Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams Essay Example for Free

Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams Essay In the article entitled, Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams presents his take on the economics and logic of keeping CEOs highly paid. He essentially argues that these huge â€Å"golden parachutes† and corporate salaries are justified by return that these companies get in return. Just because a CEO gets a high salary does not mean that he does not deserve it or do anything to help the company recover that value. By comparing this to a simple supply and demand model, Walter Williams is able to show that the reason the salaries are so high is because the demand is high as well and supply is pretty scarce. One manner by which the mention of the word greed can be applied to the economic lessons that have been discussed is to juxtapose this to the application of greed as an economic theory. Greed can be said to be the primal instinct for self-preservation of people. In an attempt to protect one’s self, man seeks only to pursue his individual interests without care for the well-being of others. In relation to economics, this pursuit of individual interests is greed or the pursuit of economic self-interests, otherwise known as individual wealth accumulation. Greed as a driving force is not an entirely new concept as it was originally part of the Invisible Hand theory introduced by Adam Smith. The basic precept of the invisible hand is that in a free market a person who chooses to be greedy and pursue his own interests in invariably also furthering the good of the entire community. A perfect example is in a situation where a person seeks to maximize his personal profits in total disregard of other factors. By applying the Invisible Hand theory of Adam Smith, it can be shown that when the total revenue of society is calculated this becomes identical to the summation of the individual revenues of every member of that society. In order to arrive at a better understanding of how greed, which is a key concept under the Invisible Hand Theory, both drives and regulates capitalist markets, it is essential to have a brief discussion of the basic supply and demand model. This is because production is driven by the willingness of the seller to supply and the basic goal of every seller is to increase profits (greed). This can be understood from two approaches, however, the first being profit maximization through an increase in the volume of units sold (assuming ceteris paribus) and the second being profit maximization through a decrease in the cost of the factors of production which in turn increases the profit margins per unit sold. The basic supply-demand model becomes critical in this understanding because under the market model sales will only willingly occur at the equilibrium point. The price level of a good essentially is determined by the point at which quantity supplied equals quantity demanded. The law of supply and demand predicts that the price level will move toward the point that equalizes quantities supplied and demanded. Greed is crucial in this sense because it is the basic assumption or behavior under this model. Without greed, there would be no drive for the individuals in society to pursue their own self-interests. The absence of this driving mechanism would mean that there will be no individual revenues and thus leading to the failure of the community revenue to equalize with its summation. This basically means that society’s scarce resources become more efficiently allocated through the regulatory nature of greed in capitalist markets. While the Invisible Hand theory has already been rejected as an acceptable economic model by the works of John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman, the more complex markets of today have shown that the pursuit of self-interests, while natural of human behavior, must be regulated by external systems in order to ensure a more equitable and efficient allocation of resources. This means that greed is not necessarily good in today’s current economic situation. As used in this discussion and in the article, this greed may not only be the effect of supply and demand but the pursuits of an individual’s self-interests for the improvement of the economic system.

