Corporate Finance - Assignment 01 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Finance - 01 - Assignment Example It was prudent, as the finance manager, to make a transaction decision that had the highest competitive advantage. The decision would be based on the exchange rate for both currencies based on the AED. By monitoring the exchange rate for a period of five days, it was evident that the best decision would be established. In addition, monitoring the exchange rate for both currencies in relation to the AED provided the opportunity to establish the best possible currency to use; the most stable among the two. a) Check the exchange rate for a period of five days and create a table of comparisons of how much will be your AED50m worth on each of the five days in both Euros and GB pounds. Choose the currency you will use for your transactions. Considering the purchasing power parity, the law of one price states that similar goods should have a similar price after taking into account the exchange rate. This is before transportation costs have been incorporated to the cost of bringing the goods to the desired location. In this case, the Great Britain Pound will be used for the transactions because there are minimal deviations in the exchange rate from 24th December to 28th December. In addition, the exchange rate is stable as opposed to the Euro. Purchasing the equipment on the second day would save the company As the finance manager, the option maximizes utility, but at a relatively higher cost compared to the first day of monitoring the exchange rate. Purchasing the equipment on the third day would save the company Contrary to the savings on the first and second day; the third day proves to have AED124 and AED2, 606 more savings respectively. The third day would be the best option because the exchange rate maximizes utility at the lowest cost. Purchasing the equipment on the fifth day would save the company The savings are relatively lower than those on the first and third day. Although the option maximizes utility, it does so but at a

The Features of Sony Reader Prs T2 Essay Example for Free

The Features of Sony Reader Prs T2 Essay Introduction An E-reader is one of the most useful technologies today because of its design and features, particularly in its capacity to make information portable. The dawn of e-readers introduces readers to a unique reading experience wherein they can take their reading materials anywhere they go without the bulkiness and hassle that goes along with bringing actual printed materials. Of all the e-readers available in the market, Sony E-reader stands out over its competitors because of its design and features. In going over the specific features of the matte black model of Sony Reader PRS-T2, one can say that the said e-reader is a must-buy item for readers due to its considerable benefits, regardless of its disadvantages. Features Primarily, Sony E-Reader’s most noticeable features are its design and dimension, display, and performance. Although the reader do not hold a considerable competitive, price advantage over its competitors, the reader may also be considered sufficient enough in addressing customer’s standards on performance. In terms of design, the reader features a 6. 87† tall by 4. 37 wide dimensions; it is also . 37† thick, which is considered lightweight compared to other E-readers (Van Camp, 2012). With its thin design, the reader only weighs 5. 9 oz, which is quite portable and light. Further, the reader is rubberized, and it sports a large chin-area that allows readers to hold the device from the lower part. Aside from this, the reader’s display and performance also play a vital factor in determining its overall appeal and usefulness to readers. Specifically, the E Ink display type and 6† screen size gives readers a larger reader interface. Sony Reader’s battery also lasts to at least 2 months, if the Wi-Fi connectivity is turned on, while 6 weeks if the Wi-Fi technology is turned off. Pros and Cons The most noticeable advantage of Sony E-Reader is its lightweight and attractive design, connectivity features, and features. For instance, with its light and slim design, the reader easily fits the hand while it is also more portable. The reader also features five physical buttons below the screen, which are not available in Kindle’s Paper White model. With this feature readers are better able to toggle from page to page singlehandedly; other e-readers do not have this feature, regardless of the fact that customer’s also prefer to have physical page-turn buttons. Aside from this, Sony Reader’s connectivity features allow readers to connect to social networks, such as Evernote and Facebook, allowing them to post and share their thoughts. Readers can also customize the look of their homepage. The reader also prides itself with its compatibility feature, particularly to diverse digital formats such as Microsoft Word, PDF, Epub, and image file formats. With this compatibility range, users of Sony Reader may also have access to different e-book stores. Although Sony Reader PRS-T2 has its valued, beneficial features, it also has a few disadvantages. For instance, in terms of price, the reader is so far behind its competitors. Its price range, which is at $127-$130, is quite expensive as compared to Kindle Paper White’s $119-$199. Aside from its price, the reader also lacks a reader-friendly illumination, which requires readers to find a suitable place to read on their own (Van Camp, 2012). Further, Van Camp (2012) mentions that Sony still have not provided the exact number of available books in its library, which leaves readers hanging resulting to their patronage of other online libraries. Further, there is also a need to refine the Refresh interface of the E-Reader while it also necessary to advance its page-turning interface to accommodate the diverse finger placements of the readers. Conclusion Considering the features of the Reader, one can say that, if users are going after battery life, portability, and compatibility with diverse digital file formats, the Sony Reader PRS-T2 is a reasonable choice. This is because the said Reader offers longer battery life, thin and weight design, open compatibility to diverse formats, and gadget aesthetics. However, price is a major concern when choosing Sony’s Reader because of its high price range, which surpasses its more popular competitors such as Kindle. Further, it is also noteworthy to consider Sony Reader’s lack of illumination as another limiting factor when buying Sony’s Reader. Conclusively, it is safe to say that the selection of an E-reader depends on the user’s needs, and users should try out e-readers with their own hands to ensure that they get the most value for their money. Reference Van Camp, J. (2012, October 11). Sony reader PRS-T2. Retrieved from http://www. digitaltrends. com/ebook-reader-reviews/sony-reader-prs-t2-review/

Success and Failure of Project Methods at Heathrow

