Saturday, September 7, 2019

Training on Conflict resolution strategies in Team Dynamics Essay Example for Free

Training on Conflict resolution strategies in Team Dynamics Essay The necessity of this training   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disagreements with how one sees life situations are just a few of the reasons that conflicts happen so ordinarily. Just as conflicts are also integral parts of daily existence so does negotiating through them (Amason, 1996; Amason, Thompson, Hochwarter, Harrison, 1995). Studies reveal that there is â€Å"no one size fits all† when it comes to navigating the disagreements and weather through storms where conflicts are concerned. However, there are principles that are observed when successful conflict management has taken place. Conflicts therefore must be confronted and understood at the individual level where a person experiences inner personal struggles at varying degrees. However, a short training tackles in detail a much larger picture as it attempts to provide a succinct look at conflict resolution strategies in the area of team dynamics by examining, describing and explaining various concepts as to the understanding of these significant concepts. Objectives for the training of communication To understand the nature of conflict as it arises in individual situations and in teams. Individual personal conflicts are inevitable occurrences that are usually taken for granted because of its â€Å"ordinariness.† Unless people undertakes a formal study on conflict management, he/she goes through life hitting and missing (at most) at ways of resolving issues and inner conflicts and in all probabilities, somehow manages to escape conflicts. The following important features in team dynamics are specifically indicated and described because these are crucial points in developing effective management of conflicts and developing efficient team dynamics. To reap the Benefits of working teams in relationship to conflict resolution strategies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Working teams in relationship to conflict resolution strategies provide benefits including personal and team growth as team members acquire insights with relationships and how these relationships are utilized to better reach worthwhile goals. In addition, working teams have optional choices rather than solitary attempts at confronting conflicts, such as higher possibility arriving at the solutions of the problems, promoting cohesiveness among the team, and increasing the involvement or participation of members. To identify the different Types of Conflict   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the study presented by Johnson (2005), few researches actually â€Å"describe how to identify conflict.† There are seven types of conflicts depending on â€Å"who is in conflict with whom† (Fisher et al, 1995; in Johnson, 2005). These are:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~an individual with inner conflicts totally unrelated to the team but whose best performance for the team is not achieved due to the personal problem, thus influencing the whole team   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~two distinct members are in direct conflict with each other   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~one against all members   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~all against one member   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~a lot of members against a lot of others as well   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~one whole team as against another team   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ~all of the team as against one person not a part of the team. To   explain ways of Managing, preparing or preventing Conflict   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since conflict and disagreements are integral to the growth and performance of teams, it is therefore necessary that individual members and as a group, go through an education process to understand the nuances of conflict. They necessitate the learning to distinguish what healthy debates are, brainstorming and normal exchange of ideas which are important to team achieving corporate goals (Johnson, 2005). Studies by Tjosvold and colleagues (1999) show that when disagreements are brought into the open and talked about, conflicts are minimized and feelings of frustration, anger and doubts or suspicions are abated. Solutions to conflict   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employing a conflict checklist can be an excellent ingredient as well in resolving and minimizing the incidence of conflict. III. Identify Types of Instructional methods you will use and why   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The best method that will be used is the seminar-workshop type which showcases the sort of brief lecture/discussion type followed by a question and answer portion. The workshop aspect will be the demonstration on activities that will enhance closeness of the relational and emotional aspect of the team’s association and promote self-understanding and self-awareness as well. Team communication and conflict are best understood when games and activities are tied up or incorporated as part of the challenge that the group will undertake. Discuss how you would tie the training into performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the discussion of the lecture on conflict and strategies that are going to be developed by individuals and groups, it is expected that these are skills that are not learned overnight. However, there are expectations that the insights must be applied during the next few days or weeks. The kind of training that is illustrated here is expected to be clearly applicable and transferable wherever the participants maybe. Training for conflict resolution strategies in team dynamics will not be that easy but the determination must be there for the participants to see real results.             References Amason, A. C. (1996). Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: Resolving a paradox for top management teams. Academy of Management Journal, 39(1), 123-148. Amason, A. C., Thompson, K. R., Hochwarter, W. A., Harrison, A. W. (1995). Conflict: An important dimension in successful management teams. Organizational Dynamics, 24(2), 20-35. Bens, I. (1997). Facilitating conflict. In M. Goldman (Ed.), Facilitating with ease! (pp. 83-108). Sarasota, FL: Participative Dynamics. Davison, Sue Canney. 2003. Creating Working Normas and Agreements. Accessed May 25, 2008 www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/CreatingWorkingAgreementsDavison3.doc Fisher, K., Rayner, S., Belgard, W. (1995). Tips for teams: A ready reference for solving common team problems. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Jennsen, O., Van De Vliert, E., Veenstra, C. (1999). How task and person conflict shape the role of positive interdependence in management teams. Journal of Management, 25(2), 117-141. Johnson, Debbi-Wagner. 2005. Managing Work-Team Conflict: Assessment and Preventatve Strategies. Center for Collaborative Organizations, University of North Texas.   All rights reserved. Rayeski, E., Bryant, J. D. (1994). Team resolution process: A guideline for teams to manage conflict, performance, and discipline. In M. Beyerlein M. Bullock Tjosvold, D., Morshima, M., Belsheim, J. A. (1999). Complaint handling on the shop floor: Cooperative relationships and open-minded strategies. International Journal of Conflict Management, 10(1), 45-68.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Culture and Disease Essay Example for Free

