An analysis on the sudden decline of Enron in 2001 Essay Example for Free

An analysis on the sudden decline of Enron in 2001 EssayEnron was comp either that was underframeed to the Northern essential bungle Company which traces its being to the early 1932 in Nebraska. The company was reorganized back in 1979 and formed as the leading subsidiary company of Internorth. In 1985 the company acquired the smaller Houston Natural Gas and in the process it formed its name to Enron. (Haney 2001, p. 28)Originally the company was involved in the transmitting and distributing electricity and gas in the United States. It was alike involved in the development and building of power plants and pipelines. The company extended its services to the rule of law and in other infrastructures in the world.The company own large had a large net buy the farm of natural gas pipelines stretching from ocean to ocean and from border to border. Its holding included Northern Natural Gas, Florida Gas Transition, Trans-western Pipeline Company and a strategic alliance with Norther n Border Pipeline from Canada.These holding were real cash woes the kept investors coming to the company. It expanded its ventures and enthronisation in every corner of the country. These investments helped the company to make huge profits. By 1998 the company had entered the water sector and created the Azurix Corporation. The company floated its shares in the New York Stock transfer but it failed to make a mark in the market. It did not break in the water utility market and ended up as a major m iodiny-loser. (Andrew 2001, p. 9)In 2001, Enron announced that it continued to grow wealthier. Due to its pi atomic number 53ering spirit in marketing and promotion of power and communication bandwidth commodities and other related derivatives including alien items like weather derivatives. The company was named as the most innovative company by the Fortune magazine for 6 consecutive years spinning form 1996-2001. In 2000 it was listed among the Fortunes 100 best companies to work for i n America. It was hailed for its labour and workforce policies including the long-term pensions and other benefits. It was one of the well managed companies in America. (Krugman 2001, p. 8)But this fame was not to alert long. The effective oversight policies that had been associated with the company were at the end exposed to be fraud. It turned out to be the worst corporate fraud ever undergo on American soil.This search will look the rise and the sudden parentage of Enron which was famed as one of the greatest companies in American history.Aims and objectives The principal(prenominal) aim for carrying out the bring was to cook a full understanding of the sudden fall of the great company and the factors that contributed to the fall. This is important as it can fork over future guideline in management as it gives an insight on how effective management can turn and destroy all the good work that it has achieved.The following were the objectives for carrying out the study To asses the unconscious process climate of Enron and how the company was able to prosper in the market To assess the management of the company and how it contributed to the sudden fall of the company. To asses the corporate fraud that led to the fall of the companyLiterature reviewCases of commercial enterprise scandals are not new in the care world. It has become the comparable as being told the that two great companies are merging in a deal worth billions of dollars and the corresponding story surfaces tomorrow informing you of how the same company have been implicated in a major scandal and financial rip-off. The business press these days has more stories on business scandals than it has on prosperity of mergers. It has been shown that although the stock market boom is over, the boom of business scandals is still on.According to Ledbetter (2002) it has not been a wonder at any moment in life to hear of companies coming together to expand their operations, but it has become mor e stunning to hear of prosperous companies involved in all courtesy of scandals. It is like the business scandals have become the order of the day.Jayne and Greg (2004) concur that there are many an(prenominal) factor that have been contributing to the increased business scandals in the world but some of the factors that have really contributed to the increase is the effect that they have on the personal lives. Most of those who have been implicated in business scandal have not been punished in a way that other are likely to learn from them. For practice when Nathan Chapman was sent to jail for 7 years for defrauding the Maryland state pension fund system and for looting three public trade companies which he owned, he only thanked the testimony that was presumption by three of her former mistresses as they helped to put him behind bars. This shows the many of those who have been implicated in these scandals do not only defraud their sure shareholders but they also betray thems elves and their families. Greg shows that these individualists may be suffering from some kind of social or mental deficiencies and they are led by greed, ego, and vitiate ideals.Most of the business scandals do not arise because there are no strong institutions to deter their occurrence but they are caused by individual who are more raise in serving their own interest rather than the interest of their own shareholders. In this case it has been shown that it is a faulty management that can be attributed to the rise of business scandals. It is due to lack of morals in business scandals continued to hamper the trust of shareholders on corporate leaders. For eccentric while Enron was shown to have strong institution that were even praised and helped it to be classified as one of the Fortune 100 companies, there was not practice of business ethics in the company which eventually led to the scandal. (Brewer 2002, p.7)Business ethics are important practices that have been recognised in the business world as them most acceptable ways that helps to have fairness in the practices. Business ethics is a form of applied ethics in business operation which inculcate the ethical principles and the moral and ethical issues and the way they are to be addressed as they arise in the course of operation of the business. Business ethics is an important cooperate practice that ensure that the business keep to the normative and descriptive factors in the course of its operation.Business ethics requires a company to