Sourcing Funds from Venture Capitalists, Creditors, Bonds & Equities Essay

Sourcing Funds from Venture Capitalists, Creditors, Bonds & Equities - Essay Example Funds are collected with some business objectives to realize the benefits of current innovations in the form of product launch, market campaigns, investments in profit making financial instruments, funding running projects with assured returns (like government projects bagged against tenders, infrastructure projects, conflict-free projects that have realized large payments prior to funding), etc. and invest the equities thus built (as an outcome of profits realized from projects) into diversifications, expansions, new Plant & Machinery purchase, new business initiatives, etc. This means that the primary objective of funding should be to invest in profit making ventures that can increase the valuation of the assets of the company and hence result in profits for the investors & in the process improve of share holder value. Faure-Grimaud and Gromb (2004. pp986-987) presented that block of funds raised by a corporation is controlled by insiders for the purpose of improving asset valuatio n of the corporation by allocating corporate resources or acquiring new resources. In the process of increasing firm's asset valuation, the shareholders increase their own wealth as well but this should be viewed more as an incentive of the shareholder's tangible value-increasing actions and not as the fundamental objective of fund raising. Amihud and Garbade et al. (1999. pp453) argued that after a company has taken the debt, a conflict of interest arises between creditors, managers and shareholders. Managers are forced by share holders to maximize their wealth and in this process may end up maximizing risk taking activities. Example, shareholders may be tempted to invest the debt (rather than equity) in high risk projects that may maximize equity at the cost of debt at the cost of overall devaluation of the company. These conflicts call for effective corporate governance which requires lot of contribution by finance managers. They have to manage the compromise between creditors and shareholders by keeping the former satisfied with the investment portfolio while controlling the wish list of the shareholders. Sources of Funds available in Europe (including Croatia) Bottazzi and Rin et al. (2002. 239-244) reported the source of long term funding in Europe (Croatia included) as the Venture Capitalist funding from Institutional Investors (includes endowments & pension funds), corporations, financial institutions (includes primarily banks, insurance companies and fund raisers from capital markets), Government and individuals. Unlike US, Europe has shown dismal maturity when it comes to venture capitalism as compared to US. This is understood from the fact that the funding contribution in US is largely by Institutional Investors (shows the maturity of US markets) but in Europe is largely from banks that control a major part of the mutual fund industry. There are many bank funded companies in Europe (having operations in

Each of the novels focused on in this class examines the role of power Research Paper

Each of the novels focused on in this class examines the role of power in relation to the human condition. The characters in the - Research Paper Example Power is a very important and significant concept as well as a very confusing and relative term at the same time. This is because it depends on the kind of power that a person possesses in a certain situation and specific role. A person, at any one time is very likely to experience different forms of power such as expert power, referent, reward or coercive power (Flyvbjerg, 2009). There are also several sources to exercise power which include knowledge and expertise, charisma, coercion, persuasion, knowledge, social class, aggressive or manipulative. Power is not necessarily negative. It exists in both forms, positive as well as negative (Noordin Yahaya, 2011). A person who has a high authority can always use a positive way to exercise power and can also use a negative way to exercise his powers. Power can be used by using different tactics such as the concept of using soft power and hard power (Galbraith, 1983). Soft power refers to more collaborative ways of exercising power while hard power uses more harsh ways of displaying one’s power in a more manipulative manner. Moreover, power can be used in other ways like rational and irrational. Power is a good and a bad thing at the same time. When used in a productive way, that is to help others, to help humanity, to help society leaving apart all the desires that have power, it can produce great results. On the other hand if power is used in a negative way that is to get what you desire and that also might be unethical, by hurting people or by using power to take coercive actions can lead into a disaster (Ghandchi, 1998). As clear from their names, rational power means to influence others with logic while irrational power means coercing them to do something without any logical explanation or understanding. Another way is to use power in a unilateral or bilateral way. Bilateral use of power involves two way communication and ways of convincing people, negotiating with them, listening to what they have to sa y and implementing things that seem right. On the other hand, unilateral power involves person making decisions of his choice regardless of caring about others opinions and considering oneself as absolutely correct; not ready to face any kind of criticism. In the three novels that will be under consideration for this analysis; The Alienist", "The Thin Man", and "Snow in August", we will see what they have in common and how they can relate to concept of role of power with respect to human condition. All the three novels being discussed below have some form of power under discussion and each of them refers to a different form of power, how it affected the individual and how it can help achieve one’s goals, or how it has negatively affected a person in achieving what he wanted to. To begin with â€Å"The Alienist†, which is a psychological thriller and revolves around a diverse forensic team to help investigate on the issue and find a serial killer. In the context of this topic, what is important here is the fact that the forensic team constituted of a police secretary, a journalist, two detectives and the alienist himself. This means that the power of decision making in human context belonged to these 5 members regardless of what their roles in other contexts of life were. For instance, the journalist has a different position of authority in his job and so does the police secretary. However

