Tony Kushner s A Gay Fantasia - 2126 Words

American playwright Tony Kushner’s momentous two-part production Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes documents the varied lives of five men residing in New York City throughout the 1980s AIDS epidemic. A truly unique aspect, which pertains to Kushner’s dramatized narrative, is that each focal male character is homosexual. Although these men may share a collective sexual orientation, they experience their sexuality in their own individualistic ways. Through the lenses of Kushner’s male protagonists—Roy Cohn, Joseph Pitt, Louis Ironson, Prior Walter and Belize—the play endeavours to eradicate conventional perceptions of sexuality as a dichotomized view: heterosexuality/homosexuality. As the narrative progresses, it becomes apparent that Angels in America contends the monolithic stereotype attributed to a homosexual orientation, by reconceptualising the notion of sexuality as one that can be situated upon a spectrum. The spectrum established within the play illustrates the range of contentment each character experiences, regarding their sexuality. For example, the more â€Å"out of the closet† and overtly open one is about the nature of their sexual orientation, the more seemingly secure they are with themselves—and vice versa. It appears that each male protagonist’s location on the spectrum is ultimately contingent on his enactments of gender performativity. The following analysis seeks to prove that the more effeminate a male character acts, the more open andShow MoreRelatedTony Kushner s Angels Of Americ A Gay Fantasia On National Themes Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesThe Struggles Accompanying Homosexuality in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America Set in the late 1980s, a period of regression and tragedy for the homosexual community, Tony Kushner’s play, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, explores the lives of four gay men living in New York. Kushner’s two part drama expounds some of the many difficulties encountered by gays during this time period. While two of his characters, Joe Pitt and Roy Cohn, both struggle significantly with their sexualRead MoreIs Hannah Transformed / Changed Through Her Relationship With Prior?2201 Words   |  9 Pages1. In what specific ways does Hannah help Prior? Why might she (a complete stranger) have such a profound effect on him? In what ways does their relationship (and her views on world, religion, disease) make possible Prior s transition from AIDS victim to a PLWA (a person LIVING with AIDS)? In what ways is Hannah transformed/changed through her relationship with Prior? And why/how does this change occur? Specifically, Hannah helps Prior by both bringing him to the hospital when he falls ill and

Why Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal - 1478 Words

Why Same Sex Marriage Shouldn’t be Allowed Why shouldn’t Same Sex Marriage legalized? Number one why would you want more gay couples walking around and getting married? It flat out is just not right at all. No matter if same sex marriage is legal or illegal it will never be okay on any circumstance. Marriage has always been between A Man and Woman not two guys and two girls. Marriage should stay the same, it should not be legalized, they’re just too many wrongs to it and it is not acceptable. The United States economy will receive a substantial boost from the legalization of same-sex marriage, due to improved labor mobility and increased productivity. The United States Supreme Court ruled in June that same-sex couples had the right to marry, meaning that all states must now recognize and conduct gay marriages. States decided on an individual basis whether to do so, with some conservative states opting to ban them (Cosgrave). Same Sex Marriage causes kids that are growing up to think it is okay and causes heterosexual marriages break apart. Same Sex Marriage denies a child, turns a moral wrong into a civil right, defeats the purpose of benefiting marriage, and is against the Biblical truth. Same sex marriage always denies either a mother or father. In 1977 Dade county, Florida passed an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Bryant mobilized opposition to the measure under the banner â€Å"save our children† (Hillstrom 21). Forde-MazruiShow MoreRelatedWhy Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Everywhere1415 Words   |  6 PagesJuly 2015 Why Same Sex Marriage Should be Legal Everywhere If two people are happy with one another, they should be allowed to be together. Someone’s sex does not determine whom they can and cannot marry. The only difference between what we consider a ‘normal’ marriage and a gay marriage is simply by the genitalia that we have and the gender we identify as. We need to stop focusing on the gender of couples and start focusing on the love that they share. Same sex marriage should be legal everywhereRead MoreArgumentative Essay About Same Sex Marriage822 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the argument of same sex marriage. The contents are: meaning, brief background and thesis statement for the Introduction; for the Body of the discussion is the counter argument; and for the conclusion part: the summary and the restatement of the thesis statement. Same Sex Marriage also known as  gay marriage  or  equal marriage it is marriage between two persons of the same  biological sex  or  gender identity. In the 20th and 21st centuries various types of same-sex unions have come toRead MoreShould Same Sex Marriage Be Made Legal? Australia?1035 Words   |  5 PagesShould same-sex marriage be made legal in Australia? Should same-sex marriage be made legal in Australia? This is something you and I have heard in recent years come up time and again in the media and private conversations. But why is this an issue? We need to understand why this is even an issue. Let’s talk about what is a marriage. Society’s perspective of marriage is that it is a permanent, social, legal contract between two people who have mutual rights between the two people that are agreedRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1288 Words   |  6 Pages Marriage is not precisely the same as it used to be interpreted. For example, women used to be their husband’s property. Sometimes the women were forced to marry whoever their parents wanted them to marry and most of the time they couldn’t leave the marriage. Nowadays women have more freedom. They can vote, they can run their own business, and they can marry whichever man they want to. The laws change as the people’s mind change. As they get more comfortable with the idea, they become more openRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? Essay911 Words   |  4 PagesShould gay marriage be legal? Gay marriage should be legal because as woman and man, all individuals have the same right in society; because same-sex couples can constitute a good based family; because it is just a way to make official a common union nowadays, even with the religious issue; because it is not related to polygamy; and because love matters and it does not differ in nature according to the sex of its object or the person who experiences it. The first reason why same sex marriageRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Banned874 Words   |  4 Pagesgay rights or same sex marriage should be banned or that it’s wrong under their religions. With that there are many factors that contradict against gay rights, such as religion, child adoption, and divorce just to name a few. Roger Severino, a graduate from Harvard Law School, and has a master in public policy claims the negative collusions that are against gay rights (924). Severino tells us that gay marriage conflicts with religious beliefs because it ruins the traditional marriage between a manRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal Defense And Education Fund Supports Same Sex Marriage?1085 Words   |  5 Pagesone of which is legalizing same-sex marriage. In their article, â€Å"Talking About the Freedom to Marry: Why Same-Sex Couples Should Have Equality in Marriage,† the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund supports same-sex marriage. An opposing view, is given by Robert P. George, a Princeton University professor. In his article, â€Å"The 28th Amendment: It Is Time to Protect Marriage, and Democracy, in America,† he explains why he is against same-sex marriage. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education FundRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal?778 Words   |  3 PagesShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? â€Å"†¦I now pronounce you husband and wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One would normally hear this when attending a wedding. In tradition marriage has been between one male and one female who love each other. But how would one feel if they heard â€Å"I now pronounce you groom and groom† or how about â€Å"†¦bride and bride...†? In the last 50 years the number of same-sex couples has increased. The on-going argument between the government and the people is â€Å"Should gay marriage be legal?† Although some sayRead MoreEssay Gay Marriage Should Be Legal889 Words   |  4 Pagesguarantees the right for same-sex couples to marry. Should gay marriages really be allowed? Has the Supreme Court ruled in error? Gay marriage should be legal because all individuals have the same right in society; because same-sex couples can constitute a good based family; because it is just a way to make official a common union nowadays, even with the religious issue; because it is not related to polygamy; and because love matters and it does not differ in nature according to the sex of its object orRead MoreEssay about Lets Legalize Gay Marriage872 Words   |  4 PagesLet’s Legalize Gay Marriage Gay marriage is a right. Heterosexual couples are allowed to enjoy all the marriage benefits, so why shouldn’t same-sex couples be able to? Why should other people be able to choose who marries who? If a man and a woman get married, no one seems to care. Gay marriage should be legal because it’s an issue of equal rights, it would save society money, and it will increase the chances for foster children to be adopted into loving families. Same-sex marriage is an issue of