do what it is supposed to do and in the right way. Business ethics are the same the social and moral ethics but as applied in business. There are ethics that are applicable to all the sectors of business operation. There are ethics in accounting information, human resource management, gross revenue and marketing production, intellectual property, and in other business areas.Most of the business scandal usually occurs due to lack of practice of business ethics in one of those areas. In some companies there may be scandals that many occur due to breach of more than one area as listed above. For example in case of Enron in America it had breached ethic in production and distribution of power, human resource, accounting practices, and in other areas.MethodologyThe study generally collected data from the secondary sources. The study used qualitative research using a case study. In this case Enron Company was used as the master(prenominal) sample. The study decided to use qualitative research in order to collect detailed data about enron. By concentrating on Enron, the study was able to gather as much data as possible that was used for the study. The study chose to use qualitative research instead of quantitative research since it wanted to collected detailed data about the operation of the company that would give an insight on what happened and the overall fall of the company. The study was not interested in the quantitative data but it was inter ested on whom, when and how things happened.Most the data was collected from secondary source. The study used various sources of data that gave any information regarding the operation of Enron Company. It also looked at various case studies that had been done before regarding Enron and the ethical issue r4egarign the operation of the economy. The following were used as the main sources of information for the study Websites Periodicals and journals Magazines Books Company reportsThe data collected was analysed in comparison with the studies that have been done before. The practice that led to the fall of the company was benchmarked on the unavoidable ethical practice in the corporate world in America.The research was conducted for one week through the analysis of the above mentioned sources. There were a trope of ethical issues that were taken into consideration in the hookup of the data. In the process of the correcting data the research visited several libraries and other source s that could help to get information on the operation of the company. The researcher ensured that the information that was requested was only the one that pertained to the operation of Enron and its eventual fall.The research also ensured that it reduced the amount of bias in the collection of data as much as possible. Although it considered personal views that had been expressed by different writers about the operation of the company, it did not bank on their opinion which could have been biased. Instead it concentrated on collecting facts.ResultsIn the 1990s, Enron was universally accepted as one of the most innovative companies that had made crucial step to contain to the new market that and the new economy to record success in an old industry that had remained unattractive due to the high risk that was involved. The company had harvest-tide to success very fast and in the same way it coma crumbling down. (Floyd 2001, p. 4)The eventual fall of the company has been attributed to the scandals that ware perpetrated by individual persons and the whole government activity in general. From the 1990 to1998, Enrons stock had recorded a rise of 311 percent and which was considered to be one of the highest growths in the country. The stock had just soared in a unmindful period in the stock market. In 1999 the stock further rose by 56% and 87% by 2000. It was rated the most innovative company at the same by the Fortune magazine owing to the success it had made. But his image was to change in a short period of less than one year. In less than a year the company was in tatter and stock price fall nearly to zero. The main question that was asked by many people not only the shareholders was what was the main reason behind the fall of Enron once a successful company in period of less than one year? (Bryce 2002, p. 4)Though there were a number of activities that led to the eventual fall of Enron, the unfolding events from 2001 have been earmarked as the final blow that drove the blast in. The following events that happened in a period of one year were responsible for the fall of the companyOn August 14 2001 Skilling resigned from the company after heading it for just 6 mothers. He cited the need to have more time with the family although there was a factor the sagging share price. He was succeeded by pose as the CEO.On august 22 the vice president Sherron Watking met with Lay in order to discuss a memo she had written citing looming accounting problems.On 12th October, An Arthur Anderson lawyer contacted a senior partner in Houston to remind him that the company did not uphold a polity of retaining documents that were no longer postulate which prompted the shredding of the documents.,On 16th October the same year Enron which had been posting huge profits before reported a quarter loss of $638 milling loss and it also disclosed a $1.2 billion reduction in the shareholders equity. This was actually attributed to the partnership that was run the chief financial office Andrew Fastow. (Gilpin 2001, p. 8)On 22nd October Enron acknowledged Securities and sub Commission inquire in the probability of the a conflict of interest which was related to the dealings and partnerships at the companyOn 23rd October Lay who had false the CEO passion expressed his support for Fastow. Fastow was eventually ousted in Oct. 24On October 31st Enron accused the SEC inquires that had been upgraded into a forma investigationOn November eighth Enron restated plans to consolidate partnerships arrangement retroactively. The profit from 1997 to 2000 had declined by more that $591 million and the debt had increased by more $658 million. (Swartz 2003, p. 3)In November 9th it entered tin a merger with DynergyIn November 28 major credit rating agencies now downgraded Enrons debt to junk bond status which made the liability to retire its $4biono f its $13 billion debt. At the same time Dynergy pulled out of the proposed merge. (Berenson 2001, p, 23)On Dec ember 2 the company led for bankruptcy in New York and at the same time it sued Dynergy for breach of contract.