Culture and Disease Essay Human body consists of organs which each plays a role in a coordinated system to facilitate the normal function ability of the body. Sometimes the body might function abnormally due to failure of proper function of an organ or organs. In such a situation the organ might be affected by a disease which might inflict pain to the body, damaging it and often might result to total failure and eventually death. Diseases are common to human beings, animals and even plants. Diseases in most cases are preventable and curable although some diseases may cause permanent injuries and disability to the patient. Some several factors are related to various disease which might also dictate the extent on which it spreads and causes the effect. Diseases are classified according to various factors like what are the causes, the type, and means of contracting the disease, the affected species and many other factors (Cooter, Roger, and John Pickstone, eds. (2000). Human beings are vulnerable to majority of diseases which falls in different categories. Some of them are contagious which falls in different diseases have drastic effects and may cause death easily while others are easily curable and they cause no extensive damage to our body so long as they are treated. Depending on the kind of diseases, some are related to a particular culture. Examples of some diseases are like the heart diseases which affect the heart and its blood vessels tampering with the normal functioning of it. Heart diseases fall into different categories which include heart failure which involves the being unable to pump blood in the entire body which causes insufficient blood to reach all the targeted organs in the body well. Sometimes some organs malfunction due to less blood supplied to them. The other type of heart disease is the heart arrhythmias which cause the heart beat pace to change. The heart might beat faster than the normal pace or sometimes slower. Third type of disease is canomy artery disease which commonly causes the heart attack. This disease causes the heart to receive less blood than unaccepted due to the naming of the blood arteries hence the slow movement of the blood to the heart. The narrow artery tends to restrict sufficient flow of the blood to the heart. Sometimes the arteries are fully blocked leading to heart attack. Circumstances that cause the heart disease may differ depending on the conditions under which a person lives and the situation in which a person lives and the situation in which he or she is involved in. one of the conditions that might cause heart disease is the high blood cholesterol. Liver is the organ in the body that is responsible for producing the cholesterol which is essential in the body system. The cholesterol is delivered to the rest of the body cells through blood flow. Considering the substantial composition of the cholesterol and the fact that it comes from the animal ft and other saturated fats then there is a high risk when it is in high content in our bodies. Excessive cholesterol then sticks on the wall of the blood vessels like pulmonary arteries which narrows the passage hence insufficient blood reaching to the heart. This eventually might lead to a condition such as heart attack. Another way in which heart disease are caused, is through high blood pressure coupled with the problem of obesity. This situation is much contributed by obesity or overweight which may also lead to high blood cholesterol as previously discussed. Stress is also considered as another factor that contributed to the heart disease. This is a situation that affects someone’s emotions due to various reasons based on economic status, social status are psychological maters that concentrates on the thinking capacity of someone’s brain. According to () the blood pressure and the heart beat is mostly increased by the stress which can also increase the release of hormones of heart disease are increased. In this paper the concentration of heart diseases is focused on the African American race. Currently the cardio-vascular disease is more prevalent in the blacks than on the case of white people. This can be associated to several factors which causes or facilitates the dominancy of the heart disease. One of the factors is obesity. Being among the risks that leads to obesity, in United States African Americans have been found to be mostly affected by obesity in comparison to the white people. This might be as a result of eating habits and the lifestyle which in mot cases differs depending on the locality and the age. Physical inactivity may also attribute much in obesity and overweight which eventually contributes to heart diseases. Another factor is high rate of smoking among African American as compared to the white people. The smoke that is inhaled in the body is explained biologically on how it raises the heart beat and also it is responsible in raising the blood pressure. Nicotine and other compounds found in the cigarette also cause harm to the heart and also may lead to heart attack. Diabetes is another disease which is common to African Americans as compared to white people. Those suffering from the disease have bigger probability of contracting heart disease. In such situations the patient therefore needs more attention in order to reduce the risk of heart disease. Hypertension can also be considered as another factor among the African Americans which contribute to the development of heart diseases. African-American people have a different lifestyle from the white people which can easily be related to the individual health status. African Americans are exposed to the heart disease due to several environmental factors. Pollution of air is among the environmental factors that can contribute to the heart disease. African-Americans live in environment which is badly polluted with gases like carbondioxide and others which may directly or indirectly facilitate to the heart diseases (Rosenberg et al 1992). Smoking can be considered in the air pollution which exposes non smokers to the risk of being affected through breathing the smoked provided by smokers. This habit which is common to African American contributes to the factor that leads to heart diseases. Considered to be