Using Newton Method of Optimization Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Using Newton Method of Optimization - Coursework Example On the other hand, if a constrained optimization is done (for example, with Lagrange multipliers), the problem may become one of saddle point finding, in which case the Hessian will be symmetric indefinite and the solution of xn+1 will need to be done with a method that will work for such, such as the LDLT variant of Cholesky factorization or the conjugate residual method. There also exist various quasi-Newton methods, where an approximation for the Hessian (or its inverse directly) is built up from changes in the gradient. If the Hessian is close to a non-invertible matrix, the inverted Hessian can be numerically unstable and the solution may diverge. In this case, certain workarounds have been tried in the past, which have varied success with certain problems. One can, for example, modify the Hessian by adding a correction matrix Bn so as to make Hf(in) + Bn positive definite. One approach is to diagonalize H f(xn) and choose Bn so that H f(xn) + Bn has the same eigenvectors as H f(xn), but with each negative eigenvalue replaced by Ï µ > 0.

E-Commerce Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-Commerce Issues - Essay Example The payment is usually done through credit cards. Once the person has entered all the information he or she just have to wait for the delivery of the products at their home. The biggest issue that arises here is the security of the information transmitted we will discuss about it later. A poll conducted by CNN during Christmas season resulted in 62 percent of the respondents saying they prefer to shop online in this season. Hence by using E-Commerce not only you save money but you can buy products 24 hours a day, 7 days-a-week, without experiencing traffic jams, crowded markets, and carrying heavy bags of shopping. Apart from this organization can increase their profits by introducing E-Commerce as their business runs 24 hours a day. Our organization follows the simple E-Commerce method of using a website, but not only for buying products also for after sale services and complaints about any defected product. We also welcome any suggestions by our customers to improve the way we do business. The organization has its own website that has a multiple range of products as mentioned in the online catalog, the prices are updated every day in order to keep our customers informed. We follow a delivery procedure that has no charges meaning we offer a free delivery for the citizens of the country where the company is operating. Hence we have made different websites for different countries. If a person orders his or her product from the country's website than he gets a free delivery. The ranges of products that the organization is offering are different in different countries and regions. We have a direct interaction with our customers meaning that every customer is contacted through his email for informing him about promo tions and different offers or sales that are being held by the organization, the organization also offers a loyalty card after 200 purchases that enables a customer to get discount on purchases. The organization also does business with other organizations doing E-Commerce. E-Commerce in our organization takes care of automatic collecting of data by these systems, funds transfer by electronic means, electronic-marketing, processing of transactions online, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), inventory management by automation, and management of supply chain. Security After discussing so much about E-Commerce and its advantages and how our organization follows it, E-Commerce seems to be an easy subject but there are complications as well. The biggest issue that E-Commerce is experiencing during this time is the security issue. When customers are buying online they give the websites personal information that is private and confidential hence it's the organization's duty to protect it. To make sure that the information transmitted is secure certain steps have to be taken. E-Commerce is said to be prone to internet crime, which to an extent is quite true hacking credit card numbers has become a menace to E-Commerce and sometimes people only discourage to buy online because of this. Making sure that E-Commerce is secure physically and from hackers, its important to identify the following: The role of a security policy in e-commerce. Approaches to security risk assessment in e-commerce. Physical security options. The features of dynamic firewalls. The risks involved in

Analysis NASA Challenger Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Analysis NASA Challenger Case - Essay Example Administrators owe their loyalty to the employees, students, school districts and the parents. Employees rely on the information given to them by the administrators. In addition, parents have trusted the administrators to protect their children. Moreover, school districts have mandated the administrators to achieve laid down goals and objectives. Finally, students expect administrators to ensure their safety and quality service delivery to them. In order for the administration to protect their relationship with employees, they give this type of recommendation when getting rid of their employees. They give an employee a chance of another employment by another institution. In most cases friendship tend to have outdo honesty. Administrators tend to offer half-truths about their employees due to friendship. However, that not ought to be the case. Honesty in the workplace is fundamental, since it ensures that there is trust among the administrators. In addition, honest information makes one to make right decisions. In the Gadam’s case, the administrators said nothing about Gadam’s behavior. This may have been due to the friendship that existed between the administrators and Gadam. Moreover, due to the fear of tarnishing the reputation of the institutions by a negative recommendation letter about one of their employee. In the NASA case, the managers are fully responsible for the explosion. Despite their knowledge in engineering and the reasons the engineers gave against the launch, they adamantly gave an okay for the launch of the rocket. In addition, they decided to throw their engineering knowledge to the wind and embrace the management skills. I would have tried to persuade the managers not to launch the rocket, if I was in the position of McDonald or Boisjoly. Moreover, I could have warned the six astronauts and Christa McAuliffe about the danger they were about to get

Assessment of the Extent by which the Introduction of Euro Essay Example for Free

Assessment of the Extent by which the Introduction of Euro Essay January 1, 1999 was a memorable date for eleven European Countries as this became the official date that they have come to adopt the Euro as their official currency. All eleven countries would undergo changes in their systems especially the currencies by which they would adopt an official exchange rate that would govern their circulation. The new currency would begin circulation in their respective countries and would then accommodate the transactions that would result from international trade with their allied countries. Allied countries are the countries belonging to the European Trade Union. They are bound by the cause of establishing their economies worldwide as a major economy like the US. Little by little, the currencies mark, guilder, punt, and franc ceased to exist. It was in January of 2002 that all of the twelve countries have fully applied the transition from their native currencies to the new currency. See more: how to start an essay about yourself for college   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From its initial release, fears sprang forth from the population, especially that of the market. First would be the inflation. It occurred to the people that the conversion of their old currency versus the Euro might be affected by the factor of inflation. They feared that the inflation would also result in the weakening of their respective economies and added burden to the population. Second fear would be that the delivery of the new currencies in banks might rouse plans of robberies and would then fail the government’s plan of replacing their old currency. Another fear of the people would be the replacing of the currencies may not be accepted by their own people. The currency have long been a symbol of a countries identity and pride that it might be a futile attempt to replace it with a new currency that involves other countries and would therefore be an extinct example of national pride. Furthermore, the rate of inflation would greatly affect a country’s exchange of the old currency to the new currency. The greater the inflation would result lower amounts of Euro that a country would get. Second, for a standardization of emerging currencies would mean that banks need to be equipped with the currency in order for them to accommodate the exchange that the population would demand. In the process of transportation of the currency, there may be a possibility of occurrence a robbery by which the banks may not be able to receive the currencies needed for the exchange by the population. This would result to inflation since the central bank would have to produce more money than the actual measure of its resources that we all know contributes to the factor of inflation. And lastly, the general acceptance of the public of the currency is a very important factor since this would affect the overall trade and economy of the country. Since the currency is generally viewed as a country’s identity, it can be predicted that the country would not accept the new currency that would be a medium of exchange between its allies, losing its won country’s identity in the process. However, the results were of the opposite as each country’s people accepted the currency as they believed that the currency may be the answer to their economic problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These fears proved to be of no basis as people readily accepted the new policy for their new currency. This was somehow given a negative vibe as it looked liked their countrymen easily gave up a symbol national pride. But this was also explained thru economics. Money is still money; thus it was used as something that would provide you with needs such as food, clothing and other necessities. It became evident then that the introduced currency was preferred by the greater number.