Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay Example

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay Example Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay 1. 0 Introduction At the University of Ghana there are studies that suites originally built to take two pupils. are now officially allocated to five pupils ( after minor alterations ) . but on the side occupied by every bit many as eight or nine – to the cognition of the university governments! Apart from the obvious hygiene and wellness jeopardies posed. what sort of atmosphere does this provide for survey after categories? All of which have brought most African universities to a province of serious impairment. This is apparent non merely to those who work or study in those universities but to even the most insouciant visitant. – ( Association of African Universities. 2004 ) Housing is a basic human demand in all societies and cardinal right of every person. In advanced states. lodging is more accessible to all classs of people including the hapless and the needy as a consequence of subsidies from the authorities. The state of affairs is non the same in developing states of the universe . In Ghana. for illustration. handiness to lodging by the hapless is rather a hard state of affairs which is worsened by the rough economic conditions and hapless enabling environment. Likewise. accessing lodging installations by Ghanese pupils at the university is no exclusion. particularly where such university happens to be the dream finish of most Ghanaians come ining into third establishment. In third establishments worldwide. the proviso of adjustment to the students’ population takes different theoretical accounts. This includes ; non-residential. where pupils beginning for their ain adjustment. Residential. where the university houses all its pupils and dual-residential. where the university houses its pupil population for a period of clip merely. likely the first and concluding twelvemonth. while the pupils during the staying period beginning for their ain adjustments. The experiences of pupils in third establishments in sourcing and procuring for their ain adjustment around university communities are likely to be interesting and important. However. it is deserving observing that. University of Ghana. the nation’s Prime Minister university has gone through a series of development when it comes to how to suit its pupils. both undergraduates and graduate students. 1. 1 Research job University of Ghana has undergone a series of reforms when it comes to the residential policy for its pupils. The of all time increasing figure of enrollees in the establishment is what defines this restructuring of the policy regulating students’ adjustment over clip. In the past two old ages what the incumbent frailty Chancellor of the Exchequer of the university term as Decongestion has taken topographic point in expectancy to the fulfilment of the university accomplishing efficiency in its field of operation. The thrust has besides been fast tracked by his informal end that the university should accomplish a world-class position. Effective August. 2011. the university efficaciously implemented its decongestion policy apportioning suites to a upper limit of three ( 3 ) pupils and four ( 4 ) pupils in the chief halls and extensions severally. This was done to turn to the jobs of overcrowding that resulted in inauspicious effects of hapless sanitation. force per unit area on residential public-service corporations such as reading suites and libraries. kitchen and washrooms. among other hapless conditions for effectual personal surveies by pupils. Residential installations have been increased to do the policy successful. Even though. the job of unequal adjustment for pupils is non wholly solved. the restructuring have been effectual since its execution. and it is deserving look intoing the effects of the new policy. whether it has achieved its end or it is towards accomplishing its intended end or otherwise. 1. 2 Purpose of the survey The chief ground why this research is being conducted is to measure the satisfaction of pupils with the current students’ residential policy and its effects on their surveies. 1. 3 Aims of the survey Specific aims of the survey are as follows: 1. To assess pupils perceptual experience of sanitation in the halls/hostels now. 2. To assess pupils perceptual experience of security in the halls/hostels now. 3. To look into pupils handiness to some basic hall/hostel public-service corporations. 1. 4 Research Questions 1. What is students’ perceptual experience of sanitation in the halls/hostels now? 2. What is students’ perceptual experience of security and comfort in the halls/hostels now? 3. What is the handiness position of pupils to basic halls/hostels public-service corporations now? 1. 5 Relevance of the survey As a top university in Ghana and Africa and one which is endeavoring to achieve a universe category position. adequate installations should be provided and already bing 1s improved. particularly criterions of services and installations which include supplying contributing on-campus pupil lodging installation. The above research provides the foundation for this survey and high spots the countries of new cognition which are needed ; to concentrate upon students’ satisfaction of residential installations in University of Ghana. A cardinal inquiry is what is the degree of students’ satisfaction with respects to the pupils lodging installation ( SHF ) in the context of University of Ghana? The survey contributes to a better apprehension of SRS of UG. The consequences offer valuable feedback to the university governments. installation directors and university hostel/hall decision makers in footings of the present criterions or the demand for farther betterment of the SHF through effectual designs and direction. The consequences will assist to explicate guidelines in footings of allotment of suites to pupils. care and for future developments of pupil lodging guaranting that the university is able to supply equal and modern-day on-campus SHF. 2. 0 Literature Review 2. 1 Introduction This subdivision reviews bing literature on the pupil residential installations. It is chiefly made up of old surveies. diaries. articles. periodicals amongst other beginnings. They form the secondary beginning of informations to the survey. 2. 2 The Concept of Student Residential Facility Student lodging has long been regarded as an indispensable constituent of the installations provided by the higher acquisition establishments in helping pupils to spread out their rational capablenesss. Harmonizing to Hassanain ( 2008 ) . good planned pupil lodging installations ( SHF ) promote desirable educational results and aid to accomplish the broader aims such as societal coherence and responsible citizenship. An earlier survey by Zahran ( 1972 ) reveals that a good pupil lodging promotes interactions between roomies of different backgrounds and specialisations ; and therefore broadens the students’ cognition. Amole ( 2005 ) argues that installations such as survey countries or meeting topographic points for academic treatments and societal assemblages provided in the pupil lodging will promote informal rational activities outside the students’ ain modules. Price et Al. ( 2003 ) related student interpersonal growing to adequate installations and Fay ( 1981 ) high lighted the importance of students’ satisfaction in the SHF as a scheme to heighten pupil development. Despite the importance of SHF. small literature is available to measure pupil sentiments of their lodging installations. Most surveies on post-occupancy rating focal point on household lodging either public or private abodes. look intoing the interaction between owner-occupiers or renters and their lodging scenes. Majority of these surveies utilized the construct of lodging satisfaction when measuring the interactions between the occupants and their physical environment ( Amole. 2009b ) . Arguing that lodging satisfaction can take towards bettering individual’s quality of life. Salleh ( 2008 ) investigates brooding. lodging services and neighbourhood factors that influence the occupants of private low-priced lodging in Malaysia. The survey revealed that the occupants are more satisfied with their brooding units and lodging services if compared to their vicinity installations. Elsinga and Hoekstra ( 2005 ) survey lodging satisfaction among European communities and happen out th at except in Austria. householders are more satisfied than the renters because homeownership provides security. freedom and fiscal benefits. In contrast. James ( 2008 ) analyses the influence of age and type of ownership on the degree of satisfaction and establishes that tenant satisfaction additions with the age at a much faster rate than the type of homeownership. However. pupil lodging and household lodging are non the same. Student lodging comprises of basic sleeping room units with other shared installations such as bathrooms. lavatories. wash. kitchens. common sofas and cafeterias located either per floor degree. per block or for the whole pupil lodging adjustment ( Amole. 2009a ) . On the contrary. the basic unit for household lodging is a house which includes sleeping rooms. bathrooms. lavatories and a living country all as portion of the unit with other lodging installations such as resort area. stores and school at the vicinity ( Parkes et al. . 2002 ) . In add-on. pupil lodging offers limited security of ownership and freedom if compared to household lodging. Therefore. the above findings may non use in the context of pupil lodging. Surveies on residential satisfaction ( RS ) from the pupil position are largely focused on factors impacting RS ; such as grounds for pupils to keep their old abode ( Cleave. 1996 ) and forecasters of pupil residential satisfaction ( SRS ) ( Foubert et al. . 1998 ; Khozaei et Al. . 2010b ) . There are besides surveies on pupil lodging with narrower Scopess such as the effects of floor tallness on congestion ( Kaya and Erkip. 2001 ) ; students’ perceptual experiences on indoor comfort ( Dahlan et Al. . 2009 ) ; students’ sense of fond regard with a peculiar pupil lodging ( Khozaei et al. . 2010a ) ; get bying schemes for pupils remaining in pupil lodging ( Amole. 2005 ) and the relationship between satisfaction and degrees of environment ( Amole. 2009b ) . These surveies offer small counsel as to whether the pupils are satisfied with SHF provided. Among the limited surveies on SRS are surveies by Amole ( 2007. 2009a ) . Hassanain ( 2008 ) and Radder and Han ( 2009 ) . Amole ( 2007. 2009a ) investigates RS among pupils in Nigeria and the findings indicated a low satisfaction with the SHF provided. Radder and Han ( 2009 ) researched student satisfaction degrees in South Africa and the findings indicated once more a degree of dissatisfaction with campus abodes. Alternatively. Hassanain ( 2008 ) found that pupils in Saudi Arabia indicated a degree of satisfaction with the SHF provided. However. the surveies were conducted in states where the civilization and clime are different from that experienced in the Southeast Asia part. which is likely to impact the sensed environment of the built environment. Therefore. the consequences of the surveies may non be applicable to the survey context. 2. 3 Development of the adjustment construction Originally. halls in the university were built to suit two pupils per room. This proviso was equal for pupils because non many people sought for higher instruction. However. as the population of Ghana increased and the demand to seek higher instruction became outstanding in the state. the figure pupils enrolled each academic twelvemonth increased quickly every bit good. Residential installations were increased and expanded to suit the of all time increasing figure of pupil consumption which demanded restructuring of pupil residential policy given the limited resources the university had. In the thick of the reforms. beyond the enlargement and alteration of the original suites to suit two individuals at a clip. the figure increased to five ( 5 ) in a room officially. both in the chief halls and the extensions. The uninterrupted addition in the pupil consumption amidst the unexpanded residential installations meant that. non all pupils could be accommodated on campus. hence. private inns began to jump up to absorb the extra pupils who could non procure adjustment on campus. The private inns motive to do net income meant that they charge high monetary values which were intolerable by many pupils. This brought about one of the outstanding footings that everyone who has passed through the four walls of the University of Ghana is popular with Perching . 2. 4 The issue of Perching The word connotes pupils who illicitly portion residential installations with official residents of a room. This resulted in overcrowding in the halls. seting utmost force per unit area on washrooms. reading suites. hall libraries. dry lines. among other installations that were originally constructed for two people. This was go oning who many reforms were traveling on. The two most popular reforms were the in-out-out-in and the in-out-out-out policies. The former meant that. all first twelvemonth pupils were qualified for adjustment on campus. this making did non intend automatic allotment of suites to freshers but allotment was capable vote for a YES or NO and 2nd and 3rd twelvemonth pupils were to look for their ain adjustment. Under this policy. concluding twelvemonth pupils like first twelvemonth pupils besides qualified to be accommodated on campus ; it is nevertheless. deserving observing that. even for the concluding twelvemonth pupils. because of the limited figure of suites available. allotment of suites was besides done via balloting a yes or no by pupils. The latter policy. in-out-out-out raised a batch of superciliums as it meant that merely first twelvemonth pupils were offered adjustment on campus. And for this policy allotment to level 100 pupils was automatic and assured. With this policy in topographic point the job of perching worsened. The official figure of residents in a room about doubled for about all the halls of abode. The inauspicious effects of hapless state of affairs created a batch of jobs ; hapless sanitation. insecurity. uncomfortableness. which had direct impact on students’ wellness. hygiene. and efficiency. 2. 5 The current residential policy The University of Ghana Hostels with a capacity of 26000 beds. which was to be built at the University of Ghana. Legon. with partnership between the university and six Bankss was a dream come alive every bit long as happening a solution to the perennial job of adjustment in our public universities is concerned this was an averment made by Professor C. N. B. Tagoe. Vice Chancellor of the university of Ghana ( GhanaWeb. 