Success and Failure of Project Methods at Heathrow This report is prepared to analyze the success and failure of the project methods and its process. For this purpose the project of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport is discussed. The Barry Leonard, 2009 explained about project management that it is a process of planning; organizing, allocating and controlling different resources to provide improved result of organizational project. It involves different set of activities to apply techniques and tools for achieving the targets of the project. The projects are carried out with the consideration of different factors which may be time or budget. The starting and ending time of project is always decided before its implication; which provide a benefit to produce successful results. The project manager carries out the planning and executing activities of the projects. It has to face many challenges regarding the organizational project. The achievement of project goals; completion of project on time; or utilization of input for obtaining expected output can be major challenges for it. The scope or cost can also become hurdles for meeting targets. The main responsibilities are assigned to project manger to fulfill the demands of clients. The Terminal 5 is a terminal at Heathrow Airport in London. It is having a structure to stand freely in air and considered a largest building for its standing. It is designed to cover about 35 million passengers each year. The glass and steel is used to build up it structure. Its design was offered in 1989, the United Kingdom passed its planning in 2001. The Queen Elizabeth II made its opening in mid of March 2008, and then its operations started at end of March 2008. PROJECT LIFE CYCLE There are five main phases of the Project Life Cycle, which provide a proper sequence to initiate or end up the project. It defines first that why there is a need to take a start of project, then problem relating to it, then the planning, controlling or monitoring processes take place to complete it. There can be many factors which create complexity to meet the basic objectives of the project; they may be related to the team performance, budget or size of project. There are mainly five phases of project life cycle, which are defining, planning, organizing, controlling, and completing. By following these different five phases, the project of Terminal 5 is analyzed here. Initiating or defining In this phase, the goals of objectives are defined with the combination of its scope. The list of its objectives is prepared to point out the involvement of the key factors for it. Then the statement of problem is provided to state the expected output by allocating the resources. All of the risks and assumptions are defined in this phase. The risks and uncertainties in mega projects provide a chance to implicate innovated techniques. The project manager is also appointed in this phase; which later on formulate a team after considering their abilities or experience according to the requirement of project. The main tools which are utilized in this phase are plans for business and framework of project (Kim, 2003). The Terminal 5 Heathrow is the greatest project of the Europe. Its main objective is to extend the range of airport for meeting the volume of its customers from 67 million passengers per year to the 95 million passengers. It is having a purpose to build up a strong structure of glass and steel with the combination of high security and safety to people. For this mega project, the BBA was assumed to select to apply their standard practices; utilize the capital appropriately and use technical competencies to avoid risks. It was targeted to connect the Terminal 5 with the other existing terminals. The risks estimated for the projects were quality of structure; safety for passengers; integrating the systems and working under budget. Its scope was to build up 270,000m ² terminal; two satellite buildings and 87 meter control tower for functioning in Heathrow. Planning Another phase is planning which is consisted of identification of different related activities of project. It also includes a task to estimate the time and cost; review the sequence of activities; and highlighting the critical actions. The specific criteria for achieving the project goals; and completing the task are specified in it. The most important process of writing the proposal is also performed in this phase. The planning phase of Terminal 5 project was started on 1986 and went up to 2001, when it was finalized that construction should be started now. By BAA, the project director was appointed at main board for handling and reporting from planning to controlling phase. The BAA selected appropriate set of tools for planning the project. It created an example to build up or construct the largest infrastructure within its defined capital and time. According to Flyvbjerg et al., 2003, its estimated investment was  £4.3 billion and time for its completion was expected year of 2008 for phase 1 and 2011 for phase 2. It was estimated to start it on 2002. It was planned very effectively to give a scope for complete the projects under estimated time and cost. Its planning phase started from 1986 and went up to the September, 2002. Organizing The Mishra (2006) described about third phase, that it is related to organizing activities, tasks or team of project. The basic needs are specified; the project manager and team are recruited under it. The work packages are also defined in it. The main task of organizing the team; and identifying the stakeholders are also performed under this phase. For Terminal 5 project, the BAA, private investment, HM Government was sponsored and Richard Rogers Partnership was appointed as Lead Architect. The advanced strategies were used by BAA and its different suppliers for organizing this mega project. The project manager Andrew Wolstenholme, had experience of dealing unexpected situations and risks while completing the Glaxco (GSK) project; he utilized all those methodologies and helped to provide his exceptional skills for T5 project. According to the Norman Haste, first project director of T5, there should be high investment on design for achieving successful completion. However, the design ing and the organizing phase started at 1989 and went up to around 2004. In the opinion of Andrew (2009) Single Model Environment (SME) was used for digitally designing; and integrating to the construction phase. Controlling This is an important phase of the project life cycle; because it is assured that all of the operations are performing under a control management. It is also known as execution phase because all of the plans are executed in it. The control tools are defined and status report of the tasks is prepared in it. The Harold (2009) demonstrated that during it, the plans and schedules are reviewed, and order may change according to the requirements. It may be considered as constructing phase for the T5. For Terminal 5, different designs were developed to bring in a real position. Its construction phase was divided into two phases: one was formation of building and infrastructure which started at 2001 and went up to 2008; other was connecting the systems and equipping the building which took time from 2006 to 2008. Its control tower was manufactured in 12 meter high sections to avoid the disturbance of aircrafts operations. It was built up by Richard Rogers Partnership. The control tower of  £50 million provided 360 degree cone to view which become the most technological controller in 2006 when started for functioning. In 2004, its first segment of single wave roof was placed on it, and then on 2005, sixth and last was on its position. The total weight of this roof was 26,000 tons which created its superstructure. Its high way design allowed passing away the cranes for constructing the other operations in airport. The staff of Terminal 5 was appointed by the BBA in 2008. The rail station was built up in it with six platforms; two of them were designed for London Underground Piccadilly Line extension; two for Heathrow Express extension; and other two were for connecting to west in future. The change order required in this project was to have some advancement in its road infrastructure. There was a need to have Airside Road tunnel (ART), which constructed in 2005. The Spur road from M25 was built by Balfour Beatty in 2008. To control the pollution and drainage the storm water outfall tunnel (SWOT) was arranged. It consisted of one bore tunnel which is having length of 4.1km. It was to recycle the wasted water by BAA. The automated people mover (APM) played their role to create a track transit system which provided facility of transformation between main terminal and satellite building. For providing benefit of transferring passengers and luggage, personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  £25 million was applied in July, 2009. Closure In last phase project manager should assure about the completion of project. It consists