Fundamentals of Research Essay

This paper will discuss the connection between scientific methods and research in the human services field. By comparing and contrasting, qualitative and quantitative research as well as the describing steps involved in scientific method is answered using realistic examples that may be used in the human service field. The pros and cons of the mixed methods are identified are relevant in the human service environment. The Scientific Method and Human Services â€Å"A scientific method is described a scientific approach to research and mainly depends on empirical reasoning; which discusses the use of combining logic and the use of careful observation and measurement that is accessible to other researchers† (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008, p. 20). In other words, scientific method is a method to gather information, conduct an experiment, and produce a hypothesis. Researchers use the data from different sources, such as a survey, questionnaire, interview, or polls to formulate hypothesis or an educated guess). Descriptive, relational, and experimental research can be used in the human services field. For example, â€Å"descriptive research consists of researching how things are. Relational researching describes how things are in relation to other things. Experimental research is a combination of descriptive and relational research† (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008, p. 20). The hypothesis is a base for discovering who did what and why. For example, researchers in the human services field can use descriptive research to look at the characteristics of an alcoholic teenager. They may also focus on how it may affect the teenager’s relationships with others, behavior, performance in school, and obtaining, and maintaining his or her first job. Scientific methods are valuable assets within the human service and related fields because; the method helps determine new and improved ways to assist a client with his or her crisis. Steps in the Scientific Method The steps included in scientific methods are identifying research, reviewing literature, specifying a purpose for the study, data collection, analyze or  interpret the collection of data, as well as report and evaluate the research (Creswell, 2008). For example, contributing factors in a student’s poor performance in school. Step 1: Identifying the research A student has poor performance in school. Step 2: Reviewing literature. Select and research the statistics have contributing factors that lead to the poor performance in school. Step 3: Specifying the purpose for the study. Student’s poor performance is because of unexpected circumstances. Step 4: Data Collection Approximately 25% of students in school encounter uncontrollable circumstances before and during a course of study. Step 5: Analyzing or interpreting Data Poor performance may be due to financial, mental, emotional, or physical difficulties. Step 6: Report and Evaluate results of Research The research has found that the poor performance before and during a course of study is typically among students who are affected by one or more of the above instances. This occurs in about 100 out of 500 students. Quantitative and Qualitative Research Quantitative researchers decide what is necessary to study by asking specific or constricted questions by the collection of numerical data from participants. For example, the 25% of students display negative affects through some sort of difficulty during at least one course of study. Qualitative research relies on the opinion through answers to general questions during data collection from participants. â€Å"This occurs when researchers describe and analyze these words for premise; and conducts the  inquiry in a subjective, biased manner† (Creswell, 2008, p. 46). The determining factors focus on deciding what type of research to use, such as the type of problem, the audience, and personal experiences. Most students describe the poor performance as frustrating and overwhelming. Some students may begin to cry or lose eye contact during the interviewing process. Methodology â€Å"Methodologies suggest how inquiries are formed by demonstrating problems worth investigating, how to frame a problem, how to develop suitable creation of data collection, and how to make the logical link between them† (Jackson, 2007, p. 23). Combining both forms of data uses quantitative or qualitative data to gain more improved understanding of a research problem than each one separately. Qualitative research data typically comes from field work (Morse, 2005). Collected data is through interviews, direct observation, and written documents. Morse states that data from an interview is the participant’s exact words; relating to his or her experience, opinions, feelings, and knowledge (Morse, 2005). The observation of data is gathered from the behavior of the participant. Some examples of written documents are correspondence, questionnaires, and surveys. Mixed Method Research â€Å"A mixed methods research design is a procedure for collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative research and other methods in a single study to understand a research problem† (Creswell, 2008, p. 552). Sometimes qualitative research data is also used during mixed methods (Caracelli & Greene, 1993). To study a larger spectrum, combing multiple methods is feasible. Triangular design, embedded design, explanatory design, and exploratory design are just a few examples of mixed method research. Conclusion When the human service professional uses scientific method, they typically use empirical reasoning to explain the results of data collection.  Scientific research helps human service professionals identify trends and indifferences among clients to enhance the quality of his or her life. The research also suggests methods to suppress the negative outcomes in the lives of the clients and their family. This is done by using qualitative data using numbers and quantitative data collection using personal experiences, surveys, or polls. References Caracelli, V. J., and Greene, J.C.(1993). Data Analysis Strategies for Mixed-Method Evaluation Designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 15(2) Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/ Merrill Prentice Hall. Jackson, R. L., Drummond, D. K., & Camara, S. (2007). What Is Qualitative Research?. Qualitative Research Reports In Communication, 8(1), 21-28. doi: 10.1080/17459430701617879 Morse, J. M. (2005). Qualitative research. In Carl Mitcham (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (pp. 1557-1559). Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference USA. Rosnow, R. L., & Rosenthal, R. (2008). Beginning behavioral research: A conceptual primer (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

B&D Hbr Case

Black & Decker Case Memo From my point of view, Joe Galli should pursue a â€Å"build share† strategy by dropping Black & Decker name from Proffesional Tradesmen segment but promote DeWalt brand with serviced and distributed by B&D with an â€Å"Industrial Yellow† color. Underlying cause of B&D low market share on power tools is the consumer perception that: â€Å"tradesmen doesn't want a tool that has the same name as his wife's toaster. Trademan basically viewed B&D as for use at home rather than on the job. Product research, both lab tests and â€Å"blind† field testing conducted that B&D has a highly competitive product quality on majority of the categories. So the issue is all about the branding. On the other hand B&D has a higher score for customer services as opposed to market leader Makita as highlighted on the table below, that B&D should exploit those weakness of Makita.Neither buyers nor distribution channels of Consumer and Professional-Industrial Se gments has any intersection with the Professional-Tradesmen Segment thus dropping B&D name from tradesmen segment will not have negative effect on other segments buying behaviour. On the contrary, tradesmen will be pleased to hold a poer tool differentiated with brand name and color from the home applicances that the wife uses.Also note that DeWalt has a higher awar eness rating than B&D and it has achieved scoring better than B&D on â€Å"one of the best† agreement for tradesmen segment. Since using the current B&D name with a copycat strategy will not get internal support from Nolan Archibald and GaryDiCamillo, going with DeWalt alternative most likely to please upper managent. From the retailer perspective, current situation is unsatisfactory in terms of sales therefore such an alternative to build share will also please retailer.

