The Challenges Facing Administration Motor free essay sample

Motor vehicle owners in Kenya were legally compelled to take out insurance against traffic accidents involving third parties in the mid 1940s under the Road Traffic Act (RTA). The history of public service vehicles (PSV) dates back to the late 1950s when there appeared a new form of taxi operating between the city centre of Nairobi and Makadara in Eastland of the city. The fare, irrespective of distance was thirty cents, the Kiswahili equivalent being â€Å"mapeni matatu,’ which was adopted as reference to this taxi and shortened to â€Å"Matatu† (Timbwa, 1985). The origin of Matatu industry can be traced from the type of transport system that operated in towns in the early 1960s. Initially, the Kenya Bus Service existed since 1934 as the sole legal provider of public transport services. It was jointly owned by the United Transport Overseas Ltd (75%) and the Nairobi City Council (25% of the shares). Public transport in Kenya, especially in urban areas is dominated by Matatu vehicles. We will write a custom essay sample on The Challenges Facing Administration Motor or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the early 1960s, the total number of Matatus operating in the country was less than 400 and operated in form of taxis. In 1973, President Jomo Kenyatta, responding to lobbying from Matatu operators declared that they were a legal mode of transport and could carry fare paying passengers without obtaining special licenses to do so but had to comply with existing insurance and traffic regulations (Aduwo, 1992). By 1990, of the 333,300 vehicles registered in the country, 17,600 were Matatus (Bhushan, 1993 cited in Muyia, 1995). By 2003, the number of Matatus operating in both urban and rural areas was estimated at 40,000 (Asingo, 2004). They comprised of Nissans, mini-buses and pickups. They provided employment to nearly 160,000 persons and generated vast revenue for the Government in form of charges for licenses, duty, VAT and other taxes. In addition, the industry plays a leading role in transportation of persons and goods in both rural and urban areas. Unfortunately, the industry’s vast growth has been accompanied by increasing road traffic accidents that have threatened safety of Kenyan travelers. The accidents increased by 182% from 3,578 in 1963 to 10,106 in 1989 and 11,785 in 1994 (Muyia, 1995). In these accidents, 2,014 persons were killed, 6,650 were seriously injured and 11,094 had minor injuries. The causes of the accidents included reckless driving, non-roadworthy vehicles, overloading and poor conditions of the roads. 1. 1. 1. Underwriting Underwriting is the selection and rating of risks by the insurer (Canner, 2007). There are various considerations that guide the underwriting process leading to the decision as whether to accept a given risk or not and if accepted at what premium rate. The key considerations in motor underwriting include; Use of the vehicle, District of garage, Make and type of the vehicle, seating and carrying capacity, the type of cover required, the driver’s details and the value and age of the vehicle. Use, refers to whether the vehicle is public hire or Private hire. District of garage refers to the address where the vehicle is normally garaged. Make and type of the vehicle specifies whether the vehicle is an Isuzu van, Toyota saloon, Mazda bus etc. Seating and carrying capacity refers to the number of passengers including the driver and the size of the engine. The type of cover required could be third party only (TPO), third party fire and theft (TPFT) or comprehensive. The driver’s details include age, sex, experience, conviction and accident history while the value and age of the vehicle refers to the sum insured and the year of manufacture of the vehicle. Passenger carrying vehicles are generally categorized into the following three classes for underwriting purposes; public hire vehicles, private hire Chauffeur driven vehicles and private hire self-drive vehicles (Canner, 2007). Public hire vehicles are licensed to ply for hire. They include vans, mini-buses and pick- ups. The vehicles are hailed in the streets though local bylaws restrict the waiting points of such vehicles. This class is regarded as the highest risk because of maximum use of the vehicle and drivers coupled with high levels of moral hazard. Private Hire Chauffeur driven vehicles are hired for passenger travel through the operator’s office or agency. The vehicles tend to cover extensive mileage with drivers working for long shifts. One sector of this class which is regarded as good is the prestige limousine arena where vehicles are used for wedding purposes, as hearses and for other private functions. Finally, Private Hire Self-drive vehicles are made available to the hirer. Regrettably the vehicles which fall under this class are misused by the hirers. To mitigate this, a pre and post-hire inspection is carried out by the owners of the vehicles (poll M. , et al, 2009). 1. 1. 2. Experience in Kenya Kenya, with an average of 7 deaths from the 35 crashes that occur each day, has one of the highest road fatality rates in relation to vehicle ownership in the world. Nearly 3,000 people are killed on Kenyan roads annually. This translates to approximately 68 deaths per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is 30-40 times greater than in highly motorized countries. Road traffic crashes are the third leading cause of death after malaria and HIV/AIDS and present major public health problems in terms of morbidity, disability and associated health care costs. Despite this huge burden, road safety measures in place are ineffective, characterized by crack downs on motor vehicles following tragic road crashes. These accidents have been occasioned by the government’s neglect of the road sub-sector in the past 10-15 years (Odero et. l 2003). Insurance companies in the country have been accused of operating like a cartel by agreeing on specific premium rates across the