Urban deprivation is one of the characteristics of large cities in all parts of the world

The inner city areas of many Global cities have an image of decay with poverty, pollution, crime, overcrowding, poor housing conditions and unemployment. Such problems are more prevalent in inner-city areas than in other areas of the city. Deprivation has been caused by old industries closing down and increasing the unemployment levels which are not tackled due to the old workers not being skilled enough to work in these new factories or line of jobs. This happens more in MEDC's compared to LEDC's where overpopulation and urbanization have cause the problems in the inner city. Counterurbanization has been another problem within MEDC's as it has left houses derelict and the people would rather commute than live in the inner city. This has then led to out of town shopping centers being set up. In MEDC's the inner city initiatives for reversing the decline of the inner city started back in 1945 with comprehensive redevelopment. This program involved large-scale clearance of old terraces in order to provide space for new housing and inner city environmental features. Over twenty years 1. 5 million properties wee knocked down in the inner city. Elswick and Kenton in Newcastle were two areas embarked for comprehensive redevelopment. Existing residents were moved either into new towns of Cramlington or to extensive council houses estates built in areas such as, Byker. Many local authorities followed identical planning and soon the landscape of the inner city was transformed with huge concrete and glass tower blocks separated by flat expanses of grass. At the time these high-rise flats were a great success architecturally however the policy failed due to redevelopment underachieving demolition. This gave a housing shortage and vast spaces of derelict land. This policy that lasted till 1967 also failed to tackle the social and economic problems. 1968 saw another scheme come into action; the Urban Aid programme gave grants to local authorities to expand services in deprived areas and to establish community development projects using self help. This scheme was a great deal more localized and it was unfortunate that the economic downturn limited the funds and therefore by 1977 the scheme had finished. The next year the new towns policy was abandoned in an effort to stop decentralization of people and businesses. For the first time inner cities were officially declared problem areas. In 1988 Margaret Thatcher introduced the â€Å"Action for cities† policy. From 1991 onwards-Local authorities were able to bid for funds for specific urban projects. An example is Sunderland; the money was used to redesign parts of the city center with a new shopping precinct. And bus station. A single government department, the end of the 1990's had created the Urban Regeneration Agency. In Greater Manchester 4. 5 hectares of the city were destroyed with 30,000 homes left damaged form the bombing of World War II. By the end of the war 70,000 homes were deemed unfit for living mostly in the high density Victorian inner center. The plan for Manchester was launched in 1945 with the aim of clearing all Victorian housing. Following the repair of the war the Manchester Slum Clearance Programme restarted in 1954. Over five years 7500 properties were demolished mostly in the Miles Platting area. In 1961 the policy of comprehensive development took place with the clearance programme expanding in four main areas: Hulme, Beswick, Longsight and Harpurhey. Over 55,00 new houses, a mixture of low and high rise were built to replaced the cleared terraces reducing the housing density and population by up to 50% in some areas. The Hulme area was a typical Victorian area of Manchester and was tightly packed with terraces. Conditions were overcrowded and polluted with few housing having toilets. After the demolition of the terraces, shopping facilities were introduced in three areas. By 1972 the redevelopment of Hulme was completed with 5,000 new houses being built. Problems did arise with new properties leaking and then the heating bills were too high for the residents and many found the accommodation inappropriate. This area fell into a spiral of decline with growing unemployment, drugs and violence along with eh deteriorating environment. The Hulme city challenge was launched in 1992. This plan involved building of 3000 new homes, shops, roads, offices and community facilities to replace existing properties in a 60-hectare area. The funds of i200 million came from the government, local authority and private finance. Manchester faced other problems form the closure of the nineteenth century industries that left 24,000 jobs unavailable between 1974 and 1984. Plans included 2000 new houses and 375,000 square meters of industrial and commercial floor space to provide 10,000 jobs. In 1988 central Manchester was given n UDC to regenerate 200 hectares of land and buildings in the southern part of the city center. This area included six conservation areas, over ninety listed buildings, three universities, the Granada Studios Tour and the Museum of Science and Industry. However these were the areas of contaminated land, derelict warehouses, mills and canals. The IDC ended in 1996 and in the eight years of operation invested i420 million. Urban deprivation in the LEDC's have been tackled in many ways however there have been schemes that have proven to be a lot more successful than the others. In Chennai there has been a rapid increase in population due to the rural to urban migration and the high birth rates. About one third of the population lives in the slums, mostly shantytowns. The planning solutions began with the building of four to six storey blocks however these largely failed due to high maintenance and lack of uptake as the tenants would be unable to afford the rent. If the rent were reduced the scheme would lose money. After this initial failure The Board took up a new idea of upgrading the slums. The aims set were providing one bath and one toilet per ten families; one public fountain per twenty families; one street light per forty meters of road and one pre school per two hundred families. Other initiatives required self-help financing after an initial investment had been made either by the World Bank or welfare organizations. These schemes encouraged greater community involvement. Some of the start up loans were gave to families to build their own homes. Site and service schemes were implemented with finance provided for the acquisition of land; purchase of building materials, road building and the provision of basic services such as, water and sewage. New owners were then responsible for building the property on their allocated land. The upgrading after that often led to the sale of homes to higher income groups. The generated some money for the poor families and allowed the Board to re-invest in new schemes. An area in the southern outskirts of Chennai was the location for a site and services scheme known as Velacheri. It provided fourteen hectares of land to house 2,640 families many of whom were being forced out of Chennai. Waiting for the new residents building their homes would have caused a delayed the rail building so contractors were used to begin the building of properties. Along with the roads, water supply, streetlights and many other services. These services did face problems with many being left unfinished and extra floors being added without regulation. Some families sold their home for profit and the poorest were unable to afford these houses. These are some example of the initiatives being taken in order to solve the problem of urban deprivation. However there have been many other schemes and one of the most successful was that of the Favelas in Brazil redevelopment that won several prizes such as, the famous Habitat Award from the United Nations. These have been more successful as it didn't break up the families and kept the community spirit and the families could continue to access their place of employment. The similarities between the initiatives of the MEDC and LEDC worlds that have been undertaken for there reduction of urban deprivation are not all that similar. This is due to the fact that the MEDC's have more finance so there are able to use other schemes to tackle their problems. Also the fact that the problems they face are of a different cause. In the LEDC's it tends to be shanty towns are therefore have to look to house these people unlike the MEDC it not so overcrowding but unemployment due to the decline of the Industrial Revolution and recently Counterurbanization has left old Victorian buildings derelict and an eye-saw.

Goup Influence on Self

Group Influence on Self from a Classical and Contemporary View Elizabeth H. Dixon PSYCH/555 September 3, 2011 Kelly Topp, Ph. D. Group Influence on Self from a Classical and Contemporary View Human behavior is often strongly affected by other people and groups of people as well as the groups to which a person may belong. Groups usually have established norms that tell its members how they are expected behave as members of the group.According to Baron, Branscombe, and Byrne  (2009), â€Å"Perhaps much more surprising is the fact that often, we are strongly affected by the mere presence of others, even if we are not part of a formal group† (Chapter 11, Effects of the Presence of Others, para. 1). Individuals can also withdraw from groups if they believe that the group is no longer providing their needs or has changed to a point where the group no longer reflects their desires, beliefs, needs, or values. Both of the above-mentioned styles of interactions can greatly affect an i ndividual and how he or she may come to terms within their role of self.These norms and expectations are a part of group influence and what is known as conformity and obedience. The subject of this paper will compare and contrast the concepts of conformity and obedience, analyze a classical and contemporary study concerning the effect of group influence on the self, and analyze individual and societal influences that lead to deviance from dominant group norms. A Comparison and Contrast of the Concept of Conformity and Obedience Group influence is a result of changes that result from indirect or direct interaction with groups of people.According to Fiske (2010), â€Å"Social influence broadly encompasses any changes in beliefs, attitudes, or behavior that result from interpersonal interaction† (Social Influence: Doing What Others Do and Say, Conceptual Definitions, para. 1). As such, the main influence of social influence is that of norms and roles in interactive settings. Key concepts aid in describing and analyzing the concept of social influence. For the purpose of the subject of this paper, conformity and obedience are two of the concepts that will be discussed. Conformity and obedience are similar in context and meaning; however, each affects an ndividual differently and has distinct differences when one is to define each concept. Conformity When one defines conformity, he or she must not forget to note that conformity exists in diverse types concerning individuals who are trying to fulfill their needs, wants, and desires. â€Å"Conformity is a form of social influence in which individuals change their attitudes and/or behavior to adhere to a group or social norm† (Shiraev & Levy, 2010, Social Interaction, Conformity, para. 1). Conformity is taught at very early ages. Parents place expectations of behavior on children as early as pre-kindergarten years.As children begin to socialize with other groups of people, they continue to learn that con formity is the baseline of norms and is â€Å"the unwritten rules of behavior. † Sometimes conformity happens as a motivation to gain rewards or avoid forms of punishment. This form of behavior is known as compliance, and tends to bring hope to individuals in need. For example, if people are desperate because of a lack of a need, or poverty, they may comply because of what may seem to be a convincing solution to their problems. Another reason that conformity exist is to escape sanctions administered by a group of people.For example, a person who does not conform to the expectations and rules of a group may receive sanctions, such as fines, against him or her and becomes at risk of ostracism from the group. Along the line of sanctioning, another reason that a person might conform is to remain in the good graces of others by living up to the expectations of others. In this case it is usually true that the â€Å"others† represent a majority of people. For example, people visit other countries that have different cultural norms, such as a woman wearing a scarf to cover her face.As a way to show respect for the culture, a woman may conform to the norms while a visitor within that particular country. Finally, a person may practice conformity because he or she is forced to comply. For an example, if a store is in the process of a robbery, the cashier and store clerk may do whatever the robber tell them to do. Both workers could also be compliant because they may be in a situation in which they are held at