Saturday, January 18, 2020
Aims and objectives Essay
This paper provides a context for this special edition. It highlights the scale of the challenge of nursing shortages, but also makes the point that there is a policy agenda that provides workable solutions. Results An overview of nurse:population ratios in different countries and regions of the world, highlighting considerable variations, with Africa and South East Asia having the lowest average ratios. The paper argues that the ââ¬Ëshortageââ¬â¢ of nurses is not necessarily a shortage of individuals with nursing qualifications, it is a shortage of nurses willing to work in the present conditions. The causes of shortages are multi-faceted, and there is no single global measure of their extent and nature, there is growing evidence of the impact of relatively low staffing levels on health care delivery and outcomes. The main causes of nursing shortages are highlighted: inadequate workforce planning and allocation mechanisms, resource constrained undersupply of new staff, poor recruitment, retention and ââ¬Ëreturnââ¬â¢ policies, and ineffective use of available nursing resources through inappropriate skill mix and utilisation, poor incentive structures and inadequate career support. Conclusions What now faces policy makers in Japan, Europe and other developed countries is a policy agenda with a core of common themes. First, themes related to addressing supply side issues: getting, keeping and keeping in touch with relatively scarce nurses. Second, themes related to dealing with demand side challenges. The paper concludes that the main challenge for policy makers is to develop a co-ordinated package of policies that provide a long term and sustainable solution. Relevance to clinical practice This paper highlights the impact that nursing shortages has on clinical practice and in health service delivery. It outlines scope for addressing shortage problems and therefore for providing a more positive staffing environment in which clinical practice can be delivered. Keywords: nurses, nursing, workforce issues, workforce planning Go to: Introduction The world has entered a critical period for human resources for health. The scarcity of qualified health personnel, including nurses, is being highlighted as one of the biggest obstacles to achieving health system effectiveness. In January 2004, the High Level Forum on the Health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reported, ââ¬ËThere is a human resources crisis in health, which must be urgently addressedââ¬â¢ (High Level Forum on the Health MDGs, 2004, p. 4). Later in the same year, the Joint Learning Initiative reported that ââ¬ËThere is a massive global shortage of health workersââ¬â¢ (Joint Learning Initiative 2004; executive summary, p. 3). In 2006, the World Health Organisation devoted the whole of the World Health Report to the negative impact that human resources shortages was having on global health care (WHO 2006). Against this backdrop of growing concern about shortages of health personnel, this paper focuses on one of the most critical components of the workforce: nurses. As such, it provides a context for the other papers in this special edition of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. These other papers focus in detail on specific nurse workforce issues and priorities facing policy makers and researchers in Australia, Canada, Japan, the USA and elsewhere. They emphasise the need to develop a better understanding of the specific dynamics in organisational and country level nursing labour markets if policy makers are to be well informed about the judgements they must make about what will be effective policy solutions for the nursing workforce. This paper provides a broader perspective, highlighting the scale of the challenge of nursing shortages, but also making the point that there are many common challenges and a policy agenda that points to workable solutions. Go to: Nursing and the global health workforce challenge WHO has estimated there to be a total of 59à ·2 million fulltime paid health workers worldwide in 2006, of which about two thirds were health service providers, with the remaining third being composed of health management and support workers (WHO 2006). WHO also calculated a threshold in workforce density below which consistent coverage of essential interventions, including those necessary to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), was very unlikely. Based on these estimates, it reported that there were 57 countries with critical shortages equivalent to a global deficit of 2à ·4 million doctors, nurses and midwives. The proportional shortfalls were greatest in sub-Saharan Africa, although numerical deficits were very large in South-East Asia because of its population size (WHO 2006, p. 12). WHO also highlighted that shortages often coexist in a country with large numbers of unemployed health professionals: ââ¬ËPoverty, imperfect private labour markets, lack of public funds, bureaucratic red tape and political interference produce this paradox of shortages in the midst of underutilized talentââ¬â¢ (WHO 2006, p. xviii). WHO concluded that the shortage crisis has the potential to deepen in the coming years. It noted that demand for service providers will escalate markedly in all countries ââ¬â rich and poor: ââ¬ËRicher countries face a future of low fertility and large populations of elderly people, which will cause a shift towards chronic and degenerative diseases with high care demands. Technological advances and income growth will require a more specialised workforce even as needs for basic care increase because of familiesââ¬â¢ declining capacity or willingness to care for their elderly members. Without massively increasing training of workers in this and other wealthy countries, these growing gaps will exert even greater pressure on the outflow of health workers from poorer regionsââ¬â¢ (WHO 2006, p. xix). Nurses are the main professional component of the ââ¬Ëfront lineââ¬â¢ staff in most health systems, and their contribution is recognised as essential to meeting development goals and delivering safe and effective care. One difficulty in making an accurate global estimate of numbers of nurses is the definition ofà ââ¬Ënurseââ¬â¢. Different international agencies, at different times, have developed different definitions, some related to educational level, some to years of training. The primary focus of this paper is on registered nurses, but this focus is hampered by the absence of a clear definition for some data sources, and the overall lack of a single universal definition of ââ¬Ënurseââ¬â¢. To give one indication of the size of the nursing workforce world wide, the International Council of Nurses reports 129 national nursesââ¬â¢ associations representing 13 million nurses worldwide (ICN 2007). This section of the paper provides an overview of nurse:population ratios in different countries and regions of the world. The data must be used with caution. The country level data collated by WHO which is reported in this paper may in some countries include midwives under the broad category of nurses; for some, it is also likely that the data may include auxiliary and unlicensed personnel. There can also be varying interpretations relating to the calculation of the number of nurses ââ¬â some countries may report working nurses, others may report all nurses that are eligible to practice; some may report ââ¬Ëheadcountââ¬â¢, others may report full time equivalents. The analysis presented below should therefore be taken as illustrative of a broad pattern of regional variations, rather than an accurate representation of each country. Current initiatives by international organisations such as WHO, ILO and OECD to agree to standard definitions and improve the collection of count ry level HRH data should improve the current unsatisfactory situation.
