Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Effect Of Geography On Firm s Characteristics And...

The paper relates to three sets of literature: the capital structure, the location effect, and the peer effects literature. In the classical capital structure context, Fischer, Heinkel, and Zech-ner (1989) and Leland (1994), (1998), Hovakimian, Opler, and Titman (2001) show that firms periodically readjusts their capital structures toward a target ratio. Lemmon, Roberts, Zender (2008) show that the majority of changes in leverage ratio is caused â€Å"by an unobserved time-invariant effect that generates surprisingly stable capital structures.† Lemmon, Roberts, Zender (2008) show that this factor is present before the IPO. They conclude that â€Å"variation in capital structures is primarily determined by factors that remain stable for long†¦show more content†¦They show that level of information asymmetry is higher for rural firms. Rural firm issue fewer seasoned equity offerings, it takes them more time to do an IPO, and they use more debt. Ivkovic and Weisbenner (2005) examine the stock investments of over 30,000 households in the U.S. between 1991 and 1996. They find that the â€Å"average household invests 31% of its portfolio in stocks located within 250 miles. If investors had held the market portfolio instead, only 13% of the average household’s investments would be this close.† Geography will affect coverage by security analyst, which in turn will affect the firm’s ability to attract investors in the market. Malloy (2005) concludes that analysts are more accurate when they cover geographically close firms. There is also an established literature on the effect of headquarters’ location on the firm’s ability to finance itself through debt. In general, conditions of loan are related to the distance between the borrower and the lender on one hand and the distance between the borrower and the closest competitor on the other hand. Arena and Dewally (2011) show that firm’s geographical location has a significant effect on corporate debt policies. They show that rural firms have higher debt yield spreads and attract smaller and less prestigious bank syndicates, compared with urban firms. As a result, the rural firmsShow MoreRelatedThe Development Of Electric Cars1591 Words   |  7 Pagestogether by a network of shared advantages which has created regional innovation clusters as well systems of connection globally that brought about long-term economic prosperity, productivity, and growth. These geographic innovation has had profound effects on our society with the invention of the automobile undeniably a standout. However, there are over one billion vehicles in the world today (Plumer, 2011), releasing potentially catastrophic amount of greenhouse gas. Hence the interest in a cleanerRead MoreIdentify and discuss different criteria of segmenting consumer markets. Using valid examples explain how differ ent organizations may implement target market strategies4493 Words   |  18 Pagesconsumer markets according to the breakdown method can broadly classified into: i. Background customer characteristics ii. Customer attitudes iii. Customer behaviour The first two refer to a consumer’s inclination to certain actions that and not related to the market place. The third refers to the consumer’s behaviour while in the act of purchasing a product. BACKGROUND CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS FOR SEGMENTING MARKETS Background information is not malleable, that is they do not change from oneRead More Varieties of Capitalism Essay2378 Words   |  10 Pagescapitalism’ is a firm-centered approach where firm is placed as a key actor and is being considered relational. It emphasizes the concept of institutional complementarities, which ‘†¦one set of institutions is complementary to another when its presence raises the returns available from the other’ (Hall and Gingerich, 2004, p.6). Also, the development of relationships between firms and other five domains – industrial relations, vocational training and education, corporate governance, inter-firm relationsRead MoreThe Evaluation of the Accounts Payable Process in Cebu Shared Service Center6372 Words   |  26 PagesRisk management is â€Å"a process of understanding and managing the risks that the entity inevitably subject to in attempting to achieve its corporate objectives. For management purposes, risks are us ually divided into categories such as operational, financial, legal, compliance, information and personnel. One example of an integrated solution to risk management is enterprise risk management† (CIMA, 2005). 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Bouchikhi (1993) claims that each approach taken separately has crucial weaknesses and neither the personality of the entrepreneur nor the structural characteristics of the environment illuminate the process. Thus, multi-leveled studies have been encouraged in research programs (Low MacMillan, 1988). In my previous paper, I attempted to examine the different forms of entrepreneurship by using the interplayRead MoreGlobalization or Glocalisation? Networks, Territories and Rescaling12782 Words   |  52 Pagesinstitutional/regulatory arrangements shift from the national scale both upwards to supra-national or global scales and downwards to the scale of the individual body or to local, urban or regional conï ¬ gurations and, secondly, economic activities and inter-ï ¬ rm networks are becoming simultaneously more localised/regionalised and transnational. In particular, attention will b e paid to the political and economic dynamics of this geographical rescaling and its implications. The scales of economic networks andRead MoreAdvantages Of Small Scale Industry2940 Words   |  12 PagesEmployment, as well as exports, both in the developed world, as well as in the third world nations. Globalisation, or technically Free Trade, presents both challenges and opportunities to this sector. Challenges, to name a few, would be threat of Firms with greater access to Capital, using capital intensive technologies and exploiting economies of scale, as well as changes in preferences of Consumers. Opportunities are off course contesting foreign lands and accessing greater revenue. In the sectionsRead MorePing Case Study2846 Words   |  12 Pagesagency relationships in the direct channel. While its largest shareholder is HSBC (16.13%), Ping An’s own foreign investments have been less than successful, with a failed $3.4 billion investment in large European bank Fortis in 2008. The global financial crisis was a major factor influencing this European failure, but the Chinese banking sector generally was largely insulated from the GFC due to its closed structure and no heavy investments in Europe. In 2009, Ping An acquired the Shenzhen DevelopmentRead MoreEssay about Agency Problem26370 Words   |  106 PagesCross-listing Stocks Bonding International ï ¬ nancial markets a b s t r a c t Why ï ¬ rms from around the world seek to cross-list their shares on overseas exchanges has intrigued scholars during the past two decades. A general dissatisfaction with the conventional wisdom about investment barriers segmenting global investors and how cross-listings overcome those barriers cleared the way for newer wisdom about informational problems and agency conï ¬â€šicts, and how ï ¬ rms could overcome weaknesses in corporate