minor race in United States, African American find themselves in an environment whereby they feel isolated and sometimes there some unfavorable conditions like job strains etc. these factors may subsequently lead to a lot of cases of stress in individuals which might be related to the heart disease. According to Holman, C. D. J. , and B. K. Armstrong (1984), although not a major determining vulnerability to heart diseases. Delicate newborn babies can easily be exposed to the cause of heart diseases. From the research carried out African American who was born in southern part have higher rates of heart diseases than the whites born in the northern part. Food when eaten unselectively can pose a danger to the human health. Obesity which is common to African Americans is as a result of inconsiderate eating habits. Availability of fatty foods in African American locality can be an influential factor to such conditions which may lead to them consuming those foods unselectively hence leading to undesirable condition like obesity and over weight and eventually to heart disease. Heart diseases are mostly not contagious as compared to other diseases like flu, (Rosenberg et al 1992). One of the methods under which the heart disease can be transmitted from are person to another is through heredity. According to () in a situation whereby parents suffer from heart disease, there is always a likelihood of the disease to be passed to the generation that follows. Biological intervention has indicated that the heart disease can be transmitted from one person to the other genetically. This has been explained through the cardiology study and genetics. Various methods can be applied to control the heart disease. Among them include the client observation which may ensure that feeding habits are regulated to avoid obesity and overweight which is among the major contributing factors to the disease. Fatty foods especially from animal products which might cause the high levels of cholesterol should be regulated while feeding on them. Smoking and excessive intake of alcohol which have been considered to be directly or indirectly cause of heart disease ought to be critically regulated in order to minimize the vulnerability of heart diseases. As a way of reducing the chances of getting heart disease people should attempt to live a stress free life in order to avoid unnecessary hypertension which may result to heart diseases. Heart diseases among the African Americans can be treated through lipid modifying. Under this concept it’s biologically explained on how the lipid can be lowered in the body through lipid lowering therapy which is best explained biologically. The other method used is through lowering the level of the cholesterol in the blood. This is very effective in the sense that the arteries can be repaired from the narrow shape they had taken due to the elimination of the cholesterol in the arteries. African Americans also use the medications which are provided in the hospital which involves intake of prescribed medicine by a doctor or practitioners. Due to their social economic status, the African Americans are vulnerable to the prevalence of the heart disease. This depends on the background they come from and settled in the United States. Most feel that they still want to maintain their culture including even in clients. But still the consumption of these traditional foods also has the positive side to it on the side of medication. Culture has been seen to play a big part in influencing people’s ways of life. This is especially true when it comes to dietary constitution for different groups. Additionally, distinct lifestyles may be attributed to cultural groups and this also determines the nature of disease that the said group is exposed to. More cultural based research is therefore necessary to establish the practices that promote health so that they may be encouraged while discouraging those practices that increase groups risk of getting some diseases. References Cooter, Roger, and John Pickstone, eds. (2000). Medicine in the Twentieth Century. Amsterdam: Harwood,. Holman, C. D. J. , and B. K. Armstrong. 1984. Pigmentary traits, ethnic origin, benign nevi, and family history as risk factors for cutaneous malignant melanoma. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Rosenberg, Charles E. , and Janet Golden, eds. (1992). Framing Disease: Studies in Cultural History. New Brunswick, N. J. : Rutgers University Press.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Parenting that Reflects the Image of God

Parenting that Reflects the Image of God Abstract The inceptive understanding of God by children is deeply shaped by their relationships with their parents. Premium Christian parenting will endeavor to reflect the character of God as a foundation for developing the childs emerging relationship with God. A solid foundation for children to experience the love of God laid by providing genuine love with clear boundaries. I. Introduction The most influential environment in the lives of the majority of children is the home. The first experience of the world by a child is the family and continues to occupy a dominant portion in their lives until adulthood. Though the school also plays an important role for most children and youth, the family remains the nucleus of their life experience. The family has played a crucial role in the outworking of the purposes of God on earth from the beginning. The family has been designed to provide the platform for the nurture and training of each subsequent generation. God designed the family to reflect and bring forth the spiritual truth. The Scripture makes use of images of the family to speak of our relationship with God in Christ. Believers are adopted children in the family of God (Romans 8:15-17). God is our Father (Hebrews 12:5-11), and we are his children and joint heirs with Christ (1 John 3:1; Romans 8:17). These relationships illustrate the high calling and task which accompanies Christian parenthood. The primary focus of this paper is to develop some strategies for parents who want to raise their children in a way that will reflect the image of God. To carry out this assignment, some research findings and biblical principles on loving, disciplining and developing children of spiritual and moral character will be examined. II. The Research on Parenting and Children Gods Concepts. The huge influence of home and family is much greater than what happens the few hours that children spend Church or other Christian programs. It is the home that provides the primary shape for the spiritual understanding of children (Smith, 2005). Though the formal spiritual upbringing in the home is valuable, there is proof to suggest that more noteworthy for spiritual development is the nature of connection that is raised in the family. Variety of studies have pointed to substantial correlation that exits between parental childrearing practices and children concepts