Five Credible Websites Essay Example for Free

Five Credible Websites Essay CDC Seeks $40M to Modernize Infectious Disease Tracking Tools The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requesting$6.6 billion in 2014’s budget. Out of $6.6 billion, $434.4 million will be used to modernize infectious disease outbreaks investigation, reduce healthcare-associated infection, and food safety. The CDC is requesting $40 million for advanced molecular detection initiative. In addition to the advanced molecular detection of tracking disease tools, CDC is also working on expanding foodborne pathogen monitoring system. There are five specific websites that would support the CDC request for emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases. Article: http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2013/4/19/cdc-seeks-40m-to-modernize-infectious-disease-tracking-tools.aspx 1. http://www.cdc.gov/ 2.1. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) objective is to keep America safe from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and domestic. The CDC is an operating division of The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The site is reputable, current, and good coverage. Great source, provides accurate and up-to-date information and easy to read format. 2. http://www.fda.gov/ 3.2. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a scientific, regulatory, and public health agency. The FDA also alerts and recalls products that have a potential risk. The FDA is a division of the HHS. The site is reputable and free of advertisements. The coverage is freely viewed and printed. Provides accurate and up-to-date information. 3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ 4.3. MedlinePlus is a National Institutes of Health site that offers reliable information. MedlinePlus health topics are regularly reviewed, and links are up-to-date. MedlinePlus is a government site, and reputable. MedlinePlus is free of advertisements, opinions, and freely viewed and  printed. Easy access and easy formatting. 4. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome 5.4. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is known as the â€Å"People’s Department†, and the leadership of food, agriculture and natural resources and nutritional food supplies. USDA is a government and a reputable site. The information is reliable and up-to-date. A great source of information on food safety and the contact information is accurate. 5. http://www.who.int/en/ 6.5. World Health Organization (WHO) is a global health organization providing technical support to countries. The WHO sounds the alarm for the United Nations. The WHO site is reliable and up-to-date. The information is accurate and easy to access. The site is freely viewed and printed. Word Count: 384

Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Schizophrenia

Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Schizophrenia The Effect of Agency on Gambling Behaviour in Paranoid Schizophrenia Introduction Our sense of agency is a form of self-consciousness which allows us to distinguish between ourselves and other individuals; it makes us aware of which thoughts and actions are our own (Haggard Chambon; 2012). This construct can be measured through the use of the intentional binding task (Moore Obhi; 2012). When an individual preforms an action that is then followed by an effect such as an auditory tone, there is a perceived reduction in the length of the interval between the action and the effect. Since this only occurs for actions that are intentional, this phenomena is called intentional binding and has been suggested as a reliable measure of agency (Haggard, Clark Kalogeras; 2002). A disturbed sense of agency is symptomatic of schizophrenia, a long term psychotic disorder marked by severely impaired thinking and abnormal behaviour, including delusions and hallucinations (Andreasen Olsen; 1982). Sufferers of the disorder may either feel that external forces are controlling their actions or thoughts, or they may feel in control of events that in fact are not caused by their actions. Martin (2013) called this experiences of activity; patients form the grandiose delusion that they can control some external events by the sole means of their mind. The first intentional binding patient study (Haggard, Martin, Taylor-Clarke, Jeannerod, Franck, 2003) compared the magnitude of intentional binding in patients with schizophrenia to a healthy control group. They established that intentional binding was significantly more robust in patients compared to controls. Using the same task, a more recent study (Voss, Moore, Hauser, Gallinat, Heinz Haggard; 2010) found that the predictive component is either absent or faulty in schizophrenia, therefore a greater reliance on the external effect rather than the intended action leads to hyper-binding. The severity of positive symptoms, as in the paranoid schizophrenic subtype, was also found to correlate with impairments in action-effect predictions. Various studies have documented a high level of comorbid psychiatric disorders among individuals with gambling disorders, including Schizophrenia. Pathological gambling was first recognised by the APA as an impulse control disorder in 1980, and can be defined as the recurring behaviour of gambling on games of chance despite the resulting negative consequences, leading to the individual becoming incapable of controlling the time and money spent, even when losing. Research conducted by Desai Potenza (2009) investigated the co-occurrence between pathological gambling and schizophrenia. The researchers interviewed a sample of 337 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Using the DSM-4 criteria for pathological gambling, the researchers found that these patients may be at a particularly high risk; 19 percent were classified as either problem or pathological gamblers. Just under 10 percent met the diagnosis for pathological gambling, the most severe form of the disorder; recent studies hav e estimated the rate among the general population at less than one percent. Wegner and Wheatley (1999) suggested that the sense of agency also plays a role in phenomena such as superstition and gambling, in which individuals experience subjective control over uncontrollable entities; this is often know as illusion of control. Similar to delusions of activity in schizophrenics, various studies have shown that an irrational sense of personal control over the outcome, even in games of pure chance, is a possible factor in the maintenance of problem gambling. A study by Moore and Ohtsuka (1999) assessed the association between beliefs about illusion of control or internal locus of control and their relationship to gambling frequency in young people. The results indicated that irrational control beliefs were strongly associated with problem gambling; the illusion of internal control over gambling significantly predicted gambling frequency and problem gambling. Toneatto, Blitz-Miller, Calderwood, Dragonetti, Tsanos (1997) found that scoring highly on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (Lesieur Blume, 1987) was correlated considerably with exhibiting cognitive distortions during an interview, in which individuals expressed the belief that they are able to control the outcome of their gambling, along with an extravagant level of self-confidence. Heavy gamblers also made more active attempts to influence the outcome using gambling systems, rituals and superstitions. Sense of control over gambling appears to have cultural differences; Majamà ¤ki Pà ¶ysti (2012) found that Finnish gamblers stress their individual competence and will to take more risks than gamblers in France, even in games of chance, imagining a greater sense of control. Taken together, research suggests that Pathological Gamblers may experience a similar heightened sense of agency to Schizophrenics, in that they exhibit the illusionary idea that they are able to control outcomes which are not within their personal influence. Although the experience of agency between two disorders have not been directly compared, this could perhaps explain the high comorbidity between the two disorders. I therefore propose that a disturbed sense of agency will be present in both schizophrenics and pathological gamblers during a gambling task and may contribute to the development of gambling disorders. Methods In order to study the possible effect of agency on pathological gambling in schizophrenia, I intend to use as many participants as possible in order to obtain the largest, most generalizable sample; participants will be age and gender matched to eliminate extraneous variables. I will use the age range of 16-35, encompassing the peak ages of onset and acute psychosis whilst avoiding using minors for ethical reasons. I will be using a healthy control group, a group of