sector. Kimutai, (2009) argues that contrary to a free market economy, insurance companies fix the premiums instead of letting the market forces determine them. However Gichuhi, (2009) observes that the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) does no t set rates but advises members on what they can charge based on the statistics collected from both the local and international markets. Makove (2009) contends that motor risks are under his close watch due to a number of reasons. First, motor insurance, particularly third party risks, is compulsory. Secondly, companies that have collapsed have been motor underwriters. Premiums charged must be able to service claims, company expenses and commission to the agents as well as return a little element of profit for the company. Muhindi (2009) adds that even the Policy Holders Protection Fund will suffer because all companies will not accept to contribute to it if companies start going under because, say, PSV underwriters are not charging the right premiums. If an insurer collapses due to uneconomical rates, then obviously it shakes the public confidence in the industry in general. Omogeni (2009) observes that cartel or not, the process of setting insurance premiums needs a re-examination for the parties unhappy with the present system to not only get but also see justice being done. The insurance industry suffered a major setback when another motor underwriter, Standard Assurance Kenya Ltd, went under in 2008. The heavily indebted insurance firm was placed under statutory management over its inability to settle some Sh100 million in outstanding claims owed to policyholders and creditors. The closure followed closely on a similar incident involving another motor underwriter, Invesco, which closed its doors in 2009 but was resuscitated early in 2010. Other insurance companies which have gone under in similar circumstances are Kenya National Assurance in 1996, Access Insurance in1997, Stallion Insurance in1998, Lakestar Insurance in 2003 and United Insurance in 2006 (Okoth, 2009). Problems in the PSV underwriting business have remained intact since the Kenya Motor Insurance Pool collapsed in 1979. The PSV insurance sector, avoided by most insurers, is among the most affected by delays in reviewing the Insurance Act. The PSV insurance sector is seen as a cash cow for fraudsters or ambulance chasers, with elaborate networks that include unscrupulous medical personnel, motor repairers and spare parts dealers, police, lawyers and assessors, among others. This network is so well entrenched that it is attributed to the collapse of motor pools, an initiative that was meant to address weaknesses of the sub-sector (Okoth, 2009). Previously, there have been several unsuccessful attempts to address these challenges. The first compulsory Kenya Motor Pool was established in 1974 but it faced serious challenges, including the withdrawal of the state-owned KNAC in 1979 before it finally collapsed in 1984. A second motor pool was set up a year later before it was wound up four years down the line after being bogged down by huge liabilities (Timbwa, 2000). 1. 2. Statement of the problem More insurance companies covering public service vehicles (PSV) face the risk of collapse unless urgent measures are taken.

Only Connect Essays

Only Connect Essays Only Connect Paper Only Connect Paper Essay Topic: Literature The epigraph Only Connect that Forster has given to Howards End is certainly an appropriate one, as the impact of these two words is significant throughout the novel. Forster manages impressively not only to intertwine the lives of the characters, but also integrate the separate divisions of the social spectrum into the world of the novel. Throughout the novel a number of significant connections occur between the various characters. In the portrait of Margaret and Helen Schlegel and in the optimistic ending to the novel, Forster points readers towards a future of harmonious connection between the different elements in the world of the novel. This essay, however will argue that in fact the conflict that is presented in Howards End, outweighs the connections. The protagonist in Howards End who connects with a number of characters is Margaret Schlegel. Margaret is the chief representative of the Schlegel family, which signifies the idealistic, intellectual and cultural aspects of the English upper middle classes. For example, Margaret becomes acquainted with Mrs. Wilcox, a gentle, selfless, loving and strangely omniscient character. In contrast to Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox is clearly not intellectual. Margaret throws a luncheon for the ethereal, selfless Mrs. Wilcox. However, it is clear that Mrs. Wilcox feel uncomfortable amongst the guests. For example, it is made evident that her tastes were simple and her knowledge of culture slight. There was no common topic between Mrs. Wilcox and the guests. Unlike Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox is not interested in Art, Music, Journalism and Literature. Instead, Mrs. Wilcoxs life revolves around her husband and sons. Although Mrs. Wilcox is not a cultured lady, as is Margaret, and despite the failure of the luncheon, they still seem to share spiritual qualities which allow them to connect. This surprising friendship is Forsters attempt to bring the two main families of the novel into a union. He also wishes to bring together the two symbolic ideas that they represent. Mrs. Wilcox is a very different creature from her husband and children, replacing their materialistic hard-headedness with a kind of selfless, loving sensitivity to those around her. The readers recognize that Mrs. Wilcox tends to have an intuitive knowledge of the people around her. Mrs. Wilcox calls this an instinct which may be wrong. As their relationship develops, Mrs. Wilcox attempts to leave her home, Howards End, to Margaret. Although Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret are from different families with contrasting beliefs, they are