the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The most important point of the story is how the slight occurrence could change the future and affect the earth and people who live in the future in long term. The company sent Eckles to the past with Mr. Travis who was the safari guide in to the past and Lesperance who was Mr.travis assistant. They told Eckles that he must not go out of the path. Moreover, he couldn’t shoot any other animals except those that had been marked. Some animals had been observed by the guides of traveling in to the past and they realized that they will die soon by nature accident. By the time Eckles saw the dinosaur he got scared so much and panicked; therefore, he went out of the path on accident. Travis was so mad at Eckles because he disobeyed him and stepped out of the path. He threatened Eckles that he either will take out the bullet from Tyrannosaurus’ body, or he will shoot Eckles. Travis explained them they can’t leave anything in the past because they don’t know how it will affect the future. He believed that killing even a mouse or destroying a plant could ruin nature circle and influence next fauna’s generations. When they came back to their own time they realized slight differences. Spelling was different; the reception looked slightly different. Also the result of the recent election had changed. And a guy, whom they believe is dictator, won the election. Eckles looked at his boot and saw the mud on it. When he looked more closely he noticed that he stepped on a butterfly. Travis became so furious when he saw the dead butterfly and figured out it caused all the changes; therefore, he shoot Eckles.

Development through life stages Essay Example for Free

Development through life stages Essay Discuss the nature-nurture debate in relation to the development of the individual (M1) Evaluate how nature and nurture may affect the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of two stages of the development of the individual (D1). Nature can be loosely defined as genetic inheritance or the genetic makeup (the information encoded in your genes) which a person inherits from both parents at the time of conception and carries throughout life. Several things in an individual genetically inherits include; ranging from gender, eye colour, risks for certain diseases and exceptional talents to height. The concept of nature thus refers to biologically inherited tendencies and abilities that people have and which may get revealed later on as they grow up. Nurture can be defined as the different environmental factors to which a person is subjected from birth to death. There are many environmental factors. They include both physical environments and social environments. Some theorists believe that people behave as they do according to genetic predispositions or even because of ‘animal instincts.’ This is known as the ‘nature’ theory of human behaviour. Other theorists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the ‘nurture’ theory of human behaviour. (www.yourenglishlessons.wordpress.com) Nature refers to the inherited (genetic) characteristics and tendencies that influence development. Some inherited characteristics appear in virtually everyone. All children have a set of universal human genes that, when coupled with a reasonable environment, permit them to develop as reasonably capable members of the human species. Inherited characteristics and tendencies are not always evident at birth. Many physical features emerge gradually through the process of maturation, the genetically guided changes that occur over the course of development. Environmental support, and responsive care from others, is necessary for maturation to take place. Children’s experiences in the environment affect all aspects of their being, for example the health of their bodies or the curiosity of their minds. Nurture affects children’s development in many ways. With good environmental support, children thrive. Unfortunately, the conditions of nurture are not always nurturing. For example, children who grow up in an abusive family must look outside the family for stable, affectionate care. It is known that your genetics determine what you will look like and even your height. However your height  and looks can be changed if a person doesn’t eat properly or are in an accident. People can become anorexic, obese, anaemic etc. And all of these can affect how a person looks and their height. If a child is malnourished then this can cause their growth to deteriorate and they may develop problems like rickets. By looking at adoption studies it is shown that identical twins share similar intelligence whether they are brought up together or not. With this data we can make an argument that genetics has a greater influence in the intelligence of identical twins as well as the environment. Your IQ which is determined by your genes can also be af fected by the environment around an individual. If a person has not got as good school opportunities as another person with the same determined IQ, if they perhaps cannot go to a good as school as them or if their teachers are not as good as the other then they’re IQ will not be as developed as the other person which means that nurture also plays a part in a person’s IQ. (www.boundless.com) However in recent years there has been a growing realization that the question of â€Å"how much† behaviour is due to heredity and â€Å"how much† to environment may itself be the wrong question. Take intelligence as an example. Like almost all types of human behaviour it is a complex, many-sided phenomenon which reveals itself (or not!) in a great variety of ways. The â€Å"how much† question assumes that the variables can all be expressed numerically and that the issue can be resolved in a quantitative manner. The reality is that nature and culture interact in a host of qualitatively different ways. (McLeod 2007) Nature vs. nurture could refer to really intelligent people. One reason given for their being so gifted at learning and acquiring information might be that its in their genes. They have really intelligent parents; a high IQ i.e. their genetic makeup has enabled them to be intelligent. And likewise, you might argue the opposite for very unintelligent pe ople. (Nature) Whereas some people might argue that its how that person is raised. The child’s parents gave him all kinds of means to learn with, or encouraged his education from an early age, etc. The ‘less intelligent’ child’s