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The new currency also brought about quite a good side of the economy. Gains were scattered here and there as transaction costs have fallen. This was explained that the conversion costs were stripped by the conversion of the twelve countries monetary units. It became easier to transact with other countries with the use of the Euro. It also brought about the completion of the European Monetary Union. With this, the member countries would expect bigger gains in their growth and steady in the international market. Before the union was established, barriers remain to be visible as banks still charge higher rates in inter-territorial transactions. With this barrier, domestic transactions would be preferred by the people. With this new monetary policy, barriers have disappeared and transaction costs have been made uniform throughout the countries of its members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The framework of the union remains complete and no finance ministry of the member countries wanted to be in charge of the said framework, especially that of the finance and fiscal part. The said framework is the framework by which the European Union has agreed to be the guidelines of the system of the implementation for the new currency Euro. Before a specific change would occur that involves a country’s economy, frameworks are done to study the effects that would be associated with the change. Although this is the case, the change in the currency may be the catalyst for change in the member countries target reforms. The said framework is the framework by which the European Union has agreed to be the guidelines of the system of the implementation for the new currency Euro. Before a specific change would occur that involves a country’s economy, frameworks are done to study the effects that would be associated with the change. The target reforms are those reforms in which the countries have conceived for their countries. These reforms are in connection to the change in the currency, but are not discussed with the European Union. Since these topics are different from those of the other member countries, they do not discuss this in the meetings of the currency change since the best interest of the European Union is a major economic change in their region, and not only of specific countries. With this, the countries would begin the change in economic policies that would jumpstart economies in synchronization with the change in currency. Differences in taxation would arise as it would be under observation of each country’s finance ministry. With this, the union would want to target standardization of taxes. This would greatly help the export and import sector as the countries would then be forced to standardize the taxes and tariffs on the goods that they ship. Integration would also be achieved as the basic unit of currency for all members would be that of the Euro. The last good thing brought about by the establishment of the Euro as currency is that the member countries found a way to reform other sectors and even bring the other countries closer to them. Other sectors that do not flourish because of the exchange rate begin to be of better state when the change occurred. Furthermore, the countries that benefited from the change in currency, especially that of the countries that have the abovementioned sectors, got closer in hopes of making the other sectors that are connected to the aforementioned sectors. For example, the agriculture sector was jumpstarted, so the other countries would begin to have major ties with other member countries that have sectors that benefit from agriculture like beverage industries and the like. The result would be less taxes and tariffs in exchange for other advantageous measures for the agricultural country. This also enabled them to make new systems that would be for the benefit not only of one country but all of them. They also found out that different policies can be made as one and this paved way for the making of new policies that may be all-encompassing in their point of views.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although this may be the case we should still take a closer look in the effects of the establishment of the Euro as the new monetary value for the European Union. Things that we would use in this analysis would be that of the Absorption Model: Using Absorption Model to explain the effect of devaluation on national income, employment effect, trade effect, real balance effect, income redistribution effect, money illusion effect, expectation effect,Laursen-Metzler effect, and so on; Mundell-Fleming Model and explain the graph both internal and external aspects; Analysis of the stability of foreign exchange market, and elasticity approach to balance of payment according to Marshall-Lerner Condition; and finally Foreign exchange risk (foreign currency)for importers, exporters, and investors.   Ã‚   To start of, we have to explain the different measures that we have to use. The Absorption Model or Approach makes use of the balance of payments and exchange rate as the factors or determinants in the measure of the real domestic income of a nation. This approach treats prices as the constants, making the other factors as real measures. A nation’s real income may be measured as the sum of the government’s expenditures, consumption, investments and exports.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Mundell-Fleming Model states that an increase in the money supply would lower domestic interest rates than that of the global rate. Essentially, the Euro is in effect in the export/import markets that would be in relation to the country’s overall economy because of the exchange rates that would be in effect of a country’s money supply. Net export would then increase as local goods would become cheaper than that of the imported goods. Consequently, imports would then decrease as demand would decrease, in turn, exports also increase to meet the demand of higher exports. An increase in the net exports would force the Investment/Savings towards the level of the global interest rate. This equalizer increases the income of the economy of the country. In this case, as the union moved to change its currency, the money supply increased to accommodate the public in the changing of currencies. As this adjustment takes place, the effect of the supply made a change in the export market as the demand for exports and imports changed. The increase in the net export in the end, gave the country an increase in its income.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Foreign Exchange Risk would also be taken into account as this involves the probability that an investor, exporter or importer would earn; how much they would ear, and if they would lose. This gains or losses are commonly related to the exchange rates of the two countries involved in the transaction. This also shows whether a country has a weaker currency compared to another. By this, we would be able to show if the establishment of the new currency eliminates this factors as this factors are also related to the barriers of trade between the member countries.    Meanwhile, the Lauren-Metzler effect determines the effect of savings and net exports and consequently, in the purchasing power due to a favorable terms-of-trade shock in the improvement in real income. This draws our attention to the state of the economy in exports and imports with respect to its exchange rate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Marshall-Lerner Condition explains that a devaluation in the currency leads a positive effect in the trades as it increases the demand for exports, giving the country more real income. This lays out the positive effect of the devaluation of the Euro currency at first and how it affected the economy of the member countries.    Finally, with all these factors mentioned, how did it affect the member countries generally? What are the aspects of the Euro-member countries that have improved thru the establishment of the new currency, Euro, into their respective economies?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        à ‚                                                                              We start off the analysis with the discussion of the effects. The Mundell-Fleming Model states that an increase in the money supply would lower domestic interest rates than that of the global rate. The money supply is the black line denoted in the figure above, while the red line denotes the interest rate. The movement in the money supply curve towards the right decreases the interest rate since it does not shift. The shift would occur as the interest rate moves to an equilibrium.                With the same effect in the graph of net exports and imports, the figure above agrees with the first figure on the effect of the money supply. Net export would then increase as local goods would become cheaper than that of the imported goods. Consequently, imports would then decrease as demand would decrease, in turn, exports also increase to meet the demand of higher exports. An increase in the net exports would force the Investment/Savings towards the level of the global interest rate. This equalizer increases the income of the economy of the country. In this case, as the union moved to change its currency, the money supply increased to accommodate the public in the changing of currencies. As this adjustment takes place, the effect of the supply mad a change in the export market as the demand for exports and imports changed. The increase in the net export in the end, gave the country an increase in its income.