American Home Products free essay sample

Pharmacy had not reached the heavy competition yet during early 1980s, AHP was still the early adopter in the industry, however, the nature of the market will change very quickly follow by the globalization and fast developing of medical technology, efficiency of information communication and financial industry. The competitor will able to launch variously strategies, with wild coverage of products via extended channels in more regions/counties. †¢ Because of debt free strategy, the company had limited investment in RD. Even they can provide the â€Å"me to product† but the industry will change with more related regulation to be generated from government, that will require each pharmacy company spend longer time, more money to do the testing before launch to the market, â€Å"me to product† will slow down the process to catch the new market segmentation. †¢ Brand risk, due to the company was only focus on the interest of shareholders; lack of CSR (corporate social responsibility) will be another risk. We will write a custom essay sample on American Home Products or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page †¢ Over centralized power in the leadership even $500 expense need approved by CEO. Not easy money system and not enough flexibility. b) Financial risks Debt free strategy Case Study/American Home Products Corporation 1 †¢ †¢ Will cause the lack of confident from institutional investors and individual investors due to the low leverage. Inflation! According the public information, the inflation rates from 1979 to 1981 was 11. 22%, 13. 58% and 10. 35%, that means holding money equals losing money. 729m+593m+494 =1816 m which was the total cash AHP was holding, times the averagely discount rate of inflation 11. 72%, they company lost 212. 8 million in 3 years. http://inflationdata. om/inflation/inflation_rate/historicalinflati on. aspx †¢ †¢ †¢ Mismatch between AHP’s performance and stock price, as there was not financial strategy. High tax High dividend payout ratio. 30%-70% debt of total capital †¢ Could possibly downgrading the bond credit level from AAA to AA at beginning 2) Can AHP create value for its shareholders by changing the level of debt? What capital structure would you recommend as appropriate for AHP? What are the advantages and disadvantages of leveraging up this company? The simple answer is â€Å"Yes†. We propose the multiple steps to achieve better leverage. Targeting 30% debt in the first year, because our competitor uses that ratio too, that can be use as benchmark to convince shareholders. Second year we can go for 50% and 70% in the third year. Advantage: Case Study/American Home Products Corporation 2 †¢ Use the excess cash to repurchase common stock will reduce common shares from 155. 5(30% debt) m to 118. 9m (70% debt), as the result that will increase the earning per share as well as the stock price. †¢ Will increase the tax efficiency, the income tax can be reduced to 383. 7m from 455. 2 m. Even the debt interest rate is at 14%, but comparing with 48% tax rate that is very low. †¢ Debt is a good tool to against inflation, as mentioned before, the average inflation rate from 1979-1981 was very high, borrowing money is good way to maintain the company’s assets to staying valuable. Disadvantage, †¢ †¢ †¢ AHP might lose it AAA bond rate Shareholders and senior management team will disagree/agree, and that will split the team at the top of management Potentially risk to bankruptcy with less cash, and easy to be attacked by competitor or financial institutions. 3) What are the possible ways for leveraging AHP? Besides to repurchase the common stock, other ways are: †¢ †¢ †¢ Buy government bond or financial institutions’ bond. American Home Products free essay sample â€Å"I just don’t like to owe money,† said William F. Laporte when asked about his company’s almost debt-free balance sheet and growing reserves. The exchange took place in 1968, 4 years after Mr. Laporte had taken over as chief executive of American Home Products (AHP). The subsequent American Home Product Corporation (AHP), a highly growing American company, has four business lines: prescription drugs, packaged drugs, food products, housewares and household products. For a quite long time, AHP has applied a tight financial control and maintained an aggressive capital structure policy. Its mission is to make money for its stockholders and to maximize profits by minimizing costs. It has been able to finance internally its growth while paying a very high portion of its earning to its shareholders (60%). Currently, AHP seems to have no business risk but may face a certain risk in the long run. Based on the ratios shown on the attached sheet, AHP should not worry about business risk since its working capital is very healthy (72. We will write a custom essay sample on American Home Products or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page million) and cash excess $233 million. The high ROA, high profit margin, low current-to-asset ration and 49. 71 collection days show that AHP can generate cash quickly, thus it can maintain current high growth rate. However, its decreasing annual sales growth from 14. 1% in 1978 to 8. 8% in 1981 (exhibit 1) shows that it faces future risk of losing market shares in all its business lines if it does not foresee competition and continue to focus on increasing stockholders’ value. AHP’s current financial performance is very good since it has high ROE (30. 3), high quick ratio (42. 68), low debt-to-equity ratio (0. 09) and low debt-to-asset ratio (0. 01). However, the pro forma of different debt ratios show that if AHP increases debt ratio, it will face a financial risk of increased debt-to-equity and debt-to-asset ratios. In other words, it will face solvency problems in long terms. AHP also face liquidity

The American Airlines and US Airways Merger

Abstract The mergers and acquisitions are common business practices in highly competitive industries and have both benefits and disadvantages organizations. Essentially, mergers and acquisitions are often perceived as expansionist strategies employed by firms to ensure increased market share and capabilities. Firms merge and acquire others for various reasons.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The American Airlines and US Airways Merger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, increased competencies and capabilities lead to augmented competitive advantage and market share to form the main basis for mergers and acquisitions. The large firms acquire smaller ones to reduce the intense competition. Equally, firms merge with other companies of equal sizes to form a formidable force against any form of competition within the industry. The merger between American airlines and US commercial airline was attributed to various reasons particularly countering intense competition and increase capabilities in several fronts. Introduction The US Airways and American Airlines officially merged in December 9, 2013 to become an, Inc. The publicly traded holding firm has its headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. With the combination, the American Airline Group has been touted as the largest airline company with over three hundred destination hubs around the orb with operations in over fifty republics. The American Airlines Group is one of the most successful, but with mixed reactions concerning the possibilities of creating an airline monopoly. However, the practice has presented opportunities and benefits to both the firms and the airline industry (Shlleifer Vishny, 2006). The American Airline Group Inc. has increased market share with the improved competencies in finance, management, and technology. Reasons for the merger The merger involves acquisition as well as combination of two different firms. I n the case of acquisitions, one firm absorbs the other completely. In combinations, the merging firms transfer their operations (Shlleifer Vishny, 2006). The American Airlines and US Airways combined to form a larger firm (American Airline Inc.). The main driver for the merger was to cut costs in order to achieve superior market share. Bringing the American Airline out of insolvency necessitated amalgamation.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reduced costs Reducing the operational costs marked one of the reasons for a merger between two firms (Holmes, 2006). The cost of operations in the industry is constantly increasing due to the general escalations of global fuel costs. A combination of the firms’ operations will ensure efficiency in the use of resources. The resultant firm is expected to benefit from increased efficiencies through elimination of duplicate functions. Cost reduction measures were the motivating factors behind the merger. The beneficiary from amalgamation is the American Airlines after struggling with bankruptcy problems. With the merger, the firm that was almost becoming un-operational revamped its operations due to the availability of finances and increased capabilities. Increased market share Consumers of the two airlines are expected to be part of the larger clients’ base in the new firm. The two airlines assert that the merger will create increased value of services to customers (Perry Porter, 2005). Equally, the firm is expected to bring the clients of both airlines together. The anticipated changes include improved services delivery, reduced costs, and efficiency in amenities. The competencies in the new company are expected to increase the competitive advantage due to improved know-hows. Further, travelers would enjoy the required expediency and comfort owing to several expeditions and flight routes. Tho ugh the travelers may pay higher prices, convenience and comfort offered by the Company would be appealing to the customers. Largely, the two airlines combined with the aim of having increased market share for improved revenue. Impacts of the merger In most cases, mergers are often criticized to result in monopolies but the combination of the two airline firms had positive effects in the industry. The merger led to improvement in the client’s services. For example, the clienteles will have various alternatives due to many flights and traveling or flight routes. In essence, clients would be offered with the required suitability and comfort. The improved services results from the availability of finances and fresh management expertise (Holmes, 2006). Therefore, improved services remain one of the positive outcomes resulting from the merger.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The American Airlines and US Airways Merger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conversely, the merger has strengthened the position of American Airlines Group Inc. in the highly competitive global aviation industry. The unification has provided the new firm with a competitive edge to capture the global market share. The new firm is facing stiff competition from larger and well-established global firms within the US market (Holmes, 2006). Nonetheless, the global market would experience stiff competition due to the availability of more excellent firms like the British Airways. The union has enabled the new corporation to improve products and services. The improved onboard services and luggage delivery has enabled the new firm to penetrate various markets across the globe. Hence, the increased competitive edge has enabled the firms’ rapid expansion and capture of the market share in aviation market. The organization structure of American Airlines Group A merger takes time before accomplishment as it is not easy to diffuse the operations of the original firms while coming up with new corporate structure. Usually, the merging firms agree on a hybrid structure that results into increased competitive advantage (Gowrisankaran, 2009). The merging companies agreed that American Airlines Group ought to have a hybrid corporate structure in adopting the management styles of both firms. The management structure involved transfer of assets, liabilities, staffs, and operations. Besides, the clients and stakeholders of the two airlines are also expected to be amalgamated. The manner in which shareholders are to be merged and managed requires a proper outline (Holmes, 2006). In the structure, the American Airlines Corporation shareholders should be provided with approximately seventy two percent of the shares while the remaining shares are to be given to the U.S Airways Group. The allotment of shareholders meant a different corporate structure. The novel corporate structure provided that the U.S Ai rways had most management positions while the U.S Airways Group had the chairperson and chief executive officer’s positions. In addition, accommodate of a huge number of employees necessitated a number of adjustments in the organizational structures of the original firms (Perry Porter, 2005).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The modification of HR Changes in the human resources were necessary to accommodate the new transformations in the management. The merger corporation had to come up with new HR management structure and practices to accommodate new management style, a huge number of employees, and the required goals and strategies. The new HR ensured training and development of employees besides aligning the needs and goals of the organization. The achievement of the merger required change in management style in order to attaining the desired goals. In accordance to Perry and Porter (2005), modifications in the management of employees were substantial for the accomplishment of horizontal unions. Conclusion Mergers involve acquisition and combination of two firms while in acquisitions one firm absorbs the other completely. In combinations, the merging firms transfer Company operations. Firms often merge to reduce costs and gain bigger market share. The America Airways merged with the US Airlines to re duce the operational costs and bring the American Airline out of insolvency. Merging of the two firms has presented opportunities and benefits to the original firms as well as the airline industry. In general, the American Airline Group Inc. has increased market share and improved competencies for an increased competitive advantage. References Gowrisankaran, G. (2009). A dynamic model of endogenous horizontal mergers. Journal of Economics, 30(16), 56-83. Holmes, T. (2006). Can consumers benefit from the policy limiting the market share of a dominant firm? International Journal of Industrial Organization, 14(2), 365-387. Perry, M. Porter, R. (2005). Oligopoly and incentives for horizontal merger. American Economic Review, 75(14), 219-227. Shlleifer, A. Vishny, R. (2006). Large shareholders and corporate control. Journal of Political Economy, 94(6), 461-488. This research paper on The American Airlines and US Airways Merger was written and submitted by user Human Torch to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Egypt the Troubled Giant Essay Example