of different steps which are forming the agreements in documents forms; acquiring acceptance of clients; arrange deliverable in final form; comparing deliverable products with estimated; and allocating project resources. It also involves a step of informing about completing project to upper management (Michael, 2002). The allocation of different resources in this project enabled Terminal 5 to take about 30 million and Heathrow to take 90 million passengers a year. On Sep, 2006; two major transport milestones arrived on T5 when the project was completed about 85 percent. In 2007, the staff was trained and system was checked to provide deliverables. Around 40 million person hours were used for construction program since 2002. At T5 the availability of six cars was provided in start; and sixteen provided in 2008. The project was completed very successfully and its construction safety was on merit. In 2006, there were no reports regarding accidental situation of around 7000 work force. The official opening was held on 14th March, 2008; and it opened for passengers on 27th March 2008. IDENTIFICATION OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE Some of the successes and failures are discussed below: SUCCESS There were many chances of high risks and uncertainties in this project; but many advanced strategies were utilized to avoid them. Its main success is completion of project on time estimated for it. It was a great challenge for the project manager to arrange or allocate the resources with consideration of time. The budget programs were designed with most effective techniques and the cost plans were delivered very successfully. There were perfect tunnel bores and designs; the technical and mechanical activities were performed with deep consideration; structure was prepared with modern approaches. The Mott MacDonald performed their assigned task very efficiently while working on road tunnel. The designing; construction; and fabrication were much enhanced. The SME (Single Model Environment) proved to be very beneficial for these operations. The most innovative application helped to have stability in its operations. The quality level of providing the facilities to passengers was a great return on the high investment on the mega project; the shareholders achieved a great reward in it. There was a complete safety provision for the local inhabitant; passengers; and environment. The partnership with different parties was very successful which helped to remove the constraints. The exceptional plans were developed which helped to built up a control tower for serving all Heathrow. The integration was very strong to meet the projects goals. There were proper risk and control management to avoid failures in project. There were enhanced system of privacy; the finger prints were taken while crossing security gates which protect against illegal actions. There were strong IT systems for achieving success. FAILURE There were fewer failure regarding staff training, baggage handling and massive IT spread out. The main failure was the unfamiliarity of staff of BA which created many disruptions. Eventually, this problem was sorted out by BAA and BA later on. Initially, the baggage system not worked properly, the BA was blamed for it to not have sufficient staff. According to the BBC, there were many problems faced by the terminal staff for car parking in garages. There were high investment in the IT; there were 180 IT suppliers and 163 systems, about 9000 devices; 2100 PCs and a great mess of cables spread inside. According to British Airways CIO Paul, it is a smaller town filled with telecommunication system interrupting to build T5. CONCLUSION The mega projects always hold a risk of failure, however, the Terminal 5 Heathrow project was much successful and its phases were processed in proper sequence. The project management structure was very strong which helped to utilize the planning; managing and controlling methods effectively for completing the project. REFERENCES Andrew Devies, 2009, From Iconic Design To Lost Luggage: Innovation At Heathrow Terminal 5 Barry Leonard, 2009, GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, pg. 140-145. Flyvbjerg et al, 2003, mega projects and risk: an anatomy of ambition, Cambridge, Cambridge university press. Harold Kerzner, 2009, Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Pg. 418-450. Kim Heldman, 2003, Project management jumpstart, pg. 18-25. Michael Greer, 2002, The project managers partner: a step-by-step guide to project management, pg. 23-69. R.C. Mishra, R C Mishra Tarun Soota, 2006, Modern Project Management, pg. 22-60.

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance Relationship

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance Relationship Assessing the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance on medical students Jaunoo Sharfaa Introduction Since the year 1880 up till the last century, conventional means of success in life such as academic achievement, economic success, even greater health, and longevity were believed to belong only to individuals having a high Intelligence Quotient, commonly known as IQ. Students, especially, medical students who scored higher on IQ tests were the considered as the most intelligent ones. However, new research proved otherwise-it has been found that academic success doesn’t only depend on IQ, but rather on a combination of IQ, motivation and hard work which need to be harnessed (The American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011). Today, along with the global evolution of the education system which prioritizes intrapersonal abilities, adaptability, and stress management, a new concept has emerged- that of Emotional Intelligence. According to Daniel Goleman (1995(a)), IQ represents only 20% in the lifetime success of a person and is highly influenced by Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence is defined as the ability to identify, understand, control and respond to human emotions which consequently help individuals adapt better socially and promote better performance in all aspects of life (Parker, Taylor, Bagby, 2001). The Theory of Performance (ToP) develops and brings forward six foundational concepts to form a framework that can be used to explain performance as well as performance improvements. To perform is to produce valuable results. A performer can be an individual or a group of people engaging in a collaborative effort. Developing performance is like a ladder, and level of performance describes the position (low, average or high) in that ladder. Current level of performance depends holistically on 6 components: context, level of knowledge, levels of skills, level of identity, personal factors, and fixed factors (Don Elger,2007).Studies analyzing the relationship between academic performance and emotional intelligence have produced multifarious results. As such, a study by Schutte et al. (1998) concluded that undergoing emotional intelligence test at the beginning of the academic year caused a better average score at the end of the year. Furthermore, a small, but significant relationship be tween academic success, by means if grade point average, and three on five constituents of emotional intelligence, upon use of the Goleman scale (Rozell, Pettijohn, Parker (2002), Goleman (1995, 1998)) Emotional Intelligence contributes significantly to academic success with legion positive interconnection (Grace, 2012). Students with a higher emotional intelligence (EI) are more likely to comply socially and manage their time conveniently as compared to those having a low EI, known to be more susceptible to deviant and harmful behavior (Pau, et al., 2004).As a matter of fact, learners possessing a high emotional intelligence prove to be more obsolete, learn faster, behave more properly and regulate their feelings appropriately (Ghosh and Gill (2003). The accelerated development of the era is challenging students to the wave of worries and stress. According to a study