Mini case chapter10 ( solve question E to f and g) Study

Mini chapter10 ( solve question E to f and g) - Case Study Example As compared to franchise L this will lose its taste among the customers in a few years time S would also be rejected if r were above 23.6%, this is because it will have a negative factor. To get an understanding the preference of conflict between NPV over IRR, it is prudent to by and large to recognize that NPV recognizes the â€Å"correct† rate. This is the cost of capital, to be discounted to the cash flows, as compared to the â€Å"arbitrary† rate. In the arbitrary approach where the IRR, makes assumes NPV to be 0. Supremacy of the Net Present Value rules that the reduction cost on capital procedure inborn in both the Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value systems absolutely assumes that the reinvestment of the cash flows at any given discount rate is used, either Internal Rate of Return or the cost of capital. In the event that the internal rate of return is very big as compared to the cost of capital it becomes impractical to presume in undergoing for reinvestment with such high rate of risk. The gradient of the Net Present Value is dependent to the project’s timing pattern of the cash flows; long-term projects have high gradients as compared to short-term projects. The Net Present Value technique assumes that the entire cash flows of the project period be reinvested back to the project at the firm’s preferred rate of return, on the other hand the Internal Rate of Return technique assumes that these cash flows are possible to reinvested at the Internal Rate of Return. More often, the NPV is assumed to be a better as compared to IRR. The reason being that the project’s cash inflows are generally used as substitutes of outsourcing capital, This means that the, projects cash flows replace outside capital and, hence, save the firm the cost of outside capital. The Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR) is imitative of IRR that keeps away from the latter’s

Research critique (Criteria for the Evaluation of Educational Essay

Research critique (Criteria for the Evaluation of Educational Research) - Essay Example The term refers to the punishment of young children in this case and hence the title could have been a bit wordier without sounding verbose. In this section, I analyse the problem statement and definition of the issue that the article deals with. The problem statement can be expressed as follows: Though there have been studies’ detailing the effects of â€Å"time-out† as a punitive measure, there has been little focus on the perceptions of the children themselves on the measure as a tool to punish bad behaviour and inculcate good behaviour. The purpose of the article is to conduct a survey among the target population of children older than two or three years and study the children’s attitudes towards this form of punishment and whether it acts as a deterrent or do the children perceive it as just another punishment. As discussed in the section on literature review, the problem statement is consistent with the literature review. To take one instance, the article quotes studies by Betz (1994) about how the â€Å"time-out† does not teach desirable behaviour and the popularity of the technique as evidenced in the study by Webber and Scheuermann (1991). The other sources that the authors use to justify their focus on this specific problem statement are the ones by Dobson (1978) and Twiford (1984) who extol the virtues of â€Å"time-out†. The problem statement is not reformulated and the concluding remarks by the authors are about how further research needs to take place to validate their preliminary findings. Further, there is no discussion on limitations that the study has and though the scope is defined, it is more of a methodological approach to the problem statement by using surveys as a method of arriving at the results rather than a clear definition of what is in scope and what is out of scope. The point here is

Insights That Travels Trough Time Essay Example for Free

Insights That Travels Trough Time Essay The dramatic effect of a masterpiece always depends on the one who views it. John Berger argues about perception and that only few own and experience the proficiency in terms of visual images that shape the cultural memory of a society. Berger opens out and focuses on the power of images (Parks, 2009). He looked up to how others should consider and understand how a certain image could produce â€Å"a new language of images†. Perhaps, he wanted to make each and every artist takes advantage of using his or her works to represent or reflect the ethos that exists in a society. For him the art itself speaks up a rich testimony about the culture and other occurrence in the history. Also Berger establish the notion that those who were unattached from their past, has unbound role and can freely act as an individual or a group. Herewith, it could be assumed that experiences affect how we accept or perceived something or how we or what we believe as true. Further, according to Berger The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. The truth could be assumed to still rest in the eyes of the viewer. Berger insists to how we people should respond and take importance of what we see. With this, we should learn to read and know what lies behind it. Every image is an instrument that leads us to different region and period (Wong, 2009). If we just learn how to read and decipher the knowledge it offers, then we could freely purchase the vision that the most ignores References: 1. Parks S,. (2009)Studying Culture/Controlling Images. , Retrieve: April 14, 2009 http//www. temple. edu/isllc/sparks 2. Wong M. , (2009)Just in Time :Anamorphosis as a Strategic Survival Visual Tactics. , http://www. para-site. org. hk/_pre/96_txt4. html