Egypt the Troubled Giant Essay Egypt, The Troubled Giant The case highlights some of the key factors that have enabled Egypt to grow over the last five years. Egypt is the most populated Arab state. More than 75 million people live there. Starting in 2004, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazit was able to pass into law many economic reforms that lowered tariffs, cut taxes, and the deregulation of trade that allowed Egypt to create billions in foreign direct investment in the economy. Many projects began in Egypt that built offices for large American companies to operate in as well as a huge construction project on the Suez Canal. This growth kept Egyptâ„ ¢s growth parallel with many other emerging economies. At the end of 2008, like many other countries, Egyptâ„ ¢s economy plummeted. This crushed the Egyptian people. The difference between the rich and the poor citizens is significant. This difference became the driving force in the divide of the country. The political and social pressures began to crumble the countries framework. The government has become corrupt and even the elections were rigged to favor the current President (at that time) Hosni Mubarak. Leaders opposing the President were harassed and falsely imprisoned. 1. How would you describe the economic policy that Egypt implemented during 2004â€Å" 2008 Do you think that this policy helped to boost Egyptâ„ ¢s growth rate Why I would describe Egyptâ„ ¢s economic policy during these years as mixed. There was a great deal of deregulation of trade as well as tax breaks implemented, however, the then President still remained in overall control. Yes, I believe that the Egyptian grow rate was boosted during this time. Because of all of these changes, companies like Microsoft and many Egyptian technology companies were allowed to conduct business in the country. This created a large increase in the money coming into as well as out of the country. This created growth in the Egyptian economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Egypt the Troubled Giant specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Egypt the Troubled Giant specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Egypt the Troubled Giant specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 2. How vulnerable is the Egyptian economy to a slowdown in global economic activity such as that which occurred in 2008â€Å" 2009 I believe that Egypt is extremely vulnerable to economic slowdown. The country gets a large portion of their annual revenue from tourism and expatriate workers. Almost any change in the global economy could change the country forever. I believe that the effect will change primarily the lower class of people. With the majority of citizens currently living in poverty again, any decrease in the economy will make day to day living impossible. 3. What are the potential risks inherent in Egyptâ„ ¢s current political system What is the best case scenario going forward What is the worst- case scenario At the time that this case was written the primary potential risk was the corrupt government being overthrown. I believe the best scenario going forward is for Egypt to become more of a democratic society where the elected officials care about all of the citizens. The worst-case scenario would have been for the country to remain on the same path of increased political corruption. Where the people are disenfranchised, one can easily envisage a situation where economic turmoil spills over into the political arena, destabilizing the country and setting it on an uncertain future path. (p. 88) 4. All things considered, is Egypt an attractive market for international business What advice would you give to a multinational enterprise considering investment in Egypt At this point in time I believe that Egypt is a prime market for international business. The country is in a period of positive change. Corruption is being overthrown and the people are ready to become self-sufficient. The advice that I would give a company considering investment is to research those in power and the direction they are taking the country. Change is already underway and a more democratic environment is emerging. This can foster additional benefits for companies willing to invest.

The two wrongs of an alcoholic case, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The two wrongs of an alcoholic case, by F. Scott Fitzgerald 'The Two Wrongs of an Alcoholic Case'In his writings, F. Scott Fitzgerald sometimes blends many similar character traits among the main characters. So it goes with 'Two Wrongs,' and 'An Alcoholic Case.' Perhaps it may seem an unlikely choice for a comparison/contrast, however I believe these stories are very much correlated. From the way that Fitzgerald typecasts, 'alcoholic artists' as the main characters, to the similarities in the reactions and emotions of the supporting characters, both of which are females. With this also are the cases of the men having changes of hearts and trying to achieve a sense of nobility and character. These are just some of the similarities in Fitzgerald's stories.These two stories share common thread in that the two main characters are artists, one theatrical producer and one cartoonist, both possessing alcohol problems. In 'Two Wrongs,' Bill McChesney is a successful theatrical producer living in New York, who in three years has produced nine shows of which, one was a flop.F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1937, June 4Bill is a man who has it all and knows it. He is a man who takes his profession seriously in the way that it produces many social advantages and opportunities.In the other story we have an out of work cartoonist who also has an alcoholic problem. His is a condition that is so bad it requires him to have a nurse. This is an obvious and maybe at first glance, the only similarity between the two stories. In Fitzgerald's stories, fictional problems are often the result of alcoholism. There are, however more similarities than that.Gamble, 2There are also similarities in the supporting characters. Emmy Pinkard in 'Two Wrongs,' is Bill McChesney's wife who is struggling in her pursuit of a career as a ballet dancer. At the same time she...

Issues in international business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Issues in international business - Essay Example Political stability would be ensured by abiding by the EUs political standards. Borders would finally be opened, reducing international barriers to the flow of goods and services, and products would now have access to all European markets. Tax policy changes would be controlled and property rights would be guaranteed, allowing foreign companies to invest on their soil, bringing jobs to the masses of unemployed. But there would be challenges ahead too. Would they be able to meet up to the standards expected of them Could they control the inflation rate Hold prices stable Grow GDP Avoid currency devaluation And minimize deficit No one had the answers, but certainly all ten of the new EU Member States were willing to try. Thus, their first step was to gather up their top economists to strategize. Optimal macroeconomic policies must be put into place as soon as possible to achieve the high standards expected as a new European nation. Each country would have their own strategy, but macroeconomic policies, in general, are adopted to avoid major economic upheavals, with the primary example being The Great Depression. These policies are set and controlled by a nation's government and central bank and include such challenges as stabilising the business cycle, facilitating long-term growth, reducing unemployment, controlling inflation and lowering the current account deficit (Parkin 534). Policy tools to achieve these goals are divided into two categories: fiscal policy and monetary policy. The powers of fiscal policy lie in the hands of the government which tries to influence the state of the economy by such measures as changing tax rates, and altering government spending and debt. On the other hand, monetary policy is steered by the central banks, which are able to adjust interest rates and alter the amount of money in circulation. These are the tools which have been used in a myriad of scenarios by the ten Member S tates inducted into the EU on 1 May 2004. Their actions have been made in an attempt to maintain a stable economy, allowing GDP to grow, deficit to decline and all the while keeping an eye on the golden ring, that is, to adopt the euro as their trading currency. In order to evaluate success of the governments and central banks of the ten new EU countries, one must first set a standard of measure. In other words, what are the goals to be met Is there a particular timeline set for these goals And then ask, how far along have they come in achieving these goals As previously mentioned, one of the major goals for the new countries is to adopt the euro as their own currency. Unlike Denmark and the United Kingdom, the new EU Member States would not have the option of voting out the single currency; but none would have chosen to anyway. Adopting the euro would probably do more alone in the first year towards achieving economic stabilization for these countries than any of the macroeconomic policies described could do in ten years. The euro essentially removes the previous risks involved with currency exchange rates and hedges against sudden inflationary impacts (Frequently Asked QuestionsECB). This results in lowering the interest rates and allows for price stability. However, to protect the current nations utilizing the euro from devaluation, the new EU Member States must be truly ready to adopt the new currency. This readiness is assessed by certain factors called the Maastricht convergence criteria established in

Durkheims definition of Religion Application to Political Movements Essay

Durkheims definition of Religion Application to Political Movements - Essay Example This book received great accolade because Durkheim utilized a case study of the Australian aborigines, stating that they represented the most elementary form of religion within a society or culture. According to Durkheim, religious representations such as sacred rituals come into existence when groups of people come together and such rites or rituals are aimed at bringing people into a certain state of mentality while keeping them excited. Thus, in essence, religion gave people within a society a form of identification and mark of togetherness (Allen et al, 2012, p.2). His theory on religion was founded on the fact that sociology can be explained using natural sciences as it is a scientific study and in turn it can be proven using an experiment, in this case the case study. However, science is proven using scientific facts; the same cannot be said for religion, as it would be difficult to establish any religious facts. This was the main challenge facing Durkheim as he embarked on exp laining religion (Orru and Wang 1999, p.47). Criticism of his work stemmed from the fact that his case study featured ‘primitive peoples’, whose mode of thinking cannot be equivalent to western or rational thinkers of modern times. This was overlooked, nonetheless, because of the imaginative and insightful ideas that he was able to bring to light. It has been demonstrated that there is difficulty or it is of no significance to attempt to prove that religion can indeed be studied as a science; more so, that sacred rituals are a universal concept (Allen et al, 2012, p.6). Political Movements Commonly referred to as political sociology, the study of politics suggests that political parties function in the same way as religious sects. Followers in both cases exhibit the same kind of loyalty where leaders and/or fellow followers are justified or excused for any villainous crimes committed. Another theory explored suggests that even though political parties employ rituals and symbols as modes of self-representation, they are not similar to religious phenomenon. However, they need to be explained as demagogic means needed to preserve and reaffirm the authenticity of power among masses of people. This is referred to as the crowd manipulation interpretation, where the irrational aspects of belief and faith are used in an attempt to determine the impact of politics on the masses. For this reason, politics is termed as secular religion as a system of rituals and symbols are employed and this create an atmosphere of sacredness that, in turn, brings out politics as an object of worship and devotion (Jones, n.d). Following Durkheim’s argument, in order to understand fully religion we must go back in time and analyse religious phenomena historically. This explains why he selected the Australian aborigines as his case study; that however primitive they might have been, it would be significant to discover their constituent and how they gave rise to the mode rn religions. This is done by comparing constituent elements from both cases. Durkheim insists, nevertheless, that this analysis involving both historical and ethnographic observations is not a conceptual possibility but rather a concrete reality. Notably also, he explained his choice of the Australian aborigines, a pre-modern group stating that it was scientific because there needs to be a foundation for every concept to be rightly explained. This was in contradiction to scholars who use history as a means of bringing into disrepute their modern counterparts (Rosati 2009, p.13). This implies that religion or any

