Finance Midterm

FINA300 Fall 2011 Benedictine University 100 points Name: ___________________________________________________ 1) Which of the following statements is CORRECT? a. The New York Stock Exchange is an auction market, and it has a physical location. b. Home mortgage loans are traded in the money market. c. If an investor sells shares of stock through a broker, then it would be a primary market transaction. d. Capital markets deal only with common stocks and other equity securities. e. While the distinctions are blurring, investment banks generally specialize in lending money, whereas commercial banks generally help companies raise capital from other parties. (2) Which of the following statements is CORRECT? a. A hostile takeover is the main method of transferring ownership interest in a corporation. b. A corporation is a legal entity created by a state, and it has a life and existence that is separate from the lives and existence of its owners and managers. c. Unlimited liability and limited life are two key advantages of the corporate form over other forms of business organization. . Limited liability is an advantage of the corporate form of organization to its owners (stockholders), but corporations have more trouble raising money in financial markets because of the complexity of this form of organization. e. Although the stockholders of the corporation are insulated by limited legal liability, the legal status of the corporation does not protect the firmâ€℠¢s managers in the same way, i. e. , bondholders can sue its managers if the firm defaults on its debt. 3) The retained earnings account on the balance sheet does not represent cash. Rather, it represents part of the stockholders' claim against the firm's existing assets. Put another way retained earnings are stockholders' reinvested earnings. a. True b. False (4) In finance, we are generally more interested in cash flows than in accounting profits. Free cash flow (FCF) is calculated as after-tax operating income plus depreciation less the sum of capital expenditures and changes in net working capital. a. True b. False 5) Other things held constant, which of the following actions would increase the amount of cash on a company’s balance sheet? a. The company repurchases common stock. b. The company pays a dividend. c. The company issues new common stock. d. The company gives customers more time to pay their bills. e. The company purchases a new piece of equipment 6) Ryngard Corp's sales last year were $38,000, and its total assets were $16,000. What was its total assets turnover ratio (TATO)? a. 2. 04 b. 2. 14 c. 2. 26 d. 2. 38 e. 2. 49 7) A new firm is developing its business plan. It will require $615,000 of assets, and it projects $450,000 of sales and $355,000 of operating costs for the first year. Management is reasonably sure of these numbers because of contracts with its customers and suppliers. It can borrow at a rate of 7. 5%, but the bank requires it to have a TIE of at least 4. 0, and if the TIE falls below this level the bank will call in the loan and the firm will go bankrupt. What is the maximum debt ratio the firm can use? (Hint: Find the maximum dollars of interest, then the debt that produces that interest, and then the related debt ratio. ) a. 41. 94% b. 44. 15% c. 46. 47% d. 48. 92% e. 51. 49% 8) Which of the following could explain why a business might choose to operate as a corporation rather than as a sole proprietorship or a partnership? a. Corporations generally face fewer regulations. b. Less of a corporation’s income is generally subject to federal taxes. c. Corporate shareholders are exposed to unlimited liability, but this factor is offset by the tax advantages of incorporation. d. Corporate investors are exposed to unlimited liability. e. Corporations generally find it easier to raise large amounts of capital. (9) You recently sold 200 shares of Disney stock, and the transfer was made through a broker. This is an example of: a. A money market transaction. b. A primary market transaction. c. A secondary market transaction. d. A futures market transaction. e. An over-the-counter market transaction 10) Below are the 2007 and 2008 year-end balance sheets for Tran Enterprises: Assets:20082007 Cash$ 200,000$ 170,000 Accounts receivable864,000700,000 Inventories 2,000,000 1,400,000 Total current assets$3,064,000$2,270,000 Net fixed assets 6,000,000 5,600,000 Total assets$9,064,000$7,870,000 Liabilities and equity: Accounts payable$1,400,000$1,090,000 Notes payable 1,600,000 1,800,000 Total current liabilities$3,000,000$2,890,000 Long-term debt 2,400,000 2,400,000 Common stock 3,000,000 2,000,000 Retained earnings 664,000 580,000 Total common equity$3,664,000$2,580,000 Total liabilities and equity$9,064,000$7,870,000 The firm has never paid a dividend on its common stock, and it issued $2,400,000 of 10-year, non-callable, long-term debt in 2007. As of the end of 2008, none of the principal on this debt had been repaid. Assume that the company’s sales in 2007 and 2008 were the same. Which of the following statements must be CORRECT? a. The firm increased its short-term bank debt in 2008. b. The firm issued long-term debt in 2008. . The firm issued new common stock in 2008. d. The firm repurchased some common stock in 2008. e. The firm had negative net income in 2008. (11) Chang Corp. has $375,000 of assets, and it uses only common equity capital (zero debt). Its sales for the last year were $595,000, and its net income was $25,000. Stockholders recently voted in a new management team that has promised to lower costs and get the return on equity up to 15. 0%. What profit margin would the firm need in order to achieve the 15% ROE, holding everything else constant? a. 9. 45% b. . 93% c. 10. 42% d. 10. 94% e. 11. 49% 11) Which of the following statements is CORRECT? a. Most rapidly growing companies have positive free cash flows because cash flows from existing operations generally exceed fixed asset purchases and changes to net working capital. b. Changes in working capital have no effect on free cash flow. c. Free cash flow (FCF) is defined as follows: FCF =EBIT(1 – T) + Depreciation – Capital expenditures required to sustain operations – Required changes in net working capital. d. Free cash flow (FCF) is defined as follows: FCF = EBIT(1 – T) + Capital expenditures. e. Managers should be less concerned with free cash flow than with accounting net income. Accounting net income is the â€Å"bottom line† and represents how much the firm can distribute to all its investors- both creditors and stockholders. (12) Last year Harrington Inc. had sales of $325,000 and a net income of $19,000, and its year-end assets were $250,000. The firm's total-debt-to-total-assets ratio was 45. 0%. Based on the DuPont equation, what was the ROE? a. 13. 82% b. 14. 51% c. 15. 23% d. 16. 00% e. 16. 80%

