School Paper

University of Asia and the Pacific Pearl drive, Ortigas Divorce Bill An argumentative paper Submitted as partial fulfillment For the course requirements in English 102 Submitted to: Ms. Judy Tanael 10/8/2012 Is Divorce really necessary? According to the Compendium of the Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Marriage means that couples would establish a marital and exclusive bond between them (Ratzinger, 2005). This bond can never be broken unless the marriage is null or declared by an ecclesiastical authority that they be separated (Ratzinger, 2005).Coming from God’s Law, a marriage must not be destroyed because of the bond that is eternally established (Ratzinger, 2005). The Philippines, on the other hand, known for its being a religious country, generally, believes in God. Therefore, it would be bizarre for Catholic’s to accept the promulgation this bill. Despite the religious notion, divorce has several effects on children, family and the society itself. Not only does d ivorce create dispute in the family, it is possible that it be inclined to crimes that would be discussed further.The purpose of this paper is for the reader to determine whether or not this bill must be implemented or not. This paper intends to defend the author’s stand by providing reasonable arguments for the counter arguments. There are many reasons why the Philippines should not have a divorce law. Although it would be impossible to state them all, this paper intends to discuss the major ones. According to the H. B. 1799, this bill proposes the protection and fundamental equality of men and women (Ilagan & De Jesus, 2010).Proponents of the bill propose is a means to deal with domestic problems such as marital abuse, violence, and possibly psychological incapacities (Ilagan & De Jesus, 2010). Does it really protect and safeguard equality for men and women in any way? This paper suggests that this bill does little to protect the future economic well-being of dependent spou ses, which tend to be female. Divorce will not protect men, women or even the children for that matter. Is it really a solution for marital conflicts?It is true that divorce can be a medicine for these reasons but think of it as a medicine that is not recommended. Why? If a couple resort to divorce because maybe of an abusive spouse, do you think that the abusive spouse wouldn’t repeat what he did with his former spouse? And when he does, what do you suggest would happen? I think a divorce remedy could come in handy. What I am trying to say here is that, marriages and marital conflicts could be fixed. Abuse, violence and psychological incapacities are problems that can easily be cured.How? By fearing God and teaching morality. If we fear God and know what morality really means, then none of these would have happened in the first place. As what God said, â€Å"Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your wife as you love yourselves†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ephesians 5:22-33). Th is is where you gain happiness and fullness of marital life and your family. Divorce leads to long-term negative effects on the family. It affects every member of the family nucleus, and when there are children involved they are the most affected of all.Children from divorced families are more likely to suffer from psychological difficulties than those of intact families (Portnoy, 2008). These problems include but are not limited to misconduct, poor academic performance, and earlier than usual sexual activity (Portnoy, 2008). In addition, divorce leads to long-term negative effects on the family. It can lead to several problems that could affect not only the spouses but also, most especially, their children.Studies suggest that there are long-term effects on the children’s psychological adjustment that could affect their future relationships, symptoms such as anxiety, depression, conduct problems, academic performance, relationships, distress and subjective well-being can dev elop throughout time for children that are involved in divorce families (Stroksen, Roysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006). Studies show that children of divorce are inclined to experience psychological difficulties than children from intact or complete families, and those effects are probably to continue into adulthood (Stroksen, Roysamb, Holmen, amp; Tambs, 2006). Conduct problems are likely to take place in this situation. Among the numerous reactions and effects of children in divorce families, conduct disorders, antisocial behaviors, and difficulty with authorities produce the largest notorious outcomes. According to a study, they are two or three times more likely to engage in adolescent delinquency than their friends from intact families, it was said that there is a higher incidence of conduct problems in boys than in girls (Stroksen, Roysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006).Adolescent children from a divorce family are also more likely to drink alcohol frequently and use prohibited drugs tha n children from a complete family (Stroksen, Roysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006). In conclusion, divorce of one’s parents greatly impacts and disrupts the lives of these children. The psychological, emotional, and behavioral reactions results to years of distress or disorder which is likely to extend into adulthood, affecting even their romantic relationships.Although the majority of children of divorce recover substantially after some years, that recovery does not vanish those years of significant adjustment difficulty, nor is it complete enough to leave these people unharmed (Stroksen, Roysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006). On the other hand, offspring, especially adults, of divorced families tend to adopt a less positive reaction toward marriage and associate marital conflict with current relationship with a negative point of view (Portnoy, 2008).A study conducted by the Florida State University (2010), â€Å"using a sample of two hundred and eighty five adolescents, structural equ ation modeling supported the hypothesis that parental divorce and marital conflict were independently associated with young adult children’s romantic relationships through different mechanisms: Parental divorce was associated with young adults’ low level of relationship quality through a negative attitude toward marriage (positive attitude toward divorce) and lack of commitment to their own current relationships.However, marital conflict was associated with young adults’ low level of relationship quality through their conflict behavior with their partner† (Cui & Fincham, 2010, p. 331). These effects can be long lasting, leading to other symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Divorce would unnecessarily subject children to this type of emotional distress. Furthermore, as children develop into adolescents and eventually adults, they tend to adopt social behaviors that they see in their parents.Hence, they are inclined to develop their attitude towards roma ntic relationships and marriage from their observations of that of their parents (Cui & Fincham, 2010). Cui and Fincham (2010) stated that there is an inverse correlation between parental divorce and attitude towards marriage, as well as commitment to relationships. This suggests the possibility that divorce can breed more divorce. Furthermore, there