The Role of Forensic Accountants Essay Example for Free

The Role of Forensic Accountants Essay PROBLEM STATEMENT In recent times, the world has witnessed the failure of large corporate organizations which has been attributed to large scale fraud by Directors in connivance with auditors. There is the case of Enro in the U.S, Parmalat in Italy and many cases in the U.K such as Polly Peek, Maxwell communications and BCCI. This development brought about in its wake the lack of public confidence in audit reports and auditing. By this many stakeholders seek redress in the court of law. In the court of law, the service of an expert witness is required in order to ascertain the true state of affair of the troubled enterprise. PURPOSE OF STUDY To examine a forensic Accountant as an expert witness in litigation and to effectively determine his role in judicial process BACKGROUND STUDY Forensic accounting is hardly a new field, but in recent years, banks, insurance companies and even police agencies have increased the use of these experts. A nationwide study conducted by Kessler International (a forensic accounting and investigative firm) showed that 39% of organizations have considered the need for a forensic accountant. The study intends to find out  how the knowledge of forensic accounting can reduce corporate fraud, mismanagement and seeking redress in the court of law. INTRODUCTION What is forensic Accounting? Forensic accounting is the practice of utilizing accounting, auditing and investigative skill to assist in legal matter and the application of specialized body of knowledge to the evidence of economic transaction and reporting suitable for the purpose of establishing accountability or valuation of administrative proceeding. In wide sense, it can be said as the integrity of accounting, auditing and investigative skill to abstain a particular result. Journal of college Teaching and Learning (2007). Vol 4, Number 9; states Forensic accounting as accounting analysis that can uncover possible fraud that is suitable for presentation in court. Such analysis will form the basis for discussion, debate and dispute resolution In my view, forensic accounting is that aspect of accounting that provides an accounting analysis that is suitable to the organization in resolving disputes that arises in the organization. Forensic accountants utilize accounting, auditing and investigative skills while conducting an investigation. These accountants are trained to look into the dispute in a number of ways. They often retain to analyze, interpret, summarize and present a complex manner which is understandable and probably supported. Also, they are often involved in various activities such as investigating and analyzing financial evidence, developing computerized application, exhibiting documents and presenting the evidence obtained. This new and ground – breaking accounting has two main areas which are: a. Litigation support and investigation b. Dispute resolution. Role of Forensic Accountants in Judicial Process A Forensic accountant is involved in the collection of document, investigating, analyzing and development of computerized application to assist in the analysis and presentation of financial evidence, communicating their findings in the form of reports, exhibits, including testifying in court as expert witness and preparing visual aids to support trial evidence. Thus, the role a forensic accountant can be said to include the following: a. Giving preliminary advice as an initial appraisal of the pleading and evidence available at the start of proceedings b. Identifying the key documents which should be made available as evidence, this is important when the forensic accountant is acting for the defense and lawyers are preparing lists of document to tender in court. c. Preparing a detailed balanced report on quantum of evidence, writing in a language readily understood by a non-accountant and dealing with all issue, irrespective of whether or not they are favourable to the client d. Briefing legal counsels on the financial and accounting aspects of the case during pre-trial preparation e. Initiate measure for introduction of environment accounting to highlight the damage done to the environment by the possible recoupment of such damages or replenishment of lost properties through environmental management continually. CONCLUSION The expert witness testimony of the forensic accountant has forced businesses to restructure, and millions of naira, dollars to be paid in damages; people have on occasions even gone to jail. The practical and in-depth analysis that a forensic accountant brings to a case helps to uncover underlying problems in business. Forensic accountants are currently in great demand, with the public quest for honesty, fairness and transparency in reporting increasing exponentially. Whatever the reasoning may be more and more forensic accountants are being called upon to use their investigative skills to seek out irregularities in their companies’ financial statements. References 1. Aderibigbe, P. (2000): The Role of forensic chartered Accountant in Nigeria. July, 2000. 2. Crumbley H. (2003): Forensic and Investigative Accounting; CCH Publishing 3. Financial Restatements, General Accounting Office Report, 2002 4. Kessler International study; (2002) Forensic accountants needed as economy worsens. Press release 5. Oremade, T. (1988): Auditing and Investigations, Lagos; West Africa Books Publishers Limited.

