Reaction paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reaction paper 2 - Essay Example In the letter, King attempts to convince the ministers of the rationality of his actions and points out why they are necessary if natural ‘human goodness’ and morality were to be given a chance. Arguing that everyone, white and black, possessed natural ‘human goodness’, King points out that most white people, particularly in the north, had not heard or were perhaps not noticed the desperate condition of the black people of the South following the Emancipation Proclamation. Although they were free, they had to try to support themselves in a world that legally segregated them from the means of doing this. Only by forcing attention on the issues, through non-violent protest, would the black people be able to gain the attention of the white people and still illustrate that there was no justification for this oppression. Only by appealing to white people, who held all the power, could change be forced through the political process. Adhering to St. Augustine’s contention that â€Å"an unjust law is no law at all†, King insisted that non-violent protests such as those he was organizing were not breaking the law but were instead adhering to a higher moral and ethical law. The segregation laws were directly counter to the Supreme Court ruling regarding equality to people of color because they were applied only to black people. He argued that to break an unjust and immoral law is thus acting in a moral and just manner for the good of the community, especially if this can be completed in a peaceful, kindly manner. This, he argued, was a necessary action because the tension in the black community was continuing to build and would soon rage out of control into violent action. Peaceful protest provided both the necessary outlet for these emotions as well as brought positive attention to the plight of his community. At the end of his letter, King criticizes the church leaders

Media Bias in War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Media Bias in War - Essay Example The media – which include print and electronic means of communication such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the internet – are not immune from such overarching impact of war. In particular, when their own people, ethnic groups, and countries are involved in the war, war reporters and media organizations can hardly remain unbiased unless they are prepared to be called unpatriotic and get demonized Actually, war affects media organizations and their war reporters more than many other segments of warring societies. War reporters have to gather news from the dangerous frontlines where many them lose their lives every year at the hand of one or the other party to war. If a reporter is killed by one side deliberately or accidently, media organizations and the public, out of spontaneous human instinct, often blame the killers and their side and project them in a bad light. Even when a war has not directly affected reporters and media outlets in such fashion, it influences them directly or indirectly in so many other ways. For instance, the death or deployment of a relative or friend in the frontline and disruption of their own plans, like a much-coveted trip, due to war might dilute the neutrality of reporters. When war affects individuals personally, their first instinctive reaction would be to blame the party that they perceive guilty of starting the war and causing them hardships. So much so that human beings blame the boulder when they stumble on it and hurt themselves rather that blaming themselves for not taking caution to avoid hitting it. Besides, so many other factors also often influence reporters and dilute their objectivity and neutrality. Such factors include personal links, philosophical conviction, media organizations’ mission and motto, cultural connections, geographical proximity, conditions in which reporting is done, sympathy for the underdog, etc. Individual reporters, due to their personal links to one of the pa rties to war or ethical and philosophical conviction, might have their own angles and biases to view a war or the parties engaged in it. For instance, one of the parties to war could be their ancestral country that occupies a special place in their heart. Reporters might also have a soft corner for one country more than other because of their experience or because of what they have read or been told by seniors and friends. Philosophically, they could innately be pro-war or anti-war. An anti-war reporter would begin by blaming the party that has started the war, even though there might have been sufficient underlying provocation from the other party. Confronted with the duty of war reporting, reporters’ first instinct would be to apply their ingrained bias based on their links, acquired wisdom and conviction and assign the blame on the perceived bad guy. Even the most dedicated and honest journalist cannot be free from these elements of bias in war reporting. Rational decision s of individual war reporters and other media players collectively put out lies, half-truths and disinformation that encourages war and discourages conflict resolution (Russ-Mohl). This explains why different reporters come up with different narratives for the same event. Such differences might also occur due to the motto, mission and orientation of media organization

An Overview of Indias Banking Sector

An Overview of Indias Banking Sector INTRODUCTION A bank is a financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers, to borrow and to lend money. ‘BANK the name is derived from the italian word ‘banco, which means ‘desk/bench. The history of banks pave their way back to 3rd millenium B.C. They were probably the religious places where they started off. Then they developed gradually over years and currently it has taken a very complex shape. There are certain financial institutions whicu provide banking services but do not have the banking license,they are called NBFCs. There are various types of banks on the basis of activities and on the basis of ownership and above all is the central bank which is the last resort for all commercial banks in the country. Banks ought to get license for their working as a bank and there are regulations regarding the capital requirements and their reserves. The current scenario of banking industry is bad due to the net interest margin getting thinner because of incresed inflation and resultant hike in repo rates. MEANING AND DEFINITION The definition of a bank varies from country to country. Under English law, a bank is defined as a person who carries on the business of banking, which is specified as conducting current accounts for his customers paying cheques drawn on him, and collecting cheques for his customers. A Bank can be defined as : A bank is an institution that acts as an agent that provides financial services and that holds a banking license granted by bank regulatory authorities for carrying out the most fundamental banking services. There are also financial institutions that provide certain banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, a so called non-banking financial company. Banks are a subset of the financial services industry.Banks are a sub set of the financial services industry. Bank can be more clearly understood by the activities it perform: Accepting deposits and granting loans to customers. It also acts as credit intermediary- borrow and lend back-to-back on their own account as middle men. It also act as a collection agent, participate in inter-bank clearing and settlement systems. Issuer of money, in the form of banknotes and current accounts subject to cheque or payment at the customers order. In other words can be said that, Banker includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not, who carry on the business of banking. HISTORY ‘BANK, the name is derived from the italian word ‘banco , which means ‘desk/bench , used during the Renaissance by Florentines bankers , who used to make their transactions above a desk covered by a green tablecloth. In fact, the word traces its origins back to the Ancient Roman Empire, where moneylenders would set up their stalls in the middle of enclosed courtyards called ‘macella on a long bench called a ‘bancu , from which the words banco and bank are derived. WORLD HISTORY The first banks were probably the religious temples of the ancient world, and were probably established sometime during the 3rd millennium B.C. Banks probably predated the invention of money. Deposits initially consisted of grain and later other goods including cattle, agricultural implements, and eventually precious metals such as gold.There are some extant records of loans from the 18th century B.C. in Babylon that were made by temple priests monks to merchants. Ancient Greece holds further evidence of banking. There is evidence too of credit, whereby in return for a payment from a client, a moneylender in one Greek port would write a credit note for the client who could cash the note in another city. In the late third century B.C., the barren Aegean island of Delos, known for its magnificent harbor and famous temple of Apollo, became a prominent banking center. Ancient Rome perfected the administrative aspect of banking and saw greater regulation of financial institutions and financial practices. Charging interest on loans and paying interest on deposits became more highly developed and competitive. The first modern bank was founded in Italy in Genoa in 1406, its name was Banco di San Giorgio (Bank of St. George). HISTORY OF BANKING IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW Banking in India originated in the first decade of 18th century with The General Bank of India coming into existence in 1786. This was followed by Bank of Hindustan. Both these banks are now defunct. The oldest bank in existence in India is the State Bank of India being established as The Bank of Bengal in Calcutta in June 1806. The first fully Indian owned bank was the Allahabad Bank, which was established in 1865. By the 1900s, the market expanded with the establishment of banks such as Punjab National Bank, in 1895 in Lahore and Bank of India, in 1906, in Mumbai both of which were founded under private ownership. The Reserve Bank of India formally took on the responsibility of regulating the Indian banking sector from 1935. After Indias independence in 1947, the Reserve Bank was nationalized and given broader powers. Early history At the end of late-18th century, there were hardly any banks in India in the modern sense of the term. Subsequently, banking in India remained the exclusive domain of Europeans for next several decades until the beginning of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Indian economy was passing through a relative period of stability. Around five decades have elapsed since the Indias First war of Independence, at that time there were very small banks operated by Indians, and most of them were owned and operated by particular communities. The banking in India was controlled and dominated by the presidency banks, namely, the Bank of Bombay, the Bank of Bengal, and the Bank of Madras which later on merged to form the Imperial Bank of India, and Imperial Bank of India, upon Indias independence, was renamed the State Bank of India. There was potential for many new banks as the economy was growing. many Indians came forward to set up banks, and many banks were set up at that ti me, a number of which have survived to the present such as Bank of India and Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank. During the Wars The period during the First World War (1914-1918) through the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), and two years thereafter until the independence of India were challenging for the Indian banking. The years of the First World War were turbulent, and it took toll of many banks which simply collapsed despite the Indian economy gaining indirect boost due to war-related economic activities. At least 94 banks in India failed during the years 1913 to 1918. Post-independence The partition of India in 1947 had adversely impacted the economies of Punjab and West Bengal, and banking activities had remained paralyzed for months. In 1948, the Reserve Bank of India, Indias central banking authority, was nationalized, and it became an institution owned by the Government of India. In 1949, the Banking Regulation Act was enacted which empowered the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to regulate, control, and inspect the banks in India. The Banking Regulation Act also provided that no new bank or branch of an existing bank may be opened without a licence from the RBI, and no two banks could have common directors. Nationalisation By the 1960s, the Indian banking industry has become an important tool to facilitate the development of the Indian economy. Indira Gandhi, the-then Prime Minister of India expressed the intention of the GOI in the annual conference to nationalised the 14 largest commercial banks with effect from the midnight of July 19, 1969. A second dose of nationalisation of 6 more commercial banks followed in 1980. The stated reason for the nationalisation was to give the government more control of credit delivery. With the second dose of nationalisation, the GOI controlled around 91% of the banking business of India. After this, until the 1990s, the nationalised banks grew at a pace of around 4%, closer to the average growth rate of the Indian economy. Liberalisation In the early 1990s the then Narsimha Rao government embarked on a policy of liberalisation and gave licences to a small number of private banks. This move, along with the rapid growth in the economy of India, kickstarted the banking sector in India, which has seen rapid growth with strong contribution from all the three sectors of banks, namely, government banks, private banks and foreign banks. The next stage for the Indian banking has been setup with the proposed relaxation in the norms for Foreign Direct Investment, where all Foreign Investors in banks may be given voting rights which could exceed the present cap of 10%,at present it has gone up to 49% with some restrictions. Current Situation Currently, India has 88 scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) 28 public sector banks (that is with the Government of India holding a stake), 29 private banks (these do not have government stake; they may be publicly listed and traded on stock exchanges) and 31 foreign banks. They have a combined network of over 53,000 branches and 17,000 ATMs. According to a report by ICRA Limited, a rating agency, the public sector banks hold over 75 percent of total assets of the banking industry, with the private and foreign banks holding 18.2% and 6.5% respectively. INDUSTRY DYNAMICS The Indian Banking industry is one of the most robustly developed banking system in the world comprising 28 PSU banks, 33 private banks and 35 foreign banks. Together these are known as scheduled commercial banks (SCBs). Apart form the SCBs, there exists 133 regional rural banks (RRBs) and four local area banks, 1853 urban co-operative banks and 109924 rural co-operative banks. The government of India nationalised 14 banks in 1969 and another six in 1980. Privatisation in the sector was allowed in 1993. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank were the first to thrive thereafter. PSU major Sate bank of India is one of the 100 largest banks in the world. Industry Size The size of Indias financial and banking sector is quite low when compared to other countries. Omnipresence Banking is the only sector influencing all components of the GDP in one way or the other. It is the only sector that can help you capitalise on all the three key themes of the India growth story — consumption, investment and foreign trade. It drives acts as a source of funds for the infrastructure sector (construction, basic materials like cement metals and engineering). It promotes consumption through its complex machanisms for the FMCG, auto, pharma and the real estate sector. Under penetrated From a Banking and Financial Services perspective, India is an under penetrated market. The total credit as a percentage of GDP is 53% as compared to 80% in case of Japan, 83% incase of Korea.China and Malaysia have the highest credit penetration of 108% and 109% respectively. Retail credit penetration is a measly 13% in India much lower than 61% in Malaysia and 41% 23% in case of Korea and Japan. Also, India is under-insured when it comes to life and non-life insurance (penetration of just 4% in case of life insurance and 1% in case of non life insurance). TYPES OF BANKS  § ON THE BASIS OF ACTIVITIES: Banks activities can be divided into: Retail banking, dealing directly with individuals and small businesses. Business banking, providing services to mid-market business. Corporate banking, directed at large business entities. Private banking, providing wealth management services to High Net Worth Individuals and families. Investment banking, relating to activities on the financial markets Most banks are profit-making, private enterprises. However, some are owned by government, or are non-profits. Central banks are normally government owned banks: charged with quasi-regulatory responsibilities, e.g. supervising commercial banks. They generally provide liquidity to the banking system and act as Lender of last resort in event of a crisis. ON THE BASIS OF OWNERSHIP: Banks as classified on ownership basis can be categorised into: Public banks,owned and managed by government. Private banks,owned and managed by private enterpreneurs. Foreign banks,owned and managed by foreign institutions. Commercial banks Commercial banks can have two meanings: Commercial bank is the term used for a normal bank to distinguish it from an investment bank. Commercial bank can also refer to a bank or a division of a bank that mostly deals with deposits and loans from corporations or large businesses, as opposed to normal individual members of the public (retail banking). Commercial bank is engaged in the following activities: processing of payments by way of telegraphic transfer, EFTPOS, internet banking or other means issuing bank drafts and bank cheques accepting money on term deposit lending money by way of overdraft, installment loan or otherwise providing documentary and standby letter of credit, guarantees, performance bonds, securities underwriting commitments and other forms of off balance sheet exposures safekeeping of documents and other items in safe deposit boxes currency exchange sale, distribution or brokerage, with or without advice, of insurance, unit trusts and similar financial products as a â€Å"financial supermarket† Types of loans granted by commercial banks Secured loan A secured loan is a loan in which the borrower pledges some asset (e.g. a car or property) as collateral (i.e., security) for the loan. Mortgage loan A mortgage loan is a very common type of debt instrument, used to purchase real estate. Under this arrangement, the money is used to purchase property. Commercial banks, however, are given security a lien on the title to the house until the mortgage is paid off in full. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the bank would have the legal right to repossess the house and sell it, to recover sums owing to it. Unsecured loan Unsecured loans are monetary loans that are not secured against the borrowers assets (i.e., no collateral is involved). These may be available from financial institutions under many different guises or marketing packages: credit card debt, personal loans, bank overdrafts credit facilities or lines of credit corporate bonds Retail banks Retail banking refers to banking in which banks undergo transactions directly with consumers, rather than corporations or other banks. Services offered include: savings and checking accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, credit cards, and so forth. Investment banks Investment banks are financial intermediaries that perform a variety of services. This includes underwriting, acting as an intermediary between an issuer of securities and the investing public, facilitating mergers and other corporate reorganizations, and also acting as a broker for institutional clients. In other words can be said that, Investment banks help companies and governments raise money by issuing and selling securities in the capital markets (both equity and debt), as well as providing advice on transactions such as mergers and acquisitions Types of investment banks Investment banks underwrite (guarantee the sale of) stock and bond issues, trade for their own accounts, make markets, and advise corporations on capital markets activities such as mergers and acquisitions. Merchant banks were traditionally banks which engaged in trade financing. The modern definition, however, refers to banks which provide capital to firms in the form of shares rather than loans. Unlike venture capital firms, they tend not to invest in new companies. Private banking Private banking is a term for banking, investment and other financial services provided by banks to private individuals disposing of sizable assets. The term private refers to the customer service being rendered on a more personal basis than in mass-market retail banking, usually via dedicated bank advisers. Personalized financial and banking services that are traditionally offered to a banks rich,high net worth individuals (HNWIs). Public banks Banks, which are incorporated, owned and regulated by government. Private banks Private banks are banks that are not incorporated. A non-incorporated bank is owned by either an individual or a general partner(s) with limited partner(s). In any such case, the creditors can look to both the entirety of the banks assets as well as the entirety of the sole-proprietors/general-partners assets. Private banks and private banking can also refer to non-government owned banks in general, in contrast to government-owned (or nationalized) banks. NON-BANKING FINANCIAL CORPORATION Non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) are financial institutions that provide banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, i.e. one that does not hold a banking license. Operations are, regardless of this, still exercised under bank regulation. However this depends on the jurisdiction, as in some jurisdictions, such as New Zealand, any company can do the business of banking, and there are no banking licences issued. NBFCs are doing functions akin to that of banks, however there are a few differences: (i) A NBFC cannot accept demand deposits; (ii) it is not a part of the payment and settlement system and as such cannot issue cheques to its customers; and (iii) deposit insurance facility of DICGC is not available for NBFC depositors unlike in case of banks. It is mandatory that every NBFC should be registered with RBI to commence or carry on any business of non-banking financial institution as defined in clause (a) of Section 45 I of the RBI Act, 1934.However, to obviate dual regulation, certain category of NBFCs which are regulated by other regulators are exempted from the requirement of registration with RBI viz. Venture Capital Fund/Merchant Banking companies/Stock broking companies registered with SEBI, Insurance Company holding a valid Certificate of Registration issued by IRDA, or Housing Finance Companies regulated by National Housing Bank. All NBFCs are not entitled to accept public deposits. Only those NBFCs holding a valid Certificate of Registration with authorization to accept Public Deposits can accept/hold public deposits. The NBFCs accepting public deposits should have minimum stipulated Net Owned Fund and comply with the Directions issued by the Bank. There is ceiling on acceptance of Public Deposits. A NBFC maintaining required NOF/CRAR and complying with the prudential norms could accept public deposits as follows: Category of NBFC Ceiling on public deposits AFCs maintaining CRAR of 15% without credit rating. AFCs with CRAR of 12% and having minimum investment grade credit rating. 1.5 times of NOF or Rs.10crore whichever is less. 4 times of NOF LC/IC with CRAR of 15% and having minimum investment grade credit rating. 1.5 times of NOF AFC-Asset financing Company LC-Loan Company IC-Investment Company If a NBFC defaults in repayment of deposit, the depositor can approach Company Law Board or Consumer Forum or file a civil suit to recover the deposits Some other types of banks: An advising bank (also known as a notifying bank) advises a beneficiary (exporter) that a letter of credit (L/C) opened by an issuing bank for an applicant (importer) is available and informs the beneficiary about the terms and conditions of the L/C. The advising bank is not necessarily responsible for the payment of the credit which it advises the beneficiary of. Community development banks (CDBs) are banks designed to serve residents and spur economic development in low- to moderate-income (LMI) geographical areas. When CDBs provide retail banking services, they usually target customers from financially underserved demographics. a custodian bank, or simply custodian, refers to a financial institution responsible for safeguarding a firms or individuals financial assets. The role of a custodian in such a case would be the following: to hold in safekeeping assets such as equities and bonds, arrange settlement of any purchases and sales of such securities, collect information on and income from such assets, provide information on the underlying companies and provide regular reporting on all their activities to their clients A depository bank is a bank organized in the United States which provides all the stock transfer and agency services in connection with a depository receipt program. This function includes arranging for a custodian to accept deposits of ordinary shares, issuing the negotiable receipts which back up the shares, maintaining the register of holders to reflect all transfers and exchanges, and distributing dividends. Islamic banking refers to a system of banking or banking activity that is consistent with Islamic law (Sharia) principles and guided by Islamic economics. In particular, Islamic law prohibits the collection and payment of interest.In addition, Islamic law prohibits investing in businesses that are considered unlawful. A mutual savings bank is a financial institution chartered through a state or federal government to provide a safe place for individuals to save and to invest those savings in mortgages, loans, stocks, Bonds and other securities. An offshore bank is a bank located outside the country of residence of the depositor, typically in a low tax jurisdiction that provides financial and legal advantages. Banking Industry Strucure in India CENTRAL BANK A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is the entity responsible for the monetary policy of a country. Its primary responsibility is to maintain the stability of the national currency and money supply, but more active duties include controlling subsidized-loan interest rates, and acting as a bailout lender of last resort to the banking sector during times of financial