2008 ) . From the above statement I would to admit the Contingency theory one of the outstanding schools under the Open Systems position of Organizations. This theory as a subdivision of systems design emphasizes that design determinations are dependent on environmental conditions. Contingency theory is guided by the general orienting hypothesis that organisations whose internal characteristics match the demands of their environments will accomplish the best version. Lawrence and Lorsch ( 1967 ) . who coined the label contingency theory . argue that different environments topographic point differing demands on organisations. In a recent reappraisal article. Lawrence ( 1993 ) provides a partial list of factors that one or another theoretician has considered of import. They include size or graduated table. engineering. geographics. uncertainness. single sensitivities of participants. resource dependence. national or cultural differences. range and organisational life rhythm. With concentration on the resource dependence factor. it is declarative that. the version and realisation of the said solution was to a great extent contingent on the proviso of fiscal resources by the six Bankss which are external to the organisation. As the resources from the external environment was provided by the six Bankss. the enlargement of the residential installations have been a world so. doing it possible to set up four different inns which accommodates about 7. 120 pupils. It is a combination of these factors that made it possible for the decongestion exercising in the five traditional halls executable. Currently. some of the inns have been restructured into halls and run as the traditional halls. The criterion suites accommodate four ( 4 ) individuals as the extensions do. With other rigorous steps put in topographic point to command perching it is believed that. the intent for which this restructuring was done is being worked towards. It must be stated flatly that. the chief ground for this exercising is to better students’ efficiency in the university. 2. 6 Halls of Residence/Hostels The University believes in community life as an indispensable portion of pupil life. It is hence chiefly residential. supplying adjustment in Halls of Residence for both undergraduate and post-graduate pupils every bit good as flats and guest suites for senior members and invitees. There are five halls of abode ( available to all pupils ) and several Hostels. The present Halls and Hostels are as follows: Each Hall consists of junior members ( pupils ) and senior members ( academic and senior administrative and professional staff ) . and is managed by a Council consisting members elected by individuals belonging to the Hall. The Master ( or Warden in the instance of Volta Hall ) is the Head of the Hall. Each Hall has Junior and Senior Common Rooms for pupils and Faculty. severally. A tutorial system offers an chance for reding pupils and guaranting their public assistance at both academic and societal degrees. Students maintain interaction with each other and the wider community throu gh recognized nines and societies. Each Hall has a kitchen and a dining hall to provide for students’ eating. Chapels and a mosque are besides available for usage by assorted spiritual denominations. A Chaplaincy Board co-ordinate the activities of spiritual groups. Social life on the campus is organised chiefly by the Students’ Representative Council and the Junior Common Room Committees which provide assorted sorts of societal programmes. LEGON HALL: Legon Hall was the first to be built on the lasting site of the University of Ghana at Legon and is. hence. the Premier Hall of the University. Its foundation tablet was laid during the Michaelmas Term of 1951 and. in September 1952. the first undergraduates were accepted into abode. On Trinity Sunday. 31st May 1953. the first service was held in the Chapel and the first repast served in the Dining Hall. From these events. the Hall took Trinity Sunday every twelvemonth as its birthday. celebrated by a common Feast for both its Junior and Senior Members. The Hall’s slogan. Cui Datum ( To whom much is given†¦ ) . was selected from St. Luke’s Gospel. in acknowledgment of the particular duty attached to the Hall’s senior status. Senior Members of the University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor and they normally keep their Family for every bit long as they remain with the University. Persons of academic differentiation outside the University may be elected as Honorary Fellows at a General Meeting of Fellows. The remainder of the rank of the Hall is made up of individuals in statu pupillari. The regulating organic structure of the Hall is the Hall Council. members of which are Fellows of the Hall. The chief Hall Officers are: The Master. the Vice-Master. the President of the Senior Common Room. the Senior Tutor. and the Hall Bursar. AKUAFO HALL: Akuafo Hall was established with the assignment of Professor D. A. Taylor. a Master-designate and a Hall Council in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to call the Hall Akuafo to mark the generous gesture of the husbandmans of Ghana in giving money for the foundation of the University College. A crest which depicts a chocolate tree. an unfastened book and a membranophone. designed by Professor W. J. McCallien. and a slogan. laboremus et sapiamus. suggested by Professor L. H. Ofosu-Appiah. were adopted by the Council. A commemorating plaque with a Latin lettering composed by Professor L. H. Ofosu-Appiah was set up to demo the gratitude of the Hall to the husbandmans of the state and to the British Government who gave the University College financess for the edifice of the Hall. The Hall was officially opened on 17 February. 1956. but the first pupils. totaling 131. came into abode on the fifth October. 1955. The Hall has its ain legislative acts regulating the election of officers and the disposal of its personal businesss. Once a twelvemonth. the Maestro has to convene a meeting of the Fellows. who form the regulating organic structure. to have his one-year study. The Senior Common Room is unfastened to all Fellows and their invitees. and the Senior Combination Room to all senior members of the University. Senior Members may besides ask for pupils to the Combination Room. COMMONWEALTH HALL: The first batch of pupils was admitted into abode in Commonwealth Hall at the beginning of the 1956-1957 academic twelvemonth. In the Lent Term of that academic twelvemonth. Ghana attained its independency from Great Britain. and the Hall. hitherto known as the Third Hall. was officially christened Commonwealth Hall to mark Ghana’s admittance into the Commonwealth of Nations. The official gap of the Hall was performed in March. 1957. It is. so far. the lone all-male Hall of Residence in the University. The slogan of the Hall. Truth Stands. was taken from a citation from Satyre by John Donne ( 1572-1631 ) : On a immense hill. cragged. and steep. Truth bases and hee that will Reach her. about must. and about must goe This slogan combines both the physical state of affairs of the Hall ( on a hillside overlooking most of the University and beyond ) and the proper chase of a University instruction. the hunt for truth. It is the lone Hall of Residence in the University which has a theater and Amphitheatre for talks and dramas. The Coat of Arms of the Hall depicts the strength and integrity of intent of members of the Hall derivation from the bonds of association enjoyed by the single members of the Hall. High Commissioners of the Commonwealth states in Ghana are accorded Honorary Membership of the Hall. There is a Hall Council which administers the personal businesss of the Hall. assisted by the Tutorial Board and the Senior Common Room Committee. VOLTA HALL: Volta Hall started as the Fourth Hall in the 1959-60 academic twelvemonth. on 16th November. 1960. The University College Council. on the recommendation of the Hall Council. named it Volta Hall. The Hall consists of the chief hall originally designed to suit 82 pupils. and an extension with an original capacity for suiting 198 pupils. the business of which began in January 1966. The slogan of the Hall. chosen during the Hall’s 10th anniversary jubilations. is in the Akan linguistic communication and it is: Akokobere Nso Nyim Adekyee. This means that the secret or cognition of life and nature is a gift to adult females as it is to work forces. The Hall has a regulating Body which comprises all the Fellows assigned to it and those elected by the assigned Fellows. The authorities of the Hall rests with this organic structure which delegates some of its powers to a Hall Council. The Hall Council consists of 10 members. including the Warden. the Deputy Warden. the Senior Tutor and the Bursar who are ex-officio members. The daily disposal of the Hall is carried out by the Warden with the aid of the Senior Tutor. who deals with all students’ personal businesss. and the Bursar. MENSAH SARBAH HALL: Mensah Sarbah Hall. the 5th Hall of the University. stands in the southern portion of the campus. The Hall consists of a chief Hall built around a quadrilateral and a figure of Annexes standing to the North and E. The last two south extensions are attached to the Hall. Until October 1991. Mensah Sarbah was the lone coeducational Hall of Residence in the University. which made it rather alone among the Halls. The regulating organic structure of the Hall is the Council. which is responsible to the full organic structure of Fellows who form the Senate. Students’ personal businesss are handled by students’ ain elective authorities headed by a President. while the general disposal of the Hall is under the Maestro who is assisted by the Senior Tutor and Tutors on the one manus and the Bursar o n the other. Other Hall Military officers are the Chaplain. who is responsible for the Roman Catholic Chapel. the Prayer Room Warden. who is responsible for the Protestant Chapel. and the Librarian. Senior Common Room personal businesss are managed by an elective commission under the President of the Senior Common Room. The Hall is named after the celebrated Ghanese legal expert. author and solon. John Mensah Sarbah of Cape Coast. It has been customary for the Hall to observe the birthday day of remembrance of this great adult male every twelvemonth. This anniversary is known as Sarbah Day and is highlighted by a dinner and a get-together. The Hall has a crest designed to convey out the chief characteristics of Mensah Sarbah’s life. It consists of three elements: a brace of graduated tables. a stool with a book resting upon it. and a hill surmounted by a palace. The graduated table signifies the legal profession. the stool and the book symbolise civilization while the hill and the palace are intended to picture the familiar landscape of Cape Coast with its many hills and garrisons. At the same clip. the palace is intended to symbolize strength and honor. The Hall’s slogan is: Knowledge. Honour. Service – three words which competently summarise the guiding rules of Mensah Sarbahà ¢â‚¬â„¢s life. VALCO TRUST HOSTELS: The thought to construct a alumnus inn was foremost nurtured when Legon Hall Annex C was prepared entirely for graduate pupils of the Hall. The pursuit for a suited adjustment for alumnus pupils gained attending when Valco Trust Fund offered to finance the building of a alumnus inn. As a farther encouragement to this class. Legon Hall Annex C was converted into an Annex of the Hostel. The Valco Trust Hostel. donated to the University by the Valco Trust Fund to ease force per unit area on pupil adjustment. is a block of purpose-built. self-contained flats for 190 pupils. The Hostel. which was completed in June 1997. is the University’s first inn for alumnus pupils. A 2nd block with similar installations was opened in January 2006. Located behind Mensah Sarbah Hall on the southern portion of the campus. the flats are arranged in individual and dual survey sleeping rooms with en suite shower and lavatory. There is a shared kitchen for every 12 suites. Facilities in the inns include common suites. washrooms and a eating house. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ HOSTELS: The International Student’s Hostels are located on the southern portion of the campus off the route to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. For a long clip. it had been the dream of the University of Ghana to make and beef up links with other universities in order to heighten the international pupil presence on campus. The first stage was commissioned in June 1999 and the 2nd in January 2006. The Hostels are co-educational and each has 43 individual suites and 85 dual suites. In add-on. there are installations such as a well-fortified security system. kitchenettes and eating houses. Mentions Amole. D. ( 2005 ) . Coping schemes for life in pupil residential installations in Nigeria . Environment and Behaviour. Vol. 37. pp. 201-19. Amole. D. ( 2009b ) . Residential satisfaction in students’ housing . Journal of Environment Psychology. Vol. 29. pp. 76-85. Association of African Universities ( 2004 ) . Challenges Confronting African Universities: Selected Issues . African Studies Review ( 2004 ) Vol. 47. No. 1. 1-59 Dahlan. N. . Jones. P. . Alexander. D. . Salleh. E. and Alias. J. ( 2009 ) . Evidence base prioritization of indoor comfort perceptual experiences in Malayan typical multi-storey hostels . Building and Environment. pp. 2158-65. Elsinga. M. and Hoekstra. J. ( 2005 ) . Homeownership and lodging satisfaction . Journal of Housing and the Built Environment. Vol. 20. pp. 401-24. Fay. G. ( 1981 ) . A theoretical account for reexamining growing environments . Journal of College and University Student Housing. Vol. 11 No. 1. pp. 46-7. Foubert. J. D. . Tepper. R. and Morrison. D. R. ( 1998 ) . Predictors of pupil satisfaction in university abode halls . Journal of College and University Student Housing. Vol. 21No. 1. pp. 41-6. Hassanain. M. A. ( 2008 ) . On the public presentation rating of sustainable pupil lodging facilities . Journal of Facilities Management. Vol. 6 No. 3. pp. 212-25. James. R. N. ( 2008 ) . Residential satisfaction of aged renters in flat housing . Social Indicators Research. Vol. 89. pp. 421-37. James. R. N. ( 2008 ) . Residential satisfaction of aged renters in flat housing . Social Indicators Research. Vol. 89. pp. 421-37. Kaya. N. and Erkip. F. ( 2001 ) . Satisfaction in a residence hall edifice: the effects of floor tallness on the perceptual experience of room size and crowding . Environment A ; Behavior. Vol. 33 No. 1. pp. 35-53. Khozaei. F. . Hassan. A. S. and Khozaei. Z. ( 2010a ) . Undergraduate students’ satisfaction with inn and sense of fond regard to topographic point: instance survey of universiti sains Malaysia . American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Vol. 3 No. 3. pp. 516-20. Lawrence. Paul R. and Jay W. Lorsch. ( 1967 ) Organization and environment Boston ; Harvard University. Division of Research. Graduate School of Business Administration. Parkes. A. . Kearns. A. and Atkinson. R. ( 2002 ) . What makes people dissatisfied with their vicinities? . Urban Studies. Vol. 39 No. 13. pp. 2413-38. Price. I. . Matzdorf. F. . Smith. L. and Agahi. H. ( 2003 ) . The impact of installations on pupil pick of university . Facilities. Vol. 21 No. 10. pp. 212-22. Radder. L. and Han. Ten. ( 2009 ) . Service quality of on-campus pupil lodging: a South African experience . The International Business A ; Economics Research Journal. Vol. 8 No. 11. pp. 107-19. Salleh. A. G. ( 2008 ) . Neighbourhood factors in private low-priced lodging in Malaysia . Habitat International. Vol. 32. pp. 485-93. World Wide Web. ghanaweb. com. ( Tuesday. 8th January. 2008 ) retrieved on 4th October. 2012. World Wide Web. ug. edu. gh ( 2012 ) retrieved on 10th October. 2012 World Wide Web. ug. edu. gh ( 2012 ) retrieved on 2nd November. 2012 World Wide Web. ug. edu. gh ( 2012 ) retrieved on 5th November. 2012