gunpoint and does not want to put themselves at a higher risk of being hurt or killed. Obedience People tend to try to interchange to use of the term conformity and obedience.Although obedience is very similar to conformity, the main difference between the two concepts is the source of the influence, or authority upon each term. Conformity has more to do with social expectations within a group or society, whereas obedience has more to do with influence from authority given by others or figures of authority. â€Å"Obedience is a form of conformity when a person simply follows orders given by others. Obedience to authority is defined as following orders given by an authority figure† (Shiraev & Levy, 2010, Social Interaction, Following Orders, para. 1).When obedience is shown toward another person or group of people, there is a belief that the authority figure has the right to demand actions, give orders, or issue requests. When a daycare worker wants compliance from the children in the daycare, obedience is the term used to describe what the worker wants from the children. When a police officer says to an individual â€Å"stop and put your hands up! † obedience is about a demand of action from a figure of authority. One way to define the difference of obedience and conformity is by noting that obedience is the result of a deliberate or active form of social influence (Shiraev & Levy, 2010).In other words, conformity i nvolves more personal choices than obedience, which involves an authority figure telling an individual or others how to behave in a particular way. Studies and research confirm that the concepts of conformity and obedience are similar in that each concept is driven by social interaction and social influences that greatly affect the concept of self. A Classical Study Concerning the Effect of Group Influence on the Self A historically well-known study of the self and the effect of group influence was that of an experiment conducted by a 1950s psychologist named Solomon Asch.Asch hypothesized that individual judgment is influenced by norms. Asch was interested in the extent that a person may follow or rebel against group expectations and norms. In Asch's experiments, a group of students were informed that they were to participate in a vision test. One subject was not told that the other participants were assistants of the experimenter (confederates). In the beginning of the experiment, the confederates were answering questions correctly, but eventually began to answer the questions incorrectly.The test subject knowingly had the correct answers but eventually began to answer the questions incorrectly. It became obvious that the individual was trying to conform to the participants who answered the question incorrectly. Findings of the Classical Study Nearly 75 % of the participants in these experiments went along with the other participants of the group at least once. The results indicated, along with the trial experiments, conformity approximately one-third of the time. Asch also found that the size of the opposing participants affected conformity as well.If the opposing is the majority, regardless of the number in the group, subjects conform just as easily as they would if the group is much larger in number. The experiments also showed the effect of group number and conformity. In the experiment when there was a presence of three or more confederates, the level o f conformity was more significant and obvious than the presence of one or two confederates. When more confederates was given the incorrect answer, while one confederate gave the correct answer, the level of conformity was dramatically lowered to between 5 to 10 %.Later studies have also supported this finding suggesting that social support is a valuable tool in decreasing or combating conformity (Morris & Miller, 1975). Limitations or Shortcomings with the Study The Asch experiments was criticized and believed to have limitations because critics of the experiment believed that participants had specific reasons in choosing to conform. According to some critics, the individuals may not have had a desire to conform to the group and that conformity could have occurred because of motivation to avoid any conflict.Critics also believed that the lab experiments may not have been an accurate reflection of the situations of the real-world. A Contemporary Study Concerning the Effect of the Inf luence of Obedience on the Self The January 2009 issue of American Psychologist discusses a more contemporary, new study that replicated Milgram's classic obedience experiment (Schaefer, 2011). In Milgram's 1960 experiment, participants were asked to deliver electrical shocks to a person who was known as the â€Å"learner† whenever an incorrect answer was given. Realistically, the learner was pretending to be shocked, as was a confederate in the experiment.The experiment was to prove and determine the willingness of people to obey the commands of a figure of authority. Despite that the learner seemed to be in serious distress, 65% of participants displayed a willingness to deliver the maximum level of shocks to the â€Å"learner. † Recently, a psychology professor at Santa Clara University, by the name of Jerry Burger, performed an experiment that replicated Milgram's famous study (Schafer, 2011). Under the same hypothesis of Milgram’s experiment, using modifica tions and safeguards to protect participants’ welfare, Burger repeated areas of the Milgram’s experiment with college undergraduates.Burger’s maximum shock level was 150-volts instead of the original 450-volts, and also participants were carefully screened to find whether or not the participants might experience negative reactions to the experiment. Burger also ensured through a screening process that students did not have knowledge of Milgram’s study. Findings of the Contemporary Study The results of the replication of the experiments showed surprisingly and startlingly similarities to Milgram’s original 1960 experiment. The participants, just as in the original experience, showed a high level of willingness to shock the learner.The most comparable point in the two studies revealed a full obedience measured rate of 70 %, not significantly high, compared to the rate of 82. 5 % measured more than 40 years ago. The results of Burger’s experime nt were high enough to reveal that participants obeyed at the same rate as in Milgram’s original study. Limitations or Shortcomings with the Study Critics of Burger’s experiment believe there are too many differences and lack of connections between his study and the earlier studies of obedience research to allow precise and useful comparisons within the study.The extreme differences in the maximum voltage are an example of what the critics view as conceptually unacceptable. However, supporters indicate that it is true that direct comparisons cannot be made when there is a significant difference between the 150-volt maximum of Burger’s research and Milgram’s 450-volt maximum; however, Burger’s procedures can be used to further the exploration of some of the situational variables studied by Milgram, along with other possible additional variables. This further exploration of variables would assist in explanations when analyzing contemporary examples o f group influence on the self.A Contemporary Example of the Effect That Group Influence Has on the Self A contemporary example of the effect that group influence has on the self is an approach that reminds this writer of a friend that she once had in college. This friend was a freshman that had never been away from home or her parents, and for the first time ever, was making decision about her life on her own. This friend, who will be referred to as â€Å"Angela† was bright and ambitious. Angela was so eager to fit in that she was willing to be a friend to anyone.Although Angela came from a rich family, she was not the type of person who would â€Å"look down† on others or prejudge others. Angela became friends with a girl that she met in one of her classes. Initially, the newfound friend seemed to like Angela, and both of them liked some of the same things. The new friend who will be referred to as â€Å"Jeannie† was a sophomore, and also from a rich background and quite preppy. Jeannie dressed a certain way, and carried herself a certain way, which was one of the true opposites between her and Angela.As time went by, including the school summer break, Jeannie and Angela became the best of friends. Upon their return to school, Jeannie introduced Angela to the girls in her sorority. Angela thought that it was a privilege that this prominent sorority seemed to have an interest in her. Angela immediately â€Å"took to† the group of young ladies. Eventually she pledged the sorority and became a member. During this time, this writer was still a friend of Angela; however, this writer noticed that Angela really did change.Angela altered her behavior and attitude to that of the group members. Angela bought expensive clothing and gadgets just so that she could be just like everyone in her group. Angela started to â€Å"look down† on other students by openly referring to them as â€Å"wanna-be’s† and other terms. Angela would be disrespectful toward members of the other sororities and always seemed to act as if she were better than everyone else. Angela acted as if she had very much power and authority, and within a year’s time, had conformed totally to the behaviors of her sorors.Angela had other friends, just like this writer, but eventually lost their friendship because of her â€Å"snooty† ways. Angela’s Transformation and the Conformity Theory This writer’s story is an example of the conformity theory in psychology. When Angela altered her behaviors and attitudes to that of the sorority members, she displayed one of the key aspects of the conformity theory known as the normative social influence. Angela openly referred to other people as â€Å"wanna-be’s† and began to â€Å"look down† on others, as she continued to follow the aspects of normative social influence.When normative social influence is exhibited, the influence of others leads one to conform to be accepted and liked by members within the group. The social impact theory is also displayed in this story because Angela became physically closer to the members within the sorority. According to the social impact theory the more important the group is, the closer a person’s physical distance becomes to that group. Angela found acceptance of the group’s mentality as her behaviors appeared to come naturally. Referent power was another factor in Angela’s transformation.Even though this sorority was not the most likeable, the group was perceived as rich girls from powerful and prominent backgrounds. Eventually Angela became just like the other members of her sorority and therefore, made other friends an outcast in her life. A long time after becoming a member of the sorority, Angela realized how her actions were and how unbecoming it caused her to be. After realizing the true friends she had were out of her life, and cared to have nothing to do with her , she chose to deviate from her sorority and became an inactive status within her sorority.The Individual and Societal Influences that Lead To Deviance Sociologists, define the term deviant as â€Å"exhibiting behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society† (Schaefer, 2011, Chapter 7, Deviance and Social Control, What Is Deviance, para. 1). In the United States, the behaviors of drug users, alcoholics, and mentally ill people are examples of what society views as deviant behaviors. However, there are positive deviations that exist as well.Some people deviate from the norm to become more of an individual, and different because they may feel like standing up for what they believe versus that of belonging to a group that may seem opposite of the person’s beliefs. If one were to ask one of these people, how they became who they are, there is a strong likelihood that both individual and societal influences lead that person to these dev iant behaviors. Individual Influences and Deviance Individual influences that promote deviance may stem from other factors that play a role in how individuals become defiant and deviant.When it is concerning society being the group in question, researchers agree that the offspring’s actions stem from the individual influences that start from within the home. Within the family, if there is divorce, abuse, and deviant parental behaviors, there becomes a link to delinquency as juveniles and deviance as adults. Genetics and individual abnormalities also have been proven as reasons for deviance toward societal and group norms. It is generally acceptable practice to believe that genetic influences are significant in producing deviant behavior(s) in society (Carson, Butcher, & Mineka, 1996).Some people who deviate are not mentally ill or unhealthy, but have higher levels of self-actualization. Self-Actualization is â€Å"the highest level of the hierarchy, the level represents the need to be what one potentially is† (Goodman, 1968, p. 2). It is also generally accepted practice to believe that societal influences cause people to deviate