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, the change in government expenditure caused an increase in the local interest rate that caused the currency to be stronger than other foreign currencies. This may be the effect that happened to the member countries as they have decreased the foreign currencies (member countries having the same currency) and by this strengthened their currencies against the US dollar. This however, increases the net import and net export decreases. The increase would also trigger the global interest to equalize with the local interest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the side of the global interest rate, however, since the net export increased, this prompted a slight weakening of the Euro but also increased exports, making the Euro available to the world market. An increase of the net export would weaken the Euro since the exchange rate would then be fixed with other countries. This would be comparable to making domestic shipments that would neither benefit nor harm a country’s economy. At the same time, since the Euro has become their medium of exchange then the currency would be available to the market as this would be exchanged in the world market. Availability of the currency would ensure circulation in the world market, employing the stabilization of the currency in the world market. As the Euro weakened, exports flowed out of the country and this in effect increased the net income of the member countries. However, as the local interest rate closed in on the global interest rate. The global interest rate affects the currencies indirectly by affecting a country’s income through the import/export market. The Euro seemed to strengthen and this somehow stabilized the new currency. Elasticities are the rate of reaction by which a good undergoes whenever a change in demand occurs. The next model would explain the effect of the Euro in the demand and the reaction of the goods with the new currency available. In the Elasticities Approach, the Euro countries were forced to make the demand and supplies elastic in order for them to have a smaller depreciation in their current accounts deficit. By doing this, they begin to slowly, recover the current accounts deficit and eventually overcome it. With this situation, elasticities would then be slowly changed. As the global interest rates’ effects as shown by the previous models, the effect of it in the real income made the change in the elasticities possible. Thus:                               The effects on the savings of the real income and savings of each country may be further explained by now. Since the increase in savings and net exports was explained through the change in the level of the global interest rates, the improvement in real income is then realized through the increase in the purchasing power of exports. This then proved to be of positive effects on the member countries as this somehow, improved the real income in the economies of the member countries. Lauren-Metzler Model in simple representation. The Lauren-Metzler Model can be further explained by the rate of change not only in export-import industry but also that of the effect of these changes in the exchange rates. As the exchange rates between member companies remain constant because of the uniformality of their currency what would transpire is the difference in the currency between the member-countries and its export-import industry and the exchange rate. Since an increase in the export can be viewed as an indication of a weaker currency, this also indicates that the real income of the country experiencing the export growth is on the rise. This would eventually be accompanied by the strengthening of its currency as the end product. At the same time, the demand of the member-countries import market tends to be on the lower level as their currency seemed to be of the weaker quality. The positive effect on this however is that this picture encouraged the internal flow of the currency until the supply of imports and demand equalizes in equilibrium. When the time approached however, the Euro appeared to be of better quality with respect to the change in its real income and the real income of other countries that are members of the European Union. With these factors in mind, we shift our sights into what happened in the exchange rates. The Exchange rates of the Euro seemed to be on the decrease at first because of the lower currency as compared to others but eventually proved that it would only be momentary as the real income boosted the exchange rate, eventually ending up higher than the US dollar at a certain time. This, together with the positive effects on the import-export market made much difference, not only to the emerging currency but also to the emerging union’s countries’ economies. The emerging union’s countries are the countries that are members of the European Trade Union that has the highest upward boost of the economies. Since not all of the countries had a very high boost, the most significant boosts came from these countries. Significance would differ from each perspective. In more simple terms, the effect of the lower currency (Euro was weak at first) was the improvement of the export market. But since the income effect boosted the currency as it is also a factor of the economy of a country, then combining it with the positive effects of the Euro’s strengthening, the countries that use Euro become boosted and improve their Economies. And since the Economy of the countries rose at an improved rate, the currency got boosted in the same way that the economies of member countries raised.   Ã‚   With the price on the y-axis and the x-axis denoting that of the quantity, the fall of the currency at first with respect to the rise in the export rate, implied a shift in the curve of the currency (red curve) to the right, denoting that in the long run, an export rate rise would result to a strong currency. The fall of the currency at first would be only due to the exchange rate and floatation costs.   Ã‚   In the Absorption Approach, the balance of payments and exchange rates is examined to the effects of it in the measure of the real income of a nation. The Absorption Approach is significant since this measures the balance of payments and exchange rates and how these affect the real income of a country. The two factors considered are said to be the considering factors in the since the effects considered are those that are in relationship to the income and economy. If the real income improves faster than that of the absorption, then the currency would rise. This may be the effect as the Euro strengthened in the first quarter of 2002, giving their value higher than the stable US dollar. The effects of the devaluation of the currency on national income seemed to be on the positive side as this increased their net exports, therefore giving them an improved real income for the economy. The employment then rose as an effect of the economy’s improvement of real income. This was enabled as the countries to attract more investors, creating job opportunities for their people. The overall employment effect on the member countries followed to a positive tune. Real balance increased as it accompanies the effect of real income. An increase in real income increases the real balance of the economy. This is essential to the analysis because this enables us to see the investing potential and the financial capability by which the country could bear itself.(Flood, 2006) The specific question to be asked: how does the country fare with its neighboring countries’ economies in their real balances? This is very important as this may measure the stability of the country especially in the eyes of potential investors that may think of putting up businesses and other ventures in the European Countries. Basic supply and demand in the Trade Effect  Basic y-axis of price and x-axis denoted by quantity, the shift in the supply curve was due to the invisible hand of the law of supply and demand. Trade effect also became evident as the laws of supply and demand are constantly in the work. The increase in the quantity demanded ensured the right path of the trade effect to the plans of the European Union. This enabled them to exercise the free-trade among its co-members. This also enforced the Euro consequently as it continued to circulate non-stop among the member countries. This also ensured that not only is the market gaining in stocks, it also ensured a strong currency that may be strengthening in the future.   Ã‚   The money illusion decreased as the negative views in unemployment and inflation subside. The unemployment rates subside creating a hole in which they could throw the unemployment problem and bury it there. The inflation was treated the same way as neighboring countries would also experience the same way as they also have the same currency as the country they have. The money illusion is essential in explaining the other rise in the economy including the abovementioned factor of unemployment and inflation. To reinforce this, the money illusion would have to decrease as this affects the unemployment by reinforcement. A decrease would also mean that the unemployment rate is decreasing, which is a measure of a country’s economy. The unity of the currency forged the singleness of mind that was needed to erase the doubts governed by the unemployment and inflation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The expectation effect of these occurrences may result to the expectance of more Nash equilibriums, where everyone would be on a stable state. The Nash equilibrium employed in this part deals with the output and expenditure ratio. The more that a government puts input should generate a proportional output; in this case, income. As the reliance of the people on the currency grows and their reliance towards the stability of the currency, they would come to terms that they have indeed been placed in good fortunes. This would lead to the stability of the minds of employees, and in turn to the investor that made the investment or business.   The stability of minds would be the likelihood that an employee would remain in the job rather than find their jobs elsewhere. This occurs when the currency of a country remains weak despite the efforts of the workforce to bring it on a development. With these effects in hand, it became evident that the emergence of the Euro has been a good sign for the economy and even looked better in the eyes of the common people as they have been provided work and salary, and even the pride of having their currency among the top as one of the most stable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   13.