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Need for a New Health Care System Essay examples - 1425 Words

Need for a New Health Care System One of the major problems nagging America is the need for a new health care system. The number of uninsured Americans needing medical treatment is rising. Medicare, a major part of the American health care system, is projected to go broke in 2019 according to USA Today?s article, Congress refuses to swallow cures for ailing Medicare. I have seen this ruin people?s pursuit of happiness. I worked in a nursing home for the past five years. Many elderly patients run out of money to support themselves for their long term care. When they go on Medicare, only certain treatments and prescription drugs are available. This causes them to worsen in condition physically and mentally. I believe that with a†¦show more content†¦With the implementation of a national health care system, uninsured Americans will be eliminated, prescription drug costs will be lower, and Medicare will be revived in a different form. National health care systems have shown great results in several different cou ntries. National health care systems have been criticized due to exaggeration of minute problems, where critics look for radical results but do not look for the actual benefits of the system (Axworthy and Spiegel 2). To this effect there is no evidence supporting that privatized health care systems are more efficient (Axworthy and Spiegel 2). They are in fact less efficient due to the number of uninsured people. One example of the inefficiency of privatized health care is that the Canadian version of Medicare is less expensive than the American model of Medicare (Axworthy and Spiegel 2). The problem does not exist in the lack of money in the system, rather the inefficient use of the funds. We already spend twice as much per person on health care as other advanced countries that still manage to cover all their citizens (McCarthy 1). Not only would the new health care system save enough money to cover the uninsured people but it would save the American taxpayers at least $200 billion a year (McCarthy 2). Taxes would be increased but health costs that come out of the pockets of citizens and health insurance premiums would be eliminated, counteracting the raise inShow MoreRelatedNational Health Care For The United States1569 Words   |  7 Pagesfor hospital care, physician services, long term care, prescription drugs, and other services and products†. Before Medicare and Medicaid, about half of hospital care was not covered by insurance. About 100 % of the spending on prescription medications came from the customers in the 1960s (Cothran, 2015). But, in 201 4, customers spent 15% less. Team B will explain our position on national health care spending in the United States. We will also include: current national health care costs, if we areRead MoreHealth Care At The Healthcare Industry1684 Words   |  7 PagesHealth care informatics delivers a promising future for the health care industry. Big data analytics, computer aided decision support, and systems integration will provide health care organizations with new tactics to treat patients while controlling cost. â€Å"Widespread use of health IT within the health care industry will improve the quality of health care, prevent medical errors, reduce health care costs, increase administrative efficiencies, decrease paperwork, and expand access to affordable healthRead MoreWhat Factors Affecting Delivery Quality Management Programs Affect The Successful Delivery Of Medical Services1550 Words   |  7 Pagesdelivery of medical services in a managed health care system. What s the Issue? The new health care era focuses on improving patient health outcomes (Kirzecky Jones, 2013). As a result, the uncertainty in the United States health services industry and the constant changes place significant demand on health care providers and the individuals who lead and manage health care delivery systems (Stowe, Haefner, Behling, 2010). Therefore, managed care organizations and other payers are shiftingRead MoreThe Future Of Nursing : Leading Change1047 Words   |  5 PagesNursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health Institute of Medicine was tasked with submitting a report consisting recommendations and a blue print for the future of nursing. â€Å"The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health† was published at the time when Affordable Care Act(ACA) was signed by the President in March 2010. With this 32million more Americans will be provided with insurance in future. To accommodate the new demand while keeping a high quality health care is a challenge. The report inRead MoreNursing Is A Leader, And The Ways Nurses Essay981 Words   |  4 Pagesin Patient care. Nurses educate, advocate, care and comfort patient. Moreover, nurses do 24 hour bedside care; they assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care and comfort of the patient. Furthermore, they communicate and collaborate patient care with other care team members. Nurses are eyes and ears of patient. Institute of medicine (IOM) understand the relation of nursing care and patient outcome. IOM perceives nurses going above an d beyond to improve increasingly complex health care industry.Read MoreEssay about Facility Planning Part 1812 Words   |  4 PagesHCS/446 June 24, 2013 Royann Schmidgall Facility Planning Part 1 There are numerous stages involved when stakeholders think about remodeling or building a new facility. There are three specific stages when deciding to remodel or build. Stage one is the planning and defining the hospital project. This includes a strategic plan, needs assessment, and concept design. Stage two is the design development, schematic design, construction documentation, and building permits. Stage three involvesRead MoreEssay on Health Care Consumerism: New Marketing Trend847 Words   |  4 Pageswho has health insurance has been declining over the years and the cost of health care has dramatically been on the rise. Most people did not fully understand their coverage and the health system did not give enough choices; instead, employers and providers had full control over plans, cost, preferences, and many other options. While the cost was on the rise, quality of service was either the same or declining. All these factors plus many others have made it imminent for t he health care system, especiallyRead MoreRole of Nurses in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act666 Words   |  3 PagesIn 2009, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) and former ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR witnessed this historical moment. American nurses celebrate with satisfaction, because their hard work paid off, enacting historical health care reform legislation that benefits not only nurses but their patient as well. Despite that the health care reform is now a reality, is important to keep working in order to make sure that the reform is implementedRead MoreThe Organizations Respective Industry1213 Words   |  5 Pagesunify governmental efforts. One of the benefits and services the veterans receive at a minimal or no cost is health care services. In the health care component of the VA, technology is essential in delivering health care services. For instance, clinic and non-clinical staff utilize electronic health care records (EHR) such as computerized patient record system (CPRS) in administering health care services and in a collaborative diagnosis process. Utilizing the CPRS databases allows for a smooth transitionRead MoreElectronic Health Records And Its Disadvantages1481 Words   |  6 PagesElectronic Health Record Issues in Health Care Health information systems must work for those that are at the point of service. This is because they are the first point of contact and the face of the health care system. These individuals are usually doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists who are providing patient care and need to maintain patient trust. Patient who seeks medical advice trust that treatment decisions made from providers consists of quality and care. By using electronic

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Piercing On Corporate Groups In Australia †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Piercing On Corporate Groups In Australia? Answer: Introducation Directing mind and will is a phrase that is associated with the officers of the company who are considered to be the minds of a company. When any company is formed then it acquires all the features of a natural person and is established in (Salomon v A Salomon Co Ltd, 1896). The officers of the company are distinct from the company and the acts of the company are considered to be its own and no repercussion falls upon the officers who acts as the agents of the company and is held in (Lee v Lee's Air Farming Ltd , 1960). (Tomasic, Bottomley, McQueen, 2002) But, whether every person who is acting on behalf of company can be considered as the directing mind and will of the company. Can every employee or client who is associated with the company is the directing mind and will of the company. The answer is No. It is held in (Krakowski v Eurolynx Properties Ltd, 1995), that those officers who encompass and acts in order to fulfill the objects and aims of the company are considered to be the directing mind and will of the company. These are the persons who are authorized to achieve the purpose of the company and are entitled to undertake actions on behalf of the company. The acts that are carried out by theses directing mind and will official are binding upon the company and the company must honor such acts considering the same as its own. (Tunstall, 2008) Piercing the Corporate Veil Piercing the corporate veil is the phrase which symbolizes a situation where in the distinct personality of the company is disregarded by the court and the distinction amid the company and its officers is mitigated and the acts of the directors are held to be his acts personally and not the acts of the company.(Eroglu, 2008) When a company is formed then it has a distinct legal personality, that is, the acts of the directors are considered as the acts of the company and any liability arising there from will be considered as the acts of the company (Lennards Carrying Co Ltd v Asiatic Petroleum Co Ltd, 1915). But, when there are cases of fraud or sham or presence of enemy element or corporate group or agency, then, this distinct personality is disregarded by the courts and the veil that makes a distinction amid the company and its officers is distended and the veil is pierced (Industrial Equity Ltd v Blackburn , 1977) and (James Hardie, 1989). (Helen, 2009) When the veil is pierced the repercussion of the acts of the company does not fall upon the company and the director is held personally liable for the same. The acts of the company become the acts of the directors and they can beheld personally liable to make the good the loss caused by them. Thus, the piercing of corporate veil is a very important concept in order to bring justice. References Eroglu, M. (2008). Multinational Enterprises and Tort Liabilities: An Interdisciplinary and Comparative Examination. Edward Elgar Publishing. Helen, A. (2009). Piercing the Veil on Corporate Groups in Australia: The Case for Reform" . Industrial Equity Ltd v Blackburn (1977). James Hardie (1989). Krakowski v Eurolynx Properties Ltd (1995). Lee v Lee's Air Farming Ltd (1960). Lennards Carrying Co Ltd v Asiatic Petroleum Co Ltd (1915). Salomon v A Salomon Co Ltd (1896). Tomasic, R., Bottomley, S., McQueen, R. (2002). Corporations Law in Australia. Federation Press. Tunstall. (2008). Corporate Responsibility: The duties and liabilities of the corporation.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Apparel Shopper free essay sample

Comprhensive Case The Apparel Shopper 1. What overall conclusions do you reach after reading this case? The information in the case gave the overall conclusion that the apparel industry is a very competitive field to get into and in order to prosper companies must find their own personal niche within the industry. A company cannot survive in the apparel industry by providing what is already available in other stores. It is important to define a target market and appeal to their needs and wants. For instance, Wal-Mart appeals to low income individuals, Target and Old Navy appeal to more fashion sensitive customers, and so on. Ultimately, stores must relate and direct efforts towards specific apparel shoppers demographics and preferences. 2. How can apparel retailers compete with Wal-Mart? To compete with Wal-Mart you need to think of Wal-Marts competitive advantage: price. Your stores competitive advantages MUST stand out, and be in demand. You must have a style clothing that appeals to your target market if you want to compete with Wal-Mart. We will write a custom essay sample on The Apparel Shopper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This means marketing based on style, name brand, and higher quality clothing. Wal-Mart cant offer any of these things. Also, if you try to market to another demographic such as Hispanic Americans or Asian Americans you might find a niche that has not yet been tapped into. 3 Does cross-shopping affect apparel retailing? Is this good or bad? Why? I think cross-shopping definitely affects apparel retailing. People will go to different stores and shopping centers in one shopping trip to look for a specific item, the best prices or just a different look. Low income shoppers may shop around for the best bargains. For retailers, cross shopping can be a good thing and a bad thing. If a person starts out at a particular store and doesnt find anything they really want they may buy something somewhere else just because they are tired of looking. Stores also have to stay competitive with their prices in order to keep loyal shoppers. 4. What are the retail implications of this statement: American consumers are not trendy either at work or play Do you agree with the statement? Why or why not? The retail implications are that most stores tend to follow the trends and not necessarily set them. Americans are more conservative than Europeans in their apparel so if a new retailer is trying to break into the market, he/she should consider how they want to market their clothing. If they want to stand out, maybe they should invest in newer, trendier clothing. If not, then they should keep their target market in mind. I dont agree with that statement however, I do believe Americans are trendy themselves. Many people I know rely on celebrities, magazines, talk shows, and television to figure out the latest styles and how to wear certain styles. I believe Americans acually focus quite a bit on trends.. especially younger generations. Older generations tend not to follow this idea however. 5. How could the information cited in the case be used in a retail information system? The information in this case could be used by a retailer to help dicover how to cater to their target market. Their retail information system can keep track of information on the types of customers that shop at their stores, such as income level, gender, race, age, ethnicity, and clothing preferences. The retailer then knows if they are targeting the right customers for their product line and price range or if they need to change their target market. 6 What additional consumer-related information would you like to review about apparel shoppers besides that stated in the case? I would like to see a comparison based upon different locations within the United States. Income, age, gender, and ethnicity all play important factors regarding where consumers shop. However, I feel that the location and surroundings of the consumer will also play an important role when deciding where to shop. For instance, two different employees, who are both earning the same salary and working for the same company in different locations, will probably tend to dress differently. A standard dress code is usually enforced no matter where the company is located; however, how people adhere and dress in regards to the dress code will probably differ. The employee in New York City will probably dress on a more upscale and trendier level. This is due to the fact that these employees have access to several upscale, specialty store locations. On the other hand, an employee working in Lancaster may not be wearing Prada shoes or carrying Louis Vuitton briefcases. As stated on page 201, â€Å"consumer lifestyles are based on social and psychological factors, and influenced by demographics. † In addition, consumer demographics on page 199 states within the definition that consumers can be identified by place of residence. Stores such as Hollister, which bases their style on a California trend; and Abercrombie, which demonstrates styles of the east coast are realizing these differences and are now basing the styles of their stores off of these locations.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Pretender By F. Sionil Jose

The Pretender By F. Sionil Jose The Pretender by F. Sionil Jose Summary Antonio Samson had just returned from the United States after finishing his doctorate studies. He visited his father in prison and told his father that he will soon be married to Carmen Villa, a member of an affluent family in Manila whom he met in the United States.Carmen's mother did not like Tony because he is poor while her father likes him because he will be good for business. Anyways, the marriage was secretly held far earlier then planned because Carmen was already pregnant. Tony was an educator at the University until he quit after a dispute with Dean Lopez, the head of the University and the one who helped him get a scholarship to study abroad. Unemployed, Tony accepted the job Don Manuel previously offered him. Now begins the morphing of Tony. A large salary, air-conditioned office, easy work, and meeting with influential people, Tony was surely becoming different.English: Photo of Tony Sagami

Saturday, November 23, 2019

FL Learners

The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners Identifying the Problem Area Importance of effective writing skills is enormous with regard to the existing academic and professional standards. During the peer-tutoring sessions, students are often challenged by the professors’ instructions and, therefore, they need additional assistance to cope with writing assignments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers: The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is of particular concern to ESL students who often face a dilemma of proofreading because of lack of qualified proofreading services on campus. However, the point is that most of students are not fully aware of the necessity to check their papers for grammar and spelling before submitting them to their professors. What is more frustrating is that the current writing centers for second language l earners fail to provide sufficient services for them, except for the expensive ones. Judging from the above-presented assumptions, two major problems come to the forth: What are the main reasons for students’ unawareness of the need to proofread their papers before submissions? What does the University fail to provide high quality proofreading services for ESL students? With this in mind, it is necessary to explore the main causes and origins of the problem, as well as define who these urgent issues can be addressed through an action research plan. Significance of the Problem The problem of disservice writing policies, as well as students’ reluctance to address professional assistance has recently become much more serious. Many ESL learners fail to meet with their supervisors merely because they are not able to communicate effectively, as well as understand what actually a professor want them to do. Therefore, students studying the English language as their second on e often come to the writing center for not just writing assistance, but for the purpose of improving their communicational skills (Pistone, 2010). However, lack of sufficient communication skills might become a serious problem because it also influences the frequency of students’ attendance to the proofreading centers. Aside from the communication difficulties, ESL students can face significant writing problems that need especial intervention. The point is that writing skills cannot be underestimated because they demonstrate students’ learning abilities (Tan, n. d.). Therefore, students having poor writing level have greater changes to fail their academic exams. The problem area is of especially significance because it provides significant barriers for the ESL students and contributes negatively to the problem of international learning. The problem is also closely associated with cultural diversity issues which are often ignored by professors. Thus, students studying t he second language do not consider proofreading service as a viable solution to the problem because independent learning is highly appreciated in some countries.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rationale for the Research Regarding the problem of second language learning and the consequences of disservice writing centers, it is imperative to provide a deeper analysis of reasons for students’ reluctance and unawareness of attending writing centers, as well as underpinnings for re-evaluating the existing functions and use of proofreading services. Looking the problem through the prism of innovative approaches to proofreading, as well as existing writing centers ensuring effective support and assistance to students, the research action plan should be introduced to take the corresponding measures to improve the current situation. Theoretical Implications for the Action Res earch Lack of highly qualified proofreading services, as well as students’ reluctance to address such services, provides a solid ground for researching the standards and main strategies applied by leading writing centers. It will help to define how ESL students can improve their writing skills. There is also a necessity to explore the reasons for students’ ignorance of the importance of addressing tutors at the writing centers to compare the findings with the results obtained from questionnaire. Finally, it is also purposeful to focus on the existing strategies and approaches to assisting foreign learners in advancing their writing skills. According to the studies performed by Tan (n. d.), few universities in Asian countries can provide sufficient writing services for ESL students. What is more problematic is that these services are often provided under the support of broader services, such as learning or self-access centers. As a result, lack of writing and support ce nters does not contribute to recognizing the fact that many students have serious problems with the written assignments. Despite the identified shortage, some universities still manage to introduce innovation in the sphere of proofreading. For instance, the Baptist College in Hong Kong has created the Writing Enhancement Service because teacher became more aware of their students having problems with writing (Tan, n. d.). In this respect, they developed an effective system addressing various aspects of writing, as well as assisting students in exploring drawbacks in their writing. In the studies provided by Gupta Woldemarian (n. d.), it is also possible to track the interdependency of writing skills and degree of motivation to improve them. Because students are often triggered by the necessity to meet the academic writing standards, such aspects as attitude and motivation are always under the question. In this respect, these factors enable to differentiate because students with low and high achievement.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers: The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because motivation and attitude are emotional composites of emotional cognition, they identify students’ reluctance or aspiration either to attend or to skip proofreading services. Similar to Gupta Woldemarian (n. d.), Ma (2011) refers to the role of perception and attitude in achieving high academic results. Specifically, the scholar points out that sometimes, students and teachers’ perceptions of academic objectives differ significantly, which leads to misconception and bias. As a result, students are often discouraged to present properly written assignments and understand the actual purpose of advancing their writing skills. Because students do not fully realize the importance of the writing skills, it is logical that they do not realize the importance of attending writing centers. The dependency between teachers’ strategies and learners’ attention has also been studied by Torki (n. d.) who has managed to explore compatibility between these two aspects. Investigating those aspects within a context of vocabulary class, the research relies on the two variables, â€Å"frequency and order of occurrence of lexical items in classroom discourse† (Torki, n. d. p. 336). The findings have revealed that some of the teachers’ assumptions concerning the learning strategies have been false, including frequency of occurrence. Overall, the given theoretical implications creates a sufficient ground for conducting a survey that seeks to define the actual reasons and percentage of students attending writing centers and the ones considering it a mere waste of time. Moreover, the given action research should define the new strategies for existing writing centers and proofreading services. Methodology Data Collection In order to answer the research questions and solve the research problems, a survey was conducted among 100 students on campus. The survey questions aim to define students’ attitude to writing services, as well as their awareness of the importance of attending proofreading services before submission. The sample population was chosen out of 3000 students. The participants composed of different nationalities, religions, and beliefs. Gender characteristic have not been considered because it provides no importance for answering the research question. While collecting data about the participants, I encountered several challenges. First, some students rejected to participate because they did not actually understand the purpose of research, though the scope was sufficiently explained. Second, the participants had difficulties while answering specific questions that related to their personal attitudes and beliefs. The da ta collection was composed of two stages. The first one involved e-mailing all students on campus about the survey and the second one was the survey itself. The invitation letter contained a brief characteristic of the research problem and a detailed analysis of an action research project. Out of 3000, about 230 reacted to the letter. However, the survey was completed by 100 participants because not all students were able to answer the questions.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The questionnaire prepared for the survey was composed with regard to such topics as frequency of attending writing centers, reasons for using services, students’ attitude of importance of using proofreading services, awareness and perception of teachers’ obligations and practical approaches. All the thematic nodes sought to find out the reasons of disservice of proofreading polices, as well as students’ perception of their contribution to the learning process. In addition, students have been chosen from different classes and departments and, therefore, these facts will not be included as a variable for the given action research project. Data Analysis While analyzing the answers, several topic areas were covered in the questionnaire (See Appendix 1). Among the respondents, 52% participants attended the writing centers and most of them (36 %) visited the center only once. The rest of the respondents did not use the proofreading services because the majority of th em (60 %) did not have enough time. Despite low frequency of attendance, approximately 50 % of the respondents believe that the writing centers providing a wide range of services (writing tutorials, writing practice materials, proofreading assistance, and creative writing practice) are indispensible for a successful academic progress. Hence, a controversy emerges concerning students’ frequency of attendance and their actual needs. Regarding these controversies, the focus should be made on re-evaluation of the existing services provided by the writing centers. First, the responses indicate that tutors fail to consider students’ needs and objectives because they do not fully recognize the problem with writing. Second, though the existing on campus agency provide sufficient writing and proofreading services, teacher fail to ensure students with the corresponding support and assistance. What is more important is that these agencies fail to invite students and persuade thos e that proofreading process is as important as the writing one. The second part of a survey was focused on the analysis of teachers’ role in assisting and counseling students. Thus, almost two third of respondents (62 %) confirmed that they are not in need of a person that would check their paper before submission. The remaining third (38 %) of students recognized the necessity of introducing intermediate for checking their writing. However, among these 38 % of students refer to mostly either to family members or friend for checking a paper. Out of those people, only 24 % rely on teacher’s authority. As per 62 %, these groups of students explain their reluctance to involve a third person by unavailability of professionals (47 %), insignificance of the checking (30 %), and time shortage (21 %), 2 % of the respondents do not even consider that checking is really important. These results were supported by students’ opinion about the importance and usefulness of the proofreading services. Finally, the results of the survey provided information about the expensiveness of the proofreading services because only 17 % of respondents afforded to pay for them. Overall, the given survey results have proved the idea that the writing centers on campus do not provide enough support. They also fail to attract students to address such agencies because the majority of students have not applied to them yet. Finally, students’ perception of tutors help is insignificant because they do not recognize the role of counseling in advancing their writing skills. At the same time, they believe that writing tutorials and creative approaches should still be used. A Plan of Action To explore the reasons and define the solutions that should be introduced, it is necessary to introduce changes to the current situation. The solutions will be focused on improving the quality of tutors’ assistance, as well as making students being more aware of the importance of addressing the writing centers. With regard to the above, the plan will focus on introducing the following changes: Introducing new tutor strategies for creating new writing centers on campus will be possible through a care-centered approach (Piston, 2010); Reconsidering professor’s instructions to the written assignments through instructional interventions (Enos, 2010); Recognizing the difficulties that students experience while performing a written assignment (Tan, n. d.); Introducing a person-oriented approach to assessing ESL student writing skills; Creating separate classes of ESL students having difficulties with proofreading (Ernest, Johnson, Kelly-Riley, 2011); Introducing new steps to understanding written assignment. Regarding the first solution, it is purposeful to introduce a care giving approach for a student. Under these circumstances, the personnel of the writing centers should undergo special training to meet the concepts and requirement of a new learning technique. To be more precise, â€Å"†¦the caring tutoring approach when the tutor does not mindlessly berate the tutee about every sentence in the tutee’s paper and a caring tutor employs constructive criticism† (Piston, 2010, p. 10). Thus, a caring approach will fear a deep comprehension of a tutor, as well as an in-depth analysis of the tutee. Hence, the concept of caring should an ethical obligation for students because tutors should assist students from moral and professional perspectives. In this respect, Piston (2010) talks about mothering roles and increased importance of women in applying this approach. A relation between a tutor and tutee, therefore, should be interpreted as a psychological consultation, which is necessary for recognizing the difficulties and overcoming those in smaller class groups. Aside from innovative approaches introduced in the plan, significant shifts should be presented to the actual academic schedule. In this respect, Enos (2011 ) insists on the idea of instructional interventions to fill in the gaps between students’ writing skills and teachers’ expectations. In this respect, the importance of instructional interventions lies in promoting the level of students’ writing skills, as well as improving the learning outcomes. Judging from these theoretical implications, the practical intervention will be based on the shift in communication, lesson structure, and home assignments allocation. More importantly, the professors will have to introduce cohesive and strict instructions to the home assignment where the proofreading part will be inserted as an obligatory component of academic home assignments. A person-oriented approach is also an integral component of advanced and high-quality proofreading centers, as far as people with culturally diverse backgrounds are concerned. According to Crossman and Kite (2007), there is an evident connection between learning practices and the phenomenon of c ultural diversity. Hence, introducing native speakers to ESL classes will be beneficial for both group because there is a great opportunities for sharing experience and exchanging cultural information. Students from different cultures integrates into proofreading activities can significantly improve their communicational and interpersonal skills. Moreover, a collaborative approach presented at the writing centers can open a wide variety of perspectives for all students. Finally, understanding the scope of written assignments can be widened through creating online writing lab. Existing writing agencies on campus, therefore, should post basic concepts and purposes of writing, among the proofreading process should take one of the most important means of successful and high quality writing. Moreover, integration of online services to Asian university should become possible through interventions made from the North American higher educational establishments (Tan, n. d., p. 390). Embracin g all the above-presented solutions will help re-establish and improve the existing situation with the shortage of proofreading services, as well as disservice of the writing policies. Evaluating Results Regarding the proposed interventions, the improvement should occur in terms of students’ increased awareness of the role of proofreading services in an academic process, as well as advanced quality of writing services provided to students. In this respect, introducing a care giving approach to each student should contribute greatly to changing perceptions and attitudes to word the editing and proofreading process being inherent parts of successful writing. Teaching patterns will also undergo tangible shifts both at the writing centers on campus and in the classrooms. In particular, they should encourage students to engage into different social communities and attract them to address writing agencies for the purpose of improving their communication skills and proofreading skil ls. Moreover, significant attention will be given to difficulties and challenges that students should overcome. In such a manner, the intervention plan will increase the number of ESL students that want to apply to editing and proofreading services before submitting a written assignment to their instructions. The given approach to problem solving provides significant results because total evaluation of an academic curriculum is closely associated with disservice of proofreading services, as well as students’ unawareness of the writing difficulties. However, the intervention plan can be significantly facilitated if the University authorities decide to create community learning services guiding students and helping them cope with writing difficulties. In addition, a combination of survey results (quantitative data) with interviews (qualitative data) would also be beneficial for the given action research project because it could help consider ethical issues (Harwood, Austin, Ma caulay, 2010; Arney Jones, 2006). Specifically, interviews would provide a deeper insight into the students’ perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes concerning the role of proofreading and tutors’ assistance in writing skills acquisition. Conclusion and Recommendations The action research projects have highlighted the importance of introducing tutors’ assistance, as well as specific training materials for ESL students so as to advance the level of their writing skills. In fact, paying greater attention to the concept of writing and proofreading service can increase the quality of students’ achievement, as well as contribute to students’ understanding of using editing and proofreading services being at the core of successful writing. The data analysis has justified the rationale for introducing action plan to the given problem because the majority of ESL students on campus are not fully aware of the value of tutors’ assistance and support. In th is respect, the implementation of a care giving approach and a person-oriented learning can provide significant shifts to the overall educational system. The quantitative data received from survey results constitute sufficient evidence for continuing the research on the problem of proofreading services provided by the writing centers on campus. Implications for future works will be specifically connected with the study of cultural diversity as one of the key indicators that influence ESL learners’ writing skills. Specifically, creating service learning communities and online writing labs that can motivate students to address counselors. With regard to the above-presented conclusions, it is recommended to introduce qualitative data to supply the given research with additional information on the reasons for ignoring professional assistance of peer tutors checking papers before submissions. Financial issues should also be considered while tackling the problem of students’ perception of the writing agencies at the University. References Arney, J., Jones, I. (2006). Uniting Community and University Through Service Learning. Business Communication Quarterly, 69(2), 195-198. Crossman, J. M., Kite, S. L. (2007). Their Perspectives: Esl Students Reflections On Collaborative Community Service Learning. Business Communication Quarterly, 70(2), 147-165. Enos, M. F. (2010). Instructional Interventions For Improving Proofreading And Editing Skills Of College Students. Business Communication Quarterly, 73(3), 265-281. Ernest, A., Johnson, P., Kelly-Riley, D. (2011). Assessing Rhetorically: Evidence of Student Progress in Small-Group Writing Tutorials. Learning Assistance Review (TLAR), 16(2), 23-40. Gupta, D., Woldemarian, G. S. (n. d.). The Influence of Motivation and Attitude on Writing Strategy Use of Undergraduate EFL Students: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives. Asian EFL Journal. 13(2), 34-89. Harwood N., Austin, L., Macaulay, R. (2010). Ethic s and integrity in proofreading: Findings from an interview-based study. English For Specific Purposes, 2954-67. Ma, A. (2011). Do teachers reap what they sow? A study of young ESL learners perception of what is learned in an English lesson. Asian EFL Journal, 13(3), 184-204. Piston, R. A. (2010). Writing Center Tutors Have the Luxury to Focus on Individual Student Care Giving as Opposed to Formal Classroom Settings that Are Less Care Centered. English Language Teaching. 3(2), 10-12. Tan, B.-H. (n. d.) Innovating Writing Centers and Online Writing Labs outside North America. Asian EFL Journal. 13(2), 391-418. Torki, S. (n. d.) What Teachers Want Them to Attend to in EFL Vocabulary Class? Asian EFL Journal. 13(2), 336-361. Appendix 1 ESP Writing Skills Survey Results Instructions Please circle the correct answer and provide information according to your answer, if requested. Have you ever been to the writing center on campus? YES (48%) or NO (52%) If YES, on average how many times per semester? Once (36%) Two or three times (42%) Four or five times (24%) More than five times (2%) If NO, why not? No one was available to help the last time I went (7%) It is not necessary (30%) I never have enough time (60%) Other (Please explain _Didnt know about it____ ) (3%) What do you think is the main purpose of a writing center? To provide writing tutorials (27%) To provide writing practice materials (34%) To provide proof-reading assistance (15%) To encourage creative writing (24%) Please rank the importance of the writing services below according to your own personal need. Service Not Important Slightly Important Moderately Important Very Important Writing tutorials 7% 15% 28% 50% Writing practice materials 5% 9% 34% 52% Proof reading assistance 6% 44% 20% 30% Creative writing practice 4% 14% 29% 53% Do you have someone check your work before you submit it to your teacher? YES (38%) or NO (62%) If YES, who checks your work? A family memb er (34%) A friend (43%) A teacher (23%) Other (Please explain ___________________ ) (0%) If NO, why not? No one is available to help (47%) It is not necessary (30%) I never have enough time (21%) Other (Please explain __Never thought of it____ ) (2%) In your opinion, how much would a proof reading service help you to improve your writing skills? Not at all (4%) Slightly (16%) Moderately (56%) Dramatically (24%) Have you ever paid for a proof reading service online? YES (17%) or NO (83%)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Supervision Topic of Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Supervision Topic of Issue - Research Paper Example Thus, this discussion seeks to evaluate the relevance of supervision in social work, with a view to underlining the different types of supervisions necessary for the accomplishment of effective social work services delivery. Supervision in social work has become an important aspect of determining the success of maintaining the best practices in both the health and human services professions. Successful client outcomes, is the major target of social work supervision (Noble & Irwin, 2009). Through good supervision, high levels of job satisfaction are achieved, while commitment to the organization and a high rate of social workers is realized. The first area through which social work employees are able to perceive the nature of support that they are offered by their organization is in supervision. This is because; social work consists of emotionally charged nature of tasks, which then requires that the social workers are granted sufficient support in order to be able to cope with the nature of their work. Thus, effective social work supervision has been identified as one of the ways of enhancing social workers retention within health and human services organizations (Reamer, 2003). The relevance of supervision in social work draws from the fact that the knowledge of social work has greatly increased, while the population served by the social workers has increasingly become complex. Equally relevant in the social work profession is the need to protect the clients from any form of harm that might arise out of unethical social practices that degrades the client’s dignity or breaches their confidentiality (Pack, 2009). In this respect, it is essential that all social workers are suitably equipped with the right skills and training to deliver social services effectively, while also ensuing that any form of assistance that the social workers might need to execute social work responsibilities