Building an Ethical Organization Essay Example for Free

Building an Ethical Organization Essay The human service organization that I have become a director for is an addiction clinic. The clinic will be providing treatment for people within the community that have addiction problems. There will be programs available for people to receive treatment to meet each individuals needs. The goal will be for the patients to receive the best care available to be able to beat addiction. This clinic’s goal will be provide resources to better the community in which it serves. Each employee will be held to high standard and will have the appropriate training needed to each client to the best of their ability. The clinic wants to help the community by serving the people who suffer from addiction and providing them with the best care possible. Treatment for drug, alcohol, gambling, smoking, and other addictions are all services provided from this clinic. There will be different programs available to meet each person’s different needs. There are several different types of addiction. Every person who has a problem with addiction is different so the clinic will meet all the needs for each. Each program will have different steps for each client to help beat their addiction. The clientele for this clinic will be people who suffer problems with addiction and children whose parents have suffered addiction problems. The clinic will have counseling for families with children so the children can understand what is going on with their parents. The counseling will help the children know how to help their parents and to also make sure that the child is not in a hostile environment. The clinic wants to help families who have suffered addiction to be able to work through their situations and work on their family. Children have suffered because of the addiction problem their parents have. The clinic wants to help counsel the children to help them understand and move forward in a positive direction. Any person who suffers from addiction will be able to come to the clinic to receive the help they need. This clinic is a non-profit clinic. Donations are accepted to help fund each program that is offered. The clinic has fundraisers to help raise money to help keep the clinic open. All the money that is raised goes toward  the programs, staff salaries, building expenses, and all other expenses that help keep the clinic running to the highest standards. Any donation is recognized through the clinic. We take pride in our excellence and want to recognize anyone that helps us in funding the clinic so we can keep achieving our goals. The community is encouraged to be a part of making the clinic better. The clinic wants feedback from the community so we can better serve our clients. The mission statement for the addiction clinic is, to improve a person’s life by providing diverse care for patients who have different addiction problems within the community. The mission statement will support the ethical system because it states that the clinic wants to provide diverse care for patients with different addiction problems. The goal for the clinic is to provide care for the patients that meet their different needs. Every person that comes to the clinic will be different and so there has to be programs available to meet those needs. The mission statement’s sends a positive message to the community because it tells them that the clinic is there to help with addiction problems within the community. Addiction is a problem in every community so the statement tells the community members that there is help available for this problem. The addiction clinic’s value statements are, for all patients to receive quality prevention, treatment, recovery, and support services so they can reach the goal of staying clean from illegal drugs and alcohol abuse. The value statement for this clinic inspires action because it tells people with addiction in the community that there is support for them to reach the goal of staying clean from illegal drugs and alcohol abuse. This value relates to the clinic’s mission statement because they both are stating that they want to help people with addiction. They both state that the clinic want to provide care for the different types of addiction and that they want the best for the patients who received treatment from the clinic. The ethical principles that guide our work are the product of broad-based consultation, are drafted by representatives of professional bodies and organizations, and exist in the form of guidelines and proposed codes of conduct (Gruskin Dickens, 2006). The codes of ethics for this clinic are the following: 1. Work in a manner that supports the clinics mission, goals, and value statement. 2. Uphold the code of ethics to human service professionals. 3. Protect the confidentiality of clients according to the rules and  regulations of HIPPA. 4. Staff must take appropriate steps to unethical behavior of colleagues. 5. Unethical behavior of staff is not acceptable. 6. Staff must follow commitment to the clinic. 7. Staff must be aware of issues that affect clients from diverse backgrounds. 8. Staff must respect the integrity and welfare of each client. 9. Staff must treat clients with acceptance and respect. 10. Sexual relations with clients and or staff members are prohibited. 11. If suspicion of danger or harm may occur, staff must protect the safety of the client, clinic, and employees by following appropriate steps. 12. Staff must stay up on training and classes offered to improve the care given to clients. 13. Discrimination toward clients, staff, and community is not accepted. 14. Sexual misconduct toward clients, staff, and community is not accepted. 15. Sexual harassment toward clients, staff, and community is not accepted. The code of ethics listed above gives employees a list of appropriate behavior while employed with the clinic. Each employee must follow every ethic that is listed to ensure that the employees of the clinic are giving the best care to the clients that is expected. The code of ethics is related to the mission and values of the clinic because it helps the staff give the best care available to the clients in the community with helping with the problem of addiction. According to the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA), the professionalism competency is the ability to align personal and organizational conduct with ethical and professional standards that include a responsibility to the patient and community, a service orientation, and a commitment to lifelong learning and improvement (Garman, Evans, Drouse, Anfossi, 2006). The values of the clinic are very important. Each employee should be aware and know them by memory. This way each employee knows what is expected out of them from the clinic. Each employee is held to a high standard and should be aware of the values and ethics of the clinic. The clinic uses tangible cultural forms. I want to promote ethics and values in the everyday work  environment. This form allows the staff to hear and use the ethics and values everyday so they stay fresh in their minds and they stay cautious of their actions. If the employees are reminded everyday of the ethics and values of the clinic then they will be no reason for the employees to not follow them. Shared values are hung throughout the clinic that shows the clinic’s values. This keeps the staff aware of the values by reminding them as they walk through the hallways of the clinic. Meetings are held each month that allows the staff and the directors meet and go over feedback from the community. During these meeting the values and ethics are discussed with the staff so they are reminded of what is expected. This allows the staff to give feedback on the values and ethics. As a leader in this type of clinic there are several moral responsibilities that I have. I not only have moral responsibilities toward the clients that the clinic serves but also to the employees. I have moral responsibility for each client because they reaching out for help. I want to offer them every possible resource so they can get out of their situation. If the shelter fails on doing so then the clients could return to their addiction and possibly end up in a worse situation. I am morally responsible for the employees because they have to know how to handle these types of situations. As leaders, it is our responsibility to be catalysts and role models for our professional colleagues by both retaining and communicating a profound sense of optimism regarding the future of the law, health care, and our respective organizations (Gragnolati Stupak, 2002). I want the employees of the clinic to lead by example. I hold myself with high standards and follow each rule. I go to training when they are offered to ensure that I stay educated on any issues so I can better serve the clinic, staff, and clients. My goal as the leader is to have a staff that holds themselves to the same standards as I use. This way each employee keeps the same goals and wants the same for the clinic and the clients. For this clinic I use transformation leadership. I want my employees to trust me as their leader. I think that with this type of leader, the employees are comforted because they know that the leader is just as much invested to fixing any problem that arises. The employees have to have the proper training so they know how to counsel the clients and know what resources to offer them. If the employees fail in doing so then as a leader I also fail. Each staff member must go through