crisis. ). It may also have supervisory powers, to ensure that banks and other financial institutions do not behave recklessly or fraudulently. History The oldest central bank in the world is the Riksbank in Sweden, which was opened in 1668 with help from Dutch businessmen. This was followed in 1694 by the Bank of England, created by Scottish businessman William Paterson in the City of London at the request of the English government to help pay for a war. Activities and responsibilities Functions of a central bank implementation of monetary policy controls the nations entire money supply the Governments banker and the bankers bank (Lender of Last Resort) manages the countrys foreign exchange and gold reserves and the Governments stock register; regulation and supervision of the banking industry: setting the official interest rate used to manage both inflation and the countrys exchange rate and ensuring that this rate takes effect via a variety of policy mechanisms Monetary policy: Central banks implement a countrys chosen monetary policy. At the most basic level, this involves establishing what form of currency the country may have, whether a fiat currency, gold-backed currency, currency board or a currency union. Currency issuance: Many central banks are banks in the sense that they hold assets (foreign exchange, gold, and other financial assets) and liabilities. Central banks generally earn money by issuing currency notes and selling them to the public for interest-bearing assets, such as government bonds. Interest rate interventions: Typically a central bank controls certain types of short-term interest rates. These influence the stock- and bond markets as well as mortgage and other interest rates. Policy instruments The main monetary policy instruments available to central banks are: open market operation bank reserve requirement interest rate policy credit policy capital adequacy is important, it is defined and regulated by the Bank for International Settlements, and central banks in practice generally do not apply stricter rules. Open Market Operations: Through open market operations, a central bank influences the money supply in an economy directly. Each time it buys securities, exchanging money for the security, it raises the money supply. Conversely, selling of securities lowers the money supply. Buying of securities thus amounts to printing new money while lowering supply of the specific security. Reserve Requirement: Another significant power that central banks hold is the ability to establish reserve requirements for other banks. By requiring that a percentage of liabilities be held as cash or deposited with the central bank (or other agency), limits are set on the money supply. Interest Rate Policy: By far the most visible and obvious power of many modern central banks is to influence market interest rates. The mechanism to move the market towards a target rate is generally to lend money or borrow money in theoretically unlimited quantities, until the targeted market rate is sufficiently close to the target. Central banks may do so by lending money to and borrowing money from (taking deposits from) a limited number of qualified banks, or by purchasing and selling bonds. Capital requirements: All banks are required to hold a certain percentage of their assets as capital, a rate which may be established by the central bank or the banking supervisor. Capital requirements may be considered more effective than deposit/reserve requirements in preventing indefinite lending: when at the threshold, a bank cannot extend another loan without acquiring further capital on its balance sheet. Entry regulation Currently in most jurisdictions commercial banks are regulated by government entities and require a special bank licence to operate. Unlike most other regulated industries, the regulator is typically also a participant in the market, i.e. government owned bank (a central bank). The requirements for the issue of a bank licence vary between jurisdictions but typically incude: Minimum capital Minimum capital ratio Fit and Proper requirements for the banks controllers, owners, directors, and/or senior officers Approval of the banks business plan as being sufficiently prudent and plausible. Banking channels A branch, banking centre or financial centre is a retail location where a bank or financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face service to its customers ATM. Mail. Telephone banking Online banking Bank crisis liquidity risk -the risk that many depositors will request withdrawals beyond available funds credit risk -the risk that those who owe money to the bank will not repay interest rate risk- the risk that the bank will become unprofitable if rising interest rates force it to pay relatively more on its deposits than it receives on its loans. Profitability A bank generates a profit from the differential between the level of interest it pays for deposits and other sources of funds, and the level of interest it charges in its lending activities. This difference is referred to as the spread between the cost of funds and the loan interest rate. Bank Regulations Bank regulations are a form of government regulation which subject banks to certain requirements, restrictions and guidelines. The objectives of bank regulation, and the emphasis are: Prudential to reduce the level of risk bank creditors are exposed to Systemic risk reduction to reduce the risk of disruption resulting from adverse trading conditions for banks causing multiple or major bank failures Avoid Misuse of Banks to reduce the risk of banks being used for criminal purposes, e.g. laundering the proceeds of crime To protect banking confidentiality Credit allocation to direct credit to favoured sectors . General Principles of Bank Regulation Banking regulations can vary widely across nations and jurisdictions. Thes are some of the general principles of bank regulation throughout the world Minimum Requirements Requirements are imposed on banks in order to promote the objectives of the regulator. The most important minimum requirement in banking regulation is minimum capital ratios. Supervisory Review Banks are required to be issued with a bank licence by the regulator in order to carry on business as a bank, and the regulator supervises licenced banks for compliance with the requirements and responds to breaches of the requirements through obtaining undertakings, giving directions, imposing penalties or revoking the banks licence. Market Discipline The regulator requires banks to publicly disclose financial and other information, and depositors and other creditors are able to use this information to assess the level of risk and to make investment decisions. As a result of this, the bank is subject to market discipline and the regulator can also use market-pricing information as an indicator of the banks financial health. Instruments and Requirements of Bank Regulation Capital requirement The capital requirement is a bank regulation, which sets a framework on how banks and depository institutions must handle their capital. The categorization of assets and capital is highly standardized so that it can be risk weighted. The capital ratio is the percentage of a banks capital to its risk-weighted assets. Reserve requirement The reserve requirement sets the minimum reserves each bank must hold to demand deposits and banknotes. The purpose of minimum reserve ratios is liquidity rather than safety. Corporate Governance Corporate governance requirements are intented to encourage the bank to be well managed and also to achieve certain objectives as to maintain it as a body corporate, maintaining minimum number of members and organisational structure etc. Financial Reporting, Disclosure and Prospectus Requirements Banks may be required to: Prepare annual financial statements according to a financial reporting standard, have them audited, and to register or publish them . Prepare more frequent financial disclosures. Have directors of the bank attest to the accuracy of such financial disclosures. Prepare and have registered prospectuses detailing the terms of securities it issues. Credit Rating Requirement Banks may be required to obtain An Overview of Indias Banking Sector An Overview of Indias Banking Sector INTRODUCTION A bank is a financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers, to borrow and to lend money. ‘BANK the name is derived from the italian word ‘banco, which means ‘desk/bench. The history of banks pave their way back to 3rd millenium B.C. They were probably the religious places where they started off. Then they developed gradually over years and currently it has taken a very complex shape. There are certain financial institutions whicu provide banking services but do not have the banking license,they are called NBFCs. There are various types of banks on the basis of activities and on the basis of ownership and above all is the central bank which is the last resort for all commercial banks in the country. Banks ought to get license for their working as a bank and there are regulations regarding the capital requirements and their reserves. The current scenario of banking industry is bad due to the net interest margin getting thinner because of incresed inflation and resultant hike in repo rates. MEANING AND DEFINITION The definition of a bank varies from country to country. Under English law, a bank is defined as a person who carries on the business of banking, which is specified as conducting current accounts for his customers paying cheques drawn on him, and collecting cheques for his customers. A Bank can be defined as : A bank is an institution that acts as an agent that provides financial services and that holds a banking license granted by bank regulatory authorities for carrying out the most fundamental banking services. There are also financial institutions that provide certain banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, a so called non-banking financial company. Banks are a subset of the financial services industry.Banks are a sub set of the financial services industry. Bank can be more clearly understood by the activities it perform: Accepting deposits and granting loans to customers. It also acts as credit intermediary- borrow and lend back-to-back on their own account as middle men. It also act as a collection agent, participate in inter-bank clearing and settlement systems. Issuer of money, in the form of banknotes and current accounts subject to cheque or payment at the customers order. In other words can be said that, Banker includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not, who carry on the business of banking. HISTORY ‘BANK, the name is derived from the italian word ‘banco , which means ‘desk/bench , used during the Renaissance by Florentines bankers , who used to make their transactions above a desk covered by a green tablecloth. In fact, the word traces its origins back to the Ancient Roman Empire, where moneylenders would set up their stalls in the middle of enclosed courtyards called ‘macella on a long bench called a ‘bancu , from which the words banco and bank are derived. WORLD HISTORY The first banks were probably the religious temples of the ancient world, and were probably established sometime during the 3rd millennium B.C. Banks probably predated the invention of money. Deposits initially consisted of grain and later other goods including cattle, agricultural implements, and eventually precious metals such as gold.There are some extant records of loans from the 18th century B.C. in Babylon that were made by temple priests monks to merchants. Ancient Greece holds further evidence of banking. There is evidence too of credit, whereby in return for a payment from a client, a moneylender in one Greek port would write a credit note for the client who could cash the note in another city. In the late third century B.C., the barren Aegean island of Delos, known for its magnificent harbor and famous temple of Apollo, became a prominent banking center. Ancient Rome perfected the administrative aspect of banking and saw greater regulation of financial institutions and financial practices. Charging interest on loans and paying interest on deposits became more highly developed and competitive. The first modern bank was founded in Italy in Genoa in 1406, its name was Banco di San Giorgio (Bank of St. George). HISTORY OF BANKING IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW Banking in India originated in the first decade of 18th century with The General Bank of India coming into existence in 1786. This was followed by Bank of Hindustan. Both these banks are now defunct. The oldest bank in existence in India is the State Bank of India being established as The Bank of Bengal in Calcutta in June 1806. The first fully Indian owned bank was the Allahabad Bank, which was established in 1865. By the 1900s, the market expanded with the establishment of banks such as Punjab National Bank, in 1895 in Lahore and Bank of India, in 1906, in Mumbai both of which were founded under private ownership. The Reserve Bank of India formally took on the responsibility of regulating the Indian banking sector from 1935. After Indias independence in 1947, the Reserve Bank was nationalized and given broader powers. Early history At the end of late-18th century, there were hardly any banks in India in the modern sense of the term. Subsequently, banking in India remained the exclusive domain of Europeans for next several decades until the beginning of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Indian economy was passing through a relative period of