Project Managers Are They Born Or Made Management Essay

Project Managers Are They Born Or Made Management Essay Can a person be born to undertake a specific role in life or are they moulded by both training and their experiences in life. This paper examines whether Project Managers have the innate skills to be a success or if they like many other professionals require training to become proficient in their chosen career. This paper will also examine whether there are particular personality traits that are required in order to be a successful Project Manager. With this information, organisations would then be in a better position to ascertain whether particular individuals are either suited or not to the role of a Project Manager and thereby ensuring that their Project Managers can bring projects to a successful conclusion. Introduction Dittman et al.,2004 use the Apollo 13 incident to illustrate the skills of a Project Manager. Gene Krantz, was the flight director of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. With systems failing, a lack of power and a dwindling supply of oxygen he led his team to discover solutions against almost impossible odds. Krantz exhibited the characteristics and personality traits of a superstar Project Manager by leading his team to achieve a common goal of ensuring the safe return of the aircraft and the lives of the astronauts and in this instance the team could easily have resigned themselves to their fate or made an error in judgement (Dittman et al.,2004). However the team and its project leader relied on both their training and their instincts to ensure the safe return of the aircraft. It can be seen from this instance that the team leader instilled the thought into all of his team members that failure was not an option. This is an extreme example of the skills required of a Project Manager , but it asks the question were Gene Krantzs actions the product of training and experience or were they innate in his personality. With the rapid advances currently being made in information technology there has now become an increased need for Project Managers within the IT industry. The scale and number of projects has increased thereby increasing the risk associated with these projects. With this in mind the choosing of project managers with the required skills to ensure the successful completion of projects has become critical and organisations have recognized that the choosing of the right individual to lead a project can have a significant bearing on the success of the organisation. As can be seen above in the Apollo 13 example the role of the project leader was crucial to the success of the project. This paper will look at the necessary skills required to be an effective manager and whether these skills are inherent or whether they can be taught (Dittman et al.,2004). 1.0 Leadership Styles Studies have shown that there are primarily six main schools of leadership theory (Dulewicz Higgs, 2003;Handy, 1982; Partington, 2003) and these are as follows: 1. The Trait school 2. The Behavioural or Style school 3. The Contingency school 4. The Visionary or Charismatic school 5. The Emotional Intelligence School 6. The Competency school. 1.1 The Trait School This approach was popular up to the 1940s with the main idea being that effective leaders share common traits. This school of thought assumes that leaders are born, not made. The supporters of this school in attempting to identify the traits of effective leaders have focused on the following three main areas: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Abilities: hard management skills such as Time Management, Forecasting and Procurement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Personality: such as self-confidence and emotional variables à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Physical appearance: Project Managers appearance and physical size Through his work at Henley Management College, Turner (1999) identified seven traits of effective project managers: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Problem-solving ability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Results orientation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Energy and initiative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Self-confidence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Perspective à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Communication à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Negotiating ability. Turners identification of the above traits concentrate on the softer skills of Project Management with only the trait of Problem Solving being one that could possibly be taught and the others being skills of a nature more specific to an individual. 1.2 The Behavioural or Style School The behavioural or style school became popular from the 1940s to the 1960s. This school assumed that effective leaders would adopt certain styles or behaviours. This schools theory assumed, that effective leaders can be made and that the parameters include the following: 1. Concern for people or relationships 2. Concern for production 3. Use of authority 4. Involvement of the team in decision-making (formulating decisions) 5. Involvement of the team in decision-taking (choosing options) 6. Flexibility versus the application of rules. Parameter Blake and 1.3 The Contingency School The contingency school came into being during the 1960s and 1970s (Fiedler, 1967; House, 1971; Krech, et al., 1962; Robbins, 1997). Rather than seeking all encompassing theories of leadership that would apply in all situations, contingency theories suggested that what made an effective leader would depend on the situation that the leaders found themselves in. The supporters of this school had a tendency to follow similar patterns: 1. An assessment of the characteristics of the leader 2. An evaluation of the situation in terms of certain key contingency variables 3. The seeking of a match between the leader and the situation. One contingency theory that has proven popular is path-goal theory (House, 1971). The idea is the leader must help the team find the path to their goals and help them in that process. This theory identifies four distinct leadership behaviours: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Directive leaders à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supportive leaders à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participative leaders à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Achievement-oriented leaders. These must then be matched to environmental and subordinate contingency factors: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Environmental factors: Task structure Formal authority system Work group. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Subordinate factors: Locus of control Experience Perceived ability. 