Coens’ No Country for Old Men Essay Example for Free

Coens No Country for experienced Men EssayMcCarthys renowned novel, No Country for venerable Men was superbly handled by the duo directors, Joel and Ethan Coen in their adapted version for the screen, virtuoso of the most praised exposures of 2007 of the same name. The flick had the format of a crime thriller. however like the novel, the adopt deals with the exciting adventurous darn of a drug deal which goes misuse and the cat- and- mouse drama among the three major characters of the novel, Llewelyn Moss- the protagonist, Anton Chigurh- the antagonist and the elderly homo Sheriff Ed Tom Bell who supervises the investigation. Before getting into the main discussion whether the film version has done proper justice to the novel or non, it is important to know some of the basic details of the novel itself. No Country for venerable Men gets counted among the finest works by the American author, Cormac McCarthy. The story revolves enlarge the incident of an illicit drug deal in a remote location, United States and Mexico Border in around 1980. There are four major characters in the novel apart from Carla Jean Moss, the young wife of Llewelyn.Llewelyn Moss, the protagonist is a welder who is the victim of the deal and Anton Chigurh is the antagonist, the psychopathic character with eyes Blue as lapis. At once glistening and totally opaque. Like wet stones (McCarthy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. 2005) dark brown h contrast and dark complexion. In short, Chigurh is non a pleasant character. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, the old spell is a World War II veteran who is asked to carry out the investigation of this drug deal. It is he who has to experience the horrors of numerous crimes and murders. He tries his best to solve it and his reminiscences form thePage 2 core part of the narration. Carson Wells is the fourth man who gets into the action. He is the former lieutenant Colonel from Vietnam War and another hitman who has been specially hired to retrieve money from Chigurh. Most of the story is being narrated in third mortal which is interrupted by the first person reminiscences from Ed Tom Bell. The novel comes up with the minimum dialogue but McCarthy could create the mystical air which the readers bed most. According to the critics, Anton Chigurh is one of McCarthys most memorable creations. Chigurhs relentless loyalty to recover the cash made him the most unusual character of the plot. He is ready to eliminate bothone who comes in between Moss and him. He knows his job and he is loyal to it. His use of homemade weapons like coffee- can silencer or air driven cattle gun make him even more interesting to the readers. Sheriff Bell, the old man is thus not suitable for the mission he has been assigned. The novel era is in need of another brutal man to combat the psychopath like Chigurh. The novel ends with the revelation of the harsh truth that the old workforce will not find an ideal awkward to live in this modern era.The no vel is an excellent crime thriller with the revelation of the biggest truth of the mercenary civilization. (The functionary Web Site of the Cormac McCarthy Society, No Country for Old Men 2005). The Coen brothers did a brilliant job as far as their handling of the matter of No Country for Old Men is concerned. The movie is based on a well knit script which focuses on the episodes of the novel. The setting of the film is scarcely the same which the readers have Page 3 visualized while reading the novel by McCarthy. The first scene of the film introduces us to the desolate country side of West Texas. pull the leg of Brolin is Llewelyn Moss in the film who plays the perfect role of a tragic protagonist who is chased by the psychopath Anton Chigurh, acted by Javier Bardem. The Coen Brothers did not forget the use of the unique weapons by Chigurh. A captive bolt pistol is shown to the viewers in the scene where Chigurh strangles a deputy of Sheriff. The movie involves lots of shooting , hiding sequences, driving and running scenes to keep the pace of the crime thriller in tact. The objective was that the viewers must feel the pulse of the thrill. The real man of the plot is surely Sheriff Bell acted by Tommy Lee Jones.Lee Jones did a wonderful job in the film playing the aging man who could not find an ideal country to live in. He realizes that he is not suitable for todays era. The main characters serve as the loose ends of the enigma that revolves round the drug deal. It was the task of Coen Brothers to tie up these loose ends in such a fashion that the viewers get the theme of the novel. The objective of McCarthy was not to show the shooting skills of these characters but the consequences of exercising free will, game of chance and the predestination.The film version succeeded in inducing the link between fate and thoughtfulness into the minds of the viewers. The motifs of the novel like predestination, chance and free will or the ironic relation between fat e and circumstance have been finely flitterd in the scenes of the movie. Chigurh decides his confidence by flipping coin and this episode has been used by both the novelist and the directors to show the immense importance of the theme of chance in life. Scott Foundas wonder sufficienty summaries the end of the film in The Village Voice, In the end, everyone in No Country for Old Men is both hunter and hunted, members of somePage 4 exist species trying to forestall their extinction. (Scott Foundas, Badlands, Village Voice, Nov 6, 2007) A. O. Scott of New York Times comments Bell, Chigurh and Moss occupy the screen one at a time, almost never appearing in the frame together, even as their fates become ever more intimately entwined. ( Scott, A. O. 2007-11-09, He Found a Bundle of Money, And Now Theres netherworld to Pay, New York Times Performing Arts/Weekend Desk1) This was the objective of McCarthy and Cone Brothers and they succeeded in giving a proper shape to this mission in t heir film version of the same novel.Even Roger Ebert states that the movie demonstrates how pitiful ordinary human feelings are in the face of implacable injustice in the Nov 8, 2007 random variable of boodle Sun- Times. In short, it can be said that the film is the perfect adaptation