parents, on the other hand, kicked him outside all day, kept him from school, called him stupid, etc. (Nurture) In my opinion, both nature and nurture have an effect on the development of an individual. Having read both sides, I personally believe that indeed nature does have a significant impact on the holistic development of the  individual. In my opinion, our personalities are related to our genetics. I have a very similar temperament to my father, which supports my view. My sister on the other hand, has a temperament which is very similar to my mum’s. Also, I believe that our intelligence is genetically driven. Some people are naturally more intelligent than others and this cannot be disputed. Of course, nurture with regards to intelligence and personality is also important. If a child experiences a lack of support with their education, they may not perform to the best of their ability. With that being said however, the level of support that the child receives does not actually alter their natural ability. Also, an individual may suffer a negative experience in their upbringing. This may result in their development being ‘altered’ or ‘different.’ Peer pressure also exists and therefore we must consider all of these extra factors regarding the development of individuals. Researchers have uncovered convincing links between parenting styles and the effects these styles have on children. During the early 1960’s, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study on more than 100 preschool-age children (Baumrid, D. (1967) child-care practices anteceding three patterns of preschool behaviour. Genetic psychology monographs, 75, 43-88). Using naturalistic observation, parental interviews and other research methods, she identified four important dimensions of parenting; disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturance, communication styles and expectations of maturity and control. Based on these dimensions, Baumrind suggested that the majority of parents display one of three different parenting styles. Further research by Maccoby also suggested the addition of a fourth parenting style (Maccoby, E.E. (1992). The role of parents in the socialization of children: An historical overview. Developmental psychology, 28, 1006-1017) The four parenting styles are: Authoritarian parenting: in this style of parenting, children are expected to follow the strict rules established by the parents. Failure to follow such rules usually results in punishment. Authoritarian parents fail to explain the reasoning behind these rules. If asked to explain, the parent might simply reply, ‘because I said so.’ These parents have high demands, but are not responsive to their children. Authoritarian parenting styles generally  lead to children who are obedient and proficient, but they rank lower happiness, social competence and self-esteem. Authoritative parenting: like authoritarian parents, those with an authoritative parenting style establish rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow. However, this parenting style is much more democratic. Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions. When children fail to meet the expectations, the parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing. Authoritative parenting styles tend to result in children who are happy, capable and successful (Maccoby, 1992.) Permissive parenting: permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, have very few demands to make of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control. According to Baumrind, permissive parents ‘’are more responsive than they are demanding. They are non-traditional and lenient, do not require mature behaviour, allow considerable self-regulation, and avoid confrontation’’ (1991). Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than that of a parent. Permissive parenting often results in children who rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These children are more likely to experience problems with authority and tend to perform poorly in school. Uninvolved parenting: An uninvolved parenting style is characterized by few demands, low responsiveness and little communication. While these parents fulfil the child’s basic needs, they are generally detached from their child’s life. In extreme cases, these parents may even reject or neglect the needs of their children. Uninvolved parenting styles rank lowest across all life domains. These children tend to lack self-control, have low self-esteem and are less competent than their peers. It is extremely important for a parent to demonstrate good parenting skills. How parents interact with their child affects their development in a significant way. How a child is brought up could affect the child’s social skills, they could turn out to be too shy, suffer anxiety, get nervous around people or even become mute depending on their situations at home. If a child is bought up in a home with violence, they could grow up thinking that it is the normal thing to do. Similarly, if a child is brought up in a very stable and loving household, this could  enable them to be happier and enjoy life more and this could also help bring out their personality and feelings. I believe that this suggests that a person’s personality does take an effect on how they deal with their environmental surroundings and the person that they will grow to become. Nurture can significantly impact an adult’s emotional and social development. If someone was treated badly as a child, this may reflect on their personality and behaviour as an adult. The individual may be withdrawn and depressed. This could be caused by the negative experiences they had in their childhood. Also, if an adult is obese it may be as a result of nurture. If a child is brought up being allowed to eat nothing but junk food, they will consider this type of eating as ‘normal’. As a result of this, nurture has a significant impact on the physical development of a child and indeed an adult, with regards to obesity. We could argue however, that obesity is genetic and that is where nature is to blame. In a study that included more than 5,000 identical and non-identical twin pairs, researchers found heredity to be a much bigger predictor of childhood obesity than lifestyle. They concluded that three-quarters of a childs risk for becoming overweight is due to genetic influences, while just under a quarter of risk can be attributed to environmen t. Either way, both nature and nurture can have an