Past, Present and Future Essay Example for Free

Past, Present and Future Essay As I was preparing to write this personal assessment paper, I cannot help but be reminded of an age-old adage which goes, â€Å"an unexamined life is not worth living† – a wisdom saying claimed to have been coined by the philosopher Socrates. Specifically in view of my stay here at the University of Phoenix, I have many good reasons to suppose that looking back at my personal and professional growth in this learning institution is indeed an aspect worth examining. Not only does it afford me of a chance to chart the progress of my learning journey, it also gives me a rare opportunity to reflect on how my life has significantly changed over the years. In many ways, I believe that what stands to be of paramount importance in examining one’s life lies in being able to learn from the experiences of the past. And I find this especially true for myself since I am coming from a kind of University experience that opened many windows for the acquisition of many learning skills, and the nurturance of lasting relationships as well. With these in mind, I shall reflect on study program that I took at the University of Phoenix with eyes fixed on charting my personal and professional growth relative to the whole study process. As required, this personal assessment paper shall be divided into three distinct but related parts: starting the program, undergoing the program, and the impact of the program on my future life. Recounting experiences at the start of University program Early on in life, I was already introduced to the idea that academic learning is exceedingly important not only because it can become a sure ticket for a rewarding professional life later on, but also because it is a noble endeavor in itself. My parents have constantly reminded me of this almost sacred teaching. Which is why, I consider learning to be an issue of no little importance in my personal growth and development. In ways more than one, this is the reason why I decided to pursue my studies at the University of Phoenix. Specifically, I was moved by a desire to finish my studies so as to later on pursue a greater life-defining goal – to land a career in the field of management. I have to admit that starting a University life is not as easy and sweet as many people would have thought it. At least for myself, I have had a fair amount of anxieties, biases, fears and hesitations that I had to firstly wrestle with before finding myself comfortably abreast with the whole school system. Even if I had the courage to pursue an inner belief on the importance of learning, I should say that my first steps at the University were indeed nerve-wracking, since I had to let go of my little comfort zones and expand my horizon for the sake of learning. But while these memorable days were an initially rocky path, I think that I fared relatively well in handling myself successfully, with a little push and support from my family, friends and peers. I started out my studies at the University as a student at the beginner’s level. In many ways, my problem solving and communication skills definitely needed some serious reinforcements. I knew I had the basic knowledge and skill to pull through though; but surely, they need to be further improved if only I could succeed in my University journey. I was able to pass academic requirements in a manner rather fair and prompt. But I must admit that I was able to accomplish many things not without difficulties. For instance, I discovered that doing analysis and assessments involving critical thinking were not that easy. I did also encounter difficulties in terms of information retrieval, inasmuch as I had to joggle up a number of subjects requiring memorizations, retentions, and practical ways of applying formulas and principles in many assignments and projects. And while I believe that my social and relational skills were aspects that have served me well in the past, my University studies was to even more teach me how to use these skills in a manner distinctly practical, so I can effectively collaborate with my co-students and professors. After years of pursuing an academic learning here in the University though, I honestly think that I have improved a lot in almost all these aspects; as I now possess, all things considered, a competence level of an intermediate student. Assessing personal growth during my University studies A multi-faceted learning approach is what in essence the University of Phoenix afforded me over the years. I have little doubts that the subjects which I took at the University contributed a lot to my growth. Specifically, I have to mention that I was helped enormously in my writing skills. I know right from the onset that I could not write well. And perhaps, this weakness shows even now. In fact, I have encountered difficulties in completing many assignments or projects that needed a fair amount of effective writing skills. It was, to say the least, difficult to get myself staying motivated in matters or subjects where I know I am are not adequately adept with. With much patience and practice though, I think that I was able to improve myself quite significantly in this area. My University studies have enabled me to gather vital insights that I can use in the future. In particular, I feel that certain general education courses may prove to be critical in view of my potential management career in the future. The first one concerns Human Motivation subject, as offered by Psychology 320 course. This is, I believe, chiefly important for any career in management, as it gives students necessary insights and skills to know what motivates people. The management profession entails a lot of handling human resources; i. e. , the people themselves. By studying Human Motivation, I am able to gain necessary knowledge that would not only make me know the factors that motivate people, but also learn appropriate approaches or methods to effectively motivate them. Second, I feel that ISCOM 476, otherwise known as the â€Å"Integrated Supply Chain Application†, is another important course as well. If only to explain, what this course did for me was to make me distinguish between the things that I have honestly learned and those that I have unfortunately missed. The subject was in many ways an eye opener for myself. It gave me insights into the areas that I need to brush up in relation to the previous courses that I have taken. Ultimately, though, I feel that I can use this course to help an organization become successful in what they are trying to achieve in the business. Besides, the course is chiefly about understanding logistics; and, in a career that oversees not only the proper handling of human resources but also key company transactions, the course shall definitely help me improve my management skills later on in my professional life. As for my personal recommendation, I would propose developing a more personal rapport between student and teachers. I do wish to imply that the University professors barely care for the individual performances of their students. Far from it. On the contrary, what I would suggest is to promote healthy student-teacher relations that could bring into the fore individual difficulties encountered by students, as they go about learning the subjects they are currently into. When properly assessed, students can surely address what needs to be done if there are some learning skills or subjects that they find difficult to put up with. I have personally encountered having to put up with the demands of a current subject while brushing up the knowledge I have learned from the previous courses. In many ways, this can be avoided. Developing an effective individual colloquium approach to learning shall, I believe, make students more adjusted into the demands of the current subjects that they are undertaking. Analyzing the impact of University learning on later life Completing a University bachelor’s program in many ways gives me an overwhelming feeling of contentment, pride, and most notably, joy. But perhaps, more than giving me a reason to be proud of myself, I feel that the finishing the University program of my choice has a role to fulfill in my life long learning later on. Finishing the program is surely not an end as it is more like another beginning for my life. It is an accepted knowledge that learning is a process that never stops; i. e. , for as long as a human person lives, he or she needs to learn until death. In many ways, this is how I view life as well. I feel that lifelong learning is something that one needs to achieve in life. And as such, it is something that should not stop. I take root from my personal experience here at the University of Phoenix. Honestly, I think that that I many reasons to quit from the program. The difficulties of having to put up with the intense learning processes of this school system are really one bulk of problem to solve, to say the least. But I did not allow discouraging results, nor pieces of advice of other people (against finishing the degree) get in the way of my desire to finish my studies. In life, this too applies. A person should not let no one stop him or her from finishing something that one truly takes interest in. Far more critical, I am of the firm believe that lifelong learning needs all the support one can get from people who care. Since learning has to be life long, and that it need not to stop after University schooling, I have set forth certain plans in view of acquiring further knowledge. In the years to come, I plan to reinforce the fundamental learning I received from the University by following it up though an array of available study learning programs. Firstly, I intend to attend logistics seminars in the next few months. Realizing that this is critical area for my prospective job, I feel that I need to reinforce my learning to further increase my competence in such a field. Moreover, I plan to further develop my communications and management skills. Communications skills, specifically writing (as I mentioned), were really a weakness that I was able to adequately address. But that does not mean I was able to achieve an expertise or mastery of it. I know that, at the end of the day, I need to improve this aspect more and more. Being a professional entails that one has achieved a certain level of competence in both what one knows, and how one effectively expresses what one knows. In my case, I am pretty aware I need to effectively express myself in both the oral and written manner of communication, in order to better convey and practice the management skills that I have acquired. As indeed, I am aware that I need to be very aware of any new approaches to management strategies as the years go by. What the University has afforded me is a fundamental knowledge about management; but surely, in the years to come, new innovations and challenges that the University studies were not able to address shall inevitably emerge. I know that when that time comes, I need to handle myself successfully as I did so during my student stint at the University. Thus, in order to keep with the pace of ever changing needs of the companies, I plan on improving my management skills by attending seminars and short courses as well. Right now though, I have neither pondered nor decided over the specific company or organization to join with. Suffice it to say that for the time being, I am contemplating on attending a master’s program on management. In this way, not only I am going to be able to address my specific learning needs, I shall also in the process further improve my competence level to that of an expert, ready to take on anything that life has to eventually offer.

