Financial Accounting Theory And Practice Essay

If you developed a theory to explain how a person’s cultural background influences how they prepare financial statements, would you have developed a positive theory or a normative theory? The first of all, it is important to understand the mean by a ‘theory’. According to Contemporary Accounting Theory 4e, Oxford English Dictionary provides various definitions, including: A scheme or system of ideas or statements held as an explanation or account of a group of facts or phenomena A positive theory based on some assumptions and, through logical deduction, enables some predictions to be made about the way things will be. In particular, their success in explaining or predicting particular phenomena will then typically be assessed based on observation. For instance, Watts and Zimmerman’s positive theory of accounting relying on the other researchers such as Jensen and Meckling (1976) and Gordon(1964). A normative theory based on the norms (or values or beliefs) held by the researchers proposing the theories. For example, Chambers issue has paid attention by researchers, however, they recognised and measured in different ways. If I developed a theory to explain how a person’s cultural background influences how they prepare financial statements, I will develop a positive theory. (Word count: 170) QUESTION 2 – Question 1.3: What is a conceptual framework, and would it be considered to be a positive or a normative theory of accounting? According to IFRS website shows, the definition of Conceptual Framework follows: The Conceptual Framework sets out the concepts that underlie the preparation and presentation of financial statements. It is a practical tool that assists the IASB when developing and revising IFRSs. The objective of the Conceptual Framework project is to improve financial reporting by providing the IASB with a complete and updated set of concepts to use when it develops or revises standards. In term of accounting, the conceptual framework of accounting should be considered as a normative theory of accounting. Because of a normative theory based on the norms (or values or beliefs) held by the researchers proposing the theories. (Word count:111) QUESTION 3 – Question 1.27 (NEW): The International Accounting Standards Board has a number of roles, including formulating accounting standards and developing a conceptual framework. Is the work they do in developing an accounting standard or the conceptual framework normative or positive in nature? In the given circumstance, the conceptual framework of accounting is an example of a normative theory of accounting. Relying on various assumptions about the types or attributes of information useful for decision-making, The CFA provides guidance on how assets, liabilities, expenses, income and equity should be defined, when they should be recognized, and ultimately how they should be measured. It also shows in Australia Accounting Standards Board (AASB) website, The original framework document and any previous compiled version can be found using the Browse for pronouncements page In the table below, the Notes column identifies when the framework document listed is a compiled version. â€Å"Extra† identifies when additional IASB supporting material (e.g. Basis for Conclusions) is available. (Word count: 117) QUESTION 4 – Question 1.33 (NEW): In this chapter we provided quotes from Gray, Owen and Adams (2010), in which they discuss an apparent herding phenomenon that seems to be occurring in respect of the selection and use of particular theories. They state, ‘there has been a strange herding tendency, especially around legitimacy theory’, as well as stating that they ‘also have a sneaking feeling that institutional theory may be coming up fast as the next theory around which to herd’. What do they mean by this apparent practice of ‘herding’, and what are some possible advantages and disadvantages that are related to this practice? In the give circumstance, a common phenomenon in herding is the management of some enterprises, marker behaviour. As inadequate of information and lack of understanding, it is hard for investors to make reasonable expectations of future marker uncertainty, are often extract information by observing the behaviour of those around, in which information is continuously passed, many people will be roughly the same information and reinforce each other, resulting in the herd behaviour. ‘Herding’ is a kind of nonlinear mechanism of the non-rational behaviour resulting from individual rational behaviour of the collective. The advantages of the performance of ‘herding’ for the adoption of specific or temporary situation advantage concept and the way of behaviour is accepted on the long-term nature of the dominant idea and behaviour way. However, people will follow the public agree, to their own opinions with default negation, and not subjective thinking about the meaning of events. (Word count: 149) QUESTION 5 – Question 1.35 (NEW): Do we really need financial accounting theory if all we are interested in doing is developing accounting standards? In the given question, people really need financial accounting theory if  people interested in developing accounting standards. The progresses of theories are indicate how accounting should be done, describe and explain current accounting practices, predict accounting practice, provide principles to take into account when taking action or making decisions, and help to identify problems and deficiencies with current accounting practice and improve accounting practice Therefore, theories can prepare accounting standards state that fair value should be used when calculating goodwill on acquisition, depreciation should be calculated on the basis of useful economic life, etc. A theory of capital budgeting helps us with choosing among investments; a theory of revenue recognition helps to determine when and how revenue should be recognised; it might reveal deficiencies in the way we presently measure profit; or understanding deficiencies may promote change. Hence, the conceptual framework is used as a basis for drafting accounting standards. (Word count: 150)