impact on the physical development of an individual. (www.webmd.co.uk) I believe that if a child has grown up in a ‘rough area’ then it will be more likely that they might get into trouble with the police, in school etc. This may be because they have seen older children or maybe even adults do something they shouldn’t and this influences them to do the same. Drink and drugs may influence antisocial behaviour. If antisocial behaviour is seen as normal you may end up repeating the cycle. However, it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that their child is safe. Therefore, I believe that environmental factors can change how a child behaves depending for example on where they live and what kind of people they are exposed to. I personally do not believe there is a correct answer to this debate. There is no way to prove how much influence each has in forming who we are, so we have to rely on logic and researc h that has been conducted regarding the issue. But each side has different interpretations of what evidence is available. I do believe however, that both nature and nurture play a significant part in our personal development but I believe  that they are equally as important, there is no ‘better’ theory. I believe that you are born with certain genetic traits and predispositions which influence how you react to your environment. Your environment shapes the person you are because it presents you with choices, challenges, and opportunities. Your genetic traits provide you with strengths and weaknesses. It is how you utilize those strengths to overcome the challenges, and take advantage of the opportunities, and of course the choices that you make that ultimately make you who you are. How does nature/nurture affect the development of Miya at 5 years old? Nature has a significant impact on the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of Miya. During this stage of childhood, Miya will be going through a p eriod of growth. Miya’s physical development will be determined by her genes and this cannot be controlled. Growth is pre-determined by nature and therefore, it cannot be changed or stopped. Nurture also has a significant impact on Miya’s holistic development during this stage of her life. Parenting has a huge impact on her intellectual, emotional and social development. If Miya is fed a lot of junk food by her parents, then nurture would be responsible for her becoming overweight. Unless Miya is genetically programmed to become overweight, this would be at the fault of her parents for allowing her to eat too many unhealthy foods, and not providing her with a balanced diet. Also, nurture will impact significantly on Miya’s intellectual development. If she is encouraged to complete her homework e.g. by doing reading or simple maths with her parents, Miya will benefit intellectually. Also, if Miya’s parents did not take the time to do these activities with Miya her intellectual development may negatively be affected by nurture. In terms of emotional and social developmen t, nurture is significantly important at this stage of Miya’s life. If Miya is shown love, she will feel emotionally secure and accepted by her parents. Miya will be able to trust her parents and will expect affection and love from others if she is used to getting that at home. On the other hand however, if Miya experiences abuse from her parents, this can have devastating consequences on her emotional and social development both at this stage in her life and in the future. If Miya experiences abuse, she may have problems trusting people and this could continue on to her adulthood. How does nature/nurture affect the development of Miya at 14 years old? Nature/ Nurture have a  significant impact on Miya’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development during this stage of the lifespan. In terms of her physical development, Miya will be going through puberty during this stage of her life. Puberty is controlled by nature. Puberty is genetically programmed, Miya cannot change that puberty will happen as it is determined by nature; the individual cannot change that it will eventually occur. Nature also affects Miya’s intellectual development. Miya will have a specific IQ which will determine her natural intelligence. Of course, through nurture, Miya can make the most of her IQ e.g. by encouragement to study, parents providing resources etc. but, her IQ cannot actually be changed as it is determined by nature. Miya’s IQ will be developed by nature, but it will be supported through the nurture she receives in her life. For example, by her parents and teachers supporting her to achieve her best possible outcomes in school. Nurture will have a major impact on the emotional and social development of Miya. During this time, peer pressure and the influence of her friends will be huge. As a result of peer pressure, Miya may engage in activities that she otherwise may not have considered (drinking, drugs etc.) With regards to her development, this may have a negative impact as Miya will most likely not be truly happy with the decisions she makes. The internet and social media will also have a significant impact on the development of Miya both socially and emotionally. Facebook will be a very important part of Miya’s life as she will want to keep in contact with friends by using this social networking site. If Miya uses Facebook correctly, it could be a positive experience. However, sometimes Facebook can result in bullying which could negatively impact on her social and emotional development at this point in her life. Nurture can also have an impact on the type of friends Miya may have. If Miya’s parents are strict, they may choose who she is allowed to/ not allowed to be friends with. This will affect Miya’s emotional and social development. If Miya is not allowed to socialise with certain people, she may become upset with the decisions her parents have made for her. Miya may rebel against her parents if she feels she hasn’t got enough freedom. If her parents are too strict, she may withdraw from talking to them as she might feel they will ‘judge’ her. As a result of this, Miya may not discuss concerns/worries she has and this could have a very negative impact on her emotional development. On the other hand  however, if Miya’s parents set reasonable boundaries the relationship may be better. Miya may feel more comfortable talking to her parents if they are not too strict. Also, Miya may be happier socially too. If she is allowed to socialise with who she wants, she will not feel the need to rebel against the restrictions that her parents create. References: McLeod, S. A. (2007). Nature Nurture in Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html (accessed 17/11/14) https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/intelligence-11/measuring-intelligence-62/genetic-and-environmental-impacts-on-intelligence-243-12778/) (accessed 19/11/14) http://yourenglishlessons.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/nature-vs-nurture-are-we-really-born-that-way/ (accessed 19/11/14) http://www.webmd.co.uk/children/news/20080211/nature-trumps-nurture-in-child-obesity (accessed 24/11/14)