Language of Graphs and Charts for ESL Learners

Language of Graphs and Charts for ESL Learners The language of graphs and charts refer to the words and phrases used when describing results depicted within these formats. This language is especially useful when making presentations  because charts and graphs measure various statistics and are helpful when presenting large amounts of information that need to be understood quickly, including facts and figures, statistical information, profit and loss, polling information, etc. The Vocabulary of Graphs and Charts There are a number of different types of graphs and charts including: Line Charts and GraphsBar Charts and GraphsPie ChartsExploded Pie Charts Line charts and bar charts have a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. Each axis is labeled to indicate what type of information it contains. Typical information included on vertical and horizontal axis include: age - how oldweight - how heavyheight - how talldate - which day, month, year, etc.time - how much time is requiredlength - how longwidth - how widedegrees - how hot or coldpercentage - a portion of 100%number - numberduration - the length of time required There are a number of specific words and phrases used to describe and discuss graphs and charts. This vocabulary is especially important when presenting to groups of people. Much of the language of graphs and charts relates to movement. In other words, the language of graphs and charts often speaks of small or large movement or differences between various data points. Refer to this language of graphs and charts to help improve your ability to speak about graphs and charts. The following list the verb and noun used to speak about positive and negative movements, as well as predictions. Example sentences are found after each section. Positive to climb - a climbto ascend - an ascentto rise - a riseto improve - an improvementto recover - a recoverto increase - an increase Sales have climbed over the past two quarters.Weve experienced a rise in consumer demand.Consumer confidence recovered in the second quarter.There has been an increase of 23% since June.Have you seen any improvement in customer satisfaction? Negative to fall - a fallto decline - a declineto plunge - a plungeto decrease - a decreaseto worsen - a slipto deteriorate - a dip Research and development spending has fallen by 30% since January.Unfortunately, weve seen a decline over the past three months.As you can see, sales have plunged in the northwest region.Government spending has decreased by 10% over the past two years.Theres been a slip in profits this past quarter.Comedy book sales have deteriorated for three quarters. Predicting Future Movement to project - a projectionto forecast - a forecastto predict - a prediction We project improved sales in the coming months.As you can see from the chart, we forecast increased research and development spending next year.We predict improving sales through June. This list provides adjectives and adverbs used to describe how quickly, slowly, extremely, etc. something moves. Each adjective/adverb pair includes a definition and an example sentence. slight - slightly insignificant Theres been a slight decline in sales.Sales have declined slightly over the past two months. sharp - sharply quick, large movement Investment rose sharply during the first quarter.We made a sharp increase in investment. abrupt - abruptly sudden change Sales dropped abruptly in March.There was an abrupt drop in sales in March. rapid - rapidly quick, very fast We expanded rapidly throughout Canada.The company made a rapid expansion throughout Canada. sudden - suddenly without warning Unfortunately, consumer interest suddenly decreased.There was a sudden decrease in consumer interest in January. dramatic - dramatically extreme, very big Weve dramatically improved customer satisfaction over the past six months.As you can see from the chart, the dramatic growth has come after we invested in a new product line. calm - calmly evenly, without much change The markets have reacted calmly to recent developments.As you can see from the graph, consumers have been calm over the past few months. flat without change Profit has been flat over the past two years. steady - steadily no change There has been a steady improvement over the past three months.Sales have improved steadily since March.

A critical study of credit risk management in the First Bank of Dissertation

A critical study of credit risk management in the First Bank of Nigeria PLC - Dissertation Example First one is reaction against bank losses from the Newton, it is realized that losses are unbearable after the losses have occurred. The second aspect is that that bank has been pushed by the recent progress in the area of financing securitization, commercial paper and competition with other non-banks to find possible loan borrowers. Big and stable companies have been seen to shift in the open market sources like those in bond markets of finance.The degree of risk of assumed losses can be minimized by organizing and managing the lending criteria with professionalism and also with active approach. Credit risk management issues can be measured if bank could tap progressively refined measuring technique.The adoption of more rigorous credit risk has been facilitated by the technological developments, predominantly the growing availability of low cost computing power and communication. A lot of banks still have a long way to go in the implementation of such new approaches.Competition in t he provision of financial services is increasing probable due to the acceleration of change in credit risk management in the banks which is viewed as an unavoidable response to an environment and, thus need to classify new and gainful business prospects and appropriately measure the related risk is mounting for the banks and other financial institutions. ... When banks extend their credit considering that borrowers will pay back their loan amounts then the extended credit to the borrowers may be at the risk of default, banks income decreases due to the necessity for the provision for the loans as some borrowers usually default. Commercial banks are exposed to an additional risk of variability as they do not have a clue of what proportion of loan borrowers will default. As a matter of fact almost all the financial institutions bear a certain degree of risk when these institutions lend to consumers and to the businesses, hence when certain borrowers fail to repay the loan amount, they experience some loan losses. Credit risk face by a bank has a possibility of loss arising in case of non-repayment of interest or principal or both. Payment delays and the credit risk among procedures can be transferred by the banks and other financial intermediaries (Demirguc-kunt and Huzinga, 2000). Certain techniques are developed for the measurement of th e credit risk which can be linked with pace of evolution (Laker, 2007; McDonough, 1998; Couhy, 2005; Brown, 2004). Different banks are differentiated with their adoption of different credit risk management policies. A bank having assets that constitutes of loans in their portfolio are relatively illiquid and exhibits the highest credit risk (Koch and MacDonald, 2000). According to the asymmetric information, good borrowers and bad borrowers are might be impossible to distinguish, which can result into an adverse selection and moral hazards problems (Auronen, 2003). Due to the adverse selection and moral hazards banks are led to substantial accumulation of non-performing accounts.

Medicinal and Recreation Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medicinal and Recreation Marijuana - Essay Example Texas is one of those states of United States that considers use of marijuana as highly negative for the society. Due to this, Texas has implemented quite stringent laws in order to restrict the use, sale and purchase of marijuana in the region of Texas. In the state of Texas, severe penalties are levied on those who possess even a small quantity of marijuana. As per the laws of Texas, possessing a quantity of marijuana that is even less than 2 ounces can result in imprisonment for a period of 6 months or less and a fine of $2000 has to be paid by those who possess it (Findlaw, 2015). In case of possession of more than two ounces or even owning substances such as hash oil is considered as a severe criminal act. Those who possess such substances are imprisoned for a period of more than 2 years. Texas believes in the rehabilitation of those who are conducting marijuana related offences for the first time. Therefore, it does not imprison first time abusers and requires them to attend re habilitation programs to be treated. Other than possession, the sale of marijuana or cannabis is even treated quite severely. An individual who is caught selling only 25% of an ounce of marijuana in the state of Texas is regarded as a criminal and is imprisoned for half a year along with a penalty of $2000 (Findlaw, 2015). In case an individual or a group is involved in the sale of over 50 pounds of marijuana is considered as a major criminal and can be sentenced for a period of more than 99 years. Texas even does not allow the sale of the drug to those who are considered as minor by the state of Texas and may imprison them for a period of 20 or more years (Findlaw, 2015). In the state of Texas, marijuana is considered less beneficial for the health of the consumers and therefore the physicians are disallowed to prescribe these drugs for