clearly able to converse well with each other. For example, in Chapter 8 the two characters speak about superstitions. It is apparent that Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox do share some similarities. For instance, Mrs. Wilcox tells her companion about the wych-elm tree in Hertfordshire Margaret tells Mrs. Wilcox that she loves folklore and all festering superstitions. There are obvious parallels between these characters, and this adds to the idea of a future of harmony. Even after the death of Mrs. Wilcox, it seems that her presence still remains within Margaret. A striking incident in which Margaret reveals Mrs. Wilcoxs existence is during her first visit to Howards End. Margaret sees an old woman who was descending, with figure erect and with a face impassive. This woman, Mrs. Avery, mistakes Margaret for being Mrs. Wilcox. Mrs. Avery stated that Margaret had Mrs. Wilcoxs way of walking. Some readers might find this way of expressing the spiritual connection rather unconvincing. For instance, the incident at Howards End, can be thought to be too supernatural sounding. However, Foster is knowingly and wittily asking the reader to stretch their sympathetic connection with Margaret to the extent that they can feel with her, the presence of Mrs. Wilcox. Forster is seducing the reader into accepting something which is irrational and something that would be rejected by commonsense. In Mrs. Wilcox, there is an acceptance of a Margaret-like mentality as opposed to a Henry-like mentality. This supernatural aura is also presented in Chapter 18. Mrs. Wilcox strayed in and out, ever welcome ghost; surveying the scene, thought Margaret, without one hint of bitterness. This suggests that Mrs. Wilcox approved of Margaret and Henry being together. It portrays the spiritual connection between Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox. The most explicit expression of the theme of only connect occurs at the beginning of chapter 22. This is an essential chapter, as it allows the readers to grasp the concept of only connect: Margaret greeted her lord with peculiar tenderness on the morrow. Mature as he was, she might yet be able to help him to the building of the rainbow bridge that should connect the prose in us with passion. Without it we are meaningless fragments, half monks, half beasts, unconnected arches that have never joined into a man. In this chapter, Margarets task in helping Mr. Wilcox to achieve internal harmony is defined: Only Connect! That was that whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted and human love will be seen at its highest. Live in fragments no longer. Only connect, and the beast and monk, robbed of the isolation that is life to either, will die (chapter 22). Margaret has an overall venture throughout the novel to unify the unseen with the seen, and therefore create balance. Yet the greatest challenge to this project comes in the form of her eventual husband, Henry Wilcox. After the death of Mrs. Wilcox, Margaret grows very fond of her husband Henry Wilcox. She wishes to change the male mannerism in his character, of panic and emptiness. Margarets attempt to change Henry can be said to be a noble, heroic aim. Margaret starts to do this when she cultivates Henry. While Margaret never forgot anyone for whom she had once cared; she connected and she hoped that some day Henry might do the same. The well-known critic, FR Leavis rather objects to the plausibility of Margaret and Henrys relationship. I disagree: Forster does attempt to trace the development of Margaret and Henrys courtship. Forster suggests the plausibility of their relationship through the narration about Margarets father. It can be said that Margaret is aware that her fathers characteristics are reflected in Henry. For example, the fact that her father is able to change countries and ideals, relates to Mr. Wilcoxs spontaneous and impulsive qualities. This attracts her enormously to Henry. She admires Henrys male strength and soldier- like quality. It also seems appropriate that Margaret and Henry are both middle-aged, single people. Margaret also sympathises with the fact that Henry is needy without a wife. Her intentions to connect with Henry and make him connect are thus not so poorly motivated as Leavis thinks. However, although we might well sympathise with Margarets aims, it is unlikely that readers of Howards End will feel that Margaret will succeed in changing Henry. Henrys character contrasts enormously with Margarets. He is described as being obtuse, materialistic and money-orientated. The way in which Henry deals with Leonard Bast is definitely contrary to the way in which Margaret deals with him. Henrys association with Leonard conflicts enormously with Margarets beliefs. Henry deals casually with Leonard Bast and does not show any sympathy for him when his employment situation becomes disastrous. It is obvious that Henry does not see a personal connection with Leonard Bast. Henry even forgets who Leonard Bast is, contrary to Margarets aim. Margaret later tries to show Henry that he must forgive Leonard and Helen for their sexual encounter. According to Henry it is wrong to have pre-marital sex. However, he has had extra-marital sex with Jackie Bast, and so if Margaret is willing to forgive him, then surely Margaret feels he should be equally willing to forgive Leonard and Helen. She is suggesting that Henry only utilises one area of his emotions and thought, as he is too arrogant and self-protective to forgive. Henry prefers not to connect, so then he does not have to face the consequences and the reality of his actions. It is a case of ignorance being bliss. While he needed the support from Margaret when he had been exposed, he is unwilling to succour another, and so Margaret is attempting to sever his isolation and halt his detachment from reality. Margaret tells her partner; You shall see the connection if it kills you, Henry! A man who ruins a woman for his pleasure, and casts her off to ruin other men These men