Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Through dramatic methods In The Crucible Essay Example for Free

Through dramatic methods In The Crucible Essay Is truth reliable? Everybody has different perceptions of truth and what is represented by it. Truth is different where ever you go. Peoples version of truth is never fully correct. Miller uses The Crucible to express his own views on what was happening in America at the time-McCarthyism he uses John Proctor, as he is interested in the person who doesnt allow him to be caught up in hysteria but thinks for himself and stands up for his values against all odds. Miller uses the Salem witch-hunt to put forward his views on McCarthyism-the hunting down and prosecuting of any Americans who were thought to have taken part in anti-capitalism. Miller himself was brought before the committee led by Joseph McCarthy. Miller saw the public confessions required by the committee, as parallels with the naming of names at Salem in 1692. History is evidence from people views on past events; again this cannot be taken for pure truth. Does this mean the truth can never be found or be totally correct? Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible from evidence in history that he collected; elements of the truth have been changed. Arthur Miller uses five main methods to represent truth; these are Imagery, Dialogue, Dramatic Irony, Staging or Setting and Character profile. Dialogue is a main method that can be used to show how truth is represented as the play is written with very little in the way of movements and directors have the dialogue to base their plays around. Dialogue has many different ways of showing who has the highest status and most control of a conversation. When acted out these can include, accent, age, tone of voice and pitch for example. But in a play methods such as topic shift, conversation control, adjacency pairs, turn taking, silence or hesitation are used. In The Crucible Abagail controls a conversation between her and Betty about what happened. Abagail shouts Shut it! Now shut it! Abagail takes control of the conversation to stop Betty from saying what she is to change the topic of conversation, this is called topic shifts. This represents truth as Abagail and Betty are talking about the truth but Abagail wants to move away from it. This method give the audience a clear view of who is in the wrong and more information on the characters on stage. Betty represents the truth as she is trying to let it out and tell everyone what actually happened and Abagail is opposing the truth; this is how Abagail is portrayed throughout most of the play. Her control of conversation is a great method of dialogue that gives her power and is what eventually allows her to escape death. When the character is speaking the audience know if he or she is telling the truth as they may have seen previous scenes that told them more information. This way the dialogue used can be used to cover up the truth using the dialogue techniques. Another method used to convey truth via dialogue is adjacency pairs. Adjacency means next to A question suggests the next turn will be an answer, a greeting suggests the next turn will be a greeting. Many things people say could have several meanings; the next turn shows what the people take it to mean, for now. So if someone insults you, and you respond Thank you, you are taking the insult as a compliment. This is used a lot to dismiss an idea or statement given to a character. For instance Proctor says, We never touched, Abby Abagail follows with Aye, but we did. Proctor follows with Aye, but we did not. Proctors immediate dismissal is a shock for Abagail as it was not the expected response. The word Aye is a positive response that substitutes yes. At the end of the response the word not is used this is negative and quickly changes the conversation from agreeing ang positive to negative and dissagreening. This is used to shock the audience and Abagail on stage. It conveys truth as it does not agree with Abagail and so the audience know one of them is not telling the truth, they either did or they did not touch. From the previous scenes they realise Proc Imagery is used a lot in the play. It is used on natural and items with symbols like the church. Imagery is good as it allows the audience to get a view of the truth and more of an understanding of what is going on. The imagery used in The Crucible is mostly natural objects such as stone, light and fire, this could be because og the purtinsm and they belived in living naturaly. Hard as rock and Where I stone give images of a stone. Stone is linked to the truth because it is a natural strong material. It is tough on the outside and hard to break into. Truth can be hard to reach or get the exact truth and so is linked to rock. Another way rock is linked to truth is that they are made in a cycle. Truth is changed in a cycle or a ring of people as people give others their opinion of the truth and rocks are made in a cycle and are changed during it. Another image related to truth is a book once a book has been written and finished it cannot be tampered with. It can be written over like the lies made up by people hiding the truth. The book as it was meant to be written can never be changed just like the truth. The cover of a book is strong and holds the book together along with its spine. Again this is like the truth it is held together and made by what has happened. The light of God is in him, this shows he is pure not evil and the audience can imagine it. If God is in you, you cannot be evil. Wheel inside Wheel this is meant as an image of Salem, the people of Salem influence or move others inside Salem to do things they wouldnt normally do. This shows truth, as it is Salem as a whole pushing people on. Dramatic Irony is used in The Crucible. The audience see what is going on and then they see the characters lie about what the audience know is true. The audience see Paris praying next to Betty and the audience realise something is wrong, later on Paris denies any thing has happened and the audience know this is not true. Dramatic Irony represents truth and is used when the audience know some of the characters are lying to others. This makes the audience feel more powerful and raises the level of excitement and suspense. The audiences learn more about a character and their personality. They gain a personal view on whether to believe what they say later or not to. This shows truth very well as the audience know exactly who knows what information and who is truthful and who is not. Dramatic irony shows the truth on which characters trust which and who they are willing to tell the truth. When characters have information that others dont, they feel they have more power and so decide to different things with the power. Titubas lies reveal the truth, Tituba pretended to be possessed in a way to get back at Paris. Tituba says He says Mr Parris must be kill! Mr Parris no goodly man, Mr Parris mean man and no gentle man,Parris is the victim of dramatic irony. The audience are against Parris because of the character summary, it was heavily biased against Parris.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Glimpse Of The Indian Society Media Essay

Glimpse Of The Indian Society Media Essay Media today presents a glimpse of the Indian society that is filled with images of tradition, romance, nationalism and familial love. Teeming with energetic music, vibrant colors and heavenly portrayals of Indian families, the audiences are easily cajoled into believing that these depictions are accurate representations of attitudes and beliefs of the Indian life. However, many times, the realities of life do not always approximate the images presented by the media. As a result, media sometimes start affecting the society in an ominous manner. One such issue that is distorted by the media is the dowry system. In the process of raising alarm bells, Bollywood films, TV shows and news media have exploited this issue too much and consequently, worsened its effect. The insatiable greed of the in-laws, which ultimately leads to torturing of brides, has been highlighted so many times by the media that the viewers minds no longer recoils from such phenomenon. Moreover, with the rising consum erism, higher standards of living and exposure to the masses through media, the desires of people for material wealth have also gone up, aggravating the malevolent system of dowry. The dowry system, the custom of making payments from the brides family to the grooms family at the time of marriage, has a long history in India. It stems out from the traditional upper caste practices of kanyadaan or gifting the virgin bride (). Traditionally, these gifts could range from anything significant to even small token of good wishes. Historically, the dowry system could have been established as a form of inheritance for women, because only men inherited the family property. Furthermore, it could have been a way of compensating the grooms family for the economic support that they would give to the new bride as women has little role as bread earners for the family, making them dependent on the in laws. However, in recent times with exposure to mass media, these tokens of gifts or dowry have transformed into substantial transfer of wealth from the grooms family to the brides family, becoming an important factor in marriage proposals. Most of the marriage decisions nowadays a re based on how much dowry is the brides family ready to give. Even if the bride and groom do not suit each other, their marriage is arranged based on the exchange of dowry between the families. (). However, in the current society, where even women act as economic contributors to the family, this system becomes trivial. Yet, it has only inflamed with time. Consequently, the Government of India could not do much to alleviate this issue. Even with the changes brought about by the Hindu Succession Acts of 1956, which gave women legal rights of inheritance, and Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, which legally outlawed dowry respectively, this practice still continues mainly because of two reasons. Firstly, even though in recent times, the exposure to media decreased the support for dowry among women, it appears that women have started valuing the resources that their dowries bring to their families. The exposure to mass media increased the desirability of consumer goods, causing the newly wed couples to view dowry as a way of obtaining them (). The other reason is that parents of daughters still believe that a large dowry will ensure better treatment of their daughters by her in-laws. They believe that the dowry will increase their daughters standing in her new household as it will act as a signal of parental support of the bride. However, thi s belief is largely baseless and stems from medias misrepresentation of this issue through its different outlets. Dowry is a hot topic that many Bollywood films tried to address. Films like Lajja and Lage Raho Munnabhai try to create awareness about this issue by depicting extreme sequences. However, this path taken by the directors sometimes backfires. In Lajja, Maithilis parents give everything to fulfill the dowry demands put up by their in-laws. They lose their land, saved money and even take on loans for the dowry. Though, Maithili rebels and