Airline industry analysis by Porters Five Forces Essay Example for Free

Airline industry analysis by Porters Five Forces Essay The Airline industry provides a very unique service to its customers. It transports people with a high level of convenience and efficiency that cannot not be provided by any other industry or substitute. Airline companies pride themselves on the way they treat their customer during the flight. They have things such as food, drinks, entertainment, and a welcoming staff. The service of transportation is provided in other industries but the airline surpasses all of them when it comes to timeliness. The geographic scope of the airline industry is at a global level. Some firms are able to fly their planes all over the world while others focus on smaller geographic areas. The five forces model is one way to answer the first basic question in strategic management; â€Å"Why are some industries more attractive than others?† This model shows the five forces that shape industry competition; threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers, and competitors. In order to analyze the airline industry we have look at each of these forces. Bargaining power of Buyers The airline industry is made up of two groups of buyers. First, there are individual flyers. They buy plane tickets for a number of reasons that can be personal or business related. This group is extremely diverse; most people in developed countries have purchased a plane ticket. They can do this through the specific airline or through the second group of buyers; travel agencies and online portals. This buyer group works as a middle man between the airlines and the flyers. They work with multiple airline firms in order to give customers the best flight possible. Between these two groups there is definitely a large amount of buyers compared to the number of firms. There are low switching costs between firms because many people choose the flight based on where they are going and the cost at the time. This is some loyalty to firms but not enough for high switching costs. Each customer needs a lot of important information. They need to know the details of what  is provided during the flight. Buyers need to understand the timing of the flight and the safety aspects of flying in general. The service provided is unique. Each airline has a niche. Some airlines focus on cost, while others focus on having the best amenities, etc. Overall the bargaining power of buyers has an extremely low threat in this industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Next we look at the bargaining power of the suppliers. In this case the major suppliers are the airplane manufacturers. The top two manufacturers in the world currently are Boeing and Airbus(Odell,Mark). In this industry the inputs are extremely standardized. Airline companies only seem to differentiate with amenities. The planes are very similar. Currently some manufacturers are trying to make their plans more ecofriendly. Airline companies cannot easily switch suppliers. Most firms have long term contracts with their suppliers. Planes are such high capital products that firms probably make long term loan agreements and have more favorable credit terms when they don’t switch companies. It is difficult to enter into the plane manufacturing industry because of the capital needed to enter. The amount of money and expertise needed to make even one plane is around 200 million dollars. For this reason there are very few suppliers in the airline industry. Airline firms are the only source of income for these manufacturers so their business is extremely important. Based on these things the bargaining power of suppliers has a low threat as well. Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrants is another major aspect of the five forces. This aspect has a low threat for the airline industry. There are two aspects that do however raise the threat level. First, there are extremely low switching costs. Second, there are no proprietary products or services involved. Even with these two aspects the industry still has a very low threat overall. Existing firms have a large cost advantage. This industry requires  a large amount of capital and without a strong customer base there will be little to no profit in the first few years. Existing firms can and will use their high capital to retaliate against newer firms with whatever means necessary such as lowering prices and taking a loss. Although there are low switching costs between brands, consumers tend to only chose well-known names. Airline tickets are expensive so people don’t want to give that money to firms they don’t trust. There is also a huge safety aspect involved and most consumers feel safer with firms that have been around for a long period of time. This industry requires plane and flying experience which also lowers the threat of entry. When firms decide to enter the market they first have to become licensed which can take about a year. After that they are constantly being regulated by several organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. The time and money spend to solely open an airline company is enough to prevent most people from entering the industry. Threat of Substitutes After looking at the threat of entry it is important to also consider the threat of substitutes. This industry has a medium substitute risk level. There are substitutes in the airline industry. Consumers can choose other form of transportation such as a car, bus, train, or boat to get to their destination. There is however a cost to switch. Some means of transportation can be more costly than a plane ticket. The main cost is time. Planes are by far the fastest form of transportation available. Airlines surpass all other forms of transportation when it comes to cost, convenience, and sometimes service. Consumers do sometimes choose other methods for various reasons such as cost if they are not traveling very far which raises the risk. Rivalry among Existing Players The last area of the five forces is the rivalry among existing players. The rivalry in the airline industry is very intense for many reasons. The industry is currently very stagnant. It seems to be in the mature stage of the business cycle. The number of competitors stays the same in the long run  and it doesn’t seem to be under or over capacitated. The fixed costs are extremely high in this industry. This makes it hard to leave the industry because they are probably in long term loan agreements in order to stay in business. The products involved or the planes are highly complex which also heightens the competition. The competition is lessened by the brand identities of different firms. For example, Jetblue is known for its amenities and Southwest is known for its low prices. The market share seemed to be equally distributed because each company has its own part of the market and because switching costs are low none of the firms can really hold a large percentage of the market. The strongest forces in this industry are the competition of existing firms and the power of suppliers. The rivalry of existing players is high and will push out any firm that doesnt have enough capital. Suppliers are strong forces because planes are so costly to make. If the suppliers changed the credit terms by even a small amount it could mean a significant loss for the firm. On the other hand the other forces involved seem to have a weak threat. It is costly and time consuming to enter the market which lowers the risk of entry. Buyers have a weak force because of the low switching costs and substitutes are weak because they are usually too costly. The profit in this industry is high because for most people flying in necessary. It is not a trend which makes this industry profitable for the long term. Airlines that are more profitable are in a better position because they usually have more planes and a larger variety of flights which provides further convenience for the consumer. Recently there have been some changes in some of the forces. Some airplane manufacturers have been making ecofriendly planes, which is a change in the bargaining power of suppliers. This would differentiate the products, raising the threat of suppliers. Another recent change is the use of web portals such as Expedia to book flights. This positive change creates a whole new group of buyers and makes purchasing flights faster and easier. The increase in gas prices has also been a positive change for the industry  because it lessens the power of substitutes. People are more willing to fly to their destination if driving would be more expensive. After looking at the Five Forces Model firms should make dealing with the competition their main priority. The other areas in the model seem to have an overall low threat so existing firms don’t have to focus on those areas as much in their business strategy. Now that we have brought you through our Porters Five Force analysis, the last thing that is important to consider when exploring an industry, are the dominant economic features. The next section of our report will give you an overview of what features affect the airline industry most.

Male and Female Paralysis in James Joyces Dubliners Essay -- Dubliner

Male and Female Paralysis in Dubliners Critics widely recognized that each story within James Joyce’s Dubliners contains a theme of paralysis. In fact, Joyce himself wrote, â€Å"My intention was to write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin for the scene because that city seemed to me the centre of paralysis† (Joyce, letter to Grant Richards, 5 May 1906). Contained in this moral history called Dubliners are twelve stories that deal with the paralysis of a central male character and only four that deal with so called paralysis within a central female character. It could be said that Joyce did this merely because he is a male, therefore could write the character better. However, Joyce writes female characters just as convincing as male characters. In looking at the male-centered stories versus the female-centered stories I find a difference. As the author Marilyn French says in her book Shakespeare’s Division of Experience, â€Å"The basic distinction in human social o rder since the beginning of recorded history has been gender† (French, 11). While it is obvious that each of the stories within Dubliners deal with paralysis, I contend that the paralysis within a male character and the paralysis within a female character are essentially different. Male paralysis is evident in the story â€Å"Araby,† about a young boy’s obsession over his friend’s sister. His life revolves around thinking about her and when the next time he is going to see her will be, even though he has never had a conversation with her. He comments, â€Å"I had never spoken to her except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood† (Joyce 20). His life is ruled by this fascination, and when she final... ...wrote the male and female characters differently within Dubliners. Works Cited: Benstock, Bernard. Critical Essays on James Joyce. G.K. Hall & Co. Boston, Massachusetts: 1985. French, Marilyn. Shakespeare’s Division of Experience. Summit Books. New York, New York: 1981. Joyce, James. Dubliners. Washington Square Press. New York, New York: 1998. Seidel, Michael. James Joyce: A Short Introduction. Blackwell Publishers, Inc. Oxford, UK: 2002. Works Consulted: Fairhall, James. James Joyce and the Question of History. Cambridge University Press. New York, New York: 1993. Garrett, Peter K., ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Dubliners. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: 1968. Torchiana, Donald T. Backgrounds for Joyce’s Dubliners. Allen & Unwin, Inc. Winchester, Massachusetts: 1986.