are you. You cant recognise them, because you cannot connect. Some readers think that what happens at the end of the novel is that through connecting with Henry, Margaret succeeds in undermining Henrys defences. However, it is rather the indirect influence of Margarets connection of Henry and Charles to the Basts that really brings about Henrys change. Henry eventually must face the discovery that his son, Charles, has caused the death of Leonard Bast, and Charles must serve time in prison. Henry is a broken man, but Margaret undertakes his care. Henry undergoes a breakdown and finally recognises that his values were at fault. His obtuseness and ignorance converts into humbleness and awareness. Henry eventually is reconciled to Helen. She and her illegitimate child join Margaret and Henry at Howards End, where peace and stability are enjoyed. It is here when these connections and reconciliation are imposed to provide a source of hope for harmony in the future. In this ending Forster is clearly trying to portray the possibility of a unified Edwardian England. Forster has earlier prepared for the climactic scene of harmony and connection by his scene of reconciliation between Margaret and Helen, the past sanctifying the present. Foster thus illustrates the restoration of the family unit, and here too attempts to convey an impression of inner-harmony and connection between the characters. The situation of the living circumstances at the end of the novel can be said to present harmony. A harmony is achieved at Howards End, as it is inhabited by Margaret, Henry, Helen and the Bast love child. The Bast child can represent a new connected class, a mixture of bourgeoisie and bohemian upper class. It is the characters aptitude to forgive, and so embrace the other that allows them to connect. This is suggested in the relationships between Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret and Helen. However this is a mannerism not possessed by Henry until the end of the novel. This explains the reasons for his narrow-minded treatment of Leonard Bast. Not only do various connections or relationships in Howards End predict a future of harmony, but Forster attempts to convey this impression through the ambience of the novel. The continuity in national life appears clearly in the description of the Dorset Coast at the end of chapter 19. The vision of England as a ship of souls, with all the brave worlds fleet accompanying her towards eternity, is a passage which certainly embodies the ideals of harmony and continuity, untarnished by provinciality or jingoism. Forsters use of tone and visionary language positively creates an atmosphere of peace and harmony. A number of ideas in the book are shaped under a Romantic belief that internal order can occur through love, thus attempting to represent the notion of a reconciliation of opposites, through Romantic tendencies. For example, the Romantic idea of the healing and comforting powers of nature is conveyed through Leonards walk. In chapter fourteen, Leonard tells the Schlegel sisters of his connection with nature. The conversation between Leonard and the sisters is clearly enlightening. The characters are all involved in a situation which interests them. The sisters encourage the conversation with phrases such as Yes, go on. Their curiosity is evident when Margaret asks Yes, but the wood. This ere wood. How did you get out of it? However, the love connection between Margaret and Henry, is not truly believable. For example, nowhere in the book is true love really moulded, but instead love based upon the desire to improve and to belong. This is portrayed through their marriage, which seems to occur out of convenience. It is in fact the conflict between the characters which seem more realistic, thus Margaret and Helen separate through conflicts between the families. Henry Wilcox is disgusted when discovering that Helen has fallen pregnant. He does not wish to have a fallen girl staying at Howards End and he does not deny this to Margaret. Henry informs his son, Charles of the situation. In Chapter 39 Charles immediately consults Tibby Schlegel, Helens younger brother. Tibby admits that it was Leonard Bast who would be the father of Helens baby. The Wilcoxes anger leads to the death of Leonard Bast. This incident indubitably predicts a future of conflict The ending of the novel, Forsters attempt to redeem the possibility of connection, is in fact unbelievable and implausible. The final situation in Howards End presents an unrealistic harmony. Forster has made an ending that is too rushed and too optimistic. Readers will question whether it is truly possible for Helen to live beside Mr. Wilcox. It is because of the Wilcox family that Helens lover is now dead. Her baby will have to be raised as a bastard, because there will be no chance of them getting married. It is unrealistic that Helen would forgive the Wilcox family for allowing what happened to Leonard Bast. Leonard will not be able to be a representative of the Bast family. It is likely that Helen will always hold some sort of abhorrence for the Wilcoxes because of her lovers death. It is almost impossible to see that the Bast child will live contentedly beside the Wilcox family, knowing that they are the reason that he is a bastard. The readers also see no sign of Jacky Bast at the end of the novel. Surely it is not credible that Forster has not included this important figure in the end of his novel? The impression of an incurable gender conflict between Henry and the Schlegel sisters is emphasised all the more in the other characters. In fact, Forster portrays almost all the male characters in his novel negatively. The men are possessive and chauvinistic characters made of panic and emptiness as suggested by Margarets sister Helen. Chapter 25 contains a scene in which the clear conflict between men and women is portrayed. Margaret is determined to go back to the place where the car she was travelling in was thought to have hit a dog. Margaret exclaims Do