Effect of Interventions on Mental Health of Offshore Workers

Effect of Interventions on Mental Health of Offshore Workers 5.3 Study 2 – Qualitative Insights Research Question: what is the effect of Intervention policies, from the perspective of the offshore industry, on the mental health of offshore workers? Based on the views of the offshore representatives who participated in this study, this research identified five themes which aim to explain the effect of intervention policies on the mental health of offshore workers. 5.3.1 Theme One: Mental Health Awareness Upon reflection of the quotes associated with theme one, it can be seen that P1 is able to expand on how mental health problems can arise, not only from personal experiences but from the workplace itself. According to Mind (2011), employer awareness of mental health at work in the UK is poor, with most senior representatives vastly underestimating the scale of the problem and how it can affect companies worldwide. Awareness of mental health conditions amongst management and their employees, through education, training and communication can reduce negative attitudes and stigma attached to the adjustments being put in place (Department of Health 2012). Educating people on mental health conditions is seen to be an effective method to fight stigma. A study conducted by Pinfold et al (2005) used mental health awareness programmes in schools in UK and Canada to combat stigmatism and to educate young people on misinformation surrounding mental health conditions. The study provided evidence to suggest that short educational workshops can produce positive change in young people’s views of mental illness. Whilst, this cannot be applied directly to the Oil and Gas industry, it highlights the benefits of ‘awareness raising’ sessions. However, on the contrary OECD (2012) suggests that increased perceptions of mental health problems i.e. increasing rates of disability benefit, has changed the view of the work capacity of people with mental disorders. This implies that better awareness has led to further exclusion from the workforce. These findings are similar to those discussed in the literature review; whereby Stuart (2006) suggests prejudicial attitudes from employers remain a barrier for those suffering from mental health. 5.3.2 Theme Two: Macho Culture Organisational culture has been defined as the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization† (Hill and Jones 2001 p?). According to Wright (1994) (cited in Lindoe et al 2014 p. 65) the oil industry in western society has always been dominated by a macho culture, meaning that macho type values, beliefs have governed the way in which offshore workers think and behave. This supports the secondary findings, as Ely Meyerson (2008) identified ‘Macho culture’ to be significant barrier when getting males to admit to their mistakes which may have caused or had the potential to cause an accident. However, the present study highlights that this macho culture and masculinity ideals from an organisational perspective are a significant barrier to their psychological help seeking. Deal and Kennedy (1982) identified four distinct culture types, determined by a combination of two parameters: feedback (praise, rewards) and risk (uncertainty). One of the cultures identified is the Tough Guy Macho Culture. They believe that this culture involves an organisation of risk takers that receive quick feedback on whether their actions were right or wrong. Culture is learned and reinforced (refer to learning theory) – the Oil and Gas industry has existed for decades, for this culture to remain prevalent in contemporary society speaks volumes. It is important for the industry to ignite a cultural change, because this macho culture no longer fits the ever changing environment. Cummings Worley (2005) have conducted research which suggests the following guidelines are effective for introducing cultural change. This first is to formulate a clear strategic vision, display Top-management commitment, model culture change at the highest level, modify the organisation to support organisational change, select and socialize newcomers and terminate deviants and finally to develop ethical and legal sensitivity. 5.3.3 Theme Three: Environmental Downfalls The participants acknowledge that mental health problems amongst offshore personnel can be linked to the environment, which as discussed in the literature review is isolating and environmentally challenging (Gardner 2003). Several sources of stress and anxiety identified in relation to the isolated location of several North Sea Installations are; sleeping patterns, shared living, lack of privacy, financial insecurity etc. However, Cooper and Sutherland (1987) stated that the key contributor to lower mental well- being was the stress associated with being away from one’s spouse or partner, a factor which was identified within the transcript. http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/othpdf/500-599/oth523.pdf 5.3.4 Theme Four: Reliance Reluctance It is clear from the findings in Chapter 4, that both participants are in agreement that in order for interventions and support mechanisms to be put in place the employee needs to disclose their mental health condition. However, it was highlighted by Stuart (2006) that prejudicial attitudes from employers remain a barrier for those suffering from mental health, hence the reason why employees are reluctant to disclose their psychiatric history. According to Haslam et al’s (2005) study, the reason for employee reluctance is because they feel they may be judged by their employer because the stigma attached to mental illness. Moreover, lack of promotional to show they are encouraging people to seek help? This was supported in the qualitative researcher findings by P1? However, there appears to be a dissension between P1 and P2 in regards to their organisational reluctance to promote the existing interventions methods to the workforce. 