stability. Around five decades have elapsed since the Indias First war of Independence, at that time there were very small banks operated by Indians, and most of them were owned and operated by particular communities. The banking in India was controlled and dominated by the presidency banks, namely, the Bank of Bombay, the Bank of Bengal, and the Bank of Madras which later on merged to form the Imperial Bank of India, and Imperial Bank of India, upon Indias independence, was renamed the State Bank of India. There was potential for many new banks as the economy was growing. many Indians came forward to set up banks, and many banks were set up at that ti me, a number of which have survived to the present such as Bank of India and Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank. During the Wars The period during the First World War (1914-1918) through the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), and two years thereafter until the independence of India were challenging for the Indian banking. The years of the First World War were turbulent, and it took toll of many banks which simply collapsed despite the Indian economy gaining indirect boost due to war-related economic activities. At least 94 banks in India failed during the years 1913 to 1918. Post-independence The partition of India in 1947 had adversely impacted the economies of Punjab and West Bengal, and banking activities had remained paralyzed for months. In 1948, the Reserve Bank of India, Indias central banking authority, was nationalized, and it became an institution owned by the Government of India. In 1949, the Banking Regulation Act was enacted which empowered the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to regulate, control, and inspect the banks in India. The Banking Regulation Act also provided that no new bank or branch of an existing bank may be opened without a licence from the RBI, and no two banks could have common directors. Nationalisation By the 1960s, the Indian banking industry has become an important tool to facilitate the development of the Indian economy. Indira Gandhi, the-then Prime Minister of India expressed the intention of the GOI in the annual conference to nationalised the 14 largest commercial banks with effect from the midnight of July 19, 1969. A second dose of nationalisation of 6 more commercial banks followed in 1980. The stated reason for the nationalisation was to give the government more control of credit delivery. With the second dose of nationalisation, the GOI controlled around 91% of the banking business of India. After this, until the 1990s, the nationalised banks grew at a pace of around 4%, closer to the average growth rate of the Indian economy. Liberalisation In the early 1990s the then Narsimha Rao government embarked on a policy of liberalisation and gave licences to a small number of private banks. This move, along with the rapid growth in the economy of India, kickstarted the banking sector in India, which has seen rapid growth with strong contribution from all the three sectors of banks, namely, government banks, private banks and foreign banks. The next stage for the Indian banking has been setup with the proposed relaxation in the norms for Foreign Direct Investment, where all Foreign Investors in banks may be given voting rights which could exceed the present cap of 10%,at present it has gone up to 49% with some restrictions. Current Situation Currently, India has 88 scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) 28 public sector banks (that is with the Government of India holding a stake), 29 private banks (these do not have government stake; they may be publicly listed and traded on stock exchanges) and 31 foreign banks. They have a combined network of over 53,000 branches and 17,000 ATMs. According to a report by ICRA Limited, a rating agency, the public sector banks hold over 75 percent of total assets of the banking industry, with the private and foreign banks holding 18.2% and 6.5% respectively. INDUSTRY DYNAMICS The Indian Banking industry is one of the most robustly developed banking system in the world comprising 28 PSU banks, 33 private banks and 35 foreign banks. Together these are known as scheduled commercial banks (SCBs). Apart form the SCBs, there exists 133 regional rural banks (RRBs) and four local area banks, 1853 urban co-operative banks and 109924 rural co-operative banks. The government of India nationalised 14 banks in 1969 and another six in 1980. Privatisation in the sector was allowed in 1993. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank were the first to thrive thereafter. PSU major Sate bank of India is one of the 100 largest banks in the world. Industry Size The size of Indias financial and banking sector is quite low when compared to other countries. Omnipresence Banking is the only sector influencing all components of the GDP in one way or the other. It is the only sector that can help you capitalise on all the three key themes of the India growth story — consumption, investment and foreign trade. It drives acts as a source of funds for the infrastructure sector (construction, basic materials like cement metals and engineering). It promotes consumption through its complex machanisms for the FMCG, auto, pharma and the real estate sector. Under penetrated From a Banking and Financial Services perspective, India is an under penetrated market. The total credit as a percentage of GDP is 53% as compared to 80% in case of Japan, 83% incase of Korea.China and Malaysia have the highest credit penetration of 108% and 109% respectively. Retail credit penetration is a measly 13% in India much lower than 61% in Malaysia and 41% 23% in case of Korea and Japan. Also, India is under-insured when it comes to life and non-life insurance (penetration of just 4% in case of life insurance and 1% in case of non life insurance). TYPES OF BANKS  § ON THE BASIS OF ACTIVITIES: Banks activities can be divided into: Retail banking, dealing directly with individuals and small businesses. Business banking, providing services to mid-market business. Corporate banking, directed at large business entities. Private banking, providing wealth management services to High Net Worth Individuals and families. Investment banking, relating to activities on the financial markets Most banks are profit-making, private enterprises. However, some are owned by government, or are non-profits. Central banks are normally government owned banks: charged with quasi-regulatory responsibilities, e.g. supervising commercial banks. They generally provide liquidity to the banking system and act as Lender of last resort in event of a crisis. ON THE BASIS OF OWNERSHIP: Banks as classified on ownership basis can be categorised into: Public banks,owned and managed by government. Private banks,owned and managed by private enterpreneurs. Foreign banks,owned and managed by foreign institutions. Commercial banks Commercial banks can have two meanings: Commercial bank is the term used for a normal bank to distinguish it from an investment bank. Commercial bank can also refer to a bank or a division of a bank that mostly deals with deposits and loans from corporations or large businesses, as opposed to normal individual members of the public (retail banking). Commercial bank is engaged in the following activities: processing of payments by way of telegraphic transfer, EFTPOS, internet banking or other means issuing bank drafts and bank cheques accepting money on term deposit lending money by way of overdraft, installment loan or otherwise providing documentary and standby letter of credit, guarantees, performance bonds, securities underwriting commitments and other forms of off balance sheet exposures safekeeping of documents and other items in safe deposit boxes currency exchange sale, distribution or brokerage, with or without advice, of insurance, unit trusts and similar financial products as a â€Å"financial supermarket† Types of loans granted by commercial banks Secured loan A secured loan is a loan in which the borrower pledges some asset (e.g. a car or property) as collateral (i.e., security) for the loan. Mortgage loan A mortgage loan is a very common type of debt instrument, used to purchase real estate. Under this arrangement, the money is used to purchase property. Commercial banks, however, are given security a lien on the title to the house until the mortgage is paid off in full. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the bank would have the legal right to repossess the house and sell it, to recover sums owing to it. Unsecured loan Unsecured loans are monetary loans that are not secured against the borrowers assets (i.e., no collateral is involved). These may be available from financial institutions under many different guises or marketing packages: credit card debt, personal loans, bank overdrafts credit facilities or lines of credit corporate bonds Retail banks Retail banking refers to banking in which banks undergo transactions directly with consumers, rather than corporations or other banks. Services offered include: savings and checking accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, credit cards, and so forth. Investment banks Investment banks are financial intermediaries that perform a variety of services. This includes underwriting, acting as an intermediary between an issuer of securities and the investing public, facilitating mergers and other corporate reorganizations, and also acting as a broker for institutional clients. In other words can be said that, Investment banks help companies and governments raise money by issuing and selling securities in the capital markets (both equity and debt), as well as providing advice on transactions such as mergers and acquisitions Types of investment banks Investment banks underwrite (guarantee the sale of) stock and bond issues, trade for their own accounts, make markets, and advise corporations on capital markets activities such as mergers and acquisitions. Merchant banks were traditionally banks which engaged in trade financing. The modern definition, however, refers to banks which provide capital to firms in the form of shares rather than loans. Unlike venture capital firms, they tend not to invest in new companies. Private banking Private banking is a term for banking, investment and other financial services provided by banks to private individuals disposing of sizable assets. The term private refers to the customer service being rendered on a more personal basis than in mass-market retail banking, usually via dedicated bank advisers. Personalized financial and banking services that are traditionally offered to a banks rich,high net worth individuals (HNWIs). Public banks Banks, which are incorporated, owned and regulated by government. Private banks Private banks are banks that are not incorporated. A non-incorporated bank is owned by either an individual or a general partner(s) with limited partner(s). In any such case, the creditors can look to both the entirety of the banks assets as well as the entirety of the sole-proprietors/general-partners assets. Private banks and private banking can also refer to non-government owned banks in general, in contrast to government-owned (or nationalized) banks. NON-BANKING FINANCIAL CORPORATION Non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) are financial institutions that provide banking services without meeting the legal definition of a bank, i.e. one that does not hold a banking license. Operations are, regardless of this, still exercised under bank regulation. However this depends on the jurisdiction, as in some jurisdictions, such as New Zealand, any company can do the business of banking, and there are no banking licences issued. NBFCs are doing functions akin to that of banks, however there are a few differences: (i) A NBFC cannot accept demand deposits; (ii) it is not a part of the payment and settlement system and as such cannot issue cheques to its customers; and (iii) deposit insurance facility of DICGC is not available for NBFC depositors unlike in case of banks. It is mandatory that every NBFC should be registered with RBI to commence or carry on any business of non-banking financial institution as defined in clause (a) of Section 45 I of the RBI Act, 1934.However, to obviate dual regulation, certain category of NBFCs which are regulated by other regulators are exempted from the requirement of registration with RBI viz. Venture Capital Fund/Merchant Banking companies/Stock broking companies registered with SEBI, Insurance Company holding a valid Certificate of Registration issued by IRDA, or Housing Finance Companies regulated by National Housing Bank. All NBFCs are not entitled to accept public deposits. Only those NBFCs holding a valid Certificate of Registration with authorization to accept Public Deposits can accept/hold public deposits. The NBFCs accepting public deposits should have minimum stipulated Net Owned Fund and comply with the Directions issued by the Bank. There is ceiling on acceptance of Public Deposits. A NBFC maintaining required NOF/CRAR and complying with the prudential norms could accept public deposits as follows: Category of NBFC Ceiling on public deposits AFCs maintaining CRAR of 15% without credit rating. AFCs with CRAR of 12% and having minimum investment grade credit rating. 1.5 times of NOF or Rs.10crore whichever is less. 4 times of NOF LC/IC with CRAR of 15% and having minimum investment grade credit rating. 