1.4 The Visionary or Charismatic School During the 1980s and 1990s, the visionary or charismatic school arose from the study of successful business leaders who were leading their organizations through change. Bass (1990) identified two types of leadership, transactional and transformational: Transactional leadership: This form of leadership rewards followers for meeting performance targets and managing by exception by taking action when tasks have not been undertaken in accordance with what was predicted 1.4.2 Transformational leadership: A Project Manager who displays this form of leadership would be charismatic, visionary and would engender pride, respect and trust. They would also provide motivation by creating high expectations, providing intellectual stimulation and challenging their team members with fresh ideas and approaches. They would also give consideration to individuals by showing them respect and paying personal attention to them. From a project management perspective, Keegan and den Hartog (2004) believed that a project managers leadership style needed to be more transformational than transactional, but did not find any evidence to confirm this. What they were able to conclude was that although there is a significant correlation between the managers leadership style and employees commitment and motivation, there does not exist a similar correlation for project managers. 1.4 The Emotional Intelligence School The emotional intelligence school has flourished since the late 1990s, and espouses the view that the leaders emotional intelligence has a greater impact on his or her success and the performance of his or her team than does the leaders intellectual capability (Goleman, Boyatzis, McKee, 2002). They identified six leadership styles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visionary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Democratic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Coaching à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Pacesetting à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Affiliative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Commanding. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee (2002) say that the first four of these styles will engender a sense of teamwork, and usually lead to better performance in appropriate circumstances. They also stated that the last two styles can encourage dissonance, so these last two styles need to be used with care. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee, as well as other authors, have shown a clear correlation between the emotional intelligence and leadership style of managers and the performance of their organizations. 1.5 The Competency School The competency school of the 1990s has placed an emphasis on the competencies of effective leaders and seeks to identify them. This according to Turner et al. 2005 when taken at face value may appear to be a return to the trait approach. However, they also state that competencies can be learned, so leaders can be made, not just born. Further, different combinations of competencies can lead to different styles of leadership which can be appropriate in different circumstances thereby producing transactional leaders in situations of low complexity and transformational leaders in situations of high complexity (Turner et al., 2005). 2.0 Skills of a Project Manager A good project manager should have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their job. A project manager can be defined as the person responsible for working with the project sponsor, the project team, and the other people involved in a project to meet project goals (Schwalbe, 2004). To become an IT project manager requires knowledge in the core skills such as time management, risk management, scope management, cost budgeting, and knowledge of IT systems (Dittman et al., 2004). They also stated that a project manager must have skills in addition to the basics of project management to succeed and that the skills required are the soft skills that have to do with getting things that you want done and adjudicating issues between people, managers, egos and agendas. Its basically how to get a job done without annoying people (Melymuka, 2000). These soft skills can include basic leadership and team building abilities that are needed for the team to complete the designated project and t he basic business skills that are necessary for a project manager to be successful in the IT world (Dittman et al., 2004). They also concluded that these could include the ability to communicate into measurable results, utilize financial skills to keep the project cost effective, and identify and predict trends in the project. The ability to communicate effectively is a pre-requisite in project management and it is essential for project managers to have the capacity to listen and understand the people on their project team as well as the customers of their project and by doing so, expectations and feedback can be easily passed on to the team and it will be easier to solve problems and complete tasks within the project (Dittman et al., 2004).. Dennis Johnson, an Assistant vice President at USAA stated that A project manager needs the ability to question without alienating to listen and watch peoples body language and really see whats happening (Melymuka, 2000) and this skill will enable a project manager to step away from a project and view issues from a different perspective. This subsequently enables a project manager to better communicate his ideas and plans with the team and also with his superiors within the organization. Relationship management is a skill that is important to have While managing projects a project manager should be capable of working with all levels within the organization and relationship management is an important skill to either inherently have or to learn. Relationship management can also include identifying the unique characteristics and abilities of each individual on the team and determine the most effective way to utilize them throughout the project (Dittman et al., 2004). A project manager will also need to know how to mobilize and coach the people on their team and establish trust within the project team. The project manager and the team must develop a level of trust and comfort with each other in single-minded pursuit of project goals (Kharbanda, 2003). This is based on the premise that project managers should be able to build and sustain relationships within their project team and throughout all levels of their organization. There are many skills a project manager may have that are argued to be ingrained in the human spirit, the largest of these being the ability to influence others (Dittman et al., 2004). Linda Pittinger, CEO of People3, states Its hard to find people who can influence others and create win-win situations (Melymuka, 2000). The project manager needs to have the ability to sell the value of the project to other people within the organization and must be able to persuade and influence team members to get their job done well and on time must also have the confidence, credibility, and commitment to overcome the obstacles when faced with the task of running an IT project (Dittman et al., 2004). Without the ability to influence people particularly those who may not be in full support of the project, a project manager will be more likely to fail. The ability to make decisions can be either learned or innate and it has been said that the best decision makers are the most experienced decision makers (Dittman et al., 2004).. As a manager and leader, every step you take required decision making skills. What makes it more challenging is the pressure to make the right decision is often very high (Canterucci, 2003). When faced with having to make the correct decision a Project Manager may often have to base this decision on past experience or pure instinct. Should a project manager be new to the field of project management they will not have accrued sufficient experience to make the correct decision but they will have the ability to judge based on their instinct if those instincts are of a project manager with those innate skills. As can be seen above many of the skills required to be an effective project manager are the softer skills of management and that to a large extent these skills can not generally be taught as they rely on the individuals personality. These softer skills however can be honed through time and experience so to some extent there is a degree of learning. 