The Lost Squatron Short Story

On Tuesday morning, December 5, 2006, Lieutenant Jimmy McGrath, a fresh faced 22 year old, Naval academy graduate, maneuvered his fighter jet across the tarmac at the US Naval Air Station Florida to the designated runway. Behind him, awaiting their tower clearance orders were the four other members of Jimmy's squadron. The men, boys really, some with peach fuzz beards, were training for assignment in Dubai, where they could fly sorties over Afghanistan and Iraq. All five pilots had been training here in Florida for several weeks, their high stress air combat training punctuated by wild Florida nights of heavy drinking and non-stop womanizing. The locals were used to it, having hosted these flyboys since Lauderdale nearly burst at the seams with newly drafted airmen, training in T-6s, and SNJ fighter trainers during World War 2. McGrath readied his jet at the flight line and after a final instrument check, increased throttle towards rotation speed, rumbling down the runway and easing back on the stick until the two ton plane defied gravity and began a steady ascent into the clouds hanging over the azure blue ocean. McGrath banked the plane right and felt momentary g-force pressure as he rolled away from the take off flight path to allow the next jet to leave the Earth.†Hee-haw† shrieked through Jimmy's mic, as his wingman, Bobby-Joe Nicholson followed McGrath into the heavens. Nicholson grew up in tobacco rich North Carolina back country, and his accent and redneck colloquialisms made training a lot easier for everybody. Nicholson was followed by Andy Grayson, from Wichita, then Angel Fernandez of the Bronx, and finally Ron Fontaine, a graduate of the Donnelly Housing Projects in Detroit. Fontaine was voted by his peers the last person anyone wanted to meet in a back alley for a fight. He was also the most accomplished â€Å"stick man† among them. Despite his â€Å"officer and gentleman status, Fontaine's 6 foot 2 inch muscular frame and tattooed biceps gave off a menacing appearance respected and feared by the other young pilots. The five jets screamed through the blue sky, each plane's engine creating enormous jet trails flowing behind, until they maneuvered into formation. The planes floated in the air next to each other as if dangling on elastic strings, their high-powered engines, flying in unison, making it appear as if they were not even moving. â€Å"OK guys,† McGrath bellowed,† lets head south over the ocean and then take a bearing of 26 degrees, 3 minutes north, then 80 degrees, 7 minutes west toward Hen and Chickens Shoals.† Although he did not mention it, the day's flight path would eventually take them into them into heart of the Devils Triangle. The Devils Triangle, or Bermuda Triangle as it was sometimes called, was a triangular patch of ocean in the Atlantic stretching from the Florida Keys south towards the Bermuda Islands. As every school kid knows, the Triangle's legend of mystery encompasses numerous claims of disappearing ships and aircraft. None of the men gave any serious thought to the Triangle legend, not many people did anymore since the quasi-pulp fiction exposes published in the 1970s tried to give pseudo-scientific credence to alleged supernatural happenings in that part of the Atlantic Ocean. However, they all knew about it. â€Å"Where to skip,?† crackled over the airwaves from Ron Fontaine's cockpit. â€Å"We're headed to the old junked freighter for some bombing and strafing practice,† responded Lieutenant McGrath. â€Å"And Ron,† said the flight leader, â€Å"this time wait for my signal before you starting locking in on the target.† â€Å"Shiiiit,† Fontaine screeched into his headset, and the other pilots chuckled at the exchange between the two men. â€Å"Hey Lieutenant, this time can we go in youngest pilot first,?† said Fernandez. â€Å"What is it with you guys from New Yawk,† drawled Nicholson, â€Å"y'all think you're born to tell the rest of us what to do.† â€Å"Hey, Tobacco boy,† I saw a guy like you once in the Bronx Zoo, behind bars,† Fernandex replied with a laugh. â€Å"Aw can it, you two,† shouted McGrath, â€Å"and tighten up the formation. Fernandez and Grayson pick it up back there.† â€Å"Aye, aye sir,† came the reply, in unison. The old freighter had been towed to this classified location in 1945, near the war's end, and for 60 years had, along with several other decommissioned vessels, been used to train young hot-shot pilots in the art of air war. â€Å"All right, in about 60 second we'll come up on the shoals bomb site, Nicholson and Fontaine, break right and take the first pass. Remember, nose guns first, then use one Sidewinder missile each the second time around,† McGrath ordered. The silver jets streaked through the cloud-filled blue sky like sharp knives slicing through warm biscuits. The two pilots took the lead and banked towards the abandoned and anchored old ship and locked onto the target with their computerized weapons guidance system. With today's technology they could hit a small object from a distance of a mile or more, but their state side training still required close target approaches. The planes would come within 500 yards of the target on the first pass. The three other pilots kept a distance to watch the show and wait their turn, as determined by their flight leader, Lieutenant McGrath. Nicholson and Fontaine took turns firing their 30 Millimeter, seven barrel nose guns at the old tub, blasting holes in the rusting hull at apace of 3900 rounds a minute, which exploded with a fury of sparks, smoke and flying debris as they roared past â€Å"Nice work guys,† McGrath said. â€Å"Commander Taylor, my fuel is low, and my instruments are still acting up, maybe we should be heading West† crackled across his headphones in response. â€Å"Come back,† McGrath replied. Is that you Fernandez. Stop the bullshit, will ya.† â€Å"Not me, Lieutenant,† Fernandez replied, â€Å"Don't expect me to give you a promotion,† he laughed. â€Å"Cut it out,† McGrath said, as he scanned the skies around him, â€Å"are one of you guys having instrument problems?† â€Å"Everyone check in,† he commanded. â€Å"Nicholson here, I'm fine Lieutenant.† â€Å"This is Fontaine, Jimmy, no problems with my bird.† â€Å"This is Grayson, sir, it wasn't me.† â€Å"Well who the hell is playing around.† McGrath shouted. â€Å"I can't see any land, sir† came the voice again. This time someone else responded. â€Å"Boys, this is Taylor, don't worry, we left the Georgia swamp area 30 miles back, and we should be coming up on the Keys shortly,† â€Å"Who's on this frequency, identify yourselves, † Lt. McGrath said into his helmet mic. He scanned his instrument radar panel and again looked outside his cockpit canopy but did not see any other planes in the bright, clear, mid-day sky. Without answering McGrath, the unknown chatter continued. â€Å"Hey Brownie, if we ever find our way back, I'm gonna propose to that nurse I met last week at the USO Holiday dance.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah sure, the one whose feet you kept stepping on during the Glen Miller piece?† â€Å"Shiiit, Glenn Miller, what the fuck is that all about,† Fontaine said. â€Å"Hey, one of you guys playing some sort of trick on our boy Jimmy,† Fernandez laughed. â€Å"Yeah, one of those old radio shows, or some shit like that,† Fontaine replied. â€Å"I don't know about you but it's freaking me out,† said Grayson. â€Å"Anyway, whoever it is mentioned Lauderdale, so it's probably some old Navy guys out for a joyride. I see those guys come out on Sunday's sometimes and fly around in those old radial engine trainers.† â€Å"Yeah, but it ain't Sunday, and what they all doin' on our radio frequency,† drawled Nicholson. â€Å"All right, all right, forget about it. It's probably just somebody playing around,† bellowed McGrath, â€Å"lets get ready for the second run. One missile this time.† Fontaine and Grayson broke away from the formation again and headed toward the target This time they programmed their guidance system to fire one AIM-9 Sidewinder missile each at a distance of a half mile. Within seconds each jet shimmied slightly as their missiles dislodged from under their wings and moved off in an arc of white smoke toward the old half-sunken freighter. The missile warheads were loaded with only small amounts of explosives so that they would create damage but not completely obliterate the boat, leaving it sufficiently intact for further training runs. The two missiles struck, on forward one aft, almost simultaneously, and a column of smoke, debris, and sea water rose high into the air. As the mix fell back again, the pilots who were all observing the action noticed small black objects off in the distance, beyond the target area, moving slowly toward them. â€Å"What the fuck is that,† sad Fernandez into his mic. Grayson and Fontaine, who had pulled up and over the target, getting a birds-eye view of the damage they caused, rolled across the sky, unknowingly hurtling their jets directly in the path of the shadowy, black objects. Some three miles away, the rest of the squadron watched as Fontaine and Grayson blew past the objects and then banked and ascended up and to the left. As they had flown by, in the seconds they were adjacent to the objects, both pilots had seen something that had startled them. Grayson and Fontaine had peered into the cockpits of a squadron of World War 2 naval fighters, â€Å"Avengers†, each operated by a two or three man crew, a pilot facing forward, sometimes with a co-pilot, and a gunner operating a ball turret weapon aft. â€Å"Shiiit,† Fontaine yelled into his helmet mic, â€Å"did you see that Grayson.† â€Å"What the hell are those old warbirds doing way out here, the air museum operates outta Pensacola,† Grayson replied. â€Å"Hell if I know,† Fontaine said, â€Å"but they were sure as shittin surprised by us.† â€Å"Damn lucky we didn't clip their wings.† â€Å"Hey skip,† Fontaine said, calling out to Lieutenant McGrath, † you won't believe what's headed your way.† â€Å"I see 'em, Fontaine, we're gonna give those old buckets some room so we don't blow their tails off with our engines,† McGrath replied. The remaining jets elevated their flight path to avoid the oncoming relics of the past, shooting with Mach speed into the lower stratosphere. â€Å"Commander, did you see that?,† said one of the warbird pilots. â€Å"I sure did, Tex,† replied Taylor, I don't know what the hell it was but I saw a red, white and blue star on it's side so it must be ours.† â€Å"Hell yes,† Tex's gunner cried, â€Å"we must be close to the Shoals now. I see the target ship they towed out this way a few weeks ago.† â€Å"I bet that was some experimental jet the Nazis were using, I saw a few being worked on at the base. Just come over from Germany last week for testing,† said one of the Avenger pilots. OK, men, settle down† Commander Taylor ordered, â€Å"set a course for the direction of the target vessels and let's get these tired birds home.† â€Å"Hey, my instruments are working again, Commander,† said one of the pilots. â€Å"Mine too, Chuck,† cried another. â€Å"Looks like we'll make it back after all,† the Avenger flight leader said, â€Å"and not a moment too soon with these near empty gas gauges. Keep a tight formation as we head in boys. Follow my lead. Last one on the deck has to kiss Charlie McCarthy's bald head.† The jet pilots listened, without a word, to the entire conversation going on below them. Fontaine and Grayson had rejoined the group and they were all now headed due East at 400 miles an hour at an elevation of 25,000 feet. Finally, Fernandez spoke up. â€Å"You catch that, Lieutenant.† â€Å"†Probably some re-enactors,† Lt. McGrath replied, although his voice had lost its usual firm, confident tone. â€Å"What the hell they doin' out here, Jimmy,† said Nicholson, â€Å"don't make no sense at all.† McGrath had to agree. This area was restricted to Naval air traffic. He thought he better contact the base and let them know what was going on. â€Å"Flight leader Bravo calling Lauderdale, come in Lauderdale.† The air was quiet. â€Å"Flight leader Bravo calling Lauderdale, come in Lauderdale† Nothing. â€Å"Hey Jimmy,† Fontaine said, â€Å"my computer just went down.† â€Å"Hey me too,† Nicholson shouted. The five jets flew in tight formation through the clouds as chaos erupted in their cockpits. â€Å"Flight leader Chuck Taylor calling Lauderdale, come in Lauderdale.† â€Å"This is Lauderdale, where the heck you guys been?† came the reply. The Base Commander's been going crazy. They even called the War Department.† â€Å"You guys can tell the patrols to come back, we're a little late but we're home, † replied Commander Taylor. On the stormy evening of December 5, 1945, five TBM Avengers, their heavy radial engines roaring across the Florida sky, approached US Naval Air Station in tight formation. One by one the gleaming blue fighter planes lowered their flaps, cut off their throttles and eased their tired metal frames onto the tarmac. As they rolled off the runway, they passed rows of B-17 bombers, fresh from the battle over Europe, being serviced and refit for duty in the Pacific against the Japanese. Worried ground crews raced in gray jeeps toward each plane, dropping heavy wooden blocks under the wheels, and climbing up on the wings to draw back the heavy canopies to release the human cargo. The fourteen crew members scrambled to the airfield grounds and embraced one another, removing their yellow Mae West vests and crush caps, giving thanks that what was lost was once again found. Meanwhile, miles away, five jet fighters crossed the sky into an ethereal graveyard. They hurtled at supersonic speed into an endless vortex of space and time without up or down, without time or space, without any connection to the world they left behind. At NORAD, desperate computer messages flooded the communications room alerting the men and women who worked there of a crisis in the making. An Admiral rushed into the room in time to confront a telecommunications staffer who was the most recent recipient of the tragic news. â€Å"Sir,† the young ensign said to the astonished man,† Flight 19 is missing.† â€Å"Get me Rumsfeld,† the Admiral replied. Two wars, 6 decades apart. Two tragedies, dance partners in a macabre story with ironic parallels. The past and the future, melded together, and separated, one mystery solved, another one just beginning.

