Allegory of the Cave free essay sample

The allegory of the cave is a story written by Plato a Greek philosopher.   It is more of an extended allegory whereby human beings are portrayed as being imprisoned by their own bodies and the thoughts they perceive from what they see.   In this article, Plato tries to explore what would happen if human beings encountered what he calls the true reality.   That is, what would happen if people clearly understood and embraced the meaning and the impact of philosophy. Plato imagines what would happen if the chained men in the cave are suddenly released from bondage and let free. The Allegory. The Allegory of the Cave presents a metaphor which contrasts what man thinks and believes to what is the reality.   According to this allegory, what we think and perceive is imperfect and is just a shadow or reflection of what is true.   In this story, the fictional representation of the prisoners and the basic philosophical tenets are used to present the metaphor. We will write a custom essay sample on Allegory of the Cave or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page    In this allegory, the cave is lit by the light of a blazing fire which is contrasted with that of the sun outside the cave. Prisoners in the cave are chained in a way that they can not move and all they can see are the shadows of moving puppets which are illuminated by the fire and reflected on the wall in front of them.   The cave prisoners tend to think that the shadows are a reality since they have no knowledge of any other reality (Cohen, 2002).    Plato argues that if one of the prisoners was allowed to see the world outside that cave, he would realize that the shadows are not real but for those inside the cave, any news about any reality apart from the shadows they are used to is likely to be met with rejection and hostility.  Ã‚   The prisoners view the world outside the cave as a source of dangerous wisdom and knowledge which is to be avoided rather than embraced. Interpretation. The caves in this case represent the world of senses in which most people are trapped and imprisoned in their own thoughts.   The journey to the outside world signifies an ascent to embrace philosophy and change in the real world.   This allegory suggests that people all over the world are trapped by their own illusions of what they consider to be the reality and for this reason, their capacity to understand and embrace the reality is flawed.   By making an effort to think beyond what is obvious and superficial, people have the potential of fleeing themselves from what is false or untrue and getting to see the truth or the reality. This allegory basically defines the process of enlightenment represented by four major stages which one has to pass through before being fully enlightened.   The shadows on the wall represent the notions which people have encrafted in their minds which though related to the reality, they are quite different from the what is true. The puppets from which the shadows are cast represent what most people mistake to be real things in the world.   Once one is able to free himself from these notions and the things which are superficial, he or she steps into the real world which is full of real ideas and is able to see the sun which represents the goodness in reality. Once at this stage, a person is now fully aware of the truth and in most cases, the truth is too much to bare that only few people are able to embrace it.   Most people tend to return to their caves and continue living in darkness as they were before.   This marks the end of the enlightenment process. Relevance of Platos allegory to the contemporary organizational life. Platos allegory brings out clearly the importance of an organizational culture and the ideology of similar normative thinking in any institution and this is what makes it very relevant to the contemporary organizational life.   An organizational culture refers to the personality of a given organization.   It comprises of certain values, beliefs, norms and assumptions which posses the power to influence the behavior of the members of that organization. Most organizations are known to uphold a culture which promotes common thinking among its team members.   Plato tries to address the dangers which might result from group think.   When people refuse to engage in critical thinking, they become imprisoned by their own thoughts (Franz,   2007). This allegory is particularly important to the culture of those corporations which tend to concentrate so much on individualism for the benefit of the organization.   Most organizations in the world today have people trapped in a culture which acts as a cave for imprisoning its members thus prevent their growth and prosperity.   Such organizations are afraid to accept any change due to excess insecurities and the fear of transformation. Caves encountered in my career. Many people who are working in organizations are often trapped by illusions which imprison them in dark caves full of false shadows.   One such cave is whereby i worked as a receptionist with very little college education.   The organization i worked for did not offer its employees any chance to further their education for the fear that if they did, they might demand higher pays or be poached by other better paying organizations. In my mind i hard the notion that i could save the little money i earned to buy all the nice things i wanted in life and i was so scared of leaving the organization for fear of the unknown.   This was however just an illusion which was far from the reality.   It had created a cave for me where i couldnt think beyond the few dollars i earned per day.   However, after much effort i managed to free myself from from the cave and i was able to see the reality of not having proper education.   I then decided to quit from that organization and further my education in order to get a better job. Sources of conflicts. When people see different organizational shadows and images which they think are the reality, conflicts arise.   By shadows and images here we mean the thoughts, notions, senses and beliefs perceived in the minds of different people in an organization.   Such conflicts arise when the different organizational values clash with personal values.   Sources of organizational conflicts include changes in the organizational structure, conflicting goals, limited resources and poor communication within the organization (Franz, 2007). In a case where people in an organization have different notions concerning a certain issue, it becomes very hard to reach a consensus without critical group thinking. The conflicts are even harder to resolve when each person involved in the conflict believes that the notion they have (shadow) is right one hence rejecting any efforts to reach an agreement.   Such thinking requires some people to compromise their views for the sake of the organizational life and culture. Mechanisms used in a conflicting situation.   In the event of a conflict in an organization, every one tries to convince himself that his view is the right one.   According to expert psychologists, the human cognitive processes have a way of dealing with thoughts which are contradicting.   This mechanism is known as the cognitive dissonance and it is responsible for dealing with contradiction and giving the perception that what we think is actually the right thing (Festinger and Carlsmith,   2002). Allegory of the Cave free essay sample Plato is considered as one of the greatest thinkers of all time. He was the student of Socrates and mentor of Aristotle. His Allegory of the Cave can be found in Book VII of the book The Republic. Plato uses the story to explain the theory of dualism and the two world theory in knowledge. Allegory is a kind of metaphor to explain and differentiate two things. It has two meanings, the literal meaning in the story and the symbolical meaning. In the story, the people in the cave view the shadows that they can see as the reality or truth. The prisoners represent the people and the cave represents the physical and material world that we sense and live. Another symbol in the allegory is the chain or imprisonment of the people in the cave. It is the belief and sophistry of the people that leads them to the false reality and far away from the truth. We will write a custom essay sample on Allegory of the Cave or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The fire is the source of unintelligible and false truth perceived by the prisoners. Moreover, the puppeteers who use the fire to cast shadows are false philosophers that aims to make the prisoners be blinded forever from the reality. The escaped prisoner symbolizes a person that already perceived the real truth by looking and observing the things outside the cave. He can also be perceived as the philosopher.