calls off the wedding, seeing her father being humiliated by the grooms family for dowry. Even in Lago Raho Munnabhai, Simrans father Lucky Singh goes on to appropriating an old age house, leaving 20 old men homeless because the grooms parents wanted the land on which house was built. These acts by the brides family do not take place in the real world. However, they are able to distort the views of audiences, who then start believing strongly in this system. Vivah A journey from Engagement to Marriage, another mainstream Bollywood film, also presents a distorted vision of the dowry system but towards the other extreme. In the film, the grooms father wants nothing more for his son than a virtuous and beautiful wife dowry is unimportant and unwanted (). As Poonams father is asked for a mere token, the viewers are assured that a dowry is unnecessary when two families are as well suited as these. These films, as a result, distort the way the society views the dowry system. The reality of dowry demands in India is quite different from its portrayal in Bollywood films. The images of the dowry system presented in these films are not usually what comes to pass for a woman after her marriage and the giving of her dowry. In Lajja, Maithilis parents tried to call of the wedding because Maithilis father could not fulfill all but one of their demands. This would never happen in the real world. Similarly, what Lucky Singh did in Lage Raho Munnabhai to fulfill the dowry is unlikely to be seen today. However, one would also not find someone like Poonams father- in- law, who declined the dowry given by Poonams father. There are still many Indian marriages, where the brides treatment at the hands of her in-laws is often tied to the amount of dowry they receive. Moreover, theses dowry demands sometimes do not end with the wedding (). The shameless greed of the grooms families in the form of dowry demands continue for years after the wedding, with suggestions of furth er gifts to be made-for celebrations of the birth, naming and initiation of grandchildren. Most of the Bollywood fail to show this aftermath of a dowry induced marriage. According to Bedi, the ever-increasing demands for dowry have led to an increase in dowry-related violence and death among young married women in India, with 8391 dowry death cases in 2010 alone. The violence that the women have to undergo, despite giving dowry, has increased exponentially with the demands of the every-growing dowries. This dowry-related violence is mostly prearranged attacks within the grooms house. Many of these attacks include severe burnings, poisonings, hangings, gunshots, sharp objects, and jumping from height, generally resulting in the immediate deaths of the women (). Furthermore, the victims do not report this due to fear of another attack. They have to accept this cruelty as the price of keeping their families intact (). In some of the dowry-induced marriages, women try to commit suicides in a bid to escape the abuse from her in-laws. However, other families try to take advantage of these cases by reporting the death caused by dowry violence as suicides an d protect themselves from trials. Media, in such cases, immediately tries to capitalize on them through films and TV shows. A recent Bollywood film, Teen Behenein is based on the real-life incident of combined suicides by three sisters, which occurred in Kanpur in 1988. Though this film has flaws in every technical aspect, including script, direction and acting, it still managed to receive praise merely because of the issue that it takes up. Teen Behenien seeks to make an important point about the kinds of sexual, social, psychological and physical violence that continues to be encountered by women. This film only takes the seed of its story from real-life incidents of combined suicides by three sisters, and then builds a narrative around it (). The director was able to influence the society by combining the fictional and non-fictional worlds. In order to profit, the director exploited the issue of dowry system by exploiting it. Satyamev Jayate, a reality TV, also tried hard to create awareness about dowry. Aamir Khan, a famous Bollywood actor, is the protagonist who reveals social issues that are prevalent in India which need to be addressed. In the dowry-focused episode, Aamir delineates that every hour one bride in the country dies due to dowry harassment. This certainly is not true. Consequently, he invites a few women who have been victims of the dowry system to speak about their torture. For instance, Komal Sethi spoke about how after being tortured to pay a hefty amount to her in-laws and husband, she was left to die in the US. Lecturer Nishana, who underwent a cosmetic surgery to please her husband, succumbed to the dowry demands of her in-laws and ended up committing suicide (1.5 million rupees that were given by her parents. Though, these cases depict the extremes that this system can go to, they leave a mark of the audience who begin to consider girls as burdens. Furthermore, the fact that Satyame v Jayate commercialized such sensitive issues to profit from them only undermines the validity of its claims. In a country, where film stars are considered as ideals, the distorted depiction of their personal lives can have a profound effect on society. Through the creation of superstars, media distorts the view of the Indian society on dowry. In India, film is the principal form of entertainment, and therefore, film stars are accorded a respect otherwise offer only to family elder and men of God(). An average of ten million people a day spend the equivalent of a days wages just to enter into a fantasy world of images of bad landlord, greedy industrialist, corrupt politicians and traditional virtues of virginity, devotion to God and family and service to men (). The protagonists, therefore, become the saviors of mankind and the actors start to be revered by the Indian public. According to Gokulsing and Dissanayake, star worship offer a mental escape from the pressures and poverty of everyday life and statements or actions made by big Bollywood stars, like Amitabh or Shahrukh, can have great effects on public attitudes. In high profile and star-studded marriages, the dowry worth fortunes are given; however, just as a custom. Millions of rupees in cash, gold, along with luxurious cars are given by the brides family, but this is not a compulsion and is given just out of generosity. However, the masses get influenced when they see this on the televisions and their desires increase many- folds. They start dreaming of lavish wedding and end up making brides lives miserable, ruining their families and turning the concept of marriage has been turned into a transaction, without any importance placed on the people or the relationship (). As a result of the societys distortion view of the dowry system, in many parts of the country, the birth of a girl is not seen as an event to celebrate. Unlike the loving parents of Poonam in Vivah, the thoughts of many Indian parents are not positive at the birth of a daughter (). The lyrics of an old Indian chant used in Punjab Eat the jiggery, spin the cotton, you should not come, send your brother suggests that the birth of a girl is seen as an event of sorrow. There is no singing or celebration, as the parents have to start worrying about the dowry. Girls become a drain of familys money, unlike boys who create income for the family and stay to take care of his parents in their old age (). This belief has skewed the sex ratio in India, fostered by sex-selective abortions and infanticides. Matrubhoomi, a Bollywood film, is set in a hypothetical village in India without women. The film tries to bring forth the message that if the rampant female infanticide and feticide were to cont inue, then there would be a time where there will be no women left. However, this film failed in its goal. The film is so extreme that the audience could not digest it and the film only succeeded at undermining the seriousness of this issue. The numerous representations of dowry system on both big and small screens, it seems to be distorting to an extent. Since the introduction of mass media in the Indian society, views of the people on the dowry have change significantly. The system, which was initially meant as a form of inheritance for women, changed over time because of its misrepresentation by media. The increasing exposure to media coupled, which increased the desirability of consumer goods, transformed this system into a substantial transfer of wealth from the brides family to the grooms and made dowry an important factor determining marriage decisions. Furthermore, recent films like Lajja, Vivah or Teen Beheinen only distorted the societys view on dowry by showing extremes situation that are highly unlikely to occur. On the other hand, TV shows like Satyamev Jayate tried to commercialize this issue; however, undermined its validity in the process. In addition, medias depictions of lavish weddings of media persona lities, increases the dowry systems prevalence as more and more people try to emulate their ideals. Dowry system, therefore, has become a big problem in India and has led to practices of female infanticide skewing the sex ratio in India. In drawing this paper to a close, it is clear that the problem of dowry is only intensified by media. Until media becomes more responsible in its depiction of the dowry system, leaving aside the monetary intentions, this problem will continue unabated.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Odyssey Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The legend of The Odyssey tells the fortunate homecoming tale of the Trojan war hero, Odysseus. In the poem, there were similarities, yet many contradictions. There were many great women that had conflicting personalities and adverse motives, but also they were alike. There were many great men that hold successful fortune, but here were also ones that failed. With these oppositions they helped Odysseus to get back home to Ithaca, whether they wanted to or not. These women from the novel that have opposing qualities, yet help Odysseus get home and finish off the suitors, are Penelope and Clytemnestra, Circe and Calypso, and Eurycleia and Melantho. This similarity of situation: Agamemnon = Odysseus; Orestes=Telemakhos.