Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Haitian Revolution Essays - 1384 Words

The Haitian revolution became the pedestal of slave or black rebellion across many nations in the world. Slaves around the world were seeking to be recognized as equals to their conquerors or colonizers and therefore uprisings began to develop after the orchestration of the first black uprising known as the Haitian revolution. A distinguished black leader Toussaint L’ouverture was one of the prominent leaders of the Haitian revolution. He advocated for equality, fraternity and liberty. He was also well known for being a pioneer of the abolishment of slavery. According to The Caribbean: History of the Region and its People â€Å"the Haitian revolution transformed the very meaning of freedom, not just in the Caribbean but far†¦show more content†¦When Jamaicans got wind of Haiti’s success in their uprising, they began to sing songs of war to encourage their each other to unite and rebel against their colonizers or captors. The Christmas rebellion in Jamaica led by Samuel Sharpe was a one of such rebellion or revolts inspired by the Haitian revolution in the Caribbean. The Haitian revolution had set the ball rolling for movements of abolition and human rights this is how the Christmas rebellion was inspired to revolt against the inhumane treatment of black people in Jamaica. Samuel Sharpe was a learned slave who served his people by advocating for the abolishment of slavery. He was also known to have instigated peaceful resistance among his fellow black counterparts to fight for the ideals Toussaint L’ouverture fough t for. Just as L’ouverture Sharpe was able to organize and keep secret the plan of the uprising during an era where blacks were assumed incapable of organizing themselves. He was able to pull of an army of approximately 60000 slaves to rebel simply by preaching to them about his educated viewpoint of why they should have a right to be treated as equals and not as animals or slaves. Sharpe was able to bring about fear to the white ruling class within the island of Jamaica. Most of the whites feared that the black Jamaican slaves would be successful in their rebellion as that of their Haitian once enslaved counterparts. Though the rebellion was unsuccessful itShow MoreRelatedThe Revolution Of The Haitian Revolution1385 Words   |  6 PagesThe Haitian Revolution is one of the most effective and swift Slave revolts of all time. The causes of the Haitian Revolution were quite simple and was similar to any other kind of slave revolt. Many ideas carried around by slave traders at the time such as treating slaves as property, using social/racial classes, and oppressive control ultimately tipped the slaves over the edge. Ideas of independence also sparked the revolution, and one key inspiration to the cause was The French Revolution. ThisRead MoreHaitian Revolution : The Revolution1199 Words   |  5 PagesHaitian Revolution: The Haitian Revolution was led by Toussaint L’Ouverture from May 20, 1743 to April 7, 1803. It has been described as the largest and most successful slave rebellion. The rebellion was initiated in 1791 by the slaves. In the end, they had succeeded in ending slavery and French control on the colony. The Haitian Revolution consisted of multiple revolutions going simultaneously. The Haitian Revolution existed from 1791 to 1804. It was important because Haiti is the only country whereRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution1975 Words   |  8 Pagesrebellion is called the Haitian Revolution. The Haitian Revolution is one of the largest slave revolts that have ever occurred. Finally fed up with oppression, severed rights under the French, and failed promises of liberty, the slaves of Saint Domingue took matters into their own hands. After years of violence and struggles for freedom, the slaves of Saint Domingue finally were emancipated, making all their efforts worthwhile. The Haitian Revolution is the most notable revolution that have ever occurredRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution And The American Revolution1365 Words   |  6 PagesAtlantic World. In a time that can be called an era of revolution, the Atlantic World faced a multitude of uprisings. The American Revolution in 1765 would be the start of the age of revolutions, and would later inspire the revolutions of other countries across the Atlantic, such as the French Revolution in 1789, the Haitian Revolution in 1791, and later the Latin American Revolutions during the early nineteenth century. The events of these revolutions created shockwaves across the Atlantic that wouldRead MoreHaitian revolution Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesIn 1791 revolution broke out in the French colony of Saint Domingue, later called Haiti. The Haitian Revolution resounded in communities surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. One of the wealthiest European outposts in the New World, the Caribbean islands western third had some of the largest and most brutal slave plantations. Slave laborers cultivated sugar, coffee, indigo, and cotton, and they endured horrible death rates, requiring constant infusions of slaves from Africa. In 1789 roughly 465,000 blackRead MoreThe Haitian Revolution Of 17911317 Words   |  6 Pages The Haitian Revolution To say that all men are born and created equally is an understatement to say the least. Speaking morally, yes. But in reality, no. Especially if you are someone of African descent lost in the diaspora. Case in point, the Haitian Revolution. Holding someone against their will and forcing them into slavery is wrong. To force an unfair and unjustified debt upon a people for fighting for their freedom and winning is double wrong and equally as bad as slaveryRead More The Haitian Revolution Essay2474 Words   |  10 Pageseffects of the Haitian Revolution have played, and continue to play, a major role in the history of the Caribbean. During the time of this rebellion, slavery was a large institution throughout the Caribbean. The success of the sugar and other plantations was based on the large slave labor forces. Without these forces, Saint Domingue, the island with the largest sugar production, and the rest of the Caribbean, would face the threat of