of God (Choua Uata, 2012; de Roos, 2006; Lee Earia, 2000; Limke Mayfield, 2011; Moriaxty Hoffman, 2007) The recent research of neurotheologian (Albright Ashbrook, 2001; Newberg, dAquili Rause, 2001) suggests that there may be some form of Gods Spot in every human (Beauregard OLeary, 2007; Hay Nye, 2006; Seybold, 2007). Whether Gods Spot exit or not, the agreement is that children natural spiritual curiosity appears to be inborn. Possibly, the best interpretation of the research starts with the identification of the fact that the search of a child for God is tinted by human relationships. One interesting study has pointed to the value of bidirectional religious communication in the home in which parents and children are active, and both are active, and both behave in ways that may ultimately influence the other (Boyatzis Janicki, 2003). The situation in which parents both listen and guide the childrens expression of faith will likely lead to long-term faith and commitment on the part of the children. Parent-child affinity is the most instant and persistent relationship that go through in childrens early developmental years of life, and this is probably the reason why this relationship deeply impact children perception of God. Concerned parents who recognize this pattern always look for ways and means to direct their children to a healthy relationship with God. Studies have also shown that fathers relationship with the children may be more influential. Longitudinal Study of Generation LSOG) has shown a substantially greater impact on religious transference in close father-child interaction than close mother-child interaction (Bengtson, Putney, Harris,2013). III. Biblical Principles for Parenting that reflects the Image of God. 1.The atmosphere Of the Christian Home. A home that is represented by the presence of God should be filled with an atmosphere of love, forgiveness, openness, acceptance and honesty. The ideal Christian home should be a place of fun, creative activities, enjoyment, encouragement and relaxed attitudes. This can only be possible if Christ is the unified factor in the life of the family and parents set a good example of what it means to be a believer in Christ. There is the need for Christ-like attitude to prevail in parents so that every member of the household is made to feel very important in the family. Parents should model before their children the quality of mutual respect for one and other. The individuality and dignity of each member of the family must be recognized in a positive and encouraging manner. Parents should avoid favoritism, and there should be no comparison of one child with another. The great mistake that Rebeca made by loving Jacob more than Esau his senior brother should be avoided in the home. It is also very important for parents to ask for forgiveness from their children when they embarrass, mistreat or break a promise. This good attitude will make honesty and esteem for each member of the household to be implanted in the mind of the children. IV. Spiritual Development Principles The Scripture states in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God; the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your might. Parents cannot impact what they do not have to their children. It follows therefore that parents should have a growing relationship that their children can emulate with God. The first necessary condition for a godly parent is to love God with all his strength and might. And this can be achieved through an unfailing relationship of dependence, trust, and communion with the Lord. Before love can radiate in our home, it must first be in our hearts as we respond to Gods love and walk in it. Another condition can be found in Deuteronomy 6:6 which states, And those words which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. Parents need to respond to Gods love and also to His W ord. The Word of God speaks to every area of life, and the success of parents in any area depends so much on the degree to which they know and make a claim on relevant biblical principles. Children cannot be raised in the image of God by doing just what comes to mind naturally. Deuteronomy 6:20-24 admonishes parents to tell their children when they ask questions about what the requirements and regulations that commanded mean. In other words, parents should be ready to share their testimonies of the goodness of the Lord in their lives. This will make parents a living model for their children. What parents communicate through their actions are far more than what they say verbally. In other words, parents must demonstrate practically the reality of their faith for their children to emulate. Children will copy and do exactly what they see in their parents. If parents are dedicated to positive spiritual change and growth, their children will follow suit. They will not walk in the way of the Lord just because they are told to do so. This is because children respond to reality, not pretense or lip service. For instance, if a father who wants his children to grow in the image of God is unkind to his wife and treats others with disrespect, the children will be confused with the distorted image of God. A healthy view is best transmitted by the parent who will allow the Spirit of God to make them loving and Christ-like. Another principle that will help parents to raise children in the image of God is that of love and boundaries. Though the language of fatherhood is not directly given in the story of creation, one can see the balance between love and boundaries displayed in Genesis chapter one. Here God provided an environment of space for Adam and Eve and all the creatures. The separation of light from darkness in Genesis 1:4-5 and the waters below (Genesis 1:6-7) show Gods value for order and space. When God created Adam, He provided a space He provided a space for him to carry out the first assignment of naming all the animals (Genesis 2:19-20). In like manner parents need to create order and space in which children will be able to express their voices, we reflect Gods character in our relationship with them (Shaw Constatineanu, 2003). In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus completely redefined the fatherhood of God. The image of God in this parable is that of a father whose love, care, forgiveness, goodness and compassion has no limits. The central theme in the Gospel narratives is Immanuel, incarnation, and paralysis. God in Christ enters the world of his children to direct them to God. In the same manner, Christian parents must reflect Gods character by entering into the world of their children in other to show them the way to God. In Jesus teaching, he made mention of how God cares for the birds of the air in Mathew 6:26, makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and allows rain to fall on the just and the unjust (Mathew 5:45), and looks after little ones (Mathew 18:14). Paul also extends the same message