The Other Side of Email

The Other Side of Email Electronic communication has become a part of every aspect of our society and is recognized as being one of the most important and influential aspects of the way we carry out business. The days of anxiously waiting by the mailbox for news from a long distance relative or lover are over. We no longer send cute, labor intensive, hand written letters to relatives, and close ones. Instead, they are sent via e-mails. Email-type technology has made it much easier to contact other people in the same city, and even others around the world. In other words, instead of actually taking the time to write a letter to a friend through the mail, one can send an e-mail that takes about three seconds opposed to three or more days. In the article â€Å"The Other Side of E-Mail,† author Robert Kuttner explains the other side of email and technology, the dark side. Kuttner says that although, technology offers us many conveniences, such as being able to send and receive messages instantly, it brings along many drawbacks, such as privacy infringement. I agree with Kuttner’s thoughts on these downsides of technology. In my opinion, internet and email technology has definitively made our lives easier, but it has put our personal information at risk, significantly limited privacy, and leads to a waste of our time on a daily basis. Kuttner describes several negative effects of messaging technology. First one is that we might waste too much time in the E-mail and our privacy might be compromised. Social networking sites, like Facebook, have gotten users hooked on to the internet as if it were a drug. Almost every person I can think of has a Facebook account now days. A recent survey estimates that more than 85% of all college students use Facebook and more than 30 million users update their status at least once each day. Although, Facebook is a marvelous communicating media, hardly anything gets accomplished there. From personal experience, I have found it to be a massive waste of time that has people from all around the world addicted to it. The new, fancy technology in general is a waste of money and time. College students get caught up in the sweet talks of salesmen, and buy tablets, and other expensive gadgets to allow them to take notes in class etc. however, none of that note taking ever takes place. Most end up playing video games and texting in class, which is a step backward, not forward. Statistics also show that there is a relationship between divorce rates and Facebook, as it conveniently allows couples to stalk one another. Gary Traystman, a divorce attorney in New London, Conn. , said that of the 15 cases he handled in 2011 where co mputer history, texts and emails are admitted as evidence, 70% exclusively involve Facebook. The biggest problem with internet and messaging technology, however, is security. The fact that every bit of information about us is stored on the internet and can easily be stolen is nerve-wracking. Communication sites like Facebook, MySpace have the user’s full name, their date of birth, email ID, and even their phone numbers. All of that information can be accessed with the click of a button. The consequences of that can obviously be extremely dangerous. The internet is also filled with email scammers, and hackers. My uncle was recently scammed via the email. He made an online deal to purchase a car, which turned out to be a scam that took away $15,000 from his bank account. The clever scammer was never caught. That’s just one instance of how upsetting, and demoralizing the internet can be. Email is the main communicating media of the 21st century. When you register for banking or gaming accounts online, or even make online purchases, you are required to enter an E-mail address. If that email account is hacked, which happens frequently, all of your personal information can be stolen. In 2011, Sony’s online gaming servers were hacked, and â€Å"Hackers may have stolen the personal information of 24. 6 million Sony Online Entertainment users†, the company said. More than 20,000 credit card and bank account numbers were also put at risk. † There are many other demoralizing aspects of internet based technology, such as pornography. Children that learn how to use a computer at a young age are introduced to such content at an age that they shouldn’t be. This significantly hinders their future progress and affects their morals. Children adapt a lifestyle of sitting at home, playing with their iPods, Laptops and other internet devices, as opposed to playing sports, spending time with their relatives and family. This has led to a social disaster, especially in the U. S. , where we are so consumed by technology. As final remarks, I believe that the internet and emailing technology have completely revolutionized the world, however, it also led to many serious problems, such as infringement of privacy, wastage of time, and aiding in the leakage of personal information to online hackers. These concerns along with many others make emailing and internet not as divine and marvelous as we may think. Works Cited â€Å"Does Facebook Wreck Marriages? † – Real-Time Advice. N. p. , n. . Web. 31 Oct. 2012. . Haisha, Lisa. â€Å"Is Your Facebook Addiction a Sign of Loneliness? † The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 13 Apr. 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Sony Hacked Again; 25 Million Entertainment Users’ Info at Risk. † Wired. com. Conde Nast Digital, 30 Apr. 0011. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. .

Comparison between C++ and Java Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison between C++ and Java - Research Paper Example Later it was adapted as the basis for â€Å"HotJava† thin client that depends on a virtual machine that is very portable and secure. Java is provided with a wide-ranging library that supports total abstraction for the fundamental platform. Java is a statically typed OOP like C++ and both languages display a similar syntax though their syntaxes are not compatible with each other. Moreover, Java was designed from scratch and was aimed at portability. (Deitel & Deitel, 2009) Comparison of Features Java and C++ differ significantly when it comes to certain features and implementation in each language. These are discussed below with examples to clarify the differences. Java does not possess multiple inheritances, instead it relies on interfaces. Interfaces in Java are comparable and largely similar to classes in C++ that have nothing except for virtual functions. Java allows inheritance from one base class only even if the other base classes are composed of little else than abstrac t methods (which are pure virtual functions). However Java allows the implementation of multiple interfaces which is similar to C++ and is nearly similar. (Horstmann & Cornell, 2008) An interface in Java for a Stack would be: public interface Stack { public void Push(Object o); public Object Pop(); }; The structure for C++ is similar and is shown below: class Stack { public: virtual void Push(Object&) = 0; virtual Object& Pop() = 0; }; It must be borne in mind that an interface in Java is not a class and any functions declared in a Java interface are not implementable in the same interface. A Java interface is not allowed any member variables either. This helps Java to eliminate the multiple virtual inheritance problems seen in C++ as it is not possible to inherit identical member variables from more paths than one. Virtual inheritance creates difficulties for the programmers of all kinds. Java solves this by eliminating multiple inheritances of classes by permitting multiple interf ace implementations. This has simplified Java appreciably in comparison to C++. However there is a drawback too. Java does not allow inheriting implementation from multiple classes in cases where there are no identical member variables too. Most coding situations require that variables have multiple inheritances from base classes that possess data and functions. While C++ can help implement these through careful variable naming, Java disallows it altogether. Another aspect of major difference is garbage collection. Garbage collection is a way to manage memory by freeing memory blocks that are not being referred to anymore. For example if the Java code presented below is considered: Clock a = new Clock(); // a is a new clock // ... a is used for a while a = null; // a is set to null and the system will remove it afterwards The code above creates a new Clock object by using the keyword new. The variable a is used to refer to this new object. a has a similar structure to reference vari ables used in C++ but Java allows the reassignment of references unlike C++. The variable a is used for some time after which it is reset to null. The Java runtime system keeps a in watch and when it detects that there are no more references to a, it brands a as garbage and clears it up. This aids in returning memory to the heap. In comparison C++ does not offer such an extensive garbage collection system. Although third party freeware and

Argue for Johnny F.Sale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Argue for Johnny F.Sale - Essay Example In order to claim his benefits, Sale should work hard to progress from an amateur level to professional level. As such Sale would take advantage of his pictures, jerseys, videos and other promotional items that would generate him individual revenue. Briefly, NCAA is a none-profit organization that generates its revenues from television contracts, game events and so forth. Research shows that, NCAA primary source of revenue is television contracts. For example, in fiscal year 2006 – 2007, television and marketing revenue accounted for approximately 81.9 percent of the NCAA’s total revenue. This statement indicates that NCAA receives a lot of money from revenue generated from selling of player’s pictures, jerseys and other promotional items. Though making a lot of profit, players are not shareholders or beneficially. NCAA incurs its expenses through its operation activities that include staff wages, events organization just to mention but a few. NCAA has set forth rules for protecting its revenue. However, this paper presents a case where an Amateur player â€Å"Johnny F. Sale† demands a share of the revenue generated from his pictures, jerseys that contain his name, videos and so forth. According to NCAA rules, Sale being an amateur does not qualify to enjoy any share or revenue generated by NCAA. Such privileges are for professional players. NCAA rule state that for a player to qualify to professional level, he needs to do two of the following: (1) Try playing for a professional team and one is responsible for his expenses. Contrary, for expenses in a period of up to 48 hours, one can receive a reimbursement. (2) One may also look for a job at a hockey school. The wages for teaching are not a violation of NCAA rules. The two rules simply mean a student is not a beneficiary of the revenue generated from promotional items bearing his name, picture or video clip. Sale felt that he had the potential to benefiting from revenue generated f rom the selling of his name, pictures and video clips on NCAA website despite being a student. As a result of restrictive NCAA law, the organization has faced numerous cases in court for not complying with a player grievance. Summary of Facts In fact, NCAA benefits from the players’ names, pictures, videos clips and other promotional items. On the other hand, players do not benefit, and NCAA has put in place rules that restrain the players from benefiting until they attain professional status. This clearly shows a violation of their right to earn a living from their sporting activities while still under training. As a result, Sale would like to sell his own pictures, name, video clips and likeness. However, as per the existing rules, should he choose to do so, he will be violating NCAA rules hence becomes ineligible to compete in intercollegiate athletics. His long-term focus is to continue playing under amateur level. Moreover, he was intending to benefit from pictures of hi s own and other promotional items that concern him. Sports being in the business industry like any other business should earn the participants income from the activities they carry out while in that industry. Therefore, there are Sports law set forth to provide policies for players, sponsors and training institutions. Policies that concern players are in three categories namely; amateur, professional and international sports policies. There is