Developing Conceptual Framework in Accounting

Developing Conceptual Framework in Accounting Accounting is playing an important role in nowadays society. It provides financial information to the user to make business decision. However, accountants have to follow accounting standards when they are providing the information. We may question what the principle of those standards is. Financial accounting theory was created as the principle in making standards, and conceptual framework for accounting built up. This essay is going to talk about whether developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility. In order to talk about this, I am going through some history of accounting, the definition and compare the conceptual framework under different standards. Accounting was created for thousands years ago. It dates back more than 7,000 years which is the time of ancient Babylon, Assyris and Sumeria. (Friedlob, G. Thomas Plewa, Franklin James, 1996) At that time, people did accounting for their personal need. With the change of the times, accounting no longer work for personal need. People need common standards for stakeholders to use when making decisions. Countries built up Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to set up rules for accountants to do accounting. When the business is becoming bigger, people find out that it is hard to understand other countries accounting report. People need international standards, so some international standards come out, Such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Financial Reporting Standards (FRS). They are built by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Accounting Standards Board (ASB). When standard-setters were making standards, they considered about accounting theories. Geoffrey (2007) stated out that three main approaches which are used to create current accounting theories: The empirical inductive approach. This consists of distillation of theoretical principles from accounting practice. The deductive approach. This is the logical derivation of theoretical principles by deduction from assumptions. The new empiricism based on positivism, derived from the Chicago school of economics. This regards theories as worthwhile only if they are testable against empirical evidence. à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2007à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Financial accounting theories were made in these three steps in present day. In 1976, FASB defined financial accounting theories as A coherent system of interrelated objectives and fundamentals that can lead to consistent standards. According to Elliot (2004), accounting is a mean which used to recording, classifying and summarizing financial activities which include cash flow, transactions and events. It means accounting is really important for users to analyse a company, such as shareholders, investors and employee. For example, investors want to invest a company. They need to know whether a company is good to invest, so they come to accountants and get the financial report. Without accounting standards, they may feel difficult in reading those reports. For this reason, accounting standards are necessary. To make accounting standards, the conceptual framework of accounting will be need. Carsberg (1984) described that conceptual framework of accounting is used to provide general support and improve the consistency of financial standards. It can reduce the cost of making the standards by helping the standard-setters on what information should be included and how the information should be displayed. It shows conceptual framework of accounting is necessary in making accounting standards. Conceptual framework set up the principle of accounting, so it improved the consistency of financial report and is beneficial to users in analysing the report. Furthermore, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦conceptual framework should be viewed as a kind of gyrocompass to help us in navigating our way through the self-interest and contending ideologies that always surrounded debate about regulation. (Edwards, 1981, p. 439) Based on this, Conceptual framework should work as guidance in making accounting standards. In 1975, The Corporate Report was the one of the reports which is about conceptual framework in the early stage. Our subject is, in essence, the fundamental aims of published financial reports and the means by which these aims can be achieved. (ASSC, 1975) The report shows the way how financial report should display the financial information. It provided structure for the following standards. In 2004, IASB/FASB started a project in developing a common conceptual framework for financial report. (Murphy, 2012, p.1) In 2006, it comes out some information about the framework. For example, it listed some user groups, such as entity investors, creditors, suppliers. In 2008, more information came out. In 2010, a recent version- Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting Chapter 1: The Objective of General Purpose Financial Reporting (IASB/FASB, 2010) was released. In this chapter, the efficiency and effectiveness of the entitys management and governing board in discharging their responsibilities to use the entitys resources is included. (IASB/FASB, 2010, para. OB4) In 2012, the IASB discussed how to restart the project on the conceptual framework. This time they believe the framework should focus on elements of financial statements, measurement, reporting entity, presentation and disclosure. (Peter Alan, 2012) The project of developing a common conceptual framework is so comp licated that IASB/FASB took lots of time to do it. Though it is still not complete, we know that it is becoming deeper from identify the users group to the elements of financial report. Statements of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAP) 2 (1971) gave out a conceptual framework of accounting before others. It was replaced by FRS 18 in year 2000. It showed that: Accounting policies assist in this process by providing a framework within which elements of financial statements, such as assets and liabilities, are recognized, measured and presented. They enhance the comparability of financial statements by helping to ensure that similar transactions are reflected in similar way.(ASB, 2000) It provided a way for how the financial standards should be defined and gives out a way for conceptual framework in how it should develop. From the recent standard in FRS, we see that the framework is completing. For example, FRS 30 is setting out the definition of Heritage Assets. A tangible asset with historical, artistic, scientific, technological, geophysical or environmental qualities that is held and maintained principally for its contribution to knowledge and culture. (ASB, 2009) From above, IASB and FASB which are from United States focus more on the methods on how to disclose the financial information. On the other hand, FRS which is used in United Kingdom put more time in building up the definition of building blocks of financial statements. The aspects they concern about are a part of the conceptual framework of accounting. To evaluate the statement, we need to look into the statement. Developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility We can go through the process of induction which is Observations-Laws/theories-Prediction. This is similar to the work of Geoffrey (2007) which I have mentioned. From observed IFRS and FRS, we may say that developing a conceptual framework is possible. It is the theory we get from the work have done. Then we come to prediction. We need to find out a fact that against our theory. If there are no such of fact, we may say that it is possible to build up a conceptual framework. We can also analyse it from the sources of knowledge. It includes perception, introspection, memory, intuition, testimony and so on. Through perception, the statement is not right. From above, we know that conceptual framework is made by IASB, FASB and other else. Although they are not perfect, they are rudiment and developing. When reading this statement with introspection, it cannot be an impossible job. Conceptual framework works as a guidance of accounting. It cannot be impossible to create guidance. In memory, since I learn about accounting standards, I consider the standards are made with invisible rules which I recently think it is the framework of accounting. From intuition, developing a conceptual framework may cost lots of time and difficult to complete, for it need to be agreed by different accounting facilities. Once it complete, it will benefit a lot in making accounting standards. Come to testimony, the people who agree with the statement may argue that some definitions of conceptual framework are still fuzzy, such as true and fair view. As I have said above, nowadays conceptual frameworks are rudiment. It is too early to assert that it is impossible to develop a conceptual framework. However, there are some evidences for the statement. Some parts of conceptual framework are based on fallacy. For example, Rayman (2007) has talked about IASB and FASB built their conceptual framework on the present value fallacy. In the IASB/FASB project, the income was showed: That definition of income is grounded in a theory prevalent in economics: that an entitys income can be objectively determined from the change in its wealth plus what it consumed during a period.(Hicks, 1946, pp. 178-179) (Bullen and Crook, 2005, p. 7; cf. Joint Working Group of Standard Setters, 2000, p. 233) This is similar to the work of Sterling (1970) which was provided as fallacy. There is general agreement on the definition of income among the various schools of thought: Income is the difference between wealth at two points in time plus consumption during the period. The problem centers around the method of determining the wealth or well-offness. (Sterling, 1970, p. 19) It looks like there are some mistakes in building the conceptual framework of accounting, but it is also one of the reasons for IASB/FASB to keep improving IFRS. Another evidence for the statement is True and Fair view. It does not have a clear rule or law for this. It works more like an invisible rule. When accountants making financial report, they should make those report bases on true and fair view. There is nothing specific when we look into the view. It depends on accountants culture and faith. Back to the statement I talked about, I think it is still too early to say that developing a conceptual framework is an impossible job. Though it used fallacy in the process of building the framework, it still in the middle of completing. We should give hope to it, for it is so important in making financial standards. In conclusion, the conceptual framework of accounting is vital. From the definition, we can see that the framework will help a lot in building financial standards which will benefit the users in making financial decision. Comparing different standards which are used in present day, we find out that they are still not perfect. At the meantime, there are some problems in the standards. Even though, it is still not good to conclude that it is impossible to come out a conceptual framework of accounting. I believe the conceptual framework of accounting will finally come out in the future.

Are Cell Phones Necessary in Teen’s Lives? Essay

I believe that cell phones are necessary in teen’s lives for the following three reasons. Firstly, they are a good social way to keep in contact with friends and family. Secondly, they are a fast and easy emergency resource. Thirdly, cell phones are an easy way to access the internet and they are entertainment to teens. Firstly, I believe that cell phones are a good social way to keep in contact with friends and family for the following three reasons. A lot of teen’s need to keep in touch with their family and friends so they can know whether or not they have anything after school. Having a cell phone makes it easy for teen’s to talk to their friends and family on any day at any time. Lastly, if there is a sudden change with any plans they have, having a cell phone makes it easy to keep in contact. Therefore, for those reasons I believe cell phones are necessary in teens lives. Secondly, I believe that cell phones are a fast and easy emergency resource for teens for the following three reasons. One of the reasons is if there is an emergency at home if is easy to get in contact with their kids. Another reason is sometime when teenagers are walking home alone and they feel as if they were being followed they sometimes pretend to act as if they were on talking to someone. Lastly, sometimes teenagers leave their school work at home they can easily text or call their parents and get them to bring their project to them. Therefore, for those reasons I believe cell phones are necessary in teen’s lives. Lastly, I believe that cell phone are an easy way to access internet and are entertainment for teens. One of the reasons is that cell phones have easy access to social networking sites. Sites like Facebook and Twitter can be used very accessible anywhere you go. Another reason is most phones have an application world, which allows them to pick from thousands of different applications to customize their phone. Lastly, with Wifi you can use the internet to go on any site at any time. Therefore, that is another reason why I believe cell phones are necessary in teens lives. In conclusion, I believe that cell phones are necessary in teen’s lives for the following three reasons. Firstly, they are a good social way to keep in contact with friends and family. Secondly, they are a fast and easy emergency resource. Thirdly, cell phones are an easy way to access the internet and they are entertainment to teens.