Memoir Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Memoir Assignment - Essay Example untry to another- they don’t suffer from anxiety or added worry trying to conform to new surroundings or adjusting to a culturally oriented society, totally different from their own, but definitely, they are missing out on an exciting part of their lives. When speaking of myself though, I’ve had the good chance of this happening to me and that too, at such an opportune moment. I had to adapt myself to mass differences socially, culturally, economically, and even in a somewhat spiritual manner as well. These changes hadn’t been easy for me and needless to say, I don’t see how they’d be easy for anyone. It was a day like any other; a sunny April morning, the heat of which had been whetted the night before, due to the chill April showers. I had taken a shower and had spruced myself up with an expensive after – shave. I wore my brightest shirt with jeans and moved with an air of conquering the world. My life changed dramatically when I was just in my teens, the picture of which is clearly etched forever in my minds eye. I was drawing back the floral blinds, allowing the cool fresh air to engulf me and savoring every minute of it, when my dad’s rumbling tone was heard just within my bedroom door. Dad continued, â€Å"Never mind†¦don’t say anything, because parents know what’s best for their kid and I have better plans for you to make a success of your future, and yes, by the way, we are throwing a small send off party for you, so invite all your friends and we’ll have a great time before we see you off. My brother, your uncle Jim, in Alabama has generously consented to put you up for the next year since you are going to High School. I was confusion confounded as I heard the door slam shut! Oh, My God! I was almost terrified out of my wits. Confusion blocked my thinking and a lurking fear hit me in the pit of my stomach like a sledge hammer. Taiwan, my hometown was the be all and end all of my life. Everything in my environment seemed perfect

Human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Human resource management - Essay Example Employee surveys have been invariably defined as questionnaires that employees are required to ensure that they fill out. These questionnaires are designed to enquire about some specific information that the employers might wish to know. Employers can be able to administer their company employees with these employee surveys at any time and these employee surveys are often given to employees at the time of their exit interviews. Of significant importance to note is that there happens to fundamentally be no incorrect answers on employee surveys as these surveys are not regarded to be tests and are mainly opinion based (McConnell, 2003). An effective employee survey can greatly help Jollibee Food Corporation in catalyzing, partnership with employees, motivation and communication. Attributes such as organizational vitality, morale, commitment and productivity can also be substantially improved throughout the organization by acting upon and listening to the suggestions proposed by the emp loyees. To achieve its effectiveness this survey plan of the corporation’s employees will look into some of the critical aspects of effectively administrating an employees’ survey. Some of these aspects include defining what the survey will aim to achieve, the risks and challenges that will probably be experienced in administrating the survey, the costs involved, the expected benefits as well as the measures that will be undertaken to ensure that the employees’ survey is conducted in an ethical and professional manner. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 What The Employee Survey should be able to Achieve 5 Challenges Experienced in the Effective Administration of a Survey 5 The Risks, Costs and Potential Difficulties That can arise in the Administration of an Effective Employees Survey and the Possible Measures that can be taken to effectively manage them 7 The Expected and Possible Benefits of the Research Survey 11 Measures that will serve to ensure that the Survey is conducted in an Ethical and Professional Manner 11 Conclusion 13 Bibliography 14 What The Employee Survey should be able to Achieve The Employee survey should help employers measure some of the critical aspects of the workplace such as the general effectiveness of the organizational processes, the employee morale in the organization. Employees are able to provide relatively accurate measures of these aspects as they are directly responsible for facilitating the different operations of the organization and as a result of their being directly in the action, these employees have an accurate perception of the state of things in the organization, what needs to be improved as well as how the organization’s different processes work. After the outcomes of a survey have been collected and effectively analyzed, in order for Jollibee Food Corporation to be able to effectively reap the benefits of the data received from the survey, employers can proceed to implement a raft of organizational changes to help in the creation of more efficient and effective processes, in addition to aiding in the uplifting of the morale within

Direct Marketing is an invasion of people's privacy. Discuss this Essay

Direct Marketing is an invasion of people's privacy. Discuss this statement - Essay Example Two, direct marketing attempts to promote a specified call to action, for instance, an advertisement may require the customer to either click on a link to a website or calla free telephone number. Three, direct marketing lays emphasis on measurable, traceable reactions from clients without regard for the medium that is utilized (Tapp 2004, p. 9). In addition, direct marketing is utilized by businesses of all magnitudes, from the ones that are in their initial stages to the most developed ones. A correctly planned and implemented direct marketing advertisement may prove definite earnings on investment by indicating how a large number of probable clients reacted to a concise call to action. Standard advertisements avoid call for action in preference of communications that attempt to develop prospects’ emotional engagement or awareness with a product. Even properly developed standard advertisements infrequently can prove their effect on the end result of an organization (Blankens hip, Breen & Dutka 1998, p. 72). This paper will discuss the statement direct marketing is an invasion of people’s privacy. ... Direct mail explains messages conveyed to possible donors or clients through the postal service and different delivery services. Direct mail is distributed to clients on the basis of criteria, for example, buying pattern, age, profession, location, income, among others, for example, it may be in the form of a post card with the heading â€Å"Lose extra fat in two weeks†. Bulk mailings are a specifically prevalent technique of promotion for organizations functioning in the travel and tourism sectors, home computer, and financial services (Adcock & Al Halborg 2001, p. 15). Advertisers frequently enhance direct mail activities into targeted mailing, in which mail is distributed using database assessment to choose receivers perceived to be most probable to react in a positive way. For instance, an individual who shows preference for swimming may get direct mail for swimming-associated commodities (Adcock & Al Halborg 2001, p. 15). Using mobile marketing, marketers communicate with potential donors and clients in an interactive way through a mobile network or device, for example, a smartphone or cellphone. Forms of mobile marketing messages include mobile applications, multi-media message service, and a short message service. Market communications are sent through mobile applications, audio, videos, and images, and text messages. Email marketing is also becoming the most largely utilized direct marketing techniques. The popularity of email marketing is because it is relatively affordable to send, test, and design an email messages. Email marketing permits marketers to send messages at all times, and to correctly determine reactions (O'guinn 2008, p. 625). For example, Burger King lately developed a mobile Web site so as attract customers to its restaurants.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 17

Human Resource Management - Essay Example m of this study is to highlight the main reasons for the staff turnover and to recommend strategies to reduce the staff turnover within the organization. Before moving into the company and details of the employee turnover, it is essential to get a brief overview of the overall travel and tourism industry of UK. This will then be followed by brief overview of Thomas Cook and its employees and the major causes for the staff turnover. The UK travel and tourism industry is one of the largest across the world. The country has continuous inbound traffic from across the world. The country has been recognized to have ‘league position’ in terms of the international tourist entering the country as well as the earnings that the country gains from the tourist (Visit Britain - Trends, 2010). The graph below provides a clear view of the country’s overall overseas visits. The graph clearly shows that the visiting of the country has lowered by 11% when compared to April 2009 (National Statistics, 2010). However the decrease in terms of the corresponding period to the earlier year has been a decrease of 4% (Visit Britain, 2010). The above graph provides a clear view of the international inbound travel. This graph has been provided to give a brief overview of the country’s overall travel and tourism market (Visit Britain - Trends, 2010). The next section will provide a detailed overview of Thomas Cook and the issues being faced within the company, pertaining to the employees and the turnover rate. Thomas Cook is recognized to be one of the world’s best and most well known names in the field of travel. The company was started in 1841 and catered to one – day rail excursions. The company has grown from this and has grown to be the most renowned company across the UK. The company deals with a wide range of services currently and these include flights, hotels, holiday packages, cruises and a number of city breaks. Thomas Cook has a wide number of employees and the company

Segmentation and Target Market Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Segmentation and Target Market - Coursework Example The process is guided by several factors including behavioral, demographic, psychographic, and geographic factors (Reid & Bojanic, 2010). Apple has used behavioral segmentation with impressive effectiveness. It refers to the division of the market based on the actions of consumers. In addition, the process involves an evaluation of the consumer information available to the organization (Rollins & Perri, 2014). The release of new iPhone models is informed by the knowledge that consumers will be attracted by the possibility of upgrading their mobile phones. In addition, the iPod was released to meet the need for a portable and convenient device that can allow users to listen to music on the go. The need to create a platform from which users can access music led to the creation of the iTunes store. Apple has created a culture of brand switching due to the disruptive technology that they have consistently pioneered. Consequently, it has enabled it to create a perception as an innovative company, something that most consumers find attractive. The organization understands consumer behavior. Although consumers are willing to acquire new technologies, they also value the existing ones. As a result, they need products that integrate the two technologies. In addition, it has features that support the integration of features of other organizations. For example, it has made it possible for consumers to access Microsoft Exchange e-mail. Consumers are attracted to technologies that enable them to retain the features they had before. It is evident that the organization considers demographic factors as it develops its products. Firstly, products such as the iPhone have so many features that make it suitable for people of all ages from children to adults. Children can play the games that are available in its App store. Teenagers can listen to a lot of music from the iTunes store. In addition, the