from group norms and expectations. Societal Influences and Deviance Expectations such as cultural norms and values could cause a person to deviate from within a group.A deviant behavior clarifies moral boundaries, facilitates changes in society, encourages social unity, and affirms, as mentioned earlier, cultural norms and values (Carson, Butcher, & Mineka, 1996). Deviance is viewed by sociologists as a behavior engaged in a person by having common sociocultural backgrounds or the same experiences within a culture. In other words, deviant and nondeviant behavior is learned in the same way in that they both are behaviors that are a learned from others who engage in and encourage violation of cultural norms and values.Another form of a more common societal influence is that of peer pressure. Research has proven that deviant behavior is influenced by the presence or absence of a peer group. Example of Individual and Societal Influences and Deviance An example individual influence of deviant behavior is about the life of a son who became deviant because of behaviors that stemmed from within the home. This boy’s deviant mother practiced ineffective parenting and began teaching her son at the early age of five, to be criminally deviant. Kimes taught Kenny, the younger of two sons, to steal, murder, and commit scams.Fortunately, Kenny’s oldest brother did not follow in his mother’s footsteps. Kenny was graduated from high school and enrolled into college. It was in 1998 that Kenny dropped out of college to begin with his mother, a nationwide journey that initially seemed to have no particular purpose. The two made huge purchases using bad checks and fake identifications and were scamming even more to have money. The two of them murdered the victims of their biggest scams, and in July 1 998, landed in New York City, where they murdered Irene Silverman.Mrs. Silverman would be their last victim, after the two of them were infiltrated by the FBI, through a friend who sold Mrs. Kimes the illegal gun that was used to murder Irene Silverman. Sante and Kenny were tried in the spring of 2000 and found guilty of 58 different crimes (Sante) and 60 for Kenny. Sante received a sentence of 120 years and Kenny was sentenced to 125 years. A few months later, during an interview by Court TV reporter, Maria Zone, Kenny attempted to escape by pressing a ballpoint pen into Ms.Zone’s throat and holding her hostage for three hours before being subdued by authorities. Conclusion Many styles of group interaction exist among people. The subject of this paper had discussed the styles of conformity and obedience. There are both classical and contemporary studies that explain the importance of these styles when it concerns the concept of self and group influence. Finally, the discussi on of this paper was to analyze individual and societal influences that lead to deviant behavior and deviance from the dominant group norms.In conclusion, it is safe to state that groups or authority figures have powerful influence on an individual; however, although this may be a fact, there are still individuals who become nonconforming because individual influences and social influences will deviate from society and group expectations and norms. References Baron, R. A. , Branscombe, N. R. , & Byrne, D. (2009). Social Psychology (12th ed. ). Retrieved from https: //ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader. aspx? assetid= dcc36fe5-a546-43aa-a98f-7f22b00d6213&assetmetaid=0e66697f-8e59-426a-9e81- 0f11d551f5ad#ch11. Carson, R.C. , Butcher, J. N. , & Mineka, S. (1996). Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life (10th ed. ). New York, NY; HarperCollins College Publishers. Fiske, S. T. (2010). Social beings: Core Motives in Social Psychology (2nd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Go odman, R. (1968). ON THE OPERATIONALITY OF THE MASLOW NEED HIERARCHY. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 6(1), 51-57. Morris, W. & Miller, R. (1975). The effects of census-breaking and census-pre-empting partners of reduction in conformity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 11, 215-223. Schaefer, R. T. (2011). Sociology: A brief introduction (9th ed. . Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader. aspx? assetMetaId=3e30bf5c-a204-4d0d-ad08-a0fc3ac36be5&assetDataId=1db06d3b-3487-4815-8bb6-13bc3688b4f6&assetpdfdataid=5efbce9a-4e5c-4bc3-8c17-fe40098b56f1. Shiraev, E. B. , & Levy, D. A. (2010). Cross-cultural psychology. Critical thinking and contemporary applications (4th ed. ). Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader. aspx? assetMetaId=ac0b2e56-5cb2-4024-abff-6da6accc415c&assetDataId=3affa4fb-bbbd-4c11-8b2d-ab669c0ea62b&assetpdfdataid=0d2966aa-e83d-4eb2-aed0-bf9949269b85.

Moral Difficulties Involved in War Reporting

Moral Difficulties Involved in War Reporting Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 3 Historical perspective on the evolution of journalistic ethics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. page 4 Deontology and Utilitarianism†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 5 Ethical Dilemma: Should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information in a time of war? Arguments in favour†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ page 5 Ethical dilemma: Should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information in a time of war? Arguments opposed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 6 Applying principles of Deontology and Utilitarianism to the ethical dilemma†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 8 Conclusion†¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦page 10 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ page 11 Introduction Journalists covering wars and conflicts are faced with numerous ethical dilemmas regarding professional codes of conduct, laws regulating national security and personal commitments to ideals such as the public’s right to know, and acting as the fourth estate (with the first three estates being the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government). Of the ethical theories we studied in the Communication Ethics course, I chose to compare and contrast Deontology and Utilitarianism, describe how they apply to a specific moral difficulty, and detail what conclusions can e drawn. For brevity sake, I have left out such theories as Justice and Fairness, Care Ethics, Virtue Ethics, and Moral Intuition as described by Jordin and Beaken (2009). I have also left out numerou s other dilemmas, such as the role advocacy or bias plays in the journalism profession as it relates to war and conflict. Here are just a few of the contemporary moral difficulties that could be examined: 1. Should reporters use neutral labels to describe terrorists? When is a terrorist a terrorist? 2. When can wartime photos and video incite violence? What are the journalist's responsibilities? 3. Should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information in a time of war? 4. Can (and should) news media be used for war propaganda or censorship? 5. What would public support have been like for WWI, WWII or Korea if there had been unlimited and unregulated scrutiny as there is today with broadcast and digital media? The conflict I am specifically examining, and the moral difficulties it presents, involves the current conflict in Iraq. To thoroughly examine one dilemma within this paper’s space limitation, I have chosen number three: should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information in time of war? It is in this area that, while researching the above moral difficulties, I found a significant variation in attitude from war to war. Historical perspective on the evolution of journalistic ethics I found it is useful to place this examination within the historical context and journalistic attitudes of just a few of many past conflicts reaching as far back as the American Revolutionary War period. Ben Franklin was one of America’s earliest and most influential journalists (Burns 2006). Burns says (p. 91), â€Å". . . he was as ethical a journalist as America produced in the eighteenth century. Yet, he deceived on occasion, but only because he thought it was a better way to tell a story, and only because he believed his readers were sophisticated enough to know the ruse and understand that it served a deeper purpose. † Franklin’s newspaper, magazine, and others he inspired covered political and foreign news and wars. War reporting of the French and Indian War of 1754 to 1763, which began in Europe as the Seven Years’ War, provided exciting reading to colonists. Reports were common of troop movements, battles and scalpings. Advocacy journalism was in full flourish, and readers were encouraged (Burns 2006, p. 121) â€Å". . . o resist their French and Indian attackers. † As taxes were increased in the colonies, newspapers began to encourage disobedience and a boycott of British goods. Franklin summarized the state of ethical journalism of the American Revolutionary War when he wrote that â€Å". . . the press not only can ‘strike while the ir on is hot,’ but it can ‘heat’ it by continually striking. † Richards (2005) states the prevalent newspaper partisanship of 17th and 18th century began changing in the 19th century to a more neutral position. This was due to the increasing dependence on advertising revenue, and the need to appeal to the broadest market possible. He also identifies news coverage of the Spanish-American War and the circulation wars between Hearst and Pulitzer as a low point in American journalism, and providing impetus to a call for more objectivity and defined standards. That came in 1910 when the first code of ethics was created by the Kansas Editorial Association and in 1923 by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Covered in these and subsequent books and codes were such ethical topics as reporting on national security, fairness and accuracy. The Hutchins Commission in 1947 (Richards 2005, p. 8) â€Å". . . ntroduced two key notions – the ‘public good’ and the ‘greater responsibilities’ of the press. † He adds, â€Å"According to this theory, the responsibilities of the press . . . were to be emphasised over its freedoms, and the press was to be considered subject to moral and ethical restrictions. † During the second half of the 20th century there was considerable critic ism of this social responsibility theory. For instance, Richards queries to whom are the journalists responsible, what should the media be free to do, and why are they watching the government rather than the governed? Also, how does the journalist determine the public good and of which of many potential publics are we speaking? To summarize, there have been times throughout journalistic history when deception and taking sides was acceptable, but objectivity and responsibility were largely considered to be professional standards as we entered the 21st century. Deontology and Utilitarianism Of the many methods for applying ethical theories to war reporting, I narrowed the choice down to Deontology and Utilitarianism as referenced in the introduction. Deontology involves applying a universal set of principles (Jordin 2009, p. 15) â€Å". . . which makes the duty or the obligations we owe other human beings the fundamental principle of ethics. † Doing our duty is not based on a particular set of circumstances. Since acts are judged only by their consequences, the means justify the ends. Utilitarianism is defined by the consequences of actions, not the act’s moral or intrinsic value. Jordin (2009, p. 17) states, â€Å"Where deontological theories thus talk more in terms about what is right, consequentialist theories are more concerned with the good. Moral worth is determined by its ability to produce the most amount of good for the greatest number. Here, the ends justify the means. How can these two standards help answer our ethical dilemma? We can answer this question by examining a few cases from the current Iraq conflict and others. Ethical Dilemma: Should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information i n a time of war? Arguments in favour: Former Pentagon aid Daniel Ellsberg leaked a highly classified study, subsequently called The Pentagon Papers, claiming the U. S. government deceived American citizens about the country’s involvement with Vietnam. Mitchell (2008) refers to Ellsberg as establishing the precedent for when the public’s right to know outweighs claims of national security and secrecy. Ellsberg argued that the ends justify the means since journalists sometimes do not question government war statements and do not delve deep enough. In a U. S. Supreme Court ruling on Ellsberg’s case, Justice Hugo Black wrote (Bauder 2009, p. 110), â€Å"The government’s power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the government. The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of the government and inform the people. Alterman (2003) concurs, maintaining that humans are flawed and abuse authority if they believe no one is watching. He speaks not only of politicians and policy makers, but military leaders as well. Alterman