Unctuous, A Humpty Dumpty Word

Unctuous, A Humpty Dumpty Word Unctuous, A Humpty Dumpty Word Unctuous, A Humpty Dumpty Word By Maeve Maddox A reader alerted me to a new use of the word unctuous that has escaped me until now: When did â€Å"unctuous† start having a positive connotation?   Watch any cooking show lately and it’s likely you’ll hear someone describe a dish as â€Å"unctuous,† as if that’s a good thing. Many celebrity chefs seem to now use the word to suggest a dish is rich, smooth, or maybe even creamy.† Like the reader, my reaction to hearing the adjective unctuous applied to food is one of disbelief and gagging repugnance. Unctuous derives from a Latin word meaning ointment. The earliest meaning of the word in English is â€Å"of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; oily, greasy.† Like so many other words, unctuous is and has been used with multiple meanings. For example, applied to soil, unctuous refers to the presence of organic matter and fertility. OED citations from 1495-1821 show the word used to describe meat that was â€Å"greasy, fat, and rich.† The OED labels this use â€Å"archaic.† For me, the chief meaning of unctuous is â€Å"smarmy and hypocritical.† This figurative meaning developed in the 18th century from the religious use of the noun unction in reference to religious ritual. Anointing with oil is a symbolic act indicating that a person is being prepared for something serious. For example, the Catholic sacrament Extreme Unction is equated with preparing a gravely ill person for death. Anointing is part of ceremonies associated with the crowning of a king and the ordination of a priest. The noun unction can be used literally to mean â€Å"anointing† or figuratively to mean â€Å"a spiritual influence acting upon a person or the manifestation of such a feeling in language.† In a spiritual context, â€Å"an unctuous person† is one who displays a manner suggestive of religious earnestness. Unfortunately, not-so-religious people often see religious earnestness as hypocrisy. Also unfortunately, hypocrisy frequently takes the form of false humility or religiosity. These human realities led to the use of unctuous to describe hypocrites. Literature abounds with such characters. Iago, Tartuffe, Uriah Heep, Mr. Brocklehurst, and Elmer Gantry are characters who talk a good game, pretending to a spiritual superiority and/or humility they do not possess in order to manipulate people. The literal meaning of unctuous only adds to the aptness of this figurative use: such characters are â€Å"oily and slippery,† like ointment. English speakers familiar with unctuous in the sense of greasiness and hypocrisy are understandably repelled to hear the word applied positively to food. Many food writers, however, have embraced the term. A writer at The Kitchn [sic] calls it a â€Å"favorite food word.† The word is especially popular in headlines above pork recipes: Braised pork belly is an unctuous treat Unctuous Carmelized Chinese Braised Pork Belly Aware that many English speakers object to the use of the word as if it meant succulent, food writers dismiss their critics with Humpty-Dumptian disdain: If you’re a food writer, and you’re doing a review or article about pork belly, you have to use the word unctuous or unctuousness whether you understand what it means or not. (Food Wishes blog) Words acquire different connotations according to the experiences of the people who use them. I’ve read that many modern speakers are grossed out by the use of the word moist to describe cake. To my generation, a moist cake is a good thing. It’s possible that food writers who find unctuous a suitable word to describe palatable pork may be repulsed by the word succulent. The Humpty Dumpty Theory of Language: â€Å"When  I  use a word,† Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, â€Å"it means just what I choose it to mean- neither more nor less.† â€Å"The question is,† said Alice, â€Å"whether you  can  make words mean so many different things.† â€Å"The question is,† said Humpty Dumpty, â€Å"which is to be master- thats all.†- Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll. Note: The reader whose question prompted this post also wonders about the pronunciation of unctuous: â€Å"Does unctuous have three syllables or only two?   I always thought it had three, but many of the folks on these [cooking] shows pronounce it with only two syllables. The preferred pronunciation is with three syllables: unk-tju-us. Merriam-Webster gives the three-syllable pronunciation first, but also acknowledges a two-syllable pronunciation: unk-tchus. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story50 Types of PropagandaHow to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