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Marshall-Lerner Condition further enforced that the decrease in the value of the Euro at first improved the real income of each member. The effect of the devaluation increased their exports, raking in income more then before. As a currency gets weak, demands of good from the country with the weak currency increases. The goods react spontaneously, or elasticly. The rise in demand raises the price of its goods and with this; the rise in income is justified. The chain effect would be the strengthening of a nation’s economy, ending up with currency stability. After which, as the currency begins to regain the strength, the exports would decrease as importers from other countries realize that the price of goods increased, decreasing their profits. However, the export industry of the host country is unharmed as other European member nations see this as an opportunity to increase their imports from the country with the same currency as them, increasing demands for export from the country in question. With this, the export and import market stabilized. This effect not only increased the income of the exporters, but the economy as well. The short-run effect of the condition is further shown as the currency approached its strengthening thru the increase of real income, the export then decreased. Furthermore, the law of demand states that, a decrease in the price of a commodity, then an increase in demand would be evident; an increase in price however would put the demand down until equilibrium happens. In this case, the price of exports decreases, paving way for the increase in the exports and consequent rise in the country’s income. This would also be affected by the consequent taking place of the equilibrium that would happen as the supply would be able to meet the demand, giving the market an equilibrium quantity.   As there were shifts in the part of the supply (black) and demand (red) curves, the equilibrium price of commodities would also make a change. The price line is the broken lines with the color blue. Taking in mind that the y-axis would be the price and the x-axis is the quantity, the decrease in demand, coupled with the increase in supply, not only decreased price but also made the equilibrium quantity lower than before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the places that the change showed great effects would be that of the financial markets, the bonds/stock market being the main targets. Main issues have risen that the European stock and bonds are very much volatile. This proved that the policy makers of the European Union have set their eyes in the processes towards the financial integration of its members. This started off with the introduction of the new currency. The release of the new currency was seen as one of the initiatives made by the Union to integrate the financial aspects of each. It looked like a very good move on their part as real income of the member countries went on a rise during the initial stages of the developments. The effect of the large demand for the stocks and bonds from the European Union and its sudden drop is something out of the ordinary for other countries. It seemed like they failed to account for the strength of the member countries and their foresight on financial market as they were surprised with the sudden rise in this new commodity. We therefore have to take an even closer look at the effects at the financial markets.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before the emergence of the Euro, aggregate European Bonds, mainly caused by own bond market effects and that of the aggregate effects of European Bonds, made significant effects on the conditional variances, as this reflects unexpected returns. In addition to that, US bond and stock markets represents a fairly large space in the market. However, after the Euro was made to be a reality, the US markets only became second-runners after that of the European Union.(McCreevy, 2006) This also caused a decrease in the effect of their own bond markets and it’s not just a decrease but a dramatic decrease in their part.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also before the Euro emergence, a significant volatility spillover is present in the US bond markets. But after the Euro emerged, it seemed like a dream come true for the European countries as the spillover have changed. Not only was the European Bond become in demand in the market but it also proved to be of commanding force in the Stock Market. After the emergence of the As mentioned earlier, the US was just second then to the European Bonds and Stocks. This happened in 2003.(2004) In the introduction of European Bonds and Securities in 1999, it has successfully grown from 9% to 14% shares. Also in 2003, Euro’s currency in international bank notes has overtaken US’s 40.5 and emerged with a 43.5.( as a percentage of outstanding volume totaling to 100) This was further reinforced by the fact that before the emergence of the Union’s own stocks, the US commands the market. However, that all changed with the appearance of the European Bonds, giving the US market someone to contend with in terms of leadership in the market.   Ã‚   The financial market offered many effects in various submarkets. The capital market, for one, tries to keep the inflation in check this past days.(Dennis, 2006) It seems that the first effects were very good that they didn’t seem to think the effect on their capital market would be these troublesome. On the other hand, the equities market is also suffering as the inflation kicks in on their prices. It seemed they cannot cope with the inflation that continues to rise. However, in the place of Currencies, the Eurozone countries may be in a winning mood as they continue to outpace the US by their good growth.(Atkins, 2006) The bonds market is also sharing some suffering although not that evident. What the bonds market shows ,however, is a positive outlook in the future as it slowly goes for a good turn. The commodities market is also suffering a loss as they import more oil. This is not a very good sign for the Euro as oil is a very important commodity. However, this is just as normal as everyone else, says analysts.(Chisholm, 2006)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The overall effects of these economic theories have been equally represented and analyzed, what then remained is the effect in the foreign exchange market. The foreign exchange found that the weak-at-first currency strengthened as the economic forces turned into their works. The Euro eventually found its way to the top and eventually became one of the top currencies in the foreign exchange. The Euro is now currently viewed as one of the â€Å"high† currencies and is even viewed in the market as one of the stable s, aligning itself to the dollar and yen. Market analysts view the currency as one of the top as it tends to appreciate more than devaluate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The GDP and the GNP of the Euro countries are suffering on a low this 2006 and it was issued as a great challenge for the European Union to make policies that may prevent this.(Flood, 2006) This was stressed out earlier in the elasticities effect and the absorption approach. This may be overcome in many ways possible but it would be for the policymakers to do. The PPP and the PFI was sought for improvement of the economy and as of the plans in 2002(2002), few were impressed by the effect of the Euro on these. However, as 2006 draws to a close in December, it would be wise for the policymakers to rethink their strategies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sudden emergence of the new currency, Euro, was such a surprise that the market adjusted drastically. This proved to be of good sign for the members of the European Union as this eventually lead to the leadership of the stock markets and bond markets abroad. This also lead to the development of their own countries as far as the union is concerned. More businesses have been established, more investors expressing interest in putting up enterprises in the European Union’s member countries, perspective buyers in the financial markets looking for more of bonds and stock belonging to the Union, and even the population of the European Union expressing relief that after the Great Depression, there appeared a silver lining that would express hope for their economies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, the effect on the financial market is good as it removed the exchange rate risk involved in the international trade. Exchange rate risk was great before since the countries of the union have different currencies. However, with the emergence of the Euro, investors can now remove the exchange rate risk in their concerns since this is not present anymore. Countries of the Union can now trade with each other without having to think of the floatation risks that involve the exchange rate risk. The removal of this factor was about the same time that the changeover was made in 2002. (2001)   Ã‚  Ã‚   The smart move of the European union may be brought about by the good planning of the financial ministries that governed them. The taking advantage of the lower currency at first to increase their real income, the lowering of its local interest seemed to be a well-planned way to be at par with a superpower such as the US. Now that they have the upperhand in the stock and bonds market, economists wonder on what else is next on the agenda of the European Union, now that they have proven to the world that their combined currency would mobilize and command stability in their areas. This also seemed a good bragging right to their decision making skills as more of the European Countries seek membership to the Union. With this in their worksheets, they can again make another policy that would again prove to be of great importance to the history of World Economics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The replacement of the currencies by the Euro may have been a smart move after all. It didn’t look that bad and it never looked like throwing out of national sympathies eventually. But thus, it looked like a well-orchestrated plan of the European Union to gain access to the top echelons of the world market. Now that they have gained access, it seemed like there would be no stopping the union in toppling the US as an economic superpower and industrial zone. Now that the other members are continuing their development, and not just by the numbers, but on exponential terms, there might be bright things to look forward to in the years to come. BIBLIOGRAPHIES Antweiler, W. 2001. The Euro: Europe’s New Currency. PACIFIC Exchange Rate Service. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/euro/) Bloomberg, L. P. 2006. European Economies: German Inflation Accelerated in July.. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000100sid=aRiIykJOsbMkrefer=germany) Biz/Ed. 2006. Marshall-Lerner Condition. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.bized.co.uk/virtual/vla/theories/marshall_lerner.htm) Christiansen, C. 2004. Decomposing European Bond and Equity Volatility. Aarhus School of Business. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.hha.dk/afl/wp/fin/F_2004_01.pdf) CNN.com.2000 IMF offers bleak assessment of the euro. Cable News Network. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/09/19/czech.imf/index.html) Daniels, P.D. VanHoose, D. D. International Monetary and Finance Economics (3rd Edition) : Balance-of-Payment and Exchange-rate determination.Thomas Learning. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.swlearning.com/economics/daniels/daniels3e/powerpoint/ch08.ppt#256,1,Balance-of-Payments and Exchange-Rate Determination) Davis, D. R. 2001. International Trade and National Factor Markets. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://www.nber.org/reporter/winter01/davis.html) Duisenberg, W. 2002. Assessment of the euro cash changeover and the ECB view on recent monetary and economic developments. Keynote address at New Years reception of the International Club of Economic Journalists, Frankfurt. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.bis.org/review/r020117c.pdf#search=assessment%20of%20the%20Euro) European Central Bank.2001. ENVISAGED SCENARIOS OF THE EURO AREA FOR THE 2002 CASH CHANGEOVER. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.euro.ecb.int/en/section1/timetable.GeneralPar.0028.filelinkFile.download/en1201sc.pdf) Feri, F. 2002.   Information, Social Mobility and the Demand for Redistribution. Università   Cà   Foscari Venezia. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.nyu.edu/sed2002/pdfs/id2-2-txt.pdf#search=income%20redistribution%20effect) Fleur-de-coin. The new european currency. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://www.fleur-de-coin.com/articles/euro.asp?sec=3) Guardian Unlimited. 2003.   Full text: the euro assessment. Statement by the chancellor on UK membership of the single currency. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/euro/story/0,9061,973967,00.html) Ipsen, E. 1994. Rebound in Stock Markets Heartens European Traders. International Herald Tribune. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.iht.com/articles/1994/07/14/emart.php)    Lecture Notes in Economics and Trade Balance . Real Exchange Rates and the Trade Balance. .American University. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (www.american.edu/econ/notes/tradebal.pdf)    Matejka, H.2002. The Euro success and its significance. Louis Gerber. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.cosmopolis.ch/english/cosmo25/euro_significance.htm) Obstfeld, M., 2000. International Macroeconomics: Beyond the Mundell-Fleming Model. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/obstfeld/ftp/mundell-fleming/mundell-fleming.pdf#search=MundellFleming%20Model) Obringer, L. A. 2006. How the Euro Works. Howstuffworks. Retrieved November 4, 2006(http://money.howstuffworks.com/euro.htm) Parke, W. R. .2002. The Mundell-Fleming Model. EconModel. Retrieved November 5, 2006. (http://www.econmodel.com/classic/mf.htm)    The Euro’s History. Providence College. Rhode Island. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://www.providence.edu/polisci/students/euro/history.htm) The European Union. The Euro: Our Currency. Retrieved November 4, 2006. (http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/our_currency_en.htm) The Gallup Organization. Introduction of the Euro in the New Member States. EuroBarometer. Retrieved November 4, 2006.   Ã‚  (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl183_en.pdf#search=introduction%20of%20the%20euro) (2001) ENVISAGED SCENARIOS OF THE EURO AREA FOR THE 2002 CASH CHANGEOVER. European Central Bank. (2002) Pre-Budget speech 2002. Financial Times Ltd. ATKINS, R. (2006) Robust eurozone growth outpaces US again. The Financial Times Ltd. CHISHOLM, J. (2006) NATIONAL NEWS BUSINESS ECONOMY: Trade gap widens as oil exports shrink. The Financial Times Ltd DENNIS, N. ( 2006) Carmakers gain as bourses remain flat. The Financial Times Limited. FLOOD, C. (2006) Market Preview: GDP weakness to challenge policymakers. Financial Times Ltd. MCCREEVY, C. (2006) Financial Capital Markets Integration in Europe. Reuters Newsmaker Event.

Management Essays Force Field Analysis

Management Essays Force Field Analysis Force Field Analysis One of the vital tools for organizational transformation is the use of the Force Field Analysis. According to Wilson (2000, p. 207), most situations that have something to do with work can be envisioned as having two sets of forces those that encourage the situation and those that prevent or discourage it. Driving forces are those forces or factors affecting a situation which are pushing in a particular direction (Jenkins). Driving forces tend to initiate a change and keep it going. Restraining forces may be likened to walls or barriers (Jenkins). They only put a stop and prevent movements towards improvements. These forces are acting to restrain or decrease the driving forces. In any group or organization, there are both driving and restraining forces at times of change. The Force Field Analysis suggests ways of dealing with these opposing forces. With reference to this model, analyze the essential stages in the change process, the characteristics of crises and conflict, and the managerial approaches for successfully implementing change. Introduction: Many years ago, Kurt Lewin told us that the best way to understand an organisation is to try to change it (Carter, et al, 2001 p. 4). Different organisations have a number of barriers and challenges to overcome. These can come both from their external and internal environments. These barriers constitute a force for change. Change has always been one of the main features of organisational life. It may not always be welcomed and desirable but it is proving to be the one of the main constant in todays changing environment. An organisation that does not recognize change is an organisation that has ceased to exist in the real world. Organisations respond to different challenges in different ways. Most of these challenges are brought about by the emergence of new technologies, new competitors, new markets, and new customer demands (Harvard). These challenges bring about the need to embrace organisational change in structure, culture, and process. If organisations are contemplating changes, then it will be helpful to determine what forces are acting for or against these changes. As these organisations are moving about and implementing change, they are constantly being bombarded with environmental, social, economic, political, and leadership challenges and pressures. These challenges breed different types of forces. Carefully analyzing the forces that bring about these challenges can help organisations decide, control, and implement balanced change programs in difficult and uncertain times. A model of change calls for identifying the different ways of dealing with these forces by understanding and following the change process, the identification and resolution of crisis and conflicts, and the different managerial approaches to successfully implementing change. Force Field Analysis One of the vital tools for organizational transformation is the use of the Force Field Analysis. According to Wilson (2000, p. 207), most situations that have something to do with work can be envisioned as having two sets of forces those that encourage the situation and those that prevent or discourage it. Driving forces are those forces or factors affecting a situation which are pushing in a particular direction (Jenkins). Driving forces tend to initiate a change and keep it going. Restraining forces may be likened to walls or barriers (Jenkins). They only put a stop and prevent movements towards improvements. These forces are acting to restrain or decrease the driving forces. When driving forces are countered by restraining forces, a certain level of equilibrium develops. This equilibrium can be raised or lowered by changes in the relationship between the driving force and the restraining force. Sometimes, in order to maintain this equilibrium, driving forces may be increased or decreased. In the course of doing so however, additional restraining forces may emerge. Different forces can be modified by reducing or removing forces, stretching or adding forces, and changing the direction of forces. Force field analysis is a management technique developed by Kurt Lewin, a pioneer in the field of social sciences for diagnosing situations (Accel-team). It is often useful when looking at the variables involved in planning and implementing a change program and in trying to overcome resistance to change and inertia. It is also widely used to inform decision-making and planning and implementing change management programs in different organizations. As a vital tool in organisational change, it can identify the relative priority of factors on each side of organizational issues. It can also be used to analyse the forces affecting these issues and situations. Force Field Analysis Process This analysis is carried out with a group using a flip chart or overhead transparency. Usually, the first step is to assess the current situation and agree on the goal of the policy or institutional change. This goal should be written between two columns. All the forces for change (usually, driving forces) and encouraging improvements should be listed on one column and all forces against change (restraining forces) in the other. The next step is to try to establish the weight of each force, that is, how much influence is being exerted by that force using a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 denotes a weak influences and 5 denotes a strong influence. Equilibrium is usually achieved when the sum of the weights of the driving forces equals the sum of the weights of the restraining forces. Force Field Analysis as a Model of Change Wilson (2000, p. 224) says that for most organisations that are about to embark on change process, one of the first steps is for senior managers to spend time reviewing strategies and exploring alternatives. This process may involve away days, seminars, and conferences. Another strategy is to define specific problems and ask specific questions related to the different problems. This may be a difficult task considering the level of energy needed to break the opposition to change and inertia. For example, in analyzing how to improve and increase the number of enrollees in most higher education institutions, questions like, why dont we change the way we screen and accept students or what are the forces which are keeping our strategies in their present trend? The education sector is in a very competitive environment nowadays. Colleges and universities around the world are keen on attracting an even greater number of students even from distant places through different online programs. However, as school administrators are slowly exploring deeper into the root causes of falling number of college students, it becomes clearer that there may be some strong forces preventing substantial changes in strategies from occurring as well as strong forces pressing toward changing the nature of the entire educational system. There might be several forces which point toward more acceptable levels of screening techniques and even ways of attracting prospective college students: Students desire more flexible schedules and more convenient ways of dealing with their instructors. College entrance examinations may not always be the most reliable way of screening and evaluating prospective college students. Technology makes it possible for education related services to simulate traditional classroom environments and interactions. In addition to these forces, schools desire to be the center of excellence on specific fields of learning. Today, schools are continually trying to improve on all the aspects of their student services. There might be other forces which seem to be opposed to these changes. Some of these forces are: 1. Many faculty members in most colleges and universities lack formal training in technology-based educational system. 