to all believers ware formerly slaves to the devil, but now they are now the beloved children of God (Galatians 4:6). This invitation is now for parents whose lives can become a good example of what it means to made in the image of God and live a life full of love and holiness. A good reflection of the character of God as an example for family life is a challenge to many of our traditional stereotypes of the roles of gender in parenting. God is not only referred to as a father, but many images suggest His motherly fatherhood. In Psalms 17:8, God is described as a mother eagle who hovers over its young, and then pushes the eaglet out of the nest (Deuteronomy 32:11), while underneath is the everlasting arms Deuteronomy 33:27). Jesus also made use of imagery to express his emotions towards Jerusalem in Mathew 23:37. When parents understand the richness of Gods love and His holiness, their lives become a clear witness to others. In the same manner, homes are represented by boundaries and love are likely to show Gods holiness and love under which children can embrace the gospel and live to display the character of God. The placing of a child in the midst by Jesus in Mathew 18:2 points to the mutual nature of parenting that reflect the image of God; children learn about God through the nature of their relationship with their parents and the character and behavior of children can alert adults to the challenges of living with integrity in their covenant relationship with God (Shaw Constantineanu, 2013). Children should be encouraged and sanctioned within the family, both parents and children experience the mutual joy of learning and growth that is one of the features of hospitable space. 1.Love and Discipline (i) Love Rules and regulations are important in the home, but they cannot have meaning unless they are within the context of a relationship. Some parents do not discipline their children because they dont want to hurt their feelings. This is a wrong approach because a child that is not disciplined will eventually become unruly. The Scripture in Hebrews 12:6 states that the Lord chastens those whom He loves and scourges every son whom He receives. Whenever it becomes necessary to punish a child, it is important to give to give reasons and at the same time reaffirm your love so that the child will know that you hate his behavior, not him. Philippians 4:8 admonishes us to allow our minds to dwell on what is honorable, true, pure, of good report and worthy of praise. Love lays emphasis on the positive, not the negative. Parents who use loving affirmation accomplish more than those who make negative comments. Parents can teach their children to love by displaying love. It is very disheartening to children to see their parents fighting or yelling at each other. Love should be the lifestyle of everyone in the home. (ii). Discipline. The Scripture admonishes parents in 1 Timothy 3:4 to maintain discipline at home. But this discipline as discussed earlier must be balanced with love. Discipline without love will lead to hostility and resentment. Love without discipline will spoil a child. Ephesians 6:1-4 will help in maintaining a balance. The words instruction and discipline refer to preventive and corrective discipline. Biblical discipline involves both the negative activity of punishment for disobedience and the positive aspect of teaching children the way they should go. Protective teaching should be supported with corrective action and correction should be reinforced by teaching. The book of Proverbs teaches that children are not good naturally. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, the rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Proverbs 23:13-14; Proverbs 22:15. Children tend to be selfish; they do not understand love regarding giving themselves to others but regarding receiving. A prudent parent recognizes these facts and also understand that children can be taught. Proverbs 9:18 admonishes parents to discipline their children while there is hope. The rod and correction give wisdom, but a child who is always having his own way will bring shame to his mother Proverbs 29:15. To bring up a child in the image of God, parents must be consistent in their discipline because inconsistent discipline results in frustration, insecurity, and anger. Christian parents must have biblical philosophy of child discipline so that there will be consistent and agreement between husband and wife in they respond to disobedience. Children receive mixed signals when parents are divided or disagree about discipline. If you must use threats to correct your child, then make sure you follow the threat through or else your children will not take you seriously. (iii). Forgiveness Parents should always remember that regardless of what method they use to discipline their children, the goal of discipline is forgiveness and reconciliation. Children must be taught that disobedience to parents is sin and thus, teach your child to confess his sin of disobedience to God and thank Him for forgiving him. Forgiveness should result in restoration of fellowship and forgetting of the offense. If a parent makes forgiveness a lifestyle, he will be modeling the love and forgiveness of God (1 Timothy 1:9). Forgiveness impacts the inner life while discipline focuses on the outward behavior. V. Conclusion The Christian home has been referred to as a laboratory for the appliance of biblical truth in a rational situation. It is the childs training ground for the impression of values, the development of relationship, for teaching and learning to obtain and give love. Parents have been assigned the responsibility of determining their children character and directing their spiritual, intellectual, psychological, emotional and physical growth. This responsibility should not be left to outside institutions. Many studies carried out on this issue support the fact that there is a substantial correlation between parental childrearing practices and childrens concepts of God. The home that is filled with the atmosphere of love, openness, forgiveness, acceptance and honesty is the ideal place to raise a child in the image of God. There are biblical principles that can be applied to bring up children in fear of the Lord. A good reflection of the image of God as an example for family life is a challenge to many of our traditional standards of the roles of gender in parenting. God is not only referred to as a father, but many images suggest His motherly fatherhood There should be love and boundaries which will be applied in the home. Punishment must be applied when necessary to check indiscipline and disobedience as instructed in Hebrews 12:6. If parents make forgiveness a lifestyle, they will be modeling the love and forgiveness of God (1 Timothy 1:9). Forgiveness impacts the inner life while discipline focuses on the outward behavior. Proverbs 23:13-14 tells us that children are not good by nature and the parents have the responsibility to use the rod of correction. Notwithstanding the method of punishment used, the goal of discipline is forgiveness and reconciliation. REFERENCES. Albright, C., Ashbrook, J. (2001). Where God lives in the human brain, Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks. Bengtson, V., Putney, N. Harris, S. (2013). Families and Faith:How religion is passed down across generations. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Boyatzis, C., Janicki, D. (2003). Parent-child communication about religion: Survey and diary data on unilateral transmission and bidirectional reciprocity styles. Review of Religious Rsearch, 44(3), 252-270. Shaw, P., Constantineanu, C. (2013), Space community, engagement and empowerment: Missionlogical equipping for a new mission era. Paper presented at the 4/14 Window Missiology Conference, Seoul, Korea. Choua, H-T., Uata, D. (2012). The impact of parental discipline on the image of God, Mental health, Religion Culture. 15(7),677-688.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me. Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

James Joyce Essay -- essays research papers fc

In selecting James Joyce's Ulysses as the best novel of the twentieth century, Time magazine affirmed Joyce's lasting legacy in the realm of English literature. James Joyce (1882-1941), the twentieth century Irish novelist, short story writer and poet is a major literary figure of the twentieth-century. Regarded as "the most international of writers in English ¡K[with] a global reputation (Attridge, pix), Joyce's stature in literature stems from his experimentation with English prose. Influenced by European writers and an encyclopedic knowledge of European literatures, Joyce's distinctive writing style includes epiphanies, the stream-of-consciousness technique and conciseness. Born in Rathgar, near Dubtin, in 1882, he lived his adult life in Europe and died in Zurich, Switzerland in 1941. The eldest of then children, Joyce attended a Jesuit boarding school Clongowes Wood from 18888-1891 and Belvedere College, another Jesuit school from 1893-1898. In 1902, Joyce graduated from University College and went to live in exile in Europe unable to tolerate the narrow-mindedness of his native country. Ironically, Ireland and Irish people become the subject of his short stories and novels. The two central preoccupations of his work are a sense of betrayal. Ireland, dominated both political and economically by Britain and religiously by the Catholic Church caused Joyce to regard them as "the two imperialisms" (Attridge P. 34). Roman Catholicism is an integral aspect of the novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. In 1917, the English novelist H.G. Wells in a review of the novel in the New Republic wrote, "by far the most living and convincing pic ture that exists of an Irish Catholic upbringing." Joyce's focus on betrayal was a consequence of the downfall in 1889of the Irish leader Charles Stuart Parnell when he was attacked by the Irish Catholic Church when named a correspondent in a divorce case. This treachery left an indelible mark on Joyce's mind. 	Joyce literary talent emerged at Belvedere as he began to read the work of European writers and in particular the Norwegian dramatist, Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906). At the age of eighteen, Joyce wrote an essay entitled "Ibsen's New Drama" which was published in the Fortnightly Review. When Ibsen sent him a note of thanks, "the awestruck Joyce resolved to learn Norwegion... ... days the about life span of his characters-as Joyce world do in 'The Dead' in Ulysses, and perhaps in Finnegan's Wake." (Atteridge p.65) There was an increasing concentration on form and language in Joyce's five novels. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce in a few lines, describes Stephan, Dedalues's mood and characters. Works Cited 1. Arnold, Armin. James Joyce. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1969. 2. Attridge, Derek. The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 3. Benstock, Bernard. "Joyce, James." Twentieth Century Authors. New York: HW Wilson Company, 1942. 4. Cahalan, James M. A Critical History. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1988. 5. "Joyce, James Augustine Aloysins." Microsoft Corpuration. Encarta. CD-Rom. Encarta. 1993-1996. 6. Kalasky, Drew. Short Story Criticism. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1995. 7. Kenner, Hugh, Fritz Senn, E.L. Esptein, Robert Boyle, SJ. A Starchamber Quiry: a James Joyce Centennial Volume, 1882-1982. New York: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1982. 8. Rice, Thomas Jackson. James Joyce: Life, Work, and Criticism. Frederiction: York Press LTD., 1985.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Essay on Hardships Expressed in Hughes On the Road and Mother to Son

Hardships Expressed in Hughes On the Road and Mother to Son African-American citizens who live in the United States have experienced a tough life through personal experiences. They have struggled to obtain basic civil rights--a struggle that has spanned many centuries (Mabunda 311). Langston Hughes, author of the short story "On the Road" and the poem "Mother to Son," often illustrated in his writing the hardships experienced by the characters--products of African American life in the United States. While Hughes and other young African-American authors wanted to define and celebrate black art and culture, they were also responsible for changing the preconceived notions of most Americans' erroneous ideas of black life (Mabunda 696). The cultural aspects of Hughes' poems exhibited life as an African-American in the late 1910s to the early 1960s. His views, like many writers in his era, came directly from personal experience, which provided the reader with a sense of communication that illustrated--with art rather than essay--the ills of the racist world. L. Mpho Mabunda proclaims that the issues and grim realities of the African-American "could be experienced through the lives of characters and in verse, and the message delivered more subtly and effectively" (696) . The overall theme and purpose of "On the Road" and "Mother to Son" are centered around an illustration of the hardships experienced by most African-American citizens in the early part of the century. Both genres graphically detail the lifestyle and environment in which the African-American lived. In the 20th century, many of the black communities in America have existed in a perpetual state of crisis ("Black American"). According to Kenneth Clark in his add... ... Robinson. The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States. New York: Arno P, 1968. "Henry McNeal Turner." Online. Internet. 24 Apr. 1998. Hughes, Langston. "Mother to Son." Bridges: Literature across Cultures. Eds. Gilbert H. Muller and John A. Williams. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994. 52. ---. "On the Road." Bridges: Literature across Cultures. Eds. Gilbert H. Muller and John A.Williams. New York: McGRaw-Hill, 1994. 845-8. Mabunda, L. Mpho, ed. The African American Almanac. 7th ed. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1997. Miller, R. Baxter, and Evelyn Nettles. "Langston Hughes." Concise Dictionary of American Literary Biography: The Age of Maturity, 1929-1941. Detroit,  Ã‚  Ã‚   MI: Gale Research Inc., 1989. 150-71. Quarles, Benjamin. The Negro in the Making of America. London: Collier-Macmillan Ltd., 1969.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Valuation: Apv vs Wacc