are certain effects of divorce on Women's Health that could affect their psychological adjustment as well.Studies show that women develop psychological distress after experiencing divorce. In addition, women tend to experience high level of depressive symptoms which can lead to physical and mental health problems (Lorenz, Wickrama, Conger, ; Jr. , 2006). Economically speaking, divorce has a detrimental effect on the spouse that was not gainfully employed and therefore was financially dependent during the marriage (Ananat ; Michaels, 2007). In part, this is due to what is called economies of scale. Married couples share economic and soci al resources during their marriage (Waite, 1995).Since many of the costs incurred in maintaining a family household are fixed, the combined economic well-being of a married will be necessarily be better when compared to that of divorced individuals. This has far greater consequences for women than men given that women are more likely dependent on their husband’s income during marriage. Research estimates that after divorce women experience a decline in income of between 23% and 73% (Beller ; Graham, 1985). The bill does provide some post-divorce support for the dependent spouse.This support is only required until the dependent spouse finds â€Å"adequate employment†, but it is not to exceed one year in duration (Ilagan ; De Jesus, 2010). However, the ambiguity in the language of the bill when it refers to the employment requirement to be â€Å"adequate†, coupled with the time limitation on the spousal support makes this provision inadequate, as it fails to prote ct the post-divorce economic well-being of the dependent spouse. Divorce is a major societal concern, and society does not escape the devastating effects.The social effects of divorce are very well documented. Research suggests that there is a positive correlation between divorce and crime (Wong, 2011). Wong (2011) argues that children from single-parent and divorced families have a higher predisposition towards criminal activity than those from intact families. Other studies suggest that adult males are less likely to commit crimes when they are married (Scafidi, 2008). There are several reasons that could be discussed on how family disruption, because of divorce, can be positively correlated to crime.Due to minimal supervision of parent/s and lack of parental guidance, their child could possibly be influenced or inclined to crime. Research suggests there is a positive correlation between divorce and crime. According to a British Crime Survey in 1982, it was measured that family di sruption as a combined index of marital separation, divorce, and single-parenthood, and they found that family disruption amplified the rates of robbery, stranger violence, burglary, auto-theft, and theft/vandalism (Wong, 2011).Aside from the stated reasons, there are also certain effects on social disorganization because of family disruption. According to Wong’s (2011) social disorganization theory, the theoretical model here claims that poverty, mobility, and heterogeneity increase the prospect of divorce, single-parenthood, and crime (Wong, 2011). Focusing on low income and unemployed males may reduce the number of marriageable males and escalate the likelihood of family disruption (Wong, 2011).Concerning the influence of poverty on crime, poverty depletes the community's resources, reduces its capacity to meet its members’ basic needs, and reduces its ability to monitor and control criminal activities, therefore eventually causing crime and delinquency to increase (Wong, 2011). Aside from the already mentioned â€Å"social costs†, divorce imposes an economic burden on society as well. The direct costs to the government include all divorce court related expenditures.This includes not only the cost of the judge, but also that of his staff and other employees, utilities costs, records costs, along with other expenditures (Schramm, 2006). When calculating these costs we must not only take into consideration the costs of the divorce proceeding itself, but also other related proceeding, such as those for alimony, child support, and child custody (Schramm, 2006). The higher crime rates associated with family fragmentation increase the costs of the criminal justice system (Scafidi, 2008). This includes the costs to law enforcement, prosecution, the judiciary, and corrections.Scafidi (2008) found that approximately 24% of is caused by family fragmentation. The cost of investigating and prosecuting these crimes amounts to almost ? 800 billion (S cafidi, 2008). Other costs include those associated with loss of productivity, foregone tax revenues, assistance to fragmented family who fall under the poverty line, and increased health expenditures to deal with psychological effects, just to name a few (Scafidi, 2008). In countries like the United States, to total costs associated with divorce and fragmented families exceeds $100 billion every year (Scafidi, 2008).There is probably no completely accurate or even scientific approach for determining the economic impact to couples, comminutes, and even society as a whole. From what we can calculate, the empirical data suggest that the costs are substantial (Scafidi, 2008). These costs are real and someone must pay the price. Schramm (2006) suggests that these costs are absorbed by individuals, as well as communities, and governments. The Philippines is a mostly Christian nation with a substantial Catholic community.As the religion of the majority of Filipinos, the point of view of t he Church should not be overlooked. From the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to Pope Benedict XVI himself, the Church has been very vocal and adamantly opposed to this bill. In a letter from His Holiness addressing the CBCP, the Pope instructed the bishops to continue their pursuit in defense of the â€Å"sacredness of marriage and of the family† (Aquino, 2011). Jo Imbong, legal counsel for the CBCP, even expressed the Church’s position claiming the legislation is unconstitutional (Alvarez, 2011).Article XV of the 1987 Constitution describes marriage as an â€Å"inviolable social institution† (Constitutional Commission, 1986). Those who oppose their position say that divorce is not only constitutional, but it promotes public policy as well (Gloria, 2007). Gloria (2007) suggest that the bill embodies the spirit of the constitution by promoting the sanctity of the family, dignity of human life, the protection of the youth, and equality among m en and women. On the other hand, divorce gives a wider path for immorality and infidelity. In my opinion, morality in the contemporary is fleeing.It is neither commonly discussed nor practiced anymore in this country except for religious sectors. I could cite several incidents regarding the immorality of Filipinos but it would be off topic. Nevertheless, The Philippines have a low moral degradation and this is the reason why these proponents with regard to divorce advocate unreasonable solution for certain problems. Didn’t we learn from the United States? Did the statistics of violence against women drop when the divorce law was implemented? According to the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) about 1. million women are physically abused and/or raped by their husband yearly (MINCAVA, 2010). On the worse part, in 2000, 1,247 women were killed by their husbands, while 440 men were killed by their wives (MINCAVA, 2010). More or less these domesticated incidents are in evitable, they are ought to happen because let us face it the absence of goodness keeps taking place. What I am coming to is that, physical abuse, rape and even murder happen annually regardless of the divorce law. Divorce is just another way for couples to resort because that’s what the government wants; they want us to depend on them.We are often too dependent that we forget about problem solving and thinking critically. We talk much about the positive effects that we can get from the divorce law, whereas obviously the negative effects far outweigh the positive. References Alvarez, K. (2011, June 2). Divorce bill ‘unconstitutional'. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from Sun Star Manila: http://www. sunstar. com. ph/manila/local-news/2011/06/02/divorce-bill-unconstitutional-158847 Ananat, E. O. , & Michaels, G. (2007, April). The Effect of Marital Breakup on the Income Distribution.CEP Discussion Paper No 787. London: Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Econ omics. Aquino, L. G. (2011, July 9). Pope: No to RH, divorce. Retrieved September 19, 2012, from The Manila Bulletin: http://www. mb. com. ph/node/326152/pope-no-rh-divorce Beller, A. H. , & Graham, J. W. (1985). Variations in the Economic Well-Being of Divorced Women and Their Children: The Role of Child Support Income. In M. David, & T. Smeeding, Horizontal Equity, Uncertainty, and Economic Well-Being (pp. 471-510). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Constitutional Commission. (1986, October 15). The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Quezon City: Constitutional Commission of 1986. Cui, M. , & Fincham, F. D. (2010). The differential effects of parental divorce and marital conflict on young adult romantic relationships. Journal of the International Association for Relationship Research(17), 331-343. Gloria, C. K. (2007). Who Needs Divorce in the Philippines? Mindanao Law Journal, 18-28. Ilagan, L. C. , & De Jesus, E. A. (2010, July 27). House Bill No. 1799. An Act Introducing Divorce In The

Inter-Professional Working Essay

The intention of this essay is to explore inter professional working and the impact it has on the quality of health care delivered within a mental health setting. For this purpose I have reflected on a previous placement where I worked in an acute mental health treatment ward and on the formative assessment assigned to me within this module. Inter professional working in a health care setting involves different health care professionals working together in a collaborative fashion, this ensures the highest quality of care is delivered to service users (Day, J 2005). It is suggested that the collaborative nature of inter professional working will lead to information and knowledge being shared amongst professionals within a team, which will ultimately lead to improved judgement when providing care and creating a higher bench mark for quality care (DOH 2007). In the NHS, it is stated that quality is defined by doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place with the right result (NHS 2012). Lord Darzi’s High Quality Care for all (2008) states that delivering quality healthcare includes providing patients and the public with effective safety, cleanliness, delivery of care as well as a good patient experience and the consideration of patient dignity and respect . To assure that quality care is being provided, quality is externally and internally measured and evaluated. Within a healthcare setting it is measured at three levels. The national level includes audits, staff surveys, patient surveys and mortality and morbidity rates. The strategic level includes clinical governance, benchmarking and meetings amongst high level staff. The clinical level includes protocols, care pathways, complaints made by patients and infection control (CQC 2011). Within the NHS another element in the provision of quality, is the implementation of national service frameworks. These are implemented to make sure clear quality requirements are set and that the most up to date evidence based practice is working effectively in a given setting (DOH 2011). Following exploration of the literature for interprofessional working, three key issues identified are communication, culture and knowledge of professional roles (Pollard, K et al 2005). In regards to communication with in the team, to be able to provide holism in regards to a patients care all professionals within the team must engage in clear and open communication (Ellis. R et al 2003). It is essential that all of the professionals’ views and perspectives are heard and taken into consideration when implementing care. Although there are clear advantages to open communication there are often barriers that inhibit this practice. Lack of knowledge or the stereotyping of other professions can lead to ideas, recommendations and perspectives of an individual not being heard or taken into consideration. This can ultimately affect the quality of care delivered to a service user (Barret,G et al 2005). In order to overcome such barriers, trust and respect of fellow professionals must be present. If the environment is lacking in trust and respect, it may result in professionals protecting their roles and justifying actions. This can then result in a closed working environment, where professionals do not learn from shared experiences and constructive criticism is not welcomed. Collectively this can impede on the holistic and collaborative nature required in the delivery of healthcare (Day, J 2005). In order to approach care holistically, each member of the interprofessional team must have awareness and knowledge of the different professional roles within the team. This is due to the fact that conducting a holistic assessment is beyond the scope of any individual professional. Lack of knowledge of the roles of other professions and the boundaries of an individual’s role can lead to specific areas of care not being delivered to its highest quality (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). Professional culture can affect the delivery of quality care as the norms and values of different professional groups maybe in contrast with one another. This can lead to a disagreement or conflict when discussing and planning the approach when devising a plan to deliver patient care. However these differences between professional s can have a positive effect on the formulation and direction of service delivery (Day, J 2005). Taking into account the different ideals and perspectives can lead to a comprehensive and thorough assessment of a service user needs thus optimizing the quality of care provided. Within professional cultures there is often the use of unique jargon. Amongst an interprofessional team this can lead to barriers to effective communication which could ultimately lead to a lesser quality of care delivered. In order to overcome this obstacle members within the interprofessional team need to be self-aware of the language they are using to avoid causing confusion amongst professionals (Ellis. R et al .2003). On consideration of my placement in an acute psychiatric ward, I reflected on the interactions amongst the members of the interprofessional team. The role of the acute psychiatric ward was to provide treatment to service users aged eighteen to fifty five with