Second year BA Photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Second year BA Photography - Essay Example Film and photography are the main medium of art in the contemporary scenario. Besides these, there are access to the internet, email and television. In this paper, the writer attempts to give a brief description on the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. This is one of the works of Walter Benjamin that deals with technology based art production. A number of people refer to his work these days. His works are gaining popularity now than ever before. He has given explanation for mechanization of art such as film and photography. He lived at the time of the growth of communism and fascism. So he had observed the politicization of art. Then the impact of technology on art is also discussed in this paper. â€Å"The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction†, published in 1936, is the work of Walter Benjamin who was a German and most of his works are very significant in the contemporary world especially in the field of art and his popularity is increasing by day. This work has been considered as the standard reference in the analysis of art today, since it speaks about the mechanization in art like in movies and photography. Benjamin was so intelligent and he was influenced by the culture in which he lived. He was born in 1892 in a middle class family that had a close relation to art since his father was an art dealer in Berlin. He could not earn an academic employment due to some incidents in his life. One among them was that his doctoral study was rejected, as the subject was not comprehendible and the second incident was, criticizing and attacking one of the members in intellectual circle. His writings are supposed to be excellent works in explaining on the mechanica l reproduction of film, photography etc. Undoubtedly, we can say that technology-based production of art spoils our creativity, newness, uniqueness and authenticity. Today, one of the means of art is film production and cartoon movies which are at the fore front.

Argumentative Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argumentative Synthesis - Essay Example This is because, the unemployment of women does not only affect the individual women who are unemployed, but the future generations, since women bear the big burden in the upbringing of children and when they cannot be able to bring them up well due to poverty and other social constraints, there is no doubt that such children will turn out to be a disaster for the society in the future. Nevertheless, the unemployment for women has continued to be a major impediment to the advancement of equality in the society. The income inequality between the rich and the poor continues to increase, despite the measures that have been put in place to address poverty and unemployment in the society (Krugman, n.p.). Despite the seemingly advancement in narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor in the 1920s in America, the situation has now changed, and the gap between the rich and the poor is now wider than ever. However, at the center of the social inequality, is the concept of women unemploym ent, which leaves women to take care of domestic chores, a scenario faced by a high population of women, summarized well by Diaz in the statement â€Å"She didn’t have a regular job outside of caring for us five kids† (Diaz, n.p.). In this respect, it is conclusive to argue that women unemployment is in the core of social inequality in the society. Gender discrimination is a social evil that has seen all manner of legislations, campaigns and advocacy targeting to empower women so they can be in the same position as men, when it comes to issues of accessing education, employment, political positions and any other social roles that were traditionally the preserve of men. However, all these attempts have not made the situation any better, since even though women can now access education and employment like men do; there is one major issue that acts as an impediment to the total liberation of women; family responsibilities (Woolf, n.p). Additionally, even