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clytemnestra is a disloyal wife and a cruel woman, while Penelope is a devoted spouse and a wonderful lady. When King Agamemnon goes away to fight at Troy, his wife, Clytemnestra, has an affair. When he returns, she kills him, not even letting him see his son after ten long years. â€Å"†¦Poseidon did not drown me in the sea, no enemy struck me down on dry land; but Aigisthos plotted my death with my accursed wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (132). Meanwhile, when Odysseus goes to Troy, his wife Penelope is loyal for twenty years. Clytemnestra also kills all of Agamemnon’s friends and followers, while Penelope had rude suitors in her house and she never once harmed them for the three years that they ate her out of house and home. The one thing that the two women has in common was that they are both very witty and smart; Clytemnestra for planning the massacres and Penelope for the weaving of the shroud. â€Å"†¦I used to weave the web in the daytime, but in the night I unravelled it by torchlight. For three years I kept up the pretence, and they believed it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (216). With their conflicting personalities the women did help Odysseus to return. When Agamemnon told Odysseus Clytemnestra’s tale in the Underworld, it makes him think about what his wife is doing and it gives him an extra push to get home. In Penelopeia’s case, Odysseus hopes that she would remain faithful and he wants to get home to his loyal wife. Both women have many conflicting personality traits, but their actions give Odysseus a reason to hurry up in his homecoming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Circe and Calypso are both goddesses and both keep Ody... ... knowledge she passes on to him, was a factor in his decision making of the death of the suitors. Melantho shows Odysseus how cruel men can be and she makes him aware of all the traitors within the household. With these two opposite influences of the women he decides to kill all the suitors and the disloyal maidservants. There were many women in â€Å"The Odyssey† who helped Odysseus make it back to Ithaca and end the tribulation in his household, but these were the most important ones. Without their influences and their different approaches on dealing with him, he might not have handled the situation like he did, or even worse, he might have never made it home. The women play a strong role in â€Å"The Odyssey† and they deserve recognition. Women in this time are a lot like the women in ancient Greece; they have more freedom and play a more predominate role in society. illustrates the culture patriarchal of male and female equality in ancient Greece. On one hand, men of the mortal world and Zeus and the other male gods can get away with promiscuous behavior, while on the other hand society expects females to be faithful at all times. The poet introduces two types of heronic homecoming.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Free Essays - Themes and Voices in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays

Themes and Voices in Frankenstein There are many different narrative voices that take place in the novel Frankenstein. These narrative voices not only help the reader appeal to different characters, but they develop characters personality as well. The monster's character evolves in many ways throughout the novel, depending on the point of view it's coming from. When the monster himself speaks (first person) the reader tends to feel sympathy as well as pity, towards him. He is loving and gentle at the beginning of his life, childlike in his curiosity and experiences, but after several harsh encounters with humans, he becomes bitter. Thus seeking revenge on his creator for making him so hideous and rendering him permanently lonely because of his ugliness. He doesn't come across nearly as horrific as he is believed to be in the eyes of Frankenstein. All the monster wanted was to love and to be loved in return and instead he was the true outcast of society. The monster shows a unique ability to analyze humanity because, though he's not a human himself, he has the intelligence of one. He explains, "I heard about the slothful Asiatics; of the stupendous genius and mental activity of the Grecians; of the wars and wonderfu l virtue of the early Romans--of their subsequent degenerating--of the decline of that mighty empire; of chivalry, Christianity, and kings." This synopsis of culture in a nutshell shows the monster's ability to put humanity in perspective. Yet this education only furthers the monster's realization that he is disconnected from the humans he admires. The reader's take on the monster however changes dramatically when Victor is the narrator. Frankenstein's creation becomes a wretched and terrible villain of the story when it is told through him (third person). For example Victor's disgust and hatred for the monster is evident right from the first time he sees him, as he says "A flash of lightning illuminated the object and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect, more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy demon to whom I had given life." When the story is told through Victor it is all about what the monster is doing to him and how heartless the creature is.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Pepe jeans Essay

The company maintains contact with its independent retailers via group of 10 agents and each agent is responsible for retailers in a particular area of the country. Pepe is convinced that a good relationship with the independent retailers is vital to its success. Pepe’s requirement to place firm orders six months in advance with no possibility amendments, cancellation, or repeat ordering. Some claimed that the inflexible order system forced them to order less, resulting in stock outs. Pepe felt that a change was going to be needed soon. The easiest solution would be work with the Hong Kong sourcing agent to reduce the lead time associated with orders but this was going to increase the cost significantly. Even with the significant increase in cost, consistent delivery schedules would be difficult to keep. Another suggestion was to build a finishing operation in United Kingdom. Pepe was interested to see how system worked at U. S. operations. They found that they would have to keep about six weeks’ supply of basic jeans on hand in the United Kingdom and they have to invest ? 1,000,000 worth of equipment. They also estimated that it would cost about ? 500,000 to operate the facility each year. They could locate the facility in the basement of current office building, and the renovations would cost ? 300,000.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Future of Educational Finance Essay

Gary Marx stated â€Å"identifying, monitoring and considering the implications of trends is one of the most basic processes for creating the future† (Stevenson, 2010 p. 1). The world of education is forever changing at a pace that gets more rapid as the years go on. The decisions made in the past have laid the foundation of education today, as will recent changes affect the future. Programs such as choice schooling and No Child Left Behind will impact school funding. Rulings such as the Lemon Test and separation of church and state will impact decisions that can potentially result in litigation and court rulings dictating educational decisions. In his work regarding educational trends, Kenneth Stevenson (2010) stated, â€Å"a continuing recession, escalating political polarization, rising racial/ethnic tensions, a growing national debt, and a widening divide between the haves and the have nots portend a future fraught with unprecedented challenges to and clashes over the form and substance of public education in America† (p.1). Analysis of the Lemon Test The Lemon Test was created by Chief Justice Warren Berger as a result of the court case Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and is based on the principles stated in Everson v. Board of Education. The case of Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) centered on Rhode Island’s Salary Supplement Act. This act approved a salary supplement of up to fifteen percent for teachers who taught secular subjects in private religious schools or non-public elementary schools. The courts determined that approximately twenty-five percent of Rhode Island’s students attended non-public schools. Furthermore, ninety-five percent of the parochial schools were Roman Catholic. Pennsylvania offered a similar program that reimbursed non-public schools for expenses related to secular education and required schools to account for the expenses separately. Approximately twenty percent of Pennsylvania’s children attended non-public schools and ninety-six percent of the schools had a religious affiliation. The high courts looked at its own precedents and determined that, in order  for a law to be in compliance with the Establishment clause it, â€Å"must have a secular legislative purpose; second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion; finally, the statute must not foster â€Å"an excessive government entanglement with religion† (Barnes, 2010, p. 2-3). The Lemon test was created to, â€Å"determine when a law has the effect of establishing religion† (The Basics, 2014, p. 3). The court applied the Lemon test to the Pennsylvania and Rhode Island supplemental funding programs and deemed that the programs in both states were unconstitutional (The Lemon Test, 2009). Both programs met the first requirement of the Lemon test as they had a secular purpose. However, the court determined that it was unclear if the programs met the second set of criteria as â€Å"while the aid was intended for secular use, it was not entirely secular in effect† (The Lemon Test, 2009, p. 1). The court decided that it did not need to establish if the programs met the second part of the Lemon test as they failed to meet the third criterion as both programs â€Å"excessively entangling state administrators with the operations of parochial schools† (The Lemon Test, 2009, p. 1). The Lemon test has â€Å"become an extremely influential legal doctrine, governing not only cases involving government funding of religious institutions but also cases in which the government promoted religious messages. Over the years, however, many justices have criticized the test because the court has often applied it to require a strict separation between church and state† (The Lemon Test, 2009, p. 1). The test has been the foundation for many of the court’s ruling regarding the establishment clause since 1971. The â€Å"choice†Ã‚  The idea of vouchers for education was first introduced in early 1950 in a move to privatize education. In that same year, as a result of Brown v. Board of Education, the southern states put the first voucher program into action as a way to â€Å"enable white students of all income levels to attend the segregation academies and continue receiving a publicly-funded, all white education† (Save our Schools NJ, 2014). In 1989, Wisconsin’s more modern voucher programs, focused on poor children of all races. (Save our Schools NJ, 2014). Regardless of the nature of the voucher program, the impact is the same- taxpayer funds being diverted from public school funding. In 2002, the Supreme Court ruling of the case of Zelman V. Simmons-Harris  stated that it was not a violation of the Establishment Clause to provide scholarships for so me students to attend private or parochial schools. This ruling had a subsequent impact on the development of S1872, also known as the Opportunity Scholarship Act. This act allowed for vouchers to go to private or religious schools. Changes from S1872 resulted in an almost $1 billion dollar revenue loss for school funding by the end of its fifth year (NJEA, 2011). In addition to the government revenue lost, a 100% tax credit is given to companies who donate to these funds thus losing additional revenue. The children given these scholarship vouchers are children from targeted failing school areas, which then result in that already failing district to lose additional weighted funding for those children. â€Å"Shifting a handful of students from a public school into private schools will not decrease what the public school must pay for teachers and facilities, but funding for those costs will decrease as students leave† (NCSL, 2014). A study by the American Federation of Teachers in 2011 looked at the revenue lost in several states as a result of money being diverted to voucher programs. In most cases, these programs obtained funding by either increasing taxes or by reducing state aid to local school districts. Both the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program did just that. The Milwaukee program, in 2009, cost taxpayers roughly $130 million and the Cleveland program reduced Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid to the Cleveland public schools by $11,901,887 in 2007 (American Federation of Teachers, 2011). One of the most significant issues with voucher programs is the fact that they do not have the same monitoring and regulations as public schools in order to obtain funding. â€Å"Perhaps the biggest critique of market-based reforms, such as school choice and performance based accountability is that they will further exacerbate inequalities in education† (Fusarelli and Young, 2011, p. 92). Not all program funding is distributed in the programs based on poverty. Parents of special education students are not guaranteed special education services. In addition, many programs are not monitored for the way they appropriate money. When a review of the Arizona tax credit programs was conducted, it was discovered that â€Å"almost two-thirds of all voucher orga nizations kept more funds for overhead than allowed under state law† (AFT, 2011, p. 7). Per student revenue that local districts lose to  these programs is not guaranteed to be 100% applied to the students attending the private school. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education had a budget cut of $5 billion (The Education Trust, n.d.). In 2013-2014, over 35 states are providing less funding per students, more than 10% in fourteen of them. (Leachman & Mai, 2014). With decreasing numbers such as these, voucher programs only continue to threaten to take limited funding away from local districts. Continued funding cuts will have an impact on the economic future of our country. As stated by Brimley et al. â€Å"the more education provided, the more wealth developed; the more wealth created, the more funds available for investment; the more investment undertaken, the more wealth available for investment in physical and human capital: (Brimley et al., 2012, p. 3). The Impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is the largest federal funding program in the history of the United States. No Child Left Behind is a, â€Å"reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which originated in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty† (Braden and Schroeder, n.d., p. 1). While NCLB provides additional funding from the federal government it also imposes mandates that states must follow. The supplementary funding provided under the No Child Left Behind Act is not necessarily enough for states to meet the standards required by the act. The main focus of NCLB is Title I funding which the federal government allocates to states to help provide an education to economically disadvantaged students. No Child Left Behind includes eight other forms of Title funding such as school safety, teacher quality, assessments, and American Indian education (Braden and Schroeder, n.d., p. 1). Title I funds are the most important part of No Child Left Behind as the majority of the funds are earmarked for Title I purposes and Title I funding holds states accountable for student achievement as evidenced on state assessments. The move towards holding states accountable for student achievement began prior to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Most states included accountability in their education reform acts during the 1990s (Ladd, 2001). By the year 2001, the same year as NCLB, more than forty states published a school report card, more than half had some type of school achievement rating, and numerous states offered assistance or sanctions to schools with low student  performance (Meyer, Orlofsky, Skinner, & Spicer, 2002). In January of 2002, No Child Left Behind was signed into law and for the first time in history the federal government was involved in, â€Å"setting broad parameters, implementation timelines, and sanctions for state accountability systems† (Du ncombe, Lukemeyer, &Yinger, 2006, p. 1). States began to implement NCLB in 2002 during a time of financial difficulties. This created concerns based on the cost involved in funding a program of its magnitude as well as questions regarding the extent to which the NCLB program was funded. Most estimates concerning the cost of implementing the program were far from accurate. This prompted states, such as Connecticut and Utah, to pass legislation which allowed them to either ignore the parts of NCLB that required funding from the state or sue the federal government for a lack of funding (Duncombe et al., 2006). While NCLB involves many federal education programs, the act’s requirements in regards to school improvement, accountability, and testing are a priority. No Child Left Behind required states to test students in grades three through eight yearly in math and reading. Students in grades ten through twelve must be tested once. In addition students must be tested in science once in grades three through five, six through eight, and tenth-twelfth. In addition, states, school districts and individual schools are to â€Å"publicly report test results in the aggregate and for specific student subgroups, including low-income students, students with disabilities, Eng lish language learners, and major racial and ethnic groups† (New America Foundation, 2014). Another requirement of NCLB is that all teachers must be highly qualified. Teachers must pass a licensure exam and be certified by the state they teach in. Teachers who teach a specific subject area must demonstrate their subject knowledge by passing the subject knowledge portion of the licensure exam. NCLB specifies that states develop a plan â€Å"to ensure that low-income and minority students are not taught by teachers who are not highly qualified at higher rates than are non-minority and low-income students† (New America Foundation, 2014). In addition, NCLB give parents and guardians the right to know the qualification of their child’s teacher and if their child is receiving instruction from a paraprofessional and if so the qualifications of that individual. NCLB requires that school district’s notify parents in writing if their child will receive instruction from a teacher who is not highly  qualified for longer than four weeks (New America Foundation, 20 14). No Child Left Behind stated that all school districts in the United States were to guarantee that each child enrolled in their district would score proficient in the state’s reading and math assessments by 2014. Each state was given the freedom to define what grade level proficiency meant in regards to their state standards. NCLB required that schools make â€Å"adequate yearly progress† (AYP) towards achieving their goal. Proficiency rates increased yearly up to 2014 and individual states were allowed to choose their rate of increase. In order for a state to make AYP they must meet their goal for student achievement in reading and math every year (New America Foundation, 2014). Forty-three states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, a group of California school districts as well as the Bureau of Indian Education applied for waivers exempting them from being required to meet their targets and other requirements of NCLB from the Department of Education. In September of 2011, President Obama and Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, announced that the Obama administration, â€Å"would allow states to request flexibility in meeting some of the requirements under NCLB in the absence of the law’s reauthorization† (New America Foundation, 2014). For a state to qualify to receive flexibility throu gh a waiver, the state needs to show they have adopted or will implement reforms to their, â€Å"academic standards, student assessments, and accountability systems for schools and educators† (New America Foundation, 2014). According to No Child Left Behind schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years will be identified for school improvement, and will have to create a school improvement plan (SIP), and apply a minimum of ten percent of their federal Title I funds to professional development. Schools that do not make AYP for a third year will be under corrective action, and will be required to apply interventions to improve school performance, â€Å" from a list specified in the legislation† (New America Foundation, 2014). If a school fails to make AYP for a fourth year they will be, â€Å"identified for restructuring which requires more significant interventions† (New America Foundation, 2014). If a school fails to make AYP for a fifth year, â€Å"they must implement a restructuring plan that includes reconstituting school staff and/or leadership, changing the school’s governance arrangement, converting the school to a charter, turning it over to a private management company, or some other major change†Ã‚  (New America Foundation, 2014). Specific school districts that have a high percentage of schools that fail to make average yearly progress for multiple years could be, â€Å"identified for school improvement, corrective action, and restructuring† (New America Foundation, 2014). The Future of Church-State Relations As religion continues to hold influence on the American culture the U.S. judicial system remains the authority for interpreting the constitutionality of matters of religion. The separation of church and state comes as a result of America not having an established religion for all of the residents to follow; the people were given freedom of religion. According to Thomas Jefferson, God is acknowledged as the creator of mankind and government is not a divine organization therefore it is the responsibility of the citizens to oversee the institution of government. In 1791 the government discontinued support or promotion of any religion. The decisions made so long ago continue to greatly impact organizations such as schools today. In the classroom teachers are held accountable to the state that they will remain neutral on the subject of religion while on school grounds (The Boisi Center, n.d.). Cases such as Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v Nyquist (1973) and Mueller v Allen (1983) have kept the courts busy on the subject of funding religion in the educational system (Pew Research Center, 2008). The Free Exercise Clause permits students to practice their faith privately on campus as long as it does not cause disruptions to the academic day and students are not being persuaded to follow his/her beliefs. School vouchers and tax credits that were distributed from 1983-2002 were considered constitutional under the Establishment Clause as they approved a parent’s choice to have their child attend a religious school. The courts accepted these practices because they did not show intent to persuade on the side of religion (The Boisi Center, n.d.). During this time all over the country courts were hearing cases to oppose the allowance of vouchers to religious organizations as they felt it went against the separation of church-state. In some states courts ruled