Marketing Research Tools Paper wk 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Research Tools Paper wk 3 - Essay Example On the other hand, research areas having ample and reliable data available require use of information extracted from secondary sources. According to nature of sources and research methodology, different tools are selected and used by researchers. All these tools have their own use, advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is important for researchers to ensure that research tools are selected that are suitable for the nature of research approach i.e. primary and secondary and research methodologies i.e. quantitative and qualitative. Primary research itself consists of data collection from original resources. Primary research can employ qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and there are various tools that can be used for this research approach. Usual tools used for this research includes surveys, interviews, direct observations, experimentations, and focus groups. These tools help in collecting data that is specific to the needs of researcher. Furthermore, researcher s can levy necessary controls on the research process to maintain the integrity of data collected and using it appropriately for the purpose of research (Baker, 2012). Hence, it is possible for researchers to ensure that data collected is valid and trustworthy along with being authentic and reliable. These research tools are usually time and cost consuming however due to direct relevance to the research purpose, it is preferred for areas of research that have not been explored earlier or to corroborate with existing studies (Onkvisit & Shaw, 2008). As far as secondary research is concerned, it is use of data that is already available from existing sources. The tools available for secondary research include information available on the internet, market research conducted by government and individual market research firms, data available on firms’ websites and stock exchange, information from public and private agencies, personal records and published print sources (peer-review ed papers, books and journals) (Baker, 2012). While using secondary data, it is important to ensure that the data is appropriate for the purpose of research. Relevance of data in terms of time period is another major issue that researchers need to take care of. However, sometimes use of secondary data is beneficial as it is readily available and relatively cheap (as the original research expenses have been already incurred). While performing primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies can be used depending on the nature of research. While selecting a research methodology, the purpose of research and type of information required for the research is determined which further shapes the nature of research. In quantitative research, the usual tools used for primary research are surveys, financial figures produced by the entities themselves, experiments and numerical readings produced by them, statistical modeling and examination through stratificat ion and segmentation (Onkvisit & Shaw, 2008). These tools help in acquiring first hand information which is reliable, valid and objective yet expensive to acquire. For quantitative research to be performed through secondary sources, the tools used can be numeric modeling and statistical analysis. These tools are used to perform correlational analysis of data already available through print and electronic sources. Example of it can be examination of industry performance by performing statistical examination of market

Victorian era Essay Example for Free

Victorian era Essay The Hound Of The Baskervilles is an intricate crime detective novel, which is a part of the classic British detective genre. It is set in romantic landscapes surrounded by more land giving the tale the perfect setting for supernatural behaviour. In association with the required Victorian taste, justice prevails at the end of the novel where the detectives discover the true culprits of the crime showing the reader that wrong doings can be overcome as well as reassuring them morally and socially that they are safe. Chapter 14 is one of the most important chapters in the novel because all the unknown events finally become answered in a manner, which would be believable in the 18th century. In the climatic chapter Conan Doyle uses heavy atmosphere and mood to develop variable psychological effects from using devices like fear, shock, surprise or and unexpected twist in the plot from unsuspected occurrences. In this 18th century story, pathetic fallacy is used to accentuate the weather scenarios and environments, which is of the Victorian era, particularly at the time where ghostly mysterious tales were very popular. Any classic British detective always traditionally has a sidekick. In the case of Sherlock Holmes his sidekick is Dr Watson who is an incredibly intelligent character and is addicted to opium. The relationship between Watson and Holmes is a very strong one and is held together by a grand admiration on Watsons part. Watsons admiration is proven in the quote: He had never said as much before, and I must admit that his words gave me a keen pleasure. This shows us Watson is incredibly excited by the fact that Holmes had recognised him and that he has an extreme admiration for him that any accomplishments would be a pleasurable experience. Holmes thinks of Watson as a friend, companion and an assistant if not his conductor of light, this means that Watson is not a genius but he occasionally gives Holmes inspiration to see unseen factors. In Chapter 14 we see the character of Holmes to be very much a genius as he has completely unravelled the curse and has proved it to be physical so that he can actually deal with it, therefore it is definitely a murder case, and the idea of it been supernatural has been dismissed. This is proven in the quote, Its dead whatever it is, said Holmes, We laid the familys ghosts once and forever. Watsons character as the sidekick is shown immensely well in chapter 14, as he witness and tells of Holmess physical and mental superiority and Watson is shown average compared to Holmes. Never have I seen a man run as Holmes did that night. I am reckoned fleet of foot, but he out paced me as much as I out paced the little professor. But in the next instance Holmes had emptied five barons of his revolver into the creatures flank. These quotes illustrate that even though Watson is good physically and mentally quite sharp, more so even than the little professor, Lestrade, but compared to Holmes he is inferior. Holmes is proven to be an amateur detective shown to us by the presence of Lestrade, the actual police officer who is there to make lawful arrest. Are you armed Lestrade? The little detective smiled as long as I have my trouser, I have a hit pocket, and as long as I have a hit pocket I have something in it. This statement can also be interpreted to be a very inappropriate joke and clashes with the serious detective genre. The use of melodramatic speech in chapter 14 is of such an extent that to the modern era it would be out of place but for the Victorian era, which it was written for, it seems intricately placed relating to the strong beliefs of the Victorians. Watson clearly describes the use of melodrama in the quotation, As her beautiful head fell upon her chest I saw the clear red weal of a whiplash across her neck The brust! cried Holmes. This speech is very melodramatic and re-enforces how significant harming a women was in the time of the Victorian. Conan Doyle, in chapter 14 of the Hound of the Baskervilles uses a vast amount of melodramatic description of the hounds to create tension. For example, fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowing with a smouldering glare. This portrayal of the hound would be immensely alarming to the reader forcing them into the belief that it would almost be impossible for any man to defeat a beast with such fearsome characteristics. Conan Doyle generates atmospheric suspense by explaining how the facial expressions relate to exactly to what is happening to them. We see this in the quotation; Sir Henry looked back, his face white in the moonlight, his hands raised in horror, glaring helplessly at the frightful thing which was hunting him down. The melodramatic description used here explaining the fear that had amounted on Sir Henry as the hound was ready to pounce on him effectively shows us the horrific situation he is in and that the death, and the curse of the Baskervilles is finally coming to an end. Conan Doyle conveys the mood and atmosphere through using exceptionally detailed descriptions of the surrounds, and much usage of different weather patterns to set a certain ambience, all giving out a fairly tense and mysterious effect. In chapter 14, Dartmoor is described as having a glooming curve with jagged, and sinister hills these adjectives have connotations of depression, and not anything being smooth as if something is wrong. This description darkens the atmosphere and prepares the audience for bad forthcoming events, which makes the reader feel menacing atmosphere. One of the most important senses known to man is sight. As there is lack of light on the moor the detectives result in using their hearing to its full extent. Their hearing seems to be amplified somewhat making any sound that is heard become an eerie one of danger and supernatural behaviour. In the beginning of the chapter there is very heavy fog, which creates a dismal yet mysterious atmosphere, it states the fog to be so heavy that it might have impaired their vision when they were tracking down the hound. The fog in this chapter plays a key part because it stands for the ignorance of the characters, and acts as an excuse to explain what they do not fully understand. To Holmes the fog is, The one thing which could have disarranged my plans. As the story become less of a mystery when they find that they can explain the bizarre antics of the hound the fog dies out. Phosphorus. I said. A cunning preparation of it, Holmes said. This quote explains, using scientific reasons, for the hound behaviour. All the questions have become answered and in the Victorian era, the much-appreciated use of scientific knowledge helped to resolve them, leaving the reader feeling at ease and satisfied.