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote was born in New Orleans in 1925, a harsh time in America. He was brought up in an amalgamation of places in the South of America, moving among New Orleans, Alabama and New Georgia. He began writing stories at the age of fourteen, depending on the seasonal changes. He later went on to work for the New Yorker after having left school at fifteen. He soon became renowned as the author of the celebrated Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Finally, he published his masterpiece, In Cold Blood, which is most certainly a work of art that changed the nature of writing for all time to come. The novel is filled with contrasting themes, ranging between moments of sombreness and cheeriness, invoking various emotions when reading the non-fictional novel. The novel revolves around the lives of the infamous murderers, Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Edward Smith and the story of how they murdered four innocent people, known as the Clutter family. This essay will explore the relationship between character and theme presented in In Cold Blood, referring specifically to the characters of Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, assessing the question about whether the characters are portrayed empathetically or as ruthless murderers, the theme of light versus dark being represented in each of these two characters. The contrast drawn between Dick and Perry and the Clutter family will be shown with reference to minor characters that influence the reader’s perceptions of the characters, as well as the effect of narrative scope on the novel. Firstly, Perry was born, â€Å"Perry Edward Smith Oct. 27 1928 in Huntington, Elko County, Nevada, which is situated way out in the boon docks, so to speak†¦ in 1929 [his] family had ventured to Juneau, Alaska† (Capote 274). He had not had a normal upbringing. His mother left his father at a young age and moved around the country without real love, friends or a proper grounding. Perry lived in a nunnery at one stage of his childhood where he was severely beaten to the stage of near death from drowning incidents caused by a certain nun. Therefore, it is no wonder that he felt as though the world was against him. Moreover, â€Å"Sitting, [Perry] seemed a more than normal-sized man, a powerful man, with the shoulders, the arms, the thick, crouching torso of a weight-lifter† but he was disproportionately structured, â€Å"when he stood up he was no taller than a 12-year-old child† (Capote 27). It is this that is ominously foreboding of his personality. At a first glance he seems to be grotesquely large and well-built, but further inspection allows one realise that he is merely, â€Å"overblown and muscle bound† (Capote 27). The same thought process is attached to his inner qualities; he seems at first, with his boyishly good-looks, to be soft and sweet, a part Indian and a part Irishmen to be a placid romantic. One would never assume at first that Perry is a cold-blooded killer. Instead, one would think the opposite with him being so caring of animals such a squirrels, enjoying the company of children and being an excellent artist and skilled guitar player – â€Å"With the aid of his guitar, Perry had [often] hung himself into a happy humour. He knew the lyrics of some two hundred hymns and ballads – a repertoire ranging [endlessly]† (Capote 59) But, through further analysis one finds that, â€Å"In some ways old Perry was â€Å"spooky as hell†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ He could slide into a fury†¦ â€Å"He might be ready to kill you, but you’d never know it, not to look at or listen to. †Ã¢â‚¬  (Capote 116) What was really going on with Perry, whether he was anxious or nervous, scared or ireful – even with his anxiety causing his blood to bubble, it was almost assured that he would remain cool, calm and collected on the outside, â€Å"with eyes serene and slightly sleepy† (Capote 116). Therefore, Perry had a,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"doom against which virtue was no defense† (Capote 185). He â€Å"had such a rotten life† (Capote 306). In many ways Perry is portrayed in an array of varying degrees of passivity and iniquity. It is then true to state that, â€Å"‘the path of the righteous man is beset on all sides with the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men† (Jackson). He was in no doubt destined to the awful vengeance that was incurred upon him – death by hanging from the neck. In contrast to this, Dick Hickock lived a much better life than what Perry did; he lived a somewhat average middle-class lifestyle. As a child he eceived much love from his parents and at one stage received a bicycle for his birthday, which he was indeed very proud of. He partook in most sports and achieved highly even being given a scholarship to go to college (which he did not accept). Instead, he started working and married a young but pretty girl who was above his standards, and even though this was the case, they had children together. Furthermor e, Dick honestly thought of himself as, â€Å"a normal. And Dick meant what he said. He thought of himself as balanced, as sane as anyone – maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow†¦ (Capote 116) He too, at first, seems to be kind hearted as he tends to smile somewhat and make jokes. But with his harmless jokes come harmful ones too, such as in the closing moments of the court case where both Dick and Perry laughed loudly at Dick’s comment of, â€Å"No chicken-hearted jurors, they†! (Capote 307) Moreover, Dick’s truly evil side is portrayed when he speaks of his lust for young adolescents and his paedophiliac propensities. He openly claims that he, â€Å"never [gave] any thought to whether it is right or wrong† (Capote 278). This act in itself is worthy of maximum penalty and coupled with assisted murder of first degree on four counts it is no doubt that he too be destined to the ultimate punishment – death by hanging from the neck. One of the reasons why the novel is so appealing is the nature of its impartiality; in the partnership of Dick and Perry they are both portrayed empathetically as well as like ruthless killers. Throughout the novel there are minor characters that ensure that one feels empathy at times toward the dire-stricken duo and at other times one will feel detestation and abhorrence toward the cowardly couple. With regards to Perry one feels compassion for him when he explains the horrors of his childhood, the way in which he was so often mistreated and misguided and lost out on so many important aspects of growing up that would normally lead to living a normal life. Perry Smith wanted to go to college and receive a proper education and was most jealous of former in-mate Lowell Lee Andrews who had what he desired, despising him for it. One might feel sorry for him insofar that he suffers from pain in his legs as a result of a motorcycle accident and resultantly became an addict of aspirin. One might even be envious of him for he is full of wisdom, being opposed to conventionalism for, â€Å"there is considerable hypocrisy in conventionalism† (Capote 150) and for being so artistically and musically inclined. It is Perry’s father, Tex John Smith, and his friends, Donald Cullivan and Willie-Jay? On the other hand, though it need not be mentioned why, one feels utter distaste towards such a felon for his heinous crimes are unspeakable and his lack of remorse is most certainly worthy of hatred and the label of ‘a cold-blooded killer’. Perry’s cold-bloodedness is most clearly portrayed when he openly exclaims, â€Å"[he] didn’t want to harm [Herb Clutter]. [He] thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. [He] thought so right up to the moment [he] cut his throat. † (Capote, 246). With regards to Dick, one would also be inclined to think kindly of him because he is a clever and quirky man, always â€Å"quick with a joke, or to light up [one’s] smoke† (Joel). He would hardly be seen without a smile and to be quite charming. The people in his life, which cared for him most, would be his parents, Mr. nd Mrs. Hickock – who never spoke badly of their son and always had hope and faith in him, even up until the last moment. It is precisely this aspect which makes one feel compassion for Dick. However, one finds his actions inexcusable and sees him as a cold blooded killer insofar as he was the main instigator for the ‘score’ of the Clutter household. He was the ringleader and the mastermind of the whole operation and he perpetually insisted that him and Perry leave no witnesses standing. It is thus that he is rightfully named a ‘cold-blooded killer’. Furthermore, there is a great contrast with regards to the theme of light and dark pertaining to Dick and Perry and the Clutter family, for even though Dick and Perry initially seem to be somewhat gentle or not as malevolent as they are after what one eventually learns about them, they most certainly are laced with evil streaks. Conversely, the Clutter family, each and every one of them was of pure goodness, not just in appearance or facades but in their minds and hearts too. Their souls were comprised of untainted decency. They were a tightly knit unit that worked coherently to enrich others’ ives. Similarly, Dick and Perry also worked together, a team but conversely yet again, their aim was to impoverish other peoples’ lives. Moreover, the narrative scope is from two varying viewpoints: that of the Clutter  family  who were innocently murdered, and that of the two cold-blooded killers, Dick and Perry. The different points of view allow one to relive both sides of the story; Capote presents them without foregone conclusions hence, each standpoint is one of impartiality. Capote works wizardry with the use of the third person omniscient perspective to communicate the two points of view. Emphasis is laid on some important scenes in the novel because of the way it is not written in complete chronological order. Finally, by closely analysing various aspects of the novel such as character and theme, whether or not Dick and Perry are portrayed empathetically or as cold-blooded killers, and how the theme of dark versus light is portrayed in the two main characters in accordance with the Clutter family and the effect of narrative scope we can fully understand what a wonderful masterpiece Truman Capote has fashioned. Word Count: 1794 Bibliography Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Penguin Books, 1965. Joel, Bille. â€Å"Pianoman. † Piano Man. cond. M Stewart. By Billie Joel. Los Angeles, 1973. Pulp Fiction. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Perf. Samuel L. Jackson. 