losing a profitable industry. The Haitian Revolution did not justRead MoreSuccess of the Haitian Revolution1897 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿The Success of the Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution was the result of a long struggle on the part of the slaves in the French colony of St. Domingue, but was also propelled by the free Mulattoes who had long faced the trials of being denoted as semi-citizens. This revolt was not unique, as there were several rebellions of its kind against the institution of plantation slavery in the Caribbean, but the Haitian Revolution the most successful. This had a great deal to do withRead MoreFrench Revolution vs. the Haitian Revolution762 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution vs. The Haitian Revolution A revolution is a shift, a turning point, a change in government. A revolution usually occurs when the majority of a nation is frustrated with the economic, political, or the social situation of their country. Two very interesting revolutions were the Haitian and the French revolutions. While the Haitian and French revolutions took place in close proximity to one another, the cause for the revolutions and results were quite different. The politicalRead MoreFactors Responsible for the Outbreak of the Haitian Revolution2143 Words   |  9 PagesCaribbean was the Haitian Revolution. This School Based Assessment (SBA) is aimed at identifying the main causes and effects of the Haitian Revolution. Another aim off this school Based Assessment is to seek to find out why most slave protest and rebellions failed to destroy the system of slavery. Factors that were responsible for the outbreak of the Haitian revolution Class division was a major factor, which contributed to the outbreak of the Haitian Revolution. In St Domingue, there

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Price Elasticity of Goods - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 676 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/09/15 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? In general, businesses are aware of demand curves; however, it is rare that they actually know how to recognize those curves. In order to make sound business decisions, it is important to be able to recognize certain elements of a demand curve. For instance, if Apple raised its prices by five percent, what would happen to its revenues? The answer to this question depends on the response of Apple consumers. Will the consumer refrain from making purchases completely or just cut back on them? How a consumer responds to price changes is known as price elasticity. The price elasticity of demand can be influenced by availability of substitutes, the level of necessity or luxury, amount of income required by the product, the time period considered and permanent or temporary price change. In regards to substitute or alternative products, the more substitute products there are, the bigger the elasticity. In reference to necessity or luxury, one must understand that luxury products have a tendency to have a greater elasticity than necessities. For some consumers, there are certain products that at the start have a minimal degree of necessity, but because they can be habit forming they turn into necessities. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Price Elasticity of Goods" essay for you Create order Additionally, products that consumers are required to spend more for are more inclined to have greater elasticity. When considering the time period, elasticity is more likely to be larger over a greater period of time for the reason that consumers have more time to modify their behavior toward price changes. With respect to permanent and temporary price change, a one-day sale will cause a different response than a permanent price reduction of the same degree. The relationship of price elasticity of demand to microeconomics is consumer influence on prices. As previously mentioned, price elasticity is the consumer’s response to price change. Microeconomics looks at how the decisions and behaviors of consumers shape the supply and demand of goods and services. It is this behavior that determines prices; which in turn shows how prices can determine the supply and demand of goods and services. A real-life example of a good that shows elasticity of demand would be cars. In the short term, the demand for cars would be to some extent elastic because a new car purchase can often be postponed or delayed. The demand for particular model would be considerably elastic due to the fact that there are numerous substitutes available. Almost every car manufacturer offers a sedan. Additionally, the purchase of a new car will require a substantial amount of a consumer’s income; making the demand for this product more elastic. Where the demand would be more inelastic is in rural areas. This would be the case because of the small number of al ternative modes of transportation in rural areas. Over a longer period of time the demand for cars would most likely be inelastic in this scenario. Another example would be coffee. To some, coffee is considered a necessity, but in reality it is a more of a luxury. The impact of price on a luxury item is more inclined to be elastic. While there are plenty of brands and flavors, coffee in simple terms would be considered inelastic. On the contrary, a latte has more substitutes; therefore would be considered more elastic than coffee. In conclusion, the price elasticity of demand refers to the way prices change in relationship to the demand and/or the way demand changes in relationship to pricing. It also refers to how much money a consumer is willing to pay for a particular good or service. Having a keen understanding of these concepts will aid in our decision-making process as it relates to product distribution and pricing. References Economics Basics: Elasticity, (n. d. ), Investopedia. com. Retrieved on September 5, 2010 from https://www. investopedia. com/university/economics/economics4. asp Hubbard, R. G. O’Brien, A. P. , (2008). Microeconomics, Second Edition. Prentice Hall Moffatt, Mike, (n. d), Price Elasticity of Demand. A Primer on the Price Elasticity of Demand. Retrieved on September 5, 2010 from https://economics. about. com/cs/micfrohelp/a/priceelasticity. htm