Corporate governance Essay Example for Free

Corporate governance Essay Corporate governance is concerned with the structures and systems of control by which managers are held accountable to those who have a legitimate stake in an organization. It has become an increasingly important issue for organizations for three main reasons. The separation of ownership and management control of organizations (which is now the norm except with very small businesses) means that most organizations operate within a hierarchy, or chain, of governance. This chain represents those groups that influence an organization through their involvement in either ownership or management of an organization. Increased accountability to wider stakeholder interests has also come to be increasingly advocated; in particular the argument that corporations need to be more visibly accountable and/or responsive, not only to ‘owners’ and ‘managers’ in the governance chain but to wider social interest Corporate scandals since the late 1990s have increased public debate about how different parties in the governance chain should interact and influence each other. Most notable here is the relationship between shareholders and the boards of businesses, but an equivalent issue in the public sector is the relationship between government or public funding bodies and public sector organizations. As the key purpose of Corporate governance drive the benefit of shareholder of the company all members of corporate governance model responsible and accountable for driving this primary objective. 1.1 Five Golden Rules of Corporate Governance And best corporate governance practice is not simply about a battle between distant, disloyal institutional shareholders and greedy directors but about the ethos of the organization and fulfilling its clearly agreed goals. 5 golden rules of Corporate Governance of successful organization are: 1. Ethics: a clearly ethical basis to the business 2. Align Business Goals: appropriate goals, arrived at through the creation of a suitable stakeholder decision making model 3. Strategic management: an effective strategy process which incorporates stakeholder value 4. Organization: an organization suitably structured to effect good corporate governance 5. Reporting: reporting systems structured to provide transparency and accountability 2 Objectives of study Objective of this case study is to understand and critically examine flaws, failure of Corporate Governance on Satyam Computer’s strategic decisions. Also analyze what are the areas those can be influenced by proper Corporate Governance. This case also helps understanding Governments roles to tackle firms or intervene in firm’s functionality in the interest of internal and external stakeholders. Not only were there failures at the regulatory level, but also at the executive level. With no express code for corporate governance in India, the company failed to follow the industry standard best practices and as a result, collapsed. This study would be useful in identifying the different kind of failures in a family owned business like Satyam and to policy makers in designing and implementing corporate governance frameworks for professionally managed as well as family managed businesses like Satyam. This case also reveals how wrong decisions can damage entire organization and dent the image of company. This case also focuses certain legal issues related to roles and responsibilities of Chairman and other top management including critical role of independent directors of organization. This Case Study focuses laws and gaps in the Indian context. 3 Historical Evolution of the company Satyam was incorporated on June 24, 1987 as a private limited company providing software development and consulting services based out of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Ramalinga Raju and his brother Rama Raju were the promoters of the company. Before starting Satyam these duo were involved in other businesses like construction and textiles. This company was started with 20 employees 1991, this company went in for IPO where it was oversubscribed by 17 times. Same year it could bag clients like John Deere co which is fortune 500 company. This is the first time it adopted offshoring model. 1993, Satyam formed joint ventures with clients like D B and also with GE. In 1996 Satyam started its on shore offices in US and Japan. And its first development center in New Jersey, 1998. By 1999 it had operations in 30 countries and was assessed SEI CMM Level 5, one of the very few companies to get this accreditation by then. In 2000, Satyam grew by 10000 employees and got listed in NASDAQ ( National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) in 2001. 2004 Satyam was providing services in 45 countries with employee base of 15000. At that time Company was operating in various verticals with 18 development centers. Company crossed 1Billion revenues by 2006. Satyam’s revenues grew to 2 billion by 2008 with a net income of 417mn. Gained 186 of fortune 500 customers. Sailing in the industry with 46000 employees by March 2008 with operations across 66 countries. By September 2008 it recorded revenue of 28.19Bn. 3.1 Corporate Governance Practice at Satyam To explain the level of commitment and ethics to society it was mentioned by both inside and outside members of Satyam that on the day of Ramalinga Raju father’s cremation he attended shareholders meeting. Company’s ethics and level commitment were stressed in many annual reports. Corporate Governance was driven by its core values Associate Delight Investor Delight Customer Delight Pursuit of Excellence Company stated that† it believes that corporate governance practices provide an important framework to help the board of directors to fulfill its responsibilities† Main duties of the board were to set strategic direction to the company and leading the organization in the right direction there by ensuring long term interest of investor and other stakeholders of the company. Source: Satyam Computer Services, Report on Corporate Governance 2006-07 For independent functioning, the board comprised of both executive and non-executive members. Board also comprised several committees like Investor Grievances committee Compensation Committee Audit Committee The board was governed by code of conduct, which specified that all employees, directors needed to carry out their duties legally, honestly and ethically. It also specified all clauses that avoid any code of conflict etc.., Company’s Whistle Blower policy was also in place. According to experts though sound policies were in place none of the directors were objecting Raju’ s decisions even though they are against the interest of investor. It continued till the time when Raju was planning to acquire Maytas where the biz of Target Company was not aligning to Satyam and also those companies are promoted by Ramalinga Raju’s family members. 3.2 Role and Powers of Independent Directors (clause 49 of SEBI) SEBI had constituted a Committee on Corporate Governance under the chairmanship of N R Narayana Murthy to improve standards of corporate governance in India. SEBI introduced some major amendments based on the report on this committee on 26th August, 2003, in clause 49 of its listing agreement. Applicability of Clause 49 All companies which were required to comply with the requirement of the erstwhile clause 49 i.e. all listed entities having a paid up share capital of Rs 3 crores and above or net worth of Rs 25 crores or more at any time in the history of the entity, are required to comply with the requirement of this clause. This clause does not apply to other listed entities, which are not companies, but body corporates, incorporated under other statutes. Clause 49 will apply to these institutions as long as it does not violate their respective statutes, guidelines or directives. Clause 49 of the SEBI’s listing agreement relates to Independent Directors. Clause 49 Corporate Governance The company agrees to comply with the following provisions: I. Board of Directors (A) Composition of Board (i) The Board of directors of the company shall have an optimum combination of executive22 and non-executive23 directors with not less than fifty percent of the board of directors comprising of non-execu tive directors. (ii) Where the Chairman of the Board is a non-executive director, at least one-third of the Board should comprise of independent directors and in case he is an executive director, at least half of the Board should comprise of independent directors. (iii) For the purpose of the sub-clause (ii), the expression ‘independent director’ shall mean a non-executive director of the company who: a. Apart from receiving director‘s remuneration, does not have any material pecuniary relationships or transactions with the company, its promoters, its directors, its senior management or its holding company, its subsidiaries and associates which may affect independence of the director; b. Is not related to promoters or persons occupying management positions at the board level or at one level below the boardx` c. Has not been an executive of the company in the immediately preceding three financial years; d. Is