conditions ranging from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective, depression, mania, eating disorders and borderline personality disorders. Due to the wide range of disorders and the complex care that is often required to treat service users holistically there were often more than one professional within the interprofessional team that was involved in a service users care (NICE 2011). The professionals that were involved in this wards care whilst I was on placement were Nurses, Occupational therapists, Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, Social workers, Dietitians and Psychologists. Due to the differing nature of each of these professions, unique perspectives of the service user and their needs are assessed and an adequate and holistic care plan could be implemented. Key information was often passed on, an example I observed was in regards to eating plans from the Dietitan passed on to the nursing staff for eating disorder patients. From my perspective as a student mental health nurse whilst on the ward it became apparent that professional culture and ideologies of the professions often came in conflict with each other. I observed this when decisions needed to be made, there was often a professional that had to compromise their views. Interprofessional working at times also had a negative effect on the service users. In one instance a patient was on continuous observations by two staff due to recent multiple suicide attempts, it was agreed amongst nursing staff that the service user only had essential items and was not allowed anything that could be potentially harmful to herself. Although this was agreed amongst nursing staff the policy did not state any specifics that were not allowed, it did however state that it would be at the discretion of the professional at the time that is carrying out the continuous observation. This ultimately led to conflict when the occupational therapist allowed the service user to use paints, pencils, and paint brushes. On reflection this was not conducive to the recovery or mental state of the service user due to lack of consistency from staff that were looking after her. Barrett, G et al (2005) states that the power share amongst the interprofessional team is an important issue as an unequal power share amongst the team could lead to professions oppressed and unable to have a significant input. However it is also argued that without strong leadership and direction there is no true direction to the care being delivered and professionals within the team will rely on others to take charge (DOH 2007). On the acute ward as a student nurse I found that on the surface level there was an equal power share with all the professionals having equal input. However at times it became apparent that if a decision was made that certain professions did not like, the former hierarchy system came to fruition and the grievance was taken directly to the consultant and their decision would be final. On placement I believe that professional culture was a boundary to effective communication and collaboration amongst staff. Although all patient notes were stored on RIO which is readily available to any staff involved with patient care information was never discussed openly, formally or informally between professions unless something of significance happened. The driving factor for the interprofessional team to congregate was at that point to discuss blame instead of collaborative working. Professional identity also contributed to the quality and the effectiveness of the care given in the placement setting. The very nature of the training of each professional automatically assigns a skill set, codes of practice and standards from their governing body for example the NMC (2012) or HPC (2012). Thus meaning the very nature of this governing body can often conflict with collaborative nature of an interprofessional team. My personal suggestions for my acute mental health placement would be that there are clear guidelines and policies that need to be implemented in order for seamless clinical care to be delivered amongst the professionals. This could set clear boundaries to the remit of staff’s responsibilities. I would also suggest that time for interprofessional education be available for staff so there is a sound knowledge between the professions which can lead to a greater appreciation of the care that is delivered. On reflection of my formative group assessment it became apparent that the interpretation of the task at hand was different between each of the four members of the group, this could have been due to the fact that amongst the group there were different specialities of nurses. Once this was realised the group had to meet in order for each member to be fully aware of what was expected of them. Once there was clarity in the roles of each of the members a co-ordinator was appointed for the work to be collected and arranged appropriately for the presentation. It was agreed amongst the group the order of speakers and this translated seamlessly to the presentation. It became evident after the assessment had ended that if we had not of congregated beforehand the presentation would have not been as organised and coherent as it was (appendix). In conclusion it is clear that interprofessional working plays a vital part in the effectiveness and quality of care delivered to a service user. The literature has stated that in able for quality care to be delivered there must be willing and open participation form all members of the interprofessional team to work collaboratively. Although there are many barriers to effective interprofessional working, regulating bodies such as the NMC and organisations such as NICE have initiatives and guidelines for guidance in overcoming differences and conflicts. Clearly defined roles is an importance for professionals to be able to deliver high quality care, however he very nature of interprofessional working can sometimes hinder this as the views and perspectives of a situation between different professionals conflict with each other thus potentially leading to lack of clarity when delivering care (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). These factors were often present in my own experience in the above mentioned clinical setting. It became apparent that although there was an interprofessional approach to delivering quality healthcare, there was no clear structure to the composition of the team thus leading to conflict occurring more often than effective collaboration. Reference list: Barret, g et al . (2005). The process required for effective interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P8-18. CQC (2010). Mental Health five year action plan. London Day, J (2005). Being Interprofessional . UK: Nelson thornes . P1-161. DOH (2007). Creating an Interprofessional workforce. UK: London. 1-72. DOH (2008) High quality care for all. NHS next stage review final report. London DOH (2011) The NHS Performance framework: implementation guidence. London Ellis. R et al . (2003). Improving communication . In: Ellis. R et al Interpersonal communication in nursing . 2nd ed. Hampshire: Elsevier. HPC. (2012). Your duties as registarnts . Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10001BFBSCPEs-cfw.pdf. Last accessed 9th Apr 2012 NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NMC. (2012). The Code. Available: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/. Last accessed 07th Apr 2012 Pollard, K et al . (2005). The need for interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P5-7. Wilcock, M et al. (2009). Health care improvement and continuing interprofessional education . Journal of continuing education in the health professions . 29 (2), p84-90