5.3.5 Theme Five: Promotional Shortcomings The results of the present study suggests that the aim of health promotion in the Oil and Gas industry should be focused on: (1) communicate the intervention methods that currently exist i.e. EAP (2) promote cultural change and encourage a culture whereby offshore workers did not feel ashamed to disclose their mental health condition (3) change the beliefs employees have about their employers regards for their well-being. Communicating mental health intervention methods shows the workforce that as an organisation they are not afraid to broach the subject, this in turn will encourage employees to come forward and seek the help available to them. Eisenberger et al (1986) stated that employees develop beliefs about the extent to which their organisation cares about their well-being. These beliefs help create an employees’ assessment of whether their employer will reward greater effort and help them to complete their jobs and cope with stressful situations. Taking a social exchange perspective, such beliefs will be reciprocated through employee behaviours and deference. Evidence suggests that beliefs about an organisation’s concern for employee well-being have a positive impact on an individual’s workforce performance, which, in turn, influences organizational performance (Podsakoff et al., 2000). 5.4 Limitations There were a number of notable methodological limitations in this research and it is important that these are highlighted before going on to make any conclusions or future recommendations. Firstly, the lack of time and money accessible for the study hindered the amount of research that could be carried out. For example, the researcher would have liked to have used other participants such as OIM’s or Counsellors to collect more detailed data. Furthermore, another possible improvement that could have been implemented is that rather than giving a questionnaire to participants, personal interviews would have elicited greater information regarding their knowledge and attitudes towards mental health and their organisations current intervention methods. However, the researcher would not have been able to capture as many responses if this qualitative method was used. Chapter 6 – Conclusion and Recommendations 6.1 Recommendations 6.1.1 Recommendations for the Oil and Gas Industry From the study it is clear that stigma continues to influence the ways in which offshore personnel deal with their mental health condition. The results convey that levels of depression, anxiety and stress are experienced amongst offshore workers, with high levels of stress being associated with the negative opinions of the current intervention methods in place. Therefore, to maximise support and to ensure the duty of care is being directly adhered to, Oil and Gas companies worldwide should promote and educate offshore workers, onshore staff, and management about mental well-being. To do this, Management or those in a supervisory role should be provided with an opportunity to attend a two day Mental Health Training courses which are available across the UK, some of which are free and some cost up to  £100. This course covers a range of areas surrounding mental health, but most importantly it helps teach individuals to spot the signs and how to approach and intervene if necessary. Furthermore, prevention and early interventions should be the key focus when improving mental health within the workplace. There are three different types of prevention including; Primary prevention (prevent the onset of the disorder), Secondary prevention (Detect early signs and intervene early) and finally, Tertiary prevention (Early effective treatment to prevent disability) (Martel 2009). Martel (2009) suggests that the above prevention strategies are essential when preventing work-related mental health problems. However, in order to undertake any preventative program, it is essential that management are committed to change factors within their control and to implement action plans continuously. 6.1.2 Future Research Recommendations The data set obtained in the present study provides opportunities for future research, which could throw further light on how mental health is experienced in the offshore environment and how the oil and gas industry as a whole reacts to these psychological mishaps. Combining the present data with medical history records of offshore personnel and formally reported mental health conditions to employers would be valuable to see whether or not appropriate actions were taken. Furthermore, the present study did not attempt to identify the specific aspects of the offshore environment which may account for high levels of depression, anxiety and stress. If future research was to be conducted it may beneficial to investigate the key causes of psychological distress in an offshore working environment, so that employers are able to tackle the issues at the forefront with appropriate interventions.