that vouchers could only be used for parents that wanted to move their child to a higher performing public school so that private religious schools did not receive state education funds. Now and in the future the United States  will continue to permit religious liberty to the people, the government will not be accountable nor will it dictate ones religious practices (The Boisi Center, n.d.). With the increased cases that continue to build against religion in schools and educational funding to religious private schools it is predicted that the future of church-state relations in educational funding will give more authority to the state education departments on the placement of funds. The state will seek more control of religious private schools, as the voucher program seems to be here to stay. The state is going to want more control of curriculum if they will be providing financial support (Pardini, 1999). Tax credit programs are also popular and seem to offer a compromise of church-state relations. Tax credits provide financial support to families that choose to place their child in private schools. As time progresses state government will advocate for an increase in charter schools, this will allow for state funds in the form of vouchers and tax credits to support schools that do not have a religious focus (Pardini, 1999). This battle will continue until a decision is m ade by the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Blaine Amendments. These amendments were established in 1875 to disallow states to financially support private schools that teach religion. At this time there are approximately thirty states that incorporate Blaine language in their constitution, which disrupts the success of vouchers being used by parents that wish to relocate their child to a higher performing and/or religious private school (DeForrest, 2003). Future Trends in Court Decisions and Power over Educational Financing The courts have had a hand in education dating back to the creation of the United States Constitution. Although there was no specific mention in the Constitution as to who was responsible, who carried the power in terms of financing education, education was valued in the early days, and many early settlers used the Bible to teach the young to read. As time went on people challenged the use of teaching the Bible in Public Schools. People used the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to argue about the intermingling of church and state and the use of direct government support for parochial, and private schools (Brimley, Verstegen, & Garfield, 2012). The courts found themselves hearing cases of people challenging the use of government funds in schools other than public schools and, in the case of Pierce v. Society of Sisters  (268 U.S. 510-1925), the courts ruled for using public funds for church-relate d schools. Because of this ruling financing public schools has seen some great changes, and will continue to see changes. This court ruling could potentially change the makeup and the system of education in the United States. States will implement more stringent guidelines as to what they expect from schools in regards to performance standards since they are the ones providing the funds. These guidelines are the result of schools continuing to fail to meet state requirements, running low on funds due decreased income from property taxes, or the need for states take over more schools or shut them down, To date there has not been a proven method that will solve the problems of educational financing. Politics have a large influence in financing education. This was evident during the Bush administration, when money went into funding Laura Bush’s library after other school programs were cut. For nearly forty years the constitutionality of the way schools are financed has been scrutinized. There have been one hundred thirty-nine lawsuits in forty-five states promoting finance reform after the ruling of Serrano v. Priest (Education Next, 2010). The states are required by their individual state constitutions to provide an adequate education to all students. Currently there is no solution to the challenges of financing public schools so that all individuals feel like they are being treated equally. The debates and challenges have been going on for decades and will continue for years to come. Responsibility is placed on the states to ensure that their State Constitution requirements are being met and to provide funding for local schools. Conclusion As previously stated education as it is known today continues to change at a rapid rate and will continue to change forever as the world that we all reside in is ever changing. Technology has had a major influence on education, and the world in general. â€Å"If students are not being taught to use technology, and not being taught adequate math, science, and communication skills, the United States will continue to lose its superiority to other countries† (A Nation at Risk, 1983). In order for the United States to keep up with the competitive commerce, today’s students need to be pushed a little more to achieve more and not just be satisfied with mediocrity. There was a time when funding private and/or parochial  schools was not even an issue, as it was clearly understood that government monies was allocated for public schools. As time went on, needs changed, be it individual needs such as students with disabilities, or families of low income. With these needs came reasons to challenge the norm. Attorneys were contracted, and the status quo was challenged. Nobody could have predicted the changes that would happen nor is it possible to predict the future from today. It is impossible to guess the future of financing education because no one knows what the needs will be in fifteen to twenty-five years from now. It is crucial that past rulings be thoroughly examined to assist with preparing for future financial direction, although that is not the magic solution. References A Nation At Risk: The Imperative For Educational Reform (1983). American Federation of Teachers (2011). School vouchers: The research track record. Retrieved September 29, 2014 from: http://www.aft.org/pdfs/teachers/vouchertrackrecord0211.pdfBarnes, M. (2010, September 13). The Lemon Test and the Establishment Clause: A Proposal For Modification. Retrieved September 29, 2014. Barry, C., and Wysong, C. 2010. School-Finance Reform in Red and Blue. Where theMoney Goes Depends on Who’s Running the State. Retrieved Summer 2010 / Vol. 10, N0. 3 from: educationnext.org/school-finance-reform-in-red-and-blue/ Braden, J., & Schroeder, J. (n.d.). High-Stakes Testing and No Child Left Behind: Information and strategies for Educators. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.nasponline.org/communications/spawareness/highstakes.pdfBrimley, Vera R., Verstegen, Deborah A., & Garfield, Rulon R. (2012). Financing education in a climate of change (11th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon DeForrest, M. (2003). An Overview and Evaluation of State Blaine Amendments: Origins, Scope, and First Amendment Concerns. Harvard Journal Of Law & Public Policy, 26(2), 551.Duncombe, W., Lukemeyer, A., & Yinger, J. (2006, September). The No Child Left Behind Act: Have Federal Funds Been Left Behind? Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://cpr.maxwell.syr.edu/efap/Publications/costing_out.pdfFusarelli, Bonnie and Young, Tamara (2011). Preserving the â€Å"public† in public education for the sake of democracy. Journal of Thought. 46(1) p. 85-96 Ladd, H. 2001. â€Å"School-Based Educational Accountability Systems: The Promise and Pitfalls.† National Tax Journal 54 (2): 385-400. Leachman, Michael and Mai, Chris (2014). Most states funding school less than before the recession. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. May 2014. Meyer, L., G. Orlofsky, R. Skinner, and S. Spicer. 2002. â€Å"The State of the States.† Quality Counts 2001. January 10.. National Conference of School Legislatures (2014). School Vouchers. Retrieved September 28, 2014 from: http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/school-choice-vouchers.aspxNew America Foundation. Background & Analysis. (2014). Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://febp.newamerica.net/background-analysis/no-child-left-behind-overviewPardini, P. 1999. Church/state complexities. Retrieved from www.rethinkingschools.orgSave our Schools NJ (2014) School Voucher Basics. Retrieved September 27, 2014 from: http://www.saveourschoolsnj.org/vouchers/The Basics of Separation. (2014). Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/tnpidx.htmThe Boisi Center. Date Unknown. Separation of church and sta te. Religion and American Public Life. Retrieved from www.bc.eduThe Lemon Test. (2009, May 14). Retrieved September 28, 2014.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Planning and producing a game - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1236 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Entertainment Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? CONTENT: THE THEME PILOT STUDY ONE PAGE GDD STATISTICS GAME FOUNDATION GAME MECHANICS GAME ENVIRONMENT TARGET ANALYSIS The Themeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The theme of my game is Mystery The Genreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Genre of my game is Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Planning and producing a game" essay for you Create order Murder/Mystery Memory Time based Deduction Pilot Studyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Feasibility.. This game was very much feasible in the type of environment I have selected. As the game is constructed on a vertical board, the space requirements reduced very much and availability increased. Time.. Time consumed only on making stories for the game otherwise the assets were easy to fine and execution was even less time consuming. Cost Cost can be considered negligible. Only Printing costs. Adverse Events.. None Yet. As I am going a little out of mainstream life sized board games, some adverse events was expected but didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have any yet. Effective Size.. As ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a Vertical board, The size should be average so that a wide range of target audience can play. ONE PAGE GDD Why this Game? Well apart from the most reviews, this was my first idea which was kind of unique, at least with respect to my other ideas and executable also GENRE Memory Deduction Murder/Mystery How it is different? Most of the board games especially LIFE SIZE board games are executed on ground but this game is executed on an actual board and this game not only tests your memory but also forces your mind to brainstormà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this game includes visualization and deduction too. Target Audience This Game is targeted for age group 12+ and the story varies according to age group. Re-Playability Well most of the reviews said that re-playability could be an issue so I gave a thought and presented the idea that this game will feature many stories so every time it will be new to an individual and if launched in m arket, then story packs will be available too and will be updated time to time which will make this project profitable too. How is fun and engaging? Well