training to ensure  that they give the best care to each client. They must keep up on certifications if needed. Each staff member has an evaluation done every 3 months to ensure that they are giving the best care to the clients and to make sure that the employee is following the code of ethics, mission, and values. Appropriate steps are taken if the employee fails to follow the rules and termination may occur if needed. The clinic does not tolerate employees who are not loyal to the clinic, clients, and the staff. The clinic wants employees who are there that can follow the rules and ethics of the clinic. Each client takes a feedback survey so the clinic can evaluate the programs and employees. We want each program offered to be the best it can to help serve the clients. Feedback from the clients helps the clinic know what areas of each program are working and which ones are not. This way the programs can be fixed to help meet the needs of the clie nts. This clinic will provide different care for patients battling addiction. Each patient will be in programs that best fits their needs. The clinic will have qualified workers to help meet the needs of each patient. The mission and value statement both send positive messages to the community because it tells them that the clinic is there to help with the problems of addiction within the community. These statements also state that the clinic wants the patients to receive the best treatment to help with the addiction problem. There are fifteen codes of ethics that each employee of the clinic must know and follow. The ethics makes the employee aware of what is expected of them as an employee of the clinic. Each employee should be aware of all twelve codes of ethics and should follow them accordingly. Tangible cultural forms are used in the clinic. This allows the clinic to promote the values and ethics through the work environment. The clinic holds high standards for the employee. Each employee has evaluations done to make sure the employees are giving the best care for each client. This keeps employees aware of issues that they need to work on so they can become better with the care that they give. The clinic strives to help each client meet the goal in recovery. With all the steps the clinic makes to achieve this goal, an ethical organization has been built. References Garman, A. N., Evans, R., Drouse, M. K., Anfossi, J. (2006, July / Aug). Professionalism. Journal of Healthcare Management, 51(), 219. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/pqdweb?index=62did=1092901951SrchMode=1sid=9Fmt=4VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1289765094clientId=13118 Gragnolati, B. A., Stupak, R. J. (2002, Summer). Life and Liberty: The power of positive purpose. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 25(), 75. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/pqdweb?index=3did=677546611SrchMode=1sid=2Fmt=3VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1289762787clientId=13118 Gruskin, S., Dickens, B. (2006, November). Human rights and ethics in public health. American Journal of Public Health, 96(11), 1903. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/pqdweb?index=35did=1159402191SrchMode=1sid=2Fmt=3VInst=PRODVType=PQDRQT=309VName=PQDTS=1289763672clientId=13118

Investment Avenues in India Essay Example for Free

Investment Avenues in India Essay ABSTRACT:Each investment alternative has its own strengths and weaknesses. Some options seek to achieve superior returns (like equity), but with corresponding higher risk. Other provide safety (like PPF) but at the expense of liquidity and growth. Other options such as FDs offer safety and liquidity, but at the cost of return. Mutual funds seek to combine the advantages of investing in arch of these alternatives while dispensing with the shortcomings.Indian stock market is semi-efficient by nature and, is considered as one of the most respected stock markets, where information is quickly and widely disseminated, thereby allowing each securitys price to adjust rapidly in an unbiased manner to new information so that, it reflects the nearest investment value. And mainly after the introduction of electronic trading system, the information flow has become much faster. But sometimes, in developing countries like India, sentiments play major role in price movements, or say, fluctuations, where investors find it difficult to predict the future with certainty. Some of the events affect economy as a whole, while some events are sector specific. Even in one particular sector, some companies or major market player are more sensitive to the event. So, the new investors taking exposure in the market should be well aware about the maximum potential loss, i.e. Value at risk.It would be good to diversify ones portfolio to include equity mutual funds and stocks. The benefit of diversification are that while risk exposure from a particular asset may not be very high, it would also give the opportunity of participating in the party in the equity markets- which may have just begun- in a relatively safe manner(than investing directly into stock markets). Mutual funds are one of the best options for investors to choose from. It must be realized that the performance of different funds varies time to time. Evaluation of a fund performance is meaningful when a fund has access to an array of investment products in market. An investor can choose from a variety of funds to suit his risk tolerance, investment horizon and objective. Direct investment in equity offers capital growth but at high risk and without the benefit of diversification by professional management offered by mutual funds.INTRODUCTION:Savings form an important part of the economy of any nation. With the savings invested in various options available to the people, the money acts as the driver for growth of the country. Indian financial scene too presents a plethora of avenues to the investors. Though certainly not the best or deepest of markets in the world, it has reasonable options for an ordinary man to invest his savings. Banks are considered as the safest of all options, banks have been the roots of the financial systems in India. Promoted as the means to social development, banks in India have indeed played an important role in the rural upliftment. For an ordinary person though, they have acted as the safest investment avenue wherein a person deposits money and earns interest on it. The two main modes of investment in banks, savings accounts and fixed deposits have been effectively used by one and all.However, today the interest rate structure in the country is headed southwards, keeping in line with global trends. With the banks offering little above 9 percent in their fixed deposits for one year, the yields have come down substantially in recent times. Add to this, the inflationary pressures in economy and one has a position where the savings are not earning. The inflation is creeping up, to almost 8 percent at times, and this means that the value of money saved goes down instead of going up. This effectively mars any chance of gaining from the investments in banks. Just like banks, post offices in India have a wide network. Spread across the nation, they offer financial assistance as well as serving the basic requirements of communication. Among all saving options, Post office schemes have been offering the highest rates. Added to it is the fact that the investments are safe with the department being a Government of India entity. So, the two basic and most sought after features, such as return safety and quantum of returns was being handsomely taken care of. Though certainly not the most efficient systems in terms of service standards and liquidity, these have still managed to attract the attention of small, retail investors. However, with the government announcing its intention of reducing the interest rates in small savings options, this avenue is expected to lose some of the investors.Public Provident Funds act as options to save for the post retirement period for most people and have been considered good option largely due to the fact that returns were higher than most other options and also helped people gain from tax benefits under various sections. This option too is likely to lose some of its sheen on account of reduction in the rates offered. Another often-used route to invest has been the f ixed deposit schemes floated by companies. Companies have used fixed deposit schemes as a means of mobilizing funds for their operations and have paid interest on them. The safer a company is rated, the lesser the return offered has been the thumb rule. However, there are several potential roadblocks in these. First of all, the danger of financial position of the company not being understood by the investor lurks. The investors rely on intermediaries who more often than not, dont reveal the entire truth. Secondly, liquidity is a major problem with the amount being received months after the due dates. Premature redemption is generally not entertained without cuts in the returns offered and though they present a reasonable option to counter interest rate risk (especially when the economy is headed for a low interest regime), the safety of principal amount has been found lacking. Many cases like the Kuber Group and DCM Group fiascoes have resulted in low confidence in this option. The options discussed above are essentially for the risk-averse, people who think of safety and then quantum of return, in that order. For the brave, it is dabbling in the stock market.Stock