Friday, January 10, 2020
Forward the Foundation Chapter 17
10 Seldon strode into Amaryl's office, unannounced. ââ¬Å"Yugo,â⬠he said abruptly, ââ¬Å"the session with General Tennar has been postponed.â⬠He seated himself in a rather pettish manner. It took Amaryl his usual few moments to disconnect his mind from his work. Looking up finally, he said, ââ¬Å"What was his excuse?â⬠ââ¬Å"It wasn't he. Some of our mathematicians arranged a week's postponement so that it wouldn't interfere with the birthday celebration. I find all of this to be extremely annoying.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why did you let them do that?â⬠ââ¬Å"I didn't. They just went ahead and arranged things.â⬠Seldon shrugged. ââ¬Å"In a way, it's my fault. I've whined so long about turning sixty that everyone thinks they have to cheer me up with festivities.â⬠Amaryl said, ââ¬Å"Of course, we can use the week.â⬠Seldon sat forward, immediately tense. ââ¬Å"Is something wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. Not that I can see, but it won't hurt to examine it further. Look, Hari, this is the first time in nearly thirty years that psychohistory has leached the point where it can actually make a prediction. It's not much of one-it's just a small pinch of the vast continent of humanity-but it's the best we've had so far. All right. We want to take advantage of that, see how it works, prove to ourselves that psychohistory is what we think it is: a predictive science. So it won't hurt to make sure that we haven't overlooked anything. Even this tiny bit of prediction is complex and I welcome another week of study.â⬠ââ¬Å"Very well, then. I'll consult you on the matter before I go to see the General for any last-minute modifications that have to be made. Meanwhile, Yugo, do not allow any information concerning this to leak out to the others-not to anyone. If it fails, I don't want the people of the Project to grow downhearted. You and I will absorb the failure ourselves and keep on trying.â⬠A rare wistful smile crossed Amaryl's face. ââ¬Å"You and I. Do you remember when it really was just the two of us?â⬠ââ¬Å"I remember it very well and don't think that I don't miss those days. We didn't have much to work with-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Not even the Prime Radiant, let alone the Electro-Clarifier.â⬠ââ¬Å"But those were happy days.â⬠ââ¬Å"Happy,â⬠said Amaryl, nodding his head. 11 The University had been transformed and Hari Seldon could not refrain from being pleased. The central rooms of the Project complex had suddenly sprouted in color and light, with holography filling the air with shifting three-dimensional images of Seldon at different places and different times. There was Dors Venabili smiling, looking somewhat younger-Raych as a teenager, still unpolished-Seldon and Amaryl, looking unbelievably young, bent over their computers. There was even a fleeting sight of Eto Demerzel, which filled Seldon's heart with yearning for his old friend and the security he had felt before Demerzel's departure. The Emperor Cleon appeared nowhere in the holographics. It was not because holographs of him did not exist, but it was not wise, under the rule of the junta, to remind people of the past Imperium. It all poured outward, overflowing, filling room after room, building after building. Somehow, time had been found to convert the entire University into a display the likes of which Seldon had never seen or even imagined. Even the dome lights were darkened to produce an artificial night against which the University would sparkle for three days. ââ¬Å"Three days!â⬠said Seldon, half-impressed, half-horrified. ââ¬Å"Three days,â⬠said Dors Venabili, nodding her head. ââ¬Å"The University would consider nothing less.â⬠ââ¬Å"The expense! The labor!â⬠said Seldon, frowning. ââ¬Å"The expense is minimal,â⬠said Dors, ââ¬Å"compared to what you have done for the University. And the labor is all voluntary. The students turned out and took care of everything.â⬠A from-the-air view of the University appeared now, panoramically, and Seldon stared at it with a smile forcing itself onto his countenance. Dors said, ââ¬Å"You're pleased. You've done nothing but grouse these past few months about how you didn't want any celebration for being an old man-and now look at you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, it is flattering. I had no idea that they would do anything like this.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why not? You're an icon, Hari. The whole world-the whole Empire-knows about you.â⬠ââ¬Å"They do not,â⬠said Seldon, shaking his head vigorously. ââ¬Å"Not one in a billion knows anything at all about me-and certainly not about psychohistory. No one outside the Project has the faintest knowledge of how psychohistory works and not everyone inside does, either.â⬠ââ¬Å"That doesn't matter, Hari. It's you. Even the quadrillions who don't know anything about you or your work know that Hari Seldon is the greatest mathematician in the Empire.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠said Seldon, looking around, ââ¬Å"they certainly are making me feel that way right now. But three days and three nights! The place will be reduced to splinters.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, it won't. All the records have been stored away. The computers and other equipment have been secured. The students have set up a virtual security force that will prevent anything from being damaged.â⬠ââ¬Å"You've seen to all of that, haven't you, Dors?â⬠said Seldon, smiling at her fondly. ââ¬Å"A number of us have. It's by no means all me. Your colleague Tamwile Elar has worked with incredible dedication.â⬠Seldon scowled. ââ¬Å"What's the matter with Elar?â⬠said Dors. Seldon said, ââ¬Å"He keeps calling me Maestro.' ââ¬Å" Dors shook her head. ââ¬Å"Well, there's a terrible crime.â⬠Seldon ignored that and said, ââ¬Å"And he's young.â⬠ââ¬Å"Worse and worse. Come, Hari, you're going to have to learn to grow old gracefully-and to begin with you'll have to show that you're enjoying yourself. That will please others and increase their enjoyment and surely you would want to do that. Come on. Move around. Don't hide here with me. Greet everyone. Smile. Ask after their health. And remember that, after the banquet, you're going to have to make a speech.â⬠ââ¬Å"I dislike banquets and I doubly dislike speeches.â⬠ââ¬Å"You'll have to, anyway. Now move!â⬠Seldon sighed dramatically and did as he was told. He cut quite an imposing figure as he stood in the archway leading into the main hall. The voluminous First Minister's robes of yesteryear were gone, as were the Heliconian-style garments he had favored in his youth. Now Seldon wore an outfit that bespoke his elevated status: straight pants, crisply pleated, a modified tunic on top. Embroidered in silver thread above his heart was the insignia: SELDON PSYCHOHISTORY PROJECT AT STREELING UNIVERSITY. It sparkled like a beacon against the dignified titanium-gray hue of his clothing. Seldon's eyes twinkled in a face now lined by age, his sixty years given away as much by his wrinkles as by his white hair. He entered the room in which the children were feasting. The room had been entirely cleared, except for trestles with food upon them. The children rushed up to him as soon as they saw him-knowing, as they did, that he was the reason for the feast-and Seldon tried to avoid their clutching fingers. ââ¬Å"Wait, wait, children,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Now stand back.â⬠He pulled a small computerized robot from his pocket and placed it on the floor. In an Empire without robots, this was something that he could expect to be eye-popping. It had the shape of a small furry animal, but it also had the capacity to change shapes without warning (eliciting squeals of children's laughter each time) and when it did so, the sounds and motions it made changed as well. ââ¬Å"Watch it,â⬠said Seldon, ââ¬Å"and play with it, and try not to break it. Later on, there'll be one for each of you.â⬠He slipped out into the hallway leading back to the main hall and realized, as he did so, that Wanda was following him. ââ¬Å"Grandpa,â⬠she said. Well, of course, Wanda was different. He swooped down and lifted her high in the air, turned her over, and put her down. ââ¬Å"Are you having a good time, Wanda?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠she said, ââ¬Å"but don't go into that room.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why not, Wanda? It's my room. It's the office where I work.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's where I had my bad dream.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know, Wanda, but that's all over, isn't it?â⬠He hesitated, then he led Wanda to one of the chairs lining the hallway. He sat down and placed her on his lap. ââ¬Å"Wanda,â⬠he said, ââ¬Å"are you sure it was a dream?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think it was a dream.â⬠ââ¬Å"Were you really sleeping?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think I was.â⬠She seemed uncomfortable talking about it and Seldon decided to let it go. There was no use pushing her any further. He said, ââ¬Å"Well, dream or not, there were two men and they talked of lemonade death, didn't they?