1994. In Cold Blood Truman Capote was born in New Orleans in 1925, a harsh time in America. He was brought up in an amalgamation of places in the South of America, moving among New Orleans, Alabama and New Georgia. He began writing stories at the age of fourteen, depending on the seasonal changes. He later went on to work for the New Yorker after having left school at fifteen. He soon became renowned as the author of the celebrated Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Finally, he published his masterpiece, In Cold Blood, which is most certainly a work of art that changed the nature of writing for all time to come. The novel is filled with contrasting themes, ranging between moments of sombreness and cheeriness, invoking various emotions when reading the non-fictional novel. The novel revolves around the lives of the infamous murderers, Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Edward Smith and the story of how they murdered four innocent people, known as the Clutter family. This essay will explore the relationship between character and theme presented in In Cold Blood, referring specifically to the characters of Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, assessing the question about whether the characters are portrayed empathetically or as ruthless murderers, the theme of light versus dark being represented in each of these two characters. The contrast drawn between Dick and Perry and the Clutter family will be shown with reference to minor characters that influence the reader’s perceptions of the characters, as well as the effect of narrative scope on the novel. Firstly, Perry was born, â€Å"Perry Edward Smith Oct. 27 1928 in Huntington, Elko County, Nevada, which is situated way out in the boon docks, so to speak†¦ in 1929 [his] family had ventured to Juneau, Alaska† (Capote 274). He had not had a normal upbringing. His mother left his father at a young age and moved around the country without real love, friends or a proper grounding. Perry lived in a nunnery at one stage of his childhood where he was severely beaten to the stage of near death from drowning incidents caused by a certain nun. Therefore, it is no wonder that he felt as though the world was against him. Moreover, â€Å"Sitting, [Perry] seemed a more than normal-sized man, a powerful man, with the shoulders, the arms, the thick, crouching torso of a weight-lifter† but he was disproportionately structured, â€Å"when he stood up he was no taller than a 12-year-old child† (Capote 27). It is this that is ominously foreboding of his personality. At a first glance he seems to be grotesquely large and well-built, but further inspection allows one realise that he is merely, â€Å"overblown and muscle bound† (Capote 27). The same thought process is attached to his inner qualities; he seems at first, with his boyishly good-looks, to be soft and sweet, a part Indian and a part Irishmen to be a placid romantic. One would never assume at first that Perry is a cold-blooded killer. Instead, one would think the opposite with him being so caring of animals such a squirrels, enjoying the company of children and being an excellent artist and skilled guitar player – â€Å"With the aid of his guitar, Perry had [often] hung himself into a happy humour. He knew the lyrics of some two hundred hymns and ballads – a repertoire ranging [endlessly]† (Capote 59) But, through further analysis one finds that, â€Å"In some ways old Perry was â€Å"spooky as hell†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ He could slide into a fury†¦ â€Å"He might be ready to kill you, but you’d never know it, not to look at or listen to. †Ã¢â‚¬  (Capote 116) What was really going on with Perry, whether he was anxious or nervous, scared or ireful – even with his anxiety causing his blood to bubble, it was almost assured that he would remain cool, calm and collected on the outside, â€Å"with eyes serene and slightly sleepy† (Capote 116). Therefore, Perry had a,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"doom against which virtue was no defense† (Capote 185). He â€Å"had such a rotten life† (Capote 306). In many ways Perry is portrayed in an array of varying degrees of passivity and iniquity. It is then true to state that, â€Å"‘the path of the righteous man is beset on all sides with the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men† (Jackson). He was in no doubt destined to the awful vengeance that was incurred upon him – death by hanging from the neck. In contrast to this, Dick Hickock lived a much better life than what Perry did; he lived a somewhat average middle-class lifestyle. As a child he eceived much love from his parents and at one stage received a bicycle for his birthday, which he was indeed very proud of. He partook in most sports and achieved highly even being given a scholarship to go to college (which he did not accept). Instead, he started working and married a young but pretty girl who was above his standards, and even though this was the case, they had children together. Furthermor e, Dick honestly thought of himself as, â€Å"a normal. And Dick meant what he said. He thought of himself as balanced, as sane as anyone – maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow†¦ (Capote 116) He too, at first, seems to be kind hearted as he tends to smile somewhat and make jokes. But with his harmless jokes come harmful ones too, such as in the closing moments of the court case where both Dick and Perry laughed loudly at Dick’s comment of, â€Å"No chicken-hearted jurors, they†! (Capote 307) Moreover, Dick’s truly evil side is portrayed when he speaks of his lust for young adolescents and his paedophiliac propensities. He openly claims that he, â€Å"never [gave] any thought to whether it is right or wrong† (Capote 278). This act in itself is worthy of maximum penalty and coupled with assisted murder of first degree on four counts it is no doubt that he too be destined to the ultimate punishment – death by hanging from the neck. One of the reasons why the novel is so appealing is the nature of its impartiality; in the partnership of Dick and Perry they are both portrayed empathetically as well as like ruthless killers. Throughout the novel there are minor characters that ensure that one feels empathy at times toward the dire-stricken duo and at other times one will feel detestation and abhorrence toward the cowardly couple. With regards to Perry one feels compassion for him when he explains the horrors of his childhood, the way in which he was so often mistreated and misguided and lost out on so many important aspects of growing up that would normally lead to living a normal life. Perry Smith wanted to go to college and receive a proper education and was most jealous of former in-mate Lowell Lee Andrews who had what he desired, despising him for it. One might feel sorry for him insofar that he suffers from pain in his legs as a result of a motorcycle accident and resultantly became an addict of aspirin. One might even be envious of him for he is full of wisdom, being opposed to conventionalism for, â€Å"there is considerable hypocrisy in conventionalism† (Capote 150) and for being so artistically and musically inclined. It is Perry’s father, Tex John Smith, and his friends, Donald Cullivan and Willie-Jay? On the other hand, though it need not be mentioned why, one feels utter distaste towards such a felon for his heinous crimes are unspeakable and his lack of remorse is most certainly worthy of hatred and the label of ‘a cold-blooded killer’. Perry’s cold-bloodedness is most clearly portrayed when he openly exclaims, â€Å"[he] didn’t want to harm [Herb Clutter]. [He] thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. [He] thought so right up to the moment [he] cut his throat. † (Capote, 246). With regards to Dick, one would also be inclined to think kindly of him because he is a clever and quirky man, always â€Å"quick with a joke, or to light up [one’s] smoke† (Joel). He would hardly be seen without a smile and to be quite charming. The people in his life, which cared for him most, would be his parents, Mr. nd Mrs. Hickock – who never spoke badly of their son and always had hope and faith in him, even up until the last moment. It is precisely this aspect which makes one feel compassion for Dick. However, one finds his actions inexcusable and sees him as a cold blooded killer insofar as he was the main instigator for the ‘score’ of the Clutter household. He was the ringleader and the mastermind of the whole operation and he perpetually insisted that him and Perry leave no witnesses standing. It is thus that he is rightfully named a ‘cold-blooded killer’. Furthermore, there is a great contrast with regards to the theme of light and dark pertaining to Dick and Perry and the Clutter family, for even though Dick and Perry initially seem to be somewhat gentle or not as malevolent as they are after what one eventually learns about them, they most certainly are laced with evil streaks. Conversely, the Clutter family, each and every one of them was of pure goodness, not just in appearance or facades but in their minds and hearts too. Their souls were comprised of untainted decency. They were a tightly knit unit that worked coherently to enrich others’ ives. Similarly, Dick and Perry also worked together, a team but conversely yet again, their aim was to impoverish other peoples’ lives. Moreover, the narrative scope is from two varying viewpoints: that of the Clutter  family  who were innocently murdered, and that of the two cold-blooded killers, Dick and Perry. The different points of view allow one to relive both sides of the story; Capote presents them without foregone conclusions hence, each standpoint is one of impartiality. Capote works wizardry with the use of the third person omniscient perspective to communicate the two points of view. Emphasis is laid on some important scenes in the novel because of the way it is not written in complete chronological order. Finally, by closely analysing various aspects of the novel such as character and theme, whether or not Dick and Perry are portrayed empathetically or as cold-blooded killers, and how the theme of dark versus light is portrayed in the two main characters in accordance with the Clutter family and the effect of narrative scope we can fully understand what a wonderful masterpiece Truman Capote has fashioned. Word Count: 1794 Bibliography Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: Penguin Books, 1965. Joel, Bille. â€Å"Pianoman. † Piano Man. cond. M Stewart. By Billie Joel. Los Angeles, 1973. Pulp Fiction. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Perf. Samuel L. Jackson. 1994.