conducted of children of 4years of age, the ability to control impulses resulted in good academic performance and social skills during adolescence (Shoda, Mischel, and Peake, 1990). Another findings retrieved from a research done by Mac Cann et al (2011) explains that the target to achieve better educational output is skills related to emotion management and problem-focused coping. Problem Statement Since time immemorial, students have always been educated with the sole aim of succeeding in their future. High IQ students were the favorites and considered as the only ones who could make it to a brighter career. Students’ emotions, their interpersonal skills and ability to regulate their feelings weren’t taken into consideration. As a result, many intelligent students faced failure. The factors behind were manifold: they weren’t able to assess their own feelings-they were not emotionally intelligent. For instance, some couldn’t deal with the pressure of studies, with the dating fashion increasingly dominating the youth, some might have been left heart-broken and the rest could merely be overwhelmed with unexplained stress. With regards to positive solutions to the issue of academic failure, it is essential to bridge existing gaps caused by limited studies conducted relating emotional intelligence to its importance in academic success. Then it is imperative for schools to integrate it in their curricula, by this not only will students perform better in their studies, but it will also imply prosperity at professional and national levels in form of a competent career and a better standard of living. Research Aims Objectives In context of the two concepts and their principles, the present study will be conducted in Malaysian higher education background, more precisely on first- and final-year medical students. The aim of this study is: To show the importance of emotional intelligence for the academic achievement of students To explore other variables which can affect the development of emotional intelligence and academic performance To identify significant relationship between emotional aptitudes and academic success. Research Questions: Is there a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance in medical education? To what extent do other factors impact on emotional intelligence and its effect on academic performance? Rationale of study Hopefully, the completion of this research can provide a form of enlightenment of the implications of emotional intelligence on academic achievement. Understanding the importance of emotional intelligence on academic performance will help educational policy makers to devise and promote enhanced educating systems. Another profitable aspect of this research could be raising awareness on the concept of emotion management, thereby helping academically-thriving students to overcome their daily stress, hence increasing student productivity. Literature Review Introduction The literature review was obtained through a thorough retrospect of journals, articles, books and documents. This chapter provides an in-depth explanation for the need of emotional intelligence in medical studies, considered to be among the toughest educational programs. It also reviews the factors that influence emotional intelligence and their impact on academic success which include: emotional literacy, academic understanding, motivation and pressure handling. Significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance in medical students Studies have shown that college students with a higher emotional intelligence are more friendly, integrate easily in society and are less conflictual (Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Salovey P, 2011(a)). Accordingly, these improved social and emotional capabilities translate themselves into a prominent cognitive ability and quality relationships leading to better academic performances (Schutte NS, Malouff JM, Bobik C, Coston TD, Greeson C, Jedlicka C, Rhodes E, Wendorf G, 2001). Medical studies are hard. According to recent statistics, the number of students enrolling in medical colleges has been increasing .This shows that the desire to become a doctor is quite appealing in the younger generations. But the challenges facing students are not only impersonal, rather there are some non-clinical trials that they confront and are expected to overcome them successfully if they truly want to succeed in their career. For instance, other than the complex medical terminologies they need to master cor rectly, medical students face a lot of pressures which appeal, directly or indirectly to their emotions, in forms of workload, tiredness, fear of failure, demotivation, burnout and sometimes deprivation of parental affection (Anton Gervaziev, 2014). At this juncture, there is no way out. Failure seems to be the only results. This is where comes the need to be emotionally intelligent-to be able to regulate feelings and prioritize thoughts. As explained by the General Medical Council (2009), students need to be instilled with patient-care and self-care virtues to become good professionals. It is just not about being a purely analytical doctor but much more than that, to become an effective physician with empathic, ethical and competent communication skills. Not only will advance recovery and therapeutic programs, but will contribute largely to a better medical service and higher healthcare standards (Wagner PJ, Moseley GC, Grant MM, Gore JR, Owens, 2002). As such, Goleman (1995 (b)), through his research showed that emotional intelligence is eminently helpful in the education, work and mental health sectors. Along with potential evidence, he explained that as far as long-term prosperity and success in all stances of life, being able to recognize and manage feelings, that is being emotionally intelligent is much more meaningful than being brainy. The concept of IQ affirms that essential emotional competencies can surely be taught and improved in medical students so as they can succeed in everything they undertake. Teaching intrapersonal skills at school is not only beneficial during the college times; instead they have long-term effect on academic achievement (Elias M.J., Gara M., Schuyler T., Brandon-Muller L.R. and Sayette M.A, 1991). For instance: teaching emotional intelligence dexterities to first-year students can, directly or indirectly improve their following years of education as emotional intelligence provides the possibility of improving academically. Other factors affecting emotional intelligence and its impact on academic performance in medical students Emotional literacy Emotional literacy is als0 known as Emotional intelligence with a heart which aims at teaching people to recognize their feelings ,to caringly understand others feelings, strength and reasons and to foster the love-centered ability to choose to display the feeling which is best apt to a particular situation (Riane Eisler, Ronald Laing and Eric Berne,2003).Emotional literacy helps students become aware of their feelings of fear, anger and aggression and how to convert them into fearlessness, courage and tolerance. Emotional intelligence is a cross-section of interconnected emotional and social competencies ,abilities and promoters that determine how efficient individuals are at understanding and expressing themselves, understanding others and coping with every day-life stress and pressures ((Bar-On, 2006). Kapp (2002) is also of the view that it is that very part of the human nature that boost us to display behaviors like imagination, impulse control, tenacity, tolerance, intuition, r espectability and social adeptness. Academic Understanding In the Malaysian medical scenario, academic understanding has always been a subject of stress and social recognition of a student. What mattered was only the grade and percentage of the results after examinations. As a result, medical students had no option but to cram in order to pass in exams. Inevitably, this sprung up various emotional imbalances