â⬠Wanda nodded reluctantly. Seldon said, ââ¬Å"You're sure they said lemonade?â⬠Wanda nodded again. ââ¬Å"Might they have said something else and you thought they said lemonade?â⬠ââ¬Å"Lemonade is what they said.â⬠Seldon had to be satisfied with that. ââ¬Å"Well, run off and have a good time, Wanda. Forget about the dream.â⬠ââ¬Å"All right, Grandpa.â⬠She cheered up as soon as the matter of the dream was dismissed and off she went to join the festivities. Seldon went to search for Manella. It took him an extraordinarily long time to find her, since, at every step, he was stopped, greeted, and conversed with. Finally he saw her in the distance. Muttering, ââ¬Å"Pardon me- Pardon me-There's someone I must-Pardon me-,â⬠he worked his way over to her with considerable trouble. ââ¬Å"Manella,â⬠he said and drew her off to one side, smiling mechanically in all directions. ââ¬Å"Yes, Hari,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Is something wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"It's Wanda's dream.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't tell me she's still talking about it.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, it's still bothering her. Listen, we have lemonade at the party, haven't we?â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course, the children adore it. I've added a couple of dozen different Mycogenian taste buds to very small glasses of different shapes and the children try them one after the other to see which taste best. The adults have been drinking it, too. I have. Why don't you taste it, Hari? It's great.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm thinking. If it wasn't a dream, if the child really heard two men speak of lemonade death-â⬠He paused, as though ashamed to continue. Manella said, ââ¬Å"Are you thinking that someone poisoned the lemonade? That's ridiculous. By now every child in the place would be sick or dying.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠muttered Seldon. ââ¬Å"I know.â⬠He wandered off and almost didn't see Dors when he passed her. She seized his elbow. ââ¬Å"Why the face?â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"You look concerned.â⬠ââ¬Å"I've been thinking of Wanda's lemonade death.â⬠ââ¬Å"So have I, but I can't make anything of it so far.â⬠ââ¬Å"I can't help but think of the possibility of poisoning.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't. I assure you that every bit of food that came into this party has been molecularly checked. I know you'll think that's my typical paranoia, but my task is guarding you and that is what I must do.â⬠ââ¬Å"And everything is-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"No poison. I promise you.â⬠Seldon smiled, ââ¬Å"Well, good. That's a relief. I didn't really think-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Let's hope not,â⬠said Dors dryly. ââ¬Å"What concerns me far more than this myth of poison is that I have heard that you're going to be seeing that monster Tennar in a few days.â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't call him a monster, Dors. Be careful. We're surrounded by ears and tongues.â⬠Dors immediately lowered her voice. ââ¬Å"I suppose you're right. Look 'round. All these smiling faces-and yet who knows which of our friends will be reporting back to the head and his henchmen when the night is over? Ah, humans! Even after all these thousands of centuries, to think that such base treachery still exists. It seems to me to be so unnecessary. Yet I know the harm it can do. That is why I must go with you, Hari.â⬠ââ¬Å"Impossible, Dors. It would just complicate matters for me. I'll go Myself and I'll have no trouble.â⬠ââ¬Å"You would have no idea how to handle the General.â⬠Seldon looked grave. ââ¬Å"And you would? You sound exactly like Elar. He, too, is convinced that I am a helpless old fool. He, too, wants to come with me-or, rather, to go in my place. I wonder how many people on Trantor are willing to take my place,â⬠he added with clear sarcasm. ââ¬Å"Dozens? Millions?â⬠12 For ten years the Galactic Empire had been without an Emperor, but there was no indication of that fact in the way the Imperial Palace grounds were operated. Millennia of custom made the absence of an Emperor meaningless. It meant, of course, that there was no figure in Imperial robes to preside over formalities of one sort or another. No Imperial voice gave orders; no Imperial wishes made themselves known; no Imperial gratifications or annoyances made themselves felt; no Imperial pleasures warmed either Palace; no Imperial sicknesses cast them in gloom. The Emperor's own quarters in the Small Palace were empty-the Imperial family did not exist. And yet the army of gardeners kept the grounds in perfect condition. An army of service people kept the buildings in top shape. The Emperor's bed-never slept in-was made with fresh sheets every day; the rooms were cleaned; everything worked as it always worked; and the entire Imperial staff, from top to bottom, worked as they had always worked. The top officials gave commands as they would have done if the Emperor had lived, commands that they knew the Emperor would have given. In many cases, in particular in the higher echelons, the personnel were the same as those who had been there on Cleon's last day of life. The new personnel who had been taken on were carefully molded and trained into the traditions they would have to serve. It was as though the Empire, accustomed to the rule of an Emperor, insisted on this ââ¬Å"ghost ruleâ⬠to hold the Empire together. The junta knew this-or, if they didn't, they felt it vaguely. In ten years none of those military men who had commanded the Empire had moved into the Emperor's private quarters in the Small Palace. Whatever these men were, they were not Imperial and they knew they had no rights there. A populace that endured the loss of liberty would not endure any sign of irreverence to the Emperor-alive or dead. Even General Tennar had not moved into the graceful structure that had housed the Emperors of a dozen different dynasties for so long. He had made his home and office in one of the structures built on the outskirts of the grounds-eyesores, but eyesores that were built like fortresses, sturdy enough to withstand a siege, with outlying buildings in which an enormous force of guards was housed. Tennar was a stocky man, with a mustache. It was not a vigorous overflowing Dahlite mustache but one that was carefully clipped and fitted to the upper lip, leaving a strip of skin between the hair and the line of the lip. It was a reddish mustache and Tennar had cold blue eyes. He had probably been a handsome man in his younger days, but his face was pudgy now and his eyes were slits that expressed anger more often than any other emotion. So he said angrily-as one would, who felt himself to be absolute master of millions of worlds and yet who dared not call himself an Emperor-to Hender Linn, ââ¬Å"I can establish a dynasty of my own.â⬠He hooked around with a scowl. ââ¬Å"This is not a fitting place for the master of the Empire.â⬠Linn said softly, ââ¬Å"To be master is what is important. Better to be a master in a cubicle than a figurehead in a palace.â⬠ââ¬Å"Best yet, to be master in a palace. Why not?â⬠Linn bore the title of colonel, but it is quite certain that he had never engaged in any military action. His function was that of telling Tennar what he wanted to hear-and of carrying his orders, unchanged, to others. On occasion-if it seemed safe-he might try to steer Tennar into more prudent courses. Linn was well known as ââ¬Å"Tennar's lackeyâ⬠and knew that was how he was known. It did not bother him. As lackey, he was safe-and he had seen the downfall of those who had been too proud to be lackeys. The time might, of course, come when Tennar himself would be buried in the ever-changing junta panorama, but Linn felt, with a certain amount of philosophy, that he would be aware of it in time and save himself. Or he might not. There was a price for everything. ââ¬Å"No reason why you can't found a dynasty, General,â⬠said Linn. Many others have done it in the long Imperial history. Still, it takes time. The people are slow to adapt. It is usually only the second or even third of the dynasty who is fully accepted as Emperor.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't believe that. I need merely announce myself as new Emperor. Who will dare quarrel with that? My grip is tight.â⬠ââ¬Å"So it is, General. Your power is unquestioned on Trantor and in most of the Inner Worlds, yet it is possible that many in the farther Outer Worlds will not just yet-**accept a new Imperial dynasty.â⬠ââ¬Å"Inner Worlds or Outer Worlds, military force rules all. That is an old Imperial maxim.â⬠ââ¬Å"And a good one,â⬠said Linn, ââ¬Å"but many of the provinces have armed forces of their own, nowadays, that they may not use on your behalf. These are difficult times.â⬠ââ¬Å"You counsel caution, then.â⬠ââ¬Å"I always counsel caution, General.â⬠ââ¬Å"And someday you may counsel it once too often.â⬠Linn bent his head. ââ¬Å"I can only counsel what seems to me to be good and useful to you, General.â⬠ââ¬Å"As in your constant harping to me about this Hari Seldon.â⬠ââ¬Å"He is your greatest danger, General.