1.5 times of NOF AFC-Asset financing Company LC-Loan Company IC-Investment Company If a NBFC defaults in repayment of deposit, the depositor can approach Company Law Board or Consumer Forum or file a civil suit to recover the deposits Some other types of banks: An advising bank (also known as a notifying bank) advises a beneficiary (exporter) that a letter of credit (L/C) opened by an issuing bank for an applicant (importer) is available and informs the beneficiary about the terms and conditions of the L/C. The advising bank is not necessarily responsible for the payment of the credit which it advises the beneficiary of. Community development banks (CDBs) are banks designed to serve residents and spur economic development in low- to moderate-income (LMI) geographical areas. When CDBs provide retail banking services, they usually target customers from financially underserved demographics. a custodian bank, or simply custodian, refers to a financial institution responsible for safeguarding a firms or individuals financial assets. The role of a custodian in such a case would be the following: to hold in safekeeping assets such as equities and bonds, arrange settlement of any purchases and sales of such securities, collect information on and income from such assets, provide information on the underlying companies and provide regular reporting on all their activities to their clients A depository bank is a bank organized in the United States which provides all the stock transfer and agency services in connection with a depository receipt program. This function includes arranging for a custodian to accept deposits of ordinary shares, issuing the negotiable receipts which back up the shares, maintaining the register of holders to reflect all transfers and exchanges, and distributing dividends. Islamic banking refers to a system of banking or banking activity that is consistent with Islamic law (Sharia) principles and guided by Islamic economics. In particular, Islamic law prohibits the collection and payment of interest.In addition, Islamic law prohibits investing in businesses that are considered unlawful. A mutual savings bank is a financial institution chartered through a state or federal government to provide a safe place for individuals to save and to invest those savings in mortgages, loans, stocks, Bonds and other securities. An offshore bank is a bank located outside the country of residence of the depositor, typically in a low tax jurisdiction that provides financial and legal advantages. Banking Industry Strucure in India CENTRAL BANK A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is the entity responsible for the monetary policy of a country. Its primary responsibility is to maintain the stability of the national currency and money supply, but more active duties include controlling subsidized-loan interest rates, and acting as a bailout lender of last resort to the banking sector during times of financial crisis. ). It may also have supervisory powers, to ensure that banks and other financial institutions do not behave recklessly or fraudulently. History The oldest central bank in the world is the Riksbank in Sweden, which was opened in 1668 with help from Dutch businessmen. This was followed in 1694 by the Bank of England, created by Scottish businessman William Paterson in the City of London at the request of the English government to help pay for a war. Activities and responsibilities Functions of a central bank implementation of monetary policy controls the nations entire money supply the Governments banker and the bankers bank (Lender of Last Resort) manages the countrys foreign exchange and gold reserves and the Governments stock register; regulation and supervision of the banking industry: setting the official interest rate used to manage both inflation and the countrys exchange rate and ensuring that this rate takes effect via a variety of policy mechanisms Monetary policy: Central banks implement a countrys chosen monetary policy. At the most basic level, this involves establishing what form of currency the country may have, whether a fiat currency, gold-backed currency, currency board or a currency union. Currency issuance: Many central banks are banks in the sense that they hold assets (foreign exchange, gold, and other financial assets) and liabilities. Central banks generally earn money by issuing currency notes and selling them to the public for interest-bearing assets, such as government bonds. Interest rate interventions: Typically a central bank controls certain types of short-term interest rates. These influence the stock- and bond markets as well as mortgage and other interest rates. Policy instruments The main monetary policy instruments available to central banks are: open market operation bank reserve requirement interest rate policy credit policy capital adequacy is important, it is defined and regulated by the Bank for International Settlements, and central banks in practice generally do not apply stricter rules. Open Market Operations: Through open market operations, a central bank influences the money supply in an economy directly. Each time it buys securities, exchanging money for the security, it raises the money supply. Conversely, selling of securities lowers the money supply. Buying of securities thus amounts to printing new money while lowering supply of the specific security. Reserve Requirement: Another significant power that central banks hold is the ability to establish reserve requirements for other banks. By requiring that a percentage of liabilities be held as cash or deposited with the central bank (or other agency), limits are set on the money supply. Interest Rate Policy: By far the most visible and obvious power of many modern central banks is to influence market interest rates. The mechanism to move the market towards a target rate is generally to lend money or borrow money in theoretically unlimited quantities, until the targeted market rate is sufficiently close to the target. Central banks may do so by lending money to and borrowing money from (taking deposits from) a limited number of qualified banks, or by purchasing and selling bonds. Capital requirements: All banks are required to hold a certain percentage of their assets as capital, a rate which may be established by the central bank or the banking supervisor. Capital requirements may be considered more effective than deposit/reserve requirements in preventing indefinite lending: when at the threshold, a bank cannot extend another loan without acquiring further capital on its balance sheet. Entry regulation Currently in most jurisdictions commercial banks are regulated by government entities and require a special bank licence to operate. Unlike most other regulated industries, the regulator is typically also a participant in the market, i.e. government owned bank (a central bank). The requirements for the issue of a bank licence vary between jurisdictions but typically incude: Minimum capital Minimum capital ratio Fit and Proper requirements for the banks controllers, owners, directors, and/or senior officers Approval of the banks business plan as being sufficiently prudent and plausible. Banking channels A branch, banking centre or financial centre is a retail location where a bank or financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face service to its customers ATM. Mail. Telephone banking Online banking Bank crisis liquidity risk -the risk that many depositors will request withdrawals beyond available funds credit risk -the risk that those who owe money to the bank will not repay interest rate risk- the risk that the bank will become unprofitable if rising interest rates force it to pay relatively more on its deposits than it receives on its loans. Profitability A bank generates a profit from the differential between the level of interest it pays for deposits and other sources of funds, and the level of interest it charges in its lending activities. This difference is referred to as the spread between the cost of funds and the loan interest rate. Bank Regulations Bank regulations are a form of government regulation which subject banks to certain requirements, restrictions and guidelines. The objectives of bank regulation, and the emphasis are: Prudential to reduce the level of risk bank creditors are exposed to Systemic risk reduction to reduce the risk of disruption resulting from adverse trading conditions for banks causing multiple or major bank failures Avoid Misuse of Banks to reduce the risk of banks being used for criminal purposes, e.g. laundering the proceeds of crime To protect banking confidentiality Credit allocation to direct credit to favoured sectors . General Principles of Bank Regulation Banking regulations can vary widely across nations and jurisdictions. Thes are some of the general principles of bank regulation throughout the world Minimum Requirements Requirements are imposed on banks in order to promote the objectives of the regulator. The most important minimum requirement in banking regulation is minimum capital ratios. Supervisory Review Banks are required to be issued with a bank licence by the regulator in order to carry on business as a bank, and the regulator supervises licenced banks for compliance with the requirements and responds to breaches of the requirements through obtaining undertakings, giving directions, imposing penalties or revoking the banks licence. Market Discipline The regulator requires banks to publicly disclose financial and other information, and depositors and other creditors are able to use this information to assess the level of risk and to make investment decisions. As a result of this, the bank is subject to market discipline and the regulator can also use market-pricing information as an indicator of the banks financial health. Instruments and Requirements of Bank Regulation Capital requirement The capital requirement is a bank regulation, which sets a framework on how banks and depository institutions must handle their capital. The categorization of assets and capital is highly standardized so that it can be risk weighted. The capital ratio is the percentage of a banks capital to its risk-weighted assets. Reserve requirement The reserve requirement sets the minimum reserves each bank must hold to demand deposits and banknotes. The purpose of minimum reserve ratios is liquidity rather than safety. Corporate Governance Corporate governance requirements are intented to encourage the bank to be well managed and also to achieve certain objectives as to maintain it as a body corporate, maintaining minimum number of members and organisational structure etc. Financial Reporting, Disclosure and Prospectus Requirements Banks may be required to: Prepare annual financial statements according to a financial reporting standard, have them audited, and to register or publish them . Prepare more frequent financial disclosures. Have directors of the bank attest to the accuracy of such financial disclosures. Prepare and have registered prospectuses detailing the terms of securities it issues. Credit Rating Requirement Banks may be required to obtain

Creating Tension in An Inspector Calls Essay -- An Inspector Calls J,B

Creating Tension in An Inspector Calls An inspector calls is a play written by the author J.B. Priestley. The play is set in the industrial city of Brumley in the North Midlands, in the year of 1912. Act one begins in the family home of the Birling's, at the celebration of the engagement of Mr Birling's daughter. The Birling family at first impression are seen to the audience as a wonderful, prosperous family who live in luxury life style in a big lavish home with a high social status. Arthur Birling is the father of the family; he is a heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties, with fairly easy manners. He is shown to be self-centred, arrogant and someone who believes that he is always right, he also has a lot to say - thought by many as too much. He is portrayed to the audience as being a selfish man, this is shown in many ways through out the play, but the main factor shown is that he was Lord Mayor of the town a few years back and takes this as an advantage to gain self respect from others by using his former community stature to increase his present stature of the manufacturer of the Birling family business. His wife Sybil is about fifty, she is a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior. She has been for the past few years and currently still is the chairwoman, for the town's unemployment charity, it is she who decides which women will receive the unemployment benefit and if their reasons are applicable. She takes this job very seriously and believes it gives her a warrant to be a superior of the town, a woman who classes herself as a very high class in the hierarchy above anyone else. The daughter of the family is the very attractive and pretty Sheila, .. ... challenges the characters in the play. The big question from the author is are we morally blind to the suffering of the poor and are we aware that much of the pleasure we get from life comes from the exploitation of the poor. At the end of the play things turn out to become very eerie as of the call to Mr Birling, which confuses absolutely all of the characters. J.B. Priestley uses inspector Goole as a catalyst towards the Birling family, he is meant as a dramatic device deliberately used by the author to explore his ideas. This is meant to make the family come to a realisation of that poorer people than themselves are actually people with true feelings, and the telephone call at the end warning them that a inspector is about to arrive with questions as to a suicide will reveal weather they have learnt anything about the poorer than themselves.