Karl Marx and the Idea of Communism Essay

Karl Marx’s claim that capitalism is important to human development but must be overcome and a system put into place that would eventually evolve into communism is unrealistic. Although the idea of communism, a social system designed to promote a classless society where everyone is truly equal and social problems such as racism, sexism and oppression do not exist, would be favourable to a capitalist society, it is unachievable as it doesn’t comprehend an individuals personal desire, the labour classes ability to lead or the growth and change that has occurred within capitalism since Marx. Capitalism is the social system currently within place in countries all over the world, where the means for producing and distributing goods are owned by a small collection of people, the capitalists, and the labour class, is made up of the majority of the population who sell their labour for a wage. Marx’s primary claim is that an individual’s moral, philosophical and religious ideas are reflections based on our material circumstance and that they are not autonomous driving forces in history as others have claimed. Marx concluded that ‘instead of shaping society, ideas were in fact shaped by society’ (Mann & Dann, 2005). By this he meant that the economic system of a society determines what values and principles are upheld. Therefore, an outdate society would value attributes such as honour and loyalty to keep people in line, whereas a capitalist society would value freedom and equality to keep the workforce as large and as mobile as possible to keep down wages. When a society’s economic conditions experience a fundamental change and a new class assumes supremacy after a political revolution has occurred and installed that leading class in power. Marx predicted that a communist revolution eliminating private property and the subjugation of one class by another would occur at the end of history society (Mann & Dann, 2005). Marx believed that through industrialisation, capitalism has increased the productive capability of the world’s economy but had also created two competing classes of people, the bourgeoisie, who controlled and owned the resources of production and employed wage labourers and the proletariat, who were everyday labour who didn’t own anything but their individual right to ell the labour. He felt that the nature of capitalism would guarantee that these two classes would eventually struggle against each other until the point where the working class would become sizeable and subjugated enough that it would takeover the bourgeoisie and its production resources and end the economic system known as capitalism. A socialist system would them be put into place and pure communism would progressively develop (Mann & Dann, 2005). In Marx’s theory communism is a period of historical progression that occurs from the expansion of productive forces leading to a surplus of material wealth, which allows for allocation based on freely related persons. The self-recovery of capitalism could not be predicted by Marx, as it was the introduction of a welfare state and trade unions that played their part in improving the conditions and wage of the workers of the labour class. Commons (2009) suggested that against Marx’s idea of the proletariat class becoming the ruling class of society, labour, as a class were inept in managing business and that the worker input and self-management weren’t feasible. Countries where workingmen have united for joint production of goods and rendering all services to become their own employees and have elected their own foremen, superintendents and directors have failed as labour as a class are inept to appoint their own boss because they base their election on compassion rather than the individuals competence and discipline. Individual labourers who rise out of there own class is capitalism and labourers that rise as a class to become their own boss as a class is socialism, which is unrealistic as the labour class is composed of conflicting races, sexes, religions, ages and there’s an inequality between peoples abilities and intelligence. These conflicting inequalities are brought to light in the competition for jobs and higher wages (Commons, J. R. , 2009). The great organisers of labour under a capitalist system are elected through natural selection within the industry, where the self-selection of leaders by the survival in the competitive struggle for profits mean that individuals are elected by their own success not by the votes of the individuals who work for them. These leaders are responsible to the capitalists and not to the wage earners they command as they are selected by those whose whole consideration s the profits which the can bring to the company or industry (Commons, J. R. , 2009). Marxists alleged that profit making is pure selfishness, with the implication that if the wage earners were in control, public service and not ambition would be the motivating power behind manufacture. The difference between wage earning and profit making, if there is one, is hard to see as both are the process endeavouring to get as much as possible for oneself with as little as possible (Commons, 2009). What Marx failed to see is the inherent selfishness of mankind, as each individual is self-serving to a degree, and how it would impact attempts to put into place a communist social system. In society labour, competition, capital and private property rights play an important role in creating an operational and successful economy. The division of labour allows for increases in the productive capabilities of labour and the specialisation of labour has moved society toward agriculture and manufacturing by encouraging the invention of greater technology. An individuals desire to live a comfortable life with their basic needs met creates and incentive for wage earning individuals to expend more effort within the industry to attain these wants and desires. Marx’s theory of communism can be centralized around the theory that with the abolition of private property, people would move into the final stage of social order, communism (Butgereit & Carden 2011). But with the abolition of private property and the private ownership of the means to production, the monetary prices generated by exchange that are used to appraise factors of production and determine the proportions in which those factors should be used to produce final product would not exist. When these monetary exchanges disappear so do the profits and losses the market produce to guide businesspersons on whether final product is needed within society or the resources used are being wasted (Butgereit & Carden 2011). One of the benefits Marx’s saw for communism was that the sovereignty of the proletariat would speed up the already vanishing national differences and antagonism between people due to the development of the bourgeoisies; the freedom of commerce, the world market, the uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life consequent to those changes. Through this political supremacy, the proletariats would seize the capital from the bourgeoisie to concentrate all tools of production in the hands of the state and therefore increase the total productive forces as rapidly as possible. He believed that respectively that as the exploitation of on individual by another would end, so would the exploitation and hostility of one nation by another and the animosity between classes within the nation would disappear (Mann & Dann, 2005). Although capitalism has seen the expansion of the global market, introduced the concept of civilisation and given it a universal character to production and consumption in every country, Marx saw it as the Bourgeoisie exploiting this world market and creating a universal inter-dependence of nations as all nations are compelled to adopt the bourgeoisie style of production or risk extinction (Mann & Dann, 2005). Through globalisation capitalism grew in strength and the emergence of new compromising ideologies such as social democracy, which is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state (New Oxford American Dictionary, 2005), are making it stronger still. While social democracy was established from Marxism, it has been effective in generating cooperation and agreement between labour and capital in developed countries, and has helped bring about the creation of new laws concerning to minimum wage, social security and the right to strike and demonstration, which reduced the level of inequalities on the working class. But in underdeveloped countries, where the free market system and democracy are not established enough, the working class face serious problems, where individuals are forced to work for below minimum wage and have no job security due the high level of unemployment. In these countries it can be seen that capitalism still causes alienation within the labour class and Marx’s idea where a communist society is designed to promote a classless society in which everyone is truly equal would be beneficial. Although this idea of a communist society is ideal, societies throughout history, such as the Soviet Union, which failed and collapsed on itself and the Chinese, which gradually eroded and had to abandon true communism for functional capitalism in order for the society to survive, have proven through experience and profound failure that communist beliefs do not describe a plausible reality (Post-Communist Economic Systems, 2005). Although a communist society would be ideal to create equality among society, it is unattainable as Marx didn’t comprehend an individual’s personal desire, the labour classes ability to lead or the growth and change that would occur within a capitalist society to decrease the size of the economical inequality between the two classes. Through the introduction of democracy and globalisation, the capitalist social system was able to recover without dissolving into socialism and allowed laws to be put into place on behalf of labour class better working conditions and higher wages. The individuals desire to earn a higher wage has allowed for globalisation to steadily increase the need for a larger quantity of products created by the worlds resources. The efficiency and productivity levels of modern society have been steadily increasing because of industrialisation and the progressive taxation techniques implemented after Marx have allowed for the reduction of inequalities between the working and capitalist classes. By taking into consideration the theories of Marx, the modern capitalist society is working to create a fairer working environment for the working class without turning to communism as history has shown, through failed experiences, that society needs some form of a capitalist social system to use resources in the most efficient and productive way.

Easily Misunderstood Essay

How often have you found yourself talking to someone close to you, thinking the conversation is going along great when the other person reacts in an irritated manner? Or even an anxious manner? You think back to what you have said, reviewing your comments and nothing sticks out as being particularly bad. Well you have just experienced a misunderstanding. For many people, their communication skills with loved ones are not as strong as they think† (Anon. , 2011, p. 1). Communication is a two way street where both people need to be traveling the same direction. When one person gets off course or veers then we have a miscommunication. In the article entitled, â€Å"Close Relationships Sometimes Mask Poor Communication† study co-author Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, explained, â€Å"Our problem in communicating with friends and spouses is that we have an illusion of insight. Getting close to someone appears to create the illusion of understanding more than actual understanding† (as cited in Anon. , 2011, p. 1). I had just such a miscommunication take place tonight. â€Å"As social animals, we want and need connections with other people† (Soles, 2011, p. 22). Tonight I experienced a miscommunication with my family. We were planning to get together as we usually try to do on Monday nights, due to misunderstanding and miscommunication on everyone’s part we did not end up getting together. I wanted that connection to my family. So alas I write this paper about that very miscommunication instead. Our first mistake was trying to organize it through texting and two different people trying to coordinate it at the same time. That never works. Secondly, my mom assumed no one was going to show up so she made other plans before waiting for any of us to answer back. The only plus to the experience is she did let us know in time so we didn’t head to her house and accidentally show up when her friend did too. To avoid this type of miscommunication in the future we could talk on the phone or email everyone at one time. Also clarify when one thinks the response is in the negative and not the affirmative. If one of us is questioning an answer as iffy then ask the sender to clarify their response and not assume it is an automatic no. These days with all the social media, texting, emailing, etc. I find miscommunications to be more prevalent and more abundant. Many of us have had our feelings hurt by a simple misunderstanding or misspelling when receiving an electronic message. In my example from tonight there were too many veering cars on our road to communicating though luckily no collisions. Had we just communicated more openly and honestly not assuming anything we could have avoided the misunderstandings and any potential hurt feelings. Communication is a two way street but you both have to be going the same direction or it leads to miscommunication.

Should juveniles punished or try as adults Research Paper

Should juveniles punished or try as adults - Research Paper Example The reasoning behind this is actually quite simple. The full grown adults believe that although a child / teenager is involved in a very adult crime, such as murder, he does not truly grasp the meaning and reality of his actions. One mistake during his childhood should not condemn him to a life of hard core punishment. Although such argument tend to hold water among child psyche experts, parents, and some sympathetic courts, the reality of the situation is that the child committed a major crime. A crime that could land an adult in prison for a very long time. Nobody can ever be sure that a child did the crime â€Å"with little understanding of his actions†. If a juvenile committed the offense, he definitely has at least a basic understanding of what the outcome of his actions might be. Therefore, he should not be sheltered from the results of his actions. Rather, he must be made to face up to the resulting consequences of his actions. That is the only way to truly rehabilitate a juvenile delinquent and make sure that he does not grow up to become a social problem. A social problem who as an adult, poses a grave threat to our children, our livelihood, and our very lives. People like former Gov. Jeb Bush believe that â€Å""There should be some sensitivity that a 14-year-old is not a little adult." (Reaves, 2011). His comment is based on the understanding that a fourteen year old does not have the mental capacity to formulate a murder scenario, get his hands on a lethal weapon such as a gun, and use it against someone whom he feels did him wrong. That might have been true during the time of the youth of the governor. However, the increasingly violent movies shown on television, cable TV, and the internet has removed that cloak of innocence in a child. These days, a child of 14 has the full understanding and ability to kill anybody as evidenced by cases like 14 year old Nathan Brazil who was found guilty of second degree murder after killing his teacher in 2011. (Reaves, 2011) Experts who study the human brain say that it was wrong for those Brazil to have been tried as an adult. Their argument being based on their research studies indicating that â€Å"...the brain's prefrontal lobe, which some scientists speculate plays a crucial role in inhibiting inappropriate behavior, may not reach full development until age 20. â€Å" (Reaves, 2011) If we are to believe the experts about how long it takes for the human brain to actually develop, then we would all still be juvenile delinquents at the age of 20, not held responsible for being drunk drivers, doing drugs, or bullying other kids because â€Å"Hey, I'm just a kid. I know nothing!†. I sincerely doubt that most parents and others who are involved in the life of the delinquent would truly buy such a pathetic explanation or excuse in relation to the actions of a juvenile delinquent. By saying that a child does not have the mental capacity to understand his course of actions, we are giving this soon to be adult an easy out. Failing to take into consideration that these children are exposed to violence every single day of their lives. (Schwartz, 2010) Be it in the media, the movies, or even at school, these children see increasingly disturbing amounts of violence and, because of the way that adult news programs report the events, give them some sort of understanding as to what happened and why. Indeed, they may not have the same capacity as an adult to plan the