Brazil Government Essay

Brazil entered the new millennium mired in economic difficulties. Macroeconomic conditions will have a great influence on political stability, what kinds of laws are passed, the ability of businesses to succeed, the pace at which new technology is used, the availability of jobs, and on incomes, poverty and crime. Brazil is a constitutional republic of federated states, the federal districts, and territories. This present constitution was proclaimed in October 1988, replacing a 1969 document. The states of Brazil have their own government with the powers in all matters not specifically reserved for the Brazilian government. The 1988 constitution abolished the national Security Law, which had been used to stifle political disagreement; outlaws torture. The National Security Law provided for various forms of popular voting, initiatives, and referendums; forbids virtually all forms of censorship; guarantees privacy rights and extends the right to strike to all workers. The military retains its power to intervene in the political system to preserve law and order. Brazil has long been recognized for its large population, great natural resources, bold ideas and potential for growth. It has made progress in economic adjustment over the last several years, opening trade, reducing inflation, succeeding with privatization and garnering investor confidence. However, there have been concerns inside and outside of the country about government finances and especially public pensions, political stability and political will, vulnerability to international economic and financial developments and to the return of high inflation, relatively low investment in export industries, and the social and political consequences of income inequality. Several studies on Brazilian public opinion towards this country’s vulnerability and its domestic stability prove there is consensus that vulnerability is an impeding factor to the country’s aspiration to a more strategic place among the world powers. The Brazilian elite views the interests of their country and those of the U. S. as essentially incompatible. During the Expansion of 1600’s, Gold was discovered. Brazil’s other natural resources are bauxite, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, and timber. General Electric is among the many powerful transnational corporations and UE employers with factories in Brazil. Economy overview is possessing large nd well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors, Brazil’s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41. billion IMF led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, Brazilian Central Bank announces that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998, and the country posted moderate GDP growth. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-2002 to less than 2% because of a slowdown in major markets and the hiking of interest rates by Central Bank to combat inflationary pressures. Poor economic conditions may lead to resistance to external cultural influences, while improvement may mean greater acceptance of practices associated with success in other nations and more interaction with cultures that differ in behavior or values. Economic recovery and growth may ease the difficulties of restructuring business and public affairs and opening markets to competition. It may lead to more trade and foreign investment, and a greater role for Brazil in the region and the world. Alternatively, crises may be the catalysts for change and adaptation to a changing world. The international debt crisis of the early l980s led multinational agencies, the governments of wealthy nations, and a growing number of poorer nations to adopt a reform agenda intended to restore economic stability, restart growth, reduce debt to manageable proportions, and restructure economies to reduce their vulnerability and improve prospects for sustained growth. This international reform agenda expanded dramatically in the course of the l980s and l990s. At the beginning of the debt crisis, attention focused on macro-economic stabilization measures. That initial task was quickly expanded to include structural changes regarded as essential to restore growth and reduce debt. John Williamson’s 1989 summary of the Washington Consensus listed, in addition to fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate measures, reforms to reduce government intervention and permit markets to function more effectively, including trade and financial liberalization, increased receptivity to foreign direct investment, deregulation, and privatization. These structural changes mostly entailed dismantling government regulations and restrictions on private economic transactions. The closest the Consensus came to more complex institutional reforms was the rather tentative inclusion, as the very last item, of property rights protection. Williamson noted that this was intended to signal recognition that institutional features were also important determinants of growth. By l989 the World Bank was beginning to use a broader concept, â€Å"creation of an enabling environment [for effective markets]. Williamson remarked that concept might be preferable, but it remained largely undefined. More than a decade later, at the beginning of the new century, the reform agenda has ballooned to include a broad array of institutional reforms, and to emphasize poverty reduction as well as growth and stability. Responsible macro-economic management and reduced state intervention in the economy remain crucial, but they are now viewed as far from sufficient for growth and poverty reduction. Reform of the state itself, including the civil service, the police, the system of justice, and reduced corruption are part of the essential â€Å"enabling environment. † Social sector reforms in pensions, health and education, as well as far-reaching changes in labor markets and industrial relations are also squarely on the expanded international agenda. These further reforms are much more demanding than the initial agenda: they require not merely the dismantling of regulations, tariffs, and subsidies but fundamental changes in the design and operations of core public functions and institutions. The Brazilian society is divided in those who approve Cardoso’s programs of stabilization and reforms, and those who favor a rather ‘desarrollista’ (developmental) kind of policy. Those who blame the government and those who blame the opposition for the failure in adopting the reforms needed to avoid the financial crisis regionally, neighboring countries agreed upon Brazil’s high performance in industry, trade, new investments and competitiveness, but their evaluation of Brazil’s ability to guarantee economic and political stability were rather low. In contrast, the Brazilian public opinion proved much more confident concerning this matter. When the analysis of the public opinion takes into account structural factors, long-term policy results and a rather contemporary perception of competitiveness, it excludes short-term populist expectations, paternalistic and