markets provide an option to invest in a high risk, high return game. While the potential return is much more than 10-11 percent any of the options discussed above can generally generate, the risk is undoubtedly of the highest order. But then, the general principle of encountering greater risks and uncertainty when one seeks higher returns holds true. However, as enticing as it might appear, people generally are clueless as to how the stock market functions and in the process can endanger the hard-earned money.For those who are not adept at understanding the stock market, the task of generating superior returns at similar levels of risk is arduous to say the least. This is where Mutual Funds come into picture.Mutual Funds are essentially investment vehicles where people with similar investment objective come together to pool their money and then invest accordingly. Each unit of any scheme represents the proportion of pool owned by the unit holder (investor). Appreciation or reduction in value of investments is reflected in net asset value (NAV) of the concerned scheme, which is declared by the fund from time to time. Mutual fund schemes are managed by respective Asset Management Companies (AMC). Different business groups/ financial institutions/ banks have sponsored these AMCs, either alone or in collaboration with reputed international firms.Several international funds like Alliance and Templeton are also operating independently in India. Many more international Mutual Fund giants are expected to come into Indian markets in the near future.Investment alternatives in India * Non marketable financial assets: These are such financial assets which gives moderately high return but can not be traded in market.* Bank Deposits * Post Office Schemes * Company FDs * PPF * Equity shares: These are shares of company and can be traded in secondary market. Investors get benefit by change in price of share and dividend given by companies. Equity shares represent ownership capital. As an equity shareholder, a person has an ownership stake in the company. This essentially means that the person has a residual interest in income and wealth of the company. These can be classified into following broad categories as per stock market:* Blue chip shares * Growth shares * Income shares * Cyclic shares * Speculative shares * Bonds: Bonds are the instruments that are considered as a relatively safer investment avenues.* G sec bonds * GOI relief funds * Govt. agency funds * PSU Bonds * RBI BOND * Debenture of private sector co. * Money market instrument: By convention, the term money market refers to the market for short-term requirement and deployment of funds. Money market instruments are those instruments, which have a maturity period of less than one year.* T-Bills * Certificate of Deposit * Commercial Paper * Mutual Funds- A mutual fund is a trust that pools together the savings of a number of investors who share a common financial goal. The fund manager invests this pool of money in securities, ranging from shares, debentures to money market instruments or in a mixture of equity and debt, depending upon the objective of the scheme. The different types of schemes are* Balanced Funds * Index Funds * Sector Fund * Equity Oriented Funds * Life insurance: Now-a-days life insurance is also being considered as an investment avenue. Insurance premiums represent the sacrifice and the assured sum the benefit. Under it different schemes are:* Endowment assurance policy * Money back policy * Whole life policy * Term assurance policy * Real estate: One of the most important assets in portfolio of investors is a residential house. In addition to a residential house, the more affluent investors are likely to be interested in the following types of real estate:* Agricultural land * Semi urban land * Farm House * Precious objects: Investors can also invest in the objects which have value. These comprises of:* Gold * Silver * Precious stones * Art objects * Financial Derivatives: These are such instruments which derive their value from some other underlying assets. It may be viewed as a side bet on the asset. The most important financial derivatives from the point of view of investors are:* Options * FuturesDirect equity vs. mutual funds1) Equity share/Direct investment 2) Mutual funds, a brief introduction 3) Equity Fund 4) Difference between direct equity and mutual fundEquity share/Direct investmentEquity shares: These are shares of company and can be traded in secondary market. Investors get benefit by change in price of share or dividend given by companies. Equity shares represent ownership capital. As an equity shareholder, a person has an ownership stake in the company. This essentially means that the person has a residual interest in income and wealth of the company. These can be classified into following broad categories as per stock market:* Blue chip shares- Shares of large, well established, financially strong companies with an impressive record of earnings and dividends.* Growth shares-Shares of companies that have fairly entrenched positions in a growing market and which enjoy an above average rate of growth as well as profitability. * Income shares-Share of companies that have fairly stable operations, relative limited growth opportunities, and high dividend payout ratios.* Cyclic shares – Share of companies that have a pronounced cyclicality in their operations.* Defensive shares- Shares of companies that are relatively unaffected by the ups and downs in general business conditions.* Speculative shares- Shares of companies that tend to fluctuate widely because there is a lot of speculative trading in them.Mutual Funds: A brief introductionA Mutual Fund is a trust that pools the savings of a number of investors who share a common financial goal. The money thus collected is invested by the fund manager in different types of securities depending upon the objective of the scheme. These could range from shares to debentures to money market instruments. The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciations realized by the schemes are shared by its unit holders in proportion to the number of units owned by them. Thus a Mutual Fund is the most suitable investment for the common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed portfolio at a relatively low cost. The small savings of all the investors are put together to increase the buying power and hire a professional manager to invest and monitor the money. Anybody with an investible surplus of as little as a few thousand rupees can invest in Mutual Funds. Each Mutual Fund scheme has a defined investment objective and strategy.INCEPTION OF MUTUAL FUNDS IN INDIAThe history of mutual funds in India can be divided into 5 important phases:1963-1987The Unit Trust of India was the sole player in the industry. Created by an Act of Parliament in 1963, UTI launched its first product, the Unit Scheme 1964, which is even today the single lar gest mutual fund scheme. UTI created a number of products such as monthly income plans, children plans, equity-oriented schemes and off shore funds during this period. UTI managed assets of Rs.6,700 crores at the end of this phase.1987-1993In 1987 public sector banks and financial institutions entered the mutual fund industry. SBI mutual fund was the first non- UTI fund to be set up in 1987. Significant shift of investors from deposits to mutual fund industry happened during this period. Most funds were growth-oriented closed-ended funds. By the end of this period, assets under UTIs management grew to Rs.38,247 crores and public sector funds managed Rs.8,750 crores.1993-1996In 1993, the mutual fund industry was open to private sector players, both Indian and foreign. SEBIs first set of regulations for the industry were formulated in 1993, and substantially revised in 1996.Signifficant innovations in servicing, product design and information disclosure happened in this phase, mostly initiated by private players.1996-1999The implementation of the new SEBI regulations and the restructuring of the mutual fund industry led to rapid asset growth. Bank mutual funds were recast according to the SEBI recommended structure, and the UTI came under voluntary SEBI supervision.1999-2002This phase was marked by the rapid growth in the industry, and significant increase in market shares of private sector players. Assets crossed Rs.1,00,000 crore .The tax break offered to mutual fund in 1999 created arbitrage opportunities for a number of institutional players. Bond funds and Liquid funds registered the highest growth in this period, accounting for nearly 60% of the assets. UTIs share of the industry dropped to nearly 50%.Types of mutual funds:Open ended schemesAn open-end fund is one that is available for subscription all through the year. This type of Mutual funds does not have a predefined maturity period. The key feature is liquidity. Direct dealing is another noticeable feature. One can easily buy and sell units at Net Asset Value related prices.Close ended schemesHere maturity period is predefined usually ranging from 2 to 15 years. Investment can be done directly in the scheme at the time of the initial issue and units can be brought and sold whenever units are listed in the stock exchanges.Types of Schemes1. Equity/growth oriented Funds: Equity schemes are those that invest predominantly in equity shares of companies. An equity scheme seeks to provide returns by way of capital appreciation. As a class of assets, equities are subject to greater fluctuations. Hence, the NAVs of these schemes will also fluctuate frequently. Equity schemes are more volatile, but offer better returns.2. Balanced Funds: The aim of balanced funds is to provide both growth and regular income. Such schemes periodically distribute a part of their earning and invest both in equities and fixed income securities in the proportion indicated in their offer documents. 