of the novel with very little alterations. It captures everything from the mystery of the plot to the unique act of the characters to the claustrophobic urban night to the mid day open sky of the desolate land of Texas.Cinematographer Roger Deakins shot numerous landscapes to signify that the film is not about any heavenly redemption but earthly sin which is devoid of any divine intervention. The novel has been brilliantly adapted in the film and masterfully alter to serve the purpose. The critics have pointed out that each and every dialogue and scene has been taken from the pages of the novel. Thus, Coen Brothers did not allow the critics to raise the issue which one is better, the novel or the f ilm version. Both can be considered to be a single creation.The movie highlights the theme of fate which actually picks up the man who is going to die next. It is a game of destiny and the characters are Page 5 mere puppets in the hands of the same although they think they are deciding the following actions. Coen Brothers could deliver the message of the death of society and evil cannot be defeated which McCarthy wanted to show in his novel. It is not about the death of any particular individual but the death of the human society. The great instruments should also be credited for the success of the film on with the directors.They delivered their best natural performances. sound like the book the film is quite violent and bloody and thus it accurately reflects the essence of the original source. The Coen Brothers knew that casting is the most difficult task for the devising of No Country for Old Men. Sheriff Bell is the soul of the movie and the directors were pretty serious abou t the selection of the actor for the role. They picked up Tommy Lee Jones and succeeded in their mission. The directors knew that they were in need of a truly great actor and Lee Jones being a Texan was the most suitable for the job.But the task for selecting an actor for the role of Moss was even more difficult. Ultimately Coen Brothers found the actor Josh Brolin, the breakthrough screen actor who could understand the reason why Moss was introduced in the plot. Josh Brolin played his natural role in the film. Now, the Coens were in search of Chigurh, the dark character lacking the sense of humor as portrayed by McCarthy. Bardem was chosen after his immense success in Before Night Falls and The Sea Inside. Thus, casting was done brilliantly by the Coen Brothers to deliver the message of McCarthy. only the major actors and actresses were nominated either for the Oscar or Emmy Award including the Scottish actress, Kelly Page 6 Macdonald who was chosen for the role of Carla Jean. (In terview with Joel and Ethan Coen in Emanuel Levy after the film was premiered in the Cannes Film Fest 2007) The Cannes review states Cinematographer Roger Deakins captures everything from mid- day open- sky vistas to claustrophobic night time urban action in timing and tension, No Country for Old Men is one of the most suspenseful films the Coens have ever made, which says a lot.Cormac McCarthys novel has also been impressively well- adapted- improved and altered, but nonetheless full of McCarthys clear, concise yet poetic voice. With all of the seemingly standard- issue thriller plot devices in the piece-money, guns and trouble- theres dim chance that some king not catch the smaller, subtler themes of No Country for Old Men, which would be a shame this is a story about death, not just murder this is a story about want, not just money this is a story of principle, not just pursuit. . How we live, how we die, what we regret, what we fear.(Rocchi James, May 20th 2007, Cannes Review N o Country for Old Men, Cinematical. com) No Country for Old Men was not the first venture of Coen Brothers as far as handling a crime thriller is concerned. In circumstance they are quite specialists in this genre. They handled the same genre in Blood fair 1984. Joel wrote the story and it had the same kind of Texas setting as in McCarthys novel. It was all about A shady Texas detective (M. Emmet Walsh), on the trail of an adulterous couple, is smarter than everybody else in the movie but not luckier, as he realizes when his handPage 7 gets stuck on a window ledge. (Ranked among the 10 scoop Coen Brothers Moments by TIME in an article by Richard Corliss) Blood sincere was not that popular as No Country for Old Men. But it is quite evident that Coen Brothers were not freshers when they took up the story by McCarthy for a in(predicate) film version of the same. In Fargo 1996, Coen Brothers filmed the story of a car salesman who hired men to kidnap his own wife for a sum of cardin al thousand dollars. The crime ultimately led to a chain of murders and an investigation process.Coens managed to get seven Academy Nominations for this film and won the Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress Award. The film also earned positive response at the Cannes Film Fest 1996. Thus, Coen Brothers had already mastered the art of filming a crime thriller plot by the time they ventured into No Country for Old Men. No Country for Old Men is definitely a film of better quality than Blood Simple and Fargo. This film bagged three British Academy Film Awards, four Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay along with two Golden Globes.But the film No Country for Old Men is not appreciated by all. Some critics are not quick with the film version of the novel although the film is the accurate adaptation of the same. The reminiscences of Ed Tom Bell at the beginning of each chapter of the novel are lose in the film. The viewers admit that the movie is interesting and they were impressed by Bradems performance but they complained that the good film is very Page 8 slow paced, and the ending is incredibly abrupt and thoroughly unsatisfying. (Film review posted by Melissa Niksic on 3rd Apr 2008 in amazon.com) The film spoken communication has to be different than the language of the novel simply because these are two entirely different media of expressions. There was almost no music in the entire film. The objective was to deliver the message through the silence. It is true that this is not a movie for everyone. Those who love to watch crime thrillers or are well introduce with Coen Brothers style, they