Common assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Common assessment - Assignment Example Thus, affirmative action legislation is an initiative to fulfill governmental regulations and effect career aspirations of stereotyped groups of people on grounds that are perceived to be fair by all (Kenneth, David & Allen, 2004: 51). Carol & Catherine (1996) establish that affirmative actions are policies developed by employing legislation, decisions and regulations which are made by tribunals and courts in an effort to fight against discriminations in organizations (30). The legislation prohibits inequalities regardless of whether they are positive or negative in view of societal facts which affect how affirmative action is morally evaluated. Moreover, affirmative actions are only effective under specific situations that are demanded by the law and hence affirmative action change the organization of societal practices which impact either negatively or positively (Timothy & James, 2000: 123). These impacts are listed to include different aspects of life in terms of education, politics, society and business which are considered in reference to the affirmative action (Rojas, 2002). Positive impacts of affirmative action include: (i) enabling the less represented groups of people to progress (ii) it has managed to rebuild what had been destroyed by discriminatory acts like slavery (iii) various facets of life have been diversely populated and (iv) eased societal integration in organizations through equality processes. Negative impacts of affirmative actions include: (a) realization of compromised standard practices to make room for minority groups. This is in situations where the minority group may have a negative performance and which is actually a big problem in organizations (b) peer relations in organizations may lead to stereotyping and which form extra burdens which are not necessary to the organization (c) also, recruitment is not done

Hurler Syndrome Disease

Hurler Syndrome Disease Hurlers Syndrome In a persons body every substance is important and should present the right amount of itself to function properly. In this case a very rare inherited disease of metabolism is when a person cannot break down long chains of sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans. This disease is known as Hurlers Syndrome which is part of a larger group of diseases more commonly referred to as MPS. Other names for Hurlers Syndrome are alpha-L-iduronate, Mucopolysaccharidoss Type 1, and MPS1H. Other MPS diseases are Hurler Scheie Syndrome, which is a milder feature of Hurler Syndrome, Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, whose features are very similar to Hurler Syndrome and Sly Syndrome, whose phenotype is similar to that of Hurler Syndrome. Unfortunately, there are many more syndromes within the MPS disease category. Hurlers Syndrome is named after Gertrud Hurler, who was the doctor that described both a boy and a girl with the condition in 1919. Dr. Scheie was a consultant ophthalmologist and in 1962 he wrote about some of his patients who were less severely affected than those previously diagnosed by Dr. Hurler. Those patients who could not be clearly diagnosed as either the severe or milder end of the disease were said to have Hurler Scheie Syndrome. When you have Hurlers Syndrome, your body does not make a substance called lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase. This means that a person without lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase cannot break down long chains of sugar molecules which are used in the building of connective tissues in the body. The sugar molecules are usually found in mucus and in fluid around a persons joints. â€Å"There is a continuous process in the body of replacing used materials and breaking them down for disposal.† What does break down long chains of sugar molecules is a substance called alpha-L-iduronidase enzyme. â€Å"This is essential in cutting up the mucopolysaccharides called dermatan and heparin sulphate. The incompletely broken down mucopolysaccharides remain stored in cells in the body causing progressive damage.† A result of not having the alpha-L-iduronidase enzyme is that glycosaminoglycans will build up and damage a persons heart and organs. Symptoms of this disease can be mild or very severe. Hurlers Syndrome is a disease inherited from both parents which means that both parents have to pass the gene to their child in order for the child to have the disease and any child of any race can have it. When a child is born you cannot really tell that they have the disease because they appear healthy at birth. â€Å"Babies may show little sign of the disease, but as more and more cells become damaged, symptoms start to appear.† Most of the symptoms are thick coarse facial features with low nasal bridge, halted growth, progressive mental retardation, cloudy corneas, deafness, joint disease including stiffness, heart valve problems, abnormal bones in the spine, chronic runny nose, hernia, speech problems, hyper activity, depression, pain, and clawed hands. Most people do not notice the facial symptoms until the child is at the age of two. To tell if a person has Hurlers Syndrome, doctors usually do a simple urine test. The test would show extra mucopolysaccharides, but docto rs would not be able to tell what form of MPS that the person has. Thus, Hurlers Syndrome is not diagnosed until many other conditions have been looked into and after which more specific tests have been performed. This is usually done when the child is about six to twenty-four months of age. To treat Hurlers Syndrome, a person would have to have enzyme replacement surgery which helps the body make alpha-L-iduronidase or have a bone marrow transplant to prevent retardation and that only improves some of the symptoms and should be done at a very young age. Scientists state that it is better for a child with the disease to have this surgery at a young age because they will have a better chance of living longer. A person can also have a stem cell transplant surgery and if this surgery is successful many symptoms of the disease are stopped. Seventy-five percent of those whose transplants are from siblings or other close family members have a higher rate of survival than those whose donors are not as closely matched. Many children with a heart disease caused by Hurlers Syndrome cannot have these surgeries due to the fact that their heart is not strong enough to help recover after any surgery. Any other treatments that can treat Hurlers Syndrome depend on the organs which are a ll infected. â€Å"For those children whose diagnosis came too late in the progression of the disease to be eligible for transplant, there is still some hope in a newly approved enzyme replacement therapy.† Young children with Hurlers Syndrome usually end up with nervous system problems and will have the chance of dying at a young age. Experts say that couples with the history of Hurlers Syndrome in their family or any other disease should be tested before they think about having children of their own. Today there is no actual cure for Hurlers Syndrome, but the MPS society is working very hard to find a cure for it. â€Å"About 1 in 160 people are carriers, which result in about a 1 in 25,000 chance of two carriers meeting. Since this disease is so rare the chance of having a partner who is another carrier is very slight provided their partner is not a cousin or other close family member.† Since Hurlers Syndrome is a recessive gene there are only 1 in 4 chances that a child will suffer this disease if their parents are carriers. In this case 1 out of 100,000 children are affected with this rare disease. â€Å"The unaffected children have a 2 in 3 chance of being carriers like their parents, and a 1 in 3 chance of being a normal non-carrier.† The oldest survivor of Hurlers Syndrome is currently in his early twenties and is standing strong, however, most people affected with this disease do not live past the age of twelve.