3.0 Personalities of a Project Manager In order to be an effective project manager a persons character and personality traits will play a key role. Dittman et al. 2004 asked the question Within an IT project management program, can people be really prepared for the trials and tribulations of dealing with people while managing a project? The use of personality tests, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, can assess whether an individual will make a good project manager. By undertaking these assessments, an individual can analyze their personality and connect their personality type with a particular type of career. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is incredibly popular for doing just this. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an assessment technique that gives the participant 4 individual letters that are designed to match their personality type. This classification is set out below: Extrovert v. Introvert, Sensing v. Intuitive, Thinking v. Feeling, and Judging v. Perceiving. The research database shows that leaders mostly fall into the ENTJ category (extrovert, intuitive, thinking, and judging). ENTJs are especially well-suited to be leaders and organization builders. They have the ability to clearly identify problems and innovative solutions for the short and long term well-being of an organization(BSM Consulting, 2000). A project manager would generally fall into the category of ESTJ. They are good at a lot of different things, because they put forth a tremendous amount of effort towards doing things the right way. They will be happiest in leadership positions, however, because they have a natural drive to be in charge. They are best suited for jobs which require creating order and structure (BSM Consulting, 2000). The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is another technique that can also be used to determine personal characteristics and aid people gain new understanding of their traits, motivations, and behaviours (AdvisorTeam, 2003). The temperament sorter is an assessment to analyze one specific aspect of ones personality: temperament. Temperament is a set of inclinations that each of us is born with, its a predisposition to certain attitudes and actions (AdvisorTeam, 2003). The four temperaments that people will fall into are artisans, guardians, idealists, and rationals. These groupings have the following characteristics: 1 Artisans value freedom and spontaneity. They want to be without constraint, at liberty to act on their impulses, play and create. Guardians value belonging to a group or community. They maintain stability through responsible, conservative, traditional behaviour. Idealists value personal growth, authenticity, and integrity. They yearn to develop themselves fully as individuals and to facilitate growth in others. Rationals value competence and intelligence. They strive to learn, know, predict, and control the resources in their environment. It has been shown through research that project managers and leaders will most likely fall into the category of either Rational or Guardian (Dittman et al., 2004). A Rational tends to be pragmatic and organized. Their organizational and coordinating skills tends to be highly developed, which means that they are likely to be good at systematizing, ordering priorities, generalizing, summarizing, and at demonstrating their ideas (Prometheus Nemesis, 1998). Guardians tend to be very specific in their communication and reliable when it comes to completing tasks. They also are very cooperative with implementing goals and good at supervision and protecting their subordinates. The Supervisor Guardian is the type of that most fits the personality of the project manager. Supervisor Guardians go by experience, not speculation and experimentation, and certainly not fantasy. They keep their feet firmly on the ground and make sure that those under their supervision do the same (Prometheus Nemesis, 1998). The personality assessments described above are good tools to examine an individuals personality type and compare it to that of the typical project manager career. Each assessment can be used separately or they can be used in conjunction to get the best results. Using these evaluations, it can be shown whether a person has the requisite skills to be a good project manager, and decisions can be made whether to put them in that role, whether they would need further training to be successful in the project manager role, or whether they would be best placed in a different career altogether. 4.0 Conclusion As can be seen an individuals personality can be measured or assessed using the techniques detailed above. These techniques enable organisations to eliminate individuals rather than select individuals as project managers. The methodology behind these techniques would indicate that project managers are born rather than made as the characteristics used to describe individuals are those of an innate nature rather than a derived or coached one. However on the other side of the equation the technical skills required by a Project Manager can be learned and need not necessarily be inherent in the individual. So it could also be concluded that a project manager can be made through learning alone. The leadership style theories above look at the science or art of project management depending on the school to which an individual ascribes to. If an individual is of the viewpoint that Project Managers are born with the innate capabilities to be a project manager then Project Managers have to be viewed as artists. However if the conclusion is that project managers can be taught and trained then they should possibly be viewed as scientists. These can be viewed as two conflicting views with those of a scientific inclination believing that project managers are made and those of a more artistic inclination believing that they are born. From the research undertaken above there is no definitive answer to this question. In the case of Project Management, where there are so many human variables there can be no comprehensive training course that will detail a case study for every given scenario. This would indicate that Project Managers can be and are made but that the best and most effective Project Managers are born.