3. Index Funds: An Index Fund is a mutual fund that tries to mirror a market index, like Nifty or BSE Sensex , as closely as possible by investing in all the stocks that comprise that index in proportions equal to the weight age of those stocks in the index.4. Income/debt oriented Funds: These schemes invest mainly in income-bearing instruments like bonds, debentures, government securities, commercial paper, etc. These instruments are much less volatile than equity schemes. Their volatility depends essentially on the health of the economy e.g., rupee depreciation, fiscal deficit, inflationary pressure. Performance of such schemes also depends on bond ratings.1) Equity FundsAs explained earlier, such funds invest only in stocks, the riskiest of asset classes. With share prices fluctuating daily, such funds show volatile performance, even losses. However, these funds can yield great capital appreciation as, historically, equities have outperformed all asset classes. At present, there are four types of equity funds available in the market. In the increasing order of risk, these are:a) Index fundsThese funds track a key stock market index, like the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) Sensex or the NSE (National Stock Exchange) SP CNX Nifty. Hence, their portfolio mirrors the index they track, both in terms of composition and the individual stock weightages. For instance, an index fund that tracks the Sensex will invest only in the Sensex stocks. The idea is to replicate the performance of the benchmarked index to near accuracy. Index funds dont need fund managers, as there is no stock selection involved.Investing through index funds is a passive investment strategy, as a funds performance will invariably mimic the index concerned, barring a minor tracking error. Usually, theres a difference between the total returns given by a stock index and those given by index funds benchmarked to it. Termed as tracking error, it arises because the index fund charges m anagement fees, marketing expenses and transaction costs (impact cost and brokerage) to its unit holders. So, if the Sensex appreciates 10 per cent during a particular period while an index fund mirroring the Sensex rises 9 per cent, the fund is said to have a tracking error of 1 per cent.To illustrate with an example, assume you invested Rs 1,000 in an index fund based on the Sensex on 1 April 1978, when the index was launched (base: 100). In August, when the Sensex was at 3.457, your investment would be worth Rs 34,570, which works out to an annualised return of 17.2 per cent. A tracking error of 1 per cent would bring down your annualised return to 16.2 per cent. Obviously, lower the tracking error, the better are the index funds.b) Diversified fundsSuch funds have the mandate to invest in the entire universe of stocks. Although by definition, such funds are meant to have a diversified portfolio (spread across industries and companies), the stock selection is entirely the prerogative of the fund manager. This discretionary power in the hands of the fund manager can work both ways for an equity fund. On the one hand, astute stock-picking by a fund manager can enable the fund to deliver market-beating returns; on the other hand, if the fund managers picks languish, the returns will be far lower. Returns from a diversified fund depend a lot on the fund managers capabilities to make the right investment decisions. A portfolio concentrated in a few sectors or companies is a high risk, high return proposition.c) Tax-saving fundsAlso known as ELSS or equity-linked savings schemes, these funds offer benefits under Section 88 of the Income-Tax Act. So, on an investment of up to Rs 10,000 a year in an ELSS, one can claim a tax exemption of 20 per cent from his taxable income. One can invest more than Rs 10,000, but then he wont get the Section 88 benefits for the amount in excess of Rs 10,000. The only drawback to ELSS is that one has to lock into the scheme for three years.In terms of investment profile, tax-saving funds are like diversified funds. The one difference is that because of the three year lock-in clause, tax-saving funds get more time to reap the benefits from their stock picks, unlike plain diversified funds, whose portfolios sometimes tend to get dictated by redemption compulsions.d) Sector fundsThe riskiest among equity funds, sector funds invest only in stocks of a specific industry, say IT or FMCG. A sector funds NAV will zoom if the sector performs well; however, if the sector languishes, the schemes NAV too will stay depressed. Barring a few defensive, evergreen sectors like FMCG and pharma, most other industries alternate between periods of strong growth and bouts of slowdowns. The way to make money from sector funds is to catch these cycles–get in when the sector is poised for an upswing and exit before it slips back.2) Difference between direct equity and mutual fundsA mutual fund is the ideal investment vehicle for todays complex and modern financial scenario. Markets for equity shares, bonds and o ther fixed income instruments, real estate, derivatives and other assets have become mature and information driven. Price changes in these assets are driven by global events occurring in faraway places. A typical individual is unlikely to have the knowledge, skills, inclination and time to keep track of events, understand their implications and act speedily. An individual also finds it difficult to keep track of ownership of his assets, investments, brokerage dues and bank transactions etc.Investing in Mutual Fund is convenient because of two basic reasons. All investment carry risks, especially equity investment that bears larger risks, their returns are more volatile and uneven. To cut down the risk one needs to put money in several instruments rather than in one or two products. A Mutual Fund can effectively spread its investments across various sectors of the economy and amongst several products. Risk diversification is the Key. Secondly where to invest and where not to, is a specialized business. One may not have the expertise, time and resources of a well-managed fund.ADVANTAGES OF A MUTUAL FUND1. Professional ManagementQualified professionals manage money, but they are not alone. They have a research team that continuously analyses the performance and prospects of companies. They also select suitable investments to achieve the objectives of the scheme, so you see that it is a continuous process that takes time and expertise that will add value to investment. These fund managers are in a better position to manage investments and get higher returns.2. DiversificationThe clichà ©, dont put all eggs in one basket really applies to the concept of intelligent investing. Diversification lowers risk of loss by spreading money across various industries. It is a rare occasion when all stocks decline at the same time and in the same proportion. Sector funds will spread investment across only one industry and it would not be wise for portfolio to be skewed towards these types of funds for obvious reasons.3. Choice of SchemesMutual funds offer a variety of schemes that will suit investors needs over a lifetime. When they enter a new stage in life, all needed to do is sit down with investment advisor who will help to rearrange portfolio to suit altered lifestyle. 4. AffordabilityA small investor may find that it is not possible to buy shares of larger corporations. Mutual funds generally buy and sell securities in large volumes that allow investors to benefit from lower trading costs. The smallest investor can get started on mutual funds because of the minimal investment requirements. One can invest with a minimum of Rs. 500 in a Systematic Investment Plan on a regular basis.5. Tax BenefitsInvestments held by investors for a period of 12 months or more qualify for Capital gains and will be taxed accordingly (10% of the amount by which the investment appreciated, or 20% after factoring in the benefit of cost indexation, whichever is lower). These investments also get the benefit of indexation.6. LiquidityWith open-end funds, you can redeem all or part of investment any time you wish and receive the current value of the shares or the NAV related price. Funds are more liquid than most investments in shares, deposits and bonds and the process is standardized, making it quick and efficient so that you can get cash in hand as soon as possible. 