will surely love it. Otherwise, the movie is too much about chasing, murder, blood and pursuit. But we cannot blame the directors for that because that is what is there even in the novel.Although Coen Brothers have altered few scenes and ignored few chapters from the novel, that really did not affect the mes sage that need to be delivered. Every director chooses the scenes that will contribute to the development of the plot and ignore the ones that are not relevant. The objective is to give a proper shape to the novel and Coen Brothers have definitely done that with wonderful casting, superb cinematography, and their techniques to weave the intrigue plot of a crime thriller, minimum dialogue and minimum use of music.The film raises important theological questions regarding Truth and Justice and Judgment. It would be wrong to criticize the film as a misinterpretation of the novel rather it has given a new dimension to the concept of the death of society highlighted by McCarthy. The movie is indeed a fine adaptation of the novel with slight pardonable alterations to suit the language of film. We can draw the veil of this discussion as it was summarized by Ryan Parker, The Graduate Theological Union in the film review for No Country for Old Men in JRF, Page 9The Coen brothers index to wea ve comedy and drama of the utmost seriousness, along with spot- on casting and flawless performances have all resulted in one of their best films to date and sure enough one full of fodder for theological discussion. (Vol 11, No. 2 October 2007) Page 10 Work Cited Interview with Joel and Ethan Coen. Emanuel Levy. Cannes Film Fest 2007 Melissa Niksic, film review, amazon. com, posted on 3rd Apr 2008 McCarthy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. 2005 Richard Corliss, Ranked among the 10 Best Coen Brothers Moments.TIME Rocchi James,Cannes Review No Country for Old Men, Cinematical. com, May 20th 2007 Roger Ebert. Chicago Sun- Times. Nov 8, 2007 edition Ryan Parker, The Graduate Theological Union in the film review for No Country for Old Men in JRF, Vol 11, No. 2 October 2007 Scott, A. O. He Found a Bundle of Money, And Now Theres Hell to Pay, New York Times Performing Arts/Weekend Desk1. 2007-11-09 Scott Foundas, Badlands, Village Voice, Nov 6, 2007 The Official Web Site of the Cormac McC arthy Society, No Country for Old Men 2005

Bama Team Essay Example for Free

Bama Team EssayBama is a team based company that takes cargon of its employees to ensure business growth. The People self-assertion System (PAS) not only trains and informs but alike makes sure that employees know the key expectations for their motions. The companys leaders system provides the framework for the PAS and integ evaluate the leaders responsibilities with HR systems so that business objectives can be achieved. When certain profitability objectives are met, employees are in any case given additional compensation.Applicants are hired based on basic requirements. Hourly employees are hired through a temporary employment agency. Professional, technical and management employees come from internships, external recruiters, personal references, nationsjob.com and job fairs.The leadership system has the Employee Success Discussions (ESD) and Organizational Development Discussions (ODD) where employees are given feedback and employee development opportunities. The ESD is a positive feedback system that provides the chance for hourly employees and their supervisors to discuss and plan performance issues. The ODD provides management employees feedback from immediate bosses, customers, peers and direct reports. These observations are also used by the didactics staff to modify their training offerings. The company also has the call forth from within philosophy that allows employees to advance their positions based on their own merits.The system also ensures the personal and professional growth of employees through tuition assistance programs, training programs, and technological and maintenance courses. All new employees are given on-the-job trainings. Newly-hired managers are given a six hour session on culture, honest standards and other company policies. Safety trainings have before and after evaluations that help assess development. The Six Sigma system assigns Black Belts that help teams attain goals. Update and just-in-time trainings that are ex tendable are given on applications and new processes. To ensure mastery, written course evaluations, in-class brainstorming of improvement ideas, post-testing, assessment and supervisors follow up.Bama ensures employee support, satisfaction and retention by having surveys (semi-annual and even anonymous), roundtables, and focus groups. The HR also addresses financial compensation, benefits, personal development (e.g. Fitness Center), involvement, recognition, communication and leisure through its services. Other measures like accident rates and employee retention are also taken into consideration.Employees are encouraged to give their improvement suggestions on human safety, product quality, processes to save time or money, equipment manner and quality of life for employees through the Fresh Ideas Program. All employees, except for those paid hourly, get rewards and awards for it.Effective two-way communication is vital to Bama. For this, the company has established the Bama commu nicating and Sharing Process, a roundtable process, an open door policy and the Bama News. The business systems infrastructure also encourages skill sharing across units, jobs and locations. Two-way radios are also provided for efficiency.Healthy and safety of working environment are also priorities of Bama. It has a Key Elements plan, safety training programs and policies in place to secure implementation of safety laws.. Random drug testing is also done to ensure that Bama remains a drug-free workplace.Monthly safety audits are also done to work through potential hazardous situations. Employees may also write Safety Work Orders or Near Miss Reports. Security systems like staff, fences, gates, pass-coded doors and surveillance cameras are also regularly assessed. Emergency and disaster preparedness provisions include planning (using ammonia refrigeration systems), training (e.g. CPR and fire safety), drills and multiple production lines.