not a partner or an executive or was not partner or an executive during the preceding three years, of any of the following: 1. The statutory audit firm or the internal audit firm that is associated with the company, and 2. The legal firm(s) and consulting firm(s) that have a material association with the company. e. Is not a material supplier, service provider or customer or a lessor or lessee of the company, which may affect independence of the director; and f. Is not a substantial shareholder of the company i.e. owning two percent or more of the block of voting shares. OTHER DEFINITIONS The Department of Company Affairs (DCA) had appointed a Committee headed by Mr. Naresh Chandra along with the distinct professionals from various fields. Apart from this, the Kumaramangalam Report also has suggestions about Independent Directors. Some definitions on Independent Directors. THE CADBURY REPORT (1992) Apart from their directors‘ fees and shareholdings, they should be independent of management and free from any business or other relationship which could materially interfere with the exercise of their independent judgmentâ€â€". THE KUMARAMANGALAM REPORT (1998) ―Independent directors are those directors who apart from receiving director‘s remuneration do not have any other material pecuniary relationship or transactions with the company, its promoters, its management or its subsidiaries, which in the judgment of the board may affect their independence of judgment THE NARESH CHANDRA REPORT (2003) Apart from receiving director‘s remuneration, does not have any other material pecuniary relationships or transactions with the company, its promoters and senior management.â€â€" It is significant to mention hear that the Naresh Chandra Committee report has opined that the recommendations made by the Kumaramangalam Committee in relation to independent directors are not precise and cannot fulfill the requirement of the independency as compared to the International best-in-class definitions and other pragmatic factors.25 An independent director is characterized by the following principle features: COMPANIES ACT, 1956 INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS Under the Companies Act,1956 the powers and duties of directors has evolved under interpretation of various Sections such as 291, 297, 299, 397, 398, 408, 629A, to name a few which have recognised and upheld directors‘ fiduciary duties to shareholders, to act with due care, skill and good faith. Sections 297 and 299, for example, are intended to eliminate possibility of conflict of interest. Unfortunately, the Act does not envisage a proper remedial regime, providing for rescission of underlying transactions, compensation for corporate and stakeholder losses, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains etc. Theoretically, some of these reliefs can be agitated for before the Company Law Board – but courts are hesitant to pass such drastic orders, in cases of such large, reputed companies ROLE OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR TOWARDS SHAREHOLDERS Corporate Governance principles all over and listing requirements assign tasks that have a potential for conflict of interest to independent directors, examples of these are integrity of financial and non-financial reporting, review of related party transactions, nomination of board members and key executives remuneration. The shareholders, especially the minority shareholders, look to independent directors providing transparency in respect of the disclosures in the working of the company as well as providing balance towards resolving conflict areas. In evaluating the board‘s or management decisions in respect of employees, creditors and other suppliers of major service providers, independent directors have a significant role in protecting the stakeholders interests. One of the mandatory requirements of audit committee is to look into the reasons for default in payments to deposit holders, debentures, non-payment of declared dividend and creditors. Further they are required to review the functioning of the ―Whistle Blower mechanismâ€â€" and related party transactions. These, essentially, safeguard the interests of the stakeholders 4 Major strategic decisions and its consequence December 16th 2008, Chairman Ramalinga Raju in a surprise move announced intent to acquire Maytas Properties and Maytas construction companies for a whopping 1.6Bn. While it is evident that these two companies are promoted by Ramalinga Raju’ s family in the industry circles it was not clear why should a IT services company focus on infra and property business. As the decisions was opposed by investors and clear indication of market fluctuation made Ramalinga Raju to revert his decision in 12 hours. Share prices plunges by 55% on concerns about Satyam’s corporate governance. In a surprise move, the World Bank announced on December 23, 2008 that Satyam has been barred from business with World Bank for eight years for providing Bank staff with â€Å"improper benefits† and charged with data theft and bribing the staff. Share prices fell another 14% to the lowest in over 4 years. The lone independent director since 1991, US academician Mangalam Srinivasan, announced resignation followed by the resignation of three more independent directors on December 28 i.e. Vinod K Dham (famously known as father of the Pentium and an ex Intel employee), M Rammohan Rao (Dean of the renowned Indian School of Business) and Krishna Palepu (professor at Harvard Business School)6. At last, on January 7, 2009, B. Ramalinga Raju announced confession of over Rs. 7800 crore financial fraud and he resigned as chairman of Satyam. A week after Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju’ s scandalous confession, Satyam’s auditors Price Waterhouse finally admitted that its audit report was wrong as it was based on wrong financial statements provided by the Satyam’s management’s On January 22, 2009, Satyam’s CFO Srinivas Vadlamani confessed to having inflated the number of employees by 10,000 Satyam share price have seen sharp decline within hours of the outburst of the incident and further deteriorated after Ramalinga Raju’s confession Source: http://akpinsight-ijcbs.webs.com 5 Implementation of strategic decision On 30th Sep 2008, Satyam reported that it had cash reserves of 1.2Bn and on December 16th company expressed intent of acquiring Maytas Properties and Maytas Constructions for 1.6Bn. While Maytas infra a public listed company operating for two decades Maytas properties s only 6 months old which declared a revenue of 7.37Bn and net profit of 370 mn. On December 16th 2008 Satyam board approved acquisition of Maytas. The cash reserve to be used by Satyam to buy 51% of equity stake in Maytas infra for 1.3Bn USD and for Maytas properties 300 mn USD. Satyam planning to acquire 31% of the holding of the Raju family in Maytas Infra and another 20% through open offer to shareholders. The promoters held 36.64% equity stake in Maytas infra . Satyam planning to pay 475 Rs per Share which was 1.25% less than closing value December 16th and open offer made at 525 rs from the existing Maytas infra shareholders. After approval from board Ramalinga Raju announced this as a strategic move to de-risk core business by bootstrapping a new business vertical. He also called out that this would de-risk the recessional impacts on the current vertical of core business. Announcement however trigger negative reaction from industry, investors and stock markets. Satyam’s stock got severe beating on December 16;.The ADR fell from 12.55 to 5.70 after this announcement . On Bombay Stock Exchange the stock fell from 226 to 158 rs. It went down further to 134 on December 24th 2008. The decision attracted lot of criticism that promoters who has only 8.74% equity stake in the company were being allowed by the board to transfer a considerable amount of money from Satyam to Maytas where Ramalinga Raju’ s family own more stake. Analysts called that this is act of siphon to move cash from Satyam into a place where Raju’ s family has more stake. Experts also called that if board is convinced with the deal then it is their responsibility to inform major investment institutions which is a good sign of proper corporate governance. Valuation of Maytas was not transparent and this was not even informed to investors in advance. Investors called this process as act of misuse of Satyam funds and it’s a nepotism. Registrar of Companies asked Satyam to submit minutes of board meeting for validity and review held on December 16th 2008. However Satyam could not provide minutes of meeting in the said deadline given by RoC. These reactions compelled Satyam to roll back the decision within 12 hours .These accusations lead to few international issues where the long battle between British Virgin Island Based Upaid system and Raju and Satyam CFO. There are three cases breach of contract, forgery filed by filed by UPaid and one disparagement filed by Satyam. On December 23 2008 World Bank announced that it will bar Satyam to take any of its contracts for next 8 years due to improper invoice and benefit to employees. It was reported that Satyam sold its preferential shares to World Bank CIO. Before Maytas controversy got over DSP-Merlynch announced that it is terminating its advisory agreement with Satyam. In its communication it said considering various strategic options it had terminated its advisory agreement also quoted that it was to their understanding that there are accounting irregularities which prompted them above decision. Analysts said that this move compelled Raju to confess as SEBI asked DSP-Merlynch asking why it had to withdraw the agreement. 