7. Rupee Cost AveragingThrough using this concept of investing the same amount regularly, mutual funds give investor the advantage of getting the average unit price over the long-term. This reduces risk and also allows you to discipline self by actually investing every month or quarterly and not making sporadic investments.8. The Transparency of Mutual FundsThe performance of a mutual fund is reviewed by various publications and rating agencies, making it easy for investors to compare one to the other. Once you are part of a mutual fund scheme, you are provided with regular updates, for example daily NAVs, as well as information on the specific investments made and the fund managers strategy and outlook of the scheme.9. Easy To AdministerMutual funds units in modern times are not issued in the form of certificates, with a minimum denomination rather they are issued as account statement switch a facility to hold units in fraction upto 4 decimal points.10. Highly RegulatedThe governing of mutual funds by SEBI ensures that the fund activities are carried out in the best interest of the investors. DISADVANTAGES OF MUTUAL FUNDSThe following are some of the reasons which are deterrent to mutual fund investment: * Costs despite Negative Returns — Investors must pay sales charges, annual fees, and other expenses regardless of how the fund performs. And, depending on the timing of their investment, investors may also have to pay taxes on any capital gains distribution they receive — even if the fund went on to perform poorly after they bought shares. * Lack of Control — Investors typically cannot ascertain the exact make-up of a funds portfolio at any given time, nor can they directly influence which securities the fund manager buys and sells or the timing of those trades. * Price Uncertainty — with an individual stock, you can obtain real-time (or close to real-time) pricing information with relative ease by checking financial websites or by calling your broker. You can also monitor how a stocks price changes from hour to hour — or even second to second. By contrast, with a mutual fund, the price at which you purchase or redeem shares will typically depend on the funds NAV, which the fund might not calculate until many hours after youve placed your order. In general, mutual funds must calculate their NAV at least once every business day, typically after the major U.S. exchanges close.Some mutual fund schemes with the point of attractiveness to investors -Comparison of best performing mutual funds with index Equity schemes:Equity schemes are those that invest predominantly in equity shares of companies. An equity scheme seeks to provide returns by way of capital appreciation. As a class of assets, equities are subject to greater fluctuations. Hence, the NAVs of these schemes will also fluctuate frequently. Equity schemes are more volatile, but offer better returns. These can be further classified into three types:1. Diversified Equity schemes:The aim of diversified equity funds is to provide the investor with capital appreciation over a medium to long period (generally 2 – 5 years). The fund invests in equity shares of companies from a diverse array of industries and balances (or tries to) the portfolio so as to prevent any adverse impact on returns due to a downturn in one or two sectors.2. Equity Linked Saving Schemes (ELSS):These schemes generally offer tax rebates to the investor under section 88 of the Income Tax law. These schemes generally diversify the equity risk by investing in a wider array of stocks across sectors. ELSS is usually considered a variant of diversified equity scheme but with a tax friendly offer3. Sectoral Fund/ Industry Specific schemes:Industry Specific Schemes invest only in the industries specified in the offer document. The investment of these funds is limited to specific industries like InfoTech, FMCG, and Pharmaceuticals etc. These are ideal for investors who have already decided to invest in particular sector or segment. Sectoral Funds tend to have a very high risk-reward ratio and investors should be careful of putting all their eggs in one basket.CONCLUSION:In the current scenario, investing is very important and investing in stock markets is a major challenge ever for professionals. The young people should start investing earlier so that they can reap the benefits of investing in future. People should keep their eye open and keep updating themselves about various investment avenues so that they can get safe returns. BIBILIOGRAPHY: 1. Anjan Chakrabarti and Harsh Rungta, 2000, Mutual Funds Industry in India :An in-depth look into the problems of credibility, Risk and Brand ,The ICFAI Journal of Applied Finance, Vol.6, No.2, April, 27-45. 2. Bhalla V.K., Investment Management, S.Chand Company Ltd., Eleventh Edition, 2004 3. Bodie, Kane, Marcus Security Analysis and Portfolio Management, 5th edition Tata Mc Graw hill publications. 4. Customer Orientation in Designing Mutual Fund Products, -An Analytical Approach to Indian Market Preferences, Dr Tapan K Panda, Faculty Member, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. 5. FISHER AND JORDEN (2000): Security analysis and portfolio management, Prentice hall. 6. L.M.BHOLE (2005) : Financial institutions and market, Tata Mcgraw – hill. 7. Preparatory Books For AMFI Exam ;NJ Investment India Pvt. Ltd. Edition June 09 8. Review Of Marketing Research, Volume 5: K. Naresh Malhotra: 9. V.A.AVADHANI (2006): Security analysis and portfolio management, Himalaya publishing house. 6thEdition. |

Success Or Failure Of The Euro Currency Economics Essay

Success Or Failure Of The Euro Currency Economics Essay Chapter 1: Introduction: When the European Union was founded in 1957 their initial endeavor was to establish a common market. However they found this idea not taking shape as their financial objectives didnt seem to prosper due to lack of a common c. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty paved the way for a single c for the EU. Its been a decade since euro had been floated into the international markets. With its introduction in the rush for globalization saw many gains for euro in terms of increase in cross-border capital, trade, and outsourcing, securities and foreign exchange markets turnover as well as in cross-border asset holdings. The decade even saw a huge mounting up of foreign reserves due to growing current account imbalances. With euro taking the role of an international c, there had been drastic changes in the international markets with portfolios being shifted from dollar-denominated to euro-denominated which had led to depreciation in dollar. Moreover Bank of Chinas opinion to support stronger currencies had added to the dollar depreciation. Research aim: The main aim of the research is to understand the sustainability of euro based on financial, economic and political factors. With the euro combining various markets into a single European market, consumer welfare has improved. This had led to convergence of money and capital markets through increased competition, market liquidity and transparency in operation with economies of scale and scope. Euro has gained the potential of risk diversification and more efficient allocation of capital resources. Elimination of exchange rate risk has increased price transparency, thereby reducing transaction costs and boosting competition in international markets. Research objective: The primary intention is to analyze if the future of euro is moving towards success or failure given the social, economic and political factors. While the euro c as well as its policy framework has attributed to stability and prosperity in euro area, the global crisis identified the necessity to strengthen European economic governance as a remedy against future challenges. Euro has gained importance in global markets by allowing global public and private investors to diversify their asset allocation and borrowers to find other sources of funding. Proper and timely actions by the European Financial stability Facility had helped a great extent in safeguarding euro so far. With the European Stability Mechanism being activated till June 2013, financial stability of the euro area is expected to be in full transparency so as to revive in times of financial distress. Research questions: Will the size of the economy help in sustaining the euro stability? Will focus on international trade help in stabilizing? Based on the size, depth, liquidity and openness of the domestic financial markets, can the euro be stabilized? Is the euro stable enough to ensure easy convertibility of its c? Can macroeconomics play a vital role in preserving euro stability? Significance of the study: The study aims to implicate the following: Need for further economic amalgamation so as to tackle problems in times of crisis. Need for a banking union thereby giving control to European Central Bank (ECB) to oversee all euro-zone banks in one step process. Government efforts are needed in order to devise economic and fiscal outline which are essential to the euro c. Efforts are also needed from financial market participants and supervisors, given that the maintenance of the financial market stability plays a crucial role for monetary and macroeconomic stability. Research objectives: The main objective of this report is to assess the success or failure of implementing a unified c, being the Euro c. Examining this topic yields a look into the viability of having a uniform c across a region with similar economic and political attributes. When the idea of a single c was first suggested, doubts raised as to the credibility of the governance as each member states had different political heads. With the single c, however all these political heads would be combined as one governing body to govern all member states. However in a region with similar economic and political attributes, the idea seemed successful with the formation of EU which consisted of European Council to manage course of actions and to suggest new laws; the European parliament to discuss on and endorse laws suggested by the council finally the European Commission with personnel to accomplish the laws. The EU helped a great deal in providing effective governance in the Euro-zone which helped European economy overtake US economy in 2009 with a trade of $14.5 trillion against US trade of $14.3 