Theories of Adolescent Risk Taking

Theories of Adolescent Risk TakingAdolescence is seen as a period when an item-by-item is unable to competently assess guess. There is a general teaching that adolescents believe that they atomic number 18 invulnerable to assay thereby unable to discriminate certain manners. Be antecedent of this, adolescents be adjudged to be less aware of risk. This provides the reason the reason why there are legal limitations on adolescents right (Bellotti, 1979, Gardner, Scherer Tester, 1989). On the other hand, some view adolescents as having the capability to making informed and competent decisions as adults (Melton, 1984). This means that some see adolescents as seeing themselves as invulnerable.This idea is supported by Elkinds theory (1967, 1978). In this theory, Elkind argues that people become cognitively egocentric when they first enter into glob operations. Because of this, adolescents believe that they are unique and special making them immune to certain things. They see them selves as invulnerable to scathe. This geocentricism and invulnerability are expected to reduce as the individual moves from middle to late adolescents. But some believe that this theory on geocentricism is not associated with adolescence transition into formal operations, and that it is not limited to adolescence alone (Frankenbreger, 2000, Gray Hudson, 1984).In addition, research has not rear any coercive correlation between geocentricism and perception of invulnerability (Dolcini et al., 1989). amicable researches on adolescence puzzle not been helpful in resolving the debate between adolescents perception of invulnerability to risk and adolescents competence. There are numerous spotty studies on this issue. There are factors that whitethorn be responsible for these inconsistencies.According to Millstein and Halpern-Felsher (2002), these inconsistencies whitethornbe callable to the methods used to measure risk perception. Some researchers used probabilistic assessment, t hat is, the chance that an outcome will occur (Quadrel et al., 1993, Gochman Saucier, 1982) while other researchers like Finn and Brown (1981, Cohn, Macfarlane et al. (1995) examined adolescents perception about harm, that is the amount of harm that could be caused(p. 401). This has the ability to cause disparity between the studies and also questions the validity of these findings. Another cause of this disparity is founderure of researchers to consider behavioral experiences across come alongs and control for it. eon some of the anterior studies that focused on adolescents age group and those that compared adolescents and adults found a significant difference in awareness of and consideration of risks (Ambuel Rappaport, 1992, Chassin et al., 2001), some others found few differences. angiotensin converting enzyme of the studies that did not support the idea of adolescents invulnerability is the one conducted by Millster and Halpern-Felsher (2002). In their studies, they took into account the above identified problems in studying adolescents and vernal adults risk perception. While other researchers used participants parents to measure comparison between adolescents and adults risk perception, these researchers use unrelated childless adult to eliminate this problem. Their reason for using unmarried young childless adults was because those with children may micturate a greater awareness of risk because of their positions as parents compared to childless and non parent/unmarried young adults.This is because using adolescent participants parents may create problem of non independence between the groups. They used 433 adolescents and 144 young adults between the ages of 20 30 as comparison group from racially various population and from geographically and demographically similar area. They tried to find out age differences in risk judgement and if adolescents risk judgment differ from those of adults, and if vulnerability perceptions to harm are to a gr eater extent prevailed in adolescents than adults.In the result, they found a significant difference between young adults and adolescents risk judgment. Also, there was a significant age group differences between older adolescents and younger adolescents. Older adolescents assessed probability of negative outcome to be lower than younger adolescents. The study challenges the general belief that due to adolescents developmental status, they view themselves as invulnerable as well as underestimate risk. Adolescents dont see themselves as invulnerable, though they may fail to grok specific risk related to a specific behavior, and at the same time, may over estimate the benefit of such behavior. Even later controlling for behavioral experiences, younger adolescents perception of risk was greater than older adolescents, and adolescents grokd greater risk that young adults. Because younger adolescents have been taught that pursue in risky behavior results in significant risk, they ar e likely to believe it (Millstein Helperin-Felsher, 2001). But with increased exposure to peer risk behavior coupled with maturation, adolescents are able to observe that not all risky behaviors have a negative outcome. The researchers observed that the participants over estimated risk. Young people already have a sense of heightened vulnerability and that continuous emphasis on the negative outcome of risk might be counterproductive, in that it might conflict with adolescents own experiences as they might realize that not all risky behaviors result in negative outcome. The result of this study is in contrast with the popular belief that adolescents perceive risk less than adults do and that adolescents also see themselves as invulnerable.Another research that is consistent with the above finding is the work done by Baumgartner and gibe (2010). They investigated adolescents and adults perception of cyberspace risk, especially online versed risk. Previous studies on online risks founf that adolescents are vulnerable (Mitchell, Finkellor Wolak, 2001, 2007b, Yabarra, Mitchell, Finkellor, Wolak, 2007). These findings are based on the assumption that adolescents are massive internet users. There are scientific/research evidence to prove that adolescents are more vulnerable online that adults and that adolescents reported a very negative feeling such as being afraid from online informal solicitation (Mitchell et al., 2001). Some reasons for this unwanted online sexual solicitation include the fact that due to adolescents massive developmental changes at his stage, the need to relate to others increases thereby making them vulnerable to unwanted sexual solicitation (Singelman Rider, 2003). On the other hand, adults may not be keen on interacting with strangers, thereby decreasing the risk of unwanted sexual solicitation.Another reason for this vulnerability is that adolescents spend more time online and this may increase their chances of receiving unwanted onl ine sexual solicitation (Jones Fox, 2009).The empirical evidence to support that adolescent take greater risk than adolescents have been inconsistent. The difference between adults and adolescents risk perception may be because adolescents today are more familiar with internet amd newer social networks compared to adults. In their study of 1765 Dutch adolescents and 1026 Dutch adults, done through online survey, Baumgartner