D. Forecast for Next 12-18 months Essay

The world economic outlook is bright. World GDP growth is forecast to average slightly more than 4 percent per annum during 2006-2007. Asia will continue to act as the primary engine of global growth, though activity will also be supported by continued U. S. economic expansion of almost 3 percent annually. China will continue to register robust growth of slightly more than 9 percent per annum, and output will continue to increase rapidly also in India. Japan also appears to be entering a longer phase of stable growth. The positive global environment will be reinforced by the Euro Area, where economic growth is forecast to accelerate in response to a recovery in domestic demand (The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy). The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has recently released a set of forecasts regarding the state of world economy in 2007. Below are listed some of the key points: Global growth will quicken to 5. 1 per cent this year falling back only a bit in 2007 to a still rapid 4. 7 per cent. Inflationary pressures are rising, mainly owing to higher oil prices, but the impact of rising oil prices on inflation and output is now more muted than in the past. Global imbalances remain marked and the dollar may have to fall by a further 30 per cent in order to halve the US current-account deficit. The US economy will grow by over 3 per cent a year in both 2006 and 2007, but inflationary pressures are mounting. The Japanese economic recovery has become self-sustaining and GDP will rise by 3. 1 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 6 per cent in 2007. The Euro Area will expand by around 2 per cent a year in both 2006 and 2007, and consumer price inflation will average about 2. 5 per cent in both years. The NIESR report goes on to elaborate upon the aforementioned points: Advanced countries in the OECD bloc are participating in the upswing but the main reason for the current period of exceptionally strong global growth is the long boom in China. In 2005, China represented 15. 4 per cent of global GDP on a purchasing-power parity basis, up from 3. 4 per cent in 1980. Global inflation is rising in response to higher oil prices, but much less so than in the past. New estimates suggest that a $10 permanent rise in oil prices will add 0. 2 to 0. 4 percentage points to inflation in the United States in the four years to 2009, with a somewhat smaller impact in the Euro Area, and a still smaller effect in the UK. The global upswing continues to be accompanied by major imbalances, notably the scale of the US current account deficit, which widened by 4. 5 percentage points of GDP between 1997 and 2005. Since this deterioration has mainly financed increased consumer spending rather than productive investment, financial markets may conclude that the deficit is not sustainable. It is estimated that the dollar’s value against a basket of currencies needs to fall by a further 30 per cent in order to reduce the current account deficit by 3 percentage points of GDP. The US economy will grow by 3. 6 per cent in 2006 and by 3. 1 per cent in 2007. The economy continues to be driven mainly by consumption, which will increase by 3. 3 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 9 per cent in 2007. Housing investment is slackening but business investment, stimulated by high corporate profits, will buoy growth this year and next. Inflation is picking up and the private consumption deflator will rise by 3. 0 per cent in 2006 and by 3. 3 per cent in 2007. There now appears little doubt that the Japanese recovery from the bleak period of deflation and stagnation has become self-sustaining. The economy grew by 3. 5 per cent in the year to the first quarter of 2006 . Business investment is expanding strongly and consumer spending is expected to grow by 1. 9 per cent a year in 2006 and 2007. Average earnings, which had been falling earlier in the decade, will grow by 0. 8 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 8 per cent in 2007. The outlook for the Euro Area is for higher inflation despite a fairly modest recovery. Consumer prices will rise by 2. 6 per cent in 2006 compared with 2. 2 per cent in 2005. Tighter monetary conditions together with measures in Germany to cut the budget deficit will hold back growth in consumption and GDP in the Euro Area. Consumer spending will also be restrained by sluggish growth in average earnings as the corporate sector manages to retain its increased profitability (Barrell et al, 8-31).