Impact of skiing on mountain environments

Impact of skiing on mountain environments It is extremely easy to forget the impact imposed by skiing on the mountain environments. Most people believe the only effect that they have on the environment within mountain regions are the tracks in the snow left by their skis. However, there is strong evidence that skiing has both a social and more noticeably, environmental impacts that influence the natural environment. Some experts of the Alpine region suggest that tourists directly affect over half of the Alps entire surface area. It can therefore be stated that the Alps are now one of the most threatened mountain ecosystems on Earth. This viewpoint was further backed up by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, chairman of Alp Action, based in Geneva, which works towards preserving and restoring the Alpine habitat, saying that tourists have merely transported the problems of the city up 6,500 feet. As the majority of ski slopes take place on the sides of large, rugged mountains, the process of deforestation is required in order to create the downhill ski slopes. Deforestation can lead to the displacement of the natural habitats of resident birds as well as cause an increase in the surface runoff from the melt water flowing down the mountains once the snow has melted in the summer months. The problem of surface runoff is further increased by the alteration of the grade of the slope in order to make it suitable for skiers. This allows the melt water to flow quicker and results in the melt water coming into contact with few obstacles which can eventually lead to landslides. Other wildlife such as ibex, snow hares, and red deer are also affected by deforestation and the alteration of the slopes grade. Wildlife is initially affected by the development and expansion of the ski resorts, however, the human impact on wildlife can also be seen in the construction and maintenance of the s ki runs in the night time and by the numerous skiers during the daytime. An example of the affects on wildlife is the black grouse which resides in the Alps, Wales, Scotland and the Lake District. As a result of skiing, the black grouse now exists at only half its usual population density around ski resorts. However, the disturbance area is increasing in size as more and more people ski off-piste and intrude into the habitat of the black grouse. When examining the visual impacts of skiing on the mountain environment, it is easy to see that the monstrous metallic pylons which support the ski lifts and the ski lift terminals blemish the previously unscarred panoramic views. The implications of all of the developments within the mountain environment results in a snowballing affect and results in increased pressure on the environment. With the rise in popularity of some resorts such as Tignes and the Trois Vallà ©es in France, there is the added pressure of expansion of the resorts and the improvement of its facilities. The ski resorts are mainly built on confined valley floor areas and are therefore hemmed in by the surrounding mountainous environment. However, the need to accommodate the increasing numbers and demands of tourists means that resorts have had to expand resulting in further erosion of the mountain sides. The impact of skiers on the environment can be seen due to the increased problems of global warming within these areas. Over the past few years, scientists have proved that the snow levels in mountain areas such as the Alps in Europe have started to dwindle. Birgit Ottmer from the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research based in the famous resort of Davos said that the Alpine areas below 1,600 metres are now receiving twenty per cent less snow. The future is even more unpromising with Michel Revaz of the Liechtenstein-based Alpine conservation society Cipra, stating that within fifty years all ski resorts below 1,200 metres wont have a chance and will go out of business. This is especially unwelcoming news for the majority of the ski resorts within Austria where seventy-five per cent of all of the ski lifts lie below 1,000 metres. The problem of snow levels has meant that new resorts are springing up further and further up the sides of the mountains. This migration of ski resorts will mean further visual impacts on the area with large accommodation blocks and pylons being erected further upland as well as an increase in the human affects on the higher altitude areas which have a more sensitive ecosystem. It is widely believed that aviation travel currently contributes about four per cent of the global carbon dioxide emissions. This is a worrying fact, especially when over thirty million international tourists fly into the Alpine region each year and the fact that Alpine tourism is only second in the world to the Mediterranean coast in the number of visiting tourists per annum. Once arrived in the Alpine region, the vast amounts of tourists generally reach the ski resorts by vehicles or even coaches supplied by the travel agencies. The increasing presence of vehicles within