Integrated fashion logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Integrated fashion logistics - Essay Example As far as the retail business was concerned the key indicator of sales success was the proportion of 'full price sales' achieved by the company, as opposed to garments being sold at a discount during the 'sales' period. Such discounts on garments offered on end of season sales may go even up to 50% of the prices depending on the style and demand for particular garments. There are several logistical models available to help speeding up the supply chain management and thereby improve the profitability of the company. This paper attempts to discuss some the models such as Quick Response (QR), Fast Fashion and Mass Customisation, which help in improving the efficiency of the supply chain management. The study also analyses the relationship between these models and the relative merits and demerits of the respective models available to the organisation employing these models. "More than ever before speed has become a source of competitive advantage. Competing on speed requires an organisation characterised by fast moves, fast adaptations and tight linkages. .. Forming alliances is one of the most effective avenues for competing speed. The best example is the textile industry's quick response initiative, designed to improve the flow of information, standardise recording systems, and reduce turnaround time along the entire supply chain from fiber to textiles to apparel to retailing." - Roberta S. Russell, Bernard W. Taylor Operation Management: Edition IV (2003). pp 37. Quick Response (known shortly as QR) is best suited to Fashion Retail Industry. This is due to the following factors: Seasonality - This is the main factor which necessitates the speed in the supply chain of fashion retailers. Products are made according to a predetermined standard size and there is no time to revise the outfits once manufactured. Pricing - Especially with the seasonality factor, garments which have note reached in time to the retail store may have to be sold at heavily discounted prices. Excessive lead time due to the fashion collections being prepared by the designers considerably before the time the garment reaches the retail stores put an element of distortion in sales due to faulty or unacceptable designs. "Few industries are as notorious as the apparel industry for having such difficulty predicting demand," observed by Marion Bragger (2004) 2.1 METHOD OF OPERATION OF QUICK RESPONSE: The essential features of the Quick Response method are outlined below: By convincing a potential and dependent supplier of garments, the manufacturing facility may be split into, some capacity doing production in normal way and a certain minimal part of the production capacity can be converted into following the QR approach. The management of the factory should have a meeting with the workers to educate them on the necessity and operation methods of the QR system, so that any initial resistance from the workers side may be controlled. The next step is to form the QR teams with workers selected from the existing workers either by the management or voluntary QR teams can be

Supply and Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Supply and Demand - Essay Example Rent control, the worst planning by governments lacking courage and vision, has been spearheaded by upstate lawmakers such as Assemblyman The consequences of price control on apartments are that entrepreneurs who see inadequate return on their investment are not motivated to invest in rental housing; landlords whose rent do not cover cost of operations stop maintain units or abandon them; despite rent controls, New York City renters pay the higher average rents in the country; demand for excessive space remains high because rents are artificially low; and rent control does not provide affordable housing for low to moderate income tenants. Rent control, like all other government-mandated price controls, is a law placing a maximum price, or a "rent ceiling," on what landlords may charge tenants. To have any effect, the rent level must be set at a rate below that which would otherwise have prevailed. And if rents are established at less than their equilibrium levels, demand will necessarily exceed supply, and rent control will lead to a shortage of dwelling spaces. In the absence of controls on prices, the amount of a commodity or service demanded is larger than the amount supplied, prices rise to eliminate the shortage (by both bringing forth new supply and by reducing the amount demanded). But controls prevent rents from attaining market-clearing levels and shortages result. Existi

Eng Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Eng - Research Paper Example It is difficult to say exactly where soccer originated as there have been several games from different countries that have the same foundations as the soccer game that we know today. There is a record in China, wherein soccer was called Cuju which literally means â€Å"kick ball†. There was a claim that Cuju was invented by the Yellow Emperor as fitness training for military men and cavaliers. These Cuju matches were held at the Imperial Palace and was said to be played by scholars and intellectuals of Ancient China. There is also once record of Mesoamericans playing a game similar to soccer but instead of using the traditional soccer ball, they used rubber balls which made it a little more difficult to play with. The said game is said to be a combination of soccer, volleyball and basketball. It is said that the object of the game is to kick the rubber ball up the basket in order to score a point. Among the Ancient Greeks and Romans, the game that is similar to soccer is calle d Pheninda. It is said that Pheninda is a combination of soccer and rugby. In this game, there are no rules thus making it quite a dangerous game and a lot of players were injured. The Middle Ages saw the birth of a soccer game called Mob Soccer in Europe. In this game, the ball that they have to kick is made of pig’s bladders and sometimes, stuffed leather skin. ... The object of this game is to strike the ball into the other team’s goal by whatever ways they have. This meant that one can use a club, a stick or any other means in order to score. One can only imagine the injuries the players have sustained in an effort to hit the ball but hit another instead. This same game was played in England, but due to the nature of the sport, this was banned by Nicholas de Farndone in 1314 of London. But this ban did not stop soccer from growing in Medieval England. Soccer has become a fitness sport for English boys in boarding schools. It was a sport enjoyed by Aristocrats and Upper-class Englishmen but even though it started that way, it later evolved into a sport for the commoners as well since it is very inexpensive and easy to learn. Soccer then started really growing among public schools, so then the concept of a tournament was born in the 19th century. Since different schools have then, different rules, Cobb Morley formed a semi-professional s occer club in Barnes and called it Barnes Club. He suggested a central body for rules and regulations be put into place. This idea then was put to practice on October 26, 1863 when a few soccer clubs set the base for the future organization, eventually called Football Association, met at the Freemasons’ Tavern in the English Capital. Cobb Morley came up with the rules of the game which set the official rules which would be put in place in every soccer game. He is now considered the father of soccer for his monumental contributions and his idea of the official rules which were put into place. In three decade after Cobb Morley set the official rules, soccer became a widespread sport around Europe, America and even Australia. In the early 20th century, the national teams were being

Alexander Hamiltons The Federalist, No. 15 Essay

Alexander Hamiltons The Federalist, No. 15 - Essay Example Each side would feel a certain way, in terms of how the system of government should be handled and what its role would need to be. Making the argument in favor of the constitution and what it meant, would be Alexander Hamilton. The key to convincing the general populous, remains the dedication to the core argument within the issue and for Hamilton, he would seek to do just that. Hamilton would seek to make his case, through the creation of his work commonly referred to as the Federalist Papers. As for the work itself, "The Federalist Papers, originally written as a series of newspaper editorials intended to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution, remains the most valuable exposition of the political theory underlying the Constitution," (Hamilton, p.60). In order for something to be agreed to, it must first be understood. The impact of Alexander Hamilton's work would be the ability to clearly define the core issue at the center of document itself. To make known the very thing that would ultimately have lead to the document's creation. First and foremost, Hamilton would make the argument that, in order to maintain a sense of organization within the nation, there must be some form a of guiding force that would keep everything, as well as everyone, together and in working order. In the end, so the government could be held to a stronger degree of regulation and to a higher standard of expectation, in terms of its specific responsibilities. With regard to the founding fathers view of the current state of the American political system, they would see a system that would have a specific organization to it, would still fall sort of an absolute solid outline. Different interpretations bring about potential changes to be made and that has continued to be the case for many years. Hamilton would further argue that, while there would be those who wished to make light of the imperfections found within the national system, they would in turn fail to step forward and enact the change that would improve the situation that they themselves, would feel required improvement. Hamilton asserts the following, "..While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy," (Hamilton, p. 61). When it comes down to it, Hamilton's views about a league would be appear to be folded within his overall argument in favor of the possession of a document, such as the constitution that would be the primary guiding force of a more productive and succinct system of governing. Discontent would be felt on the part of Hamilton, in terms of viewing those whom he would feel as being reactive, rather than proactive. Such persons that would make an argument for the sake of making it, rather than offering up any form of answer, in regard to a potential solution(s) that would fix whatever issues that would have been present. As he writes, "There is nothing absurd or impracticable in the idea of a league or alliance between independent nations for certain defined purposes precisely stated in a treaty regulating all the details of time, place, circumstance, and quantity, leaving nothing to further discretion, and depending for its execution on the good faith of the parties," (Hamilton, p. 61-62).

History of American Ethnics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of American Ethnics - Essay Example In their social and political lifestyle they remain naturally embodied in the simple nature of living and in a way they tend to shun away from the civilization process of life. The noble salvage are regarded as backwards and mostly admired for their simplified mode of living. According to, (The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center, 2015), the minority model stereotype is a model that is characterized for it rare membership in the society and it is oftenly regarded as the highly group that has the highest positions in the socioeconomic circles of success in the society. They are characterized according to their ethnicity, religion and races among other factors. According to The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica (2014), their characterization comes into effect through their family stability and social status, education levels and their income rates that they acquire. Both the noble savage and the minority have similarities that they share in their day to day life and often, they tend to meet indirectly at different point in time in their social, political and cultural spheres. According to The University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center (2015), the noble salvage has the inborn nature and culture that they have to be proud of their background and that they must intend to keep it running in their lineage. This applies similarity to the minority noble stereotype that is naturally mentored to keep the family wealth and status at par and be proud of who they are and where they came from. The difference here comes in where the noble savage stereotype tend to bank so much on their origin of nature and the minority noble tend to bank so much on civilization. In this case the minority tend to be good in white collar professionalism as they also do well in their academic and educational levels, (T.K., 2010), notes. The blue

Intellectual Property of Islamic civilization in Andalusia Essay

Intellectual Property of Islamic civilization in Andalusia - Essay Example Cordoba attracted Intellectual giants like Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar), Al-Khwarizmi (Algorizm) and Al-Razi (Razes) to name a few, were all Muslims educated in Al-Andalus. In the 700 years that they have been in Europe, the Muslims of Al-Andalus produced a great civilisation that was far ahead and more advance than the rest of Europe at that time. Many tribes, religions and races coexisted in al-Andalus, each contributing to the intellectual prosperity of Andalusia. Literacy in Islamic Iberia was far more widespread than any other country of the West. Today also, unlike other muslim inhabitants of elsewhere , the southern Spain which was known as Muslim Spain is far ahead and distinct in education and thinking. The properity and peace of Andalusi is marked by intellectual advancement specially in field of education and translation works.In the 10th century, the city of Cordoba had 700 mosques, 60,000 palaces, and 70 libraries, the largest of which had up to 600,000 books. In comparison, the largest library in Christian Europe at the time had no more than 400 manuscripts, while the University of Paris library still had only 2,000 books later in the 14th century. In addition, as many as 60,000 treatises, poems, polemics and compilations were published each year in Al-Andalus. In comparison, modern Spain published 46,330 books per year as of 1996. The historian Said Al-Andalusi wrote that Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III had collected libraries of books and granted patronage to scholars of medicine and "ancient sciences". Later, al-Mustansir (Al-Hakam II) went yet further, building a university and libraries in Cà ³rdoba. Cà ³rdoba became one of the worlds leading centres of medicine and philosophi cal debate. â€Å"The subjects covered by the texts included medicine, astrology, astronomy pharmacology, psychology, physiology, zoology, biology, botany, mineralogy, optics, chemistry, physics, mathematics, algebra, geometry, trigonometry,