including stress, pressure and fear. All this only because memorizing was put forward instead of promoting academic understanding of modules. This resulted in academic failure as well as emotional hijacking-the trigger point to flee or flight situations causing individuals to react irrationally and destructively (Goleman, 1996). Affective Motivation According to Kreitner (2005), motivation is the psychological process which directs human behavior towards a particular goal. Affective motivation- deals mostly with the way individuals experience, process and behave based on emotions. The three behavioral patterns that motivation influences are: firstly, energizing behavior in which a negative state can urge a person to resort to violent acts in order to let out his or her anger or frustration. For instance, medical student failing at their last year examination can abuse professors in order to remove the negative affective state. Secondly there is the sustaining behavior in which individuals are driven by something and may continue to keep doing it. For instance: a student may be enjoying a party and choose to stay till late despite having a test the next morning. Lastly there is the directing behavior during which the individuals is faced by a panoply of alternatives and imagine himself or herself enacting each of them (Richard W. Scholl, 2007).Russell (2003) explains that this visualization of each choice brings out the emotional response. For instance: if someone chooses to start an assignment early, he or she might also think of waking up early and sacrificing other opportunities. Pressure handling The need to do justice to family sacrifices and desire to become a physician the medical field exerts pressure on the minds of students, influencing his or her emotional state. In view of the final examinations and medical licensing examinations, students experience fear, stress and many other negative feelings, as a result of the cognitive burden of an overestimation of success as well as an achievement oriented behavior.in this case, not being emotionally intelligent can be of a major disadvantage and even lead to disastrous consequences. Methodology Overview In attempt to find out the effect of emotional intelligence on academic performance, the study will be conducted on first-year and final-year medical students in University Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia. The sample will include students from the Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Health Sciences, Medical Education Unit and Department of Psychiatry. The cross-sectional study will involve the ability-based instrument Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) to measure EI and total continuous assessment marks, in form of percentage ranging from 0 to 100% to measure academic performance. Data will be analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19. Demographic parameters and the total MSCEIT scores will be the independent variables whereas the dependent variables will include student’s assessment marks and grades. Setting An intensive analysis of the results of how other variables impact on emotional intelligence and academic performance will vary from first and last year students. First year students, being new and unaware might experience from fear and nervousness due to the transition period from secured home to independent living in college. On their part, last year medical students, with impending professional examination with conferment of a doctor degree and internship in the same calendar year, face high-stress time. Clearly, these two segments are in high emotion-demanding academic years due to which EI effects will be more apparent and comparable. The conditions put forward for students to take part will include age older than 18 years, no psychiatric disorder and ability to understand English. The study will be carried out in the second semester, close to the final examination so as to provide more accurate results of EI. Students, being given a specific student number for identification, will be given a briefing as well as a consent forms and information sheets prior to the assessment which will be performed online. Demographic items were also sought –a series of questions about age, ethnicity, enjoyment in studying, presence of doctor in family, monthly income ,extent of social life, teacher quality, facility available and many other. Consisting of 141 items and carried out in 30-45 minutes, the MSCEIT test has the purpose to bringing into action the four abilities of emotional intelligence. The assessment will be divided into two parts: the emotional experiencing (EXP) and emotional reasoning (REA) which will be further branched into task scores as shown in Table 1. As for the academic performance, total assessment scores shall be retrieved from the home office. Performance was coded using the standard A to F grading system, with each alphabet relating to a particular percentage performance: A ≠¥ 75%, B + =70–74%, B 65–69%, B- 60–64%, C 50–59% and F Table 1: The MSCEIT scores References Anton Gervaziev (2014).The 3 biggest challenges of Medical School and†¦How to overcome them. BoringEm Journal. Bar-On, R. (2006). The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence. Psicothema. Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Salovey P (2011): Emotional Intelligence: Implications for Personal, Social, Academic, and Workplace Success. Soc Personal Psychol Compass. Charles T. Schmidt (2007), Jr. Labor Research Center, University of Rhode Island. Elias, M. J., Gara, M., Schuyler, T., Brandon-Muller, L. R., Sayette, M. A. (1991). The promotion of social competence: longitudinal study of a preventive school-based program. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Goleman D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ – New York Times. Goleman D. (1998) Working with Emotional Intelligence, New York: Bantam Books. Gill, V. (2003): Emotional quotient more important than IQ, The Tribune Journal. Ghosh, P. (2003): Emotionality of intelligence, Everymans Science General Medical Council (2009):Tomorrow’s Doctors: Outcomes and Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education. London: General Medical Council . Kapp, C. A. (2002). Emotional intelligence (EQ) and success in post-graduate studies: A pilot study. SA Journal of Higher Education. MacCann, C., Fogarty, G. J., Zeidner, M. and Roberts, R. D. (2011) Coping mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and academic achievement. Contemporary Educational Psychology. Michel Balter. (2015): What does IQ really measure? The American Association for the Advancement of Science Journal . Parker, J. D. A., Taylor, G. J., Bagby, R. M. (2001). The relationship between emotional intelligence and alexithymia. Personality Individual Differences Article. Pau, A.K.H., Croucher, R. Sohanpal, R. Muirhead, V. and Seymour, K. (2004): Emotional intelligence and stress coping in dental undergraduates a qualitative study. British Dental Journal. Rozell, E.J., Pettijohn, C.E., Parker, R.S. (2002). An empirical evaluation of emotional intelligence: The impact on management development. Journal of Management Development. Russell, J. A. 2003. Core affect and the psychological construct of emotion. Psychological Review. Shoda, Y., Mischel, W., Peake, P.K. (1990). Predicting adolescent cognitive and social competence from preschool delay of gratifi- cation: Identifying diagnostic conditions. Developmental Psychology. Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J.M., Hall, L. E., Haggerty, D. J., Cooper, J. T., Golden, C. J., Dornheim, L. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences Article. Schutte NS, Malouff JM, Bobik C, Coston TD, Greeson C, Jedlicka C, Rhodes E, Wendorf G.(2001) :Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relations.J Soc PsycholJournal. Wagner PJ, Moseley GC, Grant MM, Gore JR, Owens C (2002) : Physicians emotional intelligence and patient satisfaction. Fam Med Journal.