pitfalls of herbal supplements :: essays research papers

The four billion a year supplement industry sells steroid supplements and herbal speed to millions of teenage boys and girls. There are many types of supplements; among the most popular are Creatine, Andro (androstenedione), and ephedrine. All of these supplements are legal but are they safe? In this paper I will explore why the FDA has failed to put stronger regulations on these supplements, what they are and what they do, who endorses them, and were and how you can purchase these potentially harmful supplements; with the help from Jay McMahan and his expertise as a personal trainer and user of these herbal supplements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine, Andro, and Ephedrine are among the most popular supplements, but do we know what they are and what they do? Creatine is an amino acid compound naturally produced by the kidneys, liver and pancreas, it helps muscles quickly regenerate after exertion. There are no known harmful side effects, though there is evidence that Creatine can cause dehydration, muscle cramps, weight gain and nausea. The supplement Andro (Androstenedione), is produced naturally in the human body, androstenedione is a precursor hormone for testosterone and estrogen. Its structural similarity to steroids suggests it may pose the same risks (liver damage, heart disease, low sperm counts, development of breasts and violent mood swings), though there have been no long-term studies. The stimulant Ephedrine from ma huang or ephedra, a plant used to treat asthma, fevers, and body and joint pain. Though widely available it has been banned from the NFL, the NCAA and the IOC, and the FDA repor ted anecdotal evidence linking it to eighty-one deaths since 1994.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You don’t need a dealer or even an ID card to buy these herbal supplements. All teenagers have to do is go to their local mall and purchase it from GNC (General Nutrition Center). Clerks sell these potentially harmful supplements to any one regardless of their age. It seems that they are even marketing towards kids with products such as Creatine Candy and smoothies in a variety of fruit flavors and loaded with the supplement of their choice. Why hasn’t the Food and Drug Administration put stronger regulations on the purchasing of these supplements? For the ease with which supplements can be gotten we can thank Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. Ten years ago the sport supplement industry was reeling from a string of disasters. The Food and Drug Administrarion began petitioning congress the right to treat supplements like the drugs most scientists say they are and subject them to long, costly such as pharmaceuticals get before they can go to the market.

Development and Transition Markers for Homosexuality Essay -- Homosexu

Introduction It is the duty of social workers to advocate for vulnerable and oppressed groups. Becoming aware of the life span development of various cultures, nationalities, ethnicities, social classes, and diverse forms of families enables social workers to identify areas that are unique and require further research. Learning about the unique aspects of various cultures and social classes also provide social workers with an enhanced understanding and ideas for social work implications on a micro and macro level in efforts to improve the wellbeing of the clients. This paper serves as a written analysis of homosexuality as a social class and discusses unique aspects of development, transition markers for various life stages, and implications for further research and social work practice. Homosexuality Homosexuals consist of gay males and lesbian females who prefer same-sex relationships. Homosexuality goes against all cultural beliefs, gender, and family roles that society values. As a direct result of going against social norms homosexuals experience a lot of backlash that impacts their quality of life and development throughout their lifespan. Gender Differences Gender differences among homosexual males and females are unique aspects of development. When it comes to sexual orientation, society associates gender differences such as masculinity with men and femininity with females (Lippa, 2008). However in the social class of homosexuals, character associations with gender tend to be nontraditional. According to Lippa, most gay men believe that they are more feminine and less masculine in comparison to most heterosexual males while lesbians describe themselves as extremely masculine and less feminine in comparison to ... ...n childhood gender nonconformity and adult masculinity- femininity and anxiety in heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Sex Roles 59, 684-693. Muraco, A., LeBlanc, A. J., & Russell, S. T. (2008). Conceptualizations of family by older gay men. The Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 20(2), 69-90. Ryan. C., & Futterman, D. (1998). Lesbian and gay youth: Care and counseling. New York: Columbia University Press. Skidmore, W. C., Linsenmeier, J. A. W., & Bailey, J. M. (2006). Gender nonconformity and psychological distress in lesbian and gay men. Archive of Sexual Behavior, 35, 685-697. Swank, E. & Raiz, L. (2010). Predicting the support of same-sex relationship rights among social work students. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 22, 149-164. Taylor, H. (2000). Meeting the needs of lesbian and gay young adolescents. Clearing House, 73(4), 221-224.