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The United States Invasion Of Iraq - 1683 Words

The Economic Surprise On March 20, 2003 the United States entered into a conflict on two fronts. While the United States military was moving into Iraq, the American economy was taking the first assault of a long and expensive fight. Victory was declared several years ago, and many are content to leave the story at that point. Advocates of the war have hailed its expediency and relatively minimal cost to the United States and its allies. The facts support a different conclusion. The truth lies in the economical devastation that the war in Iraq has left in its wake. The only accurate summation of the war is to say that the United States’ invasion of Iraq was not economically responsible. One reason the decision to invade Iraq was not economically responsible is that the invasion of Iraq caused the United States’ economy to fall apart faster. According to Diane Mermigas in her 2003 article in Television Week, â€Å"Recent weeks have seen significant declines in such critical economic indicators as consumer confidence, consumer spending, new home sales and capital spending† ([1]). This economic downturn can be linked to the war in Iraq in two ways. First, the war in Iraq has cost the United States’ economy trillions of dollars. New York Times columnist Bob Herbert says that â€Å"the war in Iraq will ultimately cost U.S. taxpayers not hundreds of billions of dollars, but an astonishing $2 trillion, and perhaps more† ([1]). A fact of life that will never change is that wars cost money, andShow MoreRelatedThe Invasion Of Iraq By The United States Essay1847 Words   |  8 Pagestheir opposition. However, they are not the utopias of peace that many people envision democracies to be. The invasion of Iraq by the United States of America in 2003 stands as a strong example where the impact of a forced regime change has resulted in unrest and violence. IGO’s like the UN promote democracy in a less invasive and obstructive way and are a lot more successful. The invasion of Iraq clearly demonstrates the dangers of promoting democracy in an undemocratic international system. The spreadRead MoreThe United States 2003 Invasion Of Iraq1374 Words   |  6 Pages THE THEORYOF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THAT BEST EXPLAINS THE UNITED STATES’ 2003 INVASION OF IRAQ Name: University: Instructor: Date: Introduction The war in Iraq is noted to have been initiated by the American’s efforts to fight terrorism. At the time, the British and the Americans had affirmed that Saddam Hussein, the then Iraq’s leader was associated with terrorism that had internationalized. Moreover, they had established that Saddam HusseinRead MoreThe United Kingdom And Iraq During The Invasion Of Iraq1407 Words   |  6 PagesThe 2003 Invasion of Iraq began on 19 March and ended 1 May 2003 with coalition forces the United States and its allies (United Kingdom, Australia and Poland) invading Iraq, called Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United Kingdom Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair felt that the threat of terrorism from Iraq must be dealt with immediately, with his speech in Texas 2002 saying that the United Kingdom must be prepared to act where weapons of mass destruction and terrorism loom over them. 1 The war endedRead MoreIraq Invasion of Kuwait vs US Iraq War Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pages Iraq Invasion of Kuwait vs U.S Iraq War Iraq and Kuwait have a long history; Kuwait played a huge part in the Iran-Iraq war, mostly financially. Open warfare began on September 22, 1980; Iraq claimed Iran shelled a number of border posts on September 4, 1980. Kuwait funded Iraq during the Iraq-Iran war, which caused tension between the two nations when Iraq couldn’t pay the $14 billion dollars back to Kuwait when it was time to settle their debt. The Iraqi government asked Kuwait to forgive theRead MoreThe Iraq Invasion Of Iraq1548 Words   |  7 PagesThe Iraq Invasion is definitely a subject of immense controversy regarding whether or not it was the appropriate action by the United States. Should the United States have interfered in Iraqi affairs? What was the real intention of accusing Iraq for having weapons of mass destruction and holding them accountable for the 9/11 terrorist attacks even though they were innocent of both allegations? Did the U.S. media cover all the truth in Iraq? Was the main purpose of the invasion the greed of oil Read MoreEssay The Invasion of Iraq was Illegal1703 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieve the invasion of Iraq was illegal. However, the failed diplomatic policies of the United States are what led to the failed invasion of Iraq. George W. Bush sent an invasion to Iraq with only Congress approving his â€Å"Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002†. However, he did not have the authorization he needed from the United Nations, therefore, the invasion of Iraq was illegal. It is true that Saddam Hussein was killing his own people, but the United States shouldRead MoreThe Debate Over The U.s. Invasion Of Iraq1165 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The Debate over the U.S. invasion of Iraq continues to foment dissension among international relation theorists. While the invasion can be evaluated through different IR theories, majority suggest the invasion can be assessed through two popular IR theories: Realism and Marxism. Also, I found another useful theory, which will fit in the case if this invasion is security dilemma. There is always controversial among international politics scholars, which discussed the theories that wereRead MoreTerrorism Between Iraq And The United States Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pages After the gulf wars, a ceasefire was negotiated between the United Nations coalition and Iraq. During the ceasefire, the United Nations became aware that Iraq had started a biological warfare program in the 1980s, as well as a chemical warfare program. Upon further investigation, they found that these programs had not continued after the war. As a result, the United States main focus moving forward was the removal of the Saddam regime, their official foreign policy for years to come focused on thisRead MoreAmerica s Invasion Of Iraq1143 Words   |  5 PagesA Polarizing Topic: America’s Invasion of Iraq The Iraq war is a highly polarizing topic in the United States and abroad alike. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, there were a lot of discussions on terrorism, but former U.S. President George Bush (in office 2001-2009) addressed things differently. In the new globalized world, as we know, you need consensus amongst constituent nations to gain support for a war. However, the Iraq war did not have the support that was needed to build a successfulRead MorePolicemen of the World947 Words   |  4 Pagescongressional approval to send troops abroad, engage in bombing attacks, or dispatch US military personnel to work with international allies. The Unites States has been in more than 50 military actions in the last half century this can average out more than one a year. And to mention there is still no recollection to cast a verdict on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since September 11, 2001, there have been many explanations of the ways in which the arrangement of global power is changing or will

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Key Auditing Concepts for Professional Scepticism-myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theKey Auditing Concepts for Professional Scepticism. Answer: Auditors while performing an audit engagement, are required to exercise certain approaches such as professional judgement and professional scepticism in their work since audit is conducted to enable the auditor to express an opinion about the true and fair view of the financial statements of an entity. Professional scepticism requires the auditors to remain alert to anything unusual indicating the possibility of material misstatements in the financial statements of the company, which they come across during the audit process. The approach to keep a questioning mind throughout the audit process is necessary to critically assess the audit evidences which assists them in drawing a conclusion based on which audit opinion is formed. Although it is not the statutory duty of auditor to detect the frauds and errors in the financial statements but still they are supposed to follow the concept of professional scepticism if they find any information that casts doubt about the reliability of nec essary documents and the inquiry responses of the relevant parties. Even if there are contradictory evidences on a particular audit matter the auditor must apply professional scepticism to determine the genuineness of the audit evidences. There are 3 main elements of professional scepticism which interact whenever auditor encounters the unusual situations (Hurtt et al., 2013). These are attributes mind-set and the action. First one is the Attributes includes the auditors knowledge and skills. Second element is Mind-set includes the auditors behavioural approach towards the audit i.e. the auditor cannot start his work of audit with suspicious framework of mind about the entitys management. Therefore, the auditors should not be influenced by the evidences that are less persuasive by nature. Actions is the third element which involves gathering and critically examining the audit evidences to assess the genuineness of the entitys books of accounts. For the purpose of critical assessment auditors must the sufficient and appropriate audit evidences. While pursuing the approach of professional scepticism auditors must extend the audit procedures whenever they find anything unreasonable. Moreover, auditor is also required to assess the appropriateness of going concern assumption adopted by the company and if during the audit engagement he identifies certain indicators which affects the reasonability of going concern assumption he must extent his audit procedures.(Quadackers, Groot Wright, 2014). Auditors are the external parties appointed by an entity for the purpose of conducting audit so as to raise the level of confidence of the investors and other stakeholders of the company. Therefore, to ensure their independence auditors are required to apply professional scepticism in the audit planning and while performing the audit procedures. Earnings Management It is the practice where the business managers manipulates the financial reports of the entity in order to deceive the stakeholders about the companys financial position so as to ultimately attain the economic benefits. As the value of firm is influenced by the level of earnings reported by it, the managers tends to manipulate the earnings with the motive of attaining the economic incentives (Cohen Zarowin, 2010). It is therefore difficult to determine whether these practices of earnings management are acceptable or they form part of fraud done by the management to mislead the investors. Financial reports are considered as the most effective way of communication of information between the company and the stakeholders about the financial performance of the company. The critical nature and usefulness of financial reports necessitates the need of audit of financial statements by an independent party (auditors) so as to increase the creditability of financial statements in the eyes of t he shareholders. Therefore, the auditors are required to maintain the highest degree of independence while conducting an audit and at the same time auditors are also required to apply professional scepticism and professional judgement during the entire audit process. The exercises of earnings management can either be for the purpose of showing higher income or for showing the lower income in the financial statements of the company (Badertscher, 2011). For example, the managerial remuneration system of a company requires the managers to generate a certain level of earnings so as to earn incentives and bonuses and in order to gain the incentives the managers engage themselves in the earnings management exercises. The company may be suffering losses which is affecting the reasonability of its going concern assumption then to raise funds from financial institutions the management may increase the earnings in the reports as going concern assumption is based on companys