Language is the most precious and the most dangerous human gift Essay

Language is the most precious and the most dangerous human gift Friedrich Hlderlin - Essay Example Language is one of the most precious human gifts as it allows human beings to exchange thoughts and share information. Language is founded in the human need to make sense of the world and our place in it. What distinguishes it from mere personal opinion and credulity is its rejection of passionate convictions as sufficient grounds for belief and action, and its commitment to careful analysis and systematic reasoning. Name of essay Language is the most precious and the most dangerous human gift perfectly reflect communative tool between people. Rather than a uniform body of doctrine, philosophy manifests itself in an ongoing process of critically examining and refining the grounds for our beliefs and actions, the ideas we recognize as true, as deserving our loyalty and commitment. Thesis Friedrich Hlderlin states that language is the most precious and the most dangerous human gift". Language is among the signs and symbols by which humans order their worlds and construct their conceptions of reality. Researchers explore symbolic and semiotic accounts of language as an instrument by which people conceive reality or construct their representations of it: the ways in which experience mediates interpretation of the world. Since symbolism requires a relation between two different kinds of thing, one that symbolizes or signifies and another that is symbolized or signified, the dualistic tensions between the linguistic intrinsic and extrinsic figure prominently in symbolic theories, as do questions about interpretive latitude. Suspending 'logical' belief in the opposition of subject and object, inside and outside, mind and body, phenomenologists explore language from the perspective of the lived, bodily experience-from the interpreter's point of view, one might say. By attempting to set aside the binary oppositions that fuel debates between autonomists and heteronomists , phenomenology offers a perspective that is strikingly fresh and richly resonant with language as a lived, human process (Bennett et al 43). The idea that language structure is in some sense symbolic has philosophical roots that probably extend at least as far back in history as the ancient doctrines of mimesis and ethos-the belief that language imitates and shapes attributes of human character. The influence of idealism is also quite often evident in symbolic theories, since its quest to secure a place for language in the realm of cognitively significant activity yielded so many inspiring descriptions of language's distinctive felt and rational attributes. Also, since symbolic accounts generally entail the conviction that language's significance is a function of its capacity to signify, point to, or represent something other than itself, familiar tensions between expression and autonomy (between referential capacity and presentational immediacy) often lie very near the surface. Thus, symbolic accounts of language occasionally resonate deeply with idealistic philosophical orientations of formalistic or expressionistic per suasions, orientations to which they are in certain respects related. At the heart of her theory lies a very distinctive definition of 'symbol': a vehicle for the conception of reality (Searle 82). Anthropology of language suggests that language is the main criterion that distinguishes humans from other animals. What language does, in this view, is enable conception. This act of coherence making is, furthermore, the common foundation of thought and language; this achievement of coherence, not the logical operations by which it is subsequently manipulated and ordered, is the root of humankind's distinctive mental power. In other words, thought and language are each ways albeit contrasting ways -- of 'transforming

Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Perspectives - Essay Example But if the actual origin of this concept is explored, it can be attributed to the discovery of the earth being a circle rather than a square. In fact, the spherical connotation wards of all the edges! The satellite pictures of the earth also show it as a unified area with patches of green and blue lending a symphony to its being. Even geology justifies the concept of 'global village'! But ponder before you get euphoric over this expression of rationality. The concept of globalization operates on near ideal conditions. These conditions rest on one major condition, subsequently. And the condition is that the whole world needs to have an access to this technology. And there lies the catch! Sitting in your Los Angeles office, you cannot even imagine the gravity of starvation and epidemic in so many Afro-Asian countries. When even basic needs are not met, who cares about Internet or satellite revolution Or in a more jargonistic way, who cares for or for that matter, even understands globalization. Globalization is an umbrella term that refers to increased interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural, political and ecological spheres. Theodore Levitt is credited with the first use of this term in the economic context. It is very important to understand globalization in the economic context and attribute its origin to the West and see its ramifications as embraced by other societies. Ours is an age of democracy. Democracy as a form of government, characterized by elections and the installation of a representative government, has been becoming a global phenomenon. The fall of the socialist world and domestic and global changes in Latin America, Africa and Middle East have brought democracy to places and shores where it was undreamt a few years ago, giving people a taste of freedom. But the globalization of democracy as a form of more of more legitimate representative government has not been accompanied by genuine efforts to tackle the problems of democracy (such as tension between equality and liberty, the dictatorship of majority, the actual as well as manufactured disinterest of the so-called electorate process resulting in as much as 50 per cent of them not fulfilling their constitutional obligation to vote) and to widen the universe of democracy in accordance with the historical changes taking place in social systems as well as in the light of desired agenda o f transformation. The first wave of globalization was initiated by the British Empire during 1870-1914, when the whole world was virtually inducted into the extensive international trading relationships. This era collapsed after the First World War. It is pertinent to note that finance was not an important segment of that era's economy. Globalization therefore remained restricted to the domain of trade and direct (physical) investment. In fact, it was only after 1980s that this term got introduced in America. It became internationally popular in the 90s after the fall of Berlin Wall. Capitalism was declared to have been the winner of the Cold War over communism with which it was believed by many to have been in competition for three-quarters of a century. Now it was sold by the great powers to the world as the superior economic system, by sheer virtue of having outlived its rival.

Perform critical analysis of images used by the media, example, Research Paper

Perform critical analysis of images used by the media, example, commercial - Research Paper Example The audience which this was based on could range from those who were only beginning to drive to individuals who were looking for upgrades for their car for either longer road trips or to drive within the city. The tone of the commercial is inclusive of two voice overs, both males. The commercial takes the tone of boys that are playing with toy cars and which are ‘pretending’ to take specific turns with the car to overcome danger, make the commercial and to present a specific viewpoint about what the car represents. The tone is also inclusive of an undertone of believing in everything that the car can do, despite the sense of make – believe which is being conducted through the two voice overs. The message that is stated is based on the spoken communication, which includes everything one wants to be in the car, ranging from the hot woman driving â€Å"super fast† to overcoming a chase to being a school teacher. The stated message then moves into the slogan of â€Å"Chevy Runs Deep’ to show that the car is for everyone. The implied message goes into the car being able to be every person who drives the car is able to achieve all of their dreams. The concept of the film and the message which is created goes into the brand meeting the mental model of consumers. The concept used through the narration is first given as a speed effect, which elevates mood. This is done with a 1 minute commercial which continuously changes speed, has fast talking men thinking about the commercial and which shows the message of how the car can allow an individual to be anything. This elevates the mood, specifically toward the end when they end the clip with the woman driver being a teacher. However, the message which is implied moves beyond this. The car goes through the scenes that are from other cars, such as driving through a desert, going on a high speed chase in the city and jumping from a building. These are known not to be realistic which makes a mockery out of the past commercials and of the competitors, showing that a car used for everyday life still has the same capacities for those who need a high – quality car. The exposure to the settings of other car commercials, as well as the implications with the fast speech and imagination which leads into reality then creates a personal connection of what it means to own a car which is needed for everyday life (Sutherland, 1). Film Techniques The techniques which are used through the film continue with adding in the persuasion of the commercial. The beginning only has the voice overs and a black scene, which then moves into â€Å"I have a great idea for the Camero commercial† followed by seeing the desert and a car in the distance. This landscape shot is followed by moving close in to the car but not distinguishing the features, which is then followed by the voice overs saying â€Å"bam! It’s super fast.† These two first shots build the curiosity of th e consumer and grab the attention of those who are watching the commercial. The curiosity and attachment to the film continues to build with a quick clip which changes into another close up of showing the car swerving through mirrors. The camera angle uses a slant instead of a straight shot to show that there is a sense of not carrying a sense of reality. This

Should Canada, North America, and Central America form an American Essay

Should Canada, North America, and Central America form an American Empire, or super-state, similar to the European Union - Essay Example ree leaders, President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Martin, and President Fox of Mexico conferred to deliberate upon bringing the North American countries as one. The leaders had agreed to settle for a condition in which both political and economic policies on security and antiterrorism would be integrated encompassing sectors as immigration, energy, transportation, and customs and to be complied with by the nations involved. Combining regulations to such extent might to some point yield the desired results however, since it would eventually expedite border crossing and facilitate an approach that favors ease in clearance of commodities and people at the continental level, one would not afford but imagine how it would give further allowance to entries beyond good cause. Once boundaries become freely movable, there would be huge probability toward illegal trade of goods as in smuggling, drug trafficking, and prostitution. Additionally, the common security perimeter would most likely induce elements that run counter to preservation of culture unique for each nation (Edwards). Super-state formation, on considering adoption of foreign policy, may entail threat to laws or acts made to protect both human health and environment. Just like the initial step by NAFTA, SPP has also targeted to modify certain regulations that enable corporations or private business firms to file charges against provincial and municipal governments. Later on, this would lessen the chance for environmentalists to express and defend their concerns since the new set of standards regard commercial motives more than environmental impact and would thus limit favor on establishing safety measures on humanitarian aspect. As it turns out, the union inhibits a sense of democracy especially when Amero becomes the new currency upon the mergence (Wells). The associated plan to establish a global transportation system is initially difficult to gauge given the complexity of the transportation