2. Easing on the present method of screening students and experimenting with the unknown makes everyone involved feel insecure. 3. Testing with new scheduling methods may be risky and can contribute to the deterioration of classroom instructions and the quality of other services. During the clarification stage of the change process, one of the goals of this stage is to be able to clarify misconceptions and provide the forum and venue where doubts can be raised and addressed properly. Identifying the driving and restraining forces are concentrated on reaching a common understanding of what the proposed changes would mean and how it relates to the entire organisation. One of the driving forces is the need to see and visualize the short and long term benefits of any proposed changes. The restraining force may be the lack of specific and detailed information and supporting documentation with regards to the proposed changes. During the implementation phase of the change process, it is necessary to attain a certain level of success. After having clarified some goals, senior management can spend more time developing clear measures of success. Some of the driving and restraining forces can be centered on how and when to measure the success of the implemented changes. In each stage of the change process, it is crucial to attain a certain level of equilibrium so that change can be sustained and be kept going. Force Field Analysis Example The force field analysis has been used in diverse fields ranging from organisational change to self-development. In another example of using the force field analysis for change, let us examine the goal of one manufacturing company. This manufacturing company would like to use new strategies and new technologies in their marketing operations. The driving and restraining force are sorted on common themes and are prioritized according to their magnitude towards change by assigning a score or rating to each force, ranging from 1 to 5 where 1 denotes a weak force and 5 as the strong force. Driving forces Score/Rating Customers want new information on products 4 Improve speed of information delivery to customers 3 Raise level of product awareness 4 Marketing costs are increasing 3 ___________ Total 14 Restraining forces Score/Rating Loss of staff overtime 2 Staff frightened by new technologies 3 Environmental impact of new technologies 3 High cost of new technologies 3 Disruption to daily marketing operations 2 ___________ Total 13 Based on the previous example, it is clear that the driving forces are pushing for new ways of marketing products and services. One of the new technologies which can be used to market these products and services can be the use of web-based technologies and the Internet. The use of the web provides customers a lot of opportunities to gain access to real-time information at a much faster rate compared to traditional marketing techniques like the printing and distribution of card catalogs containing new product information and specifications. This strategy also raises the level of awareness of these products and services as it can cover a wider customer base. Although initially, investing on new technologies can be cost-prohibitive, in the long run, as marketing costs related to printing and manpower eventually rises, the use of web and Internet technologies may prove to be much more cheaper in the long run. One of the restraining forces is the loss of staff overtime. It is one restraining force because these overtimes provide additional pay to employees and it would make it more difficult for these employees to come to terms with these losses due to changes in marketing strategies. The use of the web virtually lessens the need to do overtime marketing jobs especially for those who are working on the field. Sometimes, the staff may be averse to the introduction of new technologies as there is always the degree of uncertainty and job loss to be brought about by them. Crisis and Conflicts Problem solving is often concerned with shifting the balance (Wilson, p.207). As organisations adapt changes, certain relationships are created, certain policies are changed, and some techniques are developed. In handling conflicts and crisis brought about by change, the force field analysis can help identify the different forces that bring about negative and positive feedbacks and reactions from people. Individuals are being asked to give up practices, relationships, attitudes, and sometimes emotions (Wilson, p. 218). In trying to resolve conflicts and crisis situations associated with planned changes, the force field analysis can reduce or remove the force that is causing the conflict situation. It can also stretch or add new forces to counter another force. In certain instances where conflicts cannot be resolved through the addition or removal of certain forces, changing the direction of these forces can be an alternative. If organisations are to put a new philosophy in conflict r esolution, then they are adding a new driving force. Managerial Approaches for Successfully Implementing Change It is a must for organisations undergoing change to create effective processes and approaches for the planning and management of change (Pieters, p.119). Managing change through the use of the force field analysis may inevitably bring forth new ways of identifying factors that can contribute to the success or failure of the change process. Management of change processes must consider not only short term goals but also long term ones. The force field analysis can be seen as the framework in diagnosing interrelationships between the intervening variables in the organisational setup. Management approaches in organisational change should not upset the equilibrium. Sometime, top level managements desire to achieve and see immediate results through increased profits and productivity by increasing the driving forces can breed different sets of restraining forces. A manager that is autocratic and imposes high working standards and discipline on the entire organisation can expect to achieve an immediate increase in output in the short term. However, new restraining forces may develop in the form of increased antagonism and hostility towards the manager and the organisation in general. It may generate discontentment, disillusionment, and increased resistance to change. By the time a new manager takes over, there would already be an increased activity related to the different restraining forces which can cause lower productivity and output. This new equilibrium may need a new set of managerial approaches in order to stabilize the situation. The manager may see the need t o increase output and productivity right away but may try another approach. He may not immediately increase the driving forces but might even try to lessen the restraining forces by engaging in dialogs and other problem solving techniques. With the possible elimination of hostility and negative attitudes towards management, in the long term, the equilibrium (increased productivity) needed to attain a certain level of increased productivity may begin to be achieved through increase in skills and commitment to organisational objectives. It is also important to develop the habits of participative work since it is likely possible that the identification of the different forces can come from the different levels of the organisation (Harvard). Specifically, some of these approaches are the following: Push the decision making down to the lowest possible. The identification of the root causes of problems and the possible solutions to these problems can be found on those that are in the frontline. Begin sharing information freely. By sharing information freely, members of the organisation are encouraged to share their own problems and experiences. Make communication a two way street. It is important to talk and listen at the same time. Eliminate unnecessary symbols of hierarchy and unequal status. These symbols can come in the form of executive lunch rooms and parking spaces. Encourage participatory management. It is important to keep in mind that everyone is also capable of managing different aspects of their life. Get into the trenches with frontline employees and encourage other managers to do the same. This management approach would be construed as a way of bridging the gap between management and the workforce. Give people practice in collaborative work between functions by attacking projects and problems through cross-functional teams. This approach encourages more interaction and communication not only between management and the employees but from among the employees themselves. Help people see the why of change, and work with them to discover the what. It is easy to explain and understand the need for change. What is difficult to understand and see is the why. There are interlocking problems and complex issues that need to be simplified for every individual to see. With respect o cultural change, the