this environment has led to an increase in carbon emissions from the vehicles. Within some areas of the Alps, the pollutants reach the upland coniferous trees. Once this has happened, the pollutants weaken the evergreen trees which then become susceptible to insects and parasites. The United Nations recently carried out a study on the affects humans have on the mountain forests and discovered that acid rain and air pollution have damaged approximately sixty per cent of the Swiss, Italian, German and Austrian alpine forests. Another human impact which can be related to global warming is the retreat of the glaciers worldwide. Many skiers and snow boarders enjoy the thrill of skiing or snow boarding on glaciers. The tour guides usually put a great emphasis on the environment and the affects of humans on the mountain environment during the excursion; however, these tours may cease to exist in the near future with the retreat of the mountain glaciers. For example, Boulder Glacier in the North American state of Washington, is extremely popular with climbers, skiers and snow boarders. However, such activities have an increasingly short life as the glacier retreated an incredible four hundred and fifty metres between 1987 and 2005. The retreat of the glacier can be directly linked to the rise in the winter temperatures and to the reduction in snowfall levels within this region. There is an increasing problem with the amount of litter in the ski resorts. As is true anywhere else in the world, the majority of litter dropped does not degrade straight away or at all. However, in such a sensitive or delicate region, like the Alps, the effects are amplified. For instance an orange peel takes approximately two years to fully degrade, and cigarette butts can take up to five years to disintegrate. The chocolate wrappers or left over lunch that is left outside the mountain restaurants attract species which would not normally be found at such high altitudes. This alteration in the fragile ecosystem has a huge affect on the indigenous population of wildlife which eventually die out due to the invasive species. However, tourism can help sustain the mountain communities. The tourists provide a market for the local communities. There are over four and a half million beds for tourists within the Alps. The local communities have set up bed and breakfast accommodation as well as hostels and small, traditional hotels or chalets. This provides a vital economy for the local population even though the busiest periods are only during the winter months. Upon seeing that the majority of their business is seasonal, many of the locals in the ski resorts and surrounding villages have begun to diversify in order to sustain a living throughout the year. The local population have begun to offer summer outdoor activities to try and attract thrill-seeking or nature-loving tourists in the summer months. Many of those within the mountain communities offer guiding walks in the summer or activities such as rock climbing and driving off road vehicles through the rough terrain. The local authorities for ski resorts have only recently started to publicise visiting mountain areas in the summer months and are trying to advertise the ski resorts and villages as year-round destinations instead of solely winter locations. Tourism can help sustain human communities if the right methods are introduced by the local authorities, for example by ensuring that the local populations get their share of the money brought in by tourists so that the larger international tourism firms do not overpower the local businesses. This might include, the local authorities supporting local brands or shops and only allowing a certain number of international businesses or hotels into the region. Many learning schemes have also been introduced in order for the local population to learn other languages such as English in order to accommodate and to improve on the services provided to tourists visiting their town or village. Teaching the locals languages will help them both socially and economically and could even lead to their customers returning or attracting new customers by word of mouth due to the level of customer service. Having a second language allows local people who know the area and its surrounding environment best, to supply more annual activities such as guided walks. This will keep the economy within the area and result in a small rise in the prosperity of the local population. In conclusion, I believe that skiing is not a sustainable activity and has greater impacts on the mountain environment than it does improve it. The affects on the environment are detrimental and could mean that future generations will not be able to go and look at the Mont-Blanc Glacier in its current beauty but will be able to admire at it from text books due to its possible demise. However, I do have confidence in the fact that tourism can play a large role in sustaining and improving the local human communities and makes the mountain areas an extremely exciting and diverse area which is why so many people visit it each year.