Advantages and Disadvantages of Effective Budget Control

Advantages and Disadvantages of Effective Budget Control This paper will look at what is required of an effective budgetary control mechanism and try to assess the advantages and disadvantages of using a system imposed from above, or externally, over a decentralized system controlled by lower level management as task level. Using an empirical case study from the international banking sector, it will be shown that too much managerial autonomy can lead to disaster not just for the manager concerned but also for the whole organization. In contrast the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in imposing nation-state loan budgets will be critiqued to highlight the potential flaws of centralizing and dominating budget control management. Effective budgetary controlHenderson (2003) notes that regardless of the situation or workplace, in order to be effective it is crucial that budgetary control systems: Account for money received and spent Make sure that the organizations financial policies are adhered to Ensure that money is not wasted Assist managers to run, and develop, services or departments These controls have developed from the need to account for large sums of money but are equally applicable to any budgetary situation. However, from a managerial perspective they have often been criticised for being insensitive and restrictive at the lower levels of management. As the number of stakeholders increases so does the need to be fully accountable and therefore more controls are also needed. This is particularly noticeable in the public sector National Health Service. Here lower level management are extremely subservient to imposed and tight budgeting restrictions from a distantly senior level. This is arguably a result of the need to satisfy a multitude of stakeholder interests and a concern that empowering lower management with the autonomy to control their own budgets would fail to include the number of interested parties from politicians to doctors and patients. With organisations as complex as the NHS whether public or private sector – It is safer and easier to p lan and control from above using imposed budget control methods. Politically imposed budgeting is preferably because senior managers, directors, or institutions who set the budgets are arguably best placed to recognise the wider implications of budgeting decisions but, according to Marginson (1999), financially imposed budget controls make sense too. Financial losses, which can occur for such damaging reasons as incompetence, error, negligence or fraud, are most likely to be minimised, or avoided altogether, by well constructed control systems. Imposed budgets benefit from the experience, acquired knowledge and full backing of senior management. They arguably encourage a sense of confidence in lower level management to do their job whilst reducing the massive levels of stress that come with having to create and manage your own budget. Another advantage of imposed budgeting is that it encourages regular monitoring, reporting, progress reports and ultimately improvements in the budgetary system. This enables problems to be uncovered and dealt with quickly and efficiently. Henderson (2003) states that it is advantageous to review arrangements occasionally. Even if procedures within your work area operate well, you should ensure that the budgetary responsibilities of staff at all levels are clear and understood by everyone. It would be unfortunate if problems arise because people do not know the extent or limit of their responsibilities (p33). Autonomous managers are arguably less likely to self-review their processes if they are deemed to be working well. Whereas senior management may be able to employ the use of an external or dedicated process-auditing team, lower level management are unlikely to have the resources or inclination to do the same especially if a process is deemed to be largely successful and given that any negative results will reflect directly and negatively on their managerial budgeting ability. There are further problems with lower level management dictating their own budget. As a budget manager, you are in charge of producing an annual cash flow forecast detailing accurately all of your income and expenditures. Budget managers are also expected to collect a range of information throughout each year, both financial and non-financial, to supplement their cash flow predictions and help better manage their finances. Finally they are then expected to critically compare the planned figures and the actual revenues and expenditures that occurred and act to ensure that the inflows and outflows of cash are within budget limits. In short, managers who are given control over their own budgets are required to be financially adept. Often, even if the manager is financially confident, proof of budgetary ability will only be learned from success or failure by which time it may be too late to rectify any problems. Marginson (1999) suggests that the concept of self-managing a budget at all levels through an organization is essentially flawed. If a manager has responsibility for a budget they he argues should not be expected to regulate and monitor is on their own. Ideally a system would be in place to bring any relevant or potentially important information to the managers attention. The flaw of any budgeting system that encourages managerial autonomy is that, eventually, in the case of poor performance a reporting system will eventually alert senior management to the crisis. Inevitably, senior manage will then try to rectify the situation costing time, resources and money. This often lengthy process would almost certainly be entirely avoided if senior management imposed budgetary control measures tightly from