Hunger in Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hunger in Africa - Research Paper Example Most of the countries which are intensely affected by the hunger crisis are West Africa, South Sudan, East Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Senegal etc (â€Å"Fighting Hunger in Africa†). Currently, Africa is still suffering from this kind of crisis among its people and is still having difficulty in resolving this never ending issue. Thus, this paper aims to discuss the hunger in Africa and the major causes on why until now the countries in this continent still starve to death. However, due to the wide scope of the topic hunger in Africa, this paper only limit to the effects of hunger among children. Hunger in Africa Hunger can cause series of health problems and nutritional deficiencies if a person failed to eat sufficient amount of food intake in a daily basis. These mainly include malnutrition, stunting, underweight, undernourishment, and worst death (â€Å"Hunger†). Children are at higher risk acquiring these health conditions due to their vulner ability and low immunity. In Africa, there are about 227 million people suffering from famine and severe malnutrition. According to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), in every minute, 12 people die in Africa because of extreme hunger (Chiumia). Most of these hungry individuals are situated in rural areas in which their means of livelihood is agriculture and has no any alternative sources of income which made them highly vulnerable to crisis like hunger (â€Å"Hunger†). For instance, in West Africa, a number of African families had been experiencing starvation due to lack of food sources to suffice the needs of their hungry stomachs because of insufficient rainfall and failed crops. Food and even water shortage brought individuals to extreme hunger and acute malnutrition specifically children who, at their age, highly need enough food and nutrition for them to grow healthy and well-nourished. However, reports had shown that families in countries of Af rica can hardly give their family member enough food to eat everyday because of extreme poverty, high food prices, and droughts on their farms (â€Å"West Africa Child Hunger†). If not given immediate solution, malnutrition rate in Africa among individuals particularly children will grow. As a result, the immune system of children will weaken due to poor nutrition permitting them towards acquiring diseases which might kill them if treated right away. These mainly include pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea (â€Å"Fighting Hunger in Africa†). In Niger, absenteeism rate among children in school is relatively high. Half of the class had been absent due to their intense desire to help their parents to earn a living. These children are forced to work at an early age upon seeing that their parents can no longer give them enough amount of food everyday due to poverty. Hence, they prefer to be absent in school than to let their family members starve to death. As a consequence, th ey took for granted their chances to have a better lives in the future through education and also, their right had been exploited due to child labor (â€Å"West Africa Child Hunger†). However, we cannot blame these children for their actions because what they are doing are for the benefit and survival of their families in a day to day basis. On the other hand, South Sudan is considered to have the highest child/infant mortality rate and has the

Recycling and Plastic Bag Essay Example for Free

Recycling and Plastic Bag Essay They are also cheap, light, durable, easy to carry and in many cases, free. The most commonly used shopping bag is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This type is used in the majority of supermarkets and stores. After these bags are used, they often end up in landfills or as litter, roughly only three percent of plastic bags is actually recycled per year (Planet Ark, 2011). The materials used in making plastic bags make them non-biodegradable. According to the science dictionary, 2011 refers to â€Å"these materials cannot be decomposed into environmentally safe waste materials by the action of soil bacteria. † These harmful substances are toxic and take approximately four hundred years to break down, or in this case photo-degrade; which is how plastics made from (HDPE) break down. Since they are not biodegradable, they remain in the environment and are absorbed in soil or water (Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, 2010). This essay will discuss the various harmful effects of plastic bags, and demonstrate the risks that these bags impose on humans, animals and the environment. It will also discuss a series of suggested solutions that could help reduce plastic bag usage. Although plastic bags appear to be fragile and light, their negative environmental effect is devastating. Plastic bags may cause large amounts of pollution in every step of their limited life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and recycling or disposal. Plastic bags can be defined as the most damaging form of environmental pollution. They can have a damaging effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks, and trees. Plastic bags are potentially one of the main causes of death to marine animals (Harbor keepers,2008). Up to one hundred thousand marine animals or more die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This can result in blocking the animal’s intestines and possibly lead to the animal’s death. Another possible situation is that wildlife, such as birds, can get tangled in plastic bags causing choking and immobility, which may eventually lead to death. (Senior, 2008) and (Citizen Campaign, 2010). In other situations, after plastic bags photo degrade they remain toxic and could be eaten by fish, shellfish or any other marine life and survive this allows the toxins to enter our food chain through bioaccumulation (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 2011). As a solution to these types of problems is taking action by educating and increasing the public’s awareness to the harmful affects that a plastic bag impose on our environment. Applying this would mean to get consumers involved in reducing the number of plastic bags they consume and instead of getting new bags they can simply reuse their old bags (Sea Turtles Conservancy,2011). Another important solution would be using bio degradable bags instead; these types of bags take up a shorter time to degrade and become environmentally safe to both humans and animals. These types of bags are made from natural materials therefore; they are digested if animals swallow them (Biodegradable Plastic Bags,2011). The harmful effects of plastic bags extend to affect human health and social lives. According to the US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2011) suffocation has been a significant of death among children under the age of one. According to a report presented in 2007 by Clean up Australia, when plastic bags are thrown in the streets they may block the drains and result in flooding during heavy rain. Stagnant water in blocked drains may create a breeding ground for many forms of insects like mosquitoes, which can transmit dangerous diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis (World Health Organisation, 2011). Reducing, reusing and recycling, in that order, could be the most viable option to decrease the social and health impact of plastic bags. Reducing the number of plastic bags can be applied by imposing a fee such as PlasTax. In 2002 PlasTax was issued in The Republic of Ireland, which is a fee on plastic bags. This new tax resulted in a ninety four percent drop in plastic bag consumption in one year (Convery F, McDonnell S, Ferreira S, 2007). The next step is to reuse, instead of disposing of plastic bags consumers should be encouraged to keep reusing their bags. The final step is to recycle the plastic bags, many supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s give the consumers the option to bring in their old bags for recycling. In conclusion, usages of plastic bags are very limited unlike their infinite damages. They are harmful to health, the environment and wildlife. The solutions to put an end to the problems associated with plastic bags are available, cooperation between governments, shops and individuals is vital to take the necessary actions by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic bags.