6 Merits/Flaws of implementation Following are the Governance Flaws noticed in the case of Satyam computer Services Limited 6.1 Unethical Conduct It is evident that founder of the company wanted to make money any which way by avoiding taxes, cooking books , creating false payrolls and pay offs. Shareholders, employees and clients realized steady diet of (A)Satyam. He was not following the spirit behind its name. Along with his brother Rama Raju who is his also managing director of the company disguised all this from company’s board , senior managers and auditors for several years. Confession revealed the fraudulent and unethical behavior of the duo who bagged many awards and rewards for his best corporate governance including prestigious Golden Peacock award. Both CEO and CFO charged for putting self-interests ahead of company’s interests. 6.2 A case of insider trading Both central and state investigation agencies and also audit firms revealed and established that promoters indulged in the nastiest kind of insider trading of company’s shares to raise money for building large land banks. It was established that money raised by Ramalinga Raju and Rama Raju along with his relatives used to buy lands in 330 binami companies. 6.3 Case of False Books and Bogus Accounts The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), 23 a multi-disciplinary investigating arm of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, set up in 2003 with officials from various law enforcement agencies, was asked to investigate the fudging of accounts as admitted by B. Ramalinga Raju. the consent of the board was unanimously accorded after which Raju proposed the merger of MIL and MPL to the shareholders, which came in for stiff resistant, and issue of corporate governance was raised.† A couple of weeks later, Ramalinga Raju dropped a bombshell by sending a letter of admission to SEBI and the board of directors that he had fudged the accounts of Satyam and that the balance sheet as on September 30, 2008 carried an inflated (non-existent) cash and bank balances of Rs 5040 crore, non-existent interest of Rs 376 crore and understated liability of Rs 1230 crore Source: http://www.applied-corporate-governance.com/best-corporate-governance-practice.html 6.4 Lax Board The Satyam Board was composed of ‘chairman-friendly’ directors who failed to question managements strategy and use of leverage in recasting the company; they were also extremely slow to act when it was already clear that the company was in financial distress. The glue that held the board members together was Ramalinga Raju. Each of the board members were there on his personal invitation and (that) made them ineffective. The Board ignored, or failed to act on, critical information related to financial wrongdoings before the company ultimately collapsed. It was only when Ramalinga Raju in the December, 2008 announced a $1.6 billion bid for two Maytas companies i.e. Maytas Infra and Maytas Properties, and while the share market reacted very strongly against the bid and prices plunged by 55 % on concerns about Satyam’s corporate governance, that some of the independent directors came into action by announcing their withdrawal from the Board 6.5 Unconvinced Role of Independent Directors The Satyam episode has brought out the failure of the present corporate governance structure that hinges on the independent directors, who are supposed to bring objectivity to the oversight function of the board and improve its effectiveness. They serve as watchdogs over management, which involves keeping their eyes and ears open at Board deliberations with critical eye raising queries when decisions scent wrong. Stakeholders place high expectations on them but the Satyam’s case reveals such expectations are misplaced. Six of the nine directors on Satyam’s Board were independent directors including US academician Mangalam Srinivasan (the independent director since 1991), Vinod K. Dham (famously known as father of the Pentium and an ex Intel employee), M Rammohan Rao (Dean of Indian School of Business), US Raju (former director of IIT Delhi), T.R. Prasad (former Cabinet Secretary) and Krishna Palepu (professor at Harvard Business School). They were men of standing reputation. To avoid any controversy, the two founder directors did not participate in the decision making process for the reason that the provisions of the Companies Act and SEBI regulations mandate presence of only disinterested directors in board meeting where the agenda of such a nature is discussed. This naturally causes suspicion on the role performed by the independent directors present in that meeting. What concerns everyone is that those independent directors allowed themselves to be party to the mysterious designs of the promoter directors. It is hard to believe that such eminent and experienced personalities could not discover the well-planned massive fraud and manipulations. 6.6 Questionable Role of Audit Firm/Committee The true role of audit committee in prà ©cis is to ensure transparency in the company, that financial disclosures and financial statements provide a correct, sufficient and creditable picture and that, cases of frauds, irregularities, failure of internal control system within the organization, were minimized, which the committee failed to carry out. The timely action on the information supplied by 18 a whistleblower to the chairman and members of the audit committee (an e-mail dated December 18, 2008 by Jose Abraham), could serve as an SOS to the company, but, they chose to keep silent and did not report the matter to the shareholders or the regulatory authorities. The Board members on audit committee who failed to perform their duties alertly be therefore tried out under the provisions of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (an unimaginable fine extendable to rupees 25 crore by also including imprisonment for a term, which may extent to 10 years). 6.7 Suspicious Role of Rating Agencies Credit rating agencies have been consistently accused of their lax attitude in assessing issuers and giving misleading ratings without thorough analysis, as has been the case of Enron and now in Satyam, they failed to warn market participants about the deteriorating condition of company. On December 2, 2001, Enron Corporation, the USA’s 7th largest corporation declared bankruptcy when it was rated investment grade by all the credit rating agencies even four days before its bankruptcy. None of the watchdogs barked, including the credit rating agencies, which had greater access to Enron’s books. In the case of Satyam, credit rating agencies have been heavily criticized as regards their role and for the accuracy of their ratings. The rating agencies were allowed to look into company’s books for making assessments but they never investigated the financial condition of Satyam. The rating agencies displayed lack of due diligence in their coverage and assessment of Satyam. They based their analysis on fraudulently prepared and audited financial statements and thereby failed to warn investors about Satyam’s deteriorating condition. 6.8 Questionable Role of Banks The ICAI Probe Panel has hit out at banks for not doing due diligence on Satyam Software Services Ltd before giving it loans. While sanctioning short term loans why not the banks posed any question as to why the company which was supposedly cash rich as per the financial statements was taking loans from them. The Panel wondered why the government put Deepak Parikh on its Board despite his HDFC group being a major creditor to the company. The banks that gave loans to Satyam during 2000-08 despite the company claiming huge surpluses were HDFC Bank (Rs 530 Crore, Citibank (223.87 Crore), Citicorp Finance (Rs222.28 Crore), ICICI Bank (Rs 40 Crore), and BNP Paribas (Rs 20 Crore) totaling Rs 122.161 Crore. 6.9 Fake Audit PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)’s audit firm, Price Waterhouse, was in the auditor for Satyam and have been auditing their accounts since 2000-01. The fraudulent role played by the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the failure of Satyam matches the role played by Arthur Anderson in the collapse of Enron. S Goplakrishnan and S Talluri, partners of PwC according to the SFIO findings, had admitted they did not come across any case or instance of fraud by the company. However, Ramalinga Raju admission of having fudged the accounts for several years put the role of these statutory auditors on the dock. The SFIO report stated that the statutory auditors instead of using an independent testing mechanism used Satyam’s investigative tools and thereby compromised on reporting standards.