A Modest Proposal With A New Critical Approach Essay -- Johnathan Swif

A Modest Proposal With A New Critical Approach A Modest Proposal, by Jonathon Swift is very much an ironic persuasive essay. He is proposing the eating of babies as a way to help with poverty. Throughout the essay he makes many thought-out yet almost unthinkable arguments that support his proposal. You do however know he doesn't really want people to start eating babies. He is just trying to show a major problem in a shocking way. His arguments for the eating of babies are as follows: it would greatly reduce the number of poverty stricken people (especially children); it would give those same people income when they sold their children; the nation as a whole will have more money because of this new income; there would be more food for everyone (baby might even become a delicacy); people would save a lot of money by not having to support their children after the first year of birth; and finally, it would help out marriages since there would be less stress on the parents. These theories are stated and supported throughout Swift's essay. He uses the structure of the essay to help you get a good understanding of the material he is presenting. The basic structure of the essay starts out with him explaining the problem he plans to help solve, that Dublin is poverty stricken. There are too many beggars with way too many children. Next, he starts to subtly drop hints about his proposal. He explains that he is going to, "Humbly propose (his) own thoughts," and that he hopes they, "Will not be liable to the least objection."(Abcarian, 629) He continues by further explaining some of his proposal's benefits, then in a list fashion states the six main arguments for it. Swift then adds his last few reasons why people should consider h... ...t before he is about to say something horrible. This is ironic because it is not expected. The speaker has just totally changed his tone. The biggest use of irony is situational irony. The whole proposal is absurd and the speaker knows it. He is proposing the idea to show the larger picture. That there is no solution to this problem, and no one has any useful ideas. The eating of babies is utterly outlandish which is precisely why he chose it. The speaker of this modest proposal uses irony to create a tension that helps to convey a certain message. That message is that even though this may be a totally outrageous proposal, no one can complain or judge until they have a proposal of their own. Works Cited Fish,Tom. "The Literary Criticism." http://www.cumber.edu/litcritweb/# Lynch, Jack. "New Criticism." http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Terms/newcrit.html

Psychiatry as a Career Essay -- Psychiatrist Psychology

The study of the mind, psychiatry, has in the last few years struck an interest within me. I wonder why we react differently when we face the same obstacles. For example, families with several children, raised by the same parents and in the same environment, yet turn out to be completely different individuals, sometimes very disturbed. The how, why and where of it all interests me. My immediate goal is to get my diploma and find out who I really am and what my soul desire truly is. I realize I have a deep desire to be of service to others. This is not a skill however, it's just me. I do feel one of my strongest skills is my artistic ability. I have a taste for and enjoy a diverse selection of movies, music, and reading material. I enjoy studying photography, biology, along with human behavior. Psychiatrists treat patients who have mental illnesses and help diagnose them. They strive to find solutions for their patient's mental disorders. It can and usually does, involve counseling for the patient and sometimes their family as well. Medication can be prescribed to help with chemical imbalances, some of these are caused by their emotional problems. Sometimes even shock therapy is given. It can be a take home job much of the time. Psychiatrists do a lot of side work and research to expand their knowledge. Most keep updated on the latest data and new medications available. Sometimes psychiatrists deal with life or death situations and they need to know exactly how to react. This occupation requires an extensive amount of thinking and the ability to figure out problems. It is important to be able to focus, listen and process information. They have to be able to give positive feedback and come to a decision on how to treat each patien... ...metimes even death. The world today is sue happy, so if something goes wrong they are usually blamed. This career involves many years of education, which could be very costly. I am very interested in mental health and the care and well being of .individuals that need this assistance. I see a great need for those who are capable of helping troubled souls... Many of our disturbed youth are especially in need of some sort of mental assistance. I believe this field is wide open with possibilities. I know there is a growing need to have more compassionate, skilled, well trained, highly educated, individuals, in this field However, I now realize also, after my research, which becoming a psychiatrist is a very difficult career choice. Although, I still wish to have some sort of career in the mental health field, it may be this career choice is a bit much for me, I wonder?