Traditional and Alternative Health Care Practice

Traditional and Alternative Health Care Practice The tropical climate of the Philippines has made it possible for thousands of plants and vegetation to thrive more in lush forests. Many herbal plants have been tapped because of its efficacy against common ailments and the practice of the use of herbal plants as medicines have stretched as far as during pre-Spanish era, and are still being practiced until these modern times. The Department of Health (DOH) advocated the use of herbal plants as what is considered as form of primary health care and as an answer to the increasing cost of synthetic drugs in the market.These 10 DOH-approved herbal plants are found within the country and have been proven to treat common ailments, according to the thorough research done by National Science Development Board, and other government and private agencies and persons. Its importance in providing better health care was not overlooked. In 1992, The DOH, through former Health Secretary and Senator Jua n M. Flavier made a health program by virtue of Administrative Order No. 12. This program was known as the Traditional Medicine Program, with its main function of promoting and advocating the use of traditional medicine across the country.In 1994, the drafting of a traditional medicine law was initiated in order to institutionalize the program. Then by 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos saw the promising potential of traditional medicines both in the health of Filipinos and the economy and timely approved the Republic Act 8423, also known as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997. This law then, gave rise to the government owned and controlled corporation known as the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).It is attached to the DOH in delivering safe, effective and affordable proper traditional and alternative (TAHC) health care products and services to the people. The 10 DOH-approved herbal plants are listed below, along with their uses, preparations and names in different places/dialects within the country. 1. Lagundi (Vitex negundo) * Kamalan (Tag. ) * Limo-limo (Ilk. ) * Tugas (Ceb. ) * Dabtan (If. ) * Molave aso (Sul. ) * 5 leaveschaste tree (English) Lagundi is a shrub type of plant growing wild in vacant lots and waste land. Matured branches are planted. The flowers are blue and bell-shaped.The small fruits turn black when ripe. It is better to collect the leaves when are in bloom. Uses: * For asthma, cough and fever – boil raw fruits or leaves in 2 glasses of water for15 minutes until the water left in only 1 glass (decoction). Strain. Leaves should be chopped and the following dosages of the decoction are given according to age group: Dried leavesFresh leaves Adult4 tbsp. 6tbsp. 7-12 yrs. 2 tbsp. 3 tbsp. 2-6 yrs. 1 tbsp. 1 ? tbsp. * For dysentery, colds and pain in any part of the body as in influenza – boil a handful of leaves and flowers in water to produce a glass full of decoction an d drink it three times a day. For skin diseases (dermatitis, scabies ulcer, eczema) and wounds – prepare a decoction from handful of leaves. Wash and clean the skin/wound with the decoction. * For headache – crush leaves and may be applied on the forehead. * For rheumatism, sprain and contusions, insect bites – pound the leaves and apply on affected part. * For aromatic bath for sick patients – prepare leaf decoction for use in sick and newly delivered patients. 2. Yerba (Hierba) Buena (Mentha cordifelia) * Herba Buena (most dialects) * Hierba/Yerba Buena (Spanish) * Hilbas (Dav. , Ley. ) * Opiz Ablebana (If. ) * Malipuen (Als. ) Peppermint, mint (English) Yerba (Hierba) Buena is a small multi-branching aromatic herb. The leaves are small, elliptical and with toothed margin. The stem creeps to the ground and develops roots. It may be also propagated through cuttings. Uses: * For pain in different parts of the body as headache, stomach ache – boil c hopped leaves in 2 glasses of water for 15 minutes. Cool and strain. Dried leavesFresh leves Adult6 tbsp. 4 tbsp. 7-12 yrs.? tbsp. of adult dose Divide decoction into two parts and drink one part every three hours. * For rheumatism, arthiritis and headache – crush the fresh leaves and squeeze sap.Massage sap on painful parts with eucalyptus. * For cough and cold (serves as expectorant) – get about 10 fresh leaves and soak in a glass of hot water. Drink as tea. * For swollen gums – steep 6 g. of fresh plant in a glass of boiling water for 30 minutes. Use solution as gargle. * For toothache – cut fresh plant and squeeze sap. Soak a piece to cotton in the sap and insert this in aching tooth cavity. Mouth should be rinsed by gargling salt solution before inserting the cotton dipped with plant sap. To prepare salt solution: add 5 g. of table salt to one glass of water. For menstrual and gas pain – soak a handful of leaves in a glass of boiling water. Dr ink infusion. It induces menstrual flow and sweating. * For nausea and fainting – crush leaves and apply at nostrils of patients. * For insect bites – may be prepared in two ways: 1. Crush leaves and apply juice on affected part. 2. Pound leaves until paste-like. Rub this on affected part. * For pruritis – boil plant alone or with eucalyptus in water. Uses decoction as a wash on affected area. 3. Sambong (Blumea balsamifera) * Alibhon Alimon (Vis. ) * Kambihon, Lakdanbulan (Vis. ) * Ayohan, Bulaklak, Ga buen, Kaliban (Tag. * Gintin-gintin, Haliban/Camphor (English) Sambong is a plant that reaches 1 ? to 3 meters in height with rough hairy leaves. Young plants around mother plant may be separated when they have three or more leaves. Uses: * For anti-edema, diuretic, and anti-urolithiasis – boil chopped leaves in a glass of water for 15 minutes until one glassful remains. Cool and strain. Dried leavesFresh leaves Adult4 tbsp. 6 tbsp. 7-12 yrs.? tbsp. of adu lt does Divide decoction into 3 parts. Drink one part 3 times a day. Note: Sambong is not a medicine for kidney infection. 4. Tsaang Gubat (Carmona retusa) Alibungog (Vis. ) * Kalabonog, Maragued (Ilk. ) * Kalimunog, Taglokot, Talibunog, Tsa (Tag. ) * Malatadian (Gad. ) Tsaang- Gubat is a shrub with a small, shiny nice-looking leaves that grows in wild uncultivated areas and forests. Mature stems are used for planting. Uses: * For diarrhea – boil the following amount of chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water for 15 minutes or until amount of water goes down to 1 glass. Cool and strain. Dried leavesFresh leaves Adult10 tbsp. 12 tbsp. 7-12 yrs. 5 tbsp. 6 tbsp. 2-6 yrs. 2 ? tbsp. 3 tbsp. Divide decoction into 4 parts. Let patient drink 1 part every 3 hours. For stomach ache – wash leaves and chop. Boil chopped leaves in 1 glass of water for 15 minutes. Cool and filter/strain. Dried leavesFresh leaves Adult2 tbsp. 3 tbsp. 7-12 yrs. 1 tbsp. 1 ? tbsp. 5. Niyug-Niyogan (Quisqua lis indica L. ) * Balitadham, Pnones, Pinio, Bono (Bis. ) * Bawe-bawe (Pamp. ) * Kasumbal, Talolong (Bik. ) * Tartarau (Ilk. ) * Burma creeper, Chinese honey suckle (English) Niyug-Niyogan is a vine which bears tiny fruits and grows wild in backyards. The seed must come from mature, dried but newly opened fruits. It is propagated through stem cuttings about 20 cm. in height. Uses: For anti-helmintic purposes – used to expel roundworms which cause ascariasis. The seeds are taken 2 hours after supper. If no worms are expelled, the doses may be repeated after one week. Adults8-10 seeds 7-12 yrs. 6-7 seeds 6-8 yrs. 5-6 seeds 4-5 yrs. 4-5 seeds Caution: Not to be given to children below four years old. 6. Bayabas (Psidium guajava L. ) * Guyabas, Kalimbahin, Tayabas (Tag. ) * Bagabas (Ig. ) * Bayabo (Ibm. ) * Bayawas (Bik. , Pang. ) * Biabas (Sul. ) * Guyabas (Ilk. ) * Guava (English) Bayabas is a tree about 4-5 meters high with tiny white flowers with round or oval fruits that are eaten raw.It is propagated through seeds. Uses: * For washing wounds – may be used twice a day * For diarrhea – may be taken 3-4 days twice a day * For relief of toothache and as a gargle – warm decoction is used for gargle. Freshly pounded leaves are used for toothache. Guava leaves are to be washed well and chopped. Boil for 15 minutes at low fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain before use. 7. Akapulco (Cassia alata L. ) * Bayabas-bayabasan, Kapurko, Kantada, Katandang Aso, Pakagonkon, Sonting (Tag. ) * Andadasi, Andadasi-a dakdakol, Andadasi-bugbugtong (Ilk. ) * Adadasi (Ting. ) * Ancharasi (Ig. * Andalan (Sul. ) * Bayabasin, Bikas-bikas (Bik. , Tag. , Bis. ) * Kasitas (bik. , Bis. ) * Snting, Palo china (Bis. ) * Pakayomkom Kastila (Pamp. ) * Ringworm bush or shrub (English) Uses: * For anti-fungal purposes (Tinea flava, ring worm, athlete’s foot and scabies) – fresh, mature leaves are pounded. Apply to the affected part 1-2 times a day. 8. Ulasimang Bato (Peperonia pellucida) * Pansit-pansitan (Tag. ) Ulasimang Bato is a weed with heart-shaped leaves that grow in shady parts of the garden and yard. Uses: * For lowering uric acid (rheumatism and gout) Preparation: Wash the leaves well.One and a half cup leaves are boiled in two glassfuls of water over low fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain. Divide into three parts and drink each part three times a day after meals. It may also be eaten as salad. Wash the leaves well. Prepare one and a half cups of leaves (not closely packed). Divide into three parts and take as salad three times a day. 9. Bawang (Allium sativum) * Ajos (Spanish, Bis. ) * Garlic (English) Uses: * For lowering of cholesterol levels in blood; for hypertension and toothache Preparation: may be fried, roasted, soaked in vinegar for 30 minutes, or blanched in boiled water for 5 minutes.Take two pieces three times a day after meals. Caution: Take on full stomach to prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers. * For toothache – pound a small piece and apply to affected part. 10. Ampalaya (Mamordica charantia) * Amargoso (Spanish, Ilonggo) * Margoso, Ampalaya (Tag. ) * Apalia (Pamp. ) * Agape (Ibn. ) * Apapet (Itn. ) * Palia (Bis. , Ban. , If. , Ilk. ) * Pubia (Sub. ) * Suligum (Sul. ) * Balsam Apple, Balsam Pear, Bitter Gourd (English) Uses: * For those with Diabetes Mellitus (Mild non-insulin dependent) Preparation: Gather and wash young leaves very well. Chop.Boil 6 tablespoons of chopped leaves in two glassful of water for 15 minutes under slow fire. Do not cover pot. Cool and strain. Take one third cup 3 times a day after meals. Note: Young leaves may be blanched or steamed and eaten 1/2 glassful 2 times a day. REMINDERS ON THE USE OF HERBAL MEDICINE 1. Avoid the use of insecticides as these may leave poison on plants. This may be hazardous to consume and may cause poisoning that may lead to death. 2. In the preparation of herbal medicine, use a clay pot and remove cover while boiling at low heat. 3. Use only the part of the plant being advocated.Use of the parts not indicated may affect the potency of the herbal medicine, making it less effective or not effective at all when consumed. 4. Follow accurate dose of suggested preparation. Proper amount and timing of dosage is critical in achieving the expected results. Not following those can be detrimental to one’s health and recovery. 5. Use only one kind of herbal plant for each type of symptoms or sickness. 6. Stop giving the herbal medication in case untoward reaction such as allergy occurs. 7. If signs and symptoms are not relieved after 2 or 3 doses of herbal medication, consult a doctor.