What Is It To Be A Reflective Teacher Education Essay

Student instructors should non be trained merely to execute accomplishments in certain prescribed ways but, must hold the mental tools to work on professional undertakings to be adaptable and critical to cognize, resourceful, and originative ( Howey & A ; Strom, 1987 ) . Student instructors should be coached in brooding pattern and given greater independency in determination devising, as they can larn to pattern these critical accomplishments and take duty for their determinations, successes, and failures in order to develop into a professional instructor ( Becker 1962 ; Schon, 1984 ) . Therefore, it is of import to be recognised as a professional because: it recognizes the world of mundane life in the schoolroom as a instructor ( See Appendix 1, 2 and 7 ) Teacher as a professional: It is of import to see the graduated table of which instructors are considered professionals. The standard attack of Hoyle and John ( 1995 ) leads to a figure of characteristics that the signifiers the step of an business to be regarded as a professional, such as the definition of a profession in relation to its societal map centre, high accomplishment set and independent decision-making and adaptability, etc. In conformity with Hoyle and John ( 1995 ) , these steps are systematically demonstrated in learning patterns and are embedded as portion of the instruction criterions, ( See Appendix 1, 2 and 4 ) . It is of import to acknowledge that our cognition and apprehension of the countries can alter dramatically over clip. This determines its professional credibleness. This explains why some businesss now recognized as a professional, were non granted this acknowledgment in the yesteryear. For illustration, the complexness of the human organic structure was non known or understood until late. Simple solutions such as shed blooding patients for febrility, were used, and the limited cognition at the clip, appeared to â€Å" work † . Similarly, the simple position of instruction and acquisition, and the simple techniques, such as penalty, are applied and perceived as â€Å" working † . Just over a century physicians were non so different from members of other industries, and merely a little better than the therapist ( Berliner, 1987 ) . Medical instruction in Harvard, Massachusetts, dwelling of two semesters. The â€Å" art † of medical specialty is taught mostly †Å" on the occupation † . Presently, this is the instance with learning being taught â€Å" on the occupation † . Teachers are diffident to which class they belong to semi-professional, tradespersons or professional ( Burke, 1996 ) . As a consequence, they are frequently diffident of what they can truly inquire others such as, direction and ministerial organic structures or what demands other, such as parents, can do on them. Above all, they do non cognize what demands they should be doing of them. Expectations that a professional individual is considered appropriate for themselves are evidently different and more hard than a tradespersons ( Schon, 1984 ) . In add-on, when instructors are seen as professionals, they are cognizant that the quality of service that is expected of them, as they expect it to be from professionals for their demands, such as medical, attorneies ( Burke, 1996 ) . Etzioni ( 1969 ) preferred some professions to be classified as â€Å" semi-professionals. Harmonizing to him, the work twenty-four hours of a instructor is good regulated and capable to controls in countries, such as the demand for instructors to inform the parents about their kid ‘s advancement, school reviews and the publication of consequences of students in the rankings, to inform the independency of instructors. Therefore instructor can be seen as premier illustrations of semi-professionals. The Vision of Teacher as a professional allows broader parametric quantities for the entire development of instructors and learning. This should be an effectual manner to better self-image and promoting instructors to get the hang the basic accomplishments of instruction and supply a better service to pupils and parents. Teachers are, after all, do and implement determinations every twenty-four hours and every hr that traces the life and the hereafter of their students and the public assistance of their state, ( See Appendix 1 and 2 ; Downie, 1990 ) . The more you are cognizant of this fact and others, including the Department for Education, recognize and accept its deductions, the better the instruction will thrive ( See Appendix 5 ) . What is it to be a brooding instructor? In instruction, brooding pattern refers to the development of instructors to analyze their ain instruction methods and find what works best for pupils. It implies instructors consider the ethical deductions of schoolroom processs on the students ( Barbara, 2000 ) . The thought of contemplation in action is the hunt for experiences that connect with our feelings, and go toing our theories in usage. The instructor experiences surprise, perplexity, and confusion in a state of affairs that is unsure or alone. They reflect the state of affairs before them, and use old apprehensions that are already inexplicit in their behavior. The consequence is the building of new cognition to inform our actions in the state of affairs that unfolds before us ( Schon, 1984 ) . Contemplation on action is later carried out after the state of affairs. This may intend composing notes, things to speak to a caput instructor, etc. The act of contemplation on action allows us to pass clip researching why we acted as we did, and so on. Therefore, we developed a new series of inquiries and thoughts about our pattern ( See Appendix 3 and 7 ; Myers, 2011 ; Schon, 1984 ) . In this manner we can acquire involved with a state of affairs that we do non hold a complete apprehension but, hopefully, we can avoid large jobs, while â€Å" proving the Waterss † . When sing a state of affairs in which we are predisposed by and utilize our repertory and our frame of mention. As we work, we can convey fragments of memories and get down the building of edifice on our bing theories and appropriate responses to the new state of affairs ( See appendix 7 ; Myers, 2011 ) . Teachers in general, but possibly scientific discipline instructors in peculiar, have to confront new challenges all the clip in both what they teach ( because that is invariably developing and altering ) and how they teach it. This thought of reflection-in-action that was mentioned before where Schon ( 1984 ) identifies as being a more appropriate characteristic theoretical account for professionalism in times of alteration, requires instructors to take control of their professional acquisition and peculiarly to value the tacit cognition that they hold and which guides their schoolroom pattern. Becoming a professional scientific discipline instructor is non a instance of larning a predefined set of processs and a inactive organic structure of cognition ; it is about prosecuting with a dynamic and exciting topic and confronting the challenges of showing to pupils in an accessible manner. One of the positive facets of a scientific discipline instructor ‘s day-to-day life comes from working with others. Science instructors tend to work in sections. Indeed, there may be more contact and interaction between scientific discipline instructors than other capable specialisms, such as the demand to pass on with technicians on day-to-day footing to to the full fix a lesson, ( See Appendix 6 ) . Decision The art of brooding instruction must be personally fulfilling for instructors, but besides lead to a steady addition in the quality of instruction for kids. In fact, because it is evidence-based, brooding pattern in pupil instructors, freshly qualified instructors, staff and professionals with experience in meeting public presentation criterions and accomplishments. In the note, the construct of brooding instruction focal points on ends, values, and societal effects of instruction ( See appendix 7 ; Myers, 2011 ) .