concluded it is the journalist’s role to hold political and military leaders accountable. Dean Baquet and Bill Keller (Bauder 20 09, p. 111) say â€Å"Our job, especially in times like these, is to bring our readers information that will enable them to judge how well their elected leaders are fighting on their behalf, and at what price. † They add that the White House never intended for the public to know classified secrets about faulty intelligence that led to the current war in Iraq, about prisoner abuse, alleged torture, or about electronic eavesdropping without specific warrants. They claim Americans have a right to know how the war is being waged. Others maintain that denying the public’s right to know amounts to censorship, and sometimes this censorship is not used to protect troops and prevent operational information from helping the enemy (Williams 2009), but is used to promote support for the war effort and sanitize its brutality and human cost. Williams cites as an example that the often promoted â€Å"smart† weapons in the Iraqi Gulf War, which supposedly reduced civilian casualties, comprised only seven per cent of the bombs used. â€Å"The rationale for this policy was that the public will no longer support any war involving a large number of civilian casualties. † (Williams 2009, p. 159). He added, â€Å"When the flow of information in a democratic society is controlled by the authorities and when military considerations take precedence over all other considerations then democracy itself is threatened. (Williams 2009, p. 167). To summarize, some believe it is ethical to expose government wrongdoing and deception because the public has a right to know how its government behaves behind closed doors and in foreign conflicts. Ethical dilemma: Should reporters ever leak and/or publish classified information in a time of war? Arguments opposed: At the beginning of WWII editor Tom Hopkinson withheld the truth fr om his British readers regarding the military disaster at Dunkirk, believing (Williams 2009, p. 154) â€Å". . . he truth would demoralise people and make them less able to resist an invasion. † Williams goes on to explain that similar restraint in revealing brutal photographs during the Korean War was so they would not â€Å"give aid and comfort to the enemy. † Williams (2009, p. 156) explained the distinction as to when it might be acceptable to withhold classified and potentially damaging information to a war effort: â€Å"The Second World War was a matter of national survival. There was a direct threat to Britain’s way of life. Defeat would have resulted in subjugation. The Korean War, on the other hand, at least as far as the British public was concerned, was in essence a police action happening on the other side of the world. There was no national emergency. There was no direct threat to national life. It is only when the very survival of a society is threatened that the truth can be interfered with. † During the early stages of the first Gulf War in Iraq, detailed classified information regarding the extent and effectiveness of bombing raids was withheld and restrictions placed on a reporter’s ability to interview pilots and troops (Hatchen 2000). Interviews conducted by pool reporters were subject to censorship. The U. S. Pentagon had decided there was a high priority assigned to the dismantling of the communications and military command structure in Iraq. It was vitally important that the enemy could not anticipate coalition force intentions, targets, troop strength or movements. U. S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that making classified information available to people who are not cleared for it makes finding and dealing with the responsible terrorists much more difficult. Rumsfeld added (Tapper 2001) that â€Å". . . the inevitable effect is that the lives of men and women in uniform are put at risk. † President Bush concurred (Berkowitz 2003), stating â€Å"Our nation's progress depends on the free flow of information. Nevertheless, throughout our history, the national defence has required that certain information be maintained in confidence in order to protect our citizens, our democratic institutions, our homeland security, and our interactions with foreign nations. † James B. Bruce (2007) argues that nothing is more important than national security. He believes leaks forewarn and forearm the enemy and allows them to develop countermeasures, thus placing national welfare and our citizens at home and abroad at risk. He adds in an article published on www. cia. gov that, â€Å"The US press is an open vault of classified information on US intelligence collection sources and methods. This has been true for years. But the problem is worse now than ever before, given the scope and seriousness of leaks coupled with the power of electronic dissemination and search engines. He states that press leaks allow the enemy to see how secret intelligence works, and how to defeat it. Schoenfeld (2006) rails against newspaper leaks that exposed the classified network of CIA prisons in Europe holding al-Qaeda captives, the disclosure of government surveillance of al-Qaeda suspects, and the monitoring of Al-Qaeda financial transactions. He adds the most serious leak was of a classified memo raising serious USA administration doubts about Iraqâ€℠¢s Prime Minister. He states, â€Å"At a moment when the United States faces the present danger of assault by Islamic terrorists and is struggling to protect itself from falling victim to a second September 11, a murmuration of overzealous, self-interested, and mistaken advocates is striving to shield the press’s freedom of movement at the expense of many if not all of the competing imperatives of a system based upon the rule of law. † To summarize, some believe the test for publishing any kind of information, whether classified are not, is as follows. Will publishing the information: 1. provide aid and comfort to the enemy? 2. threaten the safety of our troops and allies engaged in the conflict? 3. threaten our safety as a nation? Some believe if the answer is â€Å"yes† to any of the above, than the material should not be published or distributed. Applying principles of Deontology and Utilitarianism to the ethical dilemma Universalists, and in particular consequentialists (Jordin 2000), would argue that the greater good is served by releasing secrets during a time of war. Withholding secrets could threaten the very foundation of democracy, and the principles we are fighting to defend. If revealing a secret exposes inhumane treatment of prisoners or casts doubt on intelligence gathering which led to the current Iraqi war, then the ends justify the means. A Deontologist would say releasing secrets would destroy the right of a government to possess information that might prove harmful in other people’s hands. The duty to protect state secrets in a time of war is reflected in the â€Å"universal human right to life† as described by Jordin (2009, p. 6), and life, whether it be a citizen’s or the nation itself, might be endangered if secrets were revealed. The means (keeping classified information secret) justify the ends (national security and public safety). How then can a reporter decide when confronted with this ethical dilemma? One approach would be to answer the general questions from the URJC model (Jordin 2009, p. 29). URJC stan ds for Utilitarianism, rights and duties, and justice and care ethics. For the purpose of this discussion, I am employing only the Utilitarianism and rights and duties (Deontology) standards: . â€Å"Does the decision optimise the welfare and satisfaction of all the stakeholders? † No, it would satisfy stakeholders such as crusading journalists opposed to the war, freedom of speech and public right to know advocates, but not necessarily the government, military or intelligence personnel whose lives may be placed in danger, and not the stakeholder citizens who support the war. 2. â€Å"Does it respect the rights and duties of the individuals involved? † No, for the same reasons as stated above. 3. â€Å"Is it fair and consistent with the norms of justice? Yes, government leaks in Iraq and prior wars have rarely resulted in government prosecution or professional censure. 4. â€Å"Does it arise from and reflect an impulse to care? † Yes, acting as the fourth estat e and holding the government accountable and responsible for its actions is an altruistic goal. We can see from this exercise that the answers are evenly split: two â€Å"no† and two â€Å"yes. † A further approach might be to use the modified URJC model as developed by Velasquez et al and described in Jordin (2009, p. 29) by answering the following questions: . â€Å"Who will be affected by each possible course of action and what benefits and harms will be derived from each? † The publication of classified information in time of war could provide aid and comfort to the enemy and potentially endanger public officials, military and intelligence sources both at home and abroad. However, there are situations when governments may wish to cover up embarrassing or potentially illegal activities, and the only way to shed light on the situation is by publishing secret information. Therefore, each situation would need to be reviewed in a case-by-case analysis; weighing the potential for harm against the greatest good. 2. â€Å"Does the course of action respect everyone’s rights to choose freely how they will live their lives, to the truth, to privacy, not to be harmed or injured, to what has been promised or agreed? † No, revealing secrets during the time of war may result in harm and injury to its citizens and to the security of the government, even while promoting truth and democracy. 3. â€Å"Does the course of action treat everybody in the same way or does it show favouritism or discrimination? No, selectively choosing which laws to break and which secret data to reveal does not treat everyone the same way and can show favouritism to a particular point of view, course of action or even a political party. The only way not to discriminate would be to blanketly publish all available leaks or secret data a reporter comes across, or to publish non e at all. 4. â€Å"What kind of person do I aspire to be? Which course of action promotes the development of that character within myself and my community? † The decision is up to each reporter. Speaking from personal experience as a professional journalist I can answer that adherence to the principles of democracy, freedom of the press, and the public’s right to know are of highest importance. Yes, it may be acceptable in some circumstances to leak or publish classified material in a time of war. In reviewing the previous four questions there was one â€Å"maybe†, two â€Å"no† and one â€Å"yes† answers. Conclusion By answering the previous eight questions in the context of Deontology and Utilitarianism theories, it can be concluded that leaking and/or publishing classified information in a time of war is not acceptable. Therefore, it is possible to solve this specific moral difficulty concerning war reporting. Though it is possible to determine a course of action by applying these theories to such an ethical dilemma, the final result is not clear cut. The outcome was decided by a single â€Å"no† answer out of eight questions. Due to such a close margin, I believe these two basic theories can benefit from further modification and application of other ethical models to help find a solution to moral difficulties in war reporting. Bibliography ALTERMAN, Eric (2003). What liberal media? New York, Basic Books. BAUDER, Julia (2009). Media ethics. Michigan, Greenhaven Press. BERKOWITZ, Bill (2003). Escalating secrecy wars. WorkingForChange. com, 9 July. [online]. Last accessed 21 Dec. 2009 at: http://www. alternet. org/story/16369/ BRUCE, James (2007). The consequences of permissive neglect. www. cia. gov, May. [online]. Last accessed 20 Dec. 2009 at: https://www. cia. gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/docs/v47i1a04p. htm BURNS, Eric (2006). Infamous scribblers. New York, Public Affairs. HATCHEN, William (2000). Reporting the Gulf War. In: Graber, Mark A. , Media Power in politics. Washington D. C. , CQ Press, pp. 304-312. JORDIN, Martin. Ethical Theories. In: Communication ethics, Revised (2009) by Beaken, Mike. Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, pp. 14-30. MITCHELL, Greg (2008). So wrong for so long. New York, Sterling Publishing Co. , Inc. RICHARDS, Ian (2005). Quagmires and quandaries: exploring journalism ethics. Australia, University of New South Wales Press Ltd. SCHOENFELD, Gabriel (2007). Why journalists are not above the law. Commentarymagazine. com, Feb. [online]. Last accessed 20 Dec. 2009 at: http://www. commentarymagazine. com/viewarticle. cfm/why-journalists-are-not-abo ve-the-law-10827 TAPPER, Jake (2001). Bush scolds Congress. Salon. com, 9 Oct. [online]. Last accessed 20 Dec. 2009 at: http://www. salon. com/politics/feature/2001/10/09/bush/index1. html WILLIAMS, Kevin. Something more important than truth: ethical issues in war reporting. In: Communication ethics readings. Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, pp. 154-171.