Peace and Conflict Essay

While the term conflict generally is associated with negative encounters, conflict itself is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. In fact, engaging in conflict can have positive effects on relationships and organizations. Conflict among people, institutions, organizations, nations and in all relationships are a normal, natural and inevitable part of life. In itself, it is to a great extent a necessary tool that enhances development and can be regarded as normal and a prerequisite under certain conditions. In view if this, this paper will labor to clearly examine the conditions in which peace is said to be a normal phenomenon. The term conflict will exhaustively be defined from different school of thoughts and its kinds or types outlined, followed by cited conditions that advocate for the presence of conflict as being normal. Thereafter, a comprehensive conclusion will be drawn from the entire discussion. Conflict can be defined in many ways and can be considered as an expression of hostility, negative attitudes, antagonism, aggression rivalry and misunderstanding. It is associated with situation that involve contradictory or irreconcilable interests between two opposing groups. The term conflict is derived from a Latin word that means to clash or engage in a fight. It is a confrontation between one or more parties aspiring towards incompatible means or ends, Miller (2005). ‘’Conflict is a multi-dimensional social phenomenon which is an integral feature of human existence, essential to the ongoing processes of history, to social change, and transformation,’’ International Alert et al. 1996, 3). Swanstrom and Weissmann (2005) define conflict as being the result of opposing interests involving scarce resources, goal divergence and frustration. This is outside the traditional military sphere and is based on behavioral dimensions. The process begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party holds in great esteem or importance. In the same sense three forms of conflict have been identified. This implies that it has levels to influence namely; Interstate, which is the disputes between nation-states or the violation of the state systems of alliance; Internal conflict, is type of dispute that happens within a given society or part of the given society such as territorial disputes, and civil and ethnic wars; and State-formation, this is the battles over control of government. These are internationally recognized as challenges, which to some extent have been classified as a normal phenomenon as people are heterogeneous in their interests and desires, Wallensteen (2002). Differences in interpretation of the conflict result from different orientations in an effort to resolve and overcome conflicts. One thing that different approaches agree on is that conflicts are essentially clashes among people. These clashes arise from differences of values and interests of opposing parties, those parties being individuals, groups or entire organizations, (Adler, 2002). Conflict also has a positive dimension as normal forms of social interaction which may contribute to the maintenance, development, change and overall stability of social entities. Many social scientists hold that periods of change, be it economic growth or decline, political transitions, or social innovation are associated with conflict. A Dutch scholar by the name of Bonger, believed that theirs is a causal link between conflict and economic and social conditions. Existing institutions come under pressure and may be unable to control or integrate new forces, demands, and collective actors. Change is likely to be uneven and to create a sense of relative deprivation, injustice, and threat among the losers. A recent example is the pressure mounted on the government of Chad in ensuring there is proper accounting procedures in the management of the country’s oil revenue. The activities of these organizations have been both positive and negative. From the positive side, they have been able to curb some of the excesses of governments in many developing countries, (African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes [ACCORD], 2008). Traditional human rights theories seldom took conflict theories to exam the conflicts between different rights and social movements. Under conditions that human rights are violated or a particular class in society feels their rights are not fully being exercised, conflict can be seen as a normal phenomenon. In 1997, the Taiwan feminism movement was separated by the sex worker’s issue. The major feminism groups denied sex could be seen as a right to work, but more tended to see it as a product by exploitation. To those support sex workers, they addressed sex workers have their rights to use sex or body as a work, and even further claimed that sex work is a radical sexual movement, (Ho, 2005). In such a situation, conflict is normal and beneficial as it acts as a podium of debate and its advantages of fostering an awareness of problems that exist and leading to better solutions is clearly seen. Above all the norms of society are readjusted. The more diversified and heterogeneous a society becomes, the greater the probability of more frequent conflict as subgroups who live by their own rules break the rules of other groups (Best, 2004). Conflict is a natural part of relationships. While relationships are sometimes calm and predictable, at other times events and circumstances generate tensions and instability. This phrase suggests that life gives us conflict, and that conflict is a natural part of human experience and relationships. Rather than viewing conflict as a threat, the transformative view sees conflict as a valuable opportunity to grow and increases our understanding of others and ourselves. Conflict helps us stop, assess and take notice. South Africa for example has a multiracial and multiethnic population. â€Å"Blacks constitute 77% of which the Zulu make up 22. % of the overall population,† (ACCORD, 2008, 15). The liberation struggle during the years of white minority rule cemented the Blacks, Asians and coloured people together. The unity forged by the blacks, Asians and colored people under white oppression collapsed when state power was to be competed for by all groups. The conflict of power here is seen as a means of uniting these different groups for the purpose of achieving a common goal, (ibid, 2008). Furthermore, conflicts with some groups bring about fraternity. It maintains and revises the balance of power among antagonists. When conflict breaks out, the former accommodation between the parties involved is rejected, the relative war of each group is tested and a new equilibrium can be established. Such arrangements in the balance of power thwart any one group from being dominant over other groups. As long as their power is continually challenged, members of the ruling group will be blocked from exclusive control of the social system. In most African states where the fight for independence was intense, most ethnic groups worked together to secure independence. Conflict continually creates new norms and modifies old ones. It bringing about situations to which the usual rules do not apply, conflict stimulates the establishment of appropriate guides to action. Moreover, the threat of attack, preparation for war or any hostile challenge from outside can strengthen a group’s solidarity and cohesiveness (Galtung, 1990). Conflict within and between social groups disturbs habits of thought and behavior and creates an atmosphere for innovation and creativity. This is another positive attribute of conflict that can be regarded as normal is that it facilitates the ovement or flow of one generation to the next. This is achieved in that society evolves over a period of time as values and norms of people continue to class and oppose each other within society. The changes may be positive hence benefiting humanity at large though in most cases these benefits are unanticipated and long-term. Finally, Weber contended that it will always exist, regardless of the social, economic, or political nature of society, and that it was functional because of its role in bringing disputes into the open for public debate. Even though individuals and groups enjoying great wealth, prestige, and power have the resources necessary to impose their values on others with fewer resources, Weber viewed the various class divisions in society as normal, inevitable, and acceptable (Curran & Renzetti, 2001). However, it must be noted that if conflict is not managed, it pauses a great danger to humanity. If conflict is to be accepted as a normal phenomenon, it has to be managed or resolved quicker and more efficiently than letting it fester. For Mial and Wood House (2001), by conflict resolution, it is expected that the deep rooted sources of conflict are addressed and resolved, and behavior is no longer violent, nor are attitude hostile any longer, while structure of the conflict has been changed. Desmond Tutu, the Anglican Archbishop emeritus of South Africa, is reported to have commented from within the situation of social revolution in South Africa that â€Å"without reconciliation, there is no future† (Wustenberg, 1998, 5). It is therefore now right to conclude that peace is a normal phenomenon but not when it is poorly managed or resolved. Issues such as the rearrangement of the balance of power, readjustment of group norms and the maintenance of group unity have been examined as the product of conflict even though conflict can be destructive in nature. Contemporary understanding of conflict represents a belief that conflict is not only a positive force of one group, but it is also absolutely essential for achievement of the efficiency of the group.

The Class and Caste of Maycomb County Essays

The Class and Caste of Maycomb County Essays The Class and Caste of Maycomb County Paper The Class and Caste of Maycomb County Paper Essay Topic: Literature I think theres just one kind of folks. Folks. (Lee 227). The existence of a superior and inferior stratification in societies are due to economic status, social status, and skin color between the white and black race as demonstrated in To Kill a Mockingbird (Symkowski). Today, this process of identification, while also functioning at the individual level, works itself out at the level of whole groups of people who judge themselves better or worse than other groups, not only in terms of economic property, but also on the basis of such characteristics as skin color, gender, education, sexuality, etc. That each society has such a categorical list is without doubt and Maycombs society was no different. There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb (131). Maycomb County was based on three main classes and a caste: the prestigious and rich of the post-depression era, pursued by the white workers which consisted primarily of farmers, who in turn were followed by what could only be described as white trash. The caste of Maycomb was the Negroes. Roughly translated, Jem tried to make Scout understand that theres four kinds of folks in the world. Theres the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, theres the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes. The thing about it is, our kind of folks dont like the Cunninghams, the Cunninghams dont like the Ewells, and the Ewells hate and despise the colored folks (226). The esteemed townsfolk were the Finches, Radleys, Dolphus Raymond, Miss Maudie Atkinson, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, Miss Stephanie Crawford, and Miss Rachel Haverford because they lived on the main residential street in town (6). Atticus Finch was perhaps the most powerful character in the novel. a hero figure, a model to the community, as well as his two children, who will surely follow in his footsteps (Symkowski). He is sincere and very straightforward. if Atticus Finch drank until he was drunk he wouldnt be as hard as some mean are at their best (Lee 45). As Scout recalls, Miss Maudie Atkinson lived one door down from us (16) as she was a Maycomb County inhabitant, the daughter of a neighboring landowner. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Duboses house (was) two doors down to the north Radley place three doors to the south (6). Miss Stephanie Crawford was described as a neighborhood scold (7) and gossip, which became visible because she was just following her ancestors. No Crawford Minds His Business (131). Last but not least, the Finches next door neighbor was Miss Rachel Haverford. These were the people the town trusted, especially Atticus Finch, with the exception of Dolphus Raymond. It seemed as if Judge Taylor asked him to defend Tom Robinson because the town trusted him to and as Jem later points out in the novel Atticus pends his time doin things that wouldnt get done if nobody did em (116). Dolphus Raymond was the town scandal, always drinkin out of a sack (160). He lived a scandalous life, way down near the county line where he resided with a colored woman and all sorts of mixed chillun (161-62). It was the opinion of the townspeople that these children must be real sad because they belonged nowhere, being neither black nor white. Interestingly, while Lee offered no contradiction to the opinion that Mayella has sinned gravely by kissing a black man, Dolphus character is portrayed as far more sympathetic (Baecker). The white workers of Maycomb included the Cunninghams, the Littles, Mr. Aavery, Ms. Caroline, Mr. Deas, Mr. Gilmer, Sheriff Tate, and Mr. Underwood. The Cunninghams never took anything they cant pay back and they were described as country folk farmers (Lee 20-21). The Littles were represented through Little Chuck Little, one of Scouts classmates who stood up to Burris Ewell in defense of Ms. Caroline. Mr. Aavery was a boarder at the house across from Mrs. Duboses. Mr. Deas was Tom and Helen Robinsons employer. The state attorney representing the Ewells was Mr. Gilmer. Maycombs sheriff who accompanied Atticus to kill the mad dog and who delivered the news about Bob Ewell was Sheriff Heck Tate. Mr. Braxton Bragg Underwood was the owner, editor, and printer of The Maycomb Tribune. Although he openly disliked blacks, he defended Toms right to a fair trial (Symkowski). The white trash of Maycomb was the Ewells. The Ewells knew that they were the lowest of the low amongst the whites in Maycomb. They had no money, no education, and no breeding (Baecker). The single thing that elevated them at any level in the community was the fact that they were white. All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbors was, that if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white (Lee 171). Like most people in similar situations, Bob and Mayella wanted to better their station in life (Symkowski). However, Bob was unwilling to put forth the effort necessary to change his familys lot and Mayella did not have the resources to change her own life. The Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a Negro cabin (Lee 170). Bob Ewell drank up all the welfare money and was allowed to hunt out of season so his children did not go hungry. Mr. Ewells incestuous relationship with Mayella, the driving force behind her desire to make loving contact with someone else, even if that person is a black man, is mentioned only in passing in the novel. The incestuous relationship of a white trash man with his white trash daughter is a part of the novel often glossed over by scholars who probably find it unremarkable anyway, as if to say, what else can be expected from people living so close to Negroes (Baecker). The caste of Maycomb included the Negroes of the town even though some were educated and morally and economically above the Ewells. The Negroes mentioned the most in the novel were Tom Robinson, Calphurnia, her son Zeebo, and Reverend Sykes. Calphurnia, the Finches housekeeper, grew up at Finchs Landing and moved with Atticus to Maycomb. She was the closest thing to a mother that Jem and Scout had. Calphurnia was also one of the few Negroes who could read and write. Zeebo was the town garbage collector and hes one of the four people who can read at the First Purchase African M. E. Church. Reverend Sykes was the pastor at the First Purchase African M. E. Church. This notion that education makes racism disappear is a common myth (Baecker). Racism was commonly ascribed to poor white trash as though those of the middle and upper classes (who possess more education) have nothing to do with it. The most prominent Negro figure in the novel was Tom Robinson. The trial of Tom Robinson is a significant part of the text, even if the trial itself occupies only fifteen percent of the novel (Symkowski). What may be more significant than the number of pages devoted to the actual trial may be the way in which Lee has constructed the novel so as to compress the issue of race into a tightly constrained portion of the book, bounded on either side by tales of unfairness and prejudice. The injustice that an all-white jury had invoked upon Tom Robinson and then his being shot seventeen times was the extent of the racism in the post-Depression era. The more sophisticated white people in Maycomb at least tried to pretend that their prejudices did not run so deep, but such was not the case with Bob Ewell. Tom only recognized Mayella as a person in need and he paid dreadfully. Todays equivalent of Tom Robinson is the welfare recipient (Baecker). Mention welfare recipient to most people and the image which will spring to their minds is that of the welfare queen: overweight, black, female, uneducated, slovenly, and surrounded by a passel of equally dirty, ignorant children. A society is made of its eloquent people and every person should be cared for equivalently.