contradictory demand and any resentful mood concerning the international context and the globalized economy. The politics of economic reforms have been much analyzed over the past two decades. The question of what political capacities and institutional arrangements are key to effective reforms has been one major focus of attention. During the l970s and l980s there was an on-going debate between those who asserted that only authoritarian governments could sustain sufficient macro-economic discipline to manage economies effectively, and those who challenged that view. By the late l980s, it was quite clear that broad generalizations about types of regimes — democracies versus authoritarian systems — were far too crude to offer useful generalizations and explanations. A much narrower version of the old debate persisted, however, in the effort to determine whether effective economic reforms required considerable concentration of executive authority and power (within the framework of more or less democratic as well as authoritarian systems). Party leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (known universally as Lula), will stick to his recent promises of honoring outstanding contacts. Lula inherited an economy in shambles. Working people suffered as the former government carried out neoliberal policies, including privatization and cutbacks in social programs. Two million people are unemployed in Sao Paolo alone, the most industrialized region in Brazil, with 1. 5 million young people entering the labor force each year. Lula’s government decided to continue neoliberal monetary policies to reassure business and encourage investment. The results have helped regain economic stability: the value of bonds has increased from 38 to 90 percent of their face value, meaning that far less is spent on public debt. Banks lowered Brazil’s risk assessment. Credit lines are back and new lines of credit are open. But these results reflect decisions by the government to maintain high interest rates and prioritize growth over income distribution at least in the short run. At the time of the CUT congress, the new government’s most controversial proposal aimed at cutting retirement payments to higher-paid public employees, averting bankruptcy of the system and moving towards an equalization of public and private benefits. This is essentially a proposal from the old government. Default is inevitable, and should be undertaken by Lula as soon as possible, because delaying default simply increases Brazil’s liabilities. Brazil’s ratio of debt to gross domestic product, even after more than $100 billion of privatization proceeds, has doubled since Fernando Henrique Cardoso became president in 1994, from about 30 percent to 58 percent today – a figure that is climbing as the Brazilian real declines. Of this debt, approximately 20 percent is international (after the country’s foreign exchange reserves have been netted out), of which half is owed to the international financial institutions. In addition, a very large portion of Brazil’s debt is greatly increased in cost by economic turmoil. Forty percent of total debt is denominated in dollars, so increases as a percentage of GDP when the Brazilian real drops in value against the dollar. An additional 37 percent of debt is linked to the Selic overnight money market rate, so becomes very expensive when, as for most of the last 8 years, uncertainty raises domestic interest rates. A further 8 percent of Brazil’s total debt is inflation-linked, so has been a â€Å"good deal† for the country in the last eight years but could become very expensive if the country returns to hyperinflation. Brazil’s public debt over the 1994-2001 period was 16. 1 percent a year, and the projected real interest rate on Brazil’s public debt for 2002 is 21 percent. If interest rates remain at these levels, the debt will become unmanageable, rising above 100 percent of GDP in 2006-2009, and spiraling thereafter, if policy remains as at present. Brazil’s balance of payments would also be a problem, because public debt is 4 times the level of the country’s export earnings. The government’s economic policy in 1994-2002 has followed IMF recommendations closely, and been fairly restrictive, with the primary budget surplus (before interest payments) in the range of 3 percent to 4 percent of GDP, although in Cardoso’s first term, 1994-98, budgetary policy was less tight, with only a small primary surplus. The first popularly elected president in Brazil in 30 years, Fernando Collor de Mello took office on March 15, 1990. In September 1992, Collor was impeached by the lower house of the Brazilian legislature on charges of corruption. In December 1992, Collor resigned as president of Brazil, and the Brazilian Senate convicted him of the corruption charges. There needs to be a change in Brazilians’ elite mentality of entitlement and privilege – in detriment of the nation’s general good. This mentality was inherited from colonial times. Brazilian society is very corrupt and stratified. Each class defends very specific and sometimes conflicting interests, dismissing what is best for the country as a whole. This will take time to change and until it does, the country won’t live up to its potential. Brazil will only have a bright future when its basic needs such as health and education and issues such as social inequality and wealth concentration are dealt with in a continuous and serious manner. In Brazil, the role of government is much more intrusive than in the United States. This is not only a matter of taxation, but also in legal organization and in the regulatory role. In small and medium businesses, this aspect is less evident. In large-scale foreign investment situations, a close personal official relationship is fundamental. Lobbying by large corporations and trade groups is even more aggressive than in U. S. Government contracts are often awarded according to relationships and connections rather than pure technical or financial merit. This is a result of the paternalistic, nepotistic culture that has existed for hundreds of years. Brazil has one of the most complex systems of tax law in the world, which consequently makes Brazilian goods more expensive because companies pay more taxes than in other countries. Brazil’s overall tax burden is equivalent to 30% of the country’s gross domestic product, while neighboring countries such as Chile and Argentine have a tax burden equivalent to 15% and 20% of gross domestic product respectively. Experts say that due to the high tax rates, tax evasion is estimated to be 30% of the total revenue. The Brazilian government is seeking a constitutional change that would simplify the country’s tax system and so make Brazilian goods more competitive internationally. Pedro Parente, executive secretary at the Finance Ministry said the government plans to propose a constitutional amendment to eliminate taxes on industrialized products, a state value-added tax, a city tax on services and two types of social contributions. It place of all that, the government would like to impose a nationwide value-added tax, state and city consumer taxes and an excise tax on a select list of products as well as remove value-added taxes on goods for export. To change the tax system, the government must amend the constitution, which requires approval by two- fifths of both lower and upper houses of Congress in two voting rounds. New