and Peter (2010) investigated age and gender differences in unwanted online sexual solicitation. The result showed that female adolescents and young female adults are at the greatest risk of this online harassment. This may be because of the specific online activities that they are involved in, or may be because they are just the targets of these perpetrators. A reason for this may be because these groups of people use the internet as a means of communication rather than for entertainment, and the the use of internet for chatting increases the chance of unwante d sexual solicitation. Because one of the challenges during adolescence is identity formation, these adolescents may use the internet to relate to others by self disclosure or to share intimate details (Mazur Kozarian, 2010, Calvert, 2002). They also found that young girls find this undesirable and may be more emotionally and cognitively vulnerable to such messages compared to older female adult. This means that adolescent girls feel vulnerable with such behaviors, this is in contrast to the general belief that adolescents perceive some behaviors as risky. An emerging adult may cope better in such situation, precisely an inexperienced adolescent may be more vulnerable and may need protection than adults. There was also evidence of increased online risk for older adolescents male and adults compared to younger adolescents. This may be because as one gets older, one partakes in more risky behavior compared to when one was younger.This is evidence against the notion of adolescents in vulnerability. Another reason for this increased online sexual risk found among older adolescents and adults may be because sexual interest does not decline with age or after adolescence, and sexuality being an important part of adults, engaging in online sexual risk may help satisfy these sexual needs.Though these evidence that adolescents do not engage in more risk than adults does not mean or suggest that adolescents behaviors should be neglected. Risk behaviors are interpreted differently by adolescents and adults (Parsons et al., 1997). It is seen as a normal thing when adults get through out private information about themselves online based on the assumption that adults can handle any negative consequence from such behavior distant adolescents, such behaviors may be frowned at because any negative outcome may be detrimental and may affect their normal development.In addition, although risk may have potential negative outcome, it also serves an important cause in adolescent d evelopment (Jessor, 1992, Igra Irwin, 1996) as it helps adolescents develop autonomy and maturity. It also helps in coping with anxiety and frustration. Online sexual risk may also help adolescents in developing their sexual identity. Hence, online sexual risk behavior should not be viewed as detrimental to adolescents, but it could also serve to facilitate healthy development. This study shows that adolescents, especially younger adolescents are risk aware, and that the fear of adults about adolescents online sexual risk behaviors is unfounded.A study by Haase and Silbereisen (2011) linked the effect of negative affect on adolescents risk perception. This study is in contrast to the above studies that adolescents have a higher risk perception than adults. And that this depends on the affect. That perception depends on our mood or emotion either cocksure or negative. Other studies have linked positive affect to lower risk perception (Johnson Tversky, 1983). This means that adoles cents who are emotionally open are influenced by this. The Haase and Silbereisen (2011) study examined the effect of positive affect on adolescents and adults risk perception. The study involved the use of audio-visual method to induce emotion. Research has shown that negative emotion leads to a higher risk taking, because the individual tries to overcome the bad mod through engaging in activities that are rewarding in short run and can potentially have noisome effect on the long run (Tice, Bratslavsky Baumeister, 2001). But from the result of the study, they found that when an individual is in a good mood, he is less likely to perceive some risky behaviors like smoking and alcohol drinking as risky. The study also examined the effect of mood across age groups. It was found that positive affect lowers risk perception across age groups, whereas negative affect led to lower risk perception among mid adolescents but did not for former(a) adolescents and young adults. This may be beca use developmentally, mid adolescents have a high stress vulnerability (Spear, 2000), and a higher risk taking (Steinberg, 2008).Therefore, it has been shown that affective influences fulfil a big role in adolescents risk taking. When adolescents are in good mood and excited, they tend to indulge in risky behaviors or they may judge some behaviors as risk free. Because previous studies have used questionnaire to assess adolescents risk taking, using experiment showed that adolescents partake in risk behavior and that this risk taking is influenced by affect either positive or negative. This means that adolescents and adults may be more risk averse when they are go about with situations that do not give rise to great emotions, and this may not be captured in questionnaire study. This result in conflicting findings on adolescents risk taking, but using experimental design may show the real situation when the adolescents are faced with strong emotions. Feelings may alter risk percepti on.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant DisorderNo This two-letter word isnt as small and irrelevant as you may like to think. Frequently aphorism no, especially for a child or adolescent, could be a sign of anomalous or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Of course, saying no is normal when expressing a negative view or a dissenting opinion, but if your child is practically defiant, it may be cause for concern.How often is often? Melanie Haiken of Health Day has an interesting answer/analogy. She said, For nigh children, episodes of oppositional behavior are like the raisins in the oatmeal cookie-undeniably present, but not the main event. For a child with ODD, there are so m each raisins that its hard to see the cookie. This implies that saying no or exhibiting defiance for a child with ODD happens so often that the true personality of the child is masked.This isnt normal or the standard in a child of a certain age or developmental level. If the defiance is a sign of ODD, your child is at a disadvanta ge. Untreated, the condition stick out get worse, contributing to their difficulty in interacting with sight in any setting.The Normal Defiant baby birdNot every defiant child has ODD. According to the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, All children are oppositional from time to time, specially when tired, hungry, stressed or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is often a normal part of development for two to three twelvemonth olds and early adolescents. The criteria used by professionals to indicate ODD are also typical for any child having a bad day, or going by a phase when they become independent or develop a keener sense of individuality. The difference is in the frequency and intensity of the behavior.Frequent and openly persevere and argumentative