Overview Of Domestic Violence Criminology Essay

Overview Of Domestic Violence Criminology Essay Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, or intimate partner violence, is any threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse between adults who are or have been in a relationship (Saunders Barron, 2004). HM Prison Service has employed the following definition of DV: Actual, attempted, or threatened physical harm perpetrated by a man or woman against someone with whom he or she has, or has had, an intimate, sexual relationship (Kropp, Hart, Webster, Eaves, 1999). Psychological abuse has not been included in this definition because of the complexities surrounding this term. However, as other theories include this form of abuse, it will be discussed within this review. Domestic abuse accounts for 14% of all violent crimes and has more repeat victims than any other offence. Repeat victimisation accounts for two-thirds of domestic abuse incidents, and a fifth of victims have been abused on three occasions or more (Walker, Flatley, Kershaw, Moon, 2009). Spousal abuse takes place throughout society, regardless of gender, age, sexuality, race, location, or affluence; however, victims of domestic assault are more likely to be women (National Crime Victimization Survey, 2007). Children can also be severely affected by what they witness and often show the highest levels of behavioural and emotional disturbance (OKeefe, 1994). In addition, they may be accidentally injured due to being embroiled in the violence perpetrated towards their mother, they could be subjected to intentional abuse by the male perpetrator, or they may receive physical abuse from their over-stressed mother (Abrahams, 1994). Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between child abuse and DV, in that those who are abused as children are more likely to become perpetrators of abuse as adults (Walby Allen, 2004). DV can be psychological, physical, or sexual (Department of Health, 2005). Psychological abuse can include isolation from loved ones, blackmail of harm to others if they should convey contentment or self-sufficiency, humiliation, controlling what they can and cannot do, withholding information from them, restricting their finances and access to resources, or belittling them and making them feel embarrassed. Physical abuse involves contact with the intention of causing injury, pain, or intimidation (Shipway, 2004). Sexual abuse is prevalent in assaultive relationships with between a third and half of abused women being raped by their partners on at least one occasion (Myhill Allen, 2002). Sexual assault is considered to be any occasion during which force is used to acquire engagement in unwanted, degrading, or unsafe, sexual activity. Women who are assaulted both sexually and physically are also at increased risk of being seriously or fatally injured (Stark Flitcraft, 1996). Regardless of the form of abuse, it often occurs on more than one occasion. DV is generally a pattern of controlling and abusive behaviour, which a perpetrator uses to gain power over a partner (Walby, 2004). A range of studies, which follow, have examined the physical and emotional consequences of being subjected to abuse by an intimate partner. The female victims of male partner violence often experience psychological difficulties (Foa, Cascardi, Zoellner Feeny, 2000) including features of trauma (Kemp, Green, Hovanitz Rawlings, 1995). They struggle with issues such as self-esteem (Aguilar Nightingale, 1994), stress and depression (Campbell Lewandowski, 1997) and employment (National Research Council, 1996). Theories of DV There are numerous theories which attempt to explain DV. These are discussed below, along with an overview of the Healthy Relationships Programme (HRP) and its theoretical basis According to psychodynamic theory, due to an ordeal from childhood, or a personality disorder, some people are prone to violence. Therefore, their abusive behaviour is a symptom of a deep-seated psychological problem. Consequently, it claims that the issue of DV should be addressed by identifying the subconscious problem, then consciously remedying it (Saunders, 1996). Critics of psychodynamic theory argue that this simply allots a label to perpetrators of DV, which permits them to remain abusive until their emotional issues are managed (Healey, Smith OSullivan, 1998). According to Pro-Feminist theory, male to female DV is due to the patriarchal organisation of society where the male is viewed as the head of the family and other social institutions. As a result of this, perpetrators often believe that they are permitted to control the actions of their partner. Should their authority be threatened, they respond with violence in order to regain control, whilst holding the belief that their behaviour is warranted (Healey et al, 1998). Using data from the USA, Yllo and Straus (1990) examined the association between spousal abuse and patriarchy. They discovered that American states which gave women the highest and lowest standing in society had greater incidents of female intimate partner abuse. They claimed that states where females had high standing and spousal abuse figures were increased, was due to mens perception that their masculinity is threatened. Conversely, in states where women had low standing and spousal abuse figures were high, this was f elt to denote patriarchal norms. This theory has been criticised by Dutton (1994) for over-emphasising socio-cultural factors, whilst excluding individual factors. In addition, he argued that their explanation of DV was insufficient. Cognitive-behavioural theory proposes that DV is due to the re-enactment of abuse from childhood experiences or media influence, and that assaultive behaviour is rewarded. It further claims that through abuse, the perpetrator succeeds in obtaining what he wants, which is strengthened through acquiescence on the part of the victim (Hamill, Hayward, Wynn Craven, 1997). Family systems theory argues that behavioural problems derive from a dysfunctional family, where everybody is responsible for conflict. Consequently, DV is a result of intimate partners interacting together; therefore, neither is classed as the abuser, regardless of whether only one of them displays physical violence (Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy Sugarman, 1996). Both Pro-Feminist and Cognitive-Behavioural approaches criticise this approach by maintaining that DV does not involve joint responsibility, perpetrators are entirely responsible for their behaviour, victims are in no way to blame for the abuse they experience, and nobody provokes violence. They maintain that this approach encourages victim blaming (Browne, 1993). Disempowerment theory states that men who have low self-esteem or perceive themselves as being inadequate are at risk of using violence to assert power (Archer, 1994). Consequently, they redress this by attempting to control those they are threatened by (Gondolf, Fisher, Fisher McPherson, 1988). This theory states that individual traits, such as self esteem and psychological symptoms, increase risk of DV based on personality-oriented factors, such as attachment style. Family of origin factors, such as violence in the home and child abuse, occur during developmental years, and provide conflict resolution for the children as adults. Relationship characteristics, such as partner satisfaction and emotional dependency, can place a person at risk of being domestically abusive (McKenry, Serovich, Mason, Mosack, 2006). Attachment theory claims that DV is a result of anger due to desires that are not fulfilled. Bartholomew Horowitz (1991) developed a four-category model of attachment, which is now widely used in the research of domestic abuse. This includes a secure attachment style, displayed as an ease with independence and closeness; fearful, such as those who are socially avoidant; dismissing, those who rebuff attachment; and preoccupied, such as overly dependent and ambivalent types. Fearful and dismissing styles are typified by high attachment avoidance, or discomfort with intimacy associated with a negative other model. Preoccupied and fearful styles are typified by high attachment anxiety, or a fear of abandonment and rejection associated with a negative self model (Corcoran Mallinckrodt, 2000). The theory which underpins the HRP, Duttons (1995) nested ecological approach, incorporates varied aspects of abusive attitudes and behaviour. It explains DV as multi-determined, taking into account the interpersonal context and the characteristics of the abuser. Consequently, this then provides clinical direction to address DV. The model is composed of four levels which all have an effect on each other. The first is the culture, know as the Macrosystem beliefs which stem from ones culture, such as a womens place is in the home; second is the subculture, Exosystem surrounding social structures, such as the influence of peers; third is the family, Microsystem immediate environment, such as the issues that led to the abusive behaviour, and the effects of it; and finally, the individual, Ontogenetic level personal traits, such as learned habits. The Macrosystem incorporates societal and cultural values and beliefs and also has an influence on the Exosystem, Microsystem and Ontogenet ic level. Theories underpinning different offending behaviour programmes have received criticism for their uni-dimensional approach. Consequently, the nested ecological model addresses this by integrating the various facets of abusive attitudes and behaviour. The HRP is based on this model of change and includes elements from the Power and Control wheel (Pence Paymer, 1986), so that perpetrators abusive behaviours can be identified and challenged. The wheel demonstrates how violence is connected to male power and control. According to this model, the abuser maintains control over his partner through constant acts of coercion, intimidation and isolation interspersed with sporadic acts of violence (Healey et al, 1998). The nested ecological model also supports the cognitive-behavioural treatment approach to treatment (e.g., Andrews and Bonta, 1998). Evidence to support Duttons (1995) nested ecological model is provided by OLeary, Smith-Slep OLeary (2007) and Stith, Smith, Penn, Ward Tritt (2004) who revealed how numerous features of the different ecological levels function with each other to predict DV. OLeary et al stated that causal variables for male to female DV included the amount of social support the perpetrator felt they had, expression of anger, and being a witness to family violence. This study emphasises the importance of using an integrated approach from a range of viewpoints to research DV, in particular from ontogenetic and psychological perspectives. The Stith et al study reported that factors associated less with DV are those which are the furthest from the violent act, such as those linked to the exosystem. Conversely, when attempting to understand DV, the features that are most directly associated with the violent context and the individual are most significant. However, a limitation with this finding is that Stith et al did not consider issues that are relevant to the wider society and culture. A single-factor explanation of DV has been criticised for considering perpetrators to be an homogenous set of people and not taking into account the different individual features of the offenders and their use of violence (Graham-Kevan, 2007). Furthermore, it does not clarify why some men are abusive towards their partners, whilst others are not (Dutton, 1995). How the Healthy Relationships Programme addresses Domestic Violence The HRP is a cognitive behavioural intervention that targets moderate to high-risk adult male offenders of intimate partner violence or homicide. The High Intensity HRP has 10 modules containing 62 group sessions, with the option of adding more, and are delivered at a rate of 3-4 per week. There are also a minimum of 10 individual sessions throughout the programme. The goals of the HRP are to reduce the risk of physical and psychological abuse against intimate partners and their children by men who are currently imprisoned. Skills are taught to assist with this, and to establish healthy, non-abusive relationships. The programme deals with attitudes supportive of spousal assault, and provides group members with the skills to change the way in which they behave abusively in their intimate relationships. It is anticipated that the programme will tackle perpetrators with multiple criminogenic needs and a long-standing pattern of abusive behaviour. Both current and past partners of participants are contacted during the programme. They are cautioned that the perpetrators attendance is not an assurance that he will no longer be violent or abusive. Partners are advised of treatment resources available in their community, and offered a victims package to ensure safety. They are also provided with support and general information about domestic abuse.