â⬠ââ¬Å"So you keep saying, but I don't see it. He's just a college professor.â⬠Linn said, ââ¬Å"So he is, but he was once First Minister.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know, but that was in Cleon's time. Has he done anything since? With times being difficult and with the governors of the provinces being fractious, why is a professor my greatest danger?â⬠ââ¬Å"It is sometimes a mistake,â⬠said Linn carefully (for one had to be careful in educating the General), ââ¬Å"to suppose that a quiet unobtrusive man can be harmless. Seldon has been anything but harmless to those he has opposed. Twenty years ago the Joranumite movement almost destroyed Cleon's powerful First Minister, Eto Demerzel.â⬠Tennar nodded, but the slight frown on his face betrayed his effort to remember the matter. ââ¬Å"It was Seldon who destroyed Joranum and who succeeded Demerzel as First Minister. The Joranumite movement survived, however, and Seldon engineered its destruction, too, but not before it succeeded in bringing about the assassination of Cleon.â⬠ââ¬Å"But Seldon survived that, didn't he?â⬠ââ¬Å"You are perfectly correct. Seldon survived.â⬠ââ¬Å"That is strange. To have permitted an Imperial assassination should have meant death for a First Minister.â⬠ââ¬Å"So it should have. Nevertheless, the junta has allowed him to live. It seemed wiser to do so.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠Linn sighed internally. ââ¬Å"There is something called psychohistory, General.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know nothing about that,â⬠said Tennar flatly. Actually he had a vague memory of Linn trying to talk to him on a number of occasions concerning this strange collection of syllables. He had never wanted to listen and Linn had known better than to push the matter. Tennar didn't want to listen now, either, but there seemed to be a hidden urgency in Linn's words. Perhaps, Tennar thought, he had now better listen. ââ¬Å"Almost no one knows anything about it,â⬠said Linn, ââ¬Å"yet there are a few-uh-intellectuals, who find it of interest.â⬠ââ¬Å"And what is it?â⬠ââ¬Å"It is a complex system of mathematics.â⬠Tennar shook his head. ââ¬Å"Leave me out of that, please. I can count my military divisions. That's all the mathematics I need.â⬠ââ¬Å"The story is,â⬠said Linn, ââ¬Å"that psychohistory may make it possible to predict the future.â⬠The General's eyes bulged. ââ¬Å"You mean this Seldon is a fortune-teller?â⬠** ââ¬Å"Not in the usual fashion. It is a matter of science.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't believe it.â⬠ââ¬Å"It is hard to believe, but Seldon has become something of a cult figure here on Trantor-and in certain places in the Outer Worlds. Now psychohistory-if it can be used to predict the future or if even people merely think it can be so used-can be a powerful tool with which to uphold the regime. I'm sure you have already seen this, General. One need merely predict our regime will endure and bring forth peace and prosperity for the Empire. People, believing this, will help make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the other hand, if Seldon wishes the reverse, he can predict civil war and ruin. People will believe that, too, and that would destabilize the regime.â⬠ââ¬Å"In that case, Colonel, we simply make sure that the predictions of psychohistory are what we want them to be.â⬠ââ¬Å"It would be Seldon who would have to make them and he is not a friend of the regime. It is important, General, that we differentiate between the Project that is working at Streeling University to perfect psychohistory and Hari Seldon. Psychohistory can be extremely useful to us, but it will be so only if someone other than Seldon were in charge.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are there others who could be?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh yes. It is only necessary to get rid of Seldon.â⬠ââ¬Å"What is so difficult with that? An order of execution-and it is done.â⬠ââ¬Å"It would be better, General, if the government was not seen to be directly involved in such a thing.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have arranged to have him meet with you, so that you can use your skill to probe his personality. You would then be able to judge whether certain suggestions I have in mind are worthwhile or not.â⬠ââ¬Å"When is the meeting to take place?â⬠ââ¬Å"It was to take place very soon, but his representatives at the Project asked for a few days leeway, because they were in the process of celebrating his birthday-his sixtieth, apparently. It seemed wise to allow that and to permit a week's delay.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠demanded Tennar. ââ¬Å"I dislike any display of weakness.â⬠ââ¬Å"Quite right, General. Quite right. Your instincts are, as always, correct. However, it seemed to me that the needs of the state might require us to know what and how the birthday celebration-which is taking place right now-might involve.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why?â⬠ââ¬Å"All knowledge is useful. Would you care to see some of the festivities?â⬠General Tennar's face remained dark. ââ¬Å"Is that necessary?â⬠ââ¬Å"I think you will find it interesting, General.â⬠The reproduction-sight and sound-was excellent and for quite a while the hilarity of the birthday celebration filled the rather stark room in which the General sat. Linn's low voice served as commentary. ââ¬Å"Most of this, General, is taking place in the Project complex, but the rest of the University is involved. We will have an air view in a few moments and you will see that the celebration covers a wide area. In fact, though I don't have the evidence available right now, there are corners of the planet here and there, in various University and sectoral settings mostly, where what we might call ââ¬Ësympathy celebrations' of one sort or another are taking place. The celebrations are still continuing and will endure for another day at least.â⬠ââ¬Å"Are you telling me that this is a Trantor-wide celebration?â⬠ââ¬Å"In a specialized way. It affects mostly the intellectual classes, but it is surprisingly widespread. It may even be that there is some shouting on worlds other than Trantor.â⬠ââ¬Å"Where did you get this reproduction?â⬠Linn smiled. ââ¬Å"Our facilities in the Project are quite good. We have reliable sources of information, so that little can happen that doesn't come our way at once.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well then, Linn, what are all your conclusions about this?â⬠ââ¬Å"It seems to me, General, and I'm sure that it seems so to you, that Hari Seldon is the focus of a personality cult. He has so identified himself with psychohistory that if we were to get rid of him in too open a manner, we would entirely destroy the credibility of the science. It would be useless to us. ââ¬Å"On the other hand, General, Seldon is growing old and it is not difficult to imagine him being replaced by another man: someone we could choose and who would be friendly to our great aims and hopes for the Empire. If Seldon could be removed in such a way that it is made to seem natural, then that is all we need.â⬠The General said, ââ¬Å"And you think I ought to see him?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, in order to weigh his quality and decide what we ought to do. But we must be cautious, for he is a popular man.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have dealt with popular people before,â⬠said Tennar darkly.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
The War On Drugs And Its Controversial Approaches
In this paper, I am going to be writing about the war on drugs and its controversial approaches. There are many debatable solutions, but legalization and decriminalization seems to be a go to for other countries, like Mexico has done with cocaine. I will be highlighting the legalization of marijuana in particular because it is a hot topic in America right now. We are watching the governmentââ¬â¢s approach to combating the use among Americans unfold present day. We will discuss what the government is doing to stop drugs from entering and leaving the United States as well. In each sub topic of my paper I will explain in further detail. ââ¬Å"According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 20 million Americans aged 12 orâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Taxing marijuana is beginning to be very beneficial to these four states. However, in every other state marijuana is being used illegally and creating no profit for state governments. In short, people want to legalize marijuana because people are using it illegally and state and federal governments are gaining nothing from it. However, if state and federal governments legalize marijuana one of the biggest crops in America will be under the law, just like tobacco and alcohol. Having marijuana under the law will allow all states and federal governments to tax and regulate marijuana. Another argument people have to legalize marijuana in all states is tobacco and alcohol are already legalized, why should marijuana not be legalized too. This sparks a debate about whether or not legalizing marijuana is dangerous to the public. In many cases people that are pro marijuana legalization will say that tobacco and alcohol create dangerous situations, so why should marijuana be any different. According to A Foundation to a Drug Free World, ââ¬Å"Next to alcohol, marij uana is the second most frequently found substance in the bodies of drivers involved in fatal automobile accidentsâ⬠(DrugFreeWorld, 2015). This is alarming because it shows that marijuana affects people whenShow MoreRelatedThe Drug Strategies Over The Years962 Words à |à 4 Pagestried out different courses of drug strategies over the years. ââ¬Å"In 1987, the Government of Canada launched a 5-year, $210 million dollar strategy, the National Drug Strategy, to address concerns related to drug abuse in Canada. Recognizing that a balanced approach was needed, the strategy addressed both the supply and the demand sides of the problem (Collin, 2006.)