president DA SILVA, who took office January 1, 2003, has given priority to reforming the complex tax code, trimming the overblown civil service pension system, and continuing the fight against inflation. Tax revenues were indexed to inflation but many government expenditures were not. Salaries were frozen; basic goods were only chilled down a bit. Government spending far exceeded income, so inflation worked as a mechanism to hide the sins of the federal government. For most of the latter half of the 20th century, inflation has been a way of life for the Brazilians. Basically this was a tax imposed on the poor, allowing government to spend freely. It has been for more than four decades a primary source of public sector financing. In short, different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges, for reasons intrinsic to the character of the reforms themselves. The fact that late-stage reform agendas concentrate on complex institutional reforms helps to explain why the pace of reform in most countries almost always slows substantially after initial stages. To move beyond the broadest generalizations regarding the politics of economic reform and the capacities required to promote them, the concept of reform itself must be taken apart. Different kinds of reforms pose quite different political challenges. Even the different phases of any specific reform entail different political tasks and demand different tactics and capacities. Discussions of the politics of reform often fail to recognize these variations. Many economists used to B and some still do B talk about â€Å"political will† on the part of top-level leaders as the necessary and sufficient requirement for effective reform. Some of the metaphorical language used in discussions of reform convey a similar message: â€Å"bite the bullet†, â€Å"just do it. That implicit image of the reform process may roughly describe a single-shot devaluation decision. But it is clearly very misleading for more complex measures. Recognizing the varied character and political challenges of different reforms, and the tendency for complex institutional changes to be late and slow are first steps toward understanding why some kinds of reforms move faster than others, and why the pace of reforms tend to slow down almost everywhere. At the far end of the spectrum are systemic reforms in the major social services, primarily education and health care finance and delivery. Multiple models are available, influenced by very different national and regional traditions and histories. More important, there is only limited consensus among technical specialists regarding basic principles of reform. Experts argue bitterly over the merits of, say, single-payer health care systems or charter schools. They agree only very partially on the principles that should guide the degree and design of privatization or decentralization. Therefore, public debate regarding the design and priorities of reform tends to be diffuse and inconclusive. Even after initial agreement is reached regarding social service reforms, implementing them is extremely complex. Executive agencies and legislatures at national, state, and local levels are usually involved. Reforms intended to increase efficiency and save money in the long-run may nonetheless have high up-front costs. Not only the Ministry of Finance but often sub-national financial authorities must concur. Many social sector reforms require years to implement. A great deal of detailed information is required to fine-tune design of successive steps. Much of that information is not available without new arrangements to gather it. All of these complications are reinforced by the fact that, even where there is widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo, postponing action does not carry obvious and prompt risks. The varied character of different reforms — availability or absence of a consensus model or clear parameters for debate, timetable, number and variety of actors, information requirements, apparent costs of delay — shape the political challenges. If many actors must co-operate to put a reform into effect, any one of them can weaken or stop the reform. In other words, there are many potential veto actors. Decisions taken by the executive run high risks of being blocked in the legislature or sabotaged in the course of implementation. Moreover, the large number of actors increases transaction and enforcement costs. If implementation takes many years, there are many potential veto opportunities. The length of time required to get most complex institutional reforms up and running also means that the benefits of the reforms may not become apparent for some time. Therefore it may be hard to mobilize pro-reform coalitions to counter opposition from vested interests, which are likely to resist from the outset. Information requirements also affect the course of reform. Lack of information may stall action; new information may alter perceptions and reopen debates. Complex institutional reforms are the result of an extended process, not an event. The process is subject to stops and starts; issues regarded as closed may be re-opened and steps already taken may need to be repeated. The process is not linear, but iterative. The varied characteristics of different kinds of reforms also suggests why reforms in some sectors have made much more progress than others, in cross-national perspective. For example, far-reaching pension reforms have been adopted in many more countries, in and beyond Latin America, than have introduced similarly basic changes in education or health care systems. In conclusion, I believe that International Widgets will find that Brazil would be a great place to open shop (do new business). Brazil’s future is largely in it’s own hands. With there constitutional tax reform there are many changes which in turn will enhance social rights such a job stability, foreign and national capital enterprise, and several other areas pertaining to basic human rights. Brazil risks serious setbacks and instability if it fails to proceed with reform. Inflation, government spending and foreign investment has remained stable. There was general agreement on the need for policy changes. International pressures will help Brazil to make difficult but necessary choices. There was strong agreement that Brazil would benefit from becoming more international in its business relationships. Nearly all believed Brazil needed to expand its export industries. However, three out of four felt that Brazil was highly vulnerable to international economic and financial disruptions. Doing more to deal with social issues now is important to maintain stability so growth can proceed. Brazil’s economy will soon recover from its recession. -Brazilians believed that Brazil’s economy will be more stable in the future and so do I. Brazil will continue to have to strike a difficult balance between budget cutting and other policies to promote economic growth and addressing social issues. Domestic stability, in a context of vulnerability to external shocks resulting from globalized factors, is distinctively credited to political, economic and demographic processes whose outcomes can only be expected to occur in the long run. A transition towards a more pragmatic, pedestrian view of politics and politicians is emerging and a highly demanding electorate should be expected to voice new interests and needs.

Assessing the Health Status of a Client Assignment

Assessing the Health Status of a Client - Assignment Example The assessment leads to the main problem. I introduced myself to my client and asked how I may help him. The man stated that the main reason for coming to the hospital was because lately, he was experiencing the frequent earache. In health assessment, collecting subjective and objective data is of paramount importance. These two stages form a good basis for diagnosis hence if not accurately done will lead to an improper diagnosis. Weber and Kelley (2009), simply define subjective data as the client’s perception of his health. That is, this kind of data can only be verified by the client, thus, the nurse must be equipped with effective interviewing skills. To get this, the health officer has to inquire about the client’s past health history, family history, and health and lifestyle practices. In addition, get biographical data like name and occupation; physical symptoms related to the ears and cultural practices. This is because some medical conditions like cancer may be passed down the family tree. Past health history helps in knowing how long the client has suffered from the disease or whether the complication is a new development. The client may also be engaging in a lifestyle or occupation that puts his health at risk. For instance, too much exposure to loud noise may be the cause of the hearing problems. My client is called Tom Robinson. He is an Engineer who has worked in a food processing factory for five years. He also loves music and uses earphones quite often. His office is located next to the factory’s main processor but it does not have sound proof walls. So, Tom can still hear the loud noise from his office. Nobody in the family has ever had ear problems. Tom says that he usually experiences this pain when he lies down to sleep, early in the morning and after getting off his earphones. The pain has been consistent for the last three weeks and often leads to a mild headache. Weber and Kelley (2009) say that objective data is veri fied by the examiner. This data is mainly obtained through observation, thus, the examiner must be thoroughly equipped with the four examination techniques. Objective data includes physical characteristics like skin and eye color; body functions like heartbeat and respiratory rate; measurements of blood pressure, temperature, height, and weight; mood; results of laboratory testing and X-ray findings. Objective data aids the doctor in diagnosing the main problem. Through this kind of data, the medic is able to know what is happening even in the internal organs of the client. For instance, an earache can be a pointer to a hidden problem like Tonsillitis but can only be verified after objective data is collected. My client had a temperature of forty degrees Celsius but normal heartbeat and blood pressure.  Ã‚  

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Journal - Essay Example The members of the group try to help each other. If one person cannot do something, another person will try to do it. In return, the first person should try to find a way to do the second person’s task when he or she is available. This type is a 5.5 in Blake and Mouton’s Conflict Grid. We are able to maintain the peace among the group. However, our progress is very slow because each person needs to adjust to the schedule of the other person. So, a task is only finished when someone is free to do it. 4. My style of conflict management depends on the conflict. Sometimes I use collaboration. Other times I use competing and other times I use accommodating. I think one style of conflict management is not perfect in all types of conflict. The style I choose will depend on the people in the conflict and the goal to meet. I think sometimes I have to be firm and decide alone. In other situations, I have to get consider suggestions from my subordinates. In other situations, I have to adjust something while my subordinate also adjusts something so we can meet in the middle. 5. For our group, these factors helped the most: people will accept changes that have a part in planning and changes will be more readily accepted when people are involved in gathering the facts that indicate the need for change. These factors helped because the opinions of all the members were considered. 6. The most helpful of the Ten Commandments of Implementing Changes is Number 9: Communicate, involve people, and be honest. If everyone in the group knows about any changes, they can prepare for it. The least helpful is Number 6: Line up political sponsorship. I think this is not important in making changes. Also, political sponsorship cannot help if many people do not want change. 7. All the persons in my group are Early Majority. They do not accept change easily. I think it is because each person is busy with personal activities. They do not like tasks from

Group Membership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Membership - Essay Example It is a standard for Filipinos to have the typical Asian character of being family oriented and tightly knit among clans. Filipinos are also known to be extremely friendly and hospitable to everyone. It is because of this trait that other people are very trusting of Filipinos. Filipinos would generally go out of their way to make others feel welcome and comfortable even at the expense of their own comfort zones.Another group I feel associated with, although not entirely feel obliged to be part of, are those interested or is part of the military field. People from the military follow a strict discipline to the point that it is almost stereotyped. This is not always the case, however, that every soldier maintains such steady conduct. There are cases when soldiers or military enthusiasts are just merely power tripping bullies with authority or ego issues. The soldiers who keep true to their code of conduct, self-control, and patience are men who possess distinct traits that are above me re bravado. Between the norms of these two different groups that I belong to, I follow the norms of the military group more than my ethnic group norms. The reason is that it holds more personal use for me with regard to having a strong self-conduct. The military group norm helps cover for my personal weaknesses in character. Being very hospitable and trusting of others is not inherently a terrible trait, but it is easy to be taken advantage of and be played the fool in the end.

What drives facial diversity in primates (Central Hypothesis is Social Research Paper

What drives facial diversity in primates (Central Hypothesis is Social factors are more important in driving primate facial diversity.) - Research Paper Example Many researchers have resolved that social factors have the prevalent contribution in the emergence of primate facial diversity. Facial characteristics of primates are complex structures that are designed to fulfill several purposes. Primate face is made up of various phenotypes as it integrates various parts such as eyes, ears, nose, hair and patches of skin. All these organs differ in their traits and functions. These parts have different location, origin, colour, size and shape (Cartmill