Literature Review On Green Logistics

Literature Review On Green Logistics The United States consumes 20.8 million barrels of oil everyday which leads the world; China is a distance second with 7.5 million barrels per day (Oil consumption, retrieved 8 Apr 2011). The number one transportation fuel used in the United States is gasoline and that fuel is used to keep our approximately 250 million vehicles running. Today there are about 250 million vehicles on the roads that use gasoline with the average miles driven at about 12 thousand per year (Gasoline explained, retrieved 8 Apr 2011). It doesnt take a rocket scientist to understand how dependent Americans are on their vehicles and that we will only change our habits if given an affordable choice. The auto maker that provides the cheapest and most reliable options to go green is the one who will reap the benefits of profit. Even though many loyal consumers may continue to purchasing GM vehicles regardless of fuel prices, GM must change its current business model by going green to stay competitive because fuel prices are on the rise and competitors are passing them up by providing more fuel efficient options. There are many challenges facing todays automakers. A dilemma has developed in the auto industry as it pertains to profit and or moral responsibility. Auto production is not as profitable as before because of a flood of choices in vehicles. The auto industry makes money by mass producing a style of vehicle the consumer is asking for. On top of all that the government continues to introduce strict environmental regulation that auto makers must conform to. A perfect storm has developed between the auto makers and environmental responsibility in an effort to meet the challenges of producing a sustainable and profitable industry for the future (Nieuwenhuis, P., Wells, P., and retrieved 8 Apr 2011) The transition to a new business model has not come easily. In 2008 the General Motors Corporation sat on the edge of going into bankruptcy needing the United States government to bail it out with a $13.4 billion loan. President Bush expressed his concern fearing that liquidating the company would cause even more economic hardship in America (Hinton, C., 2008). In mid-2009 GM finally declared bankruptcy even after the $13.4 billion dollar loan given by the government a year before. The bankruptcy would only negatively affect a portion of the organization that would later be called the bad GM that included the undesirable parts of GM like older factories, unpopular brands, and healthcare and pension liabilities. The Good GM that included the more desirable modern factories and popular auto brands would be spared in the downsizing and reemerged in the new GM in July 2009 (McCracken, J., 2009). Most realize that supply and demand is the backbone of any for profit organization. In the case of GM or any other supplier, production is driven by the customer or consumer. If the customer wants hybrids-electric vehicles the auto manufacturer will supply them if they dont there will not be any regardless of any perceived moral responsibility of the auto maker. With that understanding the need to look into GM further to find the trigger events is necessary. Remember trigger events are the things that cause an organization to change (Spector, 2010, p.18). With General Motors some of the triggers came in the form of the commodities needed to produce the vehicles. With the increased costs of materials needed to produce vehicles like steel and aluminum GMs profit margins were reduced. The expensive material needed to produce vehicles cannot easily be replaced with a cheaper material so the auto maker is stuck. One interesting perceived trigger for change by GM is oil prices. Keep in min d that oil prices may not be a trigger in the view of GM but is a trigger in the view of the government (who now holds a large part of GMs stock) based on the U.S. oil consumption each year. So in GMs case oil prices are a direct change trigger. The fact is that oil prices affect the day-to-day cost that the consumer pays out more than it affects the auto maker who can absorb the year-to-year cost of rising oil prices. Besides the issue with production cost GM experienced a lot external change triggers through the pressure from the government and the media. With recent attention on the environment and the high cost of fuel GM just as all the other auto manufacturers are now answering the call from customers for less polluting more fuel efficient vehicles. Because GM was known for its large gas guzzling SUVs, luxury cars while other auto manufacturers like Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen were already making fuel efficient vehicles high gas prices became a change trigger for GM. Not only did GM need to make a business model change based on these triggers but they would need to do so in a catch-up mode because the before mentioned organizations already had began developing the technology needed for the change (GM Corporation, 2008). Even though some consumers may continue purchasing GM vehicles regardless of fuel prices, GM must change its current business model by going green just to stay competitive because public opinion, pressure from the government and rising fuel costs. The most important reason GM must change its current business model by going green is because their competitors will pass them by and steal their customer base if they dont. As a result of public pressure and the politics of the auto industry GM is simultaneously making progress and history. This year General Motors produced the first production version of a hybrid vehicle called the Chevy Volt. The sale will serve as a test in America to see if consumers will be willing to spend their hard earned money in the name of helping the environment. The event will also serve to test which of two marketing concepts Americans prefer, one is the before mentioned hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be plugged in at your home and recharged and two the series hybrid production car. The Volt is the first to pop through the hybrid-electric market but BMW is ready to release their version hybrid- electric concept. Later this year BMW plans to release the Fisker Karma, a luxury sports sedan (Voelc ker, J., 2011). There are many different approaches to change and just as many opinions of which change model or redesign to use. The answer to which way to go is dependent on the end goals of the organization. General Motors desperately needed to rethink and turnaround their sinking business because they were running out of money and feeling pressure from sluggish sales. As mentioned the GM organization was in need of a change based on the need to stabilize and increase its profits. Part of what GM decided to do fits firmly into the definition of a turnaround which is when an organization doesnt look to change its current business practices to meet the expectations of the stakeholders or consumers but instead reevaluates its assets in an effort to cut the fat. When an organization implements turnaround they streamline and reprioritize the areas critical to increase profits. This was displayed in the actions of GM through their decision to close out dated factories, draw downs, reducing health insur ance, and pension benefits (Spector, 2010, p.15). In many cases turnaround alone is not enough to meet the organizational goals and in the case of GM they needed to look at changing in their organizational business plan. Based on rising oil prices and political pressure from the government and the public through the media the days of gas guzzling SUVs and luxury sedans may be in the past. General Motors now must look at reducing its vehicles dependence on gasoline and branch through organizational redesign into the hybrid-electric vehicle market. One of the triggers that have motivated General Motors to make a change was pressure from the United States government based on their agreement to bailout GM. In a statement on auto industry restructuring by the new CEO of General Motors Frederick Henderson the government has given GM 60-days to come up long-term viability of the company including restructuring of the financial obligations to the bond holders, unions, and other stakeholders. Henderson went on to say General Motors was one or two generations behind in the development of green technologies. He added that hybrids will be one direction GM will go in the new business model and that GM must move quickly to catch up with Toyota and Honda while at the same time advancing the development of their electrically-powered vehicles like the Chevy Volt (WSJ Staff, 2009). General Motors is currently working with over 30 utility companies in the U.S. to work through any issues dealing with the required electrical access in anticipation to its roll out of new electrical vehicles that will be ready in about two years. The partnership includes some big players in the field include Duke Energy, Southern California Edison and the Electrical Vehicle Institute. All the main players will figure out the details such as tax and tax incentives and the locations and times an electric car owner can plug in for a charge or recharging. General Motors engineers are working towards building an enduring infrastructure for green vehicles that will be used in the future. Britta Gross a GM engineer saysWe know that when the vehicle is in the showroom and ready for sale, its got to work seamlessly with the infrastructure. Its the whole picture. We got to make sure the infrastructure is ready. General Motors is getting in on the ground floor with its partnership with the utilities. The groups will develop policies, tax incentives on the expensive green vehicles. The idea is to design electric cars that will be low demand type usage vehicle traveling only abut 40 miles between charges. Other issues GM and their partners will need to work out is the speed in which a vehicle can recharge, voltage, and amperage (Krisher, T., 2009). This month General Motors will be the first of the big three American auto makers to roll out a new electric car known as the Volt. GM is committed to ensuring the Volt is marketed well because they understand how much America needs this type of vehicle. The worlds first mass produced production electrical vehicle will be released in Boston Mass. The Volt is a hybrid-electric vehicle with a gas engine that is only engaged after about 35 miles which is the current one charge battery life. After the 35 miles the electric engine will be replaced by the internal combustion engine. For those Americans who travel the 35 miles or less in their daily travels to work will get indefinite gas mileage. Just in time to charge/track the infinite mileage the Environmental Protection Agency has developed a way to measure the energy used by electric vehicles. The EPA figures the amount of electricity needed to charge the Volts rechargeable battery gives the Volt a fuel rating of about 93 miles per ga llon. The 93 miles per gallon is the highest rating of any vehicle in history for any US car manufacturer. As far as the looks of the Volt which is very important to the American consumer the vehicle looks just like a traditional gas powered vehicle until you open the hood. Under the hood are two electric motors, a four-cylinder gas engine and a huge T-shaped battery pack that runs the vehicle. In 2009 the U.S. government bailed out General Motors and in turn they have pinned their hopes on the Volts success. The Volt is GMs future as far as its advancement in green technology (Kronenberg, J., 2011). Now that General Motors has identified the need to change through the triggers discussed earlier and they then redesigned their business model as well as made some hard choices that fit under the turnaround concept that meet their current and future needs it now time to look at if the changes have been successful. In March 2004 President Obama invested billions of dollars to assist GM and to keep the organization from falling through. The U.S. government also guided GM through a uniqueness of a divided bankruptcy that kept the good GM and cut lose the parts of GM that were losing money. Its widely accepted that GMs bailout has developed into a great success. Just in recent weeks General Motors has announced its highest returns since 1999 a $4.7 billion profit, the first time thats happened since 2004. A year ago sales were 46% lower that present day sales. The expectations are that GM will continue to increase their Market share and their profit margines even in the face of rising fuel prices. In addition to the new growth/profits GM has begun paying back the billions of dollars it owes the U.S. government. The future looks bright as well with GM producing two more new vehicles but the star is the most electric Chevrolet Volt the plug-in-play hybrid car. GM has also advertised that they have m ore new vehicles and technologies on the way (Editorial, 2011). With any organizational change the requirement to reflect objectively to the changes is a must. The importance of revisiting the changes is to ensure the changes made have stuck and that the old habits havent resurfaced. Just because an organization has developed a great strategy that should be successful doesnt mean it will be successful. One way to look back in an effort to identify successes in a winning strategy is to answer a few well thought out questions. The first question should be; does the strategy fit the organizations situation? In the case of GM the change in their business model was designed partly by their external situation in that the U.S. government forced them into developing a strategy that would sustain the organization long term. The strategy also satisfied the internal needs of GM because they needed to reduce the bad GM that was keeping them from turning a profit. The bad side of GM was of course the old factories, unpopular brands and also costly healthcare and benefits. The change satisfied both GM their customers and the U.S. government. The second question is; has the strategy yielded a sustainable competitive advantage? This question is answered in the fact that GM new strategy is innovative in respect to the development of hybrid-electric vehicles and in producing the first production car that is a hybrid. The third question is; Has the strategy produced good financial performance? The answer to this last quest ion is a thundering yes. General Motors based solely on the organizational redesign and updated business model have produced a 46% market value increase compares to pre-strategy implementation (Gamble, J., Thompson, A., 2011). General Motors was by all accounts forced to change the way they conducted business. The economy and GMs stakeholders both applied their unique pressures that included significant a bailout by the U.S. government. If not for the pressures mentioned above who knows if GM would have ever changed their organizational practices. Supply and demand will always drive organizations to change. So you can see that even although consumers may continue to purchase General Motors vehicles regardless of fuel prices, GM must change its current business model by going green in an effort to stay competitive for two main reasons. First, fuel prices are on the rise. But more importantly, GM vehicle competitors like Honda and Toyota will pass them bye if they dont change.