please stop! I want to go back, please. However, Charles took no notice. The other characters told Margaret that The men are there, The men will see to it. This reaction emphasizes how it was commonly thought that the men should take care of all important business and that the women should merely submit to them and do what they are told. After the demanding way that Charles and Mr. Wilcox act toward the women, the narration includes Ladies sheltering behind men, men sheltering behind servants-the whole systems wrong, and she must challenge it. On page 214, Charles speaks of the incident that occurred. He states Miss. Schlegel had lost her mind, as any woman might. The male dominating character underlines his stereotypical view of women as he speaks of them as being over dramatic and foolish. Despite Forsters optimistic ending, scenes like this strongly suggest that the gender differences in the early twentieth century, are likely to cause a future of conflict and disagreement. Forsters vivid and emphatic presentation of the differences within the families, very much goes against the possibility of harmony. He places a large emphasis on the difficulty in connecting due to the families different backgrounds. For example, the pragmatic Wilcox family are materialistic and very much money-orientated. They represent the solid English work ethic and conventional social morality. They are involved greatly in the business environment. On the other hand, the idealistic Schlegel family are more spiritual and cultured. The upper class family appreciate Edwardian culture such as the Arts and literature and music. The Basts, headed by a lower-middle class insurance clerk are impoverished. Leonard Bast desperately hopes that books will save him from social and economic desolation. Their differences in interests present a huge and eventually immovable obstacle in connecting with each other. Moreover, Forster does not deal with people across the whole social spectrum in his novel. If only connect is going to be associated with England, then it is unfair to make a prediction of the future of England upon reading Howards End. Forster does not look upon the whole of England. He avoids looking at people of great wealth such as aristocrats and upper class, and although he includes Leonard Bast, he does not look at the vast numbers of the working class people at all. When reading Howards End, readers are aware of the conflicts and connections between the families. Through many relationships within the novel, people are able to connect and share interests. They are also able to share ideas and beliefs with one another. However, apart from these, too many disagreements occur. These broad fault-lines between groups of people are very evident in the novel, and Forster does little to persuade us they can be healed. They are crystallised in the situation between Henry and Margaret. It is clear that Henry is afraid of emotion. His motto is concentrate, while Margarets is only connect. This difference in attitudes creates an irreconcilable tension in the novel. They are very different people who represent extremely different ideas. The difference between concentrating and only connecting is the difference between Margaret and Henry; it is the difference between the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes, and the primary conflict in Howards End. Through this argument, it can be concluded that the sense of conflict outweighs the attempt to present the Schlegels, Wilcoxes and Basts as connected. Forster is very much similar to the way that Margaret thinks. Forster tends to be biased towards Margarets ideas and beliefs. It can be said that Forster and Margaret share the same aphorism; Only Connect. Although Margaret encourages connection, the hope for harmony seems doubtful. The attempted connections prove unsuccessful. Most significantly, the connection between Leonard Bast and the Schlegels, finally results in his death and Forsters contrived and sketchy harmonious conclusion cannot rescue the argument. Rather what is stressed is the divided nature of Edwardian England and a future of conflict. Bibliography utm.edu/~lalexand/brnovel/forster.html musicandmeaning.com/forster/

Psychology sexual Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology sexual Identity - Essay Example Fortunately, I now have the capacity to gauge their influence on my relationships-how they start, get maintained or ultimately end. Prior to learning all these, it is as if they passed by my life like a stream. Having been in this course enabled me to dip my hands and catch a handful of water - I am now able to contemplate about these ideas and not just let them influence me without my comprehension. '''''' I have acquired a lot from the course, and one of them is utilizing critical thinking and value systems in arriving at sexual decisions. Sex is indeed a basic, physiologic need, but expressing one's sexuality is also ridden by personal choices and not just controlled by raging hormones (Nevid et. al, 2005). I have tackled sexual decisions before without so much thought to them, and by then I could have been labeled as a follower of ethical relativism-living life and acting out according to one's own conscience rather than depending on external frames of thought to identify the demarcation line between bad and good (Nevid, et. al, 2005). Knowing the other value systems has not caused me to be swayed to switching and adhering to them, but it has helped me gain understanding of the rationales for other people's sexual actions. More than understanding other people, I have learned that my belief in ethical relativism boils down to my being open-minded and tolerant of diversity. Opposing opinions do not irritate me, nor am I advocating for oneness of opinion just to promote harmony amongst people who are intolerant of differences. I may see pre-marital sex as acceptable, but I can deal with people who staunchly believe that it is a sin and deserves abomination. Through this, I am now able to