Corporate communication; work

Corporate communication; work A work-related communication problem in corporate communication An examination of how an organization can motivate it employees by promoting effective communication based on the Expectancy value theory and Uncertainty reduction theory.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate communication; work-related communication problem specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More General Summary of the Problems of This Type The main purpose of human relations is to promote a highly productive workforce that will contribute towards the realization of organizational goals. However, it is a challenging task to persuade employees to conform to organization’s culture and goals. In order for persuasion process to be successful, the listener must be in a position to accept the arguments presented by the speaker (Gupta, 2011). In case the listener does not accept the arguments presented by the speaker, the persuasion cannot be successful. Expectancy Value Theory The expectancy value theory of motivation is a theory that mainly seeks to predict and explain individuals’ attitudes towards certain things or issues. This theory involves the calculations that individuals make in developing attitudes towards certain things. It was founded by Martin Fishbein. Every individual has their own goals that they intend to achieve. Our attitudes have a significant effect on our behavior, intent, and goals (Anja et al., 2010). In communication, it involves the social influence especially attitude and the attitude change. This theory has played a significant role especially in humans relations. It has been used by several organizations in their human relations strategies. Based on this theory, behavior can be viewed as a function of expectancy that one has as well as the goal to which one is determined to realize (Anja et al., 2010). This idea is usually applied in many circumstances by individuals when faced by different behav ior possibilities. For instance, one will tend to choose the combination of behavior that will yield the largest combination of expected success.Advertising Looking for essay on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The value expectancy theory posits that all people are goal oriented beings. In day to day activities, individuals are involved in behaviors that tend to optimize their needs. That is, maximization of the benefits and minimization of the risks. Therefore, the behavior people perform in accordance to their beliefs and values are determined by their ends (Anja et al., 2010). Before taking any particular course of action, individuals are involved in a number of calculations in order to come up with appropriate courses of actions that will tend to maximize their benefits. Evaluation involves the degree of affect either positive or negative that affects an individual. Uncertainty Reduction Th eory Uncertainty reduction theory was initially posed as axioms whose main target was explanation of describing the relationship between uncertainty and various communication factors. This theory was mainly developed in an effort to describe the relationship between several factors in dyadic exchange (Jennifer Haunani, 2008). These include verbal communication, information seeking behavior, reciprocity, non-verbal expressiveness, liking, similarity and intimacy (Jennifer Haunani, 2008). This theory is attributed to the work of Berger and Calabrese. In every situation, uncertainty is not desired and therefore need for motivation. In day to day encounters, people do communicate in order to reduce uncertainty. The process of reducing uncertainty can be viewed to follow a pattern which involves several stages. These stages include entry, personal, and exit. In the entry stage, various aspects like sex, age, economy and other demographic information is accessed (Jennifer Haunani, 2008 ). In this stage, interactions are basically determined by the norms and rules of communication.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate communication; work-related communication problem specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The personal stage commences when individuals begins to share values, beliefs, and other personal data. At this stage, individuals decide to feature their interaction plans (Jennifer Haunani, 2008). At this point, the communicators may liaise in making decisions on how to maintain a good relationship among them. According to Berger, there are three main ways though which people seeks information about other people. These include the passive strategies, active strategies, and interactive strategies. People are always determined to improve their capability to predict their own and other peoples’ behavior. The degree of similarity also plays a significant role in reducing the degree of uncerta inty in a communication. The more people are close in terms of attitudes, appearance, and backgrounds; the low is the level of uncertainty in their operations. Expectancy value theory; Discussion, Strength and Weaknesses Over the past, the Expectancy theory has been used by a number of people. The value expectancy theory has been used in explanation of expectation value theories. These include the behavioral decision theory, Rotter’s social learning theory, and Fishbein’s theory of reasoned action. This theory therefore plays a major role by laying a foundation for better understanding of the human behavior. Through the application of the expectancy theory, an organization is able to clearly understand the importance of employee motivation. Consequently, employees will perform better and become more loyal to the community. Despite of these strengths, the value expectancy theory suffers from the fact that it is difficult to quantify the value of rewards and performance. This may undermine the accuracy or application of this method in certain issues. Also, rewards may not be necessarily connected to the effort and the performance. For instance, rewards in a certain organization may be determined by various factors like education levels, job skills or may be contractual.Advertising Looking for essay on business communication? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This theory makes very critical assumptions that all the necessities are in place. However, this is not always the case. An organization needs to have the necessary resources in order to be in a position to perform certain functions. Uncertainty reduction theory; Strengths and Weaknesses The main advantage of the uncertainty reduction theory is that it enables an organization to understand the importance of facilitating communication within the organization in order to improve on performance. By facilitating communication, an organization is able to minimize the level of uncertainty (Cornelissen 2004). The main weakness of this method is that it assumes that all information passed is constructive. In some cases, destructive information may be passed across an organization, the fact that may lead to negative results. Theory Application In Understand the Problem and Ways of Improving Communication According to value theory, when expectancy, instrumentality and valence are met, an indi vidual will become motivated (Gupta, 2011). The higher the internal force exerted on an individual, the more an individual will be motivated towards the realization of organizational goals. This aspect is very important in motivating employees in an organization. There are several measures that an organization can apply in order to motivate its employees. For instance, an organization must be able to recognize the efforts of its employees. This can be done through promotions, financial motivation or any other kind of rewards. By so doing, an organization will be able to exert motivational pressure on its employees (Melcher and Beller1967). Through continued rewarding process for employees’, performance, motivational pressure is developed among the employees. Consequently, employees will improve their performance significantly. According to expectancy value theory, individuals’ behavior is significantly determined by their expectations or goals. When presented with a se t of behaviors, an individual will be more inclined towards the behavior that tends to maximize their expectations. This can be very important to an organization in effort to maximize the performance of its work force. Employees will always be tempted to engage themselves in behaviors that tend to maximize their benefits (Argenti 2007). They will be more encouraged to engage in those practices which will help them meet their personal goals. For instance, in case there is a certain reward proposed by an organization for meeting certain targets, employees will be more determined to meet the targets set in order to get the reward. In this case, employees will be working harder in order to achieve the reward to meet their needs. On the other hand, the uncertainty reduction theory emphasizes on the importance of communication in reducing uncertainties. This theory recognizes three stages in communication. These include entry, personal, and exit. This aspect can be applied in an organizat ion. In the beginning of communication process, individuals are in tension but this tension is neutralized in the final stage (Goodman 1994). This indicates the need for an organization to promote continued communication across the organization. According to this theory, the less the differences among individuals, the lower will be the level of uncertainty. People will be able to communicate more freely when they share values. Therefore, an organization can promote communication among employees by promoting common culture. Conclusion In conclusion, this discussion has clearly revealed that the expectancy value theory and the uncertainty reduction theory can play a significant role in motivating employees in an organization. By applying these theories, an organization is able to realize the importance of motivating individuals. This plays a significant role in promoting the overall performance of employees within an organization. When the productivity of employees increases, an organ ization is able to realize its goals effectively. The expectancy value theories allow the employees to understand the factors that motivate employees within an organization. This understanding enables an organization to adopt the most appropriate measures that will maximize employees’ level of satisfaction. References List Anja, V. et al. (2010). Unemployed Individuals Work Values and Job Flexibility: An Explanation from Expectancy-Value Theory and Self-Determination Theory. Applied Psychology: an International Review, Vol. 59 Issue 2, p296-317. 2010. Argenti, P.A. (2007). Strategic Corporate Communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Cornelissen, J. (2004). Corporate Communications: Theory And Practice. London: SAGE. Goodman, M. (1994). Corporate Communication: Theory And Practice. New York: SUNY Press. Gupta, S. (2011). Enhancing the Role of Corporate Communications: A Practice-based Approach. Corporate Reputation Review, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p114-132. Jennifer, T. a nd Haunani, S. (2008). Parsing the Mechanisms that Increase Relational Intimacy: The Effects of Uncertainty Amount, Open Communication About Uncertainty, and the Reduction of Uncertainty. Human Communication Research, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p625-654. Melcher, A. J. and Beller, R. (1967). Toward a Theory of Organization Communication: Consideration in Channel Selection. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 10 Issue 1, p39-52.