Quality Assurance Essay Example for Free

Quality Assurance Essay It is the policy of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E. T.B.- Mayo Area to develop and implement an effective Quality Assurance system that demonstrates consistent repetition of good performance using a system of documented procedures, which are known, understood and operated by all personnel. Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area’s QA system demonstrates our capacity to monitor, evaluate and improve the quality of programmes and services to teachers and tutors as well as learners. All Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area providers Quality Assurance systems are approved by FETAC (Further Education and Training Awards Council). What you need to know On Induction you will be provided with information about your programme and the assessment process from your tutors, However it is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with all assessment information and ask for clarification on anything that you feel you do not fully understand. This handbook includes all assessment policies and procedures. All learners must sign for receipt of the handbook. September 2013 Version 3 Quality Assurance Policies Assessment Fair and Consistent Assessment of Learners Policies and Guidelines. Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area Mission Statement In line with its mission statement, it is the policy of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.Mayo Area to provide a supportive and positive mechanism to ensure that all learners are assessed in an equitable manner and that transparent procedures are evident to guarantee satisfactory outcomes for all stakeholders. Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area is committed to ensuring that all methods of assessment are effective in measuring learner attainment in line with documented learning outcomes and that assessment policy and practices are effective in monitoring the validity, equity and reliability of assessment consistent with national best practice. The planning and recording of assessments is to be carried out in accordance with the awarding body’s (FETAC) requirements and centre procedure. In order to achieve this Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area has implemented the following documented policies, guidelines and procedures: Admissions Policy Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area VEC Code of Behaviour for Students and Procedures Assessment Deadline Policy Feedback Policy Grievance Regarding A Grade Policy Appeals Policy Exceptional Circumstances Policy Plagiarism Policy and Procedure for corrective action. Assessment Malpractice Policy. Application for Specific provision. Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area Computer Network and Internet Usage Policy. September 2013 Version 3 Assessment Information Learner Guidance and Information It is the learners’ responsibility to follow all guidelines on assessment. Learners will receive the following information either written or verbally from the teacher delivering each module:The purpose, methods and schedule of FETAC assessment tasks. Relevant module descriptors, assessment criteria and deadlines for submission of evidence. A copy and explanation of section 9 (Assessment Regulations for Candidates) from NCVA/FETAC â€Å"Regulations for Centres and Candidates.† What elements will and will not count towards interim and final assessment and with what weighting. Comprehensive assessment briefs and instructions for all levels. The marking and grading conventions used. The consequences of assessment, such as decisions about progression and rights of appeal, i.e. grievance regarding a grade form. Plagiarism; the definition and the penalties, including examples of acceptable referencing techniques and Procedures for Corrective Action. How and when assessment decisions are made. – Feedback Policy, Appeals Policy. Policy on late submission of work. – Assessment Deadline Policy, Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Standards expected regarding the hand in of work. Channels of communication i.e. feedback, query regarding a grade etc. – Grievance Regarding a Grade Form. Learner roles and responsibilities Learners are responsible for seeking and ensuring that they are familiar with information on assessment, including deadlines etc. Learners will follow the required procedures for assessment Learners must observe deadlines as notified by the centre for the submission of all assessment work. Candidates must sign a statement on all work to be assessed stating that all projects, assignments, learner records and collections of work/portfolio work presented for assessment are their own original work – See Plagiarism Policy. Where group projects/assignments have been undertaken, all candidates must indicate which part of the work is their own. The portfolio of each group member should record or contain supporting evidence of the individual’s contribution to the group task. September 2013 Version 3 Learners must not interfere with or damage in any way the work of other candidates. Learners must follow the rules and regulations of the VEC and FETAC regarding assessment. Learners should ensure that they keep a copy of their own work. Once handed in assessment work will not be returned to learners, this is for security of assessment purposes. Art and craft work, will be returned to learners, this may be collected at a specified date and time after the appeals deadline has expired – centres will notify learners of these times. If a learner does not collect the work or contact the centre by the specified date, the art and craft work will be destroyed, this is for security of assessment purposes. Admissions Policy This policy is set within the context of The Department of Education and Science, criteria and procedures, The National Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 (NQAI) and The Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), published policies. This admissions policy is issued Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area to facilitate lifelong learning and promote opportunities for: Access Transfer Progression All Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.- Mayo Area centres aim to: Provide a fair and transparent system of admissions for all prospective learners. Make reasonable provision and accommodation for learners, including those with a disability in accordance with relevant legislation, with due regard to the efficient use of available resources. See application for specific provision. All centres must inform learners of the knowledge skill and competence required for successful application in every programme offered. Any specific entry requirements for a programme will be stated including appropriate alternative experience or qualifications. These will follow FETAC’s guidelines ‘Information for Learners Guidelines for Providers.’ All applications for programmes received in any of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim E.T.B.Mayo Area Centres for that programme will be examined by centre staff. All September 2013

Nurse Staffing: Job Satisfaction and Retention

Nurse Staffing: Job Satisfaction and Retention Elizabeth Campins Overview of Quantitative Article The study conducted by (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014), entitled Nurse Staffing and the Relationship to Job Satisfaction and retention, will be the object of the article analysis for this assignment. We are going to evaluate the research question of the study, the study design, representativeness, and the result of the data analysis including strengths and weakness of the study. Research Question The problem that has been addressed in the study is if the nurse-patient ratios affect job satisfaction and retention. The research questions for this article are the following: Has the number of patients assigned to the nurse resulted in job satisfaction? Has the actual economic situation influenced nurse decision to stay in the current position? (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014) The above research questions contain variables referred as predictors that can be measure. Those predictors are the staffing size of registered nurses, and number of the patients assigned to nurses. For the second research question the predictor is the actual economic situation which includes the numbers of layoffs and/or hiring, and costs-services reduction. The outcome of this study is nurse retention and job satisfaction. One we have the problem clear, the population of interest identifies, the interventions considered feasible, and the standard and future comparison established we are in the path to find the best evidence (Adams, 2012, p. 73). Study Design Nurse Staffing and the Relationship to Job Satisfaction and retention by (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014) is a quantitative design study. It is valuable for explaining relationship, nursing measurement and quantification that conduct to conclusive results (Peters, 2012, p. 161). The specific design of this study is non-experimental. It describes the relationship between nurse staffing, job satisfaction, and nurse retention in an acute care environment. More specifically this article is a correlational design study because establish relationship among variables or better to say among predictors and outcomes (Peters, 2012, p. 176). The type of predictive correlational designs for this study is model-testing. For this model type it is probable that researchers hypothesize which variables can conduct to better outcomes. Sample Size and Representativeness The type of sample for this study is a non-probability sampling method. It is used when the sampling frame cannot be calculated. As a result, the threat of selection bias is increased and is less representative of the selected population (White, 2012, p.257). Among non-probability sampling, this article is a convenience or consecutive type where the participants are recruited as they become available (White, 2012, p.257). There were seventy subjects selected as they become available. The majority were female with ages between thirty three and forty five years old. In addition, data collection last over thirty days. The strategy for choosing the subjects were stablished before the selection. It requires RN licensed, with six months experience at bedside in an acute care institution. The level of education at the time of the collection, age, gender, was also required. In addition was asked if the subjects were employed in a Magnet hospital. Results of data analysis Procedures Quantitative method takes in consideration data analysis after the data collection is finished. The study used statistical analysis. The tool was IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 20. For demographic and subscale variable was used descriptive statistics to determine if the predictive variable, that we mention at the beginning of the paper were related to the outcome nurse retention and job satisfaction. The following survey tools NWI-R (Nursing Work Index Revision) and COP (control over practice) subscales, which was taken from the NWI-R, were used to measure job satisfaction. A weak positive relationship between control over practice and nursing staff indicates that there is a relationship between workload and job satisfaction. One more retention variable was analyzed with frequency and percentage to get results about the actual economic situation affecting the decision to keep the current position. A moderately strong negative correlation shows that a nurse will consider leaving their actual position if the dissatisfaction increases. It Level (p) means a statistical parameter of the analysis. It was set at alpha equal to 0.05. The theme identified was nurse-patient high ratios work-load. It concluded that incrementing responsibilities during the shift put at risk satisfactory patient care, and raise nursing dissatisfaction and turnover. A common strategy mentioned for the participants to retain them in bedside nursing care was improving nursing-ratios. This strategy will decrease the cost of hiring and training new staff nurses, and it will retain experienced nurses. Improving the nurse to patient ratio is highly valuable to increase job satisfaction and retention. Summary of the Strengths and weakness The study major strengths were in data collection. The method of collection corresponds directly with the research question. It contains a variety of age groups and level of experience of the participants. An additional strength of the study is the use of control over practice subscale (COP) as an important survey mechanism to measure job determine the levels of job satisfaction and its impact on the nurse environment (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014). The main weakness in the study was a sample size with only seventy participants as they become available during a thirty days period. For this reason is complicated to determine the generalizability of this research to the larger population (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014). The study demonstrates that exist relationship between predictors and outcomes. This relationship does not show relevant threats in bias, history, maturation, testing or instrumentation. We are confident that the study has a relevant internal validity. On the other hand, it is not possible to conclude that the study can be generalized to other subjects or settings because of the limitations of the sample size (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014). This study is not generalized to larger population, as a result, has a weak external validity. Summary of the Major Points of the Paper From Nurse Staffing and the Relationship to Job Satisfaction and retention by (Hairr, Salisbury, Jonansson, Redfern-Vance, 2014) we considered two important research questions for a quantitative study. It was reviewed the sample size and its representativeness of the population. After analyzing the data and procedures results we summarize the strengths and weakness of this study supporting our conclusion with (Peters, 2012, p. 150). Overview of a Qualitative Article The study conducted by (Lavoie-Tremblay et al., 2014), entitled Transforming care at the Bedside: Managers’ and Health Care Providers’ Perception of their Change Capabilities will be the focus of the article analysis for this assignment. We are going to evaluate the research question of the study, the study design, representativeness, and the result of the data analysis including strengths and weakness of the study. Research Question The problem that has been addressed in this study is the perceptions of managers and others healthcare providers about their change capabilities. The research questions are the following: Are the new strategies, that nurses are implementing, working to create better results in a way that make communication and teamwork easier and more efficient? Does the new project reduce wasteful work? (Lavoie-Tremblay et al., 2014). In the above research questions the research has interest in specific information from the person point of view and their inside about the subject studied (Mauk, 2012, p. 189). Participants that are knowledgeable on the researching theme are called key informants for the purpose of qualitative research. Study Design Transforming care at the Bedside: Managers’ and Health Care Providers’ Perception of their Change Capabilities by (Lavoie-Tremblay et al., 2014), is a qualitative design study. Among of the four types of qualitative research, our study is categorized as grounded theory where the main review of literature is examined when the research has being completed to compare the theory with other reviews, and create theories for other processes (Mauk, 2012, p. 199). There is not set of sample size at the beginning of the data collection. The researcher gets data until they are saturated with the information needed (Mauk, 2012, p. 200). The strategy used in our study is focus groups. The study involved three focus groups: pediatric medicine unit, an adult acute respiratory care unit, and an adult neurologic unit. Also was considered three individual interviews. The study was conducted for nine months (Lavoie-Tremblay et al., 2014). Sample Size and Representativeness As stated before, sample size in grounded theory is known at the end of the collection data. It relied on focus groups where the key informants where selected from managers and healthcare providers included in the transforming care at the bedside (TCAB) teams. It also includes recruited patient’s representation from the hospital’s committees whose members had been patients or had family members who were patient. The sample included sixteen women and three men for a total of nineteen participants. The demographic information (gender, age, education, job title) was collected to allow for an external assessment of the generalizability of the findings to a different setting (Polit Beck, 2012, p. 518). Results of data analysis Procedures Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed using NVivo data analysis. This procedure facilitates a rigorous analysis of unstructured data (Miles, Huberman, Saldaà ±a, 2013). Data analysis was examined in three ways: Condensing the data or coding the transcripts, presenting the data for discussion with the research team, and verifying the data with an audit trail to keep a record of the data collection details throughout the study. Two outside researchers coded the transcripts to reduce the chances of biased interpretation. Some of the themes identified were: Learning skills, sharing leadership capabilities with other staff members, impact of the changes for the institution and personally, the perception of the team approach to lead change, among others. Summary of the Strengths and weakness The strengths of the research article were sustained in the fact that the motivation to work as a team develops change capabilities in participants. The study gave the tools and resources necessary to identify, implement and evaluate changes. The study was successful in developing most of the target elements to change. Participants mentioned how their unit’s mode of functioning went from working alone to teamwork style. Also, they mentioned that the TCAB project helped them develop new skills and capacities for change. This study has credibility (Mauk, 2012, p. 200). It has being confirmed through members check after researchers sharing the results with participants to make sure the finding reflected what they say during the interviews. The study limits the generalizability of the results because was only conducted in three units. Summary of the Main Points of the Paper Transforming care at the Bedside: Managers’ and Health Care Providers’ Perception of their Change Capabilities by (Lavoie-Tremblay et al., 2014) we considered two important research questions for a qualitative study. It was reviewed the sample size and its representativeness of the population. After analyzing the data and procedures results we summarize the strengths and weakness of this study supporting our conclusion with (Mauk, 2012, p. 194). References Adams, S. (2012). Identifying research questions. In N. A. Schmidt, J. M. Brown (Eds.), Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (2nd ed., pp. 67-87). Sudbury, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Hairr, D. C., Salisbury, H., Jonansson, M., Redfern-Vance, N. (2014, May/June). Nurse staffing and the relationship to job satisfaction and retention. Nursing Economic$, 32. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3[emailprotected]hid=4212 Lavoie-Tremblay, M., O’Connor, P., Lavigne, G. L., Biron, A., Ringer, J., Baillageon, S., Briand, A. (2014, Nov). Transforming care at the bedside: Managers’ and health care providers’ perceptions of their change capacities. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45(11), 514-520. http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20141023-02 Mauk, K. L. (2012). Qualitative design: using words to provide evidence. In N. A. Schmidt, J. M. Brown (Eds.), Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (2nd ed., pp. 187-215). Sudbury, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., Saldaà ±a, J. (2013). Qualitative data analysis: A method sourcebook (3rd ed.). Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=3CNrUbTu6CsCprintsec=frontcoverdq=Qualitative+data+analysis:+A+method+sourceboockhl=ensa=Xei=NZzOVMT_L6fPsQStvIDYDAved=0CDQQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Qualitative data analysis: A method sourceboockf=false Peters, R. M. (2012). Quantitative design: Using numbers to provide evidence. In N. A. Schmidt, J. M. Brown (Eds.), Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (2nd ed., pp. 165-185). Sudbury, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Polit, D. F., Beck, C. T. (2012). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (9th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippicott Williams Wilkins. White, A. H. (2012). Using samples to provide evidence. In N. A. Schmidt, J. M. Brown (Eds.), Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (2nd ed., pp. 247-271). Sudbury, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning.