the top. A potential hazard in using imposed budgetary controls Imposing financial authority from the top-down may be one method of ensuring that the commands of senior management (or external bodies such a the Government) are carried out but this strict system of financial control is not necessarily the most productive method of financial management. The most commonly cited problem with a top-down method of strict budgetary control is the message that it permeates down the hierarchy. This invariably is translated as a lack of trust in the ability of lower-level and middle-management from those above them. As Benston (1963) explains: Decentralization contributes to effective motivation. The firm’s accounting system that facilitates decentralization hence has an indirect but important impact on motivation. The direct use of accounting reports, such as budgets, for motivation can result in reduced performance, if the budget is imposed on the department manager. (p347) The financial advantages of imposing budgetary control – such as less risk of money being wasted, tighter adherence to company financial polity etc are potentially offset by the negative effects on motivation (and therefore productivity and profitability) such a gesture could make.According to Petrova (2004), autonomy and motivation are commonly considered to be extremely closely associated to one another. Given the value of a motivated workforce, the use of imposed budgets could be limiting the success of the business as well as its employees. Case Study:  Too much managerial autonomy – Nick Leeson and banking crises Over the last two decades crises the banking worldwide and the subsequent global financial instability they have invariably caused have occurred with alarming regularity and always at a huge, often crippling, cost. According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, more than a dozen banking crises in the past 15 years have cost the countries afflicted 10% or more of their gross domestic product (Economist, 2003). Although the majority of banking collapses seem to occur in the less developed and therefore poorer nations of the world, rich countries are also susceptible, as Japan demonstrated before the world in the 1990s. The blame is frequently – and correctly – laid on macroeconomic policy: an unsustainable exchange rate has no doubt often exacerbated problems but it is poor budgetary control that has been at the root of the majority of banking crises in recent times.. It is not just the banks who are to blame for this. Imposed budgets do not necessarily have to come from within the organisation. Bank regulators, too, should have done, and should do, more to help avoid these crises. The Basel Accord is the main external control that is used to protect the financial safety of banks. The Accord established a set of international rules that limit banks exposure to risk by requiring that their capital must at least equal a minimum proportion of their assets (Economist, 2003). This proportion is weighted by a calculated risk based on the circumstances of each individual bank. The Basel Accord is effectively the banking industries version of imposed budgeting. The external regulator oversees the business of the banks to ensure that they do not assume too much autonomy. (Economist, 2003) The case of Nick Leeson and the collapse of Barings Banks provides a hugely unlikely yet extremely note-worthy case to act as a warning of what can happen to companies that do not impose strict financial controls on their management. As Van der Stede (2000) warns, this is especially pertinent for companies concerned with achieving tangible results as they are more likely to have managers with a stronger focus on business matters that affect the short-term results (p609) and are therefore more likely to take poorly calculated risks with company money. In the Leeson case the bank were found to be guilty of allowing an unprecedented degree of managerial influence in the trading budget. This eventually allowed just a single employee Leeson to accumulate debts of over  £1.3 billion and bankrupt one of the worlds oldest banks. In a fatal mistake, the bank allowed Leeson to remain Chief Trader while being responsible for settling his trades, a job that is usually split. This had made it much simpler for him to hide his losses. (BBC, 2002). If any case highlights the dangers of allowing managers unbridled participation in budgetary control, the Lesson case is it. Problems with imposed budgets a global political perspective. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund control the flow of finances and effectively national budgets in every country across the globe. Their role is to promote stable growth in a bid to increase the wealth of citizens across the globe. However, as recently as April 2005, hundreds of members of parliaments around the world are calling on these two institutions lenders of billions of dollars every year, – to renege many of the numerous conditions they impose on borrowing countries in order to secure their loans. These conditions, they say, are eroding national sovereignty and impeding long-term economic planning necessary to achieve positive and sustained growth. Instead, global politicians, most vocally from the less developing countries who are the primary victims of the current restrictive loan scheme, are calling for the World Bank and IMF to let local legislators have the final say in domestic economic policies. Typical IMF conditions imposed on lending nations include devaluation of local currencies, deregulation of state-owned industry, tight public spending caps, liberalisation of trade and exchange controls, withdrawal of subsidies, and more protections for the private sector and multinational companies (Mekay, 2005). Beyond this critics argue that both institutions have been guilty of providing inaccurate and detrimental economic advice that has only helped to compound the economic rigidities created by the loans causing delayed debt relief, increased poverty and undermined democracy, prompting demonstrations and street protests in many countries (Mekay, 2005). According to the petition, in 2003, the former Soviet state of Georgia’s budget deficit exceeded its IMF-set limit. The Fund then asked Georgia to revise its budget for that year, but the parliament refused to pass it. Rather than accepting this decision, the IMF allowed its lending programme with Georgia to expire in retaliation. This led to threats