Management of human resources

Management of human resources Introduction Sound recruitment and selection systems are more important than reward systems. The presence of qualified staff in business enterprises has a lot of benefits, with regard to increasing market share and growth, as well as maximizing on profits by organizations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management of human resources specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Innovation is a key factor to success for any businesses. It is essential that the human resource departments of all organizations pay close attention to the strategies that enhance innovation (Cohen, 2009, p. 8). This paper discusses reasons why sound recruitment and selection systems are more significant compared to reward systems. Recruitment and selection systems vs. reward systems Effective recruitment and selection of employees are instrumental to success of organizations, particularly in meeting their visions, missions, goals, and objectives (Wylie Jolly, 2013, p. 10). This can be achieved by integrating recruitment and selection systems. Poor recruitment and selection of workers can lead to increased costs (Gilmore Williams, 2012, p. 89). These costs include increasing labor turnover and lowering morale of the existing employees among other costs (Linz, 2004, p. 261). Hiring the right people for the right jobs can be a significant challenge without recruitment and selection systems (Carless, 2007, p. 155). Reward systems are not necessities in organizations, considering that there is no need of rewarding employees particularly when they perform poorly.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the findings of survey data on recruitment and selection systems in the USA confirms that most established companies depend on these systems for improved performance or productivity (Piotrowski Armstrong, 2006, p. 489). Through interviewing HR managers of these companies, the researchers found that over 90% of 1000 organizations in the US integrate recruitment and selection systems. Most of them preferred having recruitment and selection systems over other systems including reward systems. Their simplicity also enables the management to monitor and adopt them easily through a continuous practice and experience (Gregory, Meade Thompson, 2013, p. 1950). In other words, employees must improve their workplace performance in order to be rewarded. To increase the rate of performance, human resource managers ensure that employees get trained and assigned jobs that they are good at, within their respective organizations (Hart, 2006, p. 263). As aforementioned, efficient recruitment and selection of employees helps organizations meet their strategic goals and objectives. Rewarding employees does not contribute to this achievement. The practice is an additional cost that organizations incur (Stern , 2011, p. 11). For instance, Bruce (2013) reports on Starbucks’ plan for its employees and customers during holidays. The company’s strategy of rewarding employees and customers frequently and making holiday gifts cheaper can be pleasing to them, but it affects the company in one way or the other. It is like an additional cost that the company will incur.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management of human resources specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO), the company has made that step as a positioning strategy to make customers and employees loyal to the company. It is way of making them feel that the company cares about them. I agree with him, but in the real sense, the company will incur costs. This clearly confirms that reward systems are not as important as recruitment and selection systems. It is recommendable that employees be rewarded after showing exempla ry improvements in their workplace. This should include changes that lead to higher sales, profits, and revenues. In reference to Gross and Friedman (2004), modern organizations utilize reward systems in influencing employees to support organizational culture. The authors discuss the importance of reward systems in regard to persuading, and influencing workers to support the goals and objectives of organizations (Gross Friedman, 2004, p. 10). However, the reward systems can only be more efficient in organizations, which employ the best recruitment and selection systems, than those that do not (Braddy, Meade Kroustalis, 2008, p. 2995). This confirms that recruitment and selection systems are more important in organizations than reward systems. Recruitment and selection systems enable human resource managers to examine and align employees with an organization’s culture and change (Thirty-One New Hires Come Aboard, 2008, p. 44). This enables workers to adopt and adhere to spec ifications of organizations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This helps them to focus and align their work with goals and objectives of companies (Khosla, Goonesekera, Chu, 2009, p. 1320). Rewards come after employees have shown their commitment to helping organizations achieve their visions and missions. Most of the U.S organizations value recruitment and selection systems. For instance, they use Web-based software systems to make in-house recruitment easy and friendly (Klaff, 2004, p. 78). Reward systems contribute to organizations incurring costs, but recruitment and selection systems help organizations acquire innovative staff, cut on costs and makes work efficient. Organizations also use recruitment and selection systems in attempts of developing innovations. Many organizations employ innovation strategies in their operations to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors (Shih, Huang Shyur, 2005, p. 1550). For instance, companies such as Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi-Cola use recruitment and selection systems to hire innovative workers (Wade, 2007, p. 10). These innovative workers contribute a lot to the success of these companies. These companies occupy large market share in their respective industries. The innovative staffs are instrumental to the companies’ high performances. For instance, Google uses recruitment and selection systems hire innovative staffs to help the company come up with creative innovations in technology. It is true that rewarding employees raises their morale in workplaces and leads to an improved workforce performance (Galanou, Georgakopoulos, Sotiropoulos Dimitris, 2011, p. 490). According to Wilson (2010), HR managers use sound reward systems to influence employees to accept transformations in organizations (Wilson, 2010, p. 91). However, this cannot compete with recruitment systems in helping organizations to become innovative. In most cases, companies reward employees who have worked for a long period, but not new employees (Parmalee, 2004, p. 11). Th erefore, it is obvious that reward schemes are not more important than recruitment and selection systems. The latter plays a significant role in making organizations innovative (Cooper Robertson, 2001, p. 184). Conclusion In conclusion, recruitment and selection systems are more important than reward systems. Sound reward systems help organizations to influence their staff to adopt organizational changes. It attracts and retains workers, as well as raises their morale in the workplace. However, the role played by recruitment and selection systems exceeds those of reward systems. For instance, it helps human resource managers to place employees in jobs that they perform best. Employees get trained and engaged in activities that correlate with the goals and objectives of organizations. Through sound recruitment and selection systems, organizations become innovative and hence gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. The recruitment and selection systems also enable human r esource managers to delegate duties to competent workers. This keeps the employees motivated and focused on meeting organizational goals and objectives. If an organization has the right people, working on the right jobs, it can easily expand in terms of growth, market share, and profits. The roles played by recruitment and selection systems are many, and more significant than those of reward schemes. List of References Braddy, P, Meade, A, Kroustalis, C 2008, Online recruiting: The effects of organizational familiarity, website usability, and website attractiveness on viewers’ impressions of organizations, Computers In Human Behavior, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 2992-3001. Bruce, H 2013, Starbucks plan for holidays: Give you a way to save, USA Today, n.d. Carless, SA 2007, Graduate recruitment and selection in Australia, International Journal of Selection Assessment, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 153-166. Cohen, E 2009, Innovative Recruiting- Targeting Passive Professionals, Power Engineerin g, 113, 10, pp. 8-10. Cooper, D, Robertson, IT 2001, Recruitment and selection: A framework for success Thomson Learning, London. Dahl, D 2009, Tapping the talent pool without drowning in resumà ©s, Inc, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 121-122. Galanou, E, Georgakopoulos, G, Sotiropoulos, I, Dimitris, V 2011, The effect of reward system on job satisfaction in an organizational chart of four hierarchical levels: a qualitative study, International Journal Of Human Sciences, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 484-519. Gilmore, S, Williams, S 2012, Human resource management, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Gregory, C, Meade, A, Thompson, L 2013, Understanding internet recruitment via signaling theory and the elaboration likelihood model, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 1949-1959. Gross, S, Friedman, H 2004, Creating an effective total reward strategy: holistic approach better supports business success, Benefits Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 7-12. Hart, KT 2006, Evaluating recruitment proce ss through Mystery Shops, Nursing Economic, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 263-267. Khosla, R, Goonesekera, T, Chu, M 2009, Separating the wheat from the chaff: An intelligent sales recruitment and benchmarking system, Expert Systems with Applications, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 3017-3027. Klaff, L 2004, New internal hiring systems reduce cost and boost morale, Workforce Management, vol. 83, no. 3, pp. 76-79. Linz, SJ 2004, Motivating Russian workers: analysis of age and gender differences, Journal Of Socio-Economics, vol. 33, no. 3, p. 261. Parmalee, PJ 2004, Industry outlook, Aviation Week Space Technology, vol. 161, no. 7, p. 11. Piotrowski, C, Armstrong, T 2006, Current recruitment and selection practices: A national survey of fortune 1000 firms, North American Journal Of Psychology, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 489-496. Shih, H, Huang, L, Shyur, H 2005, Recruitment and selection processes through an effective GDSS, Computers Mathematics With Applications, vol. 50, no. 10-12, pp. 1543-1558. Stern, GM 2011, Virtual job fairs becoming more of a reality, Workforce Management, vol. 90, no. 2, p. 11. Thirty-One new hires come aboard 2008, Music Trades, vol. 156, no. 11, pp. 44-45. Wade, D 2007, Peptides Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi-Cola , Wade Research Foundation Reports, 4, 1, pp. 1-16. Wilson, FM 2010, Organizational behavior and work: A critical introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Wylie, J, Jolly, A 2013, Understanding recruitment: outcomes associated with alternate methods for seed selection in respondent driven sampling, BMC Medical Research Methodology, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1-11.