respect their decisions more, and also, I am able to respect my very own decisions as well because I have seen how self-reliant I am, enough that I was and still is able, to make sexual decisions in accordance with my own conscience-decisions that give not only space for freedom, but also impose limitations if this already tramples o n another's rights. '''''' During the duration of the course, my critical thinking skills applied in sexual decisions has also been honed and sharpened. I used to jump inside the bandwagon of pop psychology, believing in claims that has garnered growing number of support, and with this in mind, fueled enough complacency in me to apply in my sexual life. It is no different from all those fab diet regimens advertised in commercials; not all of them produce the results they claim to bring about. Of particular and pragmatic use are some guidelines presented in the first chapter. I learned how not to take everything by hook, line and sinker. I learned how to debate with what the book presented as fact. Indeed, there are book and magazines showing off that they have what it takes, methods and all, to bring out an explosive sexual experience. My old self used to pick up those kinds of magazines and buy them. Now I criticize the article first with questions like, "Who wrote this'", "Do they have credible and reliable sources or is the article just filled with sensationalized personal accounts'" Critical thinking enables me to ask the right questions so that I might arrive at the correct answers, which in turn becomes a guide for me to reach sensible decisions.' Effect of Environment and Historical

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading Essay

Stem Cell Research - The NIH, as the Federal government's leading biomedical research organization - Essay Example The NIH has consulted with each of the investigators who have derived these cells. These scientists are working with the NIH and the research community to establish a research infrastructure to ensure the successful handling and the use of these cells in the laboratory". Government funded embryonic stem cells research is allowed in many countries including UK, Japan, France, Australia, and other countries. It was iniially prohibited in ths US by Dickey Amendment to Labor, Health and Human Services & Education Appropriations Act, 1996. Of the 71 blastocysts approved initially, only 22 remained in mid-2006, and many of them were of limited usefulness because of DNA damage. After former president Ronald Reagan died from Alzheimer's during 2004, Nancy Reagan, her entire family except for Michael Reagan, along with 58 senators launched a campaign to relax stem cells research legislation. Consequently, a federal bill passed the house for funding of embryonic stem cells from surplus embryos; however, the bill was vetoed on ethical grounds by President Bush. Stem cells have virtually unlimited applications in treatment and cure of many human diseases and disorders including Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, paralysis, etc. Stem cells come in two general types: Embryonic stem cells have potential to develop into all 220 types of cells found in human body. Adult stem cells have a limited potential to develop into some variety of cells. While no human trials have started yet for embryonic cells, adult stem cells have now reached human trials stage. While most religious and ethical issues revolve around embryonic stem cells, harvesting adult stem cells does not present any ethical problems but they are difficult to harvest, are severely limited in quantity and have limitations of flexibility. Further, adult stem cells can produce only a few of the 220 different types of cells in the human body. Future Policy Considerations: Liberal Outlook The pro-choice movement firmly believes that since personhood is attained much later during pregnancy, extracting stem cells from few weeks old embryo is not a murder as such. Further, considering the unlimited potential advantages offered by embryonic cell research, even this 'killing' is justified in larger interest of humanity. In vitro fertilization ("test-tube babies") involves the purposeful creation of multiple embryos, knowing and intending that most of them will either die after implantation in the womb or, if not implanted,

Management of the Cash Position Essay Example for Free

Management of the Cash Position Essay Not only do these managers often have difficulty in comprehending sophisticated forecasting techniques, but the cash flows of their companies are usually dependent upon fewer customers and a smaller number of product lines than those of their larger competitors. Thus the cash flow pattern of the small firm is typically too unstable over time and the available data describing it too limited for reliable forecasting. The small business is subject to still other constraints, apart from those applicable to all firms, which tend to restrict the use of even relatively simple cash management techniques. Small firms, for example, are normally unable to afford the division of talent available to larger companies in the form of highly educated financial managers. Many small firms, struggling hard just to remain solvent and earn a fair return, suffer further from lack of recognition that a cash management problem even exists. Once a problem is discovered the manager may lack knowledge of the methods available for a viable solution. A solution which requires more manpower or expenditures than can be covered out of normal cash flow is Dr. Grablowsky is assistant professor and rhairman of the Department of Finance at Oid Dominion University. He has published articles in the JSBM, the Journal of Financial Education, and the Journal of Behavioral Economics. Prior to his entry into education. Dr. Grablowsky was with the Department of Cost, Planning, Systems, and Analysis at the Monsanto Co., World Head, quarters, St. Louis.  