trillion, thereby accounting to 40% of the worlds economic power. Further, researching the different factors and aspects of what makes a c succeed or fail in meeting its set objectives shall provide insight into understanding the dynamics of the relationship between members of the EU. The vital factors that help judge the efficacy of a c are the size of the economy, political stability, and role in international trade, transparency and openness in domestic markets, easy convertibility to cash and impact of macroeconomics in preserving euro. Relationship between EU members had been strengthened after the launch of euro. Thats because almost 17 of the 27 member states have approved euro. It has also paved the way for a single monetary council to govern the functioning of euro throughout the euro-zone. Moreover cross border trade had increased which was mainly due to creation of single c which cuts transaction costs. Transparency had also been maintained with the euro in domestic markets without price fluctuations. Tourism had also increased with the launching of euro, as tourists didnt have to keep changing their currencies when travelling around the euro-zone. This way Euro ensured easy convertibility of cash. Finally member countries which were financially rich in EU were used to backup poorer economies in EU, thereby ensuring financial stability whenever any of the macroeconomic components triggered a threat to EU. It was this backup which helped euro from failing to a greater extent when the 2008 crisis broke out. The report also provides ground for analyzing the advantages of poorer EU member states adopting the Euro c. This will check the economic drive that can occur from having a monetary union between countries with varying economic statures. The advantages of poorer economies joining the euro can be said to be both an advantage as well as a disadvantage. Its an advantage as even if they fail to repay bills owing to crisis, with the help of EMU they would get help from the richer economies in EU to repay the bills. Disadvantage can be attributed to the fact that salaries may be lesser in less productive areas when compared to salaries of employees in higher production areas. This advantage is due to the fact that all of these employees are now paid in Euros. So indirectly it can pose a threat as the standard of living may vary from place to place, but the salaries remain the same, thereby generating problems in getting even basic daily household things. For example, we may consider the following example between Greece and Germany. Item 2000 2010 Greek German Greek German Number of cups made an hour 5 5 10 20 Employee wage per hour 5 drachma 5 euro 10 euro 12 euro Cost of making a cup 1 drachma 1 euro 1 euro 0.60 euro The above example gives an insight as to more production at lower price thereby encouraging more demand gaining big. However Greece seems to be losing the race. The report also will touch on the aftermath of failures in the Euro, if any, and the remedial measures that can be adopted in case of such failures. This also gives indication to other regions that may want to adopt the strategies used by the Euro while avoiding the negative aspects of the Euro example. There is a perception in euro that it is working only in favour of France and Germany, but the real fact is these countries have achieved little in terms of bargaining success. Even if they had been doing well, ii happens that in times of debt by other EU countries, such rich countries will have to take the burden of clearing unpaid bills, thereby making it impossible for such countries to decide on their infrastructure plans. Moreover in the aftermath of 2008 crisis, TARGET 2 set for the purpose of clearing euro combined all imbalances between banks in the euro-zone. However this failed to meet its objective right from 2007 till 2011, there was an increase in the capital from weaker countries. When the entire euro-zone was undergoing crisis, Germany was doing relatively well, thereby showing diversification in thoughts in terms of social and political issues. In order to prevent failing of euro, policies have to be effectively modified in such a way that there is a win-win situation between both the financially rich and poorer countries, thereby ensuring equal competition. In times of crisis, EU member states can increase inflation rates for a while thereby ensuring their economic growth steady enough to get away from rising debts. However these two can be achieved only with political integration by all EU member states. Having a monetary union and examining its performance is an example set by the Euro. In case of a failure of the c, the report will try to highlight the possibility of discontinuing the circulation of the unified c and reverting to each countrys earlier adopted c. This success can be attributed to ECB cutting down the interest rates 3 times in 2012, thereby lowering borrowing costs creating confidence among investors in euro market that a euro-breakup would not be imminent. In short to say, collapse of the euro is not bound to happen soon, however the stability of euro is unclear in the future. Data collection method: The first hand data will be gathered by distributing questionnaires and analyzing the results. The questionnaires shall be distributed on three banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain which deal with the euro c. The secondary data has been taken from European commission website on inflation in the Euro area from 1960s to 2000s, fiscal position of the euro area in 1992, 1998 and 2007, mean intra-Euro-area correlation between Gross Domestic Product and Industrial Production, two indicators namely the number of years with negative gap sum of negative gaps as a percentage of GDP, macroeconomic performance indicators. Sample selection and selection criteria: The sample chosen are the employees of three banks in Bahrain who invest and deal with euro c. The banks are: Arcapita GFH Gulf Finance House ABC Arab Banking Corporation Survey methodology: The methodology involved analyzing the parameters for significance with the datas obtained from first hand and second hand data which are the survey and other previously published material. The magnitude of a countrys financial system is very vital to decide on its prospective use in the global markets. The global trade and magnitude of a countrys financial markets are related to the economic size. For instance, if we consider the export output between Korea and US, the former accounts for a much greater contribution. However as the US economy is 14 times larger than the Korean thereby making it embrace a much larger share in the world exports. The share of a country in international trade, the size and economy as well as the openness in financial markets forms determinants for demand of that countrys c in global markets. Chapter 2: Literature reviews: Some believe that Euro has failed to perform the required needs or reach the final destination of welfare for all. Instead it has become burden. Others believe that Euro has resulted in bringing a unity among the European nations which helped them to fight out the Economic depression seen in the last decade. The convertibility of a currency also forms a major determinant for demand of that currency, because unless there are less restrictions money is exchanged smoothly thereby ensuring increase in demand of currency. For example after World War II, most of the countries except US restricted their convertibility of currency thereby making US dollar readily available in markets increasing dollar demand. Following table gives a justification to the above determinants: Parameters United States Euro-area Japan Share of world GDP (%) 21.9 15.8 7.6 Share of world exports (%) 15.3 19.4 9.3 Financial markets ($ billions) 40,543.8 24,133.4 20,888.5 Bank assets ($ billions) 7,555.3 12,731.3 6,662.5 Domestic debt securities outstanding ($ billions) 15.426.3 5,521.9 6,444.9 Stock market capitalization ($ billions) 17,562.2 5,880.2 7,781.4 Following are some more factors that help to support and strengthen the study: 2.1 Macroeconomic level: Price stability and low-cost borrowing by European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) helped ensure macroeconomic stability in Europe. Euro helped put an end to changes in exchange rates within Europe owing to changes from outside Europe. The following graph shows improvement in inflation performance thereby leading to sharp decline in price volatility. 2.2. distinction of the strength of the currencies Similar lines of reasoning can be found in Magee and Rao (1980). They make a distinction between strong and weak currencies according to low and high inflation currencies. The intuition behind this being that in trade between low inflation industrial and high inflation developing countries, the low inflation currency of the industrial country dominates. Also, for trade in primary products a vehicle currency might be optimal. The importance of the choice between different currencies came back into the economic discussion when major exchange rates became flexible after the breakdown of Breton Woods in 1973. Viaene and de Vries (1992) take strategic bargaining considerations into account and introduce a forward market. In their model, exporters and importers bargain over the invoicing currency. Both are assumed to prefer their own currency, respectively. Viaene and de Vries find that the dominance of the exporters currency  can be due either to the first mover advantage of the exporting firm or to the monopoly power of the exporter who is more likely to have bargaining power as the firm faces a wide spread demand and not many competitors. 