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Analysis of the Various Marketing Channels - Term Paper Example For a marketing channel to be effective, it requires that proper communication is effectively done to avoid poor communication. Communication involves advertising, promotions; electronic-mail, telephone conversations and complaints follow up. To be able to design an effective marketing channel, it is imperative that the business analyze customer needs, set up objectives and also be able to evaluate alternative marketing channels for their organization. In the traditional retail business wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and the consumers are all involved in the transferring process. Storage and shipping is an important aspect of the marketing channel and it takes place at every level of the distribution channel. It is usually facilitated by players such as warehouse agents and freight carriers. Another aspect of the retail business involves the services that are given to the customer and such activities include providing them with adequate information, training them on all aspects of the product, fulfilling any statutory and legal requirements and facilitation of credit services for the customers (Hennig-Thurau and Hansen 2000). Morrison's company was founded in 1899 by William Morrison. It began as a single egg and butter stall in Bradford, West Yorkshire. This company is one of the largest food retailer supermarkets with 375 stores. It mainly deals with food and groceries. Though big, it does not offer its customers an online shopping service which is crucial for the expansion of the business. In addition, it has yet to venture into the financial services market that is essentialThis Company is said to have the same prices in all its stores and this has made it win their customers loyalty. Since it has a relatively small size and regional focus. It promotes most of its own products through using its Farmers, Boy, and product subsidiaries. By the use of the wholesale model, this has proved to be the focal point in generating the company's profits while at the same time, it has maintained low prices. The company depends on its own subsidiaries to provide products and packagings to all its stores.T hey also have their own manufacturing facility which is unique to suit their market. The Morrison's company lays its emphasis on freshness, quality, provenance, in-store production, in-season food and their expression of their deep understanding of food. (Hennig-Thurau and Hansen 2000). The company operates its own manufacturing plant and it does its own distribution because all these channels are well integrated. In this company, they match the retail opening hours in all their stores. This chain of supermarkets also focuses on selling fresh food and also offers an employee discount scheme. Promotional offers are used like "half price "rather than "buy one get one free".

The Most Important Events during the Period 1900-1940 Essay

The Most Important Events during the Period 1900-1940 - Essay Example World War I, women suffrage, mass production, and economic prosperity are among the most remarkable events which cause great worldwide disorder yet through them, human beings discovered the capacity to transform in character and hope to impact progress either by individual or collective means. In the past, even dating to the most ancient of ages, woman had constantly been perceived as a man’s unequal counterpart or more specifically, the type whose strengths and potentials were often underestimated compared with those of the dominant male opposite. Centuries prior to the 1900-1940 span had witnessed women under conditions of weakness and low self-worth having been subject to the rules and ways by which men desired to materialize their ideas of civilization and societies in which women were only allowed and expected to take a meager part of. This suppression which chiefly denied women of confidence and dues to express their preferences in the manner of living, by course of natu re, led to women suffrage which began as early as the 1820s by advocates of women in support of free secular education, abolition of slavery, birth control, and divorce laws that were more flexible in terms to favor both parties. As it proceeds for more than 100 years, women suffrage had met with success of being taken to a level where powerful men, like Pres. Woodrow Wilson in 1918 believed that the nation is of dire necessity of it during wars as â€Å"war measure† (USA History). Thus, the federal women suffrage required amendment in order to redefine and seek extension to the legal rights of women accordingly. At this stage, it is essential to note then that such event brought about a turning point wherein women were empowered to fight for their freedom of choice and raise arguments concerning equality with men so they eventually reached the extent of realizing that they could profess just as men did in fields such as of education, science, engineering, commerce, and medic ine besides or instead of sole confinement to domestic tasks. In the words of C. Eastman, an active campaigner: â€Å"The problem of women’s freedom is how to arrange the world so that women can be human beings, with a chance to exercise their infinitely varied gifts in infinitely many ways, instead of being destined by the accident of their sex to one field of activity – housework and child-raising.† Though the World War I followed a period of peace with extremely destructive measures by former world powers, its significance is greatly proven through the height of social and political awareness at the time as majority of people the world over exhibited a sense of nationalism, unified contempt against imperialism, advanced degree of militarism and ideals thereof, along with the notion that rival alliances would require another war prior to settlement (Zaide & Zaide 335). Apparently, these underlying grounds stirred the nations involved to action, thereby enablin g them to think critically and learn the essence of courage, national liberty, as well as suffering with

Rationale for the Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Example for Free

Rationale for the Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Every person has a worldview whether he realizes it or not. What is a worldview? James W. Sire defines a worldview as: [A] commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) that we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being. Stated more succinctly, †¦[A] worldview is simply the total set of beliefs that a person has about the biggest questions in life. F. Leroy Forlines describes such questions as the inescapable questions of life. Lifes inescapable questions include the following: Is there a God? If so, what is He like? How can I know Him? Who am I? Where am I? How can I tell right from wrong? Is there life after death? What should I and what can I do about guilt? How can I deal with my inner pain? Lifes biggest, inescapable questions relate to whether there is a God, human origins, identity, purpose, and the hereafter, just to mention a few. Satisfying answers to the inescapable questions of life are provided by the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, form the starting point and foundation for the biblical worldview. More specifically related to our purposes, the apostle Paul reflects several components of the biblical worldview in his letter to the Romans. The apostle Paul authored Romans toward the end of his third missionary journey, about 57 A.D. He addressed this letter specifically to the Christians in Rome. At the time the church in Rome consisted of Jewish and Gentile believers, with Gentile Christians in the majority. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome in order to address specific concerns and challenges they were facing. While Romans was an occasional letter (not a systematic  theology), Paul presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a very systematic fashion. The Gospel is actually the overarching theme of Romans as Paul spells this out in his programmatic statement in 1:16–17. As the systematic presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Romans is foundational to the biblical/Christian worldview. Recognizing that Romans is not a systematic theology and does not contain all the essential truths that are relevant to a worldview per se, the apostle Paul articulates truths that are foundational to the biblical worldview. In Romans 1–8, Paul addresses certain components of a worldview that relate to the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture. In a 750–1000-word essay, describe what Romans 1–8 teaches regarding (1)the natural world, (2)human identity,(3) human relationships, and (4) culture. Furthermore, (5)explain how this teaching of these topics affects your worldview. Make sure that you address each of these topics in your essay. †¢As an essay, it must be written with excellent grammar, spelling, and style. †¢Begin your essay with an interesting introduction that contains a precisely stated thesis. End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points succinctly. Structure of assignment paragraphs: †¢Introduction/Thesis (approximately 75 words) †¢The Natural World (approximately 150–200 words) †¢Human Identity (approximately 150–200 words) †¢Human Relationships (approximately 150–200 words) †¢Culture (approximately 150–200 words) †¢Conclusion (approximately 75 words) †¢Use each of the categories above as headers for each paragraph in your essay. †¢The body of your essay must address the specified components of the assignment in excellent grammatical style. †¢Your essay must be typed in a Microsoft Word document using Times New Roman, 12-point font. †¢It must be single spaced, and must contain 750–1000 words. †¢All sources must be cited, and a bibliography must be included. †¢Format your paper in a Microsoft Word  document using current APA, MLA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program). Review the Biblical Worldview Essay Grading Rubric to see the specific grading criteria by which you will be evaluated before submitting your essay. †¢Do not footnote Scripture references; cite them parenthetically within the essay body following the quotation or allusion to the biblical text. Submit this assignment using SafeAssign by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 7.