The three approaches value the entire firm but they differ around the way they treat tax shields. We will first review the rational and the underlying assumptions behind each approach. We will then use a numerical example to illustrate the mechanics behind the three approaches and show under which assumptions they yield the same results. Enterprise Valuation According to Modigliani and Miller, the value of a company’s economic assets must equal the value of the claims against those assets.Enterprise valuation models value the sum of the cash flows to all claim holders, including equity holders and debt holders and discount them to the appropriate cost of capital. The cash flow available to all claim holders is called the free cash flow (FCF) from operations and is defined below: FCF = EBIAT + Depreciation – Capital Expenditure – Increases in Working Capital EBIAT is the income the company earns after tax without regard to how the company is financed. Non-cash exp enses such as Depreciation are then added.Because we are valuing a going concern we also take into account the cash flow management will retain for new capital expenditures and possible increase in working capital. The remaining is in effect the cash available to owners and creditors. By definition free cash flow is independent from leverage (and is often referred as un-levered free cash flow). Therefore the value derived from the interest tax shield (interest on debt is tax deductible) has still to be incorporated in the enterprise valuation.This is where the three approaches WACC, APV and CCF differ: †¢ The WACC approach values the tax shield by adjusting the cost of capital †¢ The APV approach values the tax shield separately from the un-levered free cash flow †¢ The CCF approach values the tax shield by incorporating it in the cash flow The Weighted Average Cost of Capital Approach To determine the value of the enterprise, the free cash flows from operations have to be discounted to present value. According to Modigliani and Miller’s proposition number one without taxes or financial market mperfections the cost of capital does not depend on financing so the weighted average of the expected returns to debt and equity investors equals the opportunity cost of capital regardless of leverage: Rd x D/V + Re x E/V = Ra = Constant independent of D/V Ra = Opportunity cost of capital = Un-levered cost of equity = Return on assets = pre-tax WACC Rd = Cost of debt, Re = Cost of equity, D/V and E/V = Target levels of debt and equity using market values Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper Page 2 of 8None of the components of the cost of capital are directly observable and therefore need to be approximated using various models and assumptions. The cost of equity is derived from the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) while the cost of debt can be estimated from the firm credit rating and default risk or from yields on publicly traded debt. However inter est on debt is tax deductible so if we were to discount free cash flows from operations using Ra we would not take into account the value of the tax shield.Therefore the after-tax weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is used instead. WACC includes an adjustment to the cost of debt by the marginal tax rate (Tm): WACC = Rd x (1-Tm) x D/V + Re x E/V (= Ra – Rd x Tm x D/V) WACC is less than the opportunity cost of capital Ra because the cost of debt is calculated after tax as Rd (1-Tm). Thus the tax advantages of debt financing are reflected in a lower discount rate. The WACC equals the opportunity cost of capital when there is no debt and declines with financial leverage because of increasing interest tax shields.The WACC increases again when the debt level becomes significant relative to the value of the firm reflecting the main costs associated with borrowing, the costs of bankruptcy. Figure 1: WACC as a Function of the Debt Ratio Rates of Return Re R WACC Rd Debt to Equity Discounting all future cash flows using a constant WACC assumes that the company manages its capital structure to a fixed debt to value ratio (D/V).Therefore the company’s WACC is the right discount rate only if the company’s debt ratio (D/V) is expected to remain reasonably close to constant. However if the company is expected to significantly change its capital structure (i. e. Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper Page 3 of 8 constant level of debt, LBO, recapitalization), the WACC would have to be continuously adjusted which makes the approach more difficult to apply.The Adjusted Present Value Approach The APV approach values the cash flows associated with capital structure independently by separating the value of operations into two components: the value of the firm without debt and the benefits and the costs of borrowing: Value of the firm = Value of the un-levered firm + Present value of interest tax shields – Costs of financial distress The value of the un-l evered firm is obtained by discounting free cash flows at the return on assets (Ra).If the company manages its debt-to-value to a target level (D/V=constant) then the interest tax shield is as risky as the firm and should be discounted at Ra. In this case the APV approach yields the same results as the WACC approach but is computationally less efficient. However if the debt is assumed to be a fixed amount (D=constant) the interest tax shield is less risky than the firm but as risky as the debt itself and should be discounted at the cost of debt.In this case the APV approach is not only the only correct approach, it is also computationally very efficient if the tax saving are considered as perpetuity since: Present value of interest tax shields = (Tm x Rd x D) / Rd = Tm x D The main risk in using the APV approach is to ignore the costs of financial distress, especially at very high debt ratios, which leads to an overvaluation of the firm.The Capital Cash Flow Approach Capital cash fl ows are simply derived from free cash flows by adding interest tax shields: CCF = FCF + Interest tax shield = FCF + Tm x Rd x D With this approach capital cash flows are then discounted at the return on assets. This implicitly assumes that interest tax shields are as risky as the firm and are discounted at the return on assets. This is true when debt is a fixed proportion of value. Under this assumption the capital cash flow approach will generate the same results as the WACC approach.Furthermore if the debt is forecasted in levels instead of a debt-to-value ratio the CCF approach is easier to use because the tax shield are simple to calculate and to include in the CCF. If the forecasted debt levels imply a change in the debt-to-value ratio, the CCF retains his simplicity since the discount rate, the return on assets, is independent of the capital structure and can be used for every forecast period. Therefore the approach is easier to apply in transactions involving change in capita l structure such as a LBO or a restructuring.However in this case discounting the interest tax shields at Ra is a simplifying assumption since the risk of those cash flows is not anymore the same as the risk associate with the firm. Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper Page 4 of 8 Numerical Example Table 1 shows the financial assumptions underlying our numerical example. The firm is valued over a period of 5 years during which EBIT is growing at 5% per annum and depreciation, capital expenditure and increase in working capital are constant. However the firm’s capital structure changes significantly through the repayment of a major portion of its debt.Table 1: Assumptions (in â‚ ¬) Risk Free Rate Market Risk Premium Tax Rate Asset Beta Debt Beta EBIT Depreciation Capex Increase in NWC Debt Year 1 5% 7% 40% 1. 2 0. 4 100,000 50,000 60,000 10,000 100,000 Year 2 5% 7% 40% 1. 2 0. 35 105,000 50,000 60,000 10,000 50,000 Year 3 5% 7% 40% 1. 2 0. 3 110,250 50,000 60,000 10,000 25,000 Year 4 5% 7% 40% 1. 2 0. 25 115,763 50,000 60,000 10,000 12,500 Year 5 5% 7% 40% 1. 2 0. 2 121,551 50,000 60,000 10,000 6,250 We will start valuing the firm using the WACC approach (see table 2).This is the less appropriated and most complex methodology given the forecasted changes in capital structure. Indeed the WACC needs to be recalculated every year and an iterative calculation has to be used since the value of the firm for each year is required to derive the percentage of debt and equity. The firm value in year N is the value of the remaining cash flows. For instance the value of the firm at the beginning of Year 3 is the value of the remaining cash flow in Year 3, 4 and 5 discounted using the WACC in year 3, 4 and 5.Table 2: WACC Valuation (in â‚ ¬) EBIT – Taxes on EBIT = EBIAT + Depreciation – Capex – Increase in NWC = FCF Percent Debt Cost of Debt After Tax Cost of Debt Percent Equity Return on Assets Cost of Equity WACC Discount Factor PV Firm Value Year 1 100,000 (40,000) 60,000 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 40,000 61. 3% 7. 8% 4. 7% 38. 7% 13. 4% 22. 3% 11. 5% 0. 90 35,878 163,178 Year 2 105,000 (42,000) 63,000 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 43,000 35. 2% 7. 5% 4. 5% 64. 8% 13. 4% 16. 6% 12. 4% 0. 80 34,329 141,923Year 3 110,250 (44,100) 66,150 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 46,150 21. 5% 7. 1% 4. 3% 78. 5% 13. 4% 15. 1% 12. 8% 0. 71 32,666 116,451 Year 4 115,763 (46,305) 69,458 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 49,458 14. 7% 6. 8% 4. 1% 85. 3% 13. 4% 14. 5% 13. 0% 0. 63 30,979 85,196 Year 5 121,551 (48,620) 72,930 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 52,930 13. 3% 6. 4% 3. 8% 86. 7% 13. 4% 14. 5% 13. 1% 0. 55 29,325 46,817 Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper Page 5 of 8 The cost of debt is calculated using CAPM: The cost of equity is calculated using the M&M proposition I:Rd = Rf + ? d x MRP Re = (Ra – D/V Rd) / (E/V) Using the WACC approach we find a value for the firm of â‚ ¬163,178. Next we use the APV approach to value the firm calculating separately the value of the un-levered firm and the value of the interest tax shield (Tm x Rd x D). The approach is straightforward in this case since we are given a forecast of the level of debt. We find that the APV approach yields the same firm value (â‚ ¬163,178) as the WACC approach when discounting interest tax shield at Ra.We also illustrate that using Rd would yield a higher valuation of the firm (this is not the correct discount rate in this case given that the debt is not constant). Table 3: APV Valuation (in â‚ ¬) FCF Return on Assets Discount Factor PV Value of Unlevered Firm Interest Tax Shield Return on Assets Ra Discount Factor PV Value of Interest Tax Shield @ Ra Interest Tax Shield Cost of Debt Rd Discount Factor PV Value of Interest Tax Shield @ Rd Value of Firm with ITS @ Ra Value of Firm with ITS @ Rd Year 1 40,000 13. 4% 0. 88 35,273 158,491 3,120 13. % 0. 88 2,751 4,686 3,120 7. 8% 0. 93 2,894 5,121 163,178 163,613 Year 2 43,000 13. 4% 0. 78 33,438 Year 3 46,150 13 . 4% 0. 69 31,647 Year 4 49,458 13. 4% 0. 60 29,907 Year 5 52,930 13. 4% 0. 53 28,225 1,490 13. 4% 0. 78 1,159 710 13. 4% 0. 69 487 338 13. 4% 0. 60 204 160 13. 4% 0. 53 85 1,490 7. 5% 0. 86 1,286 710 7. 1% 0. 81 572 338 6. 8% 0. 76 255 160 6. 4% 0. 71 114 Finally we use the CCF approach. The calculation clearly shows how the interest tax shields are incorporated in the cash flows and then discounted at Ra.The CCF approach is equivalent to the WACC approach. Furthermore the approach also produces the same value as the APV method with interest tax shields discounted at Ra. Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper Page 6 of 8 Table 4: CCF Valuation (in â‚ ¬) EBIT – Taxes on EBIT = EBIAT + Depreciation – Capex – Increase in NWC + Interest tax Shield = CCF Return on Assets Discount Factor PV Firm Value Year 1 100,000 (40,000) 60,000 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 3,120 43,120 13. 4% 0. 88 38,025 163,178 Year 2 105,000 (42,000) 63,000 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 1,490 44,490 13. 4 % 0. 8 34,597 Year 3 110,250 (44,100) 66,150 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 710 46,860 13. 4% 0. 69 32,134 Year 4 115,763 (46,305) 69,458 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 338 49,795 13. 4% 0. 60 30,112 Year 5 121,551 (48,620) 72,930 50,000 (60,000) (10,000) 160 53,090 13. 4% 0. 53 28,311 Conclusions The three enterprise valuation techniques considered in this paper are different in the way they treat interest tax shields. However we have seen that the WACC approach and the CCF approach are identical and that under certain assumptions the APV approach also yields the same valuation.The WACC approach is easy to use and efficient when the assumption that capital structure will not change in the future can be made (D/V= constant). If debt level is forecasted to remain constant in absolute term (D=constant), the APV approach should be used discounting the interest tax shield at the cost of debt. Finally the CCF approach is the appropriate and most efficient approach when forecasted debt levels imply a change in capital structure. In this case it is also equivalent to the APV approach discounting the interest tax shield at the return on assets. Fabrice Bienfait IFM Final Paper