from the World Bank that it, too, would pull the plug on existing projects. (Mekay, 2005) The IMF and World Bank reflect a system of imposed budgeting that is arguably more detrimental than it is effective. Imposed budgets must be careful to provide some degree of flexibility and maneuverability if they are not to cause resentment and productivity problems. This is particularly the case if budgets are being set and imposed from external sources. On a local or company scale there are further problems with the use of imposed budgeting in trying to link financial failures with those responsible for them. It is important to be able to link levels of activity, the consumption of resources and the achievement of targets with the managers primarily responsible for making decisions about these issues (Henderson, p33). If budgets are imposed from above, it is potentially difficult to identify the source of budgetary failure. If managers are autonomous, any budgetary failure is attributed directly to them. This arguably generates stricter budgetary discipline, responsibility and better management. Unless you have the authority to control financial resources, you cannot effectively manage the services for which you are responsible (Henderson, p23). Conclusion Henderson (2003) argued that successful budgetary control resulted in; being able to account for money received and spent, making sure that the organisations financial policies are adhered to, ensuring that money is not wasted, and assisted managers to run, and develop, services or departments. There is no single correct way of managing budgets but from the evidence presented above it is arguable that imposing a set of budget controls is a more effective method of safeguarding company finances. Certainly this method guarantees that company polices are adhered to and money is accounted and, if employees and managers are motivated, imposed budgets do not necessarily detract from department development or cause money to be wasted. It is the assumption that motivation is sapped by reducing autonomy that is the major criticism of imposed budgeting but this is little proof that this is the case. Petrova (2004) writes in her article on motivation and autonomy that motivated employees may gain more from autonomy but autonomy in itself is not a guaranteed method of increasing employee motivation. In addition, Petrova concludes that the likely benefits for increasing autonomy for already motivated employees are unlikely to be returned in financial gains but rather in changes in leadership styles and organizational structure. Given that the foremost concern of budgeting is to secure the financial future of the company, rejecting imposed budgeting on account of its effect on organizational structure and leadership style arguably inappropriate. Bibliography Mekey, E (2005); MPs demand more budgetary control from IMF and World Bank; Finance Customwire, Public Agenda/All Africa Global Media Economist (2003); Guiding the pack; Vol 368, Issue 8334 Henderson, Prof. E (2003); Budgeting Part Two; Nurse Management Vol 10, Issue 2, p32-37 Van der Stede, W (2000); The relationship between two consequences of budgetary controls: budgetary slack creation and managerial short-term orientation; Accounting, Organisation Society; Vol 25, Issue 8, p609-623 Marginson, D.E.W (1999); Beyond the budgetary control system: towards a two-tiered process of management control; Management Accounting Research; Vol 10, Issue 3, p203-231 Benston, G.J (1963); Accounting Review; Vol 38, Issue 2; p347-354 Petrova, K (2004); Does Motivation trigger Autonomy, or Vice-Versa?; Econometrics of Labour Demand; VXXXVIII International Conference Applied Econometrics Association; www.aea.fed-eco.org 10/05/05 BBC News Website (2002); Nick Leeson and Barings Bank; Crimewatch Case Closed; www.bbe.co.uk/crime – 10/05/05

Essay --

Strengths: Morocco’s biggest marketing strength is their website. This web interface is very interactive with the potential tourist by using a tool called â€Å"My Ideal Trip†. This application finds a Morocco experience that is tailored towards your personal preferences. My ideal Trip walks you through step by step what you prefer doing on a vacation, so it can hone in on a variety of options within your particular vocational preferences. They probe you with questions to find out a variety of things about the potential tourist. This application first finds out what country you in, and then it discovers the reason for your potential visit to Morocco. This enables them to not only understand the location people are coming from, but also allows them to find out what type of tourist they are. This gives them the ability to better market their location to those tourists. For example, they give you statements that best fit what you are looking to get out of the vocational experience, s uch as â€Å"I want to relax, I love doing nothing†, â€Å"I want to make the most of my carefully planned stay†, as well as â€Å"I need a good hotel in order to fully enjoy my stay†. This sets the tone to which options they give the potential tourist. They continue to pepper in questions that allows them to understand what you want to get out of the experience, and ultimately lays out some different vocational options that are geared toward their preferences. Not only is the website successful due to this tool, but it has an array of other features that solidifies this website. For example, on the top of the site there are scrolling pictures that illustrate highlights for Moroccan travel. They have a picture with a link to a CNN article for the top travel destinations ... ...that hasn’t been is the cultural food. Morocco cuisine isn’t of the ‘norm’ when you go to other tourist destinations. With the food only being found in this region, it is not commoditized like Italian, Mexican and Chinese foods have been in the United States and around the world. Though experiences and services can be easily duplicated, Morocco does offer a wide variety of experiences any visitor can expect. With so many different types of experiences and services Morocco offers, there is bound to be positive and negative impacts as a result. Morocco is a tourist destination with much promise. When considering the future prospects of Morocco as a destination it is important to consider not only the positive impacts of tourism but also the negative impacts. These impacts can be broken down into the three categories: Economic, socio-cultural, and environmental.