typically rejected by the small business. This article will present the results of a survey of small-business cashmanagement practices and compare these methods with techniques commonly employed by larger corporations. Small businesses are defined in this study as firms with annual sales under $5 million. Data for this study were collected by means of a mail questionnaire distributed to two hundred firms selected randomly, within the various business classifications, from classified advertisements appearing in the telephone directories of the Greater Norfolk-Portsmouth SMSA and the  Hampton-Newport News SMSA. The firms were selected in five different distribution levels, with annual sales varying from under $50,000 up to $5 million. The firms in the survey operated at from one to thirteen locations and employed up to three hundred persons, although more than half had fewer than ten employees. Of the two hundred businesses selected for study, 66, or 30 percent, responded. A breakdown of the respondent firms by industry and size is given in Table 1. The Cash Budget It was hypothesized that few of the firms with sales under a million dollars would prepare cash budgets; in fact, only 30 percent of all firms in the sample did so. Several interesting relationships were noted in this regard. One was that the newer firms 1 For an example of this situation see B. J. Grablowsky, Management of Accounts Receivable by Small Businesses, Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 14, No. 4, October, 1976, pp. 26-27. 5 According to E. Donaldson, J. Pfahl, and P. MuUins, Corporate Finance (New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1975), pp. 22-23, this would include, based on average sales per company, over 86 percent of all firms in the U,S. budgets, the larger ones updated their budgets more frequently than the others. One of the reasons for the more frequent update was that none of the largest firms made more than a thirtyday cash forecast while the smaller ones normally made budgets for up to a year. This last finding is in agreement with the results of other studies showing that few firms with  sales under $3 million make sales forecasts, whereas virtually all firms with sales over $10 million prepare one or more projections for various planning periods. As the firm grows, cash budgeting becomes more essential. Of the firms that prepared cash budgets, an annual planning period was the most common, although some also used weekly, monthly and quarterly budgets. No company made a cash budget for more than one year. The frequency of updating the budgets was well distributed over weekly, semimonthly, monthly, quarterly, and annual intervals. Another question asked whether or not the firms cash balances were being handled in the most effective and efficient manner. Of the 67 firms sampled, forty-eight replied that they felt they were efficiently utilizing their cash balances, but, of these, only eleven regularly prepared cash budgets. The assumption by the 37 firms that did not prepare cash budgets that they were efficient in the use of their cash balances is certainly made in ignorance. Conversely, of the remaining 56 firms that did not preoare cash budgets twenty-three replied, and probably rightly so, that they were not using their cash balances in the most 3 See Orgler. Cash Management, pp. 4-13, for a discusFion of factors affecting the time horizon for cash budgets. Aso see: Keith Smith. Management of Working Capital (St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Co., 1974), pp. 35-49, for a survey of the practices of large businesses. Soldofsky and Olive, Financial Management, p. 559. were more likely to prepare budgets than t heir longer-established competitors. A possible explanation lies in the higher educational attainments of the owner-managers of the newer firms. This characteristic, together with the attitudes of the owners toward budgeting, is believed to be a major determinant of the efficiency with which financial planning is handled in the small firm. The d^ta also showed that, somewhat contrary to expectations, in the size categories which included the largest and the smallest firms (i.e., those with less than $50,000 and those with between $1  million and $5 million in sales) a smaller percentage prepared cash budgets than in the other groups. This result was expected for the smallest firms but quite unexpected for large ones. On the other hand, of the firms that prepared cash  effective manner. This realization alone should have provided impetus to the managements concerned to investigate the need and advantages for cash budgeting—yet they still failed to prepare the budgets which could have improved their cash flow performance. The managers of these firms recognized that they had a problem—the need for more efficient cash management—yet they failed to take the proper steps to solve it. These same firms tended to take fewer of their allowed trade discounts than others, suggesting that because they did not forecast cash flows they found it necessary to resort to expensive sources of financing such as foregoing discounts. Cash Collection  actions that they could take themselves. Although only about half of the respondents had even heard of lock boxes or concentration banking, more than one-third did use one or both of these methods for reducing float time. Generally, the respondents reasoned that they could not justify expending the time and money required to reduce float, because such action would not (in their opinion) materially improve the cash position or the profits of the firm. As with many other decisions confronting small businesses, this one was usually made with inadequate information or investigation. The principal reason, again, was the lack of human resources and expertise available to the small firm. Wholesalers, because of the regional or national nature of their sales, were the most frequent users of these techniques. Businesses with a local sales orientation, such as service establishments and retail stores, were much less likely to use any method to improve cash collections.