2.3 Currency risk Summing up the early literature, the main findings are that traders seek to avoid currency  risk by using their own currency and that, in trade between industrialized countries exporters are in general more likely to be able to avoid the currency risk.   When currencies are free to fluctuate there is, however, not only the issue of price uncertainty but also  demand uncertainty. 2.4 Invoicing currency: Donnenfeld and Zilcha (1991) present a first formal model in which a firms choice of invoicing currency is analyzed. They are also among the first to develop a model on the Microeconomic level in which the firm optimizes its profits. The main finding of Donnenfeld and Zilcha is that LCP is optimal for the exporting firm if the total revenue curve is concave in the foreign price. This is the case when the sensitivity of demand with respect to prices is not much higher the higher the price level. That is, if the price is set in producer currency and increases (in foreign currency) due to an appreciation of the exporting firms currency, profits will fall because demand will be reduced by more than the increase in profits due to the higher price received. In the case of depreciation, demand is not extended enough to compensate for the lower price the exporting firm receives, because demand is less sensitive to the price at the lower price level. If this is the case, higher variability in foreign prices, which comes with higher volatility in the exchange rate under PCP, lowers expected profits. Thus, under these conditions, high exchange rate volatility would lead the exporting firm to choose LCP.   2.5 Currency Market: Friberg (1997) extends the literature by including into the model a forward currency  market and the possibility to set prices in a third currency: vehicle currency  pricing (VCP). As in Donnenfeld and Zilcha the choice of the optimal currency setting is closely linked to the price elasticity of foreign demand. The second best currency pricing strategy depends on the relative exchange rate volatilities. If the exchange rate towards the vehicle currency exhibits low volatility compared to the bilateral exchange rate of the exporter and importer, VCP is preferred and vice versa.   Now, even under LCP the demand for the firms product is uncertain because the competitors might not price in local currency. In such a case fixing the relative price of the competing products can be important to the exporters so they might choose a common vehicle currency. This finding of choosing the currency  of the competitor is also common to a number of other studies. 2.6 Pricing Strategy: In particular, Bacchetta and van Wincoop (2002) use a NOEM model to analyze the optimal pricing strategy of exporters.  In a very elaborate general equilibrium framework that also takes into account exchange rate dependent costs they derive similar conclusions to those of Donnenfeld and Zilcha. 2.7 demand sensitivity of costs and price The driving factors for exporters to care about their relative prices are the demand sensitivity of costs and the price sensitivity of demand. It can be said that the higher the product differentiation, the lower the price sensitivity of demand. Exporters will, thus, prefer to invoice in their own currency if their products are highly differentiated, while they will pay attention to holding their relative prices constant if their products are less differentiated. This does not mean that less differentiated products are always invoiced in LCP, however. 2.8 market share of the exporting country in the foreign market Bacchetta and van Wincoop build into their model the market share of the exporting country in the foreign market that is, the share of the market that is accounted for by firms from a particular country or monetary area. Demand risk is minimized by invoicing in the currency that is most similar to the average invoicing currency chosen by competitors (Bacchetta and van Wincoop 2002, p. 15). For a monetary union, it is the market share of the entire currency union that matters and not the market share of an individual country. Exports of a monetary union are therefore more likely to be priced in producer currency, and imports to a monetary union more likely to be priced in local currency, because the monetary unions market share is more likely to be dominant. Goldberg and Tille (2005) call this behavior of choosing the currency of the competitor a herding effect. In their partial equilibrium three country model a dominant share of a currency other than the one of the exporter or the importer can make vehicle currency pricing the optimal choice. This herding effect takes place for industries with homogeneous goods where producers aim at keeping their prices relative to the competitors stable. Goldberg (2005) elaborates on this model by including a covariance between marginal cost and exchange rates. There is then also a hedging motive to choose a currency so that the exchange rate is correlated in such a way to shocks to exporters costs that marginal costs are positively correlated with marginal revenue. 2.9 Two-country dynamic general equilibrium model The most elaborate model so far was introduced by Devereux, Engel and Storegaard (2003). Using a two-country dynamic general equilibrium model with sticky prices, these authors analyze the implications of endogenous exchange rate pass-through. Their results show that the degree of pass-through depends on the relative stability of monetary policy; countries with relatively low monetary volatility experience low rates of exchange rate pass- through. The reason is that firms in both countries have an incentive to set their prices in the currency of the country with the low monetary volatility.  As a consequence, the country with low monetary volatility is shielded against exchange rate movements.   2.10 The export pricing behavior Engel (2005) analyses the export pricing behavior of firms in a static model, both in an environment with flexible and with fixed prices. He shows that the choice between producer currency pricing and local currency  pricing is independent of the degree of sluggishness in price adjustment. Under flexible price adjustment, producer currency pricing is optimal if the variance of the export price in the firms own currency is less than the variance of the price in the local currency of the importer. The same holds in an environment of fixed prices.   Summing up the theoretical literature the most important finding is that the optimal pricing strategies are very sensitive to the set of assumptions. In particular, the level of risk aversion and the existence of forward markets to hedge exchange rate risks matter for the results. First and foremost, however, the sensitivity of foreign demand to prices matters, which can be approximated by the homogeneity or differentiation of the product. When demand is sensitive to prices the market share of the exporting country, or more specifically, the currency used by the competitors matters. When the optimal currency choice depends on the currency used by competitors, herding in the same currency is optimal. Also, currencies of countries with monetary stability are more likely to be chosen as invoicing currency. 2.11 The Failure of the Euro Martin Feldstein (2012). As the author mentioned, the euro now shall be known as an experiment that failed. This failure, since the euro was first introduced, in 1999, was not an accident or the result of bureaucratic mismanagement but rather the inevitable results of imposing a single currency on a very heterogeneous group of countries. The adverse economic consequences of the euro include the sovereign debt crises in many European countries, the breakable condition of major European banks, high levels of unemployment crosswise the euro-zone, and the large trade deficits which now block most euro-zone countries. The political goal of creating a harmonious Europe has failed too. France and Germany have dictated hurtful austerity actions in Greece and Italy as a state of their financial help. Paris and Berlin have clashed over the role of the European Central Bank (ECB)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹â€ and over how the burden of financial help will be shared. The early impetus that led to the European Monetary Union and the euro was political, not economic. European politicians rationalized that as the use of a common currency would instill in their publics a greater sense of belonging to a European community and that the shift of responsibility for monetary policy from national capitals to a single central bank in Frankfurt would signal a shift of political power. Michael Sivy (2011), as usually said big stories dont break, they ooze. The demise of the Euro is just such a story. Hence each time it oozes, U.S. stock markets drop. The collapse of the Euro, is now inevitable, in the authors view. When it happens, banks around the globe will be shaken and stock markets will plummet. Academics, journalists and even government officials have projected a set of schemes to save the Euro new European financial institutions, Eurobonds backed by all the countries collectively and even a United States of Europe. However it is clear that any such scheme to save the Euro would find little political support. The breakup will perhaps be extremely painful. Nevertheless, the alternatives may be even more unpalatable.