Reversal of Male/Female Roles in Sister Carrie :: Sister Carrie Essays

Dreiser's Reversal of Male/Female Roles in Sister Carrie    The novel Sister Carrie seems to be the platform from which Dreiser explores his unconventional views of the genders. In the world of Sister Carrie, it would seem that the role of women as trusting, caring creatures, and men as scheming victimizers is reversed; it is Carrie that uses the men around her to get what she wants, and it is those men who are victimized by her. Thus Dreiser uses this novel as a means of questioning the popular notions of gender and the role that it plays in modern society.      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Sister Carrie, it would seem that Carrie, while outwardly benign, and possibly even deserving of her portrayal as sweet and innocent at the beginning, soon emerges as a ruthless predator in the guise of a helpless woman. From her relationship with Drouet, she manages to gain the experience and social skills to pursue higher aspirations. She seems to stay with Drouet only long enough to see that better things are available, comforts more extravagant than Drouet can provide, and cultural experiences and social nuances whose existence Drouet seems unaware of. Drouet, then, acts as a stepping stone for her. When he no longer has anything he can offer her, she drops him in favor of Hurstwood. In Hurstwood, Carrie sees all that lacks in Drouet--a more acute sense of culture and worldliness, and the wealth to explore the new wonders of civilized Chicago life.    Hurstwood serves as yet another step in her ladder to success, and when he sinks into poverty and self-disgrace after his divorce, she sees him as a no longer being an asset, and leaves him in favor of striking out on her own, leaving him to turn into a beggar, while she makes it big. Too, after she makes it big, and Drouet comes to see her, she can no longer see him as a friend worthy of her company, and in fact avoids ever seeing him again. The fact that she owes her success to Drouet and Hurstwood seems inconsequential to her. It would seem also at the end of her road to fame, when she is receiving social invitations from millionaires and famous figures, that she sees herself as being to good for any of them; she sees herself as being too good for the company of any man.