following steps and approaches should be considered: Uncover beliefs and values. Acknowledge, respect, and discuss differences between core values and beliefs of different sub cultures within the organisation. Look for incongruencies between conscious and unconscious beliefs and values and resolve by choosing those to which the organisation wishes to commit. Conclusion: It is assumed that in any situation, there are driving and restraining forces that influence any change that can occur. Organisations that are planning some form of changes need to be able to adopt a specific change model that would address most of the issues and problems that would be associated with it. The force field analysis can be a good model for change. This analysis provides a lot of opportunities for organisations contemplating on change to view different situations and identify different sets of forces that can directly influence the change process, conflict and crisis resolution, and managerial approaches to these changes. It also allows the organisation to weigh these forces and adopt priority measures based on the strengths of these forces. In general, it means that the organisation has gotten into grips with the problems that they are currently experiencing and have thought of all the consequences of all the possible solutions. Driving forces tend to initiate change while restraining forces tend to decrease or even stop the driving forces from initiating change. The current setup of todays organisations and the way they adapt to changing environments influenced by a lot of factors and forces makes the force field analysis one of the best models in managing and implement ing organisational change. The harsh reality of life nowadays encourages the removal of restraining forces rather than develop overpowering and driving forces. These strategies provide one of the strongest analytical tools yet for organisational change. Bibliography Duck, Jeanie (2001), The Change Monster, Crown Business, New York. Harvard Business Essentials (2003), Managing Change Transition, Harvard Business Carter, L et al (2001), Best Practices in Organizational Development and Change, Wiley, San Francisco. Kanter, Rosabeth (1992), The Challenge of Organizational Change, Free Press, Canada. Nutt, Paul (1992), Managing Planned Change, McMillan, Singapore. Pieters, Gerald (2000), The Ever-Changing Organization: Creating the Capacity for Continuous Change, Learning, and Improvement, St. Lucie Press, Florida. Wilson, Graham (2000), Problem Solving, 2nd edn, Kogan Page, London. Jenkins, David (1949), Force Field Analysis Applied to a School Situation, Retrieved: May 30, 2005 from http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/brainwashing/force-field.htm. Force Field Analysis, Retrieved: May 28, 2005 from http://www.pyswww.com/mtsite/forcefield.html. Force Field Analysis, Retrieved: May 30, 2005 from http://www. Asem.org/conferences/2004/conferenceproceedings/koplyay150.pdf Team Building: Force Field Analysis, Retrieved: May 28, 2005 from http://www.accel-team.com/techniques/force_field_analysis.html Sustainable Change Management, Retrieved: May 29, 2005 from http://www.challengequest.com/pdf/sustainable_change_management.pdf Organizational Culture: Change Process, Retrieved: May 30, 2005 from http://www.soi.,org/readaing/change/process.shtml

Graduation Speech: Become People With Passion -- Graduation Speech, Co

Christmas Eve in Princeton, N.J, usually fulfills the picture-postcard promise of Christmas. And it was so, on that one particular Christmas Eve long ago. A light snowfall kissed the quaint Princeton houses, and door-to-door carol singers made their way to one particular door. The violinist's home. "O little town of Bethlehem," the boys sang, "how still we see thee lie..." In moments the door opened, and the gentle violinist stood in the doorway to greet the carolers. "Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by..." The musician turned away, turned back into the house. Shortly he returned with his violin! The great man, the gentle old musician, accompanied the midnight carolers on his beloved instrument through each verse of the age-old hymn. Then, without a word, the young people turned away silently, and the old man slowly closed the door. And if this true story, if it is made more wonderful, it is not because a seasoned violin was brought out of retirement for one l ast spontaneous recital, but because the violinist himself has the best reason of all not to celebrate that snowy Christmas scene. The great genius was a Jew, and so revered was he that the very presidency of Israel once could have been his. But here is the rest of the story. Musicians will tell you, every great genius has his idol. This violinist's idol was Mozart. Once, a friend asked the violinist to comment on modern times. When the musician was a boy, wars were fought with rifles and cannons. Now the entire world might be devastated. What did that mean to the old man? The violinist hesitated, sat back thoughtfully in his chair. "It would mean," he said at last, "that people would no longer hear Mozart." For him, this most deeply conveyed the end o... ...lace for an answer. But, fellow graduates, you are here now, and I want to tell you that you do not have to live with the hopeless view that comes from this story. The one thing that Einstein was lacking was a relationship with the God I serve, who is Jesus Christ my Savior. If this genius would have allowed Him to answer his deepest question, he would have experienced a hope that would know no ends. Graduates, classmates, friends, the same hope that Einstein lacked is open for you to have. It is a choice you must make, to receive it or not, but I would be a selfish, inconsiderate person if I didn't share with you the hope that I have at the last opportunity that I will ever have to speak to each and every one of you. Class of 2012, I pray that you will become people with passion - passion for pursuing your dreams, and passion for the One who can give you hope.

Lord of the flies by William Golding Themes Essay

Ralph says, â€Å"Why do things break up as they do?†. Explain why things went wrong on the island, and say what this tells us about human nature in general. Aspects of media throughout the world contain true meanings, in some cases general but in others unambiguous and very strong. These meanings are often shown clearly through books, sculpture, music and other consumable media. It is important for these meanings in connection with human nature to be shown through these means to represent the ‘real’ and ‘true’ things that relate to us as humans, also these meanings offer strong links between things showing that happenings in a microcosm relate to humans and show some similarities. The artists who create the media are often well known and respected for there clever but unadorned creations the public domain look for these links and usually publicise successful ones. The question posed gives students an opportunity to reflect there opinions and thoughts regarding the novel Lord of the flies. The question is open and allows for a range of answers, there is no specific model answer, however the response to the question should be focused directly on why things break up, showing links from the island to the rest of the happenings in the world, the response to the question needs time, as the answer could become too long and most importantly missing the point of the essay, there is a need for a balanced view and this should reflect in several points being raised within the answer. Golding is renowned for his imaginative and meaningful novels, all created to show strong links with Human nature in a specific scenario in comparison to Human nature in general, from this there is usually a message which is true and probably undertakes in an every day situation. From the beginning of Lord of the Flies there are signs of misjudgement and disrespect, as the novel continues these implications become much stronger consequently leading to an up rise in rivalry and jealousy, the first meaningful misjudgement in my opinion begins with the fact of the beast, jack says, â€Å"A snake-thing. Ever so big. He saw it.†, this shows exaggeration and misjudgement, in comparison to Ralph who says, â€Å"There isn’t a beast†, showing consideration for the little uns’ and offering reassurance. From the early encounters and ideas of the beast up to the very latter stages of life on the Island fear and horror loomed with uncertainty being the main feeling, this feeling of fear is one of the first signs of a break up, the little uns separate and change into scared and unsettled beings, the respect from the big uns was required and from the outset simply wasn’t. Ralph however along with a minority offered reassurance, this shows respect throughout the novel and this reflects his personality and character, this difference also adds to the reasons for the break up of Ralph’s society. The fire appears the next apparent reason, Ralph as chief says, â€Å"A fire, make a fire!