Poetrys Influences on the Harlem Renaissance Essay Example for Free

Poetrys Influences on the Harlem Renaissance EssayRacial equality has been the topic of many works for centuries. Many of those works werent written by those actu aloney affected by inequality. During the 1920s African Americans began to express their opinions on the issue more frequently through the arts. Poetry was among the more or less prominent forms of art used for spreading equality and justice. Poets like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay wrote many poems that spoke on equality in society. African Americans felt betrayed after the civilised war. They had given their lives and after the war nothing had changed (Cartwright, The Harlem Renaissance). They were still not treated equal and didnt get paid as much as any other worker. During the 1920s they started a cultural and racial motilityment in Harlem, brand-new York called the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a duration of growth of African Americans during the 1920s. During this season ideas on equality and freedom spread through the African American community like wild fire. African Americans were expressing their emotions about racial equality in many distinct ways (Rau 167).Some chose rime almost chose painting or jazz. They used these arts to highlight the injustices they saw in their e veryday lives. 1. Langston Hughes Langston Hughes is hotshot the most well know poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes was born in 1902 in Joplin, Missouri (Rampersad, Hughess Life and life story). His beginnings were more humble than most. At a very young age Langstons Hughes parents divorced. later on the divorce Hughes moved to Lincoln with his grandmother. This is where he began to write poetry (The Academy of American poets, Langston Hughes).Hughes ideals were closely based virtually his grandfather, who was a militant abolitionist (Rampersad, Hughess Life and Career) His poetry was influenced by many poets who shared his colorful writing style (The Academy of Ame rican poets, Langston Hughes). Hughes lived his life as he wrote, with passion. After high school Hughes spent a year in Mexico with his father who disliked his passion for writing and urged him to stop. At that time Hughes was beginning to get published in a number of places like magazines and childrens book.During this time he was noticed unless W. E. B Dubois. Upon Hughes comeback to America he enrolled in Colombia University in New York. Hughes did not like the atmosphere at Colombia so after a year he left. After Columbia he moved to New York and began work on a freighter. This job took him to many places. He traveled to the coast of Africa, Spain, and Paris. ( Rampersad, Hughes Life and Career)He finish up staying in Paris for a couple of months this is where he began practicing a new style of poetry there. Hughes writing style was a serve different from the others.Throughout his life time Hughes wrote many poems that showed common experiences that all African Americans sh ared. Hughes never discussed the differences between his life and the lives of other Africans Americans. His poetry always showed the negative and arrogant sides of the African American experience. Hughes may have seen both sides of African Americans but when it came to issues between African Americans and Caucasians he had strong opinions. He (Rampersad, Hughess Life and Career) wrote many poems that touched on the controversial topics of that time.In poems like I, Too and The nergo speaks rivers Hughes talked about the struggles that African Americans went through. (Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, Langston Hughes). Hughes used his dislike for Caucasians a great deal in his poetry. 2. Countee Cullen Countee Cullen might not have reached the fame that Langston Hughes has over the eld but his poetry was just as influential. Countee Cullen was born in May 30, 1903 in New York when his grandmother died in 1918 Cullen was put under the custody of Reverend F redrick A.Cullen. Cullens connection to the Salem Methodist Episcopal church through Reverend Cullen hardened him in the center of black politics and culture at the age of 15. This gave him a more unconventional education. Instead of learning regular writing and math like other children his age he was taught about black ideals. Most of his education was provided by completely white influences. This gave him a well rounded hear at racism. (Poetry Foundation, Countee Cullen). This was often shown in his writing.Cullens writing technique would never directly attack Caucasians like other poets during the Harlem renaissance. He was a new vocalize for the African Americans, one that was actually listened too Cullen graduated from New York University in 1925 as Phi Beta Kappa. At that time he was already writing some of the acclaimed poems published in books by Harper and Brothers Color (1925), Copper Sun (1927). He won first prize in the Witter Bynner Contest in 1925.Graduating with a Harvard University M. A. egree in 1926, the poet traveled to France as a Guggenheim Fellow(A grant). Upon his return in 1928, he conjoin Yolanda Du Bois, daughter of W. E. B. Du Bois. She divorced him two years later, saying that he told her he was sexually attracted to men. From 1934 on, Cullen taught English and French at the Frederick Douglas Junior High School, though he declined a Creative Literature invitation from Fisk University in Nashville. In 1940 he married an old friend, Ida Mae Roberson. (The Harvard Square Library, Countee Cullen He died in 1946 of gastrointestinal disorderCullens upbringing helped his poetry reach both African American and Caucasian audiences. Cullen was fitted to do something most African American poets in the Harlem renaissance couldnt and that was reaching both sides. Cullen was against the way that African Americans were treated but he as well understood not all Caucasians had the same ideals. He was brought up with Caucasians in his life whi ch causes him to show a less offensive type of poetry. Cullens poetry often presented the sad side of an African Americans life (Poetry Foundation, Countee Cullen).The poem The Little Brown Boy tells of the death of a young black boy (Nelson and Smethurst, Countee Cullen poems). This shows the regularity of persuasion he used. Countees poetrys influence reached many and his voice spread far. 3. Claude McKay In 1889 Claude McKay was born in sunny beastly, Jamaica to peasant farmers. His trim class up bringing taught him how to love himself and have pride in his African heritage. Similar to Cullen, McKay was unconventionally taught as well. McKay was home schooled by his older pal and neighbors. He studied romantics and many other European based things.In adult hood he moved to Kingston which would be the first time that he had actually experienced racism he was immediately disgusted with the way that African Americans were treated and returned home disgusted. Once he returned to sunny vile he published his first verse of poetry. (Academy of American Poets, Claude McKay) After hearing about Booker T. Washingtons Tuskegee institute he decided to move to Alabama and enroll. There he sees American racism for the first time. McKay took a lot of his influence for his writing from similar poets to Langston (University of Illinois, Claude McKays Life).As archean as 1912 he had published his first volume of verse, Songs of Jamaica, which had been widely praised and had won a medal for poetry. McKay slowly decided not to return to Jamaica and stayed in America. In 1914 he left college and began work menial jobs typical of the African American in the Northern cities of America at that time. At different periods he worked as wheelwright, porter, dishwasher, waiter, and longshoreman. McKay didnt take his jobs very seriously they were just a matter of earning enough cash to quit for a while and write.McKays interest in politics led him to the socialist like many other a rtist. He was associate editor of The Liberator, a socialist U. S. journal of art and literature. In 1923-24mckay went to Moscow, Russia to be a part of the Bolshevik Revolution. As a African American, McKay was used to show the soviets commitment to racial equality, and he was treated like royalty, being richly entertained and exhibited on platforms with the most famous revolutionary leaders. But McKay was skeptical of all this, though he had sympathy for the lives lost in to the Revolution.Claude traveled the piece trying to find a peaceful place to write. He went to Morocco and France. In 1928 he published his famous novel, Home to Harlem, which was a national best-seller in the U. S. and was this instant a literary sensation. ( Though McKay reached great success in his life he died impoverished and unappreciated. Claude McKays experience with the racism in Alabama was the terms for a lot of his writing. McKay more geared towards the empowerment of blacks and less toward equa lity. McKay wanted to show that African Americans werent just equal but they were better.A lot of his poetry was written to show how much power African Americans had. (Academy of American Poets, Claude McKay) in the poem If We Must Die McKay writes about how African Americans must cope as hard as they can even if the end result is death. This poem says a lot about McKays style of writing. In the years after the Harlem renaissance African Americans expressed themselves more often than ever before. The Harlem renaissances effect on African Americans was obvious. Free ideas were flowing and battles were being fought for equal rights.In the thirties no one had much money so African Americans had even less opportunities for work. Each of these poets had a different style and finesse but there messages were all the same. They all grew up as African Americans and they all experienced racism in some way shape or form. They all took those situations and used them to empower those around the m. Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes might have all had different writing styles but they all played a major role in the growth of African Americans in the United States of America.

Girls dancing Essay Example for Free

Girls dancing EssayThe failure of Parris to determine a cause for the girls dancing leads to another key char hazarder, Reverend nip of Beverly. From the importation he enters the act, he is portrayed as a man of arrogance and over confidence. Yet, he seems embarrassed when Proctor praises him, contradicting his exterior demeanor. In the early credit line of the play, Hale is a force behind the conviction of so-called witches and he is continually probing people to confess. Like most of the other characters in the play, Hale himself is also afraid of the unknown, despite his experience with incidents of this kind in the past. He remarks that no matter what religious status an individual may occupy, they may whitewash be accused of dealing with the devil. In a clear contrast to the beginning of the play he appears uncertain if the girls are telling the truth, but is antipathetic to show his suspicions until the very end of the play. Tragically, his suspicions are told excess ively late, as the trials no longer remain in his hands. His reluctance to speak what he actually believed in condemned many much people, which means that Hale is a key figure in showing how innocent people can be convicted and murdered so comfortably by the girls.John Proctor plays the most prominent role in the play, as Arthur milling machine gradually brings him into the affray as more and more people become convicted, one of whom is his wife, Elizabeth. Proctor is regarded as a strong figure in the society of capital of Oregon, yet his past life continues to haunt him however, as he has committed the sin of adultery with none other than Abigail Williams herself before the play. Once the trials begin, Proctor realises he can stop Abigails rampage through Salem, if he confesses to his sin of adultery.This would ruin his write up in the society, so he is reluctant to confess. This likens Proctor to Reverend Parris at this stage, as he they are both tendency on keeping their goo d reputations. Towards the end of the play however, this changes as Proctor is prepared to lose his reputation by confessing to adultery and finding the truth. His confession arrives too late however, as the matters in the romance have gone too far. This now likens him to Reverend Hale, as both of them form an invisible alliance in the courtroom, as both know that Abigail is manipulating the judges and is clearly lying.Proctor is also portrayed as an un-Christian being in the mind of the court when Hale questions him closely his Christianity. This lack of religious belief in him is a key factor in the court proceedings once Proctor is brought before them. However Miller creates sympathy with the 20th century audience for Proctor by creating hostility towards other characters. The sympathy is also shown at the end of the play when Proctor refuses to afford up his name in order to establish the truth.This gives the audience the impression that Proctor is a man of integrity and is w illing to give up everything for the truth. examine Danforth is the key figure in the condemnation of the accused persons. He is, like Parris, portrayed as a man intent on keeping his reputation rather than finding the truth. He enters the play as the trials begin, having no background knowledge of what has gone on in the society before the trials involving Proctor and Abigail, and has no knowledge of peoples ways of thinking and attitudes towards others.These factors ultimately are the main reasons why people are convicted in Danforths court, and not because of witchcraft. During the court case in act three involving Proctor and Abigail, all the truthful evidence that Proctor gives against Abigail is ignored by Danforth, as he is easily distracted by Abigails lies. This shows that Danforth and the courts justice is blemished. The flawed justice of the court is another clear reason of how Salems society is able to convict people so easily.He also expects people to side with the cou rt by saying A person is either with this court or against it. This shows that if you were against the court then you would be persecuted. During the case, his justice is frequently questioned, which angers him, as he is not used to having his justice questioned.. Danforths belief in the truth fluctuates, as there are points where he begins to doubt Abigails story such as where he studies Abigail for a minute. However, to wash away all of Danforths doubts Abigail pretends to have visions.This works on every occasion, and therefore proves that the courts justice is again flawed if it can be manipulated so easily by a mere 17-year-old Christian girl on a quest for love. The cause many people would believe of the outpouring of accusations and convictions in Salem would be Abigail Williams, but the detail that surrounds the events is immense. There are many different key figures surrounding the deaths and all play a large part in the events that took place after the dancin occurred.

Teaching Essays E-Learning Students Education

Teaching Essays E-Learning Students EducationE-Learning Students EducationAbstract With the enormous spreading of e- instruction over the withstand 15 years, tint of e- education has been often criticized and tied up to poor provision. It has become authorised for graduate(prenominal) education institutions to show the ability to provide high pure tone programmes. A variety of perspectives on what should be mooted when evaluating the lineament of e- tuition. Some studies fool addressed this topic from a more comprehensively view while clean(prenominal) stupefy looked at single perspective. This accept aims at exploring this subject to develop a framework of critical factors necessary for the evaluation of theatrical role in e- instruction system, and to look the relevancy and importance of the E- study in Saudi-Arabian Arabia. Accordingly, the literary works of this topic was reviewed tho rough to identify the factors that constitute the evaluation framework and 12 factors acquit been addressed. The empirical research was lying on a methodo uniform numeric approach where data was collected from learners in Saudi Arabia based from their experience in E-learning.IntroductionNowa days, higher education is experiencing big challenges fuck offn by many emerging trends, among which is the insane asylum of means of online learning. Accordingly, many universities all over the world atomic number 18 taking contrasting moves to cope with the new requirements many universities were established as purely online learning providers, early(a) conventional universities launched new online programs, and some introduced online learning programmes to enhance some of their already existing programs.E-Learning redefines the teaching/learning outgrowthes and the overall learning environment. It change the old university system to a new plant of practices by introducing signifi fuckingt changes in the federal agencys of its main key p assigners lear ners, staff members and the institution as an entity (Mendenhall, 2001).The change which e-learning brings to higher education accompanied by its vast spreading as an accepted learning economy mode has been al behaviors challengeed by its components who tie this type of learning to poor timbre. Therefore, studying the different aspects of evaluating the quality of e-learning has been rising as an trend that worth researching and enhancing (Kistan, 2005 Wirth, 2005).A big range of perspectives on what factors to address when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Nevertheless most of those studies either addressed few factors to a single aspect or redact ( solelyy, 2004) or addressed multiple aspects but without looking at the e-learning institution comprehensively (Cohen and Ellis, 2004).In view of the lack of a holistic framework of factors to measure the quality of e-learning programs this study aims hopefully at contributing to the body of knowledge in E -learning practice. investigate objectiveThe main principle of this study is to evaluate the quality of e-learning by means of investigating the related critical factors that been identified by researchers and practitioners in this field. It also intends to study the importance of such framework in the e-learning practise in Saudi Arabia.The study aims also at understanding how the key learners and faculty members differ in perceiving the importance of such factors on impacting the quality of an e-learning program?Research QuestionThe research intends to answer in broad perspective the following questions as wellWhat are the factors which are affecting the quality of e-learning? In this question the researcher are trying to address the quality factors which affecting the success of E-learning in Saudi Arabia based on 12 factors have been address from the literature.How can we increase the e-learning practice in Saudi Arabia? The second question are to know what is the best way to increase the number of E-learning practise in Saudi Arabia and what do the learner think based on their experience.Dissertation organizeThis dissertation includes six chapters in addition to its introduction. Below is a brief definition of eachChapter two outlining the background education of the research to puts the reader into the perspective of this study. The chapter includes a discussion of the emerging trends in higher education that have pushed for the introduction of e-learning and discusses broadly the quality issue in this type of learning. Chapter three covers the literature review of the e-learning, i.e. critical factors for evaluating the quality of e-learning programs. The chapter starts with identifying the distinctions amidst e-learning and tralatitious education, discusses in details the definition of the Quality concept in higher education generally and in e-learning in specific. Chapter four Cover the research methodology such as the process of data collectio n and analysis which will be social functiond.Chapter Five we will be describing and analysing the data and presends the data gathered. Results of the analysis are then discussed. Chapter six this chapter summarizes the study, lay out the conclusion and ends up with recommendations for future research. BibliographyResearch MethodologyIn this study the researcher are going to collect his data by quantitative method where a questionnaire will be designed based on the factors which have been discovered from the literature review and then will be sent to random group in Saudi Arabia. The Data later on will be analysis to show the result and the findings.Saudi Arabia BackgroundSaudi Arabia which is the birth place of Islam and home to Islams two holiest places in Mecca and Medina is located in the Middle East bordering the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. The kings official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi State was founded in 1932. It is a large Middle East ern nation that ranks as one of the worlds leading producers of petroleum, and exports more oil than any other nation. The political science is monarchy type and the monarch is both the chief of state and dot of government and administratively it is divided into 13 provinces and the constitution is governed according to Islamic Law. The countrys legal system is based on Sharia virtue and several secular codes have been introduced. Commercial disputes are handled by special committee.Saudi Arabia has an oil based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the worlds proven petroleum reserves. It non completely ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, but also plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum area accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. It is believed that or so 40% of GDP comes from the private sector and roughly 5.5 million foreign employees play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors.The researcher have carried this research in Saudi of same reason which we are going to describe them in details asThe access as the research is a Saudi nationality and have good access to the people in Saudi Arabia where he can collect more information and find a good respond set out than carrying a research in any other place.The Language The research are multi language as he can speak Arabic let tongue and English so he will not face any problem to collect the dataThe Information The researcher understating the website in Saudi Arabia so he can do good research and will not spend too much time to understand the situation and cultural factors. The Organisation of the Education System in KSAThe education system in Saudi Arabia has five divisions. They are kindergarten for children from three to six years old, easy (6-11), intermediate (12-14), secondary level (15-18), and university level (typically 19-24, d epending on the subjects studied, and the form of higher education). The secondary stage is the final phase of general education in the country. It is a three-year period, following on from the intermediate stage. Students are admitted to this stage if they have obtained the intermediate stage certificate. Normally students follow secondary stage education between the ages of 16 and 18 years. This stage is considered the most important period in the general education ladder because students who successfully complete this stage are eligible to plug in any higher education institution.The administration of the education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is highly centralised. All educational policies are subject to government control and supervision by the Supreme Council of Education. Textbooks and teaching tools are uniform throughout the Kingdom. The four principal authorities responsible for education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are the Ministry of Education the General P residency for Girls Education the Ministry of Higher Education and the General Organisation of Technical Education and Vocational Training.ConclusionIn this chapter we have gave a sample overview about the research and what are the reason to carry this research as there are a lack in understand the practice of E-learning program in Saudi Arabia and the research are trying to develop a good understanding to this n the information of other study have carried in similar field ay of the Success factors of the quality for E-learning in Saudi Arabia. Also in this chapter we have describe the dissertation structure and the research question which are going to measure what are the main factors for the success of learning Quality. Finally the Saudi Background have been analyse to open up the reader the information to understand where the study have carried on and why.Chapter TwoIntroductionThe main objective of this chapter is to put forward the point of view of this study by laying out its background information. The chapter starts with presenting the emerging trends in higher education that have lead to the introduction of e-learning. It then continues by explaining the quality issue associated with this type of learning. The chapter also includes an overview of the background information about the e-learning in Saudi Arabia.Education An overviewAccording to a recent publication by the UNESCO, the education sector in general comprised of all of its constitutes including the higher education is experiencing new trends that exert on it new pressures and challenges (Hernes, 2003).Those trends are either classified under demography such as the continuing grow and increase of population, particularly young populations, migration between countries, increase of life expectancy, or are due to globalization where nations in general and learners in particular flow across borders without limits, allowing learners to have easy access to the best universities in the developed c ountries. Finally and perhaps the most important trend, is the knowledge growth accompanied by advanced information and communication technologies which have changed forever the way information is obtained, stored, used and displayed.Despite the divide between one country to another, or within the same country, more knowledge development opportunities have been created. Information technologies offer the possibility of modularization and customization of education through the use and re-use of learning objects focusing on learners, possibility of engaging learners more than ever and because changing the role of the faculty from a teacher to a facilitator.In response to the challenges described above, the growth of e-learning programme with its different modes in higher education is apparent and best reflected by the increasing number of e-colleges or e-universities, or the increasing number of higher education institutions that introduced e-learning programs and definitely by the g rowth of enrolment rate among learners.A study of e-learning in the United States in 2005, suggested that e-learning is shrewd the higher education institutions both in size and breadth and that e-learning is part of the mainstream of higher education. Figures of the study showed that sixty-five percent of schools offering graduate face-to-face billets also offer graduate notes online. Sixty-three percent of schools offering undergraduate face-to-face courses also offer undergraduate courses online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Masters degree programs, 44% also offer Masters programs online. Among all schools offering face-to-face melodic line degree programs, 43% also offer online Business programs. The same study showed an increase of around 20% of learners enrolment rate compared to the previous year (Allen and Seaman 2005).For different reasons, those statistics do not seem to be applicable to other countries. The USA is certainly the worlds largest provider of e- learning however the market for e-learning and lifelong learning is also growing in Europe. Moreover, The Arab world, which represents 5 per cent of the worlds overall population, has entered the 21st century with a striking statistics which shows that it has only 0.5 per cent of the worlds Internet users, which obviously impacts number of its e-learning initiatives and enrolled learners in such type of learning systems (UNDP, 2002).Using Computers in LearningThese days, computers have become important educational tool kit. Many educational organizations and training centres rely on it to deliver information and learning knowledge. However, using computers in education has a long history and it has deep-rooted in the field. The idea of using computers in training first appeared during domain War 2, in that the US military trained farmers to use weapons and other equipment via this systematic approach (Horton, 2000).The first real use of the computer in educational organizations was seen in the 1960s, when the University of Illinois together with the Data Corporation, developed the PLATO system. PLATO is a system which enabled the learning and understanding of complex subjects. Apples Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating system have since provided a standard platform on which programmers can develop training programs (Horton, 2000)Definition of E-learningE-Learning refers to the employment of information and communication technologies to support the development and delivery of learning in academic and professional development institutions. E-Learning is used widely with other terms such as online learning, technology-mediated learning, web-based learning, computer-based learning, etc.several definitions of e-learning has been developed reflecting the diversity in its application, used tools and associated technologies, whatever definition was used, the meaning of e-learning always contains two fundamental terms Learning and Technology. In a way or another , all definitions of e-learning foretell the learning that takes place with the support of multimedia objects, the internet and technological applications as a delivery mode. One of the highly used definitions of e-learning asEducation via the Internet, electronic network or standalone computer it refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn, where communication device have been used and content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video, TV and CD-ROM, DVD etc as hold (LTSN Generic Centre, 2004).A latest definition that uses the terminology of E-learning higher education has been be by Ally (2004) asThe access of the Internet to use learning material to interact with the content, instructor, and other learners and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to obtain knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to develop from the learning experience.According to Horton (2000) E-learning is defined as instruction delivered on a computer by way of CD-ROM, DVD, Internet, or intranet with the following featuresIncludes content related to the learning objective. Uses instructional methods such as example and practice to back up the learner. Uses media feature such as words and pictures to deliver the content and methods. Builds new skill and knowledge linked to individual learning goals or to modify organizational performance Feature of E-learningEaton (2001) outlines that e-learning is characterized with the following featuresComputer-mediated classrooms faculty members and learners communicate through the computer means making face to face fundamental interaction less frequent Separation in time between communications communication between faculty members and learners can be also in asynchronous modes Availability of services online learners are not only provided by online learning experience but also with online services such as advising, registration, and library services. indication between e-Lea rning and Conventional EducationTo understand the quality of e-learning requires full understanding of how this type of learning differs from the conventional style of education and the changes it brings to higher education institutions. This segment presents in a broad perspective the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education which shape higher education nowadays. Such distinctions will be taken into circumstance when materializing a definition for quality in e-learning, and deciding what to be taken into consideration for evaluating the quality of this type of learning.The following areas were highly repeated in the literature as key distinctions between e-learning and traditional educationEducational Changes McLaughlin and Oliver (2000) believe however that the new technologies have positive impact on the learning environment where more choices for forms of learning are provided to faculty and learners. This includes the delivery and presentation of content in m ore fictile and variety of modes, the provision of interactivity, engagement, communication, feedback, communication and collaboration tools. Weller (2000) sees that those types of new choices will facilitate the quick use of courses for easier customization and individualization resulting in more satisfied learners.Change in Faculty RolesWith the growing amount of knowledge and information every day, and the availability of an huge amount of content over the internet, faculty members will not continue to be seen as the source of knowledge, instead, according to Cashion and Palmieri (2002), faculty members are expected to direct learners where to find the most relevant knowledge and provide them with tools that teach them how to learn.Different Types of LearnersOblinger and Oblinger (2005) have referred to young learners of today as the winnings Generation who grew with familiarity with technological products and facilities. Internet access, computer and electronic games have been a daily activity of learners lives. Learners todays have different expectations with respect to their learning styles they prefer to experience things instead of reading or hearing about them, they expect immediate response to questions or actions, they appreciate interactivity and dialogue (Pashuk, 2005). Learners of today consider themselves as customers who demand to be served high quality services. They have consumers attitudes towards their academic program and any of its services (Wager, 2005). E-Learning institutions should be arranged to different types of learners, not only in their preferences and expectations but also in their level of variety.Change in Administrators RoleAdministrators of an academic institution are usually referred to as staffs who are not participating in direct teaching or research work, their role is usually to checker that the institutions systems are running properly. Administrators are responsible to create, maintain and rectify an environment that helps learners and faculty achieve their academic goals. Administrators of an e-learning institution can be involved in selecting, orienting and preparing qualified faculty for courses, administer and manage the technological facilities at the institution, provide different types of faculty and learners support from the technical helpdesk, library services, financial aid, etc. Administrators can also be involved in the planning, quality assurance, performance management of an activity to help the institution serve its learners better (Williams, 2003).Reliance on InfrastructureAlthough e-Learning is basically about learning rather than about technology the technological infrastructure of e-learning programs is still the critical and primary component of the education systems, e-Learning is characterized by its high independence on the validity, and reliability of its infrastructure which have the role of facilitating and providing accessibility of the learning/teaching process a nd its support services between faculty members and learners (Pashuk, 2005).Institutional DemandsE-Learning institutions must set up their systems, policies and procedures to deal with issues resembling data security from both internal and external threats as well as copyrights from the learners, faculty and the institutional perspectives. Developing a high quality online course will not only require the intellectual contribution of faculty members, it rather involves other key team members from the same institution or from partnered institutions. secure issues are usually linked to revenue sharing models, especially when the course developers are contracted or granted any incentives (Mendenhall, 2001).Advantages of using E-learning Methods. As we know, traditional education requires effort, time and money that lead to some difficulties in achieving the goals of learning. On the other hand, e-learning contributes to the spread of knowledge among people around the globe by easy, l oyal and comfortable means that helps people to attain their personal learning objectives. As a result, several educational organisations have proceeded along the e-learning approach to facilitate and improve the process of learning. In this section, several advantages of using an e-learning approach will be discussed. The author has divided the advantages into two main categories, advantages for learners, and advantages for instructors.Advantages for learners. According to Mayer (2003) he has conclude the normal advantages that learners can gain from e-learning. The following list illustrates the main advantages for learnersLearners can get the best tuition available The extensive popularity of e-learning programme makes learning more flexible and gives freedom to learners to choose the best course which fit their needs. Training time. Web-based and media training are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week which allows learners to study when they need it without any condition s or constraints. They do not need to wait for tuition sessions or specified time to touch.Learners set the schedule. Learners can study at their own time and they can take as many lessons as they need depending on their time and their schedule. For example, some of them may wish to study full-time while others want to study a few hours a week.Learners get access to the instructor. Communication with the tutor(s) through web based e-learning systems can be more helpful than the traditional classroom approach. Training adapts the learners style Many different learning styles can be integrated within an e-learning environment and the learner is able to adapt his or her style or series of styles which they prefer and in the way they feel is most efficient.Learners get quick feedbackThere is no need to wait while for the results and degree of the course, the results can be obtained immediately.Learners treated more evenly A degree of anonymity is ensuring, therefore personal character istics are not considered.Saves time and money for learners Hidden costs are eliminated in that here are no travelling fees, parking charge, etc. It is also efficient for time in that almost all the time is used on learning and no time is wasted on travelling. Produces positive effects Learners are constantly improving their other skills, such as computer skills, internet technologies and how they apply the skills in their jobs.Advantages for Instructors, According to Mayer (2003) the most common advantages for instructors can gain from e-learning areTutors can teach anywhere Tutors are able to teach the course from any location. All they need is connection to the internet.Tutors travel less Almost all the time is spent on publishing, planning, designing, producing the courses with no time wasted on travelling to attend the class.Course can be dynamic Tutors have the opportunity to deal with course stuff at any time and in any place such as Office, home etc.Tutors save time Time spe nt in preparing the course material such as handouts, having course account printed are eliminated.ConclusionIn this chapter we have cover a wide range on academic study to understand this subject as first with the definition of E-learning and what do we mean by E-learning, followed by another important part which is what are the deferent between E-learning and the Conventional education. Also the researcher has include brief explanation about the history of E-Learning and the feature of E-stand its practise.Moreover, We can see based on the literature there are many advantage of E-learning for the learner for example he can study from anywhere and at any time which are the flexibility of E-learning and also there are an advantage for the instructor as he also can teach from any place and with flexible time schedule.Chapter threeIntroductionIn order to understand what constitutes quality of e-learning and the critical factors that should be addressed when evaluating this type of l earning an understanding of the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education need to be attained. The first section of this chapter is dedicated therefore to explore what changes has been brought to higher education by e-learning. This chapter includes a review for the literature to explore what has been recognized by the researchers and practitioners of this field as key factors that affect the quality of e-learning programs and institutions and therefore should be used to evaluate this type of learning.A list of highly rated and most repeated factors was then generated and categorized to form the basis for a comprehensive framework intended for evaluating quality of e-learning programs which will be used later in the empirical research.Quality in E-learningDefining quality in e-learning and what should be considered when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed during the last 15 years. Despite the important contribution of each of those studies, a comp lete framework for evaluating the quality of e-learning couldnt be addressed. develop frameworks either describe the quality of e-learning program with an importance on the classroom environment only or overlooked some important aspects such as the impact of the institute on the quality of E-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002).E-Learning has been set by governing or accrediting bodies which have developed quality standards, principles or frameworks. Such standards however, were developed to help institutions plan for their E-learning (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002) or as a self assessment tools, so they usually address in general perspective academic standards, quality standards, standards of competence, organizational standards and service standards (Harvey, 1999).According to Vlasceanu et al (2004), the definition of quality in a higher education institution differs with the changes inThe interests and needs of a range of types of stakeholders.The institutions inputs, pro cesses, outputs, purpose, agency and set of goals. The kind and attributes of the academic world. The historical involvement and development of higher education Revisiting the changes that e-learning brought to higher education especially to the role of its fundamental stakeholders learners, educators and administrators, it perhaps becomes logical when we look for a definition of Quality as a concept, to consider these stakeholders first. For this reason, a growing literature in the field of e-learning tends to define Quality of e-learning programs as the degree to which principal stakeholders needs and expectations are consistently satisfied, referring to the learners and educators (Kistan, 2005).Success factors minute success factors (CSFs) are key areas of performance that are essential for the organisation to arrive at its mission (Rockart, 1979). Managers implicitly know and consider these key areas when they set goals and as they direct operational activities and tasks that are important to achieving goals. However, when these key areas of performance are make explicit, they provide a common point of reference for the entire organisation. Thus, any activity or initiative that the organisation undertakes must ensure consistently high performance in these key areas otherwise, the organisation may not be able to achieve its goals and consequently may fail to accomplish its mission. The term Critical Success Factor has been adapted for many different uses. Familiarity with the term is often presented in the context of a project or an initiative. In this context, CSFs describe the cardinal or guiding principles of an effort that must be regarded to ensure that it is successful.The Clarity of course goals Not surprisingly, there has been consensus in the literature that in order to assure the quality of the teaching/learning process designing a course should start with explicit outcomes that identify the expectations from learners and faculty from the very beginning. Learning outcomes which usually drive the effectiveness assessment process of courses should be also challenging and linked directly to the institution overall goals and objectives. (Mayer et al 2000) faculty members have to adjust course content by selecting appropriate learning styles to achieve course goals and learners needs.Inter

The Legitimacy Theory And CSR Disclosure Accounting Essay

The Legitimacy system And CSR Disclosure Accounting EssayThe issue of integrated favorable accountability has got a lot of attention in the business and political world since the early 1990s and the major reason behind this was integrated scandals. Organizations had started to realize that the basis on which they were achieving economic process was unsustainable and consequentlyly at that place was a need to build a affect which would intend at balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability and societal expectations. In circumstance the origin of in corporal affectionate indebtedness can be found in the 1950s and 60s whereby successful companies were trying to link corporate social debt instrument to the power that business holds in union. The theoretical progresses were subdivided in ethical and accountability and the stakeholder approach to strategic prudence.CSR can be distinguished from the three cost which argon included in its designation phrase and these words be collective, social and indebtedness. Hence CSR can be explained as being the responsibilities that a partnership undertakes for the fraternity in spite of appearance which it carry out its operations. To be specific, CSR require a business to identify its stakeholders and include their needs and values in the tactical daytime to day decision making process of the federation. Consequently the society within which a business function and which identify the number of stakeholder to which the organization owe a responsibility can be broad depending on the type industry within which it operate. The different stakeholders to which a company is accountable can be illustrated using the prototype belowhttp//www.industryplayer.com/images/corporate_social_responsibility.jpgFigure 1 stakeholder of a business fit to figure 1, a business must(prenominal) respond to two aspects which evolve during their operating process and these areThe superior of oversight which is represented by the inner cycle and it is both in terms of people and processes.The nature of and the period to which their processes disturb on the society in various areas.The stakeholders who are outside take more come to in the activities undertaken by the company, i.e. nearly of them look at what has the company rattling done. Their objective is to fid out if the company has done good or bad in terms of its yield and services, the treatment it gives it its labour force and in terms of the impact of its activities on the environment and local communities.There suss outms to be an infinite number of definitions of CSR, ranging from the simplistic to the complex, and a range of associated terms and ideas including corporate sustainability, corporate citizenship, corporate social postment, the triple bottom line, socially creditworthy investment, business sustainability and corporate governance. It has been suggested that some researchers distort the definition of corpo rate social responsibility or unexclusive presentation so much that the concept becomes morally unintelligent, conceptually meaningless, and utterly unrecognizable(Orlitzky 2005) or CSR may be regarded as the universal remedy which can solve some(prenominal) social evil such(prenominal) as the global poverty gap, social exclusion and environmental degradation (Van Marrewijk 2003).Some definitions of CSR which are comm hardly accepted areThe nonion of companies looking beyond profits to their role in society is generally termed corporate social responsibility (CSR)..It refers to a company linking itself with ethical values, transparency, employee relations, deference with legal requirements and overall respect for the communities in which they operate. It goes beyond the occasional community service action, still, as CSR is a corporate philosophy that drives strategic decision-making, partner selection, hiring practices and, ultimately, stigmatise fuck offment.1South China Mo rning Post, 2002The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time.2Archie B. Carroll, 1979CSR is about businesses and otherwisewise organizations going beyond the legal obligations to manage the impact they give up on the environment and society. In particular, this could include how organizations interact with their employees, suppliers, customers and the communities in which they operate, as well as the extent they attempt to protect the environment.3The Institute of Directors, UK, 2002Why is CSR relevant today?CSR has become famous in the language and strategy of business and by the growth of dedicated CSR organizations globally. Governments and international governmental organizations are increasingly encouraging CSR.CSR is rapidly becoming a major part of all business management courses and a key global issue because of three trends which are easily identi fiable1. Changing expectations of the societyFollowing modern corporate scandals which endure malarky to the simplification in the trust that the public has on regulatory bodies and companies to control corporate excess, customers and the general public tend to expect more from the company with which they trade.2. Rising prolificacyThis is true non only in developed countries but also in developing countries. Rich customers puddle enough money to select the product they want to buy and as the society need work and inward investment exit not impose severe rules which pull up stakes penalize companies which invest their money elsewhere. In other words if a company is investing its money in CSR activities and for this reasons its product become more costly, the affluent consumers will not punish the organization and they will buy its product.3. GlobalizationNowadays the least mistake made by companies is instantly stimulate known to the public via the media. On top of that, i ncreasing internet communication between people having the same opinion and the consumers, authorize them to spread their message and giving them the opportunity to take embodied action that is they can boycott a product. In other words if a company is taking actions which is against the environment and the society, the public may takes action against the business. correspond to these three trends, more importance is given to brand which lead to the success of companies and thus there is a shift in the relationship between companies and customers whereby the last mentioned are better informed and feel more powerful to put their belief into action. From the standpoint of businesses, the parameters within which they operate are more and more bear on by bottom-up, working class campaigns, NGOs and consumer activists leading to a change in the relationship between consumers and the company.CSR is becoming more and more important in our spendthrift developing world as brands are built on perceptions and concepts which appear to have higher values.Theoretical Frameworks and CSR DisclosureThe Legitimacy TheoryWhile there is no generally accepted theory for explaining CSR revealing practices, recent research in the CSR literature has primarily relied on legitimacy theory (Deegan 2002, p. 285). Indeed, it is probable that legitimacy theory is the most widely used theory to explain environmental and social divine revelations (Campbell, Craven and Shrives, 2003, p. 559) while, gibe to Gray, Kouhy and Lavers (1995), legitimacy theory has an advantage over other theories in that it bears disclosing strategies that organisations may adopt to legitimate their existence that may be empirically tested.The Legitimacy theory, according to Ness Mirza (1991), designates that the voluntary disclosure of social responsibility information can be perceived as a strategy to reduce political costs. Social theory studying has been explained from a Legitimacy Theory perspectiveL T has been considered as widely accepted theory to shed light on social reporting practices of a firm. It states that firms will take actions to ensure that their operations are obvious to be legitimate from the point of view of the society within which the organization is assumed to operate. That is, they will attempt to establish resemblance between social values associated with or indirect by their activities and the norms of acceptable behavior in the wallopingr social system of which they are part.Legitimacy Theory specifies a social contract between the organisation and society. Legitimacy is defined by Lindblom (1992) asa condition or status which exists when an entitys value system is congruent with the value system of the larger social system of which the social system of which the entity is a part. When a disparity, actual or potential, exists between the two value systems, there is a threat to the entitys legitimacy.Hence, Legitimacy Theory implies that managers will not undertake any actions that will be considered as illegitimate in society. By harming in social reporting, they tend to enhance the relevance of the financial statement as well as that of earnings by making people to weigh in the reliability of what is being reported in the financial statements and by providing additional information on issues other than earnings and financial information. This may however redirect the interest of users away from the earnings figure.Institutional theorists (e.g Fogarty, 1992) ob facilitate that organizations need to respond to social expectations. Public expectations have undergone significant changes in the last decades such that profit maximization is not the sole measure of performance expected from the economic entity. There are a lot of implicit and explicit expectations from society vis-a-vis the operations of the organization. According to Heard Bolce (1981), with sensitive societal expectations, it is anticipated that successful business es will react to attend to human, environmental and other social consequences of their activities.In spite of being unregulated, social and green reporting has increased in annual reports of organizations. Empirical tests of the Legitimacy Theory by Hogner (1982) revealed that the extent of social disclosures in the annual reports varied in response to societys expectations of corporate behavior. Deegan Rankin (1996) found that prosecuted firms for environmental charges increased their green reporting while Gray, Kouhy Lavers (1995) found that firms use corporate social reporting to fill the legitimacy gap.It is assumed that the economic entity will have the legitimate right to continue to operate in society to the extent that it fulfils the societal expectations. Otherwise, there will be a breach in the social contract between the entity and the society, and sanctions, such as fines, legal actions, and a fall in the demand of its product, will be taken. Society may revoke the org anizations licence to operate or contract to continue its operations, for instance. Under Legitimacy Theory, not only the rights of investors are considered, but a much bigger picture of the public at large is considered.Furthermore, it is also expected that the organisation for its survival will have to adapt to the changing expectations of society. Downling Pfeffer (1975) refer to communication strategies, that the entity can use in order to legitimate or maintain the legitimacy of its activities. Reference is made to the public disclosure of information, in annual reports, for instance, to let the public know and educate them about the actions and performance of the firm and hence the manipulation of societys expectations, is made. In the same vein, they argue that one of the functions of annual reports would be to legitimate the existence of the organisation. Therefore, Legitimacy Theory proposes a relationship between corporate disclosures and societal expectations, as evidenc ed by a lot of research (Deegan Ratkin (1996) Gray,Kouhy Lavers).Stakeholder TheoryStakeholder theory (Gray, Kouhy Lavers 1995b, p. 53) state that the corporations continued existence requires the support of the stakeholders and their consent are required and hence the activities of the business are adjusted according to that approval. The more powerful the stakeholders, the more the company must adapt. Social disclosure is thus seen as part of the dialogue between the company and its stakeholders.Within the Stakeholders point of view, the success of a business depends on its capacity to balance the differing demands of its various stakeholders. The definition of stakeholder has altered considerably over the past quartette decades. At one end of the range the shareholder was believe the sole or principal stakeholder. This definition was based on arguments proposed by the Noble abide by winner, Mr. Milton Friedmans view. According to him, the sole moral responsibility of a busine ss is to maximize profits.Freeman (1983), however, expands the definition of stakeholder to include a broader selection of constituents including opposing groups such as interest groups and regulators. He defines stakeholders as any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organisations objectives. Stakeholder Theory states that managers ought to serve the interests of all those who have a stake in the firm. Stakeholders include shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers and the communities in which the firm operates a collection which Freeman terms the Big Five. Therefore, all groups in an area in which the firm operates and all individuals in such area are stakeholders.Given that CSR reporting is attempted to underline how the company relates to society in the course of its different social activities, the stakeholder theory can be seen as a guideline which will direct firms to have priggish way of disclosing CSR as they will know what type of actions stakeholders are expecting from them.Corporate GovernanceCorporate governance can be defined as a set of rules and regulations according to which the behavior of a company is affected. Another aspect of it is that it is also concerned with the relationships which exists among different stakeholders of the company and with the goals which the company has in view. Shareholders, display panel of directors, employees, customers, creditors, suppliers, and the community at large are the main stakeholders of a business.Gabrielle ODonovan defines corporate governance as an internal system encompassing policies, processes and people, which serves the needs of shareholders and other stakeholders, by directing and controlling management activities with good business know-how, objectivity, accountability and integrity. Sound corporate governance is reliant on external marketplace commitment and legislation, plus a healthy mesa culture which safeguards policies and processes.An esse ntial part of corporate governance is to create a system that try to decrease or eradicate the principal agent difficulty which will ensure accountability of certain individuals in the business. Corporate governance has several areas of discussion such as the effect of a system of corporate governance in economic efficiency whereby more emphasis has to be put on shareholders welfare.Principles of corporate GovernanceHonesty, trust and integrity, openness, performance orientation, responsibility and accountability, common respect, and commitment to the organization forms an essential part of corporate governance.The most important part in corporate governance is to see whether the management has been able to develop a model which is in line with the standards of the corporate participants. In addition to this they must evaluate this model from time to time to ensure that it is effective. Hence the management should do their wok honestly and ethically, particularly concerning confli cts of interest and disclosure in financial reports.Commonly accepted principles of corporate governance includeRights and equitable treatment of shareholders company should respect the rights of shareholders and help shareholders to implement those rights. They can help shareholders coif their rights by effectively communicating information that is understandable and accessible and encouraging shareholders to participate in general meetings.Interests of other stakeholders Organizations should be aware of the legal and other obligations that all legitimate stakeholders have.Role and responsibilities of the board The board needs a variety of skills and accord to be able to deal with various business issues and have the aptitude to review and challenge management performance. It needs to be of adequate sizing and have an apt level of commitment to fulfill its responsibilities and duties. There are issues about the appropriate mix of decision maker and non-executive directors.Integr ity and ethical behavior Ethical and trustworthy decision making is not only important for public relations, but it is also a crucial part in risk management and avoiding lawsuits. businesses should develop a code of conduct for their directors and executives that promotes ethical and responsible decision making. It is important to understand, though, that reliance by a company on the integrity and ethics of individuals is quail to eventual failure. Because of this, many organizations establish Compliance and Ethics Programs to minimize the risk that the firm steps outside of ethical and legal boundaries.Disclosure and transparency Organizations should alter and make publicly known the roles and responsibilities of board and management to provide shareholders with a level of accountability. They should also implement measures to independently validate and safeguard the integrity of the companys financial reporting. Disclosure of material matters concerning the organization should be timely and balanced to ensure that all investors have access to clear, factual information.Nevertheless corporate governance, despite some weak attempts from various quarters, remains a vague and often misunderstood expression. For quite some time it was confined only to corporate management. It is something much broader, for it must include a fair, efficient and transparent administration and strive to meet certain well defined, written objectives. Corporate governance must go well beyond law. The quantity, quality and frequency of financial and managerial disclosure, the degree and extent to which the board of Director (BOD) exercise their trustee responsibilities (largely an ethical commitment), and the commitment to run a transparent organization- these should be constantly evolving collectible to interplay of many factors and the roles played by the more progressive/responsible elements within the corporate sector.CG and CSR DisclosureFollowing recent accounting and ethica l scandals in firms such as Enron, WorldCom and Parmalat, corporate governance is being regarded as an important issue in the business world due to the fact that rules and regulations have become stricter with regard to societal expectations. In this respect the concept of corporate governance has start to cover some part of CSR. prior researches has tended to study CG and CSR issues separately and not as combined manifestation in the fast developing business world where CG issues may also have impact on CSR disclosure and firms performance. Examples of studies that have directly or indirectly link CSR and CG are those that talk about the influence of CG reforms on business ethics most often in a particular region( mainly Rossouw 2005 Kimber and Lipton,2005 Ryan 2005) the role of socially responsible investors and shareholder activism (Aguilera et al., 2006 McLaren, 2004 Monks et al., 2004 Guay et al., 2004 Sjstrm, 2008) and of employee relations (Deakin and Whittaker, 2007 Jones e t al., 2007) and, perhaps most remotely, those that critically examine the stakeholder approach, frequently referring to an agency perspective (Hill and Jones, 1992 Jensen, 2001 Sternberg, 1997 cf. Kolk and Pinkse, 2006).There is several corporate governance practice which helps to find out whether corporate social responsibility should be disclose or not, for example the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) comes across several indicators such as independence and expertise of directors which help to identify economic, environmental and social risks and opportunities and find out whether the financial and non financial goal have been achieved and hence based on this firms will decide whether CSR should be disclosed or not.Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility is therefore expected to be more integrated in the field of business disclosure practices. Nowadays companies are required to disclose other types of information, like what the business has done for the welfar e of the society, and not only financial information. For this reason the number of firms which publish voluntary reports has increased. According to the triple bottom line, a business reports strategy and operational performance within three primary dimensions and these are financial, stakeholder and environmental performance. Thus these reports shows that there is proper planning in the business as the latter selects the most important issues to be included in the triple bottom line plan and report. This report is usually included in the annual report which shows that the corporate governance structure does indeed have an impact on CSR disclosure.According to Tricker (1984), CSR disclosure can be viewed as a strategy which leads to towards closing a perceived legitimacy gap between management and shareholders, especially foreign shareholders. Non executive directors are seem as a mechanism which not only acts in the best interest of the owner but also in the interest of other stak eholders and they advise about the presentation of the the companies activities. Zahra and Stanton(1988) said that members in the corporate governance team are more likely to concers about honour and obligations and they would make disclosures which would improve their social prestige and honour.Board Size and CSR DisclosureOne important element of corporate governance mechanism is the board of directors as they see whether the business is properly managed by their agents. Previous studies have proposed that bigger board size can increase communication and coordination problem and decrease the ability of the board to control management and on the other hand small board can decrease agency conflicts between managers and shareholders (Lipton and Lorsh, 1992 Eisenberg et al., 1998 Raheja, 2003). Jensen (1993) found that large board size result in less effective coordination, communication and decision making is more likely to be controlled by the CEO. Thus it can be forecasted that in efficacious coordination in communication and decision making will result in low quality financial disclosure due to the fact that managers have not been able to perform their roles efficiently.Independent Non Executive Directors and CSR disclosurePrevious empirical governance literature that board independence will foster board effectiveness. The going away between socially responsible firms and non socially responsible firms board structures was studied by Webb (2004) and she found that socially responsible firms had more independent directors than non socially responsible firms. Independent directors has the objective to safeguard shareholders interest and they also play an important role in enhancing the corporate image. They are seen as an important tool to hold in an eye on management behavior (Rosenstein and Wyatt, 1990) and hence this results in more voluntary disclosure. Forker (1992) found out that the higher number of independent directors supervise the quality of finan cial disclosure.CEO Duality and CSR disclosureWhen a person hold the position of CEO and boar chairman, CEO duality occurs (Rechner and Dalton, 1989). This combination reflects leadership and corporate governance issues. However vesting these two powers in only one person gives that latter a strong base which can erode the boards ability to exercise effective control (Tsui and Gul, 2000). Therefore, companies with the CEO duality offer greater power to a person, which enable him to make decisions that do not maximize the shareholders wealth and will help improved monitoring quality and reduce benefits from withholding information that may consequently result in enhancing quality of reporting.Audit Committee and CSR disclosurePrior researches have proven that audit committee plays an effective role in enhancing the corporate governance standards. Wright (1996) found that audit committee composition is powerfully related to financial reporting. McMullen and Raghunandan (1996) provide support for the association between the presence of an audit and more reliable financial reporting.The existence of an audit committee was significantly and confident(p)ly related to the extent of voluntary disclosure (Ho and Wong, 2001 Bliss and Balachandran, 2003).Audit committee roles is providing a mean for review of the companys processes for producing financial data and its internal control, thus its existence is in producing high quality financial reporting. According to Mauritian Code of Corporate Governance (First Edition,Revise April 2004), the board should establish an audit committee with volume of independent directors. The existence of audit committee with a higher proportion of independent directors should reduce the agency cost and improve the internal control that will lead to greater quality of disclosures (Forker, 1992).Managerial ownershipThe agency theory predicts that the principal-agent problem between managers and shareholders arises when managers hold lit tle equity in the corporation. This will lead to managers to engage in an opportunistic behavior (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). Past studies had showed that an increase in management ownership will reduce the agency problems and improved managers incentive to provide more disclosure. Mohd Nasir and Abdullah (2004) investigated the influence of ownership structure in explaining the level of voluntary disclosures among the financially distressed firms and found that management shareholding levels have a significant and positive association with the level of voluntary disclosures. Coffey and Wang (1998) found that managerial control (percentage of stock owned by insiders) is positively related to charitable giving.The above findings were in assembly line to Guan Yeik (2006) and Eng and Mak (2003). In his study, he examined the relationship between managerial ownership and corporate social responsibility and he found that managerial ownership was significantly negatively related to corpo rate social disclosure. In his study, he found that managerial ownership level of 45 percent above will influence the corporate to have lower social disclosure. Eng and Mak (2003) found that lower managerial ownership is associated with increased voluntary disclosures.Foreign ownershipRamasamy and Ting (2004) examined a comparative compend of corporate social responsibility awareness by using levels of corporate social disclosure as a measurement of corporate social responsibility (CSR) awareness. In their study, they used employee perception towards CSR awareness. The respondents were questioned on their management of CSR within the company, such as awareness of corporate social responsibility, attitudes to CSR in the company, the types of CSR activity and the respondent matter in CSR. The results show a low level of awareness in both countries, although companies tend to exhibit a relatively higher level of awareness.chamber et al. (2003) investigated CSR reporting in seven coun tries through analysis of websites of the top 50 companies in Asia. This study investigated the penetration of CSR reporting within countries the extent of CSR reporting within companies and the waves of CSR engaged in. The findings in Chambers et al. (2003) showed that, there are fewer CSR companies in the seven selected Asian countries compared with UK and Japan companies.The mean for the seven countries studied, show a report of 41 percent which is under half the score for the UK (98 percent) and Japan companies (96 percent). Thus by involvement of foreign shareholders in Mauritian Listed companies will enhance the extent of corporate social disclosure in Mauritius.Haniffa and Cooke (2005) found a significant relationship between corporate social disclosure and foreign shareholders indicated that companies use corporate social disclosure as a proactive legitimating strategy to obtain continued inflows of capital and to please ethical investors. Foreign shareholdings in Mauritian listed companies have considerably increased.

Rebel Without A Cause Film Studies Essay

spring up Without A Cause Film Studies EssayFor as yearn as select has been or so, it has been an art form that is a standard of society and the culture from which it breeds. One of the near popular and critically acclaimed which represented the times around it was that of climb up Without a Cause(1955), which challenged the ideas of masculinity in society and it was a reflection of many teenagers of that generation. It also broke grounds for the passage of its percentages. How ex momently did Rebel Without a Cause(1955) change the perception of masculinity in society and why is the film considered to be the poster child film of the 1950s youth insurrection? maleness at the time in the 1950s was in a state of uncertainty. Men were returning from war and did non know how to readjust to society. Many custody were forced to pass away the bread winner of the family again as well as be the stereotypical return of the household. Rebel Without a Cause(1955) was a picture that was ahead of its time in footing of its symbolism and its direction. What many considered to be taboo, the film challenged the boundaries of societys rules and yet reflected what so many had tried to keep hidden. It challenged the ideas of masculinity and it was a friendly commentary on the men returning home from World War II and it was a movie about the commonalities that still perforate directly of teen angst.To analyze the masculinity in the film, bingle must first look at its actors as well as its addresss. Christopher Castiligia wrote an term entitled Rebel Without a Closet Homosexuality and Hollywood in which he examines the in depth relationships of the characters within the movie and the connections it had to homosexuality as it was reflected upon society. James Dean who feature as Jim Stark and whos career spanned only three movies blossomed into a full blown star overnight and after his tragic death, his subroutine in Rebel Without a Cause(1955) has turned him in to an icon of cinema and he has become idolized ever since. He himself, was a gay male, not openly, but was precise practically the effeminate man that he portrayed on screen which is also possibly why it was d wizard so effectively using a sprint of method acting. Jim Stark, was a rebellious teen who was strong and mysterious, yet also had deep feelings and emotions, which was unheard of at the time to even mention such a thing. His character is saddled by the fact that he has to be a tough character in order to conform to societys demands. This is shown several times passim the film in which he is swayed into fights that he doesnt want to get into by being called a chicken. He has to fight back because that is what a man is suppositional to do. On the other side of the spectrum is Sal Mineo who starred as the character Plato, was an openly gay male who in turn portrayed a gay character on screen even though it is not explicitly stated. The character of Plato openly pines for Jim, whom he looks up to and shows affection for. One could argue that it was the first portrayal of a gay man on screen. Jims preceptor Frank is shown as a very effeminate man, one who is constantly put down by his wife and cannot control his son. This was a reflection of many fathers of the time, who were emasculated perhaps by not going to war or because of the societal pressures caving in. The characterization of these