The Roman Family: Center of Roman Society :: Ancient Rome Roman History

The Roman Family: Center of Roman Society The Roman family after the advent of Christianity has been widely discussed in Roman History. Different historians have looked at the topic in different ways. There are two articles at hand, which deal with this very topic. Brent Shaw, The family in Late Antiquity: The Experience of Augustine and Douglas O'Roark, Parenthood in Late Antiquity. Both historians are looking at the family in late antiquity, after the time that Christianity was introduced to the Roman society. Through an analysis of the two essays and references to the classical period it can be seen that: The Roman family has always been an important institution in their society, it's composition, roles and the functions changed little after the advent of Christianity. The Essays Each of the historians has a solid central argument, and their essays are laid out well. Shaw seeks to show the structure and the functions of the Roman family in late antiquity. He also seeks to clear up misconceptions of the Roman family. O'Roark's argument seeks to show the closeness of the parents and children in the Roman family. The important thing to realize is that both of these essays are looking at the Roman family in the same period, late antiquity, after the advent of Christianity. Also important to note is both of these essays to not specifically talk about the impact of Christianity on the family. The essays can be used to reference against each other and against the Roman family in the Classical period. Information on the Classical period is given in G. Nathan's article: Two Traditions. With the three essays one can come to a good conclusion about the impact of Christianity on the Roman family. In interest of paper length the essays have been narrowed down to include only central topics. First looking at similarities, then differences. Children This is the first main aspect of the family that both historians look at. The first point Shaw brings up is that main purpose of childbearing. This was for the wife to produce a heir for the husband . The father organized the whole house around this, in preparation a son to take everything over when he died . O'Roark states that a major factor in having children was to love and to care for them . He however cannot deny that before this the realization is that the father must have children to pass everything on to .

Barack Obama Essay

There is no doubt that President Barack Hussein Obama II has received much attention and interest from not only the United States, but international. He is not only praised because of his skin color, but because of the values he believes in and what he stands for. He represents something the country has needed for a long time. During his 2008 campaign for US president, he embodied the very meaning of the word â€Å"hope†. Obama’s election was truly revolutionary. His story can been considered a huge milestone in the United States’ history. The very fact that Barack Obama was voted in, and by a very large margin, shows proof that the country has abandoned its usual ideas on who is â€Å"fit† to run in high office. Barack’s multi-cultural background serves to represent the melting pot America is. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Kenyan father, Barack Obama Sr., and Stanley Ann Dunham, a Caucasian woman from Wichita, Kansas. He has gone through many hurdles and has climbed his way up a focused political ambition ladder. Being the first president of African American descent to the illustrious United States and also his many achievements have made him a person of much respect and high admiration. Obama’s presidency has gone through a series of success and accomplishments. After being elected, he successfully passed many legislations, such as the healthcare bill. The bill aimed for offering tremendous coverage while providing an affordable healthcare. Barrack’s presidency is also branded by other victories such as the $787 billion Stimulus Bill. The passing of this bill took place one month later after succeeding the presidency from George W. Bush. The stimulus bill helped boost the staggering economy. Two years later, he passed the Wall Street Reform to regain control of the economy after its practices which caused the Great Recession. This law tightens capital requirements on large banks and other financial institutions, requires that large banks provide â€Å"living wills† to avoid hectic bankruptcies, limits their ability to trade with customers’ money for their own profit, and creates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to catch abusive lending products and companies. He was heavily praised for ending the War in Iraq. All U.S. military forces were ordered out of the country, with the last troops leaving on December 18, 2011. With new policies, diplomacy, and rhetoric, he reversed a sharp decline in world opinion toward the U.S. during the Bush years. From 2008 to 2011, favorable opinion toward the United States rose in ten of fifteen countries surveyed by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, with an average increase of 26 percent. To summarize, Obama, with his qualities accompanied with key factors such as human approach, empathy, positive attitude, courage to take risk, and bravery to face challenges is a great leader, particularly for the US and generally for the world. His background and experiences in life, united with vibrant qualities of a good leader, make him a wonderful role model and universally acceptable. References: Glastris, Paul, Ryan Cooper, and Siyu Hu. â€Å"Obama’s Top 50 Accomplishments.† The Washington Monthly. N.p., Mar.-Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Aug. 2013. â€Å"Barack Obama.† Organizing for Action. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Aug. 2013. http://www.barackobama.com/about/barack-obama?source=footer-nav