Conflict Theory

The several social theories that emphasize social conflict have roots in the ideas of Karl Marx (1818-1883), the great German theorist and political activist. The Marxist, conflict approach emphasizes a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical method of analysis, a critical stance toward existing social arrangements, and a political program of revolution or, at least, reform. Marx summarized the key elements of this materialist view of history as follows: In the social production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their material forces of production. The totality of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness (Marx 1971:20). Marx divided history into several stages, conforming to broad patterns in the economic structure of society. The most important stages for Marx's argument were feudalism, capitalism, and socialism. The bulk of Marx's writing is concerned with applying the materialist model of society to capitalism, the stage of economic and social development that Marx saw as dominant in 19th century Europe. For Marx, the central institution of capitalist society is private property, the system by which capital (that is, money, machines, tools, factories, and other material objects used in production) is controlled by a small minority of the population. This arrangement leads to two opposed classes, the owners of capital (called the bourgeoisie) and the workers (called the proletariat), whose only property is their own labor time, which they have to sell to the capitalists. Economic exploitation leads directly to political oppression, as owners make use of their economic power to gain control of the state and turn it into a servant of bourgeois economic interests. Police power, for instance, is used to enforce property rights and guarantee unfair contracts between capitalist and worker. Oppression also takes more subtle forms: religion serves capitalist interests by pacifying the population; intellectuals, paid directly or indirectly by capitalists, spend their careers justifying and rationalizing the existing social and economic arrangements. In sum, the economic structure of society molds the superstructure, including ideas (e. g. , morality, ideologies, art, and literature) and the social institutions that support the class structure of society (e. g. , the state, the educational system, the family, and religious institutions). Because the dominant or ruling class (the bourgeoisie) controls the social relations of production, the dominant ideology in capitalist society is that of the ruling class. Ideology and social institutions, in turn, serve to reproduce and perpetuate the economic class structure. Thus, Marx viewed the exploitative economic arrangements of capitalism as the real foundation upon which the superstructure of social, political, and intellectual consciousness is built. (Figure 1 depicts this model of historical materialism. Marx's view of history might seem completely cynical or pessimistic, were it not for the possibilities of change revealed by his method of dialectical analysis. (The Marxist dialectical method, based on Hegel's earlier idealistic dialectic, focuses attention on how an existing social arrangement, or thesis, generates its social opposite, or antithesis, and on how a qualitatively different social form, or synthesis, emerges from the resulting struggle. ) Marx was an optim ist. He believed that any stage of history based on exploitative economic arrangements generated within itself the seeds of its own destruction. For instance, feudalism, in which land owners exploited the peasantry, gave rise to a class of town-dwelling merchants, whose dedication to making profits eventually led to the bourgeois revolution and the modern capitalist era. Similarly, the class relations of capitalism will lead inevitably to the next stage, socialism. The class relations of capitalism embody a contradiction: capitalists need workers, and vice versa, but the economic interests of the two groups are fundamentally at odds. Such contradictions mean inherent conflict and instability, the class struggle. Adding to the instability of the capitalist system are the inescapable needs for ever-wider markets and ever-greater investments in capital to maintain the profits of capitalists. Marx expected that the resulting economic cycles of expansion and contraction, together with tensions that will build as the working class gains greater understanding of its exploited position (and thus attains class consciousness), will eventually culminate in a socialist revolution. Despite this sense of the unalterable logic of history, Marxists see the need for social criticism and for political activity to speed the arrival of socialism, which, not being based on private property, is not expected to involve as many contradictions and conflicts as capitalism. Marxists believe that social theory and political practice are dialectically intertwined, with theory enhanced by political involvement and with political practice necessarily guided by theory. Intellectuals ought, therefore, to engage in praxis, to combine political criticism and political activity. Theory itself is seen as necessarily critical and value-laden, since the prevailing social relations are based upon alienating and dehumanizing exploitation of the labor of the working classes. Marx's ideas have been applied and reinterpreted by scholars for over a hundred years, starting with Marx's close friend and collaborator, Friedrich Engels (1825-95), who supported Marx and his family for many years from the profits of the textile factories founded by Engels' father, while Marx shut himself away in the library of the British Museum. Later, Vladimir I. Lenin (1870-1924), leader of the Russian revolution, made several influential contributions to Marxist theory. In recent years Marxist theory has taken a great variety of forms, notably the world-systems theory proposed by Immanuel Wallerstein (1974, 1980) and the comparative theory of revolutions put forward by Theda Skocpol (1980). Marxist ideas have also served as a starting point for many of the modern feminist theorists. Despite these applications, Marxism of any variety is still a minority position among American sociologists. Functionalism is the oldest, and still the dominant, theoretical perspective in sociology and many other social sciences. This perspective is built upon twin emphases: application of the scientific method to the objective social world and use of an analogy between the individual organism and society. The emphasis on scientific method leads to the assertion that one can study the social world in the same ways as one studies the physical world. Thus, Functionalists see the social world as â€Å"objectively real,† as observable with such techniques as social surveys and interviews. Furthermore, their positivistic view of social science assumes that study of the social world can be value-free, in that the investigator's values will not necessarily interfere with the disinterested search for social laws governing the behavior of social systems. Many of these ideas go back to Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), the great French sociologist whose writings form the basis for functionalist theory (see Durkheim 1915, 1964); Durkheim was himself one of the first sociologists to make use of scientific and statistical techniques in sociological research (1951). The second emphasis, on the organic unity of society, leads functionalists to speculate about needs which must be met for a social system to exist, as well as the ways in which social institutions satisfy those needs. A functionalist might argue, for instance, that every society will have a religion, because religious institutions have certain functions which contribute to the survival of the social system as a whole, just as the organs of the body have functions which are necessary for the body's survival. Functionalist theories have very often been criticized as teleological, that is, reversing the usual order of cause and effect by explaining things in terms of what happens afterward, not what went before. A strict functionalist might explain certain religious practices, for instance, as being functional by contributing to a society's survival; however, such religious traditions will usually have been firmly established long before the question is finally settled of whether the society as a whole will actually survive. Bowing to this kind of criticism of the basic logic of functionalist theory, most current sociologists have stopped using any explicitly functionalistic explanations of social phenomena, and the extreme version of functionalism expounded by Talcott Parsons has gone out of fashion. Nevertheless, many sociologists continue to expect that by careful, objective scrutiny of social phenomena they will eventually be able to discover the general laws of social behavior, and this hope still serves as the motivation for a great deal of sociological