â⬠There were 6 areas that were focused on and 3 of them are still in place today as part of the 4-pillar drug strategy. The 4 pillars are:Read MoreIs The War On Drugs?1252 Words à |à 6 Pagesdiscussing is the War on Drugs. I will discuss the War on Drugs in relation to mass incarceration and to what consequences the War on drugs has caused among people and society itself. I have always been interested by the War on Drugs. However, slowly realizing, I only knew so much about the issue. As I further researched I learned what the term, ââ¬Å"War on Drugsâ⬠really means. The ââ¬Å"War on Drugsâ⬠is about the prohibition of drugs in society. Therefore, I strongly believe that the Drug War is a very controversialRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s Orwell Essay1578 Words à |à 7 Pagestheir students with fundamental facts about wars dating back to 2700 BCE and so forth, and also the affirmative or cynical aftermath of costs, alliances, and materialistic items relating to the wars. However, a handful of teachers bypass and omit the most interesting parts of warfare, such as the development of citizens during and after these vicious conflicts. Author, George Orwell, seeks to find the effects of citizens in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. Orwell witnessed ââ¬Å"nightmarish atrocitiesRead MoreThe El Salvadoran Government Adopted985 Words à |à 4 PagesDura or Firm Hand. The government felt that that they had waited long enough to take action against the increasing threat of gang activity and would now meet the challenge head on with brutal tactics. The first Ley Anti-Mara was immediately controversial. It criminalized gang association, allowing El Salvadoran police forces to arrest and imprison suspected gang members on the spot. The law also allowed the courts to try suspected gang members under the age of eighteen as adults. Moreover, theRead MoreUse Of Methadone As A Harm Reduction Therapy1491 Words à |à 6 Pagesstarting as young as 12 in 2012. As the numbers of opioid use increased so did the number of deaths caused by opioid overdoses (Oyemade, 2015). Oyemadeââ¬â¢s article clearly projects a problem that needs to be managed (2015). One of the approaches developed to reduce/eliminate the drug problem was the harm reduction model. The harm reduction model came from the Rolleston Report of 1926 in the United Kingdom, which encouraged physicians to prescribe morphine or heroin to opioid addicts, if deemed necessary. AlthoughRead MoreInternational Relations During The Cold War1750 Words à |à 7 Pages Final Exam Essay over International Relations This paper will talk about how international relations changed after the cold war in four parts. The first part will be talking about environment. The second part will be talking about religion. The third part is sovereignty. The fourth part will have changes in statehood. The fifth part will talk about gender and then the conclusion. Environment has been growing as an academic subject for the past three decades and now it is on the ââ¬Å"internationalRead MoreThailand And The Philippines : Political System And Government Structures2270 Words à |à 10 Pagescurrently under the rule of a noteworthy, but controversial leader. For Thailand, Thaksinââ¬â¢s reign as prime minister from 2001-2006 was monumental for Thailand for two reasons. One, Thaksin was the first Thai prime minister to serve a full term in office and two; Thailand saw vast economic progress under Thanksinââ¬â¢s term, coining the term ââ¬Å"Thaksinomics.â⬠Duterte is popular for his bold statements and rampant killings in efforts to reduce the presence of drugs in the Philippines. He won the presidencyRead MoreMalcolm X And Martin Luther King Essay1131 Words à |à 5 PagesDarwinism. The actions taken by minor groups changed the American beliefs and encourage all races to strive for the American dream. Thus, in an effort to improve the lives of African Americans, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. employed distinct approaches toward the civil rights movement; influenced by their family background, life experiences, religion, and beliefs. There are many differences between Malcolm X and Martin Luther, but the most striking is that MLK was a good statesman who deliveredRead MoreEssay On America First Policy1018 Words à |à 5 Pagesterrorist acts, allegedly participated in the drug trade and counterfeiting, and posed a continuous threat to U.S. allies and interests, resulting in the stationing of U.S. forces in South Korea and Japan. However, it has also been the subject of a policy experiment. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have tried to engage Pyongyang in order to improve relations and end its objectionable behavior. That policy, albeit politically controversial, particularly during the Clinton administrationRead MoreThe Lee Strasberg Film And Theatre Institute1351 Words à |à 6 PagesKonstantin Stanislavsky and Lee Strasberg. Later on other actors, such as Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner, would further develop this style of acting. (The Lee Strasberg Theatre Film Institute) The ââ¬Å"Methodà ¢â¬ style of acting is one of the most controversial in the entertainment industry, since many believe that it is dangerous and can take a psychological toll on an actor, whereas others believe that it can help an actor create an emotionally honest performance. Many famous actors are said to have
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Domestic Violence And The Middle Class - 1450 Words
The phrase ââ¬Å"Thank Youâ⬠can alter a personââ¬â¢s life forever. Whether you are the one offering or receiving a genuine ââ¬Å"Thank Youâ⬠the recognition of appreciation will always remain with you. Growing up, I was fortunate to be a middle class African American. Statistics suggests that to be both African American and part of the middle class is unprecedented. However, the portrayal of the American Dream, encompassing the perfect middle class family, stopped at my front door. Domestic violence was a permanent tenant. ââ¬Å"Thank Youâ⬠were the words my five year old sister at the time said to me every night as I protected her. In 2015, ââ¬Å"Thank Youâ⬠were the words I said to my family, friends, teachers, co-workers and clients after graduation for givingâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The population of at risk and hard to place girls I worked with on a daily basis reinforced my interest in supporting youth through counseling and developing plans and programs that could support their needs long term. My position as a Youth Support Counselor then lead me to ask the very question of what services and programs are there in place to support my residentsââ¬â¢ famil ies. This is when I transitioned to becoming a case planner for underserved families and communities. As a Case Planner, working closely with families and both city and community agencies, I began to expand my knowledge on the various services that are offered to my families. In my work, I came across limited resources and lack of education on the services that are available. Families are affected by more than one social justice issue, which makes is very difficult to navigate the system that is in place to assist them. Consequently, it is the system that is allowing many families to remain stagnant. Policies and program mandates contribute to overworked employees and the consistent question of how are we creating social change? Understanding the foundation of social work I believe is essential to becoming successful in addressing pressing issues affecting peopleââ¬â¢s everyday lives. For example, the rates of incarceration in the United States have increased dramatically, six to ten times greater than other countries. Mass incarceration is an epidemic that isShow MoreRelatedHow Race, Class, And Gender Influences Domestic Violence979 Words à |à 4 Pages How Race, Class, and Gender Influences Domestic Violence Dennis Garcia Montclair State University Abstract: Domestic violence has become a very controversial crime in the United States. Although domestic violence has been around for many years, society now sees it as a threat to our homes. This type of crime is unique because itââ¬â¢s a nondiscriminatory crime; it can happen to anyone at any time. Domestic violence is also a dark figure crime, which means that it is a crimeRead MoreThe Subordinate Status Of Women927 Words à |à 4 Pagessubordinate status of