viability to conti nue business in the future. Also, to gain the governmental subsidies and assistances management adopts the practice of earnings manipulation (Gunny, 2010). Discretionary Accruals: Accruals are one of the two components of total earnings of the company. The other component is the direct cash flows from the operations of an entity. The total accruals are the estimates and judgements made by the management to reflect better economic performance through improved earnings accounting. Accruals can be either discretionary accruals or non-discretionary accruals (Linck, Netter Shu, 2013). Discretionary accruals is the component that the managers can select on their own, within the accounting regulations flexibility, to adjust the cash flows of the company (Badertscher, Collins Lys, 2012). Discretionary accruals offers the business managers with the flexibility to manipulate the companys earnings so as to influence the stakeholders. Due to the involvement of extensive managerial judgement this component is more subjective than the other components of earnings. The audit of the entities with more discretionary accruals is difficult than the audit of entities with lesse r amount of discretionary accruals (Kent, Routledge Stewart, 2010). This type of accruals at times holds two elements that are, the disturbance caused by the unethical and aggressive reporting done by the managers for their personal benefits and the information element which enables the managers to share their inside information. Since the highly skilled auditors have greater experience and knowledge to separate the information element from noise, they are capable of enhancing the informative quality of discretionary accrual by restricting the unethical and unreasonable reporting practice. List of References: Badertscher, B.A., 2011. Overvaluation and the choice of alternative earnings management mechanisms.The Accounting Review,86(5), pp.1491-1518. Badertscher, B.A., Collins, D.W. and Lys, T.Z., 2012. Discretionary accounting choices and the predictive ability of accruals with respect to future cash flows.Journal of Accounting and Economics,53(1), pp.330-352. Cohen, D.A. and Zarowin, P., 2010. Accrual-based and real earnings management activities around seasoned equity offerings.Journal of accounting and Economics,50(1), pp.2-19. Gunny, K.A., 2010. The relation between earnings management using real activities manipulation and future performance: Evidence from meeting earnings benchmarks.Contemporary Accounting Research,27(3), pp.855-888. Hurtt, R.K., Brown-Liburd, H., Earley, C.E. and Krishnamoorthy, G., 2013. Research on auditor professional skepticism: Literature synthesis and opportunities for future research.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,32(sp1), pp.45-97. Kent, P., Routledge, J. and Stewart, J., 2010. Innate and discretionary accruals quality and corporate governance.Accounting Finance,50(1), pp.171-195. Linck, J.S., Netter, J. and Shu, T., 2013. Can managers use discretionary accruals to ease financial constraints? Evidence from discretionary accruals prior to investment.The Accounting Review,88(6), pp.2117-2143. Quadackers, L., Groot, T. and Wright, A., 2014. Auditors professional skepticism: Neutrality versus presumptive doubt.Contemporary Accounting Research,31(3), pp.639-657. Kindly use the references in case any follow up is required on any of the above explained topics. Yours Sincerely, Students Name

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Medea Essays - Women And Death, Argonauts, Operas, Medea, Medes

Medea Medea Title of Work: Medea Country/Culture: Greek Literary Period: Classical Type of Literature (genre): Drama/Tragedy Author: Euripides Authorial information: Euripides was born in 484 BC and took up drama at the young age of 25. At most drama competitions, however his plays came in last place until he was about 45 or 50 years old. In his entire life, he wrote 92 plays of which only five received first place awards at competition. Euripides despised women. He had been married twice to unfaithful women and had three sons. This hate of women is shown in his work of Medea. Author's unique style: Euripides' characterization of women is considered unique in the play Medea because the tragic Hero/ine - in this case Jason and Medea in each one's own sense - is done over by a woman after cheating on her with the princess of the King of Corinth. He places emphasis on human emotions and individual psychology in order to help the reader produce a clear picture of the characters. Medea features strong dramatic situations and a stirring part for the heroine, whose attitude of feminine pride and tradition is still popular in today's world. Setting: The entire play takes place on the island of Corinth in present day Greece. Individual places such as Medea/Jason's home, and the palace of the king and princess are also spoken of and used in the play. It has an ancient Greek setting as well. Theme: "What goes around comes around." The theme of revenge in the sense of Medea's strong desire to seek revenge on Jason. Another possible theme of Medea may be that at times a punishment of revenge should justify the crime - no matter how severe. Only a person in such a situation (and greater beings) may know what to action to take in this position. Characters: Medea - The strong willed woman who would do anything for her husband is victimized by him and turns deadly. After going to a great extent to help Jason - killing people to be with him and married to him - he turns around and marries a younger princess and leaves Medea and their two children with nothing. This deeply angers Medea - her tragic flaw appears to be an over excessive sense of revenge - who goes absolutely berserk and kills the princess and her children to get back at Jason for leaving her. She is very decisive and intelligent and had thought through her actions against Jason before carrying them out. Jason - The Husband of Medea who leaves her for another woman - the King of Corinth's daughter - claiming it would be better for both Medea and their children if he "got in good with the king". Jason obviously is not caring about his wife who actually killed to be with him. He does however still love his children. His flaw of