The relationship between leadership and followership

The relationship between leadership and followership Leadership is a person or group of people who have taken on the position of assisting others through motivation, good decision making, and a strong commitment to promoting change. Leaders are considered as one of the key success of management of organizations and companies. While establishing goals, an effective leader addresses clear direction, delegates their team against achievement, and leads by exemplar. Leadership and motivation styles vary from individual to individual, it is essential for managers to know and understand leadership, and particular how leadership affects countries and the workplace. However, followers are just as important, without followers there would be no leaders. Leadership has changed a great deal over time. The historical views of leadership differ dramatically from the views of modern times. In the past, leaders were seen as powerful and authoritative. Historical leaders were usually dictators, kings, prophets, or priests. They were not any average person and no one could learn to be a leader, it was an innate characteristic. Almost all historical leaders were male as well. They were rulers and used force and manipulation to get their point across and to get individuals to follow them. Historically leadership began with the trait approach. This approach is what brought about the theory that leaders were born and never made. Another name for this approach is the great man theory. Much of the research about the trait approach was conducted in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. This theory did not look at the impact that situations may have on leadership, only traits. There were no empirical findings from the trait approach so the research ultimately ended in the 1950s (Barnett, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Modern leaders are very different from historical leaders. Over the years, a great deal of research and scientific studies were conducted. Through that research, individuals views of leadership have changed and evolved. While there is still debate, the universal view is not that leadership is inherited. People have come to think that leadership is taught and some people even believe that all individuals possess the potential to be a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚   After the trait, theory proved an ineffective way to determine who would be an effective leader researchers began to look at the behaviors of a leader rather than the traits. Most of that research was done in the 1940s and 50s. The behavioral theory began to look at what leaders actually do instead of just looking at their inborn traits and characteristics. The behaviors of effective leaders are different from the behaviors of ineffective leaders. Two major classes of leadership behavior are relationship-oriented behavior and task-oriented behavior. This theory put into motion the thought that leaders are created and a person can learn to be a leader. This theory also put leadership development into action.     Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 1960s and 70s another leadership theory was introduced, the contingency theory. This theory put forth the idea that factors unique to each situation determine whether specific leader characteristics and behaviors will be effective. In essence, this theory states that a leadership style that works well in one place may not be effective in another. How a leader performs is contingent on their situation and placement rather than just their style.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In the 1970s and 80s even more research was being conducted and through that emerged both the theories of leader-member exchange and charismatic leadership. The leader-member exchange theory states that leaders form high-quality relationships with some of their employees but not others. The quality of those relationships can lead to many different outcomes in the workplace because people are being treated differently. Charismatic leadership theory proposes that effective leaders inspire their employees to commit themselves to goals by communicating a vision, displaying charismatic behavior, and setting a powerful personal example.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In light of the research that formed the modern views of leadership, followership came into the forefront. My first thought when I think of being a follower is negative. I think that most people automatically think negative when they hear of the word follower. In the beginning, I pictured an individual who had no sense of self-worth who goes along with what anyone says; however, is not the case. There is a clear relationship, which takes place between leaders and followers, and the dynamic, which forms the relationship, is essential to the function of both parties. Without followers, leaders would not exist. Leaders need their followers and they need the respect of their followers as well. A leader could have many followers or subordinates in the workplace but if the leader is not respected or accepted that means nothing. According to Gardner (1987) a leader can be given subordinates, but they cannot be given a following. A following must be earned. Leaders and followers must be able to collaborate and work together. It is important for leaders to assist their followers in independent thinking and judgments so that they are able to contribute to the workplace effectively. A leader sees possibilities in individuals and figures out what it takes to motivate them. Aside from the relationship that is essential between leaders and followers there are also people who are considered good followers. According to Kelley (1988), many roles are attributed to an effective follower. Followers are able to think critically and think both inside and outside the box. They are able to manage themselves when they are called upon to do so and they show incredible commitment to the job. Many organizations are cultivating effective followers by instituting training programs and leaderless environments. Overall, a follower is not just a mindless drone who does whatever they are told to do. Effective followers are not only necessary, but also essential, to the functioning of any organization. There is a clear relationship between leadership and followership and the differences between the two are relatively clear. The differences between leaders and managers are not quite as clear. Ideally, a manager can also be a leader as well. Managers are thought to be authoritative and transactional while leaders are charismatic and transformational. Some qualities that are attributed to managers that they are reactive, use routine, are tactical, and are controlling. Qualities that are attributed to leaders are that they use strategy, have a vision, are passionate, and are proactive. Managers seek stability while leaders seek change. While some attributes between the two are interchangeable, the main differences are the ways in which they handle situations. According to Pascale (1990), Managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing. As mentioned, managers are thought to be transactional. Transactional and transformational leadership are two more types of leadership styles. Transactional leaders use a system of reward and punishment. The chain of command is clear and employees are expected to do what they are told. There is also a clear structure in place as well as a system for disciplinary action. Transactional leadership is based on contingency where rewards or punishments are contingent on the performance of the employee or subordinate. Subordinates are usually responsible for their own work and they are held personally responsible for anything that may go wrong even if they did not have the proper resources to carry out the task. Transformational leadership is almost the opposite of transactional. A transformational leader creates trust within their organization and with their employees. They give a sense of energy and enthusiasm to the workplace. This type of leader is caring and not only cares about the bottom line but also about the individual and their success. They have a vision and take the time for others to see that vision as well. While maintaining focus on their primary objectives, leaders must be agreeing enough to listen to other peoples opinions, and ideas. The debate over whether leadership is inherited or learned has been going on for a long time; many people have taken a stand on this topic, and are firm in their beliefs. One view is that we are born with the characteristics to be a leader. People are not made into leaders or taught to be leaders, they just are leaders. They were born with the skills and abilities to lead. The other view is that leadership can be learned. This view believes th at with the proper tools, education, and discipline anyone can learn to be a leader. According to Resnick (2003), leaders must be able to create a vision, build alignment, and effect deployment. He claims that not all individuals are able to achieve all of those things and become leaders. He further states that there are two main reasons why an individual may not possess the qualities of a leader. The first reason comes from our DNA. We are all born with capabilities and inherent characteristics and at some point in our life; some of our skills may develop to the limit of our potential. Some people may be more intuitive then others or some individuals may be extreme extroverts. Those characteristics influence a person to become what type of leader they will be. The second reason is seen as embedded into our character. Our sense of right and wrong, of fairness and justice, and of honesty and integrity is deeply rooted and unlikely to change. Those elements are likely to come from our families, culture, religion, and schooling. There is a chance that an extreme experie nce in life could affect those elements, but overall they usually stay the same. Some individuals, however, believe that anyone can be molded into a leader. Mohr (2000) believes that some of the greatest leaders were created and molded into leaders that they eventually became. Effective and strong leaders consist of government, military, and corporate CEOs, which must be strong enough to get the job complete. Some of those leaders were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, and Sam Walton of Wal-Mart. They are considered educated leaders and became great leaders through hard work, vision, and a laid out plan to succeed. With the proper training, anyone in the business world can become a great leader. Leadership balances strong, forcefulness with accommodation to achieve successful outcomes.   Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many issues surrounding leadership, especially in recent times. I believe that America has become bitter about leadership. Much like the dictators and authoritarians of the past, we have come to fear and not trust our leaders. Many people feel let down by our recent leaders. While we hold on to the hope that things will soon get better, the fact that we are in a very bad situation due to poor leadership is very apparent and still in the forefront.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe that the crisis in leadership stems from many areas. The most apparent is the businesspersons who build peoples trust in them only to rob them blind. One of the most recent cases of that is the 50 billion dollar fraud case of Bernard Madoff. Many people, mostly wealthy, put their trust in him and he ripped them off. Another case of that was the entire Enron scandal where so many people lost everything. Those individuals were viewed as powerhouse leaders. People wanted to trust them since they were at the top and promised great things. So many people were let down. The individuals did not have to be personally affected by those incidences, the fact that they happened and are still happening makes people wary of trusting anyone in an authority position, especially in business.  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  America is in a crisis due to poor leadership. People are losing their homes, retirement accounts are dwindling, the unemployment rate keeps getting higher, and people are living paycheck to paycheck. Those are just a few of examples of the extreme crisis we are in. Our leaders have taken a part in creating that crisis and have done nothing to remedy it. We talk about a crisis in leadership however; I see it as a crisis in lacking an effective leadership. It may sound the same but I think the two are different. Ineffective leaders did not create the entire crisis in America but they have done little to help it either. I think there is a crisis in leadership but I think our leaders are in crisis as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe there will always be a crisis in leadership, even if the government was liked and the economy was not in a recession, I think the answer would still be yes. We live in an imperfect world and there are no perfect people. There will always be someone, somewhere who has been let down by a leader, whether it be a global leader or their own leader at their place of employment. Leadership will never be perfect because we, as human beings, will never be perfect. For that reason, alone I believe there will always be some sort of crisis in leadership. I believe that leadership can be both inherited and learned. I think that many people are born to be leaders. Their personalities are mapped out in a way that they just happen to possess all of the qualities of a great leader. I do not believe, however, that all people who are born to be leaders actually realize that potential. Their environment or upbringing, just to name a few, could stifle that potential and they may become followers after all. On the other hand, I think that people can learn to be leaders, but I do not think this applies to everyone. It is not universal. I do not agree with the notion that every person can be taught to be a leader. I feel as though some people just do not fit into the leadership personality type or they are so comfortable not taking the role of leader that they cannot learn any other way.