the name itself makes player curious and then the game is of genre à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“MYSTRYà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  which is enough to keep a player engaged throughout the game and fun part is.. every time a new story and difficulty level could be anything according to the player. Market Potential Its tricky but carries a huge potential if pitched in market correctlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If pitched correctly, players will be bound to purchase addon story packages. Why did I chose to build this game Totally psychology and research. Re-playability is kind of risky but carries a huge long term earning potential if correctly pitched. Checks playerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s memory and decision making. Even increases decision making and thinking potential with a course of playing time. Attractive game, name itself makes people start thinking. STATISTICS.. Do You Play Board Games Which Type Of Board Games Do You Like Which all board games do you like Whats Your Age How Often Do You Play Board Games Which Of My Games Did You Like The Most. YES Stratagy MONOPOLY 10-15 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy, Race, Turn Based LUDO, CHESS, MONOPOLY 15-20 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy, Race, Puzzle LUDO, CHESS, MONOPOLY 15-20 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Time Based, Turn Based, Luck Based LUDO, MONOPOLY, SNAKE AND LADDER 15-20 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy LUDO 10-15 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Turn Based CHESS 10-15 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy CHESS 5-10 Very Often LOOSE BUT LEARN YES Luck Based MONOPOLY 10-15 Rarely THE CLASH YES Luck Based CHESS, SNAKE AND LADDER 5-10 Depends On Mood LOOSE BUT LEARN YES Time Based CHECKERS 5-10 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy MONOPOLY 10-15 Rarely PULL em DOWN! YES Stratagy LUDO 10-15 Depends On Mood PULL em DOWN! YES Race SNAKE AND LADDER 10-15 Depends On Mood PULL em DOWN! YES Stratagy SCRAMBLE 15-20 Depends On Mood LOOSE BUT LEARN NO Race MONOPOLY 15-20 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Turn Based CHECKERS 5-10 Very Often WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Time Based MONOPOLY 10-15 Rarely PULL em DOWN! YES Puzzle LUDO, SCRAMBLE 5-10 Rarely PULL em DOWN! YES Turn Based CHECKERS 5-10 Rarely THE CLASH YES Race CHECKERS 10-15 Rarely PULL em DOWN! YES Puzzle SNAKE AND LADDER 10-15 Depends On Mood PULL em DOWN! YES Luck Based CHESS 15-20 Very Often THE CLASH YES Turn Based SNAKE AND LADDER 15-20 Very Often MAKE AND SELL YES Time Based, Luck Based SCRAMBLE 10-15 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Turn Based MONOPOLY, SNAKE AND LADDER 5-10 Very Often LOOSE BUT LEARN YES Turn Based LUDO 10-15 Depends On Mood WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Puzzle CHESS 10-15 Very Often PULL em DOWN! NO Race CHESS 10-15 Very Often LOOSE BUT LEARN YES Stratagy CHECKERS 10-15 Depends On Mood THE CLASH YES Turn Based CHECKERS 20-30 Rarely LOOSE BUT LEARN YES Stratagy, Turn Based LUDO, SNAKE AND LADDER 10-15 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Puzzle CHESS, MONOPOLY 30+ Very Often WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy, Race, Luck Based CHESS, MONOPOLY, CHECKERS, SCRAMBLE 15-20 Rarely WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? YES Stratagy MONOPOLY 15-20 Rarely LOOSE BUT LEARN Game Foundation.. GAME PLAY.. This game is totally based on playerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s mind-set, observing skills and memory. Player has to join the clues and narrate the entire story after unravelling. BACK STORY PLOT There has been an incident last night and cops have done their best to deduce but have reached nowhere so they hired you, a DETECTIVE, Now its up to you how you how you unravel the mystery and catch the Guilty. WINNING CONDITION It depends on what game mode a player is playing. It is time based game so player has to unravel the mystery before the second player to win. TOKENS Well ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a clue based games so the game caries clues, a lot of clues in the form of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“EVIDENCEà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . MECHANICS The player has to go through every clue. Player has to mark his/her progress through a thread by joining the clues according to the storyline. Player cannot have any assistance unless playing team mode. If the player goes through wrong path in the storyline then every wrong connection will add 10 seconds in their total time even if the player has caught the right person. Player can make his/her notes while playing. GAME MODES: This game currently have two 3 game modes: SOLO FACEOFF TEAM FACEOFF OWN QUEST SOLO FACEOFF In this mode, two players play the game turn wise or simultaneously on other board, and there final time will be compared with each other. The one with right decision and less time will win. TEAM FACEOFF In this mode, rules will be same as solo but this time there will be two players in a team. Two teams will go for face-off and penalty will be doubled. OWN QUEST In this mode there wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t any opponent but you. You have to beat your own time and reveal new stories. ENVIRONMENT This game can be played in any indoors and outdoors as well but indoor is recommended. TARGET ANALYSIS: Brief Analysis: According to my analysis I have learnt that my game was playable for most of the players but it was not as challenging enough for few players. Players still liked the game so my game was successful.

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Sources Of Finance Available To An Organization - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 14 Words: 4227 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Sources of Finance Finance is essential for a businesss operation, development and expansion. Finance is the core limiting factor for most businesses and therefore it is crucial for businesses to manage their financial resources properly. Finance is available to a business from a variety of sources both internal and external. Internal sources of finance Funds which are available within the organisation and consist of: Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Sources Of Finance Available To An Organization" essay for you Create order Personal savings Business borrows personal money of a shareholder, partner or owner for a businesss financial needs. This source of finance is known as personal savings. Retained profits Undistributed profits of a company, as not all the profits made by a company are distributed as dividends to its shareholders. Working capital Working capital is the difference of current assets and current liabilities. Working capital helps any business to fulfil its financing for its short term requirements. Sale of fixed assets Fixed assets can be sold to raise finance in demanding times for the business. Otherwise businesses may choose to stop offering certain products and sell its fixed assets to raise finance. Selling fixed assets reduces the production capacity of a business affecting a businesss return. External sources of finance External sources of finance are from sources that are outside the business. External sources of finance can either be: Ownership capital Ownership capital is the money invested in the business by the owners themselves. It can be the capital funding by owners and partners or it can also be share bought by the shareholders of a company. There are mainly two main types of shares. Ordinary shares Preference shares Ordinary shares Known as a unit of investment in a company, have the privilege of receiving a part of company profits via dividends according to the value of shares held and yearly profit of the company. Preference shares Preference shareholders receive a fixed rate of dividends before the ordinary shareholders are paid. There are several types of preference shares and company can issue to raise the required capital, provided it is permitted by the By Laws of the company. Non-ownership capital Unlike ownership capital, non-ownership capital does not allow the lender to participate in profit-sharing or to influence how the business is run. Different types of non-ownership capital: Debentures Bank overdraft Loan Hire-purchase Lease Grant Venture capital Debentures Debenture holders are not owners but long-term creditors of the company who receive a fixed rate of interest annually whether the company makes a profit or loss.Debentures can be secured, unsecured, fixed or floating. Bank overdraft A short term credit facility provided by banks for its current account holders allowing businesses to withdraw more money than their bank account balances hold. Bank overdraft is the ideal source of finance for short-term cashflow problems. Loan Loans are amounts of money borrowed from banks or other financial institutions for large and long-term business projects. Hire purchase Hire purchase allows a business to use an asset without paying the full amount to purchase the asset rather payment is paid as per pre-agreed instalments in order to acquire the full ownership. Lease Unlike a hire purchase the ownership of the asset remains with the leasing company, the business pays a rent throughout the leasing period for using the asset in question. Grant Grants are funding given to businesses for programs or services that benefit the community or public at large. Grants can be given by the government or private firms. Venture capital The capital contributed at the initial stages of an uncertain business, which is normally a sort of non-ownership arrangement Factoring A type of source by which credit sales are financed by a bank/financial company for a short time-frame to the business. . (Ref: https://www.scribd.com/doc/27126810/Sources-of-Finance ) P2 State clearly the implication of each sources of finance identified to the organization. Following are the implications of sources of finance: LEASING: Leasing has great effects on business because of leasing the cost is spread over a number of years and there is no need to pay the amount upfront. Leasing helps to maintain the cash flow of the firm. Leasing allows you to use better equipment that would be too expensive. Leasing provides financial security because of leasing companies. Lease rentals are considered as an operating cost, which means that it is often possible to deduct them from taxable profits. OVERDRAFT: An overdraft is a temporary facility added to bank accounts where you are able to be overdrawn in your bank account by a certain amount. Interest is charged on the overdrawn money. An overdraft is useful when firm is having regular sales and purchases coming out of account and could leave firm in bad cash flow conditions. Overdraft is good for company when it is not sure to pay off its bills. But an overdraft is not supposed to be a permanent source of finance and if the whole business is relying on using an overdraft as a long time source because an overdraft carry interest and fees often much higher rates than loans . DEBENTURES: Debentures can be a very attractive form of investment, but only should be taken advantage of with companies that have a very high probability of being successful. Large and already successful businesses are smart forms of investments when considering buying corporate debentures HIRE PURCHASE: Business hires the equipment for a period of time making fixed regular payments. Once payments have finished it then owns the piece of equipment. Hire purchase is different to leasing in that the business owns the equipment when it has finished making payments. With an equipment lease, the TRADE CREDIT : A business does not always have to pay their bills as soon as they receive them. They are given period of credit, normally around 30-60 days. By trying to extend this period they can improve their short-term finance position. Small businesses now have some protection under law that prevents larger firms exploiting their credit terms. Trade credit is an important source of finance for nearly all businesses since it is effectively a free source of finance. OWN CAPITAL: For sole traders and partnerships a common source of finance, especially for start up is money from the individuals who are forming the business. They may also borrow money from family and friends. Own capital is a costless form of finance, but carries the risk of the money being lost. WORKING CAPITAL: Working capital is the amount of money available for the day to day running of the business. It is the difference between current assets and current liabilities. See below for more details of how working capital can be used. P3 Using Assignment 3, recommend the appropriate source of finance for the project. Project financing is considered in some way or the other right from the time of project conception. Indeed project financing is intertwined with project planning, analysis and selection. As the project proposal progresses through the stages of planning, analysis and selection, the contours of project financing becomes clearer. TASK TWO Analyse the implication of finance as a resource within a business. P4 You are required to assess and compare the cost of different sources of finance. Different sources of Finance for Businesses are available to a small business or a big company. With each source of finance listed the report will assess the implications that can arise and along with this the report will look at the cost to the business to taking a curtain source of finance. All businesses need short-term finance from the very beginning to start up the business and to cover day-to-day running costs. Owners` funds Profits Loans and overdrafts Trade credit Government grants Hiring and leasing Issuing shares Selling assets Venture capital Owners funds: This is the money that is put business by the owners. When some businesses are first opened owners will provide to pay for the set up costs. If the owners dont have enough money other sources of finance should be obtained to pay for the running costs of the business. Profits: As we have seen from the balance sheet many businesses will use previously earned profit as a source of funds. W hen profit is used by the business, rather than being given to its owners, it is called retained profit. Loans and overdrafts: There are many different types of loan that a business could take out. When taking out a loan the business must pay back the money borrowed plus interest at regular periods over an agreed period of time.The overdraft means the business is allowed to have a negative figure in its bank account. Trade credit:The business can obtain goods and services from other businesses without having to pay for them at the time. It is common to have one or two months of interest free trade credit. Government grants: Business can receive grants for locating in areas where there are high levels of unemployment and relative poverty, examples are: Hiring and Leasing:Hire purchase is often used to buy equipment. A lease means that the business is simply renting the lorry for an agreed period of time. Issuing Shares: Most shares sold are ordinary shares which entitl e the shareholder to receive a share of the businesss profits, this is called a dividend. The dividend will vary from year to year depending on the amount of profit the business owns. P5 A financial statement is a formal record of the financial activities of a business, person or other entity. A financial statement is often referred to as account. For business purposes all the financial information is presented in a structured manner to make it understand easy which is known as financial statement. There is great impact of finance on financial statement Personal savings Personal savings when lent to the business are considered as loans. The amount lent will appear as Long-term liabilities on the balance sheet. If any interest payments are to be made they will be recorded in the profit and loss account and charged against profits. Sale of assets Sale of assets will reduce the value of fixed assets on the balance sheet. The profit or loss made on the sale of asset will be recorded in the profit and loss account for the year. The depreciation of the asset along with its original price will be removed from the balance sheet. Ordinary shares and preference shares The issue of ordinary shares and preference shares increase the vale of equity capital in the balance sheet. If the issued shares market price is greater than the nominal value of the share then share premium is also increased in the balance sheet. The number of shares issued is also displayed in the balance sheet and for preference shares the rate of dividend is also shown. The dividends paid to the shareholders are recorded in the appropriation account after tax is deducted from net profit. Bank overdraft This appears in the balance sheet as a current liability since it is a short-term debt and has to be paid back within a year. The interest charges and bank overdraft fee if charged are deducted from the profit and loss account before tax is charged. Loan Loans are long-term debts and therefore come under long-term liabilities in a balance sheet. The loan when displayed on a balance sheet will usually contain information about the repayment date and the interest charged on the loan. The interest is charged in the profit and loss account. Venture capital This is an amount of money invested in the business as equity capital and thus comes under equity capital in the balance sheet. The return for venture capitalists is a share of profits which is recorded in the appropriation account. P6 Explain the importance of financial planning. It is important to plan finances in order to reap long term benefits through the assets in hand. Every decision regarding our finances can be monitored if a proper plan is devised in advance. The following points explain why financial planning is important. Cash Flow: The cash flows increased by undertaking measures such as tax planning, prudent spending and careful budgeting. Capital: A strong capital base can be built with the help of efficient financial planning. Thus, one can think about investments and thereby improve his financial position. Income: It is possible to manage income effectively through planning. Managing income helps in segregating it into tax payments, other monthly expenditures and savings. Family Security: Financial planning is necessary from the point of view of family security. The various policies available in the market serve the purpose of financially securing the family. Investment: A proper financial plan that considers the income and ex penditure of a person helps in choosing the right investment policy. Standard of Living: The savings created by through planning come to the rescue in difficult times. Death of the bread winner in a family, affects the standard of living to a great extent. A proper financial plan acts as a guard in such situations and enables the family to survive hard times. Assets: A nice cushion in the form of assets is what many of us desire for. But many assets come with liabilities attached. Thus, it becomes important to determine the true value of an asset. Savings: It is good to have investments with high liquidity. These investments, owing to their liquidity, can be utilized in times of emergency and for educational purposes P7 Describe the information needs of different decision makers. Decision making  can be regarded as the mental processes resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternatives. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. Logical decision making is an important part of all science-based professions, where specialists apply their  knowledge  in a given area to making informed decisions. For example, medical decision making often involves making a  diagnosis and selecting an appropriate treatment. Good decision making is often a case of pay me now or pay me later. Following are the task to be done during decision making: †¢Ã‚  Objectives must first be established †¢Ã‚  Objectives must be classified and placed in order of importance †¢Ã‚  Alternative actions must be developed †¢Ã‚  The alternative must be evaluated against all the objectives †¢Ã‚  The alternative that is able to achieve all the objectives is the tentative decision †¢Ã‚  The tentative decision is evaluated for more possible consequences †¢Ã‚  The decisive actions are taken, and additional actions are taken to prevent any adverse consequences from becoming problems and starting both systems (problem analysis and decision making) all over again. TASK THREE Make financial decisions based on financial information. P8 Evaluate the usefulness of budgetary system in an organization. Budgetary system is very useful for the companies to manage their financial circumstances as it Compels management to think about the future, which is probably the most important feature of a budgetary planning and control system. Forces management to look ahead, to set out detailed plans for achieving the targets for each department, operation and each manager, to anticipate and give the organization purpose and direction. USEFULNESS: It Promotes coordination and communication. It clearly defines areas of responsibility. Requires managers of budget centers to be made responsible for the achievement of budget targets for the operations under their personal control. Provides a basis for performance appraisal .A budget is basically a yardstick against which actual performance is measured and assessed. Control is provided by comparisons of actual results against budget plan. Departures from budget can then be investigated and the reasons for the differences can be divid ed into controllable and non-controllable factors. It enables remedial action to be taken as variances emerge. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  it Motivates employees by participating in the setting of budgets.  ·it improves the allocation of scarce resources. It  Economizes management time by using the management by exception principle. P9 Describe how unit cost is determined and how it can aid pricing decisions. THe  unit cost  of a product is the cost per standard unit supplied, which may be a single sample or a container of a given number. When purchasing more than a single unit, the  total  cost will increase with the number of units, but it is common for the  unit  cost to decrease as quantity is increased, as there are discounts etc. This reduction in long run unit costs which arise from an increase in production/purchasing is due to the fixed costs being spread out over more products and is called economies of scale. All business decisions depe nd upon unit cost. Cost of producing one unit of product or service, usually based on averages. For example, if total manufacturing costs are $100,000 and the production volume for a given period is 10,000 units, the unit production cost is $10 per unit ($100,000/10,000 units). Unit costs may be stated in terms of gallons, feet, tons, individual units, and so on. Unit costs must be available for comparison of varying volumes and amount and for the purpose of establishing unit sales price of the product or service. If volume of activity increases, the variable cost per unit remains the same but the fixed cost per unit drops. P10 Postal project is for 5 years Initial investment in the project. Investments in services Cost of each new van = pound;8,000 100 new vans will cost = 1008000 = 800000. Cost of each truck= pound; 18000 20 new trucks will cost= pound; 2018000 = pound;360000 Total investment = 800000+360000= 1160000. There are 5 working days in a week 1 week= 5 days 1year= 52 weeks RREVENUE FOR 1st YEAR: Market research untaken forecast that demand will average 15,000 letters and 500 parcels per working day during first year . 15,000x5x52x.53= 2067000 (letters) 500x 5x 52x 5.25= 682500 (parcels) Total revenue for the first year= 2067000+682500= 2749500 EXPENDITURE FOR 1st YEAR OF THE PROJECT: Wages of 180 new workers 13000pound; costing each= 180x 13000= pound;2340000 Expenditure on maintenance of 100 vans costing 2000pound; each= 1002000= pound;200000 Expenditure on maintenance of 20 new trucks costing 4000pound; each= 20 x 4000= pound;80000 Depreciation in 1st year= 1160,000 divided by 5 = 232000 Expenditure on advertising during 1st year= 50,000 Expenditure on premises= 150,000 TOTAL EXPENDITURE = 3052000 Revenue expenditure= loss 2749500- 3052000= 302500 302500 is net loss during 1st year. Less taxation= nil Therefore in year 1 there is loss of 302500. 2ND Y EAR Revenue for 2nd year In 2nd year there is estimate of 20000 letters and 750 parcels per working day during whole year 20000x5x52x.53= 2756000 750x5x52x5.25= 1023750 Total revenue during 1st year= 2756000+ 1023750= 3779750 Revenue is same for the remaining years that is 3779750 EXPENDITURE DURING 2ND YEAR OF THE PROJECT Wages = 23400001.05=2457000 Expenditure in maintenance of vans= 2000001.201.05 = 214200 Expenditure in maintenance of trucks= 80000x 1.20x 1.05= 100800 Depreciation= 232000 Expenditure on premises=1653751.05=173644 Total expenditure during 2nd year= 3177644 Expenditure revenue is net loss=3177644-3779750=602106 3RD YEAR Wages during 3rd year= 24570001.05=2579950 Maintenance of vans= 2142001.201.05=229408.2 Maintenance of trucks= 1008001.201.05=127008 Depreciation=232000 Expenditure on premises= 1653751.05=173644 TOTAL EXPENDITURE=3342010.2 Profit=3342010.2-3779750= 437739.8 4TH YEAR EXPENDITU RE FOR 4TH YEAR Wages = 25798501.05=2708842.5 Maintenance of vans= 229408.2 x1.051.20= 289051.812 Maintenance of trucks= 1270081.201.05=160030.08 Depreciation=232000 Expenditure on premises= 1736441.05=182326.2 Profit= 3779750-182326.2= 3597423.8 5TH YEAR Wages = 2708842.541.05=2844284.667 Maintenance of van= 245695.961.051.20=263140.36 Maintenance of truck=160030.081.051.20=201637.89 Depreciation=232000 Exp on premises= 182326.2x 1.05=191442.51 Total expenditure=3732505.427 Loss= 3732505.427- 3779750=47244.57 TASK FOUR Analyses and evaluate the financial performance of a business. P11 Explain the main objectives of financial statement. Financial statements are means through which companies present their financial situation to shareholders, creditors and general public. Financial statements are supposed to accomplish. The intent of financial statements is to provide information useful in economic decision making. In particular, the data should be useful in making investment and credit decisions. Financial statements should provide a reliable indication of a companys financial position, operating results, and changes in financial position. Objectives: 1. Provide reliable financial information. 2. Provide other needed information about changes in economic resources and obligation. 3. Provide reliable information about changes in net resources. 4. Providing financial information that assess in estimating the earnings of a business. 5. To disclose other information according to the needs of the users. P12 Describe the difference between the presentation formats of financial statements of different types of business. The financial statement presentation project is a joint project between the IASB and the FASB (the Boards). Since April 2006, the Boards have been discussing fundamental issues related to the presentation and display of information in each of the basic financial statements (Phase B). The Boards goal is to issue an initial discussion document on those issues in the fourth quarter of 2007. Statement of Comprehensive Income Statement of Cash Flows Business ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Operating assets and liabilities ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Investing assets and liabilities Business ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Operating income ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Investment income Business ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Operating cash flows ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Investing cash flows Discontinued operations Discontinued operations Discontinued operations Financing ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing assets ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing liabilities Financing ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing income ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing expenses Financing ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing asset cash flows ÃÆ' ´Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚   Financing liability cash flows Equity Equity Income taxes Income taxes Income taxes Statement of Changes in Equity P13 P13 What are financial ratios? Financial ratios are useful indicators of a firms performance and financial situation. Most ratios can be calculated from information provided by financial statement. Financial ratios can be used to analyze trends and to compare firms to those of other firms. Financial ratios can ge classified according to information they provide: Liquidity ratio. Asset turnover ratio. Financial leverage ratios. Profitability ratios. Dividend policy ratio. FINANCIAL RATIO ANALYSIS OF TESCO: The purpose of this report is to analyze Tesco financial performance using the analysis of ratios as a financial tool. This information will be taken from the annual reports of 2008 and 2009. . Ratio analysis: Profitabiliy Ratios 2009 2008 Return on Capital Employed 8.13% 9.09% Return on Equity 7.64% 8.95% Gross Profit Margin 8.65% 7.13% Net Profit Margin 3.91% 4.25% Tescos profitability ratios show a moderately deterioration in profit from 2008 to 2009 in a margin of 6%. This downward trend is due to several changes the company had such as, (1) the sell of JS Development and Shaws supermarket, this has an impact on the companys current assets and profit, in one hand it brings in cash for the sell but on the other hand it stops the daily cash input, consequently there were a decline in profit in 2.6%; (2) the purchase of Swan Infrastructure Holdings Limited, which consist of a whole modern IT system and it is part of a Business Transformation Program me, therefore, there was a rise in 6% of the capital employed , and also a significantly fall in cash in 27%. Because of all these reasons, there was a drop in profit, but as it is a long-term investment it is estimated to be an income generation in the future. Efficiency and Effectiveness Ratios These ratios are used to try and identify the strengths and weaknesses of a business using a variety of different ratios  (Giles et al., 1994, p. 371). The following table illustrates the efficiency ratios used in tescos case. Efficiency and Effectiveness 2009 2008 Fixed Asset Turnover 2 times 2.07 times Debtor Collection Period 1.51 days 2.38 days Creditor Payment Period 28.8 days 28.78 days Stock Holding Period 17.21 days 18.67 days Liquidity Ratios As Maclaney and Atrill (2002, p. 197) said,  Certain ratios may be calculated that examine the relationship between liquid resources held and creditors due for payment in the near future. These ratios in Sainsburys company are as follow. Liquidity Ratios 2009 2008 Current Ratio 0.83:1 0.87:1 Acid Test (Quick Ratio) 0.67:1 0.70:1 Table 3. Liquidity Ratios (Base on data contained in Appendix B) The current ratio has a slightly fall, due to the current liabilities rising faster than the current assets. Looking at the current liabilities it can be seen that the company is using bank loans to finance the acquisition of the IT systems by the group, which increased in 63%. The current assets have also been affected by a decreased in 27% of cash account since a 10% of the purchase was made in cash. Similar situation happened with the acid test ratio with a slight fall in the rate. These ratios show a low rate, due to the fast stock rotation which pr oduces cash sales. Although, it seems like the current assets do not cover the current liabilities, the liquid assets are used as productively by the growing of the business to make it more effective, thus profitable. Capital Gearing Ratios This is the relationship between the amount financed by the owners of the business and the amount contributed by outsiders (Maclaney and Atrill 2002, p. 197). For instance, Sainsburys capital gearing ratios are: Capital Gearing Ratios 2009 2008 Gearing Ratio 28.54% 25.97% Times Interest Covered 5.91 times 5.31 times The gearing ratio has increased by 9% due to the long-term debts rising faster than the capital employed during the period from 2008 to 2009. The long term debts went up by 14%, which is because the purchase of IT fixed assets and also the company resort to operations in the capital market and by operating subsidiaries to deal with the interest rate and current risk these finance involves. On the other hand, the times interest covered stayed constant and even though is a low rate, the company still can cover its interest with their profit. Investor Ratios Certain ratios are concerned with assessing the returns and performance of shares held in a particular business  (McLaney et al., 2002, p. 197). The investor ratios for Sainsburys are the followings: Investor Ratios 2009 2008 Earnings per Share 0.20 0.23 Price Earnings Ratio 12.63 times 9.54 times Dividend Yield 6 6.89 Dividend Cover 1.32 1.52 REFRENCES: https://www.scribd.com/doc/27126810/Sources-Of Finance https://www.ukessays.com/essays/accounting/sainsburys-ratio-analysis.php https://www.scribd.com/doc/27126810/Sources-of-Finance https://wikitextbooks.co.uk www.buzzle.com/articles/importance-of-financial-planning.html ByShashankNakate https://www.ehow.com/list_5770990_advantage-disadvantages-financial-statement-analysis.html https://www.economics-dictionary.com/definition/planning-programming-budgeting-system.html https://www.iasb.org/ Financial Statement Presentation https://www.thewholesaleforums.co.uk/features/startup/sole-trader-ltd-company-partnership-or-llp/