apathy or the fact that he is not perseverant causes his downfall when Medea has his wife (the princess) murdered as well as his children. This causes Jason to be extremely disturbed - but it is deserved. King Aegeus - The present King of Athens who is very sympathetic. He is friends with Medea and understands her problem. He tells her that she may come to Athens and seek refuge if she pleases. He has no children and asks if she will "provide him with some". In this sense, he is a jolly fellow who assists friends in time of need. He also provides Medea with a place to go and be protected after she goes on her killing rampage. Nurse - The Nurse plays a somewhat minor role and yet influences the story of Medea. She is employed by Medea to look after the children but the Nurse also gossips and provides advice and assistance to Medea. She provides the audience with background information on the play and puts pieces together of the "big picture." The Nurse begs Medea to not do anything rash because of Jason but says that she knows Medea will so that foreshadows the though of tragedy in the play. She also sympathizes Medea but as soon as Medea is not looking, the Nurse criticizes her as being somewhat over reactive. King Creon - King Creon finds disfavor on Medea for many reasons. Most of all he believes she may decide to kill his daughter out of spite. Quotes: "O God, do you hear it, this persecution, these my sufferings from this hateful woman, this monster, murderess of children? Still what I can do that I will do: I will lament and cry upon heaven, calling the gods to

Sunday, March 8, 2020

A Critical Review of Yahoo! Corporate Governance Essays

A Critical Review of Yahoo! Corporate Governance Essays A Critical Review of Yahoo! Corporate Governance Paper A Critical Review of Yahoo! Corporate Governance Paper A recommendation is then given followed by a conclusion to the analysis. L. Introduction Corporate governance has come along way since the 1 9th century. What was once an elite fraternity based on little more than cronyism and family connections has now taken on a new shape, resulting from greed and deceitful corporate breakdowns of iconic companies in the first part of the 21 SST century. If the 19th century was the century of the entrepreneur; and the 20th century was the century of management; then the 21 SST century is the century of corporate governance. This paper seeks to review the governance in a publicly listed company whose equines performance has been criticized publicly and to report about its governance protocols and practices. A brief description of the company in question followed by the criteria for the review of governance will be presented. Then, a critical review of their existing practices will be forwarded. Finally a list or recommendations will conclude the review. The goal is to shed light on boardroom practices and to better understand past events so to prevent them from reoccurring. 2. Background Yahoo! S a SIS based multinational Internet company headquartered in Californians silicon valley. It is widely known for its Web portal, search engine, Yahoo! Mail, advertising, online mapping, social media and a myriad of other services, including popular acquisitions such as Alabama, flicker and Tumble. Yahoo! Was founded in 1 994 and was once one of the most popular sites in the US. However, in recent years, its been plagued by poor governance. Between 2009- 2012, the board had dismissed 5 Chief Executive Officers, indicating a history of CEO problems with dire need of stability at the top. The current CEQ Marimbas Mayer has been in place since 201 2 and has also been heavily criticized; however, her leadership has changed the dynamic and ultra of the company, resulting in a tripling of the stock price and acquisitions worth over $1 billion. (Geol. 2014) The next section will explore the criteria for the review of governance. 3. Criteria for review In light of on-going setbacks at Yahoo! , the following criteria have been identified, including a discussion on their importance and why it is appropriate to use them. Yahoo! As a section addressing my criteria in their Corporate Governance Guidelines and nothing appears out of place, in other words, the guidelines are concise and appropriate, according to the textbook. (Trickier 2012) 3. Board membership criteria Although this may seem basic at first glance, it is not. Boards operate differently company to company. In theory, an active board oversees the formation of strategy in shareholder favor, they develop incentives fo r the CEO and other managers to tackle whilst also working toward the agreed upon strategic objectives. The board also critiques the performance of management against such objectives throughout the year and also formally once annually. It is important for boards to run smoothly, as outlined above so to monitor the business, stay abreast with changes in the marketplace so to be in a session to act quickly when required. There is always work to be done by board and committee members, (independent or external) law also requires regular reporting and shareholders require updates. This is an appropriate way to operate because if a board becomes passive, the effects will trickle down and a change in company culture will ensue. To avoid this, and to follow best practice, boards and committees are voted in by shareholders and reviewed annually by the chairman. 3. 2 Selection of the Chief Executive Officer Selection of the Chief Executive of the company is reserved for an active road committee (often independent) who is nominated to do the legwork in the nomination process. The idea is that the nomination committee, headed by its own chairman accept suitable referrals and vet said referrals (and leads) based on the board requirements. Best practice suggests that by the time a nomination is put forth to the chairman, the audit committee has already approved the candidates background and confirmed that no known conflict of interest exists. Not only is it important that each board member be given a specific task or project, its also important to have clear guidelines in place to undertake one f the most important board obligations. Chief Executives are typically not identified easily or hired quickly and the search itself is often expensive. For this reason, shortcuts cannot be made or left up to assumption. It is appropriate for a board to have nomination guidelines in place for top-level positions before exploring the market even begins and well before candidate engagement. By having such guidelines approved and published, it lessens the possibility of oversight by committee members who may feel pressured to tick all the boxes before a formal nomination can be presented, with a genuine seal of approval. . 