The Mind of Kurt Vonnegut Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

The Mind of Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut is one of the preeminent writers of the later half of the twentieth century. His works are all windows into his mind, a literary psychoanalysis. He examines himself as a cog in the corporate machine in "Deer in the Works"; as a writer through the eyes of Kilgore Trout in several works; and most importantly, as a prisoner of war in Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut created short stories and novels that dealt with events in his life. One of the most obvious self examinations is in "Deer in the Works". The short story is based on his experiences as a publicist at the General Electric Company Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York. "Deer in the Works" takes place over two days in the life of David Potter as he begins his employment at the Ilium Works of the Federal Apparatus Corporation. He is assigned to cover a deer trapped in a remote corner of the Works. Potter gets lost in the Works himself and feels just as trapped as the deer. He eventually frees the deer and escapes the works to return to his newspaper. Vonnegut felt trapped like Potter does, and left General Electric in 1951 to write full time. Before World War II, Vonnegut was enrolled at Cornell University studying biochemistry. He was surrounded by scientists and machines and as a result, his first literary works were based on that influence. Vonnegutà ¸s early writings were not accepted as serious, mainstream literature due to their scientific nature. He was considered a science fiction writer by literary critics. That label caused him to be largely ignored. He created the character Kilgore Trout, a science fiction writer, to... ...hort-term events like that. Dresden was astonishing, but experiences can be astonishing without changing you" (Reed 776). Despite these claims to the contrary, the experiences at Dresden had always played a large part in his writings. His experiences have always shaped what Kurt Vonnegut has written. He said to his brother, Bernard, that he wrote for an audience of one, his dead sister; but he truly wrote for himself. He wrote about his experiences as a prisoner in Slaughterhouse-Five, as a publicist in a major corporation in "Deer in the Works", and as a writer through the character Kilgore Trout. Vonnegut examined his thoughts through the eyes of David Potter, Kilgore Trout, and Billy Pilgrim. His works are all deeply personal windows into the psyche of Kurt Vonnegut.

Responding To Loss And Death :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my entire life there are some experiences of losses that some of them happened to me and some happened to people who were close to me and it was possible to see their responses, and the time that I spent with them during their suffering from losses was enough to realize their situation and recognize its details.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is interesting to compare the losses with each other as a way to assess my learning of loss experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At first I like to state my father’s responses toward his two different kind of losing. First one was his mother’s death. It happened by a car accident, so it was unexpected and sudden and was enough to shock him. At first days he was quiet and sometimes weeping silently, but one thing that in that time for me was interesting and I never forget, was visiting his mother’s grave every night or early morning when it was dark I do not remember exactly how long, but it did not last long. Then after Perhaps three or four weeks it became every Thursdays and probably continues up to now. In our religion Thursday afternoon is a holy time and people believe that this time is the best to pray for spirits’ absolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another experience of my father’s losses that I like to mention is from wartime. War between our country and Iraq. During that time town almost was empty because it had been attacked by air force, and continued. One time as a result of the bombing my father’s house was destroyed, when we became aware every body rushed to the town and home, what we saw was an unforgettable scene, all doors, windows and walls were ruined and scattered and massed inside the house. Some furniture plus all rugs were safe, but my father touched nothing; he leaned to a wall and was gazing in space. After a short time he said, â€Å"leave all these stuff here. I do not need anything, leave them for people.† and turned back to the village. First days he was angry, sometimes he was silent and sometimes yelling at every body and for everything, but the main target of his rush and his offenses was the government. He was swearing to governors and the leader all the time. T hen he turned to sadness, but it did not last long and during an interval of war he rebuilt his house.