Review of Literature Essay Example for Free

Review of Literature Essay Dear client, please fill in the dates in the submissions and the blanks. thank you. Key milestones have already been established for this project, as recommended by the KBS’s PLS FILL UP PROGRAMME NAME. : Interim Project Submission 12 July 2006 Draft Project Submission 1 September 2006 Final Project Submission 30 September 2006 Through these dates, a draft of the programme has been formulated in addition to the enumeration of the additional milestones. At this point the framework is an estimation of the dates of deliverables of the objects in the milestones as these depend on the coordination and the cooperation of the identified proponents of this proposed research. At this point the research aims to get the appropriate permissions and letters needed that requests for the formalisation of the participation, especially as this requires working with bars and clubs. DEAR CLIENT, PLEASE FILL UP THE APPROPRIATE DATES FOR YOUR RESEARCH PROGRAMME IN THIS TABLE, THANK YOU. Activity No of Days Start Date Finish Date. Project Proposal Submission 0 Thu 04/05/06 Thu 04/05/06 Literature Review 90 Mon 01/05/06 Fri 01/09/06 Refine Methodology 31 Thu 04/05/06 Thu 15/06/06 Meet with potential project sponsor(s) 3 Thu 01/06/06 Mon 05/06/06 First Draft of Questionnaire 10 Thu 01/06/06 Wed 14/06/06 Identify Questionnaire Addressees 10 Thu 01/06/06 Wed 14/06/06 Identify and contact potential interviewees 10 Thu 01/06/06 Wed 14/06/06 Meet with Supervisor 0 Mon 19/06/06 Mon 19/06/06 Final Questionnaire 5 Tue 20/06/06 Mon 26/06/06 Pre-test questionnaire 3 Tue 27/06/06 Thu 29/06/06 Contact Interviewees 10 Tue 20/06/06 Mon 03/07/06. Send out questionnaire 1 Fri 30/06/06 Fri 30/06/06 Interim Project Submission 0 Wed 12/07/06 Wed 12/07/06 Follow-up to questionnaire 5 Wed 12/07/06 Tue 18/07/06 Interviews 10 Mon 17/07/06 Fri 28/07/06 Meet with Supervisor 0 Mon 31/07/06 Mon 31/07/06 Analysis of Primary Research 20 Mon 31/07/06 Fri 25/08/06 Telephone follow-up/interview as required 25 Mon 07/08/06 Fri 08/09/06 Meet with Supervisor 0 Wed 23/08/06 Wed 23/08/06 Draft Project Submission 0 Fri 01/09/06 Fri 01/09/06 Meet with Supervisor 0 Mon 11/09/06 Mon 11/09/06 Refine and amend Submission 19 Mon 04/09/06 Thu 28/09/06. Final Project Submission 0 Fri 29/09/06 Fri 29/09/06 Contingency As previously mentioned, one of the challenges of this paper is the lack of accessible scholarly and academic studies concerning events management in the bar and club businesses. In this regard, this research aims to utilise of the available literature and studies from similar sources such as case studies on certain events and similar operations such as restaurants. This study therefore relies on direct primary data which will be gathered depending on the degree of participation of identified club and bar owners. A contingency is that this paper goes on ahead with the research activity and source information from secondary sources as the foundations of this study; there will be therefore a heavier approach to analysis and the research framework is most likely modified should problems in resources come up. Cited Works and Bibliography Bowdin, Glenn, Harris, Johnny, OToole, William, Harris, Rob, McDonnel, Ian. Events Management, 2nd Ed. London: Elsevier, 2006. Brown, Douglas Robert Miron, Amanda. The Professional Bar Beverage Managers Handbook: How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Bar, Tavern and Night Club. Florida: Atlantic Publishing Company, 2005. Chatterton, Paul Hollands, Robert. Urban Nightscapes: Youth Cultures, Pleasure Spaces and Corporate Power. New York: Routledge, 2003. Craven, Robin. The Complete Idiots Guide to Meeting Event Planning, 2nd Edition. Exton, PA: Alpha, 2006. Culp, Christopher. The Risk Management Process: Business Strategy and Tactics. New York: Wiley, 2001. Dommermuth W. P. Promotion: Analysis, creativity, and strategy, 2nd ed. Boston: PWS- Kent, 1989. Goldblatt, J. Special Events: Best Practices in Modern Event Management, new York: van Nostrand Reinhold, 1997. Henderson, Karla. â€Å"Marketing Recreation and Physical Activity Programs for Females†. JOPERDThe Journal of Physical Education, Recreation Dance, 66(1995): 53+. Hormozi, Amir Dube, Leon. â€Å"Establishing Project Control: Schedule, Cost, and Quality†. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 64(1999): 32+. Jones, K. S. Night club promotions manual source list: How to create exciting, profitable event calendars for your bar. Hughes Company, 1993. Mack, Rhonda W. â€Å"Event Sponsorship: An Exploratory Study of Small Business Objectives, Practices, and Perceptions†. Journal of Small Business Management, 37(1999): 25+. Michman, Ronald. Lifestyle Market Segmentation. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1991. Roche, Maurice. Mega-Events and Modernity: Olympics and Expos in the Growth of Global Culture. New York: Routledge. Soares, Eric. Promotional Feats: The Role of Planned Events in the Marketing Communications Mix. New York: Quorum Books, 1991. Shore, Anton Parry, Brynn. Successful Event Management. London: Thomson, 2004. Silvers, Julia. Event Management Body of Knowledge. 2009. Julia Rutherford Silvers. 16 June 2009. http://www. juliasilvers. com/embok. htm. Professional Event Coordination (The Wiley Event Management Series). New Jersey: Wiley, 2003. Smith, Robert. An Entrepreneurs Guide to Running a Profitable Club Operation. Fairfax, Vermont: Upland Publications, 2001. Webster, Francis Knutson, Joanne. What is Project Management? Project Management Concepts and Methodologies. The AMA Handbook of Project Management, P. Dinsmore J. Cabanis-Brewin, Eds. New York: AMACOM, 2006. Westerbeek, Hans, Smith, Aaron, Turner, Paul, Emery, Paul, Green, Christine, van Leeuwen, Linda. Managing Sport Facilities and Major Events. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen Unwin, 2005.

Intermediation Process and the Allocation of Resources

Intermediation Process and the Allocation of Resources The importance of the financial system in facilitating economic development cannot be overstated. Banks and other financial institutions have a key role in the efficient allocation of resources and as such, sound financial systems are systemically important to the economic viability of a country. The Asian Financial crisis of 1997-98 brought home the significance of financial sector soundness by highlighting the consequences of underlying weaknesses in the financial sector and the negative impact that weak financial sectors could have on stakeholders, particularly the depositors. Sound financial system is therefore not only important for the welfare of the financial entities themselves, but it is also of vital importance to the growth of individual economies. In allocating resources in an economy, financial institutions must assess competing demands for funds and prioritize the analysis of risk. Improper decisions about financing activities, that is, which activities to finance and which not to finance, (depending on which activities will bring the best risk-adjusted return), can have a crucial negative long-term impact on economic prospects. Sound investment decisions are vital ingredients in fostering economic growth and development. These decisions therefore should produce feasible outcomes not only for the financial intermediary but also for the economy. Investment should be for productive purposes and should be deployed for the common good. Financial intermediaries should also have a harmonious relationship with the macro-economic space within which they operate. For example, in the nineteenth century, Britain was seen as the most successful economy and was the home to the worlds most successful financial centre at the time. This was not only due to the fact that London had developed expertise in assessing risk and in allocating financial resources efficiently, but also to the fact that the macro economic environment was conducive to the operation of financial intermediaries operating in the financial centre. The assessment of risk also assists financial institutions to be individually more competitive with their peers. This results in a more efficient process of capital allocation in addition to engendering more prudent practices. Financial intermediaries that can assess risk and allocate resources efficiently will outperform those less skilled in this regard. Effective competition should reduce borrowing costs and help to diversify financial risk within the economy. However, to ensure that banks are performing as intended, an effective regulatory framework must exist. The importance of adequately capitalized financial institutions to underwrite appropriate risks in their portfolios cannot be over emphasised. If financial intermediaries undertake too little risk, then potentially efficient projects may be starved of capital and if they undertake too much risk, then less efficient projects may consume capital that could be used for more viable projects. The role of regulators in providing effective oversight for the sector and be able to respond appropriately to changes in the financial environment becomes even more important. William J McDonough (1998) postulates that a nation must be able to mobilize domestic savings and other sources of funds that are needed to finance investment and other productive expenditures[1]. This requires the development of an effective banking system that transfers surplus funds of households and businesses to borrowers and investors. He further argues that, fair and impartial allocation of credit accommodates the economic development that results in improved national living standards. According to McDonough: financial intermediation is particularly important in the context of most emerging market countries given the relative scarcity of savings, a relatively under-banked population, and large-scale investment needs. The banking sector in emerging market countries also tends to be more concentrated and represents a larger share of the domestic financial system. Consequently, issues in the banking sector have an amplified effect on the economy and on the fiscal costs associated with bank rescues. Importantly, current developments in western economies are anchored in a robust financial sector development.. Consequently, the relationship between economic growth and financial sector health are now more closely linked than ever before. Some of these linkages or interrelationships are further explored in this thesis from the perspective of risk relationships. The demands of the changing business environment emphasize the importance of effective risk management practices in banking institutions. Financial intermediaries continue to face tremendous unrelenting pressures regarding pricing decisions, increase in service expectations from customers, regulators and shareholders. There is also a demand for more sophisticated products and services, new regulatory requirements, improved capital standards, more capital injection and the introduction of new technologies and systems. Technology is important in supporting new and flexible risk relationship structures in the areas of credit, market, liquidity and operational risk management. Advanced technologies are often used by intermediaries to identify, quantify and monitor risks. The employment of these technologies also comes with their own attendant risk exposures and as such significant investments and focus have been placed (particularly in recent times) on operational risk management issues from both regulatory and financial intermediary perspectives. Risk management must be seen as an integrated process and as such managing existing relationships, developing new relationships and leveraging the value of all risks relationships are critical to the management of overall risk exposures. It is important therefore that the approach which institutions and regulators take in managing risk, be relational. Both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of risk management must find consensus within the same framework. No longer should institutions view risk as an isolated and individualized structure with separate and mutually exclusive elements but risk should be managed as a system, which is intricate, collaborative and bound by mutual responsibilities. Banking Supervision The identification, assessment, and promotion of sound risk-management practices have become central elements of good supervisory practice. Risk management has evolved as a discipline that is driven both by the private sector (made up of banking institutions and other market participants) and