3 Independence of the Board As a result of the breakdown in governance of iconic companies such as Enron and Arthur Anderson, governments from each country have been forced to take action to preserve the rights of shareholders and employees. An example of this can be found in the US, UK and Australia who operate as a unitary board, unlike Europe, which operate on a two tier board consisting of the executive board and the supervisory board. By law, the unitary board must include independent directors (INDEED) and committees. The paradox of the unitary board is the greater a directors independence, the less he/she is keel to know about the company. The more the INDEED knows about the company, the greater his/her potential contribution, the less his/her perceived independence. According to the textbook, an independent board is one that is capable of performing under the direction and leadership of a non-executive chairman or lead director so no to fall prey on initiatives from management or internal directors. (Trickier 201 2) Independent directors have periodic meetings of independent directors to evaluate management against the strategic goals. They follow strict rules to keep a fair, unbiased balance between the board ND management. This is important because it demonstrates greater transparency to the shareholders and to the SEC, SOX and other government regulators. A lack of transparency was a pattern followed by every board of companies that have since been found guilty in criminal court. It is appropriate to adopt an INDEED board not only to satisfy laws but also to demonstrate that action has been taken to ensure that the board as a whole is fair, that board members come from diverse backgrounds with unique areas of expertise, including industries. Independent Directors are equally accountable to the chairman of the board, hat they are offering is another a new way to view challenges faced by the company and offering the best solutions. . Critical review of Yahoo! Governance Yahoo! Has experienced tumultuous board movement over years, considering that the company is only 20 years old. Many past board members have held their seats for only one year. As of this day, there have been thirteen past board directors which suggests a critical lack of congruence within the business. There are currently ten board directors, including Mayer, CEO. Each director boasts a diverse set of skills and experience from companies that align with Yahoo! , which is ideal and half appear to be independent, also a good thing. It has been acknowledged however, that half the board were replaced following Mayors induction in what is reported to be a buyout. Its been reported that those she bought out would have become made her new post difficult as they likely would have clashed at some point and that it would likely be due to character first and strategy direction, second. (Yarrow 2013) According to Yahoo! Corporate governance guidelines, The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall be responsible for assessing the appropriate balance of criteria required of Board members. It is true that a board will often nominate new members with the induction of a new CEO; however, it is reported that Mayer handpicked this board to support her. (Swisher 2014) If this is the case, then it brings up many concerns and questions. The textbook identifies nine concepts and principles for corporate governance. (Trickier 2012) In the case of board selection, believe the following principles sing out: judgment, and accountability. The execution Of best judgment is expected in any nomination. The boards decisions should e made for the greater good of the company, rather than to promote personal agendas. Records show that although Mayer may have nominated half her board, the shareholders and existing board directors have approved it. In other words, they appear to have gone through due process as stated in the company guidelines. One would hope that the current board will prove not to be yes-men and that they will be supportive yet unbiased and even critical as required as cronyism has lead many a company down slippery slopes. The concept of accountability suggests that directors are answerable for their actions and decisions. Mayer must have already known that as one of the first changes she initiated at Yahoo! Was a weekly meeting that everyone was invited to attend to have their questions answered based on recent decisions, changes in the business and write ups in the press. Employees submitted questions online and the first 5 questions with 50 votes would be addressed. Mayer even allowed employees to submit anonymously, which naturally invited in the tougher questions. From an outside perspective, this was a genius move on her part and showed that she was being transparent and penny willing to put herself on the line. This next topic goes without saying that Yahoo! Has been hit hard by the mismanagement of their Chief Executive Officers in recent years. As stated above, the selection of the CEO is a critical task of the board and its committees. Yahoo! Has terminated four Chief Executives in three years. Mayer took the reins in 2012 following Scott Thompson resume embellishment that was made public only four months into his tenure. Each of the two interim Chief Executives had been deemed unsuitable to take the role on permanently. This is an example of poor governance; the situation tit Thompson may have gone away more rapidly had Yahoo! Not already terminated the 3 Chief Executives before him. This is also a problem of succession planning as 2 of the interim Chief Executives were internal. On the other hand, how might a company be prepared to nominate two internal Chief Executive candidates who are ready for the role in such a short