Causes & Effects of Broken Relationship

â€Å"Causes and Effects of Broken Relationship† A relationship is normally viewed as a connection between two individuals, such as a romantic relationship between a boy and a girl. A typical relationship is built through a deep, ineffable feeling of tenderly caring towards the person the relationship is concerned to. The conception of relationship encompasses a wealth of different feelings, from the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love to the nonsexual emotional closeness of familial. Thus relationship in its various forms acts as a major facilitator. For further proceeding to this analysis of impact of broken relationship we now need to clarify how different types of relations are built and what are the facts that lead those relations to an unfair end meaning â€Å"break-up†. Interpersonal relationship: is a relatively long-term association between a boy and a girl (assuming the nonexistence of gay and lesbian relationship in our country). This association may be based on emotions like love and liking, as well as regular interactions. Interpersonal relationships take place in a great variety of contexts, such as friends, marriage, acquaintances, work, clubs, neighborhoods, and most significantly colleges and universities. They may be regulated by law, custom, or mutual agreement. They are the basis of social groups. Abusive relationships: Although human beings are fundamentally social creatures, interpersonal relationships are not always healthy. Such unhealthy relationships are basically known as abusive relationships. Abusive relationships include and codependence which means the boy or the girl, either or both of them are heavily depended to each other. All relationships involve some level of interdependence. People in a relationship tend to influence each other, share their thoughts and feelings, and engage in activities together. Because of this interdependence, anything that changes or impacts one member of the relationship will have some level of impact on the other member. Intimate relationship: is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It is a relationship in which the participants (both the boy and girl) know or trust one another very well. They also have confidants of one another. It is a relationship in which there is physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romance, passionate, attachment, and sexual activity whereas emotional intimacy is something that directly relates to emotion. According to George Levinger (1983), the natural development of a relationship follows five stages: 1. Acquaintance – Becoming acquainted depends on physical proximity, first impressions, and a variety of other factors. If a boy and a girl begin to like each other, continued interactions may lead to the next stage, but acquaintance can continue indefinitely. 2. Buildup – During this stage, that boy and girl begin to trust and care about each other. The need for compatibility and such filtering agents as common background and goals will influence whether or not interaction continues. 3. Continuation – This stage follows a mutual commitment to a long term friendship, romantic relationship, or marriage. It is generally a long, relative stable period. Nevertheless, continued growth and development will occur during this time. Mutual trust is important for sustaining the relationship 4. Deterioration – Not all relationships deteriorate, but those that do tend to show signs of trouble. 5. Termination – The final stage marks the end of the relationship, either by death in the case of a healthy relationship, or by broken-up. Methodology For conducting my research I used both primary and secondary data. To know the public point of view regarding this matter I made a questionnaire and did the survey of thirty people. Many of them were enthusiastically filled up questionnaire. Questionnaire was prepared, which consisted of about 10 questions. All questions were directly related to the topic. The questionnaire was made to identify causes of broken relationship, its effect to jeopardize career, and recommendation regarding broken relationship. I got lots of information from internet, but little bit from magazine and journal regarding this topic. Few of my friends gave me lots of idea which were really helpful for me to write up a research paper on this topic. Limitation To pull out the required information I had to do survey. I had faced some problems during preparing the research paper like- time constrains: this is quite obvious problem for every student to finish a research within a three and half month. So I have no other choice but to narrow it down. Research Findings To justify my thesis statement, I have prepared questionnaire, which included with ten questions. Among these questions first four questions were based on MCQ and rest of the open ended questions. Now I am clarifying each of the questions on the basis of my findings. 0% responses that he/ she will be good looking, wealthy and beautiful mind which is option (d), when he/she is going to choose his girlfriend/her boyfriend. But in reality it is not possible. 30% responses, that he/she will have beautiful mind. Below 10% suggest that wealthy and above 10% go with good looking are matters of choosing a boyfriend/girlfriend. More than 35% think that mental disagreement is the main reaso n, which leads a fair relationship to an unfair end. 30% response inequality in social status directs them to breaks up. Nearly 15% suggest other reasons whereas 20% agree that sexual dissatisfaction are also responsible ending up their relation. More than 45% response that he/she would be very disappointed when his or her girlfriend family does not accept their relationship. Less than 10% suggest they would marry without their permission. 30% do not know what they actually do and above 15% will accept it as a normal way. If he or she cannot match with his girlfriend or her boyfriend mentality after passing certain time, more than 55% response he or she will take the decision to end up their relation. Over 20% are confused what they would do as well as below 20% react in this way that he or she will try to adjust. Now a day more than 70% think relationship between boys and girls do not last for longer period of time because of- choice vary from time to time, lack of trust worthiness, more materialism, as well as foreign culture. Nearly 70% do not agree that social status might cause to breakup relationship between a boy and girl. Relationship does not know any barrier and it does not also have any boundary. Actually it depends on the mentality and understanding with each other. 0% response broken relationship have negative impact in his/her future life. After happened this he/she will not be able to concentrate on their education. He/she will be hopeless and frustrated to do anything in their lives. He/she will be addicted to drug so that he/she forgets his/her past events from his or her life. My next question was- How would you likely to feel/act if you ever break-up with someon e whom you truly love? Break-up in life is not an easy thing. It will loose the rhythm of life. One of survey responders said that she cannot think about it. Someone said that he will give thanks for having passed some good time with him. Sometimes suicide attend is taken by boy or girl whenever breakup their relationship to whom they truly love. My last question was- What would you like to recommend preventing break-up as well as its consequences? Before going to involve with any kind of relation, boy or girl needs to understand his or her mentality as well as circumstances. Boy/girl will also try to match with each other social and family status. They would show respect to each others feelings and values. Therefore, Compromising and sacrificing will help to preventing ending up a relationship. So, having done my entire research I have come with my thesis statement which is partially correct. From the survey it is found that break-up does not usually occur for social inequality rather it happens due to mental disagreement for most of the cases. Causes of broken relationship Social causes- Family pressure: In our cultural prospective it is a vital reason for breaking up relationship. Usually when the boy’s or girl’s family know about their relationship, their families usually do not accept it and tell them not to meet each other. And particularly when the girl denies hearing them, she is being tortured by the family members, physically and mentally. Inequality in social status: For breaking up such kind of relation it is a common issue in our country. Sometimes, social status plays a role to end a relationship between a boy and girl. Parents do not permit their boy or girl to make any relation which will loose their prestige in the front of their society. If they fail to maintain their social status, they will be ignored or denied by their relatives, neighbor etc. Western trend: Now a day western trend also an ordinary issue, it is become a mixed cultural trend in our society. In this way boyfriend and girlfriend take such kind of relationship as a time pass job. They try to get benefit within a short time period and after that they switch to another partner. Movies and drama serials: Through movies and drama serials boy/girl basically grapes the how to deal with his/her girlfriend/ boyfriend, they act like that (their dress up, way of talking,), but it does not accept in our customs by the boy/girl. So there is a present of misunderstanding, which leads to end a relation. Religious views: Sometimes religion make a crucial issue of Break Up, when a boy or girl starts getting to know his girlfriend or boyfriend is from different religion or he / she does not have any mandatory religion beliefs, for which he or she does not want to deal with or believe in him/her. In our society, most of the people are Muslim that’s why guardians do not permit as well as our culture is not familiar such kind of relationship. Mental causes- Loss of trust: Each healthy relation is made up of strong trust. We know that healthy relation means relation may include love, sympathy, and respect for each other. Trust is a base for relation. If any one breaks-up this trust then it's very difficult to recover again. Many times girl doesn’t want to introduce her other friends to boyfriend. This kind of event is generally happen with every woman because many times she is scared or she may feel that her boyfriend will leave her only because of that. She is trying to hide the thing and if boyfriend caught then both feel trust is dying from their relation. Misbehavior: It is true that change is the law of nature. However, sudden changes for human beings are sometimes difficult to accept. Even though it is nightmare for a boyfriend or girlfriend to break-up relationship sometimes he or she can see the changes of behavior of his girlfriend or her boyfriend which indicates as symptom of ending relationship. Conflicts: Constructive conflicts are healthy for a relationship. But when a boy or girl has become quarrelsome over insignificant issues, then this is a warning that he or she is looking for a break up. Distance: Some moments of distractions are obvious in a relationship. However, when boy or girl is in a constant state of unavailability, he or she may be setting his or her mind for a break up. Criticism: criticism also takes place in a relationship. Boyfriend or girlfriend may criticize each other as to bring some behavioral changes and strengthen the relationship. But, if he or she becomes less tolerant of almost everything; don’t be surprised, as constant criticism is a telltale sign of a break up. Boredom: A long time continuous relation may lead to bore, because it makes into a routine work with girlfriend/boyfriend like he/she is meeting the same person, visiting the same kind of place, talking about the same topics etc for a long period of time. As a result nothing remains romantic and they find that the spark has gone out on their relationship. Undesirable: Undesirable is a formal reason for break up such kind of relation. Sometime boys expect some illegal act from his girlfriend which girls may refuse to do. Moreover boyfriend wants some study to help her girlfriend like as to do an assignment for her. Sometimes girl expects some special or costly birthday gift which her boyfriend does not fulfill as requirement. Therefore, in the beginning they do not share their hidden disappointment, but lastly when time goes on they start quarrel each other. Interference: People like leave separately even they don't want a change in their routine life. It's a general tendency of all human being. Many times only because of lack of trust of girlfriend/boyfriend always make interfere in his/her each and every matter. For example, it's not good pattern of your shirt? Don’t talk with him. Don't eat that because I don't like it because of all this statements he/she is really get irritate. There are some signs that are related to the mental causes to end a relationship between a boyfriend and girl friend. When- He or she has a feeling of continuous frustration about the relationship. He or she is being physically and mentally abused. He or she is finding more reasons to spend time apart. He or she no longer has strong feelings about his girlfriend or her boyfriend. He or she has changed his or her core values, beliefs and goals to accommodate his or her hopes that will no longer be problematic in his or her relationship. He or she has made drastic changes in his or her appearance to become more attractive others. He or she has a growing feeling of emptiness. He or she has put extreme distance or totally cut off formal close relationships. Jeopardy career (effects of broken relationship): Surviving after breaking-up a relationship is tough. When someone breaks-up relationship with his or her boyfriend/girlfriend, he/she feels like trash and he/she is not in a good mood. All the time he/she becomes inactive in his or her activities. They keep crying all the time and feel that there is no meaning of life. So the immediate effect of the break-up is pain. The pain goes away slowly over a number of years, but the initial impact is high. It is the initial periods during which one has to gather all the energy and tolerate the pain and takes some worse step which is hamper their life and career. The effects are following- Ruin educational career: Most of the time after broken a relationship boy and girl does not want to continue their education. They thought for whom I will continue my study; there is no need to build up my career. My life is end. There is no value of my life. Depression: After boy’s and girl’s break up relation depression is a common effect on which they survive a long time. Depression feels like a black curtain of despair coming down over their lives. Many believe that they are dull and do not deserve anything. Others feel irritable all the time for no apparent reason. Another name of depression is loneliness. Insomnia: Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. In this circumstance all the time he/she thinks about his/her girlfriend/boyfriend and tries to find the reason why his/her girlfriend/boyfriend dump him and so on. Suicidal attend: It is a common type phenomena after breaks-up a relation. Suicide is the act of deliberately taking one's own life. When he or she totally isolated, feel like life is meaning less or does not any benefit to survive without her, they belong on a frustration and thought her love is dead at that time they attend to do such kind of activity. Drug addiction: It is another kind of worse effect, which occurs for the breaking up relation. At that time he/she tries to escape some physical or mental pain by taking drug. Drug addicts don't become addicted with the intention to destroy their lives and to cause upset to those they love. Usually when he/she does not able to cope with some aspect of his/her reality and is introduced to drugs, he/she feels by having perhaps solved the problem itself. Loss of trust in future: Another vital effect is loss of trust. After such kind of relation he/ she do not able to trust any more of another. She/he is used to think all boys/girls are lire. They do all just for time pass, therefore at their future relation they can’t able to trust her husband/his wife. As a result there is no more continuation of smooth relation. Recommendation Overcoming a relationship breakup may be a difficult task. It is one of the hardest things in life. It requires lots of courage and emotional strength. Overcoming a relationship breakup is a skillful way to start his or her life with new hopes. Relationship of a boyfriend and girlfriend may break due to several reasons. It is a stressful and unpleasant situation. Both may feel rejected and frustrated. As his or her loving and caring girlfriend or boyfriend is not with her or him, she or he may feel lonely and helpless. However, keep in mind that it is not the end of happiness in his or her life. There are so many interesting things that a boy or a girl can enjoy after breakup their relationship. Hence, that boy and girl should try to overcome the relationship breakup so that their future career do not hamper and take pleasure of life in a new way. Ways to Overcome a Relationship Breakup: a boy and girl can overcome the grief of a relationship breakup by adopting different ways. Here are some useful tips, which may help him or her to come out of this heart-aching situation. Drain out emotion: Immediately after the breakup, a boy or girl needs to give some time to drain out his or her emotions. During this period, he or she may cry, rave in his or her anger; grieve at the unfair treatment that he or she received from his or her parents. Let all painful emotions drain out of his or her mind. Help him or herself: Don’t frequently recall the pleasant or sad moments from the past. That boy and girl should avoid looking at the mementos of his or her former relationship like photos, letters or gift items. They are supposed to do not blame one another for what had happened and try to find out individual mistakes. That boy and girl should think about improving him or herself, which will be helpful for her or his future relationships. He or she ought to forget about the past and think about future. That boy and girl should keep him or herself busy is the best way to overcome his or her grief. They should engage in their own work or social activities as well as get involved in his or her favorite hobby. Lean on friends: Family members and friends are the backbone to support him or her in his or her toughest times. They can play a positive role in overcoming this stressful situation. That boy or girl can share his or her feelings and problems with them in order to get their support. Enjoy picnics and outings with them. He or she does not often talk about his or her past. As much as possible, he or she should try to avoid the topics that cause his or her stress. Avoid sad triggers: when relationship between a boyfriend and girlfriend is broken up they must try to avoid the things that remind him or her such as songs, movies or restaurants. During the first few days following a breakup, strictly avoid these sad triggers. Change attitude: that boy and girl need to change his or her attitude in order to overcome a relationship breakup. He or she should have positive approach towards his or her life. Don’t get frustrated for being rejected. Don’t take it as a total failure of life. He or she is supposed to try to change his or her lifestyle and take another chance. He or she will try to find the person who can bring positive changes in his or her life. Don’t get frustrated and disappointed due to a relationship breakup. He or she should mind it that it’s not the end of the world. Cheerful and hopeful future is still waiting for him or her. He or she needs to rebuild and recuperate with new hopes by overcoming the relationship breakup (Jirage, 2008). References Berscheid , E . , & Peplau , L . A . (1983) . The emerging science of relationships. In H. H. Kelley, et al. (Eds. ) , Close relationships (pp. -19). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. Byrne , D . (1961) . Interpersonal attraction and attitude similarity. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 62 , 713-715. Retrieved November 18 , 2008 , from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Interpersonal_attraction. Grover , R . L . , Nangle , D . W . , Serwik , A . & Zeff , K . R . (2007) . â€Å"Girl friend, boy friend, girlfriend, boyfriend: Broadening our understanding of heterosocial competence†. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology , 36(4) , 491–502. Levinger , G . (1983) . Development and change. In H. H. Kelley, et al. (Eds. ) , Close relationship (pp. 315-359). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. Markey , P . M . & Markey , C . N . (2007) . Romantic ideals, romantic obtainment, and relationship experiences: The complementarity of interpersonal traits among romantic partners. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , 24(4) , 517-533. Retrieved November 18 , 2008 , from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Interpersonal_relatioship. Morry , M . M . (2007) . Relationship satisfaction as a predictor of perceived similarity among cross-sex friends: A test of the attraction-similarity model. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , 24 , 117-138. Retrieved November 18 , 2008 , from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Interpersonal_relatioship. Singh , R . , & Ho , S . Y . (2000) . Attitudes and attraction: A new test of the attraction, repulsion and similarity-dissimilarity asymmetry hypotheses. British Journal of Social Psychology, 39(2), 197-211. Retrieved November 20 , 2008 , from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Interpersonal_attraction. Tennov , D . (1979) . Love and Limerence: The experience of being in love. New York: Stein and Day.