public sector (especially Regulatory Authorities and Banking Supervision). The relationship between the private sectors interest in economic capital and the public sectors interest in regulatory capital should be identified and managed in a framework that ensures optimization. With regard to the management of risks and risk relationships, several key innovations have been made by the private sector over the years. These are evident in the way financial intermediaries have ordered their balance sheets to respond to various risk stimuli and impulses both internally and externally. Additionally, the private sector has been the driving force behind the development of sophisticated tools used to identify, measure and manage risk relationships. The public sector on the other hand, has been at the forefront in the development of best practice standards and principles used to guide financial intermediaries. For years, the public sector has been playing a pivotal role in preventing the total collapse of the entire financial systems in their capacity of lender of last resort. The regulatory and supervisory arms of the public sector have taken the lead in identifying emerging issues through their approach to supervision of financial intermediaries. Several regulatory bodies routinely performs on-site inspections and examinations as well as off-site monitoring and surveillance of banks and other financial institutions to assess risks and provide feedback to the financial intermediaries board and management. These reviews include the assessment of policies and procedures in place to guide risk management; the assessment of governance and internal controls and the assessment of capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings and liquidity and sensitivities to risks. Reviews could also include comparisons of peer institutions coupled with the establishment of guidelines that codify evolving practices. Yellen (2005)[2] argued that although banks and bank supervisors have different motives, which certainly can lead to differing views about the appropriate levels of risks, they also have a common interest in having accurate measures of risk and in focusing on the processes and techniques for identifying and managing risks. According to Alan Greenspan (2004),[3] the growth in the size and complexity of the largest US and foreign banking organizations, in particular, has substantially affected financial markets and supervisory and regulatory practices. He further states that authorities are required to focus more than before on the internal processes and controls of these institutions and on their ability to manage risk. According to Greenspan, the regulatory authorities must provide the industry with proper incentives to invest in risk-management systems that are necessary to compete successfully in an increasingly competitive and efficient global market.[4] The Basel Frameworks Over the last two decades, the system of bank capital standards has been the Basel Capital Adequacy Standard, known as the Basel I framework, which was established internationally in 1988. The Basel I standard came out of the banking supervision sub-group of the Bank for International Settlement (BIS). The Banking subgroup is made up of supervisors from the G10 countries. This group has been charged with the responsibility for setting bank standards around the world, which it does predominantly through the development and implementation of the Basel Core Principles for Banking Supervision. The Basel I framework was particularly geared towards credit risks in banking institutions and resulted in higher capital levels, a more equitable international marketplace and the relating of regulatory capital requirements to risk appetite and risk profile. The Basel framework is a dynamic one to which bank as supervisors continue to make important adjustments from time to time. For example, the 1988 Capital Accord was amended subsequently to incorporate a market risk component. Bernanke (2005)[5] argues that advances in risk management and the increasing complexity of financial activities have prompted international supervisors to review the appropriateness of the regulatory capital standards under Basel I, particularly for the largest and most complex banking organizations. Bernanke states further that supervisors recognize that some of the largest and most complex banking organizations have already moved well beyond Basel I in the sophistication of their risk management and internal capital models. The gap between the determinants of minimum regulatory capital (under Basel I) and the levels of risks that financial institutions were taking on began to widen, as risk relationships continue to become more complex and risk-management practices continue to evolve. Several innovations have sought to collectively reinforce this gap and indeed the relationship (regulatory capital/risk appetite) between the public sector and the private sector has also being mutually reinforced. These innovations have predominantly being originated by bankers in the private sector and not by Supervisors. Bankers and Risk Managers had developed models that encompass their processes, procedures, and techniques, including statistical models for assessing risks in their portfolios. These innovations by the private sector were seen as state of the art risk management tools which the public sector could use and as such Regulators began to leverage the risk management techniques that banks were using to address shortfalls in Basel I. This phenomenon helped to push the Basel Committee back to the drawing board to create the new capital adequacy standards for internationally active banks, known as Basel II. Bernanke (2006)[6] argues that the new framework links the risk taking of large banking organizations to their regulatory capital in a more meaningful way than does Basel I and encourages further progress in risk management. It does this by building on the risk-measurement and risk-management practices of the most sophisticated banking organizations and providing incentives for further improvements. When this framework is applied consistently across internationally active banks, Supervisors can easily identify shortfalls in the relationship between banks capital and risk levels. Banking institutions with capital levels that are not commensurate with their risk profile and risk levels would be subjected to closer assessment and monitoring. Additionally, Basel II has provided the Supervisor with an added tool, under the supervisory review process (Pillar II) to assess risks in the banking system. The new capital accord, Basel II, with its three pillars, will hopefully enhance and strengthen the process of risk management in banking institutions. Internationally active banks, and other banks and investment businesses in jurisdictions in which regulatory authorities deem it prudent to bring these institutions in scope, should expect significant revisions and modifications in their internal policies used to identify, measure, manage and report on risks. Not only should improvements be seen in risk management policies, but the process and general procedural framework would also see improvements. In this regards, banks and other financial institutions should envisage changes in their system used to capture and report on risks. Under Pillar I, changes are expected I the risk weights assigned to the credit portfolios, particularly, residential mortgages and as such banks could see some reduction in charges as weights for some categories are reduced. The reporting of market risks and operational risks should also improve as banks garner more granular data on its expected losses and risk exposures. In preparation for the supervisory review process (Pillar II) to be conducted by the regulatory authorities, banks should see significant improvements in their risk management practices as they subject their internal capital adequacy models to greater levels of scrutiny to ensure that the capital cover is adequate for all the material risks identified, their risk appetite, and risk exposures. The use of stress testing on both the banks investment and credit portfolios under the pillar II process should also seek to strengthen the institutions approach to deal with adverse down turn and general deterioration in some macro economic variables in the economies in which the banks operate. This should push banks to increase capital levels to cushion expected losses. Pillar III implementation under the new capital accord should also foster greater improvements in the risk management, policies, processes, and procedures of banking institutions as banks become more transparent in their efforts to disclose more information on the profile of risks, risk exposures and capital levels to their stakeholders. The Sub-prime Mortgage Crisis The conditions that gave rise to the current sub-prime mortgage crisis provides ample evidence to support the pressing need for both private and public sector, financial institutions and supervisors, to understand the nature and nexus of risk relationships and regulatory capital. The crisis also provide an opportunity for financial institutions and regulators to explore the risk relationships and risk dynamics existing within and outside of financial intermediaries, as well as the impact that failure to properly identify and assess risk exposures in financial institutions can have on the global financial system and economic growth and development in a particular country. The ongoing economic problem resulting from the sub-prime mortgage crisis has manifested itself through liquidity issues in the global banking system. The credit crisis has its genesis in the bursting of the US housing bubble and the subsequent high default rates on sub-prime or other adjustable rate mortgages, made to borrowers with higher risk profile and lower income levels, instead of to borrowers who are considered prime borrowers with higher income and good credit history. Borrowers were encouraged to take up mortgages based on the attractive housing incentives that led them to believe that notwithstanding the long term trend of rising housing prices, they would be able to refinance these mortgages at more favourable terms in the future. During 2006 however, the prices of houses started to fall, albeit moderately and as such, the possibility of refinancing was becoming more remote. Consequently, the interest rates on the adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) that the sub-prime borrow ers were able to obtain began to reset at the higher rate resulting in a significant increase in defaults and foreclosures. In 2007, foreclosure activities increased by approximately 80 percent over the 2006 figures as nearly 1.3 million United States housing properties were subjected to foreclosure activities. Major banks and other financial institutions globally reported losses of approximately US $379 billion towards the end of the first half of 2008. The first set of financial institutions to be impacted was mortgage lenders that retained the risk of payment default (credit risk). Several third party investors were also affected, as mortgage lenders had passed on the credit default risks arising from the rights to the mortgage payments through mortgage backed securities (MBS) and collateralized debt obligations (CDO). Individuals, institutional investors and other corporate entities holding MBS or CDO were now faced with significant losses as the value of the underlying mortgage assets declined. The sub-prime mortgage crisis also exposed financial institutions to liquidity risks as lenders were forced to reduce lending activities or grant loans at higher interest rates. The higher interest rate loans restricted the ability of corporations to obtain funds through the issuance of commercial paper, thereby posing liquidity challenges for several institutions. As a result, central banks, in their role of lenders of last resort, were forced to take action to provide funds to the banking sector so as to stimulate the commercial paper market and to encourage the resumption of lending to borrowers with good credit profile. The rate at which economies grew was also impacted by the credit crisis as business investments and consumer spending were curtailed due to the general unavailability of loans or the high cost of loans in cases where it was available. The United States government responded by cutting the federal reserve interest rates as well as proposing its economic stimulus package which was passed by congress in February 2008. This was necessary to alter the risk