pathological gamblers and a group of paranoid schizophrenics, as they present more positive symptoms than the other subtypes, which correlate with experience of activity delusions. In order to participate individuals must have a professional medical diagnosis for their disorder, as well as normal or corrected hearing and eyesight. Firstly, I would like to establish the level of individual sense of agency for each group during an intentional binding task. Following a voluntary or involuntary key press, participants will experience an interval followed by an auditory tone; they will then be asked to estimate the length of time between preforming the action and producing the effect in milliseconds. Research has shown that there is a perceived reduction in the length of the interval between the action and the effect where the participant believes that they produced the action voluntarily. Secondly, participants would complete a computer gambling task (Rachlin 1986) in order to simulate real life tendency to make a safer or riskier choice during a game of chance. This is a task in which they are asked to choose between two spinning wheels, where the pointer landing on a white coloured section would indicate a monetary win. On one wheel, a win is less likely but twice as substantial, on the second the win is less valuable but more consistent. In order to increase the ecological validity of the situation and hold the attention of the participant, they will have the opportunity to win the money collected during the task. This task will take place within a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. This machine uses the Blood-oxygen-level dependent contrast (Huettel, Song McCarthy (2009) in order to detect changes in cerebral blood flow during the task, indicating neural activity in different brain regions. Results and Implications My predicted results would be that based on prior research the schizophrenic group will experience substantially more hyperbinding on the intentional binding task than the healthy controls; however I also hope to see the same with the pathological gamblers. Amongst that group, those who experienced the strongest feeling of agency would take the most risks during the task. I would expect to see similar, and greater, patterns of activation in the areas associated with agency, specifically self-agency, during the task in the fMRI machine for the PG and Schizophrenic groups. This would include the TPJ Precuneus, which has been implicated in a large number of studies during tasks relating to agency (Brass et al. 2009; Nahab et al. 2010; Schnell et al. 2007; Spengler et al. 2009; Yomogida et al. 2010) and has been suggested to contain a mechanism which allows us to determine mismatches in sensory feedback (Tsakiris et al. 2008) and attribution of external cause for events (Seidel et al. 20 10). A second area involved is likely to be the dMPFC, active during agency tasks due to its role similar role in predicting events. (Volz et al. 2003, 2004, 2005). Thirdly, I would also expect so see activation in the pre-SMA, which is involved in the development of intention to create voluntary movements(Picard and Strick 1996). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (tms) supressing neural activity of this area results in a decrease in intentional binding (moore 2010). Although increased blood flow will be present in these areas during all forms of agency experience, these areas have been found to be more strongly associated with external agency attributions; therefore it is possible that I will see more activation of these three regions in the healthy control group. This was suggested as the result of a met-analysis performed by Sperduti, Delaveau, Fossati Nadelfound (2011), recognising that the bilateral insular cortex, premotor and primary somatosensory cortex are only active during the production of voluntary movements (Ciccarelli et al. 2005; Francis et al. 2009; Tatsuya et al. 1999 and therefore experiences of self-agency. The bilateral insular cortex is of particular interest in this study as it has been noted in the impairment of attribution of self-agency in schizophrenic patients, and is correlated with positive symptoms. (Wylie and Tregellas 2010, Voss et al. 2010) Although the high level of comorbidity between Schizophrenia and Pathological Gambling is well documented, the effect of agency has not been studied directly in relation to the disorders, so results are difficult to predict. However, this area of study is worthwhile as it establishes the significance of screening patients with Schizophrenia for gambling disorders and helps to detect the aspects of the population that may place these patients at particular threat of developing pathological gambling. Patients who exhibit both these disorder have been found to respond less favourably to treatment, and may experience longer and more frequent durations in hospital, due to poor response and adherence to medication; this increases both the cost and encumbrance to society. Other negative consequences include increased aggression, alcoholism, depression, homelessness and likelihood of becoming a victim of crime. (Green, Drake, Brunette, Noordsy, 2007, Desai Potenza, 2009). The stress caused by gambling disorders, such as financial and relationship problems, may increase the risk of episodes of psychosis. (Borras Huguelet, 2007) Discovering reliable therapies for this group is of importance for future research because current research trials developing treatment for gambling addictions usually do not permit the inclusion of participant who have been diagnosed with a psychoticdisorder such as Schizophrenia; so far there has been no clinical studies of treatments for individuals with these co-occuring disorders. (Enrique Echeburà ºaa,b,*, Montserrat Gà ³mezc, Montserrat Freixac) 2011. Most significantly, this research could provide insight into the brain regions and theoretical processes involved in the maintenance of gambling disorders, in a population in which it is not only incredibly prevalent but also particularly harmful.