What Is the Need for an External Audit

The need for an external audit in the case of companies arises primarily from the existence of split-up of ownership from control. When control is shared an audit report will be needed in order to ensure that all the partners or be it shareholders are on the same page as the managers (the ones who will be controlling the company) and know what has been happening in the company, what is happening at present and what can be expected to happen in the future in order to increase returns in the company.The case of an owner controlled company is different as usually the manager will be working in the company and will be aware of everything that will be taking place and will not need an audit report to find out what is going on. Since the owner is alone in decision making, he knows about all the decisions that need to be made and will not find out through an audit report that maybe the company has decided to expand and open a new branch using the accumulated or retained profits.The audit in volves the client’s staff and management in giving time to providing information to the auditor. The auditors need part of the staff’s time as they will not know where the proprietary’s accounts are kept and in which way they are filed. To gather all the information that the auditor will use in making his audit report he has to get it through staff. Since most owner controlled companies are very small and the staff members are few, it will make it difficult for the Professional auditors to plan their audit to minimize the disruption which their work will cause.The audit might end up inconveniencing other stakeholders such as customers because service can become slow as one of the staff members will be assisting the auditor, giving him all the documentation that he needs and accompanying him around as he investigates the internal control measures that have been created in the company to see how effective they are. Application to lenders/financial institutions for finance may be strengthened by the submission of audited accounts.However some financial institutions, a bank, for instance, is likely to be far more concerned about the future of the business and available security, than by the past historical accounts, audited or otherwise. Audited accounts cannot predict the performance of the company in the future, which is the information that the Bank will be trying to find out. Therefore; audit reports are not an issue of paramount importance, especially in owner controlled companies.Not all owner controlled companies need to be audited. Auditing of companies does not depend on the type of ownership (that is, sole trader, partnership or co-operative), but it mostly depends on the size of the company at hand. There are laws that have been made in the U. K that exempt certain companies especially the small ones and the owner controlled ones from being audited. Instead of following all audit requirements, the owner controlled companies can subm it shortened accounts.The main differences that can be produced under the banner of abbreviated accounts basically mean that an owner controlled company does not have to include a full balance sheet, profit and loss account or directors report which would normally be required by Companies House. The owner controlled company is still required to submit a shortened balance sheet together with notes that explain the year end balances shown in the balance sheet. Under the audit exemption rules the year end accounts for an n owner controlled company do not have to include an auditors report.When an auditor has prepared the accounts and submits a special audit report that report should state that in the auditor’s opinion the abbreviated accounts are being submitted in accordance with the appropriate section of the Companies Act. To qualify for being able to file shortened accounts a small company should satisfy at least two of three conditions. The three exemption conditions prior to April 2008 were that annual turnover is less than 5. 6 million pounds, balance sheet total is less than 2. 8 million pounds and the average number of employees is less than 50.Where the financial year started after April 2008 the parameters increased to, annual turnover less than 6. 5 million pounds, balance sheet total less than 3. 26 million pounds and average number of employees less than 50. When an owner controlled company satisfies the audit exemption parameters it can maintain that audit exemption for a full financial year afterwards even if the parameters were exceed in that following financial year. There are benefits in submitting abbreviated accounts as simpler and easier accounting records can be maintained reducing time spent on accountancy work.In addition although potential suppliers and financial institutions may require details of the year end financial accounts it is acceptable not to publish full details. In China, Owner controlled companies have an exemption f rom the audit and this gives management for smaller companies some newfound flexibility, Alyssa Martin says. Companies may not have to produce as much documentation or perform as much testing to produce management’s assertion as they might have had to produce for the sake of the audit, she says. They can use other measures, like ongoing monitors or their own personal experience, to assess internal controls when they don’t have to have the external auditor auditing their process or leveraging their process in performing the audit of internal control,† notes Weaver’s Martin. Yong Xu, CFO for Jingwei International, says he was grateful to see the audit requirement lifted, even though the company voluntarily produced the audit for its 2009 financial statements and is planning to have the audit again in 2010. Jingwei International is a China-based technology services provider listed on the stock exchange and is owned controlled.However while the recent legislat ion exempts smaller companies from the audit of internal control, it doesn’t relax any of the requirements for companies to establish and maintain an effective control environment or to report on the effectiveness of controls, says Alyssa Martin, an executive partner with audit firm Weaver. That’s because the Dodd-Frank bill does not exempt smaller companies from Section 404(a), which is the requirement for management to produce its own report on the effectiveness of controls to mitigate errors in financial statements. â€Å"It doesn’t really change the role of management,† says Alyssa Martin. They still have to understand the design of internal control and assess the effectiveness. †Ã¢â‚¬Å"It’s not a cake walk. If you’re not documenting anything or doing anything, you’re not following the SEC’s guidance. †Ã¢â‚¬â€Jim DeLoach, Managing Director, Protiviti. Owner controlled companies should audit their accounts as th is reduces the Risk of Fraud. A number of factors affect the risk or exposure to loss from fraud, and some organizations suffer more fraud than others. The incidence of fraud in books of account is distributed unevenly. Some industries, some companies, some occupations, and some persons are higher risks than others.If accounts are being constantly audited, employees will comply with the regulations and do the correct thing; on the other hand, this can become a motivating factor in the case of employees as they know that changes in the company for better that have been initiated by them will be recognized. Many companies have embraced voluntary environmental audits, commonly known as self-audits, as a valuable business resource. Consultants and experts agree that the practice can be of enormous benefit to enterprises in all types of industries, for it addresses so many facets of a company's operations.For example, Barbara Ceizler Silver, author of Environmental Self-Audit for Small B usinesses, described the self-audit as a valuable â€Å"diagnostic tool† that can be used by companies seeking to identify and address compliance problems relating to air, water, land use, solid waste, and hazardous materials prior to submitting formal permit applications or other business processes. The practice of voluntarily checking compliance with environmental regulations through the practice of self-auditing has garnered considerable support from state lawmakers as well. As of 2000, environmental self-audits receive significant legal protections in 26 states.The body of law in these states maintains that companies can voluntarily test for violations and correct all previously undetected problems without legal penalty. Companies that report violations avoid financial penalties and receive additional time to rectify problems. Most significant of all, the results of self-audit tests and programs in these states receive significant legal protections from public disclosure The advantages of an audit report in owner controlled companies may be there, but the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages and therefore I agree with the statement that owner controlled business should not have audit reports.This is because this will be a large and unnecessary expense to the company and will result in the company spending large amounts on auditing which could have been diverted to expanding the business. There are cheap alternative methods that owner controlled companies can use to manage their companies than auditing their accounts and getting audit reports every year. (1503 words)References Abdel-Khalil A. R. (1983). Why do private companies demand auditing? A case for organizational loss of control. Journal of Accounting, Auditing ;amp; Finance, 8(1), 31-52 Proviti Flash Report on SOX 404(b) July 17 2004.Accounting and Audit Exemptions for Small Companies in the U. K-Terry Cartwright Environmental Self-Audit for Small Businesses: A Quick and Easy Guide to En vironmental Compliance. New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Empire State Development, March 1998. Geltman, Elizabeth Glass. A Complete Guide to Environmental Audits. ABA, 1997. Power, Michael. â€Å"Expertise and the Construction of Relevance: Accountants and Environmental Audits. † Accounting, Organizations, and Society. February 1997. Environmental Self-Audit for Small Businesses- Barbara Ceizler Silver

DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE PSYCHOLO essays

DESCRIBE AND EVALUATE PSYCHOLO essays Kagan et al. (1978) defined attachment as: An intense emotional relationship that is specific to two people, that endures over time, and in which prolonged separation from the partner is accompanied by stress and sorrow. The first attachment we form is widely accepted by psychologists as being crucial for healthy development since it acts as a prototype for all future relationships, and though affectionate relationships may be established with any consistent caregiver, the most intense relationship occurs between child and mother/ or other main caregiver in the early stages of development. Socialisation is therefore essential to forming this type of relationship, bonding. But this is a two-way thing. Both child and mother have to be able to relate to each other, both must have the necessary skills needed. When either lacks the skills then attachment will be weaker or not occur at all. Even a newborn infant will interact with its mother, it will cry, smile, have eye contact and root therefore encouraging response from the mother. The child develops its attachment gradually. From 0-3 months is the pre-attachment phase, showing the infants preference for humans over other objects. Preferential looking and social smiling shows this. The indiscriminate attachment phase occurs from 3-7 months, distinguishing people and allowing strangers to handle it. From 7-9 months we see the discriminate attachment phase, where the infant develops specific attachments to certain people and shows distress on separation from them. Lastly we have the multiple attachment phase from 9 months onwards. Increasing independence allows the formation of other bonds despite the stronger prior attachments. There are four main theories on attachment, psychoanalytical, learning theory, ethological and cognitive. Many psychologists have explored all these theories. Freud, who believed that infants attached to people who satisfied their oral ...

Go to College Without a High School Diploma

Go to College Without a High School Diploma Don’t give up on your dream of enrolling in a college or university just because you didn’t get your high school diploma. Although most colleges require a high school diploma to enroll in any program that grants bachelors degrees, several options are available for students who lack the paper to prove that they graduated high school. 1. Community College Most community colleges assume that a certain percentage of their student body is applying without a high school diploma, and they plan accordingly. They often have programs specifically designed to help people without diplomas who show the potential to succeed. Since more and more community colleges are creating online programs, many new options have also opened up for distance learners. Check with your local schools to see what programs they offer, or search online to find a program that matches your needs. 2. GED Programs Some colleges allow students to enroll with a GED. Designed to be a high school equivalency test, the GED proves that passing students have an education comparable to the current graduating class of seniors. You can find free GED preparation courses online. 3. Nontraditional Student Status Students who have been out of high school for a long time may qualify for nontraditional student status, which generally means that the student is older than the average enrollee. Almost all online and traditional colleges have an organization dedicated to helping such students find success. You may be able to bypass traditional requirements, such as the high school diploma, by proving relevant life experience and demonstrated maturity. 4. Concurrent Enrollment If you still want to get your high school diploma, you may be able to take online college classes at the same time you’re working on your high school credits. Many colleges have special programs that negotiate concurrent enrollment, which allows a student to attend two schools at the same time. The good news? Many high schools allow students to earn double high school credit by completing college courses, which means you may be able to kill two birds with one stone- double the credits, double the diplomas! The Bottom Line Students have many motivations for attending college; one of the primary reasons is financial. As of May 2017, holders of bachelors degrees earn 31 percent more than workers with an associate degree and 74 percent more than holders of just a high school diploma. When it comes to lifetime earnings, the difference is about $2.3 million over a lifetime between bachelors degree holders and high school diplomates, and thats a good reason indeed to stay in school.