†, from the outset this appears a good idea with the main purpose of signal being for rescue, a clever but original method of attraction used first by the Indians, this shows that Ralph can produce ideas which could have excellent purposeful results, however the fire is also a signal of misjudgement, with no true thought and planning going into the idea leaving devastating outcomes, the alleged opposition saw this as a weakness although they weren’t respectful themselves offering comments in the nature of, â€Å"he was only a little un anyway†, this whole compilation of disrespect and misjudgement all cluster together and yet again provide a reason for break up. Things could of been different if more rules and regulations were introduced from Ralph’s hierarchy, if rules and punishments were enforced more order probably would have been present within life in general, the behaviour represented from the big uns isn’t uncommon, there is a certain expectancy for some controversy and child play, in relation to the whole world boys on a daily basis will issue a sense of stubbornness. The absence of adults has led to a break up in communications and rather than everybody pulling together trying to formulate an escape plan a majority instead enjoy the whole experience and use the time to absorb freedom, this has been a disadvantage of the island scenario and again builds up to create another reason for the break up, piggy says, â€Å"no adults†, this shows that there is a realisation of absence, however in comparison to the current happenings in the world (within book) the adults suppress themselves just as bad, rather than been guiders they are destroyers after all they are fighting a war wiping out generations of people, so as the ‘war’ unfolds within the island environment as a mini scenario the adults who were respected as supreme change into beings ten times as worse fighting a large scale war, in context the adults or just as worse as the island inhabitants if not worse. Golding has created a perfect world within the island scenario, almost in comparison to Eden, with perfect tranquil surroundings and from the outset a smooth collection of objects to make life on the island so perfect, with provisions for eating and accommodation, consisting of different panoramic areas to suit the needs of different characters. Although life on the island was set up to be perfect, the attitudes exposed from the humans were in absolute differential comparison to the island, with obscene behaviour changing the surrounding area worsening as life carried by. The thought that the island inhabitants could have such an impact; showing total disrespect and selfishness for human nature, just as Golding had planned when he wrote the novel. When the humans arrived they participated in an act which is specific to human nature in general, at first things were fine just as in Eden, however as time advanced the destruction and disrespect followed, with an up rise in jealousy and rivalry, this being the result of freedom and sense of boredom. From this there is a strong link to the real world which proves against the actions from humans. As with the other strong meanings throughout the novel this joins to form a worrying concept, it shows that humans have no respect for nature and the surrounding environment, taking actions irrespective of the long term effects, the main theme therefore relates to selfishness and disregard. The three deaths on the island were drastic and devastating, with outcomes which were preventable. They were the result of rivalry jealousy and domination, all sharing the causes. The most significant death was that of Simon, his death was the result of carelessness and the obsession to kill. Ralph says, â€Å"that was murder†, piggy replies â€Å"what good are you doing talking like that?†, there is a mixture of emotions within the characters, some showing anger and retaliation with the others showing remorse and giving forgiveness for the opposition, from this a link between a happening and human nature can be established, showing that no matter how bad an action there will always be a sense of exoneration and mercy. The death of Simon was the most significant because of his characteristics, different, sensitive, wise and also introverted, this reflected through his personality consequently making him an outcast and excluding him from the others. His death was preventable, although blame cannot solely be burdened to jack as this shows selfishness and a sense of an easy route out of the scenario. The death of piggy was again preventable with the happenings being extreme and malicious. There was an urgency for jack to withhold power and authority, to the extent where protection and barricades had to be enforced. If power is so valuable and meaningful, why are outcomes of its effects so devastating? The death of piggy was the result of two people, jack and Roger, with jack indirectly offering his alternative to Ralph’s society, and roger directly carrying out the death, this shows in comparison to human nature that an event is not just the sole responsibility of a single human, instead there are indirect effects which link the action with other people. Power and authority made up to be a significant part of the break up, from the beginning of the novel there were early signs of conflict and rivalry, showing also jealousy and an urgency to withhold it. Ralph says, I’m chief!†, in comparison to jack who says, â€Å"Follow me, not him!†, this shows that there are leadership issues with jealousy being the main feeling from the oppositions point of view. Authority and power means respect and influence, allowing for somebody to rise above the rest and be noticed, in comparison to human nature some beings live from power and would be out of control without its presence. There are certain turning points within the novel and the necessity for power became much clearer, showing through characters actions and emotions. There were a number of beings throughout the novel who showed emotive actions seeking power, these included Jack, roger and piggy, all from the outset different in character although in some instances harsh and exploiting. From this there led to be a clear split between the group leaving the democratically elected chief with just a handful and the opposition with the majority. Power and authority can have devastating outcomes and results when used within the wrong context, consequently within the novel ending the life of an innocent opposition member, there are certain limits and extremes in which power should be used, this shows in comparison to human nature that power and authority should be respected and not misused as in some scenarios. The main and most revealing cause appeared to be that of the long and uprising rivalry between the two main characters Jack and Ralph, from the early encounters of island life an apparent clash of personalities was shown between the two members, starting from the initial meeting of the characters, up to the very latter stages of island life. There was a range of activities which uprooted a long and uprising feud, which was consequently going to lead to an all over split of the whole group. Ralph says, â€Å"I’ve been thinking†, in comparison to jack who says, â€Å"three blind mice†, this from the outset shows that Ralph from the beginning shows thought and respect for his fellow inhabitants, in contrast to jack who is more interested in criticising and himself, the two characters are of very different natures and consist of different mannerisms, in comparison to human nature this shows that every one is different and should be respected for their individually an d also for their own characteristics. Also in context the rivalry between two humans in a small scenario relates to rivalry within a big scale scenario for example jack Vs Ralph in comparison to contention between world leaders. Leadership was an important aspect of life for Jack and Ralph, this became clear when things started to go wrong and eventually leading to Jack taking over as the chief, the rivalry could be classed as a cause for the deaths with indirect effects. Golding used this idea of indirect killing and outcomes to create a suppressed atmosphere and to give the reader a much more enjoyable read. The differences between the wide range of characters personalities proved to be another cause, each individual offers different opinions and participates in different activities to each other, however there are some similarities amongst humans and this was shown through a simple means of mutual bonding, some characters naturally bond forming a strong relationship on the other hand some people do not bond and instead hold grudges and other similar feelings against each other. Jack says, â€Å"piggy!†, in context the comment seems harmless, just a remark expressing his surprise at the unusual name, however from between the lines there is more depth to the comment showing that he is horrified at his outset appearance, attitude and emotions, this simple comment led to hatred been displayed from a stronger character towards a much weaker one. A clash of personalities can consequently erupt to a much bigger scale, with more harmful and demoralizing effects. This shows that in relation to human nature, everybody is an individual with their own personal morals and emotions. In comparison to the world it shows that there will always be a group of people who’s personalities clash consequently leading to a much bigger dispute. The simple fact of boredom and isolation from the real world led to an up rise in misjudgement and unforeseen consequences which arose from actions which were that of an unformed decision. Within the island scenario there were a collection of beings that were under the influence of boredom and isolation, piggy says, â€Å"when are we going home?†, this question shows clear thought making it a valuable contribution, however there is another meaning to the statement, it shows boredom and also reflects that he and other island inhabitants are worrying about the return to normal civilisation, the separation from the real world allowed for signs of misjudgement and actions were taken from outside the beings conscious, this meant that emotions took control of their actions allowing for unusual activity, the worst outset scenario was the killing of Simon, in relation to human nature this shows that humans cannot always control their actions and instead undergo actions which are that of an unusual outcome. The title ‘lord of the flies’ suggests a leader of a small group, this shows that the title is meaningful and contains a link to the bigger world. Golding in comparison to other superior writers made his novel title significant, with a true meaning, Golding constantly throughout the novel tried to offer this image of a happening within a small environment links in context to a large scale meaning. The idea of a fly leader appears preposterous, but in relation to the real world the idea appears more explanatory, with clear motives and reasons, Golding was trying to portray an idea of a microcosm within the title also stating that all things must have a leader. The novel in general consists of many true and meaningful links between happenings within a small scale happening, in comparison to happenings within a large scale. Golding successfully transferred a wide range of human nature into a novel. The links within the island represent a small earth, technically called a microcosm, generally this shows that small things relate to big. The main reasons for the break up fall into certain themed categories; good Vs evil, authority Vs weakness, law Vs order and mentality Vs immaturity. Golding’s main strength shown in the novel is the use of irony showing how seemingly good events often lead to bad. There were a variety of reasons for the break up of Ralph’s society and they all have some meaning, Golding was a successful writer and his writing displays true significance with all of his wishes displayed clearly and thoughtfully.