Purpose of a Literature Review - Paperell

Purpose of a Literature Review Purpose of a Literature Review How to approach such an assignment? Many students get frustrated or confused by it. However, if you have a clear idea of this assignment’s goals, you should avoid this frustration and cope with the task efficiently.What is a lit review itself? It is a close study of primary texts, scholarly articles, or any other sources relevant to a particular area of research. The student’s task is to describe, summarize, and critically evaluate the works concerning the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews have two main purposes. They are meant to give an overview of sources explored while doing your research and to show your reader how that research fits within the broader field of study. A student may often come across a literature review when preparing his dissertation.This is not a simple task. That is why many students prefer to turn for help to a specialized literature review writing service, but after reading this article, you should get an idea of what the purpose of a literature review is and will be able to cope with this task on your own!Literature Review PurposeIn academic writing, new ideas you present have to be based on an assessment of some significant previously published information on the topic. You must assess both: recent and contemporary to the writer. To start with, your paper has to provide your readers with a summary of prior ideas, areas, and information on that topic. This is done to give them an insight into your work.After that, your task is to critically evaluate the research relating to that topic and develop your perspective on the research in that field to affirm your credibility as a scholar.You can use these steps to approach a literary review:Explore how each previously published work has contributed to an overall understanding of the research problem under studyIdentify new interpretations of prior studiesDescribe how those works relate to each otherAttempt to resolve any conflicts among differing approach es of previous researchersExplore any possible gaps that require further research.Key aspectsIn your paper, you need to explore the opinions of experts on the topic. However, you must expand on and disagree with some of them.As is the case with any academic writing task, this one has to have a good structure, and your ideas must have a logical flow from one point to the next one. What else do you have to do? Above all, you must prove your credibility to the reader:Only reference material that you have decided is essential, current and relevant to your argumentWhat are your audience’s expectations? You need to establish your authority to speak on the topic by paying close attention to that. What is the rhetorical purpose and genre of the document? What are the academic standards of your discipline?Cite materials as per your discipline’s requirements – always ask yourself: what is the contribution of each citation to your argument, what does it help you achieve.Pr esent viewpoints and terminology impartially and comprehensively. Do not rely too heavily on outside material use it to develop your ideas because a simple list of external sources is not a correctly formed literature review.AudienceNow, when you understand how to write a literature review and what the purpose of a lit review is, there is one more useful tip to keep in minds – whenever you are writing, you always need to consider your audience and the format they expect. Is your audience an experienced reader? Are they experts on your topic, or new to the material? Perhaps you may need to explain the basic theories and definitions so that the audience can assess the merits of the problem you are investigating?How to approach it? Think of it as if you need to take your readers by the hand and guide them at first, so they can understand the rest of the paper without your help. At the end of the review, the reader should feel like he has learned something new about the topic. T hat means that your argument has shown a new perspective. It is important that your ideas are the center of writing. You only use referenced work to support your thinking and prove it is relevant and essential to the subject.

Using the Spanish Verb Ganar

Using the Spanish Verb Ganar Ganar is a common verb that has as its basic sense the idea of accomplishment. As such, it can be translated to English in a variety of ways, depending on the context: to earn, to win, to reach, to defeat, to improve. Ganar is a cousin of the English gain and sometimes has that meaning as well. In one of its most common usages, ganar is used to refer to how much money a person or business earns:  ¡Gana 80.00 dà ³lares solo por suscribirte a nuestro programa! (Earn $80 just for subscribing to our program!) Cada profesional ganar 18.450 pesos uruguayos por mes. (Each professional will earn 18,450 Uruguayan pesos per month.) La compaà ±Ãƒ ­a ganaba muy poco dinero. (The company earned very little money.) Ganar can mean win in various senses: Adams ganà ³ la loterà ­a dos veces, en 1985 y 1986. (Adams won the lottery twice, in 1985 and 1986.) La empresa ganaba muchas veces en licitaciones internacionales. (The company won often in international bidding.) Entre 1936 y 1951 fue la estrella de los Yankees de Nueva York, equipo con el que ganà ³ nueve Series Mundiales. (Between 1936 and 1951 he was the star of the New York Yankees, the team that won nine World Series.) Ganaron los Cavaliers. (The Cavaliers won.) No ganamos la guerra contra las drogas. (We arent winning the war against drugs.) Ganar often conveys the sense of achievement. Translations to English can vary substantially: Ganà ³ mucho à ©xito escribiendo sobre los problemas de su ciudad. (He was very successful writing about his citys problems.) El Congreso ganà ³ su objetivo principal. (The Congress achieved its main goal.) Al menos 73 escaladores ganaron la cima el lunes. (At least 73 climbers reached the summit on Monday.) Las voces de los soldados ganaron intensidad cuando llegaron a la orilla. (The voices of the soldiers rose in intensity when they arrived at the shore.) Ganar en can mean to improve or to gain in. Perdà ­ mi libertad, pero ganà © en felicidad. (I lost my freedom, but I became happier. Literally, I lost my freedom, but I gained in happiness.) Pablo y Marà ­a ganaron en fortaleza. (Pablo y Marà ­a became stronger. Literally, Pablo y Marà ­a gained in strength.) The reflexive form ganarse usually means to deserve or otherwise suggests extraordinary effort. It also is frequently used to refer to those who win a lottery or drawing. Los atletas colombianas se ganaron la medalla de oro. (The Colombian athletes deserved the gold medal.) La compaà ±ia se ha ganado la reputacià ³n de là ­der innovador. (The company has deservedly earned its reputation as an innovative leader.) La felicidad invadià ³ a los 20 empleados, quienes se ganaron millones de dà ³lares. (Happiness overwhelmed the 20 employees, who won millions of dollars.) Using the Noun Form Gana Although you might expect that the noun form gana would refer to earnings or gains, it instead refers to the desire or appetite for something. It usually is used in the plural form.  ¿Que le dirà ­as a alguien que no tiene ganas de vivir? (What would you say to someone who doesnt have the desire to live?) Mis ganas de entender la vida y el mundo me llevaron a estudiar filosofà ­a en la universidad. (My desire to understand life and the world led me to study philosophy at the university.) Quiero ganas de hacer algo que no haya hecho nunca. (I want the desire to do something that has never been done before.) Etymology of Ganar Unlike most other Spanish verbs, ganar probably isnt of Latin origin. According to the Royal Spanish Academys dictionary, ganar possibly came from a Gothic word ganan, which meant to covet, along with Germanic and Nordic influences from words related to hunting, harvesting and envy. Ganar and the English gain may be related to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root referring to striving.

La Maravilla Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

La Maravilla - Essay Example ...Remember, you are not white, and if someday you find yourself asking a white man's questions, the answer will not be there for you" [Vea, 217-218]. Adobe homes, shacks made up of tarpaper, Cadillacs adorned with rust, and of course, out of shape trailer trucks that were popularly known as "Buckeye". It was in the desert outside of the city of Phoenix wherein the wonders of various cultural myths, were brought to life. La Maravilla symbolizes being a part of two different worlds and of being pulled apart by love and fear of both. It depicts the blanket of marigolds - the flower of the dead - adorning the graves of Mexican cemeteries as well as the imaginary dog considered consecrated by the Aztecs; a dog that was believed to have returned from the lower-world to guide a person to the land of the dead known as Mictlan. The gaps were represented by the two different worlds which were not far from being reached by a person.