women in America began with the premise of English common law within Colonial America; these English social constructs within Colonial America were adopted into the American legal status, thus playing a vital role in intimate partner violence against women in America due to the implementation of the English doctrine that husbands are legally able to physically discipline their wives and children if deemed necessary (Garcia, 2010; Gelles, 1997). Among the many constructs of the EnglishRead MoreDomestic Violence And Sexual Relation ships901 Words à |à 4 PagesDOMESTIC VIOLENCE 2 Domestic Violence Nearly 1 in 10 women in the United States experience domestic violence within their homes; but the question is not how can we stop it, but why does it happen? Finding out the what causes spousal violence, will likely lead us to the answer of how to prevent it from happening. In using latent class analysis and logistic regression techniques we can find the distinct patterns of male or female dominationRead MoreDevelopmental Trajectory And Impact On Hispanic Women851 Words à |à 4 Pagesunemployment post pregnancy. Physical problems women are exposed to as a result of domestic violence include increased instances of gynecological problems, sexually transmitted infections, and urinary tract infections. Migratory status and acculturation have been studied among researchers to explore how these aspects may act as risk and protective factors to Hispanic women who are victims of domestic violence. Caetano, Ramisetty-Mikler, Caetano Vaeth, Harris (2007) found that both acculturationRead MoreGender And Gender Violence1482 Words à |à 6 PagesGender-based violence is the unequal power relationships between men and women. It includes rape, sexual assault and harassment, domestic abuse, and stalking. Gender violence reflects the idea that violence is often used to uphold structural gender inequalities. Gender violence includes all types of violence against men, women, children, gay, lesbian, and transgender people. Gender violence may be experienced differently based on the social variables of race, age, gender, social class or another areaRead MoreViolence, Fear And Horror1747 Words à |à 7 Pagesthrough character assassinations by him. Life was continuous hell, fear and horror and he always blamed me for his violence. Towards the end of the relationship he threated to run us off the road in the car and kill us. The violence became a daily occurance if not several episodes a day. Paula is one of the thousands of women worldwide that are in relationships were domestic violence has turned their healthy relationship into a living nightmare. You would think that the man that you are in a intimateRead MoreThe Color Purple By F. Scott Fitzgerald1115 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Color Purple, was released in 1985 and was set in the early until middle of the 1900s, it was one of the first featured movies to openly discuss the topic of domestic violence as a main part of the film. This has been very significant because it sets a standard of normalizing domestic violence in the characters lives, which Walker was able to show and develop through Celie and how she mistreatment in the hands of her stepfather and husband. In addition, a powerful message about how people whoR ead More Determination of Man?s Role in Latin America Essay1430 Words à |à 6 Pagesinequity between male and female causes the normality of women being dominated by men in Latin communities. The Hispanic culture highlights the abuse of women by men. In many cases the machismo is transmitted into domestic violence not only to the wife, but their children as well. Violence imposed by machos is an excuse for the necessity of controlling, demanding respect, and hiding vulnerability. Also, machismo is directly linked to the authoritarian parenting style. The authoritarian parenting styleRead MoreAnalysis Of Ayaan Hirsi Ali Speaks Of Honor Killings And Forced Marriages1519 Words à |à 7 PagesAyaan Hirsi Ali speaks of honor killings and forced marriages in Middle Eastern society in the The AHA Foundation 2nd Annual Conference. She begins with describing her personal situation when she was younger; her arranged marriage to a relative and then her escape to the Netherlands at the age o f twenty-two in an effort to avoid this marriage where she was met with an entirely different culture where the pressure of the honor of the family was not forced upon females by both female and male partiesRead MoreDomestic Terrorism And The Security Of The Us1040 Words à |à 5 PagesToday, domestic terrorism is one of the major threats to the national security of the US. Since 9/11, the US intelligence services and law enforcement agencies viewed international terrorism as the major threat to the public security of the US but the threat of domestic terrorism has been underestimated. At any rate, American law enforcement agencies conduct active campaigns to prevent international terrorism but domestic terrorism become a serious threat to the national security of the US. In such
Monday, December 16, 2019
The Defined versus The Definers Essay - 585 Words
In Beloved, Toni Morrison imbeds novel characters like Sethe to emphasize her claim that you cannot define yourself until you challenge your past and take ownership of it. Not every character complies with Morrisonââ¬â¢s claim, some defy it and let others define them. Sethe struggles to face the true and honest past, yet finds minute moments of a felt sense of ownership. Setheââ¬â¢s struggle to find her self ownership blooms from her past at Sweet Home. She was young when she first came to Sweet Home the ââ¬Å"six menâ⬠treated her with a ââ¬Å"mild brotherly flirtationâ⬠. Under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Garner, Sethe was well taken care of. When it was time for her to marry Mrs. Garner said it was ââ¬Å"alrightâ⬠and Halle would be ââ¬Å"good to herâ⬠. Here Sethe hasâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Sethe right then and there knew and had defined her own meaning of love. To her creating something that couldnââ¬â¢t be ââ¬Å"[taken] backâ⬠was love. Sethe did the only thing she could do, kill Beloved. She had not yet faced her past and was not ready for any daughter of hers to face it either. Although Sethe finds the strength to save her family from a past which was filled with horrible behavior, she still has yet to find the ownership of herself. Setheââ¬â¢s struggle has shown to be no common one. Through her actions as a parent and actions not under her control, Sethe has seen sights that many others like her have witnessed. Yet in the end, Sethe finally starts to realize that confronting her past is the best thing for her. Setheââ¬â¢s physical health deteriorates at the end of the novel, leaving Denver alone to take care of her. In the last pages Paul D, a dear friend, stops at 124 and vows to take care of Sethe during the night. Sethe knows this is her final battle, but she doesnââ¬â¢t go without letting go of her strings. Strings attached to Denver, Beloved, and even Paul D. Setheââ¬â¢s tired, but still holds on to that far fetched idea the her kids are her ââ¬Å"best thingâ⬠. Paul D knows the importance of Setheââ¬â¢s sense of ownership and tells her ââ¬Å"You your best thing, Sethe. You are.â⬠. Sethe finally looked back and challenged that unforgettable past with ââ¬Å"Meâ⬠. Morrison and Setheââ¬â¢s views on ownership areShow MoreRelated Essay on Toni Morrisons Beloved - Misuse of Language800 Words à |à 4 Pagesoppressed black people, providing channels for the expression of ideas, thoughts, and memories. nbsp; Such was the case in the American culture of the mid 1800s as depicted in Beloved because of the gap in the social status and power of black versus white Americans. The language of the whites was not able to effectively communicate the thoughts of all and was used many times as a method of coercion. Largely, I am referring to oral and written communication. Oral communication done by whites inRead MoreHow Did Feminism Become A National?1817 Words à |à 8 Pages it is just a short conceptual jump to tagging feminism as bad when contrasted against the good masculine norm in this society. Rakow notes, Journalists are taught to think in terms of dichotomies, to develop their stories of right versus wrong, good versus evil. The journalistic obsession with a narrow corridor in an abstract space called balance continues to build this kind of false opposition.