A Practical Guide The 5 Best Ways to Save for College

A Practical Guide The 5 Best Ways to Save for College SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you want to be proactive and save for college. Maybe you’re a high school student who wants to build up a college fund for yourself, or maybe you’re a parent or family member who wants to save for a young loved one.No matter your situation, you’re taking a proactive step in making college a little bit more affordable. In this post, I’ll discuss the things you need to know in orderto build, keep, and grow college savings. We'll discuss the fivebest ways to save for college to lower student debt on graduation and take a load off your mind. First, though, I'll talk about the question you should be considering before you implement your savings plan: how much should you be putting away in the first place? Read on to find out! How Much Should You Save? As you might imagine, the answer to this question will be different for everyone. I'll talk about the costs of college, how they're expected to change, and some common savings goals before moving into the nitty-gritty of savings calculations. College is already pretty expensive, with costs varying based on factors like school type, financial need, and academic merit. On average, it costs about $45,000 to attend a private US college for one year, whilethe cost of attendance at an in-state public school averages about $23,000. You can read more about estimating your own expenses with our college cost guide. Although it'scurrently pricey to get a college education, expenses are only increasing year by year. If prices increase at a rate of 5% annually, the total cost of 4 years of college in 18 years could be: $237,000 at an in-state public university $464,000 at a private college or university These sticker prices are definitely intimidating, but it's important to keep in mind that most families aren't shelling out those total amounts in cash in order to pay for school. As of a few years ago, this wasthe average percentage breakdown of how families paid for college (according to the College Board): 5% contributions from relatives and friends 9% parent borrowing, like with a private or PLUS loan % student income and savings 18% student borrowing, like with a Direct loan or Perkins loan 27% parent income and savings 30% grants and scholarships like the Pell Grant Hopefully, this breakdown helps assuage any fears you may have about the process of paying for college. Although it isn't difficult to come up with a currentnet price estimate of college expenses, it may be challenging to do this for students who will attend college in 5, 10, or 15 years. According to one survey, most parents say they hope to pay at least half of their children's college expenses; in the following examples, I'll work with these figures and savings goals to show you how much, exactly, you should stash for the future. Calculating Savings Maybe the most tedious part of saving for college: figuring out what you're comfortable putting away. Ultimately, theamount you decide to save will depend on your family income and expenses. You don’t have to have four years’ worth of expenses (tuition, room, board, fees, etc.) saved up by the time your student’s 18, especially if your family has alower income and you expect toqualify for financial aid like the Pell Grant. It’s hard to predict what sort of aid you willget thatfar in the future, but you canstart with an estimate of what your family will have to pay out of pocketgiven current costs. Once you've come to a savings goal - let's say your full expected family contribution (net price) for convenience's sake - you can figure out how much to put away every pay period. Just divide your total expected contribution for fouryears of collegeby the number of pay periods until your child leaves for school. Here's a basic savings formula for how much you should save per month, assuming your money wouldn't be earning any gains or interest: Monthly savings = Total savings goal à · (Years until college x 12) Let's see how this looks in action: If you have a newborn baby, you'll have 18 years to save for college. You have the advantage of time on your side, but you also know that college costs will rise significantly over the next couple of decades. You estimate that thecost of attendance at a private college will cost about $460,000 by the time your child goes to school, and you want to save half that amount: $230,000. If you stashed your cash in a 0% interest account, you could save $230,000 in 18 years by setting aside $1065 a month If you stashed your money in an account with an average annual rate of return of 6%, you could save $230,000 in 18 years by setting aside $500 a month $500 a month is a lot more reasonable than $1065 a month, but it still may not be withinyour budget. What happens if you save less per month, over 18 years, in that same 6% yield account? If you save $100 a month, you would have $47,000 in 18 years If you save $250 a month, you would have $166,000 in 18 years Ultimately, any amount that you choose to put away will help empower your child (or yourself) to pay for college in the future. As you can see; however, you can grow your money much more effectively if you save early, save often, and save in an account with a high rate of return. Ways to Build Funds To students and parents alike: the earlier you start building a college fund, the better. Strategies for fundingcollege will vary based on who, exactly, is trying to save for school. Whether you're a parent or a student, you can start working on a funding source. For Parents It’s never too early to start a college fund for your future student. In fact, the earlier you start, the easier it will be to save a significant amount. Perhaps thebest way to save is to set aside a small percentage of your income every pay period. You canwithhold it and put it aside in a big chunk at the end of the year. Alternatively, you canhave a set amount or percentage automatically deposited in a separate account every pay period. The amount you choose to set aside will obviously depend on your income and family expenses. For Students There are many different ways for you to start building up a college fund for yourself. The more you save now, the less you may have to worry about your tuitionbills or student loan payments later. Student Jobs You can start working in many states at 14 or 15, which potentially givesyou 3-4 years to build up some savings for college. This isn’t the right choice for everybody - you shouldn’t put a job ahead of your studies or extracurricular activities - but it can be a good way to start putting money away for the future. Assume that you'll start off working part-time and at federal minimum wage - not super appealing, I know, but that'sthe unfortunate reality of getting a job as a teen. If you work full-time for twomonths during the summer (40 hours per week at $7.25 per hour), you could earn up to $2,320 before taxes. Do this for three summers during high school, and you could earn almost $7,000. That's a significant chunk of money, but it requires a lot of time and energy on your part. Starting early; however, could provide opportunities for advancement (i.e. salary raises) and work experience that may help you get a more appealing job once you're in college. Check out our article talking about when you should (or shouldn't) get a job as a student. Family Member Contributions Some students may be fortunate enough to have family members whoare willing to help with college expenses. If you’re still in high school but want to start building your college fund, ask family members for contributions in lieu of traditional gifts for birthdays or holidays. Scholarships You don’t have to wait until you’re accepted to college to start applying forscholarships. There are a lot of programs out there open to high school students, and some are open to even younger kids. To start your scholarship search, check out our posts on the top scholarship programs for high school juniors and high school seniors. Spend a few minutes researching scholarships in your area that may be eligible for. Even small scholarships add up if you’re diligent about applying broadly. Where to Keep Your Money Money may not grow on trees, but that doesn't mean it can't grow. Now that you have a plan for bringing in college money, you’ll need a plan for saving in a smart way. If you let your money just sit in a checking account or a low-interest savings account, you could be losing money due to inflation in the long run. Don’t let all your hard work go to waste! There’s no one right savings plan for everyone, but there are a lot of different options available, each with its own pros and cons. I’ll present them all here so you can pick one or more that may work for you. Savings Accounts You can open a savings account in a matter of minutes at any bank. If you're looking for something a little more specialized, check outCoverdell Education Savings Accounts - they're custodial accounts that are meant specifically for education costs. Pros If you put your money in a savings account, it'll beeasily accessible and very liquid. It's not difficult to find free accounts with no fees. Your money will grow, particularly if you find a high-interest account. Finally, savings accounts are very flexible, meaning anyone can open an account to use for any other person's education. Cons It can be tempting to dip into college savings if you have easy access to it. Any interest gains are taxable, but thatmay not matter too much at the moment because interest rates are so low - you probably won't be gaining much from interest. 529 Plans 529 plans are education-specific investment accounts - there are many different types of plans out there, so it might take a bit of research to find one that's a good fit. Pros Many 529 plans offer serious tax benefits: when used to cover educational expenses, any investment gains aren't taxed. Any adult can open an account and name any other individual as beneficiary, making the plans very flexible. There's a penalty for dipping into the account for non-education expenses, which hopefullyleads tosuccess in reaching savings goals. Finally, there are high lifetime contribution maximums (this depends on the state, but the maximums vary from 200k-400k). Cons If there's any sort of emergency and you need access to funds you've stashed in a 529 plan, you'll be charged a hefty penalty. The plans themselves often come with fees or other charges. Finally, because 529 plans are custodial investment accounts, they're not viable options for teens who want to save for college themselves. Other Investment Accounts There are other ways to invest college funds in the market besides 529 plans, including brokerage accounts and IRAs. Again, there are a lot of different options out there, so the most important thing is finding an account that works best foryour savings goals. Pros There are a lot of investment account options out there, so you havea lot of control in how you invest your money. Depending on the type of account you choose, your funds should also be more easily accessible than if they were in a 529 plan, which meansyou wouldn't have to pay a penalty for using the money for non-educational expenses. Cons Choosing and managing an investment account takes more workand initiative than just sticking your funds in a savings account. Any gains from an investment account without the benefits of a 529 will be subject to tax, which you may have to pay on top of account fees. You also have to be 18 to open an investment account, meaning teens can't save for college this way (at least not on their own). Finally, some investment accounts can be very volatile, which subjectsyour savingsto quite a bit of risk. CDs A CD is another type of savings account - you receive a certificate when you deposit your money for a specific length of time, at a specific interest rate. You can get your money + interest rate when your CD â€Å"matures,† after the designated time period ends. Pros Because your money isn't invested in the market, you don't have to worry about your savings losing value. CDs have better rates of returnthan many savings accounts when you choose a long-term CD, making them good options for parents with young kids. Cons CDs are more conservative options than most investment accounts,and as such, they tend toresult in lower rates of return over the long term. In reality, the rates of return barely keep up with inflation. Gains are subject to tax. Finally, because long-term CDs keep your money locked in for extended periods, they're not good options for students heading off to college in the near future. Trusts "Trust" is a pretty broad term, encompassing many different things. Essentially, a trust is a fund made up of different assets that are held and managed by someone (a trustee) for someone else (a beneficiary). It's possible to open a trust for the purpose of covering college expenses. Pros You can use trusts to minimize estate taxes (if you have to worry about that), get professional management of funds, and have total control over money if you’re saving it for a minor. Cons To open a trust, you generally need a pretty large lump sum - you can't just slowly contribute over time. They're also expensive to maintain and manage. Ultimately, they're probably best for wealthy families who already have trusts in the works for children or other beneficiaries. Overwhelmed By These Savings Strategies? This info should hopefully keep you grounded. Whether your child is heading off to college next year or 18 years from now, the thought of saving up enough money can be pretty daunting. This is a lot of information to take in, so here's a breakdown of simple steps you can take to get started with a successful college savings plan: You don't have to orchestrate some complicated strategy all at once in order to save for college. If you want to start saving but don't have time at the moment to research different savings or investment accounts, it's okay to put that stuff on the back burner. Justspend a few minutes opening a simple savings account at your current banking institution - that's all you have to do to open a dedicated college fund. Once you have more time, you can start looking at savings plans that will help you grow your money most effectively. You don't have to throw all your extra funds into college savings from Day 1.Managing a household budget is a delicate balancing act for many families. If you are ready to start a college savings plan, begin by putting aside 5% of your income. If that's too much (or too little), you can adjust as necessary. Remember, you can always contribute larger lump sums if you have extra funds available. If you don't meet some arbitrary savings goal, that doesn't mean you've failed. FewUS families can afford to cover all college expenses upfront, but any amount that you save up canhelp cut down on things like student debt and even stress over making payments. Fewer than half of all families with kids sock money away for college - you're already at an advantage by setting up a dedicated college fund. What's Next? Although it's important to have a college fund to cover large educational expenses, your personal savings arenot the only way to pay for college costs. Federal and institutional financial aid may cover a large fraction of these expenses, but only if you submit the right applications at the right time. Check out our guide to applying for financial aid for more information. Did you know that some schools offer much better financial aid packages than others? If you want an education for a bargain, learn more about the 27 colleges with the best financial aid programs. Finally, you may be interested in private scholarship programs to help bridge the gap between what you owe and what you can afford. Read more about the top scholarships out there for high school juniors and high school seniors. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: