Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Sickness Unto Death A Christian Psychological...

THE SICKNESS UNTO DEATH: A CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPOSITION FOR UPBUILDING AND AWAKENING __________________ A Book Review Presented to Dr. Eric Johnson The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for 34230 __________________ by Martha A. Stanley SBTS Box 620 April 18, 2016 On my honor, I have neither given nor taken improper assistance in completing this assignment. Kierkegaard, Soren. The Sickness Unto Death. New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1980 According to the editors and translators of Kierkegaard s works, The Sickness Unto Death is a pseudonymous work written under the name, Anti-Climacus, with Kierkegaard as the editor. Amazingly, the author wrote the manuscript within a three-month period in 1848, likely due to his longstanding concern with the nature and meaning of anxiety and despair in relation to the becoming of the self. In the Gilleleje letter (1835) when Kierkegaard was 22, he wrote, a person must first learn to know himself before learning anything else. During the next decade, he explored psychological topics like anxiety, despair, desires, irony, sin, and faith through critical introspection and observation. His psychology was thoroughly shaped by his Christian faith and brilliant intellect. Influenced by the intellectual context of Kant s and Hegel s philosophies on the mind and theory of knowledge, Kierkegaard commented that genuine anthropological

Monday, May 18, 2020

Shoreline Assessment And Lake Management - 2730 Words

Shoreline Assessment and Lake Management Lakes face several problems, however, some of which stand out include Eutrophication as well as Shoreline development, which happens in consequence to eroision. Both of these processes are constantly at work, these problems are created by either natural forces or even by humans. Eutrophication is the addition of minerals into lake water, these minerals include Nitrogen, as well as Phosphorous. It is said that warmth and light both affect the overall process of eutrophication. The process of eutrophication occurs only in certain lakes, however the perfect chemistry must be present. It can be said that several lakes around developed areas go through â€Å"cultural eutrophication† this can be better†¦show more content†¦Shorelines, the narrow strips of land located along body of water. These areas are also transition zones where land and water meet to create unique and highly efficient ecosystems. Shorelines are valuable resources that provide numerous social, economic and environmental aid. For example, shoreline ecosystems help purify water by filtering out sediment and trapping pollutants, including fertilizer and pesticide residues and absorbing excess nutrients from both natural and human sources that increase by human interaction . Shore lines also stabilize and protect the shores from erosion through presence of vegetation and limit flooding by absorbing water by creating buffer sediments. The littoral zone, extends from the depth to which sunlight can penetrate all the way on shore to a distance from 10-20 meters, depending on the slope. This zone supports and contains up to 90% of the life in a water body.( Schelenz, 2002) Shoreline development, and other aspects (FIX THIS) To further understand shoreline one must first understand the different types of shorelines. Shoreline classified in to four categories; however, in doing so we must consider both human and natural impacts. Ornamental shorelines are areas that have been developed to focus on the shore’s aesthetical look and industrial value, with little attention to ecological consequences. There

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Theodore Roosevelt and the New York Police Department

Future president Theodore Roosevelt returned to the city of his birth in 1895 to take on a task that might have intimidated other people, the reform of the notoriously corrupt police department. His appointment was front-page news and he obviously saw the job a chance to clean up New York City while reviving his own political career, which had stalled. As the president of the police commission, Roosevelt, true to form, vigorously threw himself into the task. His trademark zeal, when applied to the complexities of urban politics, tended to generate a cascade of problems. Roosevelts time at the top of the New York Police Department brought him into conflict with powerful factions, and he did not always emerge triumphantly. In one notable example, his widely publicized crusade to close saloons on Sunday, the only day when many workingmen  could socialize in them, provoked a lively public backlash. When he left the police job, after only two years, the department had been changed for the better. But Roosevelts time as New York Citys top cop had been raucous, and the clashes he found himself in had nearly brought his political career to an end. Roosevelts Patrician Background Theodore Roosevelt was born into a wealthy New York City family on October 27, 1858. A sickly child who overcame illness through physical exertion, he went on to Harvard and entered New York politics by winning a seat in the state assembly at the age of 23. In 1886 he lost an election for mayor of New York City. He then stayed out of government for three years until he was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison to the United States Civil Service Commission. For six years Roosevelt served in Washington, D.C., overseeing the reform of the nations civil service, which had been tainted by decades of adherence to the spoils system. Roosevelt was respected for his work reforming the federal civil service, but he wished to return to New York City and something more challenging. A new reform mayor of the city, William L. Strong, offered him the job of sanitation commissioner in early 1895. Roosevelt turned it down, thinking the job of literally cleaning up the city was beneath his dignity. A few months later, after a series of public hearings exposed widespread graft in the New York Police Department, the mayor came to Roosevelt with a far more attractive offer:  a post on the board of police commissioners. Enthused by the  chance to bring much-needed reforms to his hometown, and in a very public post, Roosevelt took the job. The Corruption of the New York Police A crusade to clean up New York City, led by a reform-minded minister, Rev. Charles Parkhurst, had prompted the state legislature to create a commission to investigate corruption. Chaired by state senator Clarence Lexow, what became known as the Lexow Commission held public hearings which exposed the startling depth of police corruption. In weeks of testimony, saloon owners and prostitutes detailed a system of payoffs to police officials. And it became apparent that the thousands of saloons in the city functioned as political clubs which perpetuated the corruption. Mayor Strongs solution was to replace the four-member board that oversaw the police. And by putting an energetic reformer like Roosevelt on the board as its president, there was cause for optimism. Roosevelt took the oath of office on the morning of May 6, 1895, at City Hall. The New York Times lauded Roosevelt the next morning but expressed skepticism about the other three men named to the police board. They must have been named for political considerations, said an editorial. Problems were obvious at the outset of Roosevelts term at the top of the police department. Roosevelt Made His Presence Known In early June 1895 Roosevelt and a friend, the crusading newspaper reporter Jacob Riis, ventured out into the streets of New York late one night, just after midnight. For hours they wandered through the darkened Manhattan streets, observing the police, at least when and where they could actually find them. The New York Times carried a story on June 8, 1895 with the headline, Police Caught Napping. The report referred to President Roosevelt, as he was president of the police board, and detailed how he had found policemen asleep on their posts or  socializing in public  when they should have been patrolling alone. Several officers were ordered to report to police headquarters the day after Roosevelts late night tour. They received a strong personal reprimand from Roosevelt himself. The newspaper account noted: The action of Mr. Roosevelt, when it became known, made a sensation throughout the department and as a consequence, more faithful patrol duty may be performed by the force for some time to come. Roosevelt also came into conflict with Thomas Byrnes, a legendary detective who had come to epitomize the New York Police Department. Byrnes had amassed a suspiciously large fortune, with the apparent help of Wall Street characters such as Jay Gould, but had managed to keep his job. Roosevelt forced Byrnes to resign, though no public reason for the ouster of Byrnes was ever disclosed. Political Problems Though Roosevelt was at heart a politician, he soon found himself in a political bind of his own making. He was determined to shut down saloons, which generally operated on Sundays in defiance of local law. The problem was that many New Yorkers worked a six-day week, and Sunday was the only day when they could gather in saloons and socialize. To the community of German immigrants, in particular, the Sunday saloon gatherings were considered an important facet of life. The saloons were not merely social but often served as political clubs, frequented by an actively engaged citizenry. Roosevelts crusade to shutter saloons on Sundays brought him into heated conflict with large segments of the population. He was denounced and viewed as being out of touch with the common people. The Germans in particular rallied against him, and Roosevelts campaign against saloons cost his Republican Party in the city-wide elections held in the fall of 1895. The next summer, New York City was hit by a heat wave, and Roosevelt gained back some public support by his smart action in dealing with the crisis. He had made an effort to familiarize himself with slum neighborhoods, and he saw that the police distributed ice to people who desperately needed it. By the end of 1896, Roosevelt was thoroughly tired of his police job. Republican William McKinley had won the election that fall, and Roosevelt began concentrating on finding a post within the new Republican administration. He was eventually appointed an assistant secretary of the Navy and left New York to return to Washington. Impact of Roosevelt on New Yorks Police Theodore Roosevelt spent less than two years with the New York Police Department, and his tenure was marked with nearly constant controversy. While the job burnished his credentials as a reformer, most of what he tried to accomplish ended in frustration. The campaign against corruption proved essentially hopeless. New York City remained much the same after he left. However, in later years Roosevelts time at police headquarters on Mulberry Street in lower Manhattan took on legendary status. He would be remembered as a police commissioner who cleaned up New York, even though his accomplishments on the job didnt live up to the legend.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis - 781 Words

In the world of psychology, there is a theory, the tabula rusa(â€Å"blank slate†), which states man’s personality grows from experiences, but there are many examples that show mankind is created to exemplify goodness, although many easily stray from the path. The novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson focuses on the duality of man’s inner nature, demonstrating the development of a doctor’s evil as it slowly consumes him. Throughout the work, Stevenson merges his philosophy of human nature with the good-natured Dr. Jekyll and the mysterious evil, Mr. Hyde. As the plot thickens, Stevenson uses illustrious diction to clarify the positives of Jekyll, the negative aura of Hyde, and he displays his belief that man†¦show more content†¦The reader gets quite a bad first impression of Mr. Hyde as he â€Å"trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming to the ground† (Stevenson 4), already fore shadowing more horrific events to be caused with his little remorse. The choice of his reaction of trampling calmly over a little girl demonstrates Mr. Hyde’s inhumane feeling as well as a possible joy of hurting others. After the first encounter with the unnerving Mr. Hyde, the protagonist of the story, Mr. Utterson, goes out of his way to cross paths with the man once more. As a result of the endless questioning, Utterson faces an animal that â€Å"snarled aloud into a savage laugh† (Stevenson 17) in a hurried craze. By having Hyde snarl, it connotes a more abhorring nature of the man, and describing his laugh as savage sends out warning signs of more incidents of pain to be caused by him. While Jekyll struggles to choose good or evil, Hyde does not struggle at all as he does not face any difficult choices, so he tries to take advantage of what he believes is his weaker side. Through Dr. Jekyll’s detailed statement, Stevenson unleashes a torrent of his philoso phy upon mankind’s nature. After indulging in his evil side for a while, Jekyll finally decides to choose â€Å"the elderly and discontented doctor, surrounded by friends and cherishing honest hopes† (Stevenson 91), an example of one’s choice of who they truly are as a person. Through the loss of his dreams, the doctorShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1729 Words   |  7 PagesTaking a Closer Look into the Story and Author of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Nothing Mr. Stevenson has written as yet has so strongly impressed us with the versatility of his very original genius. An anonymous review in â€Å"The Times† noted Robert Louis Stevenson for his intelligence in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The review continued with saying that the story, be read as a finished study in the art of fantastic literature. Whoever was the anonymous person to state these things aboutRead MoreAnalysis of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay557 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Everyone has heard of Jekyll and Hyde. The two infamous characters that portray the main roles in The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. Yet, even with this phenomenal status of the book, surprisingly, not many people know what is really represented inside its pages. Firstly, to understand what made The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde a classical story known by young and old alike, we must look at where it began. AsRead MoreDr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis703 Words   |  3 Pages The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde is an interesting story taking place in the 1800’s in europe. The story is told from a third person perspective. Telling this story in the third person is very useful because it narrates the life of a man that is some what investigating and you get to see the story from his perspective as he finds out more and more clues. Also when a story is narrated it gives the author the opportunity to explain some things to the audience that might not normally get pickedRead More Analysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson2888 Words   |  12 PagesAnalysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson In an attempt to consider the duality tale, one narrative inevitably finds its way to the top of the heap as the supreme archetype: Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Immense disagreement permeates the pages of literary criticism relevant to the meaning of the story. Yet, for all of the wrangling focused on the psychology, morality, spirituality, and sociality of the story, itRead MoreAnalysis Of The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, By Robert Louis Stevenson1323 Words   |  6 PagesStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, which gives a direct image of what Victorian era was like with his writing style as well as the story itself. Specifically, Stevenson portrays exactly how Victorian social life commenced as well as displays the main points of social standards of the time. Robert Louis Stevenson uses individual characters in the novella to accurately depict how people protected their social standing an d reputation during the Victorian era. Mr. UttersonRead MoreLiterary Analysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson1530 Words   |  7 Pagesin the 1800’s during the Victorian era in this novel. As the story unfolds in the classic literature novel, â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† written by Robert Louis Stevenson, the magnificent city of London becomes a darker and mysterious location. The powerful city of London embodied the freedom and solitude required for the antagonist of the story, Mr. Hyde to hide his wicked behavior from the society as a whole. According to the history of the Victorian age, â€Å"Traditional ways of lifeRead MoreDr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis1467 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson and â€Å"Goblin Market† by Christina Rossetti are two interesting stories that would show how authors are able to outline good and evil in stories. The first story I consider a mystery as Stevenson leaves his reader in suspense of who really is Mr. Hyde, and what relationship does he have with Dr. Jekyll. And to help the reader solve this mystery was an interesting character by the name Mr. Utterson, who is a Lawyer by profession. Thus, in his questRead MoreDr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis1709 Words   |  7 Pagesnovella, the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson is able to explore his interests concerning the dark, hidden desires that all human beings are guilty of possessing. In his story, a well-respected professional by the name of Dr. Jekyll experiments with the idea of contrasting personalities and successfully undergoes a physical separation of such identities—one which would soon wreak havoc upon his very existence. As a result of his success, Edward Hyde is born. Hyde, characterized as a minisculeRead MoreDr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis914 Words   |  4 Pagesnovel Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson contains frequent situa tions where conflicts among the characters arise. This literary classic also has a prominent and iconic villain depicted in one of the title characters, Mr. Hyde. The general plot of the novel is as follows; Utterson, a respected lawyer, and Enfield, Utterson’s cousin, are on their weekly walk when Enfield tells Utterson about his first encounter with Hyde. During his retelling, Enfield explains how he witnesses Hyde trampleRead MoreDr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Analysis1320 Words   |  6 PagesIn The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it is clear that the biggest theme of the story is the concept of good against evil. In the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the conflict exists within the same person. It is generally believed that this internal struggle exists in everyone, and that â€Å"man is not truly one, but truly two.† It suggests that everyone has a dual personality , and a good and evil side exists in everyone. The struggle supposedly is usually a close fought battle that is close

Research Proposal On Stereotype Threat - 2288 Words

1 KirtmanNPSY7103-8 NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Student: Nisaa Kirtman PSY7103 ACKERMAN RESEARCH METHODS 8 (Quantitative Research Proposal) Faculty Use Only Quantitative research proposal on stereotype threat: Evaluation of online supportive website Problem Statement Stereotype threat, or the fear of being judged through the lens of a negative stereotype, has been shown to hurt one’s performance (Spencer, Steele, Quinn, 1999; Steele, Spencer Aronson, 2002). It is clear, from years of research, that individuals who are threatened about a negative stereotype concerning their ability do not perform to their potential when stereotypes are†¦show more content†¦This finding suggests that humor can be used to cope with threat, and students may view threat as a challenge to simply overcome other that simply a threat. Stereotype threat has also been shown to cause self-handicapping, or internal factors that impair performance (Stone, 2012) as well as claimed self-handicapping, or external factors that impair performance (Keller, 2002), both of which could be used intra-personally or interpersonally. The previous studies show that coping mechanisms for stereotype threat are vast, and those susceptible to threat should ha ve access to resources on ways to deal with some of underperformance effects of threat especially in academic settings. Purpose The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reducing Stereotype Threat website, www.reducingstereotypethreat.org, which offers resources, coping mechanisms and referrals for dealing with feelings of threat and its aftermath. Specifically, the purpose of the current study is to: 1. Obtain general site feedback from students impacted by threat; 2. Obtain feedback on specific resources from the site, focusing on design, usability, and impact of those resources. This website serves as, not just information and literature on the topic, but an online resource portal for students and educators who are faced with this phenomenon directly (as students orShow MoreRelatedCase 3.1 Hy Dairies1695 Words   |  7 PagesSyd Gilman, the vice marketing president at Hy Dairies perceived Rochelle Beauport as a potential marketing staff responsible to improve the sagging sales of Hy’s gourmet ice cream brand, thus decided to reward her with a new post of a marketing research coordinator that was taken by him as a valuable post in marketimg field. Rochelle Beauport, unfortunately had a different perceptions and expectations that leading her into a difficult decision making situation of whether to confront Gilman on perceivedRead MoreAnalysis Of Donald Trump s Presidential Legacy Essay1739 Words   |  7 Pages(Taylor, 2015). Security concerns arises to Trump’s proposal as whether this is constitutional and ethical. There have been many reports saying that Trump’s plan may work, with half the voters backing his statement. Yet, in terms of international relations, America’s relations with the Middle East will be in turmoil if this statement surpasses the planning stage. Donald Trump has argued that this will improve the country’s security from potential threats. Now the question arises, Should Muslim immigrantsRead MoreA Research Proposal For Non Asian Minority Groups2133 Words   |  9 Pages 1 KirtmanNPSY7103-6 NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Student: Nisaa Kirtman PSY7103 ACKERMAN RESEARCH METHODS 6 (MINI QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROPOSAL) Faculty Use Only Qualitative Mini-Research Proposal: Stereotype Threat As demographic changes reshape the STEM talent pool in the US, the nation will need to draw more on racial and ethnic groups that have been traditionally marginalized in order to maintain itsRead MoreFactors Contributing to the Poor Education of Minorities754 Words   |  3 Pagesminority students consider rhyming and playing basketball more important than receiving a proper education. The theme of my research is to discover why there is such a vast educational achievement gap between minority and Caucasian students. Many Americans are aware that a educational gap exists among today’s students but they do nothing to bring attention to it. This proposal will inform one of alarming statics that are affecting the welfare and future of minority students. For example, African AmericanRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s The Revolutionary War 1583 Words   |  7 PagesHannah Rice Schmidt – 1 Research Paper 23 September 2014 Jonathan Swift The Revolutionary War is one, if not the most memorable time of American history. It is what started the beginning of the land of the free. The colonization and tyranny of England was not just felt in the thirteen colonies that became America but also in places such as Ireland. Authors such as Jonathan Swift not only acted as literary geniuses but as a way for modern day historians to see the effects of colonization and the hardshipsRead More Racial and Cultural Test Bias, Stereotype Threat and Their Implications3799 Words   |  16 PagesRacial and Cultural Test Bias, Stereotype Threat and Their Implications A substantial amount of educational and psychological research has consistently demonstrated that African American students underperform academically relative to White students. For example, they tend to receive lower grades in school (e.g., Demo Parker, 1987; Simmons, Brown, Bush, Blyth, 1978), score lower on standardized tests of intellectual ability (e.g., Bachman, 1970; Herring, 1989; Reyes Stanic, 1988; SimmonsRead MoreSingle-Sex Education : Is One Gender Enough?1304 Words   |  6 Pagesfor their commitment. Schools dedicated to a specific gender also allow educators to choose a method of teaching that would most benefit their set of students. Each group of individuals mentioned has much to gain from this unique learning style. Proposal: Considering this, I propose that public school systems give students a choice between single-sex and coeducation in order to further expand their minds and allow them to grow in their chosen environment. A room full of girls is not discriminationRead MoreWhite Collar Crimes And Street Crimes1083 Words   |  5 Pagesand often admired by many (Piquero, 2014). These views often allow white collar crimes to â€Å"slip through the cracks† and carry lesser charges or punishment. Are white collar crimes viewed differently than street crimes? If so, then why? This research proposal will begin with a brief overview of the differences between white-collar crimes and street crimes, then examine societal views on both crimes, and specific patterns of white-collar crimes. It will conclude with identifying recent social and economicRead MoreA Proposal For A Legalization Of Abortion1585 Words   |  7 Pages Executive Summary The purpose of this policy paper is to address the egregious violation of rights that Ireland has submitted it’s citizens to by outlawing abortion procedures. This proposal calls primarily for a decriminalization of abortion and for the government to examine the religiosity of both Ireland’s political administration and the cultural view of abortion. The 2013 Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act fails to protect the maternal health of woman and is failing due to the vaguenessRead MoreMuslim Americans During World War II1826 Words   |  8 Pagesconducted in 2007, found that 54% of Muslim Americans believe that anti-terrorism policies â€Å"single out† Muslims while implementing these policies (Pew Research Center 36). Importantly, out of all Muslim in the U.S., 53% believe that life, as a Muslim American, has become increasingly difficult following the terrorist attacks that occurred on 9/11 (Pew Research Center 35). The terrorist attacks of 9/11 elicited intense emotions from the U.S. population, namely despair, grief, and outrage. Provided that such

Financial Analysis for Singapore Airlines and New Zealand Airways

Question: Discuss about the Financial Analysis for Singapore Airlines and New Zealand Airways. Answer: Introduction With the tremendous development in the global aviation transportation, the international aviation industry has been able to cover almost each and every part of the world since 1950s. As of today the international aviation industry consist of more than 2000 airlines which are providing their services to over 3700 airports with a fleet size of more than 23000 aircrafts. As per the report of International Air Transport Association, in next 2 decades, air traffic is expected to double. However, the percentage of growth will vary region to region especially the developing economies will show the fastest growth hence it is essential for the airlines to evaluate the financial performance in comparison to other competitive airlines and strengthen themselves to garb the highest opportunities in the near future (Pearce, 2015). All the above aspects sated that if a company is financially stable then it can face the unexpected changes of the market conditions. All the aspects increase the role of financial analysis with an aim of accessing a company's position. The financial analysis results are important to the tax authorities, creditors, stockholders, investors, suppliers, owners and managers. The relevance of the study can be understood from the fact that financial stability plays an important role in development of organization in this competitive market. If a company has a strong financial report card then it has many advantages over the other rival companies in terms of attracting choice of suppliers, investors and qualified personnel (Fedosova, 2016). Introduction of the Airline Industry Airline industry is one of the major economic forces for every country as it influences the travel and tourism of a country. A part from this it influences the aircraft manufacturing and other operations. Liberalization is considered as the main leading force in the airline industry that came into effect after the deregulation in 1978 in Sarthe main driver for the air travel demand is the economic growth. After the deregulation in the aviation industry the competitiveness in the industry has reached to its pinnacle. Currently, industry is facing the challenges of low cost carrier, operating performance, transparency of pricing, etc. Apart from this various travel distribution channels has initiated the war of minimum fares. In this era of price competition, it has become essential for every airline company to continuously analyze and maintain its financial position to face these challenges. Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines was founded in 1947 as a flag carrier airline of Singapore. The airlines base hub is situated at Changi Airport. Total Fleet size of the Airline is 107 and it flies to more than 64 destinations all over the world. In the last 20 years, the company has broadened its market. At present, it is one of the world's leading passenger and cargo carrier airline. Singapore Airlines has young and modern fleet of aircraft. The base airport of the Singapore Airlines is voted as the world's best airport every year. As per International Air Transport Association, on the basis of market capitalization, Singapore Airlines is the 2nd largest airline globally. The total market capitalization of the company is 14 billion US dollars. Currently in the financial year 2015 the airline has reported an improved profit for the first quarter. The profit of the airline has been recorded relatively modest for the four consecutive years. Singapore Airline is continuously accelerating its expansi on capacity in the FY2016 (CAPA, 2015). New Zealand Airlines In the year 1940 New Zealand Airlines was originated with the name of Teasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) which initially operated its flights between New Zealand and Australia. In 1965 New Zealand Government took over Teasman Empire Airways Limited and renamed it as Air New Zealand. After the takeover, government merged the Domestic New Zealand National Airways Corporation with Teasman Empire Airways Limited in the year 1978. Currently, the national airline of New Zealand is Air New Zealand Airline based on Auckland and it flies to 29 international and 22 domestic destinations. It covers Pacific Rim and United Kingdom. New Zealand Airways launched its annual results with normalized earnings. The company's statutory earning before taxation was 474 million dollars and its net profit after taxation was 327 million dollars, which 24 percent higher in comparison to previous year (Airnewzealand, 2015). Financial Analysis The financial analysis helps in knowing the financial standing of a firm in the market. Basically, financial position of any company can be judged on the basis of Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. Before taking investment decision, the investors analyze the financial position of the organization and its competitors in order to avoid any risk. They prefer to invest in company that has good financial position thereby increasing their chances of profit making. The financial statements of Singapore Airlines and New Zealand Airlines will be analyzed and compared on the basis of the various the key ratios. Importance of Financial Analysis Finance is a broad term and measurement of the financial analysis of the company ensures the proper use of economic resources to successfully operate both long term and short term perspectives. In case of Airlines industry, financial management is significant to stay profitable and sustain airline operations for long term. The financial analysis of a company is important as it affects the strategic planning and short term decisions. This study is undertakes comparison of financial performance of two major airlines. Feng and Wang argued that it is important to measure the financial performance of a company in terms of profitability, solvency, and liquidity. These all factors are important as these factors ultimately affect the long term survival of an airline (Feng Wang, 2000). Literature review Important ratios in airline industry Some key principal ratios are discussed here which were popularly used by the researchers to compare the financial performance of the airline companies. Profitability Ratio Return on Assets (ROA): Mathematically, it is calculated by dividing companys net income or earning by its total assets. Formula: Net Income / Average Total Assets ROA shows the ability of organization to effectively manage its assets in order to generate profits during an accounting period. The return on assets ratio shows how airlines utilize their assets and the efficiency of utilization. This ratio is important for the airlines as the acquisition of the aircrafts creates high capitalization cost instead of leasing aircrafts.(Heikal et al., 2014). Net Profit Margin: Mathematically, it can be obtained by dividing the net earnings of the company with its revenue. Formula: Net Profit / Total Revenue This ratio enables investor in identifying the capability of a firm for translating its total sales into the total income (Eriotis et al., 2016). Liquidity Ratio George Loizides conducted a study in 2011 to examine the key financial ratios amongst various scheduled carriers. In his study he selected two Southwest European airlines named Aegean and Cyprus. The study calculated the liquidity ratio for both the airlines to analyze the company's ability to cover its short term liability using its current assets. In terms of airline industry short term assets are: account receivables, cash, prepaid expenses etc. and short term obligations are: account payable, bank debt, deferred revenue etc. In case of airline industry c deferred revenue consist of derivative financial instruments, ticket payments, bank overdrafts and borrowings (Loizides, 2011). Current Ratio: In this ratio the association between the short term liabilities and short term assets is examined. For any company, 2:1 is considered as the best current ratio. Current ratio shows the short term financial standing of the firm during an accounting period. (Tugas, 2012). Formula: Current Assets / Current Liabilities Quick Ratio: Investors uses quick ratio to evaluate the cash flow and short term liquidity of an airline. This ratio discloses whether or not organization can realize its short term debt with its liquid assets. Current liquidity position of the firm is depicted by Quick Ratio. It also determines the firm's ability to maintain its short term liabilities and quick assets. Quick assets are those assets that can be liquidated immediately as per their present book value. This financial ratio is important to analyze the financial condition of an airline industry as they are capital intensive and they have debt in significant amount. If a company shows higher quick ratio then it is considered better (Kirkham, 2012). Formula: (Current Assets - Inventory - Prepaid Expenses) / Current Liabilities Liquidity and Solvency As per Morrell, if any crisis occurs like the terrorist attack or any resent financial crisis, then it is important to evaluate the Airlines liquidity and its access to finance. Infect they are essential for the endurance of the airline also they finance aircraft deliveries. Hence, it is important to access the liquidity and solvency of the airlines at the time of financial comparison. The liquidity ratio and solvency ratio consists of components such as short term liabilities, current assets, shareholder's equity and total liabilities. These all elements are necessary to calculate debt to equity ratio and current ration (Morrell, 2011). Debt to Equity Ratio - Long Term Solvency: This ratio helps in measuring the long term wealth of a firm. It analyses the association between the capital contributed by the owners of the firm and creditors of the firm. It also analyses the extent to which the shareholders can satisfy the obligations of the company towards its creditors. For example, if a firm is using more equity and less debt then it reflects lower equity ratio. On the other hand, if a firm is considering higher debt in order to grow its current position then it reflects the high debt to equity ratio (AL-Shubiri, 2012). Formula: Total debt / Total equity Equity Ratio- short term liquidity: It measures a firm's ability to cover its short term obligations. This ratio investigates the association between the short term liabilities and short term assets of a firm. It measures the total value of assets funded by the investors during the comparison of total assets to equity in the company. The purpose of calculating this financial ratio is to analyze a company's working capital to know whether or not organization can meet its operations requirement. Strong financial position of the company can be indicated with high current ratio and thereby it adds value to the company's performance within the industry in the market (Bhandari, 1988). Formula: Total Equity / Total Assets Market Performance Earnings per Share: Earnings per share show the companys profit which is allocated to shares of common stock. It calculates the portion of profit to each shareholder (Livnat Segal, 2000). Formula: (Net Income - Preferred Dividend) / Weighted Average Outstanding shares Dividend per Share: DPS is the part of dividend which each shareholder receives and it is declared by the company on per share basis(Gordon, 1959). Formula: Dividend / Number of Shares A study was conducted by Ahati (2008) to compare the financial performance of Merck Co. and Pfizer Inc. for this study. He analyzed the past three annual reports of both the companies. Growth ratio was calculated to measure the investment growth rate of both the companies. Liquidity indicators showed that Pfizer has a much higher current ratio as compared to Merck's. This clearly indicates that Pfizer has higher capability to pay off its current liabilities because short term assets and short term liabilities were two times than the current ratio. The price sales ratio of both the companies was calculated to know the revenue of the companies and the results showed that price sales ratio of Merck was higher than the price sales ratio of Pfizer, and this indicated that investors pay more for Merck than Pfizer. The results of this study calculated the return on assets ratio for both the companies to identify their efficiency of managing resources. On the basis of the comparison, it was concluded that Merck showed higher efficiency in maintaining a more efficient use of the assets in order to make a great profit as compared to Pfizer (Ahati, 2008). As per the study conducted by Loizides (2011)Aegean has the potential to cover its liabilities almost two times as compared to Cyprus hence Aegean is in better position. In terms of asset turnover ratio, both the airlines show a similar pattern over the three years. In terms of debt ratio, Cyprus airline's debt ratio was high and this shows that the proportion of its liabilities relative to its assets is 95 percent and it is a bad sign to come in the coming years. On the other hand the debt ratio of Aegean was stable and around 50percent of this indicated the good portion of the assets of the company to be attributed to its liabilities. Aegean will not face any leverage risk in the coming years (Loizides, 2011). Mergers and Acquisitions (MA) in aviation industry have been popular from the decades. However, MAs in the airline industry has become quite common in recent years. Kabi and Sajnani conducted a study on merger and acquisition in aviation industry in India to identify impact of MA on airlines. They aimed at determining whether or not merged airlines are able to attain financial performance efficiency particularly in terms of leverage, liquidity, and many more parameters. The results of the study revealed that no improvement were noticed in the return on equity, interest coverage, net profit margin, dividend per share and earnings per share of the surviving company after the merger acquisition. This study analyzed the financial performance of Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan after their merger in 2006. The analysis of the ratios depicted that the earning per share and market price both were decreased after the merger. Decline in earnings per share indicated reduction in the sales re venue, rise in operating expenses and rise in the interest payments. The current ratio was decreased after the merger by 35 percent which indicated the scarcity of resources to pay its current debts and difficulty in meeting the current obligations (Kabi Sajnani, 2014). The financial analysis comparison of British Airways (BA) and Air France-KLM (AF) was conducted for the period of 2009 to 2012 on four standards that is, efficiency, profitability, financial gearing, and liquidity. The results of the study stated that both the airlines were highly volatile and AF showed worse results than BA. In the year 2012 the profitability of the AF fell deeper due to increasing costs. In terms of liquidity both the airlines were suffering from low liquidity as their current liabilities exceeded their current assets. The reason behind the low liquidity was the burden of aircrafts leasing payments, interest payments and debt payments (Riha, 2013). Research Objectives and Questions Research Methodology This research study will be performed to evaluate the financial performance of Singapore Airlines and New Zealand Airlines. Both sources of the primary and secondary data will be used in this study. Secondary source of data will be conducted in the form of literature review. (Saunders et al., 2009). Research Design A research design is concerned with the better understanding of a less understood topic. It is an approach to apply better appropriate research method on the study with a view to answering the questions of the research. An appropriate research design is decided on the basis of the research questions. This research study can be categorized into the exploratory research as it will explore the financial conditions of the airlines and it will address the "what" element in the research questions (Saunders et al., 2009). Type of research Research can be broadly categorized as Secondary research and Primary Research. In primary research, usually data is collected directly from the source of information. This research is performed by the researcher itself. There are various methods of collecting data in the primary research such as interviews, focused group, etc. The choice of the suitable method depends upon many factors such as research type, population size, and many more. The secondary research on other hand is based on the previous data wherein facts and information is gathered from the previous reports and articles. This research will be totally based on secondary research as the ratios will be calculated on the basis of the financial statements of both the companies. Various facts and figures will be taken from the annual reports and ratios will be calculated to identify their current financial position (Saunders et al., 2009). Data collection There are two types of data: quantitative data and qualitative data. Qualitative data consists of non-numeric data while quantitative data consists of numbers and figures. As this research will compare the financial performance of two airlines hence, to perform all the ratios the data will be taken from the official annual reports of both the companies from their official website. The data taken from the annual report of the companies will be in the quantitative form as ratios are calculated in quantitative form and their values are compared in the same way (Eriksson Kovalainen, 2008). Data Analysis The data will be analyzed on two approaches. The first approach is based on theoretical claims. Theoretical concepts from the prior researches will be used to interpret the final results and to achieve the objectives of the study while the second analysis will be based on interpretation of the research materials wherein relationship between the airlines and its influencing factors will be interpreted. This method will be beneficial to answer the questions of the study (Eriksson Kovalainen, 2008). References Ahati, T., 2008. Financial Analysis: Merck Co., Inc. vs. Pfizer Inc. Wordpress. Airnewzealand, 2015. Air New Zealand Announces Record Annual Result. [Online] Available at: https://www.airnewzealand.com/press-release-2015-air-new-zealand-announces-record-annual-result. Al-Shubiri, F.N., 2012. Debt Ratio Analysis and Firm Investment: Evidence from Jordan. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 2(1), pp.21-26. Bhandari, L.C., 1988. Debt/ Equity Ratio and Expected Common Stock Returns: Empirical Evidence. The Journal of Finance, 43(2), pp.507-28. CAPA, 2015. Singapore Airlines outlook brightens as profits, yields improve. New connectivity strategies emerge. [Online] Available at: https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/singapore-airlines-group-improves-as-profits-yields-improve-new-connectivity-strategies-emerging-224825. Eriksson, P. Kovalainen, A., 2008. Qualitative Methods in Business Research. SAGE. Eriotis, N.P., Frangouli, Z. Ventoura-Neokosmides, Z., 2016. Profit Margin And Capital Structure: An Empirical Relationship. The Journal of Applied Business Research , 18(2), pp.85-88. Fedosova, A., 2016. Comparison between Low-cost and Traditional Airlines. Feng, C.M. Wang, R.T., 2000. Performance evaluation for airlines including the consideration of. Journal of Air Transportation Management, 6(3), pp. 133-142. Gordon, M.J., 1959. Dividends, Earnings, And Stock Prices. The Review of Economics and Statistics , 41(2), pp. 99-105. Heikal, M., Khaddafi, M. Ummah, A., 2014. Influence Analysis of Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), Net Profit Margin (NPM), Debt To Equity Ratio (DER), and current ratio (CR), Against CorporateProfit Growth In Automotive In Indonesia Stock Exchange. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 4(12), pp.101-14. [Accessed 2016]. Kabi, B.K. Sajnani, M., 2014. Mergers And Acquistions In Aviation Industry. International Journal of Mgt. And Science, 4(2). Kirkham, R., 2012. Liquidity Analysis Using Cash Flow Ratios and Traditional Ratios: The Telecommunications Sector in Australia. Journal of New Business Ideas Trends, 10(1), pp.1-13. Livnat, J. Segal, D., 2000. The Calculation of Earnings per share and Market Value of Equity: Should common stock equivalents be included?. Loizides, G., 2011. Examining Key Financial Ratios amongst scheduled carriers. Madrigal, D. McClain, B., 2016. Strengths and Weaknesses of Quantitative and Qualitative Research. [Online] Available at: https://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2012/09/strengths-and-weaknesses-of-quantitative-and-qualitative-research.php [Accessed 8 june 2016]. Morrell, P., 2011. Current challenges in a "Distressed" industry. Journal of Air Transport Management, 17(1), 14-18. Pearce, B., 2015. The shape of air travel markets over the next 20 years. International Air Transport Association (IATA). Riha, S., 2013. BA FA financial analysis 2009-2012. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A., 2009. Research methods for business students. Pearson Education. Tugas, F.C., 2012. A Comparative Analysis of the Financial Ratios of Listed Firms Belonging to the Education Subsector in the Philippines for the Years 2009-2011. International Journal of Business and Social Science , 3(21), pp.173-90.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Addressing Different Perspectives Metal vs. Pop Music free essay sample

I feel more relaxed around the people whose taste in music is similar to my own. Modern Pop music, however, is not for me. I find it lacks melody and rhythm and is very repetitive. I cannot stand it when the voice of the singer is pitched or deepened artificially to work better with the music, which itself is mainly computerized. This way, when the songs is finished and edited, the singers voice (mostly) is used merely as a template to build up on and add effects to and comes out sounding almost nothing like the singers original voice (when eared live). At least a singer in Metal would change the tone of their voice naturally, and to do so they require lots of practice and talent. Also admire the lyrics that go with metal music. Mostly, the lyrics used in Metal or Heavy Metal songs have a deep meaning or many meanings that would usually tell about past experiences of the lyricist and how they deal with that experience on an emotional level. We will write a custom essay sample on Addressing Different Perspectives: Metal vs. Pop Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In Metal, the music adds to the drama and seriousness to the story being told by the lyrics. This story is usually cryptic, and requires a lot of thought to unravel and understand.Ones understanding of the lyrics will sometimes also depend on their past experiences, and whether they have experienced something similar to whatever the lyrics of the song are telling about. The lyrics in pop music are much different, and usually, much less effort is put into them. Even if they are telling a story, the story is often not explained well at all in the rush to quickly get to the catchy chorus (which is usually repeated many times in most songs). Thus, much less talent is required to write lyrics for a pop song.Unlike in metal music, where the lyrics re usually written by a member of the band or someone with deep involvement in the band, in pop music, they are many times written by a hired lyricist or composer and the singer is then only tasked to sing the song (which is then edited) and with minimal effort finishes a recording session, whilst a Metal band would spend hours practicing, recording and editing their songs. An example of these comparisons would be: Metallic Bribery Spears Perspective Two: Perspective of a Pop fan. Would find myself listening to mostly Pop music, whose type is also reflected y my mood and by what I am doing at the time.For example, would listen to something catchy and joyous, with a good beat whilst working at home or jogging. But then, when Im trying to fall asleep, or relaxing with a book, would listen to something more peaceful with a calm melody and a slow beat, so that it relaxes me. I agree that some Pop artists such as Bribery Spears (who are really just given the lyrics to sing, and have their voices completely edited once the song is recorded) are a bit over the top and dumb, but even then they manage to deliver catchy tunes.There exists, however, a few Pop artists who produce truly beautiful high quality music, without the need of computerized editing or auto-tune as they call it. One such artist would, for example, is Adele. She truly puts her soul and emotion into the lyrics she writes. These lyrics also have a deep meaning and reflect on the lyricist past experiences, without the need of being cryptic. While producing songs with a catchy melody, some of her songs truly deserve to be amongst the endless classics Of the asss and asss, which are still being played daily by many successful Radio Stations.