â⬠Most journalists place great stock in their ability to maintain objectivity. On the surfaceRead MoreMarketing Strategy Of A Brand Community1800 Words à |à 8 Pagescharacterized by allegiance to brands as symbols. The manner in which brand communities are a distinct form of symbolic manifestation has not been adequately understood. So brand communities have not always been properly classified. Many analysts have defined brand communities.Oââ¬â¢Reilly has differentiated brand communities from consumer tribes. According to Cova, Consumer tribes are not united by the brand but by the passion or emotional tie that concerns the act of consumption. Muniz and Oââ¬â¢Guinn statesRead MoreCustomer Stratification And The Distribution Network Of The Oil Country Tubular Goods ( Octg ) Division2900 Words à |à 12 Pagesthe outline of customer stratification and its components are explained. Next, data is drawn from each distributor and discussed. Additionally, the measures and steps followed in validating the various scales and rationale are presented. Finally, a defined look at best practices for an improved path forward regarding distributor contribution to gross profit margin and how to best utilize the sales force for overall EBITDA improvement. This study was conducted among the TMK IPSCO oil country tubularRead MoreSocial Construction of Race1867 Words à |à 8 Pagesit depicts the Corleone family an Italian-American Catholic family who is in the mob. Throughout the film series the audiences see the nuances of the Italian-American versus other white people. Religion for Jewish, Irish and Italian-Americans since the latter half of the 20th century is just a facet of ethnicity and less a definer of race; this is especially true for Jewish-Americans. Religion is the one thing most African-Americans had in common with much of white Americans. After being broughtRead MoreKant and Equality7623 Words à |à 31 Pagesone s duty? Kant answers that we do our moral duty when our motive is determined by a principle recognized by reason rather than the desire for any expected consequence or emotional feeling which may cause us to act the way we do. The will is defined as that which provides the motives for our actions. Obviously many times we are motivated by specific desires or emotions. I may act the way I do from a feeling of friendship for a particular individual, or from desire for a particular consequenceRead MoreEmergency Management Essay18946 Words à |à 76 PagesPrinceââ¬â¢s (1920) study of an explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia was the first modern piece of disaster research, but it was twelve years later that Carr (1932) made the first attempt at a formal definition of disaster. Presently, disaster is commonly defined as a nonroutine event in time and space, producing human, property, or environmental damage, whose remediation requires the use of resources from outside the directly affected communit y. This definition captures the two features that are minimally
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Roles and Responsibilities Chief Financial Officer
Question: Discuss about the Roles and Responsibilities Chief Financial Officer. Answer: Introduction The role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is very important in a business organisation for managing the financial resources adequately and thus ensures its long-term growth and profitability. The retail companies are facing increasing competition to sustain their growth and success with effectively meeting the challenges of external competitive environment. The roles and responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of retail companies are also changing with increasing competition in the external environment. In this context, the present report describes the three general areas of responsibility for a chief financial officer (CFO) of Harvey Norman Holdings Limited. Harvey Norman Holdings Limited is an Australian based multi-national retailer of furniture, computers, communication and consumer electrical products (Company Profile, 2008). The CFO is prominent governing body of the board of directors and as such holds the responsibility of providing faithful information regarding th e financial position to all the companys stakeholders (CTI Reviews, 2016). The report also analyses and examines the effect of efficient market hypothesis on creating a portfolio by the pension fund manager that yield in maximum return. Three general areas of responsibility for a chief financial officer (CFO) of Harvey Norman Holdings Limited Mr. Chris Mentis is the Chief Financial Officer of Harvey Norman Holdings Limited. Mr. Mentis is the CFO and company secretary of the company since the year 2007. As the CFO of the company, he is responsible to the board of directors for all matters related to accounting and financial issues (CTI Reviews. 2016). CFO is liable to establish and implement objectives, policies, procedures, programs and practices for assuring the maintenance of a sound financial structure in the company (CTI Reviews, 2016). The main responsibility of CFO in any organisation is to maintain financial stability by implementing proper control systems and procedures. The increase of competition in the retail sector of Australia is impacting the roles and responsibilities of CFO. CFO, in addition to the traditional roles of managing financial structure is also responsible for aligning the financial goals with the organisational strategy. The role and responsibilities of CFO of Harvey Norman as such can be descr ibed as follows: Maintaining Financial Structure: CFO of Harvey Norman possess the responsibility of controlling the cash flow position of the company by gaining a proper understanding of the different sources of funds. CFO establishes the accounting policies and procedures regarding the payment of bills, credit collections and other financial obligations. CFO roles also include gaining a proper understanding of company liabilities including legal contracts, statutory and tax obligations (Fabozzi et al., 2008). The CFO roles also involve meeting the hidden liabilities of the company such as contingencies, leases, loans and insurance. The companys financial performance is communicated to all its stakeholders through the use of appropriate channels by the CFO such as balanced scorecard and financial statement ratio analysis (Lapovskyand McKeown-Moak, 2010). The communication about the financial position is necessary for establishing good relations with investors and financial analysts. CFO also maintai ns appropriate financial structure of the company by establishing an adequate balance between debt and equity. CFO is also responsible for comparing the financial results obtained with the estimated performance and develops control process for overcoming the areas of improvement (Nolop, 2012). Strategic Alignment of Financial Position with Companys Objectives: The roles of CFO in retail sector of Australia are becoming more strategically focused. As such, CFO must possess strong leadership skills to align the companys strategic goals as per the financial performance. The CFO should ensure the creation of best strategic fit within the company for optimising its performance with effective utilisation of resources. The CFO should have appropriate understanding regarding the regulatory, environmental and operational information of the company for implementing effective strategies for gaining entry into new market segments and developing new product (Moyer, McGuigan, and Rao, 2014). The CFO should be able to properly integrate and collaborate across different cross-functional teams of the company for empowering the employees to effectively utilise the resources for enhancing productivity. The CFO should have the capabilities of long-term strategic thinking to use effectively th e financial resources and attain sustainability. The CFO should develop new ways of creating value for all the stakeholders by managing the companys budget appropriately (Bragg, 2010). CFO should also assist CEO in decision-making process regarding the companys strategies by conveying the financial position of the company. The companys strategies are developed by the CEO in accordance with the financial condition that is analysed by CFO. CFO can assist CEO in prioritising the various operational activities of the firm as per the availability of the financial resources and increasing the productivity (Brigham and Houston, 2012). Thus, it can be said that the role of CFO of Harvey Norman is becoming more strategic with the increasing competition in the external environment in comparison to the traditional role of managing financial operations only. Developing and Integrating Risk Control System: The nature of retail sector is becoming competitive and as such it is essential for Harvey Norman to develop and implement a proper risk control system for taking proactive measures to mitigate the risks identified. The financial risks of the company are increasing with the adoption of innovative approaches such as adoption of IT technologies for managing retail business. Also, compliance with legal rules and regulations in context of protecting environment and community is also the main responsibility of the CFO (Fuhrand McDonagh, 2012). It is essential for the retail companies to implement proper risk management system for overcoming the potential risks in the areas relating to logistics and sourcing. CFO is equipped with the responsibility of developing transparency and accountability in all the business operations for promoting the goodwill of the company (Sutcliff and Donnellan, 2006). Harvey Norman is operating globally and as suc h it is the main responsibility of the CFO to conduct its operations worldwide by promoting effective communication across its different business departments such as its retail stores, suppliers, logistics and local offices. Internet retailing is becoming one of the most critical challenges for retail companies to sustain in the external