behavior can be a sign of ODD. These behaviors need attention if they happen often, if the manifestations are severe, or if the behavior viola tes social norms or the rights and rubber eraser of other people.The ODD ChildA child with ODD manifests a pattern of irritable, angry, and argumentative behavior. They will refuse to follow rules, argue with people in authority, and be resentful of their siblings or peers. They will also deliberately annoy others or make them angry. The condition is defined by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the youngsters day to day functioning. Generally, the symptoms are exhibited in places where the child is most comfortable, such as at home. Some children may also exhibit their defiant behavior at school, so it is advisable that you stay in the curl by communicating with teachers. To find out whether the defiant behavior that your child exhibits is a symptom of ODD, get your child evaluated by a therapist. Some noteworthy symptoms areArguing e xcessively with adultsFrequent temper tantrumsActive defianceRefusing to comply with requests or follow rulesDeliberately attempting to annoy or upset peopleBlaming others for misbehavior and mistakesBeing touchy or easily annoyed by othersSeeking revengeIf your child is defiant, working with a therapist is recommended, because defiance isnt unless a feature of ODD-it can also be a symptom of other emotional conditions, such as depression and bipolar disorder. If your child has ODD, they can also be threatened to developing ADHD or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as other learning difficulties.Beating ODD Before It Ruins Your Childs ChancesODD has a pretty high occurrence among children and adolescents, but its causes have not been clearly established, and helping your child manage it could be difficult. This is a good agreement to seek help from a capable therapist contracted with Carolina Counseling Services in Pittsboro, NC.Uncontrolled ODD not only makes you r child vulnerable to many other emotional conditions and relationship-disrupting and biography-disturbing behaviors, but can also lead to conduct disorder over time and ruin their chances for a quality life beyond childhood. With early treatment, the outlook for ODD is good. Mild ODD often improves as the child grows older.Your life as a family may also be turned upside down by your child with ODD, who may be argumentative and difficult to discipline. Your usual parenting style may not work on a defiant child. A therapist can empower you as a parent to encourage your child to be more agreeable, cooperative, and obedient. Rather than assimilate in unproductive and exhausting power struggles, seek help from an experienced therapist independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services in Pittsboro, NC. Call this instant to make the first appointment

Free College Admissions Essays - The Colors of Our World :: College Admissions Essays

The Colors of Our World   White sees black as criminally minded Black sees Asian as racially blinded Asian sees Jew as money-motivated Jew sees white hoods, white-robed hatred Around and around but it stops when I found That I start with my own look I gotta break down My own racist mind, mind be free Take me one step closer to equality   Most of my bread and butter has been spent in an almost completely white community. Until last summer, I had only known one person of color, a kid on my eye school cross-country team. We got along pretty well except for the time he hip-tossed me before a meet and cracked a bone in my arm.   I notice that at times I find myself prejudging others on the color of skin. I was forced to confront all that I believed on the guinea pig of race and equality when I was accepted as a counselor for our church camp. Along with the 28 other summer counselors, I arrived on the chiliad to discover those who would become my lifelong friends. One of them was a black teenager, Justin. Being accustomed to spending time with only whites, at first I had problems adjusting to universe with that which was different. Now I look back and wonder how Justin dealt with being the loner among an all-white team.   All thoughts of race and any other differences among any of us soon attenuated as we became a close family. Of course, remarks were made now and then to the color of Justins skin, but always in loving fun. For example, we often got together as a group to hang out at the beach or pool in the evenings to play beach football or swim. One time Adam, another(prenominal) summer counselor, acted scared wondering where Justin was because he could not see him in the dark. So he yelled out, Hey, Justin Where are you? I cant see you. Smile. Everyone laughed at the parody including Justin, giving his location away by the white of his teeth.

Racism: a Short History Essay example -- Race Racism Essays

Racism a Short HistoryGeorge Fredrickson makes an argument ultimately against the dichotomy between civilization and savagery, specifically the resurgence of ethnoreligious dogmatism that, according to him, replaces 20th century race theory in order to justify continued inequities and sociopolitical oppression worldwide in Racism A outline History. His book delineates the rise of modern race theory, beginning in Medieval Europe and synthesizing an explanation for the existence and success of the overtly racist regimes, the United States, due south Africa, and Nazi Germany. Fredrickson cautions, however, that racism can easily become interchangeable with religious bigotry when facing corporatism that aims to alienate, marginalize, and devalue human beings as mere consumers with little function or any collective sense of identity. Racisms ultimate goal, according to Fredrickson, is to establish a permanent hierarchal order that, has two components difference and power. Fredrickson s analysis is plausibly one of the most direct and functional definitions of racism that I have run across in a while. His delineation reads,My theory or caprice of racism, therefore has two components differenceand power. It originates from a mindset that regards them as different from us in ways that are permanent and unbridgeable. This sense of difference provides a motive or rationale for using our power advantage to threat the ethnoracial Other in ways that we would regard as cruel or foul if applied tomembers of our own group. The possible consequences of this nexus of attitudeand action range from unofficial but pervasive social discrimination at one ending of the spectrum to genocide at the opposite . . . In all manifestatio... ...ention to suggest, on any level, that religion does not remain one of the defining elements of political power in this country. Race, as an immediate and visual discriminatory practice however, is seen played out much more plainly and it on ly seems to make sense to close with evaluator Harry Blackmuns 1978 decision to uphold affirmative action.In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently. We cannot - we dare not - let the Equal Protection clause perpetuate racial supremacy. (Fredrickson, 143). whole caboodle CitedChurchill, Ward. A Little Matter of Genocide Holocaust Denial in the Americas, 1492 to the Present. San Francisco City Lights Books, 1997.Fredrickson, George. Racism A Short History. Princeton Princeton University Press, 2002.