Leonardo Da Vinci Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519), Florentine artist of the Renaissance (the period of Western European history stretching from the early 14th century to the mid to late 16th century), a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist. His deep love for nature, knowledge, research and experience, was the central reason of both his artistic and scientific accomplishments. " Though I have no power to quote from authors as they do I shall rely on a bigger and more worthy thing-on experience."{The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci pg.2} His originality in the field of painting influenced the course of Italian art for more than a century after his death, and his scientific studies--particularly in the fields of anatomy, optics, and hydraulics--anticipated many of the developments of modern science. His amazing powers of observation and skill as an illustrator enabled him to notice and recreate the effects he saw in nature, and added a special liveliness to his portraits. Curious as well as observant, he constantly tried to explain what he saw, and described many experiments to test his ideas. Because he wrote down and sketched so many of his observations in his Notebooks, it's known that he was among the very first to take a scientific approach towards understanding how our world works, and also reveal his sense of freedom, by disagreeing with the authorities (Bible, Aristotle, Plato) of his time. Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest figures of Renaissance due to his contributions to the world artistically, scientifically and more importantly his freedom of thought, according to his Notebooks. Leonardo's close relationship with nature along with his curiosity led him to many discoveries that have become exceedingly useful to all h... ...ues of perspective. He opened the doors of human freedom for many thinkers that came after him. His sense of freedom and independence is seen throughout his work. What makes Leonardo exceptional is the notion that he acquired all his knowledge through experience. In Leonardo's period freedom of thought or speech did not exist, as it does today. All persons were forced to agree and go along with authorities, which at that time were the Bible, Plato and Aristotle. If people were critical of the authorities they would deal with deadly consequences. Leonardo did not hesitate; using his Notebooks he expressed his thoughts freely. Throughout his life he questioned and criticized the authorities. His freedom of thought and courageousness opened many doors for other scholars. Works Cited 1452, and 1519. The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Complete. Public Domain Books, 2004.

Positive Male Role Models Essay

The Key to the Success of the African American Male March 11, 2007 For the majority of African American males, the path to success is a challenging one. Young African American males in today’s society face major challenges to their growth and security. The lack of opportunity and motivation stems from preceding obstacles set before the pathways of their ancestors. Therefore, the crisis faced by present day African American males is nothing new. Having unchanged outcomes in the social aspect of present-day African American males, Black youth should take the unsuccessful paths of their predecessors as lessons learned. Nevertheless, there can not be any type of change expected without adequate opportunities as well as appropriate motivation. From an early age, it has become increasingly apparent that Black males are confronted with a series of obstacles in their attempts to attain academic, career, and personal-social success (Lee, 1992). Being that children are very impressionable, young black males need to be inspired with confidence by a positive example or influence in the beginning stages. The prior stages of adolescence are the most important to the development of successful African American males. This is where the need for positive male role models becomes affective. Most would agree that the key factor of role models is greatly needed. Within the article, Wanted: A few good men, the importance of role models to increase opportunities for African American males were emphasized. Pointed out was a specific period in which a defining moment takes place in the young black male’s life. This was noted as the second of several defining moments, â€Å"When individuals assert their independence and often engage in high-risk behavior† (Simms, 1991). This was seen in many black males, but particularly in those whose lives lacked a successful role model. In many cases, this is the key setback in the development of successful black males. The concern for the lack of successful role models is not the only factor, but the lack of realistic models for African American males is an issue also. In the article, Fighting the failure syndrome, it speaks of rescuing African American males from a future of self-destruction and an absence of positive male influence. The fact of the matter is, the majority of black youth grow up in female-headed, poor, and negative influenced environments (Simms, 1991). Now, with the lack of a father or father figure, the stereotypical negative branding, and no other inspiring influences, Black youth are left with a limited choice of models to follow. It is stated that successful celebrities are too distant to offer realistic models of reliable maturity. â€Å"The adult males whom many black boys try to emulate come from their own neighborhoods, and in tough urban areas, these â€Å"models† are all too often involved in drugs and crime† (Tifft, 1990). With that being said, there needs to be an empowering of young Black males. And coincidentally, Empowering Young Black Males, is an article that covers a variety of problems and possible solutions to the major challenges young Black males are faced with today. This article deals with African American males in schools, psychosocial development, as well as actions for intervention. The acknowledgement that young Black males are sufferers of negative attitudes and lowered expectations further enhances the need for empowerment schemes. Such initiatives must focus on helping Black male youth develop attitudes, behaviors, and values necessary to function at optimal levels at school and in the world (Lee, 1992). Black male empowerment can play a major role in sponsoring a positive-based developmental program. The articles used provide good supporting facts of why positive male role models are needed as well as how much of a factor they are in the path to success. The process of developing young African American males goes through many stages. Having to find the right man for the job, the effort in being effective in breaking the negative cycle, to the overall empowering of Black youth is a task.