Creators and Parasites in Ayn Rands The Fountainhead Essay -- Ayn Ran

Creators and Parasites in The Fountainhead "The creators concern is the conquest of nature. The parasites concern is the conquest of men," Howard Roark states in his dramatic courtroom speech defending himself after the Cortlandt Homes incident. This quote sums up the two categories of people in rather graphic form. The creator, or non-conformist, being glorified in his attempt to better the very earth itself, independent of the constraints of humanity. The parasite, or conformist, being reduced to the lowest of all species, with a selfish goal of ruling man. This is a goal a conformist will never reach because instead of guiding society, the conformist is bound by societies rules. This accurate depiction can be visibly seen in the characters of Howard Roark, Peter Keating, and Ellsworth Tooey. Howard Roark is a creator, and he knows it. Glorifying himself, although not looking for praise, but rather stating something that is as common to him as a fact. A devout anarchist, Roark views nature as something that man must improve upon. He has no desire for anything from mankind, he does not want to be a leader, or even for others to see the world his way, he simply doesn't care about those things. The destruction of the Cortlandt Housing project is a result of a view that any alterations of a creators plans by a mere parasite perverts something sacred. In keeping with this ideal it appears sickening that any person would lower their talents to the level of standard society, even if they do it for the sake of survival. A creator must never compromise, especially to the whims of lemmin... ...; Roark exists untainted by the disease that is conformity, and is all the better for it. The sad truth that parasites, such as Keating and Toohey, strive to control man, which leads both men to misery and eventual ruin. Keating living in his worse nightmare, alone, and exposed as a fraud. Toohey, on the other hand, continues to appear happy to the general public, but silently fights the knowledge that he will never be a creator. In the end the message is clear, to be a creator is to rise above society and evolve nature, without concern for the group pattern. The parasite, however, attempts to rule men, but ends up being prisoner to them. The path Roark followed required strength of character, drive, and endurance that few posses, but if one can survive going against the grain, they can discover true happiness.

Biblical References in Pulp Fiction Essay -- Film Movie Quentin Tarant

Pulp Fiction Throughout the movie Pulp Fiction, directed by Quentin Tarantino, there are many hidden references to religion and the Bible. The movie starts off, introducing our two main characters, Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, as two cheap hitmen in search of a package belonging to their boss, Marcellus Wallace. The package is retrieved, and they then began their job of returning it to their boss. Along the way, they ran into difficulties, such as Vega's so-called "date" with his boss' wife, Mia, during which she overdosed on heroin, and Vega was forced to take her to the drug dealer's house to save her life, as well as the robbers in the restaurant, who try to take the suitcase from Winnfield, but were unsuccessful. The whole movie serves as a warning to all mankind to avoid the temptations of the Devil, as well as a warning to not try to play God, because the two boys who stole the suitcase play the role of the Devil, as do the drugs, and they were almost the downfall of the whole attempt. The movie wasted no time in introducing the first biblical reference when the two men try to retrieve the suitcase containing Wallace's belongings. When Vega opened the suitcase, he used the combination "666" to open the suitcase, and when he opened it, the contents glowed a golden-orange color. This was obviously an introductory attempt to show the audience that the suitcase held Marcellus' soul. Perhaps Tarantino was trying to show that the people that stole the suitcase were the devils pawns, and these two hitmen were angels trying to retrieve stolen property. After Vega and Winnfield had obtained their "treasure," Winnfield quoted the Bible, specifically Ezekiel 25:17, the passage about destroying the evil members of the society that try to harm others for no reason. Part of that passage was "..and you will know my name is the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon thee." This quote shows that Winnfield sees what he is doing as heroic, or maybe angelic, and by carrying out his duties, he is following the word of the Lord. As Winnfield shot the boy, Brett, an orange-golden glow enveloped the screen, representing Brett's soul leaving his body. This whole part of the movie is to warn the evil-doers of the world to cease their wrongdoings, because there are people out there who will stop them. The next main scene of... ...od, sometimes what he does is not right, and he is trying to be the one that always does the right thing: the shepherd. This is another reason why Jules is not killed off. He realized that he cannot play God, and therefore he is forgiven. Vincent, however, never fully realized this, and he is punished at the end of the story by being killed by Butch. Although cleverly hidden, the signs of biblical inference and the power of God are extremely prevalent in the film. Elements of the plot such as the realization of wrongdoing by Jules, the general feeling that the Wallaces are trying to be all knowing and all powerful, the drug dealer being the downfall as well as the savior for Mia, and the way that Jules and Vincent try to control others lives and are punished for it all show us something. These signs show us that we must do as we think we should, and not try to control anyone but yourself, because if you are busy trying to control others, you may not be tending to yourself, leaving yourself wide open to manipulation by others like yourself. If we mind our own business and take care of ourselves, the world would go a lot smoother, and have many fewer conflicts.