The Terrorist :: essays research papers

This book â€Å"The Terrorist† was written by Caroline B. Cooney and published by Scolastic Inc. in Toronto Ontario Canada.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura is in high school and she had just moved from Boston. At the beginning of the book, her brother died when a terrorist’s package bomb exploded and killed Billy. Laura and her family were heart-broken when they found out the bad news. Laura becomes determined to do what ever she could to find out who killed Billy. One day, when Laura was questioning Mohammed, Jehran asked her if she would like to go to a sleep over. At first Laura did not want to but she finally agreed. While she was at the sleep over, Jehran told her about a marriage that she would be forced into by her brother. She asked for Laura’s help to run away to the airport and take a plane to New York. After a while, Laura agreed. A week later, they went to the airport as planned, but they did not know that Jimmy was following them. Jimmy warned Laura’s other friends that she was going to New York. While Laura was boarding the plane, she started getting suspicions about Jehran. L aura decided that Jehran should leave by herself on the plane and she should go home. Jehran didn’t want to go by herself, so Laura confronted her and Laura found out that Jehran was the one who told the terrorists to kill Billy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jehran was charged but was found innocent. Laura and her family moved back to Boston without Billy. Billy would be a part of them forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Billy used to live in Boston but he moved to London England. He owned a â€Å"Macaroni & Cheese† business and he was financially secure. When he was getting off the train, a man handed him a package that his friend had dropped. Billy examined the box and realized that it was a bomb. He wrapped himself around the bomb and it blew up (so he died). Laura’s (and Billy’s) parents were miserable and were very upset. They had cared a lot about Billy, and so had Laura. Laura was miserable and she wanted to find out who killed Billy. One day, while Laura was questioning Mohammed, Jehran invited her to a sleep over. Jehran is a thin elegant girl who had long black hair. She was the one who had chosen Billy to be killed by the terrorists.

Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

Is it Sweet and Fitting to Die for One’s Country?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage is truly a unique book because it challenges the common perceptions of the Civil War. The fight for freedom and the American way of life were how writers such as Fredrick Douglass and Walt Whitman portrayed the Civil War. Crane challenges these principles by concentrating on the day-to-day reality the regiments of the North faced. Since the North’s main goal was to abolish slavery, they are remembered to be a group of men who were well equipped and prepared for battle because they represented the morality of the war. However, the North is shown through Crane to be a group of amateurs who are untested, lack discipline, and do not appreciate the opportunity to fight for their country and their way of life. In this sense, The Red Badge of Courage relates to life for how it is instead of how people want to remember it to be. Contrary to Crane, Cicero once wrote â€Å"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori† (I t is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country). Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage begins as a validation of these sentiments of Cicero: although, the rationale of the sentiment is challenged throughout the story, Cicero outlook is ultimately shown to be true in the last battle scene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of The Red Badge of Courage, the main character, Henry, has preconceived ideals of war that lead him to believe that â€Å"it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.† â€Å"The young soldier† and â€Å"the youth† are nicknames for Henry and are used throughout the novel to convey the characteristics of his youth. Henry had a false sense of what war is really like because his lack of experience causes him to compares war to epic ancient battles. He idealistically thinks that his first battle will be â€Å"one of those great affairs of the earth (45).† Henry desperately wants to follow in the footsteps of Ancient Greek heroes and become a hero himself. He naively believes in the traditional forms of honor and courage. Dreams of the image of a dead soldier being laid upon his shield, following the Greek tradition of dying in battle, fill Henry’s head. He lacks experience in war so he can only imagine w hat it is truly like. The lack of experience makes Henry over zealous for battle and makes his belief in his inevitable greatness seem vain and self-centered.