competitive environment. It involves huge investment by a retail company and thus leading to occurrence of huge financial risk for the companys future growth context (Company Profile, 2008). The development of an effective risk controlling system has therefore become an important necessity for retail companies such as Harvey Norman. The risk controlling system can be properly designed with the support of CFO as he possesses all the information regarding the availability of funds for managing the emerging risks in business operations (Fuhr and McDonagh, 2012). Impact of CFO responsibilities on ultimate objective of Harvey Norman Holdings Limited As analysed from the above section, the roles and responsibilities of CFO are rapidly changing for meeting the new expectations emerging in the present competitive business scenario. CFO has to identify and develop new models of execution for meeting the changing demands of the consumer (Eeden, 2014). The main objective of Harvey Norman is to sustain its position of retail icon in Australia and expanding its franchising network in the local as well as international market. In addition to this, the company also seeks to become a market leader in the core audio visual and technology segment. The role of CFO is very critical in attaining these ultimate objectives of the company. The CFO has to develop and implement innovative ways to mitigate the strategic risks identified with its expansion plans and incorporating the use of latest technologies for becoming a market leader in its business area. The CFO of the company has to adopt strategic thinking for governing and controlling its fin ancial position for effectively managing its retail business at a global level (Company Profile, 2008). The sound maintenance of financial structure by CFO would enable the company to ensure the availability of proper funds for meeting its business obligations. The creation of a strategic fit by prioritising the value creation activities by CFO would help the company to expand its market position in the global market. The implementation of a risk control system is essential for the company to identify the potential risks existing for incorporating new technologies and therefore take preventive cautions for overcoming them in advance (Karaian, 2014). If the efficient-market hypothesis is true, the pension fund manager might as well select a portfolio with a pin Efficient-market hypothesis argues that a market is efficient when the asset prices reflect all the information for the investors based on past and present events. As per the theory, if market is in efficient condition then pension funds manager can easily select a portfolio that results in maximising the profit (Brealey, Myers, Allen, and Mohanty, 2012). The role of pension fund manager is very important in selecting the stocks or bonds that yield to maximum return while creating a portfolio. Pension fund manager have to ensure that portfolio is well diversified to minimise the risk for the investors. This does not imply that pension fund manager has to select large number of stocks or bonds for diversifying the risk. The diversification of risk occurs with the selection of stocks or bonds that generates maximum return in the future context (Micocci et al., 2010). In the light of above discussion, the statement that if efficient market-hypothesis is true, the pension fund manager might as well select a portfolio with a pin can be stated to be false. This is so because if asset prices incorporate all the relevant information necessary for the investors to select a particular stock for investing then there would be no market risk. The market risk, that is systematic risk, is often classified as un-diversifiable risk and reflects to uncertainty that exist in the entire market due to fluctuations in daily process of stocks (Williams, 2011). Pension fund manager must ensure the generation of maximum rewards for the client by investing in a particular portfolio. The random section of the stocks as per their asset prices might enhance the risk as there is uncertainty in the stock prices. Thus, pension fund manager at the time of creating a portfolio need to select that particular stocks or bonds that yields in reducing the systematic risk (Micocci et al., 2010). Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded from the overall discussion held in the report that Chief Financial Officer (CFO) holds important responsibility in managing the financial structure of the company. Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd is involved in retailing business in the Australia to implement new and advanced ways for managing the business operations as per the financial position of the company. It can be achieved through strategic thinking and implementing an effective risk control mechanism in the company in order to prevent the occurrence of any emergency condition that can lead to wastage of financial resources. It has also been depicted from the report that efficient market hypothesis does not hold true for developing a portfolio by pension fund manager. Instead, pension fund manager need to diversify the risk for generating maximum profit by selecting a portfolio for the clients. References Bragg, S.M. 2010. The New CFO Financial Leadership Manual.John Wiley Sons. Brealey, R.A., Myers, S.C., Allen, F. and Mohanty, P. 2012. Principles of Corporate Finance.McGraw-Hill Education. Brigham, E.F. and Houston, J. F. 2012.Fundamentals of Financial Management.Cengage Learning. Company Profile. 2008. [Online]. Available at: https://www.harveynormanholdings.com.au/companyprofile.htm [Accessed on: 17 September 2016]. CTI Reviews. 2016. Essentials of Corporate Finance: Business, Finance. Cram101 Textbook Reviews. Eeden, D.V. 2014. The Role of the Chief Human Resources Officer: Perspectives, Challenges, Realities and Experiences. Knowres Publishing. Fabozzi, F. J. et al. 2008. The Complete CFO Handbook: From Accounting to Accountability. John Wiley Sons. Fuhr, E.A. and McDonagh, C.W. 2012.The Risk Manager.FTI Journal. Karaian, J. 2014.The Economist: The Chief Financial Officer: What CFOs Do, the Influence they Have, and Why it Matters. Perseus Books Group. Lapovsky, L. and McKeown-Moak, M.P. 2010. Roles and Responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer: New Directions for Higher Education, Number 107. John Wiley Sons. Micocci, M. et al. 2010.Pension Fund Risk Management: Financial and Actuarial Modeling. CRC Press. Moyer, R.C., McGuigan, J.R. and Rao, R.P. 2014. Contemporary Financial Management.Cengage Learning. Nolop, B. 2012.The Essential CFO: A Corporate Finance Playbook. John Wiley Sons. Sutcliff, M. R. and Donnellan, M. 2006. CFO Insights: Delivering High Performance. John Wiley Sons. Williams, R. T. 2011. An Introduction to Trading in the Financial Markets: Trading, Markets, Instruments, and Processes.Academic Press.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Selfish Machines by Pierce The Veil free essay sample
ââ¬Å"Without you there is no me.â⬠These are well know lines from one of my personal favorite bands. Pierce The Veil performed at Summit Music Hall in Downtown Denver on December 15th, 2011. They were one of four bands that performed that night. Pierce The Veil is a band that originated in San Diego, California. The band is described as ââ¬Å"emo-Inflected post-hardcore.â⬠Vic Fuentes (vocalist), Mike Fuentes (drummer), Tony Perry (lead guitar), and then finally Jaime Preciado are the four members of the band. That night they preformed six songs from their newest album; Selfish Machines. The first song that they performed was ââ¬Å"The Boy Who Could Flyâ⬠. This song was the best song that they could start off with. Itââ¬â¢s one of their most upbeat songs and it got the crowd jumping. They were very energetic one stage. They did a lot of jumping around and they used the stage very well. We will write a custom essay sample on Selfish Machines by Pierce The Veil or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They did this throughout their entire set. During their performance of ââ¬Å"Bulletproof Loveâ⬠Vic actually started singing at the back of the venue and then incorporated the crowd by asking them if they could help him get back to the stage and he crowd surfed back to the main stage. This made the show more fun because you got to see how excited the crowd was and just showed that the band themselves cared that the fans were having fun. No one in the room wanted the show to end, so once the band walked off the stage we all wanted to hear more. For about a minute to a minute the entire room chanted ââ¬Å"One more song!â⬠The band could not resist they came back out and performed one of my favorite songs; Caraphernalia. Even though you could tell that they were all tired and just ready to relax and be done they came back on stage! Their Selfish Machines album is amazing! I encourage anybody who likes post hard-core music to listen to this band. Their music is amazing, catchy, and upbeat. They have also recently released that they are going to start recording a new album soon. I hope that everyone who reads this looks into this band because I have nothing but good things to say about them!
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