thinking and research. RATIONAL CHOICE AND EXCHANGE THEORY {text:bookmark-start} {text:bookmark-end} SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM Symbolic interactionism, or interactionism for short, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. This perspective has a long intellectual history, beginning with the German sociologist and economist, Max Weber (1864-1920) and the American philosopher, George H. Mead (1863-1931), both of whom emphasized the subjective meaning of human behavior, the social process, and pragmatism. Although there are a number of versions of interactionist thought, some deriving from phenomenological writings by philosophers, the following description offers a simplified amalgamation of these ideas, concentrating on points of convergence. Herbert Blumer, who studied with Mead at the University of Chicago, is responsible for coining the term, â€Å"symbolic interactionism,† as well as for formulating the most prominent version of the theory (Blumer 1969). Interactionists focus on the subjective aspects of social life, rather than on objective, macro-structural aspects of social systems. One reason for this focus is that interactionists base their theoretical perspective on their image of humans, rather than on their image of society (as the functionalists do). For interactionists, humans are pragmatic actors who continually must adjust their behavior to the actions of other actors. We can adjust to these actions only because we are able to interpret them, i. e. , to denote them symbolically and treat the actions and those who perform them as symbolic objects. This process of adjustment is aided by our ability to imaginatively rehearse alternative lines of action before we act. The process is further aided by our ability to think about and to react to our own actions and even our selves as symbolic objects. Thus, the interactionist theorist sees humans as active, creative participants who construct their social world, not as passive, conforming objects of socialization. For the interactionist, society consists of organized and patterned interactions among individuals. Thus, research by interactionists focuses on easily observable face-to-face interactions rather than on macro-level structural relationships involving social institutions. Furthermore, this focus on interaction and on the meaning of events to the participants in those events (the definition of the situation) shifts the attention of interactionists away from stable norms and values toward more changeable, continually readjusting social processes. Whereas for functionalists socialization creates stability in the social system, for interactionists negotiation among members of society creates temporary, socially constructed relations which remain in constant flux, despite relative stability in the basic framework governing those relations. These emphases on symbols, negotiated reality, and the social construction of society lead to an interest in the roles people play. Erving Goffman (1958), a prominent social theorist in this tradition, discusses roles dramaturgically, using an analogy to the theater, with human social behavior seen as more or less well scripted and with humans as role-taking actors. Role-taking is a key mechanism of interaction, for it permits us to take the other's perspective, to see what our actions might mean to the other actors with whom we interact. At other times, interactionists emphasize the improvisational quality of roles, with human social behavior seen as poorly scripted and with humans as role-making improvisers. Role-making, too, is a key mechanism of interaction, for all situations and roles are inherently ambiguous, thus requiring us to create those situations and roles to some extent before we can act. Interactionists tend to study social interaction through participant observation, rather than surveys and interviews. They argue that close contact and immersion in the everyday lives of the participants is necessary for understanding the meaning of actions, the definition of the situation itself, and the process by which actors construct the situation through their interaction. Given this close contact, interactionists could hardly remain free of value commitments, and, in fact, interactionists make explicit use of their values in choosing what to study but strive to be objective in the conduct of their research. Symbolic interactionists are often criticized by other sociologists for being overly impressionistic in their research methods and somewhat unsystematic in their theories. These objections, combined with the fairly narrow focus of interactionist research on small-group interactions and other social psychological issues, have relegated the interactionist camp to a minority position among sociologists, although a fairly substantial minority. Bureaucratic Form According to Max Weber — His Six Major Principles Before covering Weber's Six Major Principles, I want to describe the various multiple meanings of the word â€Å"bureaucracy. A group of workers (for example, civil service employees of the U. S. government), is referred to as â€Å"the bureaucracy. † An example: â€Å"The threat of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings cuts has the bureaucracy in Washington deeply concerned. † Bureaucracy is the name of an organizational form used by sociologists and organizational design pr ofessionals. Bureaucracy has an informal usage, as in â€Å"there's too much bureaucracy where I work. † This informal usage describes a set of characteristics or attributes such as â€Å"red tape† or â€Å"inflexibility† that frustrate people who deal with or who work for organizations they perceive as â€Å"bureaucratic. Weber noted six major principles. 1. A formal hierarchical structure Each level controls the level below and is controlled by the level above. A formal hierarchy is the basis of central planning and centralized decision making. 2. Management by rules Controlling by rules allows decisions made at high levels to be executed consistently by all lower levels. 3. Organization by functional specialty Work is to be done by specialists, and people are organized into units based on the type of work they do or skills they have. 4. An â€Å"up-focused† or â€Å"in-focused† mission If the mission is described as â€Å"up-focused,† then the organization's purpose is to serve the stockholders, the board, or whatever agency empowered it. If the mission is to serve the organization itself, and those within it, e. g. , to produce high profits, to gain market share, or to produce a cash stream, then the mission is described as â€Å"in-focused. † 5. Purposely impersonal The idea is to treat all employees equally and customers equally, and not be influenced by individual differences. . Employment based on technical qualifications (There may also be protection from arbitrary dismissal. ) The bureaucratic form, according to Parkinson, has another attribute. 7. Predisposition to grow in staff â€Å"above the line. † Weber failed to notice this, but C. Northcote Parkinson found it so common that he made it the basis of his humorous â€Å"Parkinson's law. † Parkinson demonstrated th at the management and professional staff tends to grow at predictable rates, almost without regard to what the line organization is doing. The bureaucratic form is so common that most people accept it as the normal way of organizing almost any endeavor. People in bureaucratic organizations generally blame the ugly side effects of bureaucracy on management, or the founders, or the owners, without awareness that the real cause is the organizing form. Iron cage is a sociological concept introduced by Max Weber. Iron cage refers to the increasing rationalization of human life, which traps individuals in an â€Å"iron cage† of rule-based, rational control. He also called such over-bureaucratized social order â€Å"the polar night of icy darkness†. The original German term is stahlhartes Gehause; this was translated into ‘iron cage', an expression made familiar to English language speakers by Talcott Parsons in his 1958 translation of Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Recently some sociologists have questioned this translation, arguing that the correct term should be ‘shell as hard as steel' and that the difference from the original translation is significant. A more literal translation from German would be â€Å"steel-hard housing. Weber wrote: â€Å"In Baxter’s view the care for external goods should only lie on the shoulders of the ‘saint like a light cloak, which can be thrown aside at any moment. ‘ But fate decreed that the cloak should become an iron cage. † Weber became concerned with social actions and the subjective meaning that humans attach to their action s and interaction within specific social contexts. He also believed in idealism, which is the belief that we only know things because of the meanings that we apply to them. This led to his interest in power and authority in terms of bureaucracy and rationalization