Personal Insight Paper-Group Dynamics -- essays research papers

The Keirsey Temperment Sorter II results imply that I am an ESTJ (Supervisor) and the Strengths Finder Profile results suggest that my five top strengths are ideation, maximizer, input, arranger and command. In the following paragraphs I will identify what I do and how I integrate these strengths in relation to my job, which is administrative specialist for the fundraising division of a not for profit organization called Springfield ARC, better known as Sparc. I will limit descriptions of job related tasks for the sake of brevity. I am responsible for organizing, providing information and taking minutes for three committees throughout the year. These meetings are sometimes combined and sometimes held separately, depending on the time frame of the next fundraiser. I am responsible for all databases, correspondence and communications before and after an event. I am involved in acquiring volunteers, sponsors, advertisers and contributions of various kinds. I am required to delegate tasks to other staff. In this aspect, the command kicks in because I succinctly state what has to be done and why. If these requests are not carried out, I tend to become aggressive in accomplishing these goals. I have been told that one of my best attributes is the ability to call it like I see it. I am told that I am consistent in my gut feelings about an idea in a meeting or the ability of a committee member or staff to perform a task. To this end, my ability to perceive people and ideas out of ...

aldous huxley :: essays research papers

Aldous Huxley was born in Surrey, England on July 26, 1894 to an illustrious family deeply rooted in England's literary and scientific tradition. Huxley's father, Leonard Huxley, was the son of Thomas Henry Huxley, a well-known biologist who gained the nickname "Darwin's bulldog" for championing Charles Darwin's evolutionary ideas. His mother, Julia Arnold, was related to the important nineteenth-century poet and essayist Matthew Arnold. Raised in this family of scientists, writers, and teachers (his father was a writer and teacher, and his mother a schoolmistress), Huxley received an excellent education, first at home, then at Eton, providing him with access to numerous fields of knowledge. Huxley was an avid student, and during his lifetime he was renowned as a generalist, an intellectual who had mastered the use of the English language but was also informed about cutting-edge developments in science and other fields. Although much of his scientific understanding was superficial—he was easily convinced of findings that remained somewhat on the fringe of mainstream science—his education at the intersection of science and literature allowed him to integrate current scientific findings into his novels and essays in a way that few other writers of his time were able to do. Aside from his education, another major influence on Huxley's life and writing was an eye disease contracted in his teenage years that left him almost blind. As a teenager Huxley had dreamed about becoming a doctor, but the degeneration of his eyesight prevented him from pursuing his chosen career. It also severely restricted the activities he could pursue. Because of his near blindness, he depended heavily on his first wife, Maria, to take care of him. Blindness and vision are motifs that permeate much of Huxley's writing. After graduating from Oxford in 1916, Huxley began to make a name for himself writing satirical pieces about the British upper class. Though these writings were skillful and gained Huxley an audience and literary name, they were generally considered to offer little depth beyond their lightweight criticisms of social manners. Huxley continued to write prolifically, working as an essayist and journalist, and publishing four volumes of poetry before beginning to work on novels. Without giving up his other writing, beginning in 1921, Huxley produced a series of novels at an astonishing rate: Crome Yellow was published in 1921, followed by Antic Hay in 1923, Those Barren Leaves in 1925, and Point Counter Point in 1928.

Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay -- Fahrenheit 451 R

Ray Bradbury’s satire, Fahrenheit 451, is a novel full of symbols criticizing the modern world. Among those symbols appears The Hound. The Hound’s actions and even its shape are reflections of the society Bradbury has predicted to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Montag’s world continues on without thought; without any real reason. There is no learning, no growth, and no purpose. â€Å"The Mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating, softly illuminated kennel back in the dark corner of the firehouse'; (24), wrote Bradbury to describe this hound. Like the hound, society was alive yet dead as well, drudging through life; mindless. The Hound was a programmed robot that didn’t thing on its own; that only acted as it was told. Captain Beatty states, â€Å"It just ‘functions’. It has a trajectory we decide on for it. It follows through. It targets itself, homes itself, and cuts off. Its only copper wire, storage batteries, and electricity'; (20), and â€Å"It doesn’t think anything we don’t want it to think'; (27). That society was programmed to not think, wonder or ask why. They didn’t do anything that they weren†™t supposed to do. Today, everything is happening just as The Hound is controlled. Programming is happening in our very world. Take schools for example. Consider Pavlov’s experiment with ringing bells to provoke an automatic response in dogs. He rang a bell; the dogs salivated expecting food. The school board rings a bell, and students ris...

Overview of the Film Freedom Writers Essay

Based on a true story, Freedom Writers is an inspiring film about a young teacher named Erin Gruell (played by Hilary Swank) who chooses to work at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. It is a school that is torn by gang violence and racial tension due to the recent integration program in that district. The story begins in 1994, Erin is a newly hired teacher at the high school and is assigned to teach Freshman and Sophomore English. Teaching at the school is nothing like what she expected, as fights constantly break out both inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, students come to school strapped with guns (if they come at all). The teachers have very little faith in the students and the students have very little faith in Erin Gruell, but as time goes by she develops their trust and respect. Erin throws out her more traditional lesson plans and instead appeals to the students by having them write daily journals about their personal stories. She teaches them about the Holocaust, Anne Frank, and takes them on field trips and to restaurants. At the same time that Erin tries to reach out and inspire these young people, Erin faces a divorce and protests from her fellow coworkers. However, Erin rises above these adversities to inspire her students to soar to new academic and personal heights, none of which they ever thought were imaginable. Erin displays unwavering faith in her students and in their capacity to learn. Likewise, these students find faith in themselves and each other and previous gang, racial, and territorial divides are broken down as students like Eva, Jamal, Marcus, and Brandi gain the courage to do what’s right and improve their lives. The ending is incredibly motivational as Erin gets 35 computers to be donated to her school so that her students can compile their stories from their journals into a book that would eventually be published in 1999. Most of her students went on to college and broke from their previous lives.