space of time? Chief Executives are not interchangeable. It is believed that Yahoo! Did the best with what they had to work with, it just wasnt enough. To make matters worse, at the time of the Thompson revelation, the chair of he nomination committee, Patti Hart (who approved Thompson) was also found to have an embellishment on her resume. This is was an embarrassment for Yahoo! As the filing had already gone to the SEC to which the board was accountable. The concepts that stand out in this instance are: honesty, meaning not misleading and of strong morality and integrity, mean inning of high moral value and professionalism; such principles are expected by a board of a ($billion) company. One article describes the dilemma well. Should we be focused more on education or on ethics? Enders 201 2) As an outsider, I believe ethics weigh stronger than education; especially as top executives receive ongoing, relevant training and development. In Thompson case, he resume claimed a computer science degree from the asss which would have added little value to the company. Makes one wonder if it was really worth the risk. Oversights do happen, yet this particular one had been following him around since the early asss. Based on the updated company nomination guidelines, such mistake will likely never happen again as better, more appropriate checks and balances have been set in place. The final topic is around independence. As outlined above, a unitary board just have independent directors and committees to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the company. At the time of Thompson and Harts tenure, the only thing that makes sense is that the board became too comfortable and exercised gross oversight and incompetence. The trouble here was that the board didnt question the independent committees findings. Independence is important, though so is due process. (Labeled Sillies 2003) The audit committee was not involved and the chairman at the time was known for not rocking the boat. Brenner 2014) The results were crippling for the company. The concepts that require discussion and analysis are: responsibility, having clearly defined roles and reputation, an estimation of having done something well. Although each board member looked adequate on paper, there were many gaps that could have been avoided if the directors had been diverse enough or willing t o take a stand to ensure that all the boxes have been ticked. It seems that each was relying on the other to do the right thing and each accepted the general consensus without further query. This proved damaging to the reputation of the entire board and some lost their appointments as a result. On a positive note, Yahoo! Now have a new guideline in place to ensure that three committees review and approve a nomination before it goes to the board for further review. This is consistent with best practice for unitary boards. 5. Recommendation Mayer has been CEO for a little more than two years. Since then, she has driven more than 30 acquisitions worth more than $1 billion; she has also initiated a monthly bell curve review of all staff which determines merit for bonuses and in some cases, termination. Stock price has tripled under her tenure. Her decisions are not always popular, yet shes doing what few before her were able to. Therefore, its recommended that the board continue to give her money for acquisitions and also for RD to make Yahoo! Known for its products, not just its acquisitions. Mayer has been heavily criticized in the press for making decision based on feeling. Not all her decisions have worked out well, yet she has not yet created a pattern of poor decisions making. I recommend that she remain CEO for another two years to bring her strategy to fruition. That way, shareholders will continue to reap the rewards of the tock price whilst Mayer continues to harness energies toward customer experience, which is where her expertise lies. 6. Conclusion The past several years have been tough for the company. The good news is that Yahoo! Appears to be turning things around for the better. It was a big risk for the board to hire a green CEO. Her successful track record at Google as well as her industry contacts and networking skills will prove invaluable. Meyers gender, age and rapid ascent into executive management have earned her a national celebrity status.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Market Risk Analysis on Solar Thermal vs. Solar Photovoltaic System in Essay

Market Risk Analysis on Solar Thermal vs. Solar Photovoltaic System in UK - Essay Example It is a universal knowledge that the burning of oil and natural gas could produce and emit excessive carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that could trigger global warming. To combat the global climate changes, the UK government decided to gradually shift from the use of non-renewable to renewable energy resources (Committee on Climate Change, 2010). Recently, the Committee on Climate Change announced that the Scottish Government will reduce the carbon gas emission by 3.5% annually between 2020 to 2050 (Committee on Climate Change, 2011). As a result of increasing the use of non-renewable energy resources, the annual emission of carbon dioxide throughout the United Kingdom decreased from 8.95 metric tons per capita in 1995 down to 8.6 metric tons per capita in 2007 (Federal Statistical Office Germany, 2010). Solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal is another form of renewable energy resources that will enable the UK government to generate electricity using the sunlight that falls upon the silicon layer of a solar system (Goodall 2007, p. 268). To enable the reader gain a better understanding of solar PV and solar thermal system, a brief literature review will be conducted concerning the nature and advantages of these two alternative energy resources. Given that existing UK renewable energy industry is focused on the use of biofuels, wind power, and hydroelectricity, this report will conduct a risk management analysis whether or not the UK government should extend its financial and political support in the promotion of either solar photovoltaic or solar thermal as one of the potential renewable energy resources throughout the United Kingdom.