Marketing orientation and its importance in planning

Marketing orientation and its importance in planning Harris (2002, p. 247) Defines Marketing Orientation as The extent to which an organisation is perceived to act in a coordinated, customer and competitor-oriented fashion. Narver and Slaters (1990) also confirm there are three dimensions of Marketing Orientation, customer orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination. With marketing orientation, a business revolves its strategic decisions around the wants and needs of the target market, including potential customers. A company that is marketing-orientated has the commitment to valuing customers and the customers needs. In fact, it can even contribute to the transformation of a companys business culture. This marketing concept involves three essential steps in being customer-focused. First, the wants and needs of the customers are researched and identified. Then, the research outputs are studied by the marketers and new products are created based on the consumer needs. Finally, customer satisfaction is aimed after public awareness and introduction of the product is made. A marketing-orientated business is characterised by various attributes. The company makes good and extensive use of marketing research, develops new and broad products, highlights product value and benefits, uses product innovation methods, and designs supplementary services or customer benefits such as delivery, installation, warranty, and credit availability. All these are geared toward customer advantage. Marketing orientation has three common alternatives which can be adopted by a company and these are sales orientation, product orientation, and production orientation. Looking at Renaults orientation, the conclusion that we have made is that Renault is a market orientated organisation. The reason for this conclusion is Renault is very focused on the needs and wants for the consumer. They have different types of cars focusing on different markets for their customer base. For example, Clio which is marketed at young adults who may have a low budget for purchasing the car. On the other side of the spectrum where the Laguna or Megane could be classed as a high specification family car. Also Renault has many of these cars in a range of sports models. Due to the nature of the business which Renault is involved in they have had to diverse the range of car models which they sell due to its competitors. For example Ford and Vauxhall. Another good example is Renault are in the process of developing hybrid cars and electric cars within its car range. According to Renault (2011) the first electric car will be sold in Israel in 2011 and then in other countries. The reason for this has come from customer demand, consumers are more aware of rises in fuel prices and carbon emissions. This would be a classic example how Renault is a market orientated company. In terms of RD Renault listen to their consumers as different customers have different types of criteria when purchasing a car. Mack (1996) states That to reinforce customer loyalty they involve existing customer in the design of its cars. According to Renault (2011) Renault- Nissan Alliance spend 4 billion Euros on the investment on electric parts. Many Eastern European countries would have a different specification of a car compared to someone in the UK. For example countries such as Bulgaria and Romania need cars that cater for larger families. Also some countries may not require a car which has a soft top due to climate conditions being different in comparison to a country where the weather is hot. Countries where the weather is constantly warm may require cars to have air conditioning. The Renault car called Dacia Logan has created in 2004, this particular type of car was designed for people in developing countries of the world. The car was first sold in Romania at a very cheap price of 5000 Euros and then moved into South America and India after proving a success when the car was first launched. Demographics would play a major role in the RD aspect of the business so Renault would know where and how to market their final end product. Boddy (2008) defines PEST analysis as A technique for indentifying and listing the political, economic, social, technological, environment and legal factors. Political Factors: The political factors in any country are largely responsible to alter a business environment as company may decide to change its business strategy based on the political scenario of the region it is based in. The government of any country regulates power supply, telecom and postal services and finance. The following are the political factors that affect Renault within the UK. Current taxation policy: According to the Trade and Investment minister Digby Jones the UK is becoming least attractive to work and invest due to the taxation policy, which was under pressure from opposition to tax rich foreign investors doing business in the UK. Thus the labour party proposed a cut on taxing investors who are non-UK domiciled. Also a worth mention is VAT which means value added tax. It is charged on most goods and services that are VAT registered. The recent recession has affected a lot of businesses most importantly the car manufacturing in the UK, it can be seen as going through a bad phase for the automobile industry. Thus UK motor agency served a budget to the current Government in the UK and urged it to create a right mix of policies to sustain growth in the segment. Renault decided to follow the following measures to counter any future threats in regards to financial aspect of the same by the following measures: Continue to put pressure on banks to give more loans Support automotive council Freeze fuel duty Following the Kyoto protocol, more political pressure has been imposed to the polluting industries. Regarding the car market, Governments across the world have established some environmental penalties and bonuses to manufacturers and consumers. For customers, they need to pay a tax to the government according to the level of CO2 emissions. This can have a massive influence for buyers, especially with sports car and ones with large engines which are regarded as the most polluting. Economic factors: Osbourn (2011) mentions Chancellor of Exchequer made a budget statement which is meant to reform the nations economy and this time the budget is neutral and also becomes the best place in Europe to invest, which is a good sign for car manufacturers as certain taxes applicable have been cut and import duty has been significantly reduced, which is a sign of relief for car manufacturers. Godlevskaja et al (2011) states: Many OEMs are expanding their model lines to entice new customers and increase overall customer base range. Often at their competitors expense. At the same time growth increase is limited within the auto mobility industry as a whole. in the EU new car demand fell 7.8 per cent to 14.7 million units in 2008 that reflects consumer concerns about the economy the buying power from consumers this could have been down toward the recession, despite this Renault would continuously market themselves to its potential consumers. Having customer awareness makes people want to purchase their vehicles with newer models being introduced. Sociological Factors: These factors constitute various social factors such as cultural aspects, demographics, lifestyles and attitudes. For e.g. Whatever works in one country may not be successful in other, Renault may sell racing cars in France but for a market like India it needs to launch small cars as in this country small cars are much in demand due to the infrastructure of the company and population size. Demographics: Renault is the third largest car manufacturer in the world with its presence across Europe, Asia and even Africa thus it needs to proactive rather than reactive in development in these countries. Its policy of developing strategic alliances with local manufacturers helps it to get an edge in the global scenario as locals know their home market better, they use a tried and tested marketing strategy of targeting the right market segment to see if it works sells. Such alliances apart from fostering industrial harmony also helps in sharing of technological aspects of each firm, and helps develop new products such as the concept of electrical cars to save fuel and protect the environment. Though Renault is a French company it has alliances across the Globe that helps it foster multicultural aspects. In which the sentiments of local population are not hurt as they continue using the same product such as in case of Romania and Korea. Where in Renault acquired Dacia and Samsung motors respectively. Such alliances also help it to launch existing vehicles from one region to the other, also known as market development from Ansoffs matrix. Alà ¡ez-Aller et al (2010) states knowing your customers needs and wants are vital to success to entry strategy within new regions. In depth analysis of macro and micro environment is key when consumers are looking to purchase vehicles. Technological Factors: Any company from any sector catering to any segment needs to change at some point, in order to grow and survive the growing competition from consumers and competitors. Godlevskaja et al (2011) states: Firms must constantly adjust their service portfolios because it is important for companies to have a dynamic service portfolio that is adapted to various customer needs. Consequently companies that fail to do so lose in the long term as the outside world is very competitive and brutal to securing a position in the market. Companies worldwide spend millions of money just to make sure that they do not lag behind if they lack the technical expertises. Renault (2011) quotes directly from its website: Renault is committed to the development and implementation of new technologies into every aspect of our vehicles. Renaults engineers cover every angle roadholding, safety, comfort, soundproofing, etc. in their relentless quest to make motoring a pleasurable experience. Porters five forces analysis and criticism In order to settle a strategy, a company must analyse its industry. However the analysis of its competitor is not enough to understand all the aspects of the business. The types of businesses are various and numerous. But in almost all the industries, Michael E. Porter has identified a common structure composed by five global forces. These are to take into consideration in order to implement a successful strategy. 1. The Analysis For our topic we will consider these five forces within the car industry adapted to the Renault Company. Rivalry among existing competitors Strong competition Very strong competitive rivalry in the cars sector, especially with the brands focusing on a particular market segment. E.g. Audi are becoming leaders on high standard quality cars, while TATA is undertaking the low cost cars segment The Asian manufacturers have a very strong growth thanks to their low cost cars and their quality car is very reliable. E.g. KIA and their 7 years warranty. The structure of the automotive industry is becoming more and more powerful because of all the merges and the joint ventures, so the competition is strong and aggressive. The threat of new entrants Low threat Few new brands entering on the market for these important reasons: The investment that has to be made is extremely important. Especially in the manufacture part of the activity, where the investment must be important if the brand wants to get a competitive advantage The experiment and the know-how are essential elements to have its place on its market, in particular on management of the costs and the competitiveness. The competitors already present are already well known brands. All these companies trend to be restructured into fewer big groups. These implicate that they are more powerful and do not let possibilities for any small new company to enter in the market The threat of substitute Mild/ Relative Threat Even if there are the other ways of transportation, the car remains indispensable nowadays. It is true that sometimes changing the transportation way can have some advantages as the cost (with the low cost airline carrier), the ethic of environment (with ecological way of transports such as trains or the buses) or time in important factor within lsrger cities (with the underground), none of the transport way offer a good mix of utility, convenience, independence, and value afforded by automobiles. Nowadays, the automotive companies have a wide range of product, which can satisfy every demand, in adapting their cars in satisfying every new need, that increases the loyalty of the consumers to use cars. Bargaining power of the suppliers: Dependence Suppliers/Customer The purpose is being to establish a profitable, reliable relation for both parts. But the parts suppliers are sometimes small manufactures so Renault has more pressure to put on its supplier in terms of price However the image of Renault, as a reliable car company also depends on the quality of the car parts Suppliers are also important to Renault in terms of costs, according to Renault (2011): Suppliers account for 80% of total vehicle production costs. It is therefore essential for Renault to gain their commitment and to make them part of its approach to sustainable development Bargaining power of the buyers Strong power of negotiation The consumers are the target of communication campaigns and marketing actions because it is more and more tempted to try other brands The final product are standardised, customers can put the pressure on the different vendors insisting on the fact that an equivalent car can be find from another company for approximately the same price The negotiation can be in the price, but also on obtaining more options or services with same price. This affects the costs to organisations 2. Criticism of the Porters analysis The three new forces The Porter analysis remains one of the most influential marketing and strategy tool. However this analysis has been written by Porter during the 1980s, and the economic world has considerably changed during the last decades. Especially due to the Internet and all the e-business that make evolved most of the industries. Larry Downes, co-author of Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance relates in the article Beyond Porter that the Porters five forces analysis is no longer a complete tool to opt for a viable strategy. He describes new strategic frameworks composed by three new factors (forces), which permit to analysis the business area more relevantly: The digitalisation Due to increase power of information technology, new business models will be born from the market. This allowed the global awareness of the consumers on the global market. The competitors will now not only be part of the same industry. Now the tour operator Thomas Cook can be a competitor of Renault. These two companies will push their clients to use their money to buy their product when there are the same prices According to Recklies (2008) The old economy used IT as a tool for implementing change. Today