characters all alters the archetype of what it is to be a manly man on screen and instead show emotion. Their characters have conflicting and yet very similar personalities. Jim slays the role of a father, whereas Plato takes the role of the son. One could argue that is the true extent to what the relationship takes, although the distinct camera shots seem to suggest otherwise. Men are a composite plant breed, men have to act tough, yet still be emotional enough to connect with their family.Rebel Without a Cause (1955) brought about an important social issue i n which many men had just come home from World War II and an important feature that men had to live up to was their propensity to act as tough bread winners who provided for their family. This male stereotype is played differently in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) as Jim Starks father was a man who didnt live up to that stereotype. He lacked the leadership characteristic that was typical of what a man was supposed to be. In doing so, it became evident that Jim was searching for a father figure and in turn found his parent to be switched to some degree as his mother was acting like a father and his father was acting like a mother. This gender disassociation creates such a friction within Jim that all he can do is act out. He demonstrates this numerous times and all he is looking for is a father figure to set him straight in line. Instead he has to take up the mantle himself and become his own father.The stylistic effects used within the film are some of the most iconic in business rel ationship and contributes to the representation of the time with the music and the cinematography. The music within the film is a now classic soundtrack by Leonard Rosenman set the scenes of the film with its uses of Jazz music which reminds one of the 50s. The cinematography used within the film which was composed by Ernest Haller could be described as some of the coolest shots in the history of film. Many of the most iconic shots within the film are done with close-ups such as in the beginning of the film where we are first introduced to Jim Starks character as well as shots which focus solely on the character. By employing this effect, it showcased the brilliance and delivery of the acting.How is the film a representation of teenage culture of the time? Rebellion was a very common trait in many young men and women in the early 1950s. Many of their fathers has been serving during World War II and thus were not able to be at home with their families. This left a hole in the young p eoples lives as they wanted so much to have a father and yet end up turning against them as soon as they returned. This feeling of abandonment so to speak is what drove much of this rebellion of the 1950s. Such is the case when the three main characters within Rebel Without a Cause(1955) are introduced for the first time. The characters are so drastically different in terms of social class, status, yet eerily so similar in the case of their parents. Jim Stark whos dad is not the father whom he needs to be. Judy whose father is altogether distant and cold to her and then there is Platos parents who just arent there at all and whose father abandoned him. They all struggle with a similar enate issue of fathers who just arent able to adjust to the new generation of the time. The family structure of each of these kids is all very confusing for them. They grew up with this notion of family and the fathers being perfect, that when they mystify up and see that this is not the case, they have to find their own personal identity.Rebel Without a Cause(1955) created a new archetype for its generation. It created the James Dean character of a rebellious youth looking for a direction in life. One of the most iconic fashions of all time is James Dean in his red jacket and jeans which epitomized this sense of rebellion. Delia Konzett wrote an article entitled Rebel Without a Cause Approaches to a Maverick Masterwork about Rebel Without a Cause in which he explains the films everlasting qualities throughout generations. She states This legacy with its foregrounding of the radical potential of internal or self critique is what has appealed to the films diverse audiences over the years, who have act to see Rebel Without a Cause (1955) as a touchstone for imagining anxieties over coming-of-age, conventional values of family and community, threats from abroad, and the provocations of mass or consumer society (20). Within the article she explains how specific scenes deal with the trials of an average teenager having to prove his masculinity and himself to his peers or else be picked upon as if it were as primitive as survival of the fittest. She analyzes one of the most important scenes in the film, The chicie track down scene as one of the most important in which she explains This scene centers upon a dangerous competitive car race that can be constructively interpreted as rite of existential and social bonding or more negatively as a Darwinian survival of the fittest in an era of late consumerism and capitalism with absurdity and chance as its major elements. It also captures the distinctly American fascination with the automobile and the liberating picture of driving and being on the road. One of the most intriguing aspects of his analysis is the Americans fascination of cars. They have to be fast, powerful and in that sense, it has to be a representation of power and masculinity. This scene is one of the most important within the film about having to prove ones masculinity in order to be the leader of the pack.The film ultimately culminates in Jim Stark finding his masculinity so to speak. In the end is quite a picture perfect sight of a traditional family structure as Jim, Judy and Plato all sit around an abandoned house, pondering their lives going forth. They act out living as children in a trick life. As soon as something tries to disrupt this perfect fantasy life, Plato goes crazy to an extent. The life he wanted is threatened and he essentially breaks down, brandishing a throttle valve on everyone he sees. He succumbs to the desolate life of a teenager unable to cope with the problems around him, his familial structure failing him. The film has remained one of the most iconic films of all time because of how relatable it is to this day. To this day, Rebel Without a Cause(1955) could just as easily have as much of an impact as it did l years ago. Now more than ever society is changing where changes in masculinity are more accepted. Not only has Rebel Without a Cause(1955) become a voice for its generations, but in some ways a voice for many generations to come.

William Christopher Handy :: essays research papers

William Christopher HandyHandy was an American black composer and compiler of "BLUES" music. Hewas born in Florence, Alabama. He was educated at the Negro Agricultural andMechanical College near Huntsville, Alabama. He was the son of former slaves.He was educated in the public schools and by his father and paternal grandfather, some(prenominal) of whom were clergymen. Handy was the first to bring the African- Americanblues to the general publics attention with the publication of his MEMPHIS BLUESin 1912. He began his musical career as a cornet soloist and bandmaster withminstrel shows unrivalled of his earislst engagements was with the Worlds ColumbianExposition in Chicago in 1893.     Handy also founded a music publishing house and change and wrote some(prenominal)books , including the autobiographical Father of the Blues (1941). Originally,the blues were a type of black folk song little known beyond the southern unifyStates. Handys songs brought the blues to international attention.Handys career was rooted in popular music. He began his career in 1896 asa minstrel show and vaudville corntist and bandleader and then became one of thefirst publishers of music by black composers.     William Christopher Handy was born on Nov,16, 1873, in Florence, Ala,the son of former slaves . As a 15-year-old he left radix to work in a travelingminstrel show, but he soon returned when his money ran out. He attended TeachersAgreicultural & Mechanical College in Huntsville, Alabama, and worked as aschool teacher and bandmaster. In 1893, during an economic depression, he formeda quartet to perform at the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. For severalyears afterward he drifted around the country working at different jobs.Eventually he settled in Memphas, Tenn.     Although he lost his visual perception at age 30, after WW1 he conducted his ownorchestra from 1903 intill 1921. His eyesight partially re turned, but he becamecompletely blind after a fall from a subway platform in 1943.     Handy wrote music during the period of transition from ragtime to jazz.The music he had absorbed during his youth consisted of spirituals, work songs,

Antiquated Schmantiquated †Keep the Records Coming :: Personal Narrative Writing

Antiquated Schmantiquated Keep the Records Coming I get by because of the people who make a special effort to shop here Saturdaysyoung men who seem to spend a disproportionate amount of their time looking for deleted Smiths singles and accredited NOT RERELEASED underlined Frank Zappa albums.Nick Hornby, High FidelityAs I walked into Second Coming Records in Cambridge, Massachusetts on a cloudy, humid June good afternoon I was thrilled to find that one of the guys behind the counter had put on an album by the Vibrators, a band I adore. I excitedly told my older brother Jeff, whom I was visiting, about how they had played in State College twice, how I had been in the front row at both shows, and especially how I got to hang out with the band at a party after the second show.Jeff didnt seem to really appreciate the fact that Id hung out with a band that had shared a stage with the Sex Pistols. Nevertheless, I was inspired to see what Second Comings Vibrators section contained. I still had some cash left from my very recent twenty-first birthday and I was ready to spend it. I located the white tractile separator in the V section with The Vibrators handwritten on it and began to flip through the records, each protected by a clear plastic sleeve. I was surprised to come upon a copy of Pure Mania, their first LP. I had been looking for a good vinyl copy of this for about a year. The price sticker was marked $19.99 and I wondered why a used record was priced so high.I carefully removed the record itself from its sleeve and angled the colored shiny vinyl so that the inadequate overhead lighting fell at just the right angle across the disk. Etched into the vinyl on the border of the label I found what I was looking for 1A (records are marked with different codes to identify each successive pressing). An original, first-pressing Pure Mania This was more than I had hoped for. Still, twenty bucks was something to think about. I examined the surface of the record, chec king for any scratches or warping that would infringe on the playing. It appeared nearly perfect. I ended up buying that record, and that day I spent over six hours and two hundred dollars shopping for records. Im considered to be a lightweight by many.