The Human Brain Essay -- Health, Diseases, Brain Damage

The human brain is a big, intricate—yet delicate, structure in the human body. It is the key structure in cognitive function. Any damage to the brain does not only â€Å"erase† memories but also may â€Å"deceive† the brain to erroneously remember a new object as being familiar (2010). The innovative researchers at Cambridge University investigated this phenomenon in their research on The Paradoxial False Memory for Objects after Brain Damage. The publication began by stating the widely acceptable premise that medial temporal lobe damage results in the inability to remember new experiences soon after they are learned. They indicated that the general belief is that this occurs because the ability to remember such information becomes compromised after a short period of time. They therefore deduced based on this premise that such information or experiences are either lost or become inaccessible to the extent that when such experiences are presented and re-experienced, they appear as if they are new or never have been learned. They therefore set out to explore this premise by using the generally used model of memory impairment, the â€Å"the standard object recognition memory model.† According to James Hampton, a well-renowned Professor of Cognitive Psychology at City University London, â€Å"recognition is the process of matching a perceptual representation of the stimulus item [into] stored representations of previously [exposed] stimuli† (2003). This stored information is known as structural representations based on the visual-spatial nature of the retained information (Moss and Hampton, 2003). â€Å"Object recognition memory is the ability to discriminate the familiarity of previously encountered objects† (Gaskins et al., 2009). The standard object ... ...indings from the simulation were valid because animals that suffered damage to the perirhinal cortex saw novel objects as familiar. Based on the support of these simulations and their laboratory findings, I agree with the notion â€Å"that object recognition memory impairments does not result from damage to the memory system. Rather brain damage that results in such impairments only compromises only a [precise] type of complex stimulus representation† (McTighe et al., 2010). Such may be the case of individuals with cortical brain damage such amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease based the combination of perirhinal lesions and object recognition impairments similar to the findings in this research. However in order to evaluation between and the paradoxical phenomenon, more research is needed and further representation-hierarchical simulation testing must be performed on humans. The Human Brain Essay -- Health, Diseases, Brain Damage The human brain is a big, intricate—yet delicate, structure in the human body. It is the key structure in cognitive function. Any damage to the brain does not only â€Å"erase† memories but also may â€Å"deceive† the brain to erroneously remember a new object as being familiar (2010). The innovative researchers at Cambridge University investigated this phenomenon in their research on The Paradoxial False Memory for Objects after Brain Damage. The publication began by stating the widely acceptable premise that medial temporal lobe damage results in the inability to remember new experiences soon after they are learned. They indicated that the general belief is that this occurs because the ability to remember such information becomes compromised after a short period of time. They therefore deduced based on this premise that such information or experiences are either lost or become inaccessible to the extent that when such experiences are presented and re-experienced, they appear as if they are new or never have been learned. They therefore set out to explore this premise by using the generally used model of memory impairment, the â€Å"the standard object recognition memory model.† According to James Hampton, a well-renowned Professor of Cognitive Psychology at City University London, â€Å"recognition is the process of matching a perceptual representation of the stimulus item [into] stored representations of previously [exposed] stimuli† (2003). This stored information is known as structural representations based on the visual-spatial nature of the retained information (Moss and Hampton, 2003). â€Å"Object recognition memory is the ability to discriminate the familiarity of previously encountered objects† (Gaskins et al., 2009). The standard object ... ...indings from the simulation were valid because animals that suffered damage to the perirhinal cortex saw novel objects as familiar. Based on the support of these simulations and their laboratory findings, I agree with the notion â€Å"that object recognition memory impairments does not result from damage to the memory system. Rather brain damage that results in such impairments only compromises only a [precise] type of complex stimulus representation† (McTighe et al., 2010). Such may be the case of individuals with cortical brain damage such amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease based the combination of perirhinal lesions and object recognition impairments similar to the findings in this research. However in order to evaluation between and the paradoxical phenomenon, more research is needed and further representation-hierarchical simulation testing must be performed on humans.

The Actual Meaning of My Papas Waltz by Theodore Roethke Essay example

The Actual Meaning of "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke Poetry is made to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the poet. The reader can interpret the poem however they see fit. Critics are undecided about the theme of Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Some people believe that the poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. The more convincing interpretation is that it has a hidden message of parental abuse. Careful analysis of the keywords and each individual stanza back up this theory of child abuse by a violent and drunken father. The word that is key to the poem is romp. Roethke states that "we romped until the pans / slid from the kitchen shelf" (5-6). The word is usually associated with happy, boisterous, and energetic running around or dancing. A second definition is rough, lively play. Alcohol would cause a person to act in such a harsh manner. In athletics, a romp is an easy victory over an easy opponent. This means one side is clearly superior and beats the competition with fury and ease. The father could be viewed as a dominating and overpowering force to a small child. The younger son could not possible fight back to his bigger father especially with the added influence of liquor. Further reading of the poem will back up that meaning of the poem is to illustrate parental abuse. The first stanza sets the scene with clear imagery. The father appears to be in a heavily drunken state because the son can smell the "whiskey on your breath" (1). The reader knows the drinking is excessive because it almost made the boy dizzy. Clearly, the father is in a heavenly drunken state because someone else is feeling the effects of his drinking. Critics will ague that the son was enjoying ... ... is a happy time between a father and his child. Through careful reading, that interpretation is not valid. In 1948, actions such as this may have been a part of life. Maybe that is why Roethke wrote the poem this way because the event was probably happening in many households and people then could identify with this. Because of the vivid imagery, the reader can feel the boy's pain and fear of his father. In this case, the waltz is not a bonding time between a father and his son. People now would identify with the son and find a hatred for the father because of the mental and physical toll this could have on a child. The father does his dance by "waltzing" all over his son. Works Cited Roethke, Theodore. "My Papa's Waltz." Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays. Ed. Hans P. Guth and Gabriel L. Rico. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997, 536.