technology had become the most important driver for change. Therefore mindsets have changed for organisations and how they operate; the final end product will require an element of technological advances for it to successful in modern society due to social factors. The Globalisation The globalisation of the market is nowadays something that a company cannot afford to ignore. The effects of the globalisation on businesses are betterment in the areas of distribution logistics and communication. The Global companies have to adapt their strategies in function of the global network. These strategies remain more complex than what Porter describe. Its not a question of price or quality for the customers, but trying to reach a type of loyal relationship with a network of partners and consumers. The deregulation One of the big changes in the business from the Porters model is the taking into consideration of the intervention of the governments in the business and in the industries. Because of the action of the states (new laws, new quality requirements, new importation/exportation quotas) the industries and the organisations have to adapt their strategies, finding new alternatives to their business models. These factors became important but they rarely appear into the Porter analysis. So an important Company like Renault cannot focus on this tool to create a solid and successful strategy. The purpose of the five forces model is to define the attractiveness of an industry in relation with theses 5 forces. But according to Dagmar Recklies: In economics, the constellation of factors determines issues like profit maximisation or supernormal profits. So we can conclude that the Porters five forces analysis is a strategy tool that can be used only knowing its limitations and among others tools to be the base of a correct strategy. Place Jobber (2006) defines price as The agreed value placed on the exchange by a buyer and seller. Price is one of the fixed key factors in the marketing mix and should be blended together with all element of the marketing mix, to create customer value. It can be argued then that price interlinks with the other elements of the marketing mix and must be met by supply and demand to achieve its best. Price in the marketing mix is very important to a business as it can determine if a company is successful or not when selling the product, it can be perceived that price can reflect quality when selling to consumers. The price can affect the following areas so its pivotal to have the right pricing strategy to market the right product. Pricing Goals Marketing Mix Price Price can include the cost of production to an organisation and the strategy they use to market the product at a competitive price so consumers decide to use you, rather than your competitors. The price of a product can be sold at a cut-price to boost volume of sales. This can be a strategy used by organisations to gain market share which can have its positives and negatives. Walker (2006) states Having low prices may be perceived by consumers as being low quality. Organisation may market themselves so they may be seen as obtain profits on a short term basis. This is where promotion can be interlinked to a pricing strategy. Organisations spend vast amounts on RD before setting prices on products. It can be argued that firms must price the product in a way which reflects the appropriate position of the product within the market. The balance for organisations is to maximise profits, but to have a consistent amount of sales. Marketers use this strategy as they maybe price orientated within the marketing mix. This is where product development would occur and knowing your target market well. Renault uses price within the marketing mix very well. Throughout its range of cars they have luxury cars including the Laguna all the way down to the Clio which is targeted on price with low maintenance costs. In terms of price to the Renault Clio it can be seen as being priced similar to its major competitors. Considering the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta and also Peugeot 206. The pricing strategy of the Renault Clio new ranges from around  £9,000 to  £19,000 plus. There are many factors that can influence the prices of just one particular type of car. For example engine size, motor sport version etc The Clio range has the sport 2000, Dymanique, Gordini and also Bizu. This shows that the product has been diversified to achieve maximum price when selling the product to consumers. Clio Series Price Sport 2000  £16,000 Dymanique  £11,000 Gordini  £19,000 Bizu  £9,000 Walker (1996) shows that all other competitors i.e. Corsa and Fiesta are based around the same pricing strategy. This is because the car industry is large and production costs are not so important and creating the largest profit is not as necessary as it would be for a smaller organisation. The reason for Clio having the same pricing strategy as its competitors is because it is the only model in Renault range to predominately focus on lower cost with low quality from launch. Therefore it needs to be competitive with its rivals. The Clio model has done this very well as new models for the Clio are designed every few years. The Clio has been on the market for over 15 years proving its successfulness to its consumers who are aware of other markets available to them. The following is a perceptual map of small commercial cars sold and its comparison with the Renault Clio. It can be seen that the Clio and Corsa can be placed in the same category as each other, as both focus on price mainly. Other small cars including Audi and BMW focus on both high quality and price as the reputation they have is that its a long term investment. The Skoda Fabia is a low priced car because of the reputation it held from its unreliable past, but its reputation has slow been built back up. High Quality *BMW 1 Series Audi A4* *Skoda FabiaLow Price High Price Vauxhall* Corsa *Renault Clio Low Quality Relationships can be built up between the consumer and the seller. Mack (1996) states that Renault try and use this strategy as much as possible when selling cars. But why do this? They do this to make the consumer feel they are receiving a personalised service. Some dealerships offer free gift as an indirect way of making customers by their product too its competitors. Walker (1998) also says This has been a vital part of our strategy in helping to persuade customers that we can meet their needs especially targeting smaller cars. However it can be argued this strategy possibly may not work in modern society. As many people are aware the automotive industry is very competitive, it is becoming quickly cost orientated in particularly markets, indirect costs such as fuel, insurance and tax. Trade-off analysis could be applied to the Renault Clio. Jobber (2006) says Features such as speed, petrol consumption, brand and price are placed in front of consumers and asked which combinations they prefer. While the Clio Mk 3 was being designed it would have consulted potential buyers, they would have used rd for this because the car was designed to be low cost and wanted as many luxury as possible while concentrating on its core competence its price. However this analysis can have its limitations. When rd is taking place respondents may ask for a lot of things but all these additions may not be feasible. When asked to purchase the car consumers may not be willing to exchange money. Product Jobber (2006) defines product as A good service offered or performed by and organisation or individual, which is capable of satisfying customer needs. To have an effective product that consumers desire, it needs to be prices fairly and requires a Unique Selling Proposition. (USP) Walker et al (1998) states there are four elements which creates a well balanced and successful marketing mix. These included: Matching customer needs Need for balance Creates a competitive advantage Matches corporate resources The product Renault Clio has historically been targeted at the younger aged population who maybe on a budget. The product is a smaller model compared to other ranges in Renault yet also delivering the majority of luxury that other models offer. Including air-conditioning, climate control, Bluetooth and satellite navigation, this makes Clio very positive when it advertises the model to its consumers. The Clio then however meets the criteria set to have an effective marketing mix. Jobber (2006) states that Product development is important. As technology and tastes change, products become out of date and inferior to those of the competition, so companies must replace them with features that customers value. The fundamental feature of the new Clio model is the tom-tom feature. Renault and tom-tom have had to come to an agreement to include the satellite navigation to integrate this within the models. This has given Clio a competitive advantage over external competitors. Having a competitive advantage enables them to charge a premium price. However in few cases charging a premium price for products can have its down fall. Many consumers may not be willing to pay extra for products that may not be essential, consequently consumers will move to Clios competitors such as the 206 and Corsa. The balance is conducted by market research to see what consumers want, referring back to trade off analysis. According to Renault (2011) Clio is its most successful range of car across Europe. This is because the product caters for a broad range of markets. The reason for can be considered when looking at the anatomy of the Clio. The core product (I) would be the car itself and the way it is strategically priced, as being a low value priced car compared to its other cars within its range. The second layer would be products that add value to the overall product. Making it match customer needs and creating a competitive advantage. This could be as mentioned above, tom-tom, Bluetooth, keyless entry system, parking assist sensors and warranties. The outer layer includes extras which maybe indirectly related to the car including after sale support and credit sale. Many augmenting features are closely related to establishing a successful relationship between buyer and seller. ImageAnatomy of a product model A product life cycle (PLC) can determine where the product lies within its life. Many organisation use different strategies to pro-long the life of its product. When a product reaches maximum maturity and seess signs its declining it then considers using Product/Market Ansoff matrix. This involves 4 different strategies that can be used: Product development Diversification Market penetration Market development The reason for this is to maximise profits for Clio. Renault Clio mainly uses product development to change its model throughout years so customers have the opinion of upgrading and keeping up with trends rather than going to competitors. When the Clio was first launched it obviously begins in the introduction phase of the PLC and is strategically priced high. Jobber (2006) states that the Strategic marketing objective is to build sales by expanding the market for the product. The growth stage is next to follow, there is increase of sales and profit growth. The reason for this is due to increase in promotion by creating awareness. Renault Clio use TV advertising predominately to penetrate the market. They also have their own Renault TV channel. The maturity stage is where the product sales are at its peak whilst time is increasing. This is where the organisation may offer discounts or extra such as warranties. This is also the stage where product improvements occur at the peak of the maturity stage. The reasons for this include: Maintain competitive advantage Future growth First move advantage The decline stage is the final process of the PLC, the reason for this according to Walker (1998) is due to technological superior substitutes and also consumers change in preferences due to competition. The Renault Clio was an innovation that Renault developed due to competition from its competitors. According to Bloomberg Businessweek (2006) Renault was at number 49. Its competitors did not even reach the top 100 of innovated companies. Other automotive companies included within the list lower than number 49, Nissan and Volvo. This information could now be argued because companies such as Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota are much more innovated in 2010 as they have developed cars whilst considering external factors such as the environmental factors. (Development of the Hybrid car) Distribution Mix Marketing The distribution policy includes all decisions and actions that can be related to the delivery of our product to the customer. There are two different ways of distribution existing for Renaults company. Business to Business (B to B) = Company Retailer Consumer Business to Consumer (B to C) = Company Consumer Engineering Renault is one of the biggest car industries worldwide. It is present through the world in around 201 countries, including Europe, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. An international engineering; closer to the markets. The Techno Center (France) Engineering: The Renault Group is deployed globally. It revolves around two components: Engineering Central, the heart of the system and regional engineering spread over Renaults strategic markets. Engineering centers: The Techno Center (France), the heart of the engineering world Renault Technologies Americas Renault Technologies Romania Renault Technologies Spain Renault Samsun Technical Center This organisation is based on a standardised process of engineering at Renault World of unified technical standards, defining key functions and technical harmonisation of policies. A well-developed network of design centers Renault Design America Latina in Sao Paulo The group relies on a parallel network of five satellites design centers. Observatories real trends these emerging centers of vehicles for new markets. They are involved from the launch of a new project through to the production of the final concept car. The design centers are: Renault Design Paris Renault Design Central Europe Renault Design America Latina Renault Samsung Design Renault Design India Two objectives are Warranty the best customer satisfaction all around the world Produce close to the markets Renaults industry realises two type of sell: Either to the customers or to companies. But, all confounded, Renault has realised for the Year 2010 reporting record sales volumes with 2.6 million vehicles sold. Thanks to its positioning, essentially outside Europe, in the emerging countries, Renault has bounded its sales. Heres a graph which represents the market where Renault is present in 2010: It is important to understand that the Clio is one of the best vehicles brand for Renault. In about 20 years, it has won more than 10 million customers around the world (100 countries). This success is thanks to a styling, comfort, safety, versatility and different equipment package worthy of cars from the next segment up. Renault February 2011 sales in Europe region In February 2011, by