exposure to the broader economy brought on by the credit crisis and the related downturn in the housing market. Research Problem and Hypothesis While the benefits of risk management and positive risk relationships have been increasingly recognized in financial sectors worldwide, this study postulates that (i) risk relationships have not been sufficiently explored in the region and current risk management practices in the Caribbean have not kept pace with international trends on financial risk management and (ii) levels of capital being held by financial intermediaries in the Caribbean could be deemed inadequate to mitigate risk exposures. It could also be argued that where there are high levels of risk exposures in financial intermediaries in the region, the impact of risk mitigating factors are low and risk management policies, processes and procedures are less than robust. Additionally, risk exposures and regulatory capital might vary according to core business activities, risk categories or geographic location. In recognition of the existence of these relational gaps and the need to bridge them, this study will introduce principles, procedures, approaches, models and concepts in risk management, and concentrate on those risks inherent in the financial intermediaries balance sheet or risks associated with various elements of financial activities and environment. The writer will analyse the risk profile of financial intermediaries and their exposure to credit risks, funding/liquidity risks, interest rate risks and operational risk. The study also seeks to develop benchmarks for measuring risks in the region as well as a risk management scoring model with particular emphasis on the risk profile of Caribbean financial intermediaries. Sub-problems The first sub-problem is to ascertain the risk profile and relationship evident in financial intermediaries in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, as well as those which may evolve consequent to the new Basel Capital Accord, Basel II, which is scheduled to be fully implemented by 2015 across all jurisdictions. The intention is to assess the risk profile and relationship in operation as a dynamic process and the likely impact of the capital accord on relevant financial entities. The second sub-problem is, using both the relevant and existing literature concerning risks, risk relationships and risk management and observation of current techniques, to ascertain throughout the course of the study, types of risk relationships that exist in credit, liquidity, interest rate and operational risk management in financial intermediaries. The third sub-problem is to provide the financial sector with a set of sound testable ideas that are systemically desirable and consistent with the future development of risk assessment. This will be done by reviewing the analyses outlined in the first two sub-problems, generating relevant model/framework of risk assessment, comparing the model/framework with real situation, identifying systemically desirable changes and documenting the results for the benefit of relevant stakeholders who are capable of applying change to the banking sector in general. Hypothesis The first hypothesis is that risk exposures (credit, liquidity, interest rate and operational risks) in financial intermediaries in Jamaica are relatively high when compared with Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados and could exhibit parasitic tendencies. This could impair the financial intermediaries ability to identify, measure, mitigate and monitor risks due to the fact that the internal control framework could be seen as less than robust. The second hypothesis is that there will be shortfalls in capital requirements specifically as a result of the introduction of the new Basel Capital Accord and more generally after taking account of specific risks not previously considered by financial intermediaries. The third hypothesis is that the cycle of analysis, application and testing will result in the implementation of rigorously defined early warning system for modelling and scoring risks and that this system will be adaptable to change, both outside and within the environment, and extendable to additional use. Justification for the Research Sound risk management practices, which include appropriate tools and techniques and the employment of relevant steps to assess risk exposure are at the heart of effective financial intermediation. However, many institutions are exposed to high levels of risks in their operations and few have put in place the relevant infrastructure to appropriately capture their risk exposures. According to the Government of Jamaica, Ministry of Finance (1998)[7]: the financial distress experienced in the mid nineties was in several ways due to the fact that many domestic financial institutions did not have the necessary risk and financial management capabilities to carefully assess the risk. As a result, they were left holding real estate and other long-term assets that could not be easily disposed of to meet their short-term obligations. The Ministry highlighted the fact that: banks in Jamaica tended to invest in enterprises that were outside the scope of their core business which had the following implication: The banks entered sectors in which their management did not have the requisite skills or expertise. The banks, when lending to related parties or parties under common control either (i) made poor and biased credit decisions; or (ii) invested in companies on less than arms length terms resulting in poorly secured loans. The banks, in many instances had fund investments in non-core businesses with short-term borrowing instruments with guaranteed high interest rates. As a result, many non-core business had to contend with an unsustainable capital structure that relied heavily on high cost loans with relatively short maturities[8]. Many studies have highlighted the risk management practices, including techniques and tools used to identify, measure, mitigate and monitor risks in industrial countries. However, few studies (note the researcher is not aware of any at the time of preparing this thesis) have sought to understand and explain the risk exposures, risk relationships and risk management practices in financial intermediaries in the Caribbean, particularly Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados. The study utilizes a novel approach to analyse risk exposures and risk relationships, which has not been evidenced in the literature generally and definitely not seen in research on risk management in the Caribbean region. The risk profile of financial intermediaries are analysed using ratio analysis and statistical techniques including the standard deviation and arithmetic mean coupled with a five-point scale response to determine risk relationships based on a biological science description. This study will document over a ten-year period, sectoral differences in risk exposure reflected in the balance sheets and income statements of commercial banks, merchant banks, trust companies and building societies in three Caribbean countries. The results of the research will provide a sound set of ideas for the management of risks in these institutions in emerging markets. It will also provide an enduring account of risk relationships and the implications of sound risk management practices in general. Thesis Outline and Methodology The study examines the risk management framework in emerging markets in the Caribbean region. The focus will be limited to three jurisdictions in the Caribbean region. These are Jamaica, Trinidad Tobago and Barbados. This paper takes account of four types of deposit taking financial institutions Commercial Banks, Trust Merchant Banks, Finance Companies and Building Societies. There are 8 financial intermediaries across the three jurisdictions. Elite interviews were also conducted with senior management in sixteen (16) financial institutions in Trinidad and Barbados. Interviews were held with select senior management executives in the financial institutions. Among the executives interviewed were CEOs, Senior Vice Presidents, Risk Managers, Credit Managers, Operations Managers and Treasury Managers. In Jamaica, detailed surveillance were done of all the in scope financial institutions ie, commercial banks, trust and merchant banks and building societies. Reviews of annual reports and websites of all the financial intermediaries captured in the scope of the thesis were also done. The purpose of the review of the elite interviews and qualitative reviews of the websites, annual reports and other published data was to obtain information on four risk categories, particularly on the policies, procedures and processes in place to manage risk. Twenty risk proxies were used to calibrate risk exposure across four risk types in the financial intermediaries and the countries. These risk proxies were further reduced to eight based on their relative weights and significance as a risk-sensitive measure. Additionally, eight macro-economic variables were used to assess the economic environment within each country as well as to determine the extent to which these macro-economic variables were correlated with the risk proxies. Using a Likert-type index, correlation analysis and the results of the observation and interviews, the study developed risk benchmarks and risk scores, which were later used to determine risk relationships within financial intermediaries as well as within each country. The aim was to identify the risk relationships and to provide the managers of financial institutions and policy makers with an early warning system to calibrate and mitigate risks. The study analyzed the degree to which three major economies in the Caribbean region were exposed to credit, liquidity, interest rate and operational risks and the extent to which different countries are similar or different in light of these risk exposures. The paper sought to determine the level of risk exposures across four different financial intermediary types in three Caribbean jurisdictions. It expounded on differences and similarities in the risk profile of financial intermediaries and sought to determine which intermediaries are likely to have higher risk profiles. The paper also explored synergies and alliances between the four main categories of risk under study. These are credit, interest rate, liquidity and operational risk. It disaggregated proxies for risks based on risk types and highlighted risks drivers that are significant to different intermediary types or country. Lastly, the paper explored relationship between the critical elements and proposed a model for the scoring of risks. The relational perspective to risk management envisaged risk within three basic constructs namely, Symbiotic, Parasitic and Saprophytic as well as the nexus between these constructs and the internal control framework as measured by financial intermediaries policies, procedures and processes used to manage risks. The Saprophytic Construct At this level, risk is calibrated as being relatively low. Risks outcome are systemically pleasing and financial intermediaries are making meaningful contribution to the common good. Risks and reward can thrive within a conducive macro environment and the profile of institutions balance sheet and income statement contributes positively to the risk calibration outcome. A low level of risk exposure is usually attributed to a very robust internal control framework and more effective risk mitigation strategies. The Symbiotic Construct Within the Symbiotic construct, risk relationships are generally balanced. Risk is calibrated as moderate and the regulatory interest and the economic interest are neutral. Risk management is generally integrated and there is usually a connection between the process of risk identification, measurement, mitigation and monitoring. The profile of intermediaries balance sheets and income statements are viewed as risk-neutral relative to risk outcome and the internal control framework and risk mitigation strategies used by financial intermediaries are generally adequate. The Parasitic Construct Within this construct risks are calibrated as high or very high. There is usually adverse macro-economic condition in existence and there is disconnect between the regulatory interest and the economic interest. There is a general state of disharmony in the qualitative and quantitative approaches and disunity in the way that risk is generally managed. The risk profile of institutions balance sheets and income statements negatively impacts risk calibration outcomes. A hig