McDonalds: Evolution of the Food Industry Essay -- Management

McDonald's: Evolution of the Food Industry History McDonald's has had a global impact on the food industry. McDonald's developed a revolutionary idea known today as fast-food. This impact began in 1930 when Maurice and Richard McDonald left New Hampshire seeking to make a fortune in Hollywood, started up a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino. Unlike so many other food-service operations at the time, McDonald's came up with new ideas that turned the usual slow paced dinner into a finely tuned engine. McDonald's offered only a nine-item menu with burgers, French fries, shakes, and pies. They also eliminated seating, and used paper and plastic utensils instead of glass and porcelain. Like Henry Fords assembly line, McDonald's incorporated this idea into their food service, letting them serve hamburgers in less then sixty seconds. The menu was extensively cheaper then competitors which due to the above changes. Although the McDonald's business was doing well, it wasn't until 1954 when Ray Kroc saw the operation that it started to develop into the McDonald's of today. Ray Kroc was a fifty-two year old milk-shake machine salesman at the time and decided to check out McDonalds due to their odd order of eight milk shake mixers for one restaurant. Most of Kroc's customers purchased only one milk shake mixer, and a max of two. Kroc was curious to see what kind of operation needed the capacity to churn so many milk shakes. What Kroc saw that day in 1954 when he pulled up to McDonald's was like nothing he had ever seen. Kroc is quoted as saying "This had to be the most amazing merchandising operation I'd ever seen." Although the McDonald brothers were content with their restaurant, Kroc saw the future and where this idea ... ...'s now knows how important cleanliness is to customers in deciding where to eat. Another interesting look into the future of McDonalds is the ability to bring your laptop into the restaurant and surf the internet while you eat. This new technology brought by McDonald's is in hope of attracting new customers and building customer loyalty. The target of this move is aimed at the younger generation, and the business person on the go. McDonald's has already built a few of these innovative restaurants in early 2003. McDonald's has also opened a few of the innovative restaurants called McCafe. These new cafà © type shops will not resemble that of any other normal McDonalds. The customers will get to choose from premium coffees, muffins, pastries, bagels, and McMuffins. McDonalds believes that the McCafe will do well because of the popularity of McDonald's breakfast.

Allegory in Edward Albees The American Dream Essay -- Edward Albee Am

Allegory in Edward Albee's The American Dream Our understanding of Edward Albee's achievement in The American Dream (1960) has come a long way since 1961 when Martin Esslin hailed it as a "brilliant first example of an American contribution to the Theatre of the Absurd"1 and 1966 when Nicholas Canaday, Jr. labeled it America's "best example of what has come to be known as 'the theatre of the absurd.'"2 The shrewdest assessment of absurdism in Albee is by Brian Way, who shows convincingly that, although Albee has successfully mastered the techniques of theatrical absurdism, he has nevertheless shied away from embracing the metaphysics that the style implies.3 That is, Albee knows that Theatre of the Absurd is "an absorption-in-art of certain existentialist and post-existentialist philosophical concepts having to do, in the main, with man's attempts to make sense for himself out of his senseless position in a world which makes no sense."4 But Albee nevertheless "believes in the validity of reason--that things can be proved, or that events can be shown to have definite meanings."5 Structurally, the chief evidence for this claim is that Albee's plays, including The American Dream, move toward resolution, denouement and completion rather than the circularity or open-endedness typical of Theatre of the Absurd.6 In regard to content, Way's point may be extended by contrasting the implications of the titles of The American Dream and Eugene Ionesco's The Bald Soprano, an absurdist drawing room comedy to which Albee's play seems indebted in many ways. Ionesco's title derives from the Fireman's passing reference to the woman who "always wears her hair in the same style."7 She is not a character in the play, nor is she ever referre... ...ampshire, where Wilder was a mentor and Albee was an aspiring poet. Richard E. Amacher implies that this comment was important in Albee's turning to playwriting. (Edward Albee (New York: Twayne, 1969), p. 19) Although Wilder is referred to negatively in Albee's Fam and Yam (along with Miller, Williams and Inge), that may be because he represents the dramatic establishment that a new playwright like Albee must challenge, rather than because Albee dislikes him or his drama. The intellectual and dramaturgical relationships between Albee and Wilder would make an interesting study. 24. Michael E. Rutenberg, Edward Albee: Playwright in Protest (New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1969), pp. 230, 232. Albee adds, "There might be an allegory to be drawn, and have the fantasy child the revolutionary principles of this country that we haven't lived up to yet." Ibid., p. 230.

Beowulf and Illiad Essay

Stories like Beowulf and the Iliad seem hard to believe, far-fetched, and exaggerated even though they can relate to a cultures past. Even so, both stories have great examples of fighting, victory, and glory. â€Å"Now though I may win my perfect glory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Line 64 Homer) This quote helps show the desire Achilles has for glory. â€Å"I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old, now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me. (Line 607-611 Beowulf Poet) This quote shows Beowulf has a similar desire for fame and glory, along with the confidence to be victorious. Both relate the tales of a hero, and as we follow them, we learn about them in the process. The story of Beowulf seems too good to be true in a sense. As you read, you notice that every woman is beautiful, every warrior is good and every cause is worth risking life and limb for. What is realistic is that every human being wants to be loved and accepted while also being the hero. King Hrothgar is a fatherly example that deserves the love that Beowulf has for him. Hail, Hrothgar!†¦ My youth have been filled with glory. Now Grendel’s name has echoed in our land: Sailors have brought us stories of Herot, the best†¦When the moon hangs in skies the sun had lit, light and life fleeing together. † (Line 140-148 Beowulf Poet) This quote shows the fondness that the king and Beowulf have for each other, and it shows a comparison of light and life. In the case of Achilles in the Iliad, everything is a bit more believable. The theme of life and death is brought to the reader’s attention when Patroclus is killed. As a result, Hector is also killed because of Patroclus’s death. Achilles isn’t perfect, along with other characters such as Hector and King Agmemmon. These faults make this story more realistic and believable, while also adding truth to the story. Bad decisions are made, such as Achilles allowing his good friend, Patroclus, to enter battle and be killed. â€Å"My greatest friend is gone: Patroclus, comrade in my arms, whom I held dear above all others- dear as myself – now gone, lost; Hector cut him down, despoiled him of my own arms, massive and fine, a wonder in all man’s eyes. (Line 13-18 Homer) In this quote is an example of life and death and how it made Achilles wants revenge on Hector. This also gives Achilles a type of â€Å"power† to choose whether to take Hector’s life. Beowulf is humble, and although he has the personality of a hero more than Achilles, he does not see his own value or his own significance. Achilles, on the other hand, could not be more proud. His awareness and consideration of his own skills and his own value are an obvious difference to the humility and mildness of Beowulf. Do not attempt to keep me from the fight, though you love me; you cannot make me listen. † (Line 70 Beowulf Poet) This quote shows an example of Achilles attitude toward himself and others when it comes to a fight. This also shows how Beowulf has more good in him then Achilles. Beowulf having a personality with great goodness, makes the decision to fight the greatest evil (Grendel) with only his hands. â€Å"My hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster God must decide who will be given to deaths cold grip. (Line 172-175 Beowulf Poet) This quote supports Beowulf’s fight against evil, and how the fight will determine life and death. Beowulf and the Iliad are stories of great heroes. They take us through their stories and battles while teaching the reader about them along the way. The Iliad is easier to believe, while Beowulf seems too good to be true. Both stories relate to the cultures past and teach us about each character. Beowulf and the Iliad battle through evil and relate to each other through life and death.