How does technology effects us? Essay

Look back at our day so far, how many people have we seen ignoring the world around them, not paying attention to the cashier or not absorbing the information in class? In Alina Tugend essay, multitasking can make you lose†¦Um†¦ focus, she reported that multitasking may seem like it saves people time however, it makes people less efficient. It may be true that technology provides us with time-saving devices like push to cars, cell-phones that consist of 4G internet access, and washing machines with built in dyers; however most of us still complain about not having enough time. Like everything else in the world, technology has its pros and cons; it affects peoples’ concentration, writing skills, and what we consider reality; but how exactly is technology affecting the way we think, read, write and live? The development of technology has greatly improved my life but diminished it at the same time. It brought me closer to my family in Trinidad after my father passed, th ree years ago. Logging onto Facebook and Instagram, receiving phone calls, text messages, video chatting kept me fasten into their world 24/7. Although we built such a strong relationship within those years, I was totally disconnecting from what was going on around me and my immediate family. I came to this realization when my little sister’s fifth birthday nearly past without me noticing. The array of technology can be a distraction; in my case, I disengaged myself from the most significant part of my life. Technology can be a distraction during office meetings, daily human interaction, study time and even our concentration; since, we are constantly being interrupted by a phone call, text message or a game notification. Tugend, who wrote, Multitasking Can Make You Lose†¦Um†¦Focus, explained that multitasking actually delays our process rather than accelerating it. We often believe that doing multiple assignments would be effortless but it causes an abundance of stress. Research has proven that the human mind can only focus â€Å"on one or two items at a time† (716). I believe multitasking all depends on the two tasks that is being combined, for example: listening to music while doing math homework seems to me as a good mixture because the music is helping the worker better cope with the math problems. On the other hand, driving while text messaging  can be a distraction because, they activities require full focus and concentration. Focus is very important when it comes to multitasking but also significant when using the internet to search long pieces of writing. In Nicholas Carr’s essay, Is Google Making Us Stupid, he states, â€Å"research that once required days in the stacks or periodical room of libraries can now be done in minutes† (732). The use of technology is very beneficial and time efficient, however does the pros overcome the cons? Carr also discusses the fight against technology to stay focus; since now a day, â€Å"†¦three or four paragraphs is too much to absorb† (733). I reckoned that we must realize that reading doesn’t come natural like speech does. We must keep training ourselves to read no matter if it’s in a paperback book or an online blogging site without distractions. Many teachers and parents believe most teenagers are distracted by text messaging (texting). A variety of teachers dispraise texting because most students use text slag and abbreviation in professional writings, and students do not become conscious of the fact. Also there are parent who think texting negatively imp act their children communication skills. On the other hand, Michaela Cullington, the writing of Does Texting Affect Writing, would most likely disagree. Cullington believes that texting motivate student to write and also it is â€Å"practice in specific writing skills, and an opportunity to gain confidence in their writing† (89-90). After her research she was convince that texting is not interfering in students’ writing skills. I caught myself plenty of times using text slag when writing a paper to turn into class. Fortunately, I have taught myself to text in complete sentence and use correct abbreviation so it wouldn’t interfere with my writing skills. If text messaging doesn’t interfere than maybe games can. Sam Anderson would consider games like Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja as â€Å"Hyperaddictive stupid games,† because it’s a simple thing that becomes addictive and eventually form into a distraction. In Anderson essay, Just One More Game†¦: Angry Birds, Farmville, and Other Hyperaddictive Stupid Games, he illustrates that stupid games were designed to pop up in other occasions. For exa mple, you are doing calculus homework and you receive a text message and suddenly it’s an hour later and you are launching another bird. People are so attached to their phones because game-studies scholars specially design games to be so addictive. Especially now that people can a play game anywhere at the palms of their hands. Using the same addicting  technology can probably â€Å"help solve real world problems like obesity, education and government abuse† (67). Living in a generation where technology affect everything around us including our communication, multitasking, concentration, writing skills, and our view of reality. I believe that technology was made to make our lives easier sadly, it can bring upon more difficulties in our life. Technology will always be prevailing and it is our responsibility to work with it. The majority of people today have become so dependent on technology that they aren’t be able to function a full day without it. I believe it is up to the people of America to decide whether we have taken advantage of technology, or has technology taken advantage of us, without us bei ng aware of it. Works Cited Anderson, Sam. â€Å"Just One More Game†¦: Angry Birds, Farmville, and Other Hyperaddictive Stupid Games.† The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 64-69 Print. Carr, Nicholas. â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid† The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013.731-744. Print. Cullington, Michaela. â€Å"Does texting affect writing† The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013.87-95. Print. Tugend, Alina. â€Å" Multitasking can make us lose†¦Um†¦Focus.† The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013.714-718. Print.