Struggling Powers in the Movie The Mission :: essays research papers

The movie The Mission takes place in 1750 in South America. The main characters in the movie are Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro), who was a Spanish slave trader, and Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons), who was a Spanish Jesuit. This essay will demonstrate the four struggling powers in the movie, the Guarani Natives, the Jesuits, the Spanish and Portuguese government, and the Cardinal. The Guarani Natives in South America did not like the Spanish at first because the Spanish were using them as slaves and killing them. The Natives were living a life of hiding, they were scared, they were poor, and they were starved. Later on they started to get along with the Jesuits as they start to Christianize them and build missions, and when the Spanish become nicer to them. At the end of the movie most of the Natives were killed off by the Portuguese Rodrigo Mendoza was a Spanish slave trader who went to South America to capture the Natives and turn them into slaves. Mendoza kills his brother in a fit of rage for taking his girl, and is taken to jail. After he is taken to jail he has to do Pennants for the Jesuits, and he begins to feel sorry for himself, and he stops killing. He then becomes a Jesuit and starts to help out the Natives by fighting the Portuguese. Mendoza is killed during a shootout by Portuguese in the mission. The Jesuits come to South America to build missions and spread Christianity to the Natives. Father Gabriel was one of these Jesuits. Their goal was to create peace between the Natives, the Spanish, and the Portuguese, and to build missions and convert the Natives to Christianity. The Jesuits were very helpful and caring to the Natives, for example when the Natives were being run down by slave traders the Jesuits came in to help them build homes and feed them. They also helped to build a foundation of knowing the Lord. The Spanish and the Portuguese government came to South America for land, and to use the Natives as slaves to work on Plantations. They believed that the Natives were animals, so they used them as cheap labor, however the Jesuits did not agree on using the Natives as slaves, so war broke out between the Jesuits and Natives, and the Portuguese.