Home Birth (personal writing) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home Birth (personal writing) - Coursework Example While on the other hand many argue that home births are dangerous for both women and the child and they should be avoided. It is seen that the rate of home births is quite less in comparison to the hospital births but this can only be associated with the recommendations of the health professionals regarding the homebirths. I have chosen this topic as I have witnessed this situation in the case of my own mother. My mother wanted to have a home birth with all six of her pregnancies but due to varying circumstances she was unable to do so. My mother had to undergo her delivery in UK for her third baby and she wanted to have a home birth but she could not go ahead with it because of certain problems. My mother knew so much about birth at home as she previously had undergone homebirth in our native city which is because she developed a fear for the hospitals. When I went with my mother for the first anti-natal check up at my local hospital I told the doctor that my mother would prefer to have birth at home but was told that it is my mother’s first pregnancy in UK so it would not be possible. I asked why not? I was told that because it was my mother’s first pregnancy in UK and they have no idea how would she be able to cope with this pregnancy at home so they recommended a hospital birth to my mother. I realised for the first time that home births were not recommended in the UK. My mother had no choice but to go along with the decision because of which she was very disappointed. The choice of homebirth for my mother was best suited because she had a normal pre natal examination. The proponents of home birth put forward that the women who do not have complications in their natal examination should not be recommended a hospital birth but should rather be recommended a home birth. They put forward evidence which clearly shows that home birth is a satisfying and safe practice for the women who experience uncomplicated births (Wiegers et al 1996; Ogden et al 1997). It is still seen that the home births in UK are only about 2% whereas if women were allowed to opt for a choice the rate would be much higher. Homebirths are a safer practice for women who do not have complicated births and these can prove to have a strong psychological effect on the women. Research has also shown that women who undergo home births undergo less stress than the ones who undergo hospital births. This stress may also be one of the causative factors because of which the women undergoing hospital births feel more pain while the delivery. Research shows that women undergoing home births have less pain and receive a lower number of pharmacologic interventions. These women also feel greater satisfaction while giving birth at home because they don’t undergo much stress (Davies 1997). These women are also free to do things when they undergo home birth where as in a hospital they are not allowed to do certain things after their delivery. Moreover studies have al so shown that women prefer home births rather than hospital births because of the control and autonomy that they have at their home rather than the influence of the physicians in the hospitals (Viisainen 2002; Andrews 2004). Home birth gives women a psychological advantage that their child would be normal. Many women believe that hospitals are associated with a disease while pregnancy is

Creation and distribution of goods and services Essay

Creation and distribution of goods and services - Essay Example Richard Strong put forward the argument that the proposals would allow the corporation to develop two focused and separate market and product strategies for the market segments. The initial response was guarded, with its advantage being that it would allow the corporation to clarify positioning of its products while aiding Aldus to establish a unique and strong company identity in both market segments. However, the corporation had based its success via the offering of a single product line bridging creative professionals and business. This paper aims to evaluate this proposal. Strong’s proposal to alter the positioning strategy for Aldus As PageMaker’s sophistication grew to meet the high-end user’s evolving needs, the product became more unattractive to the business segment that was not as sophisticated. The primary distribution channels lacked sophistication to lend support to these high-end users, leading Strong to believe that the corporation faced the danger of being unable to serve these two markets. The situation was made worse in the European market by Apple Macintosh’s weak position, which made Aldus depend more PageMaker’s MS-DOS version. ... Trying to meet these segment’s divergent needs with one product line placed a high demand on software development staff. The product’s complexity would complicate the upgrade task and delay upgrade schedules. Conflict in the corporation arose because the software development staff was oriented to the graphic’s market, while others were oriented to business segments. Both groups could only respond to the needs of their market via a single product. Splitting Aldus into two divisions would allow them to focus on these different market segments. These organizational and product line decisions were made due to what industry executives viewed as polarization of software distribution. Telemarketers, mail order firms and superstores increasingly served the market, with the high-end served by boutiques that had the ability to provide after sales support, consulting, and needs assessment. Hardware sellers were becoming less viable as software dealers. Differences between C onsumer and Organizational Markets The first difference between consumer markets and organizational markets has to do with the nature of purchases (Pride et al, 2012). Organizational consumers buy capital equipment, semi-finished goods and raw materials for utilization in further operations or for reselling to others while final consumers normally acquire finished items for household, family or personal use. Organizational consumers are also more likely to demand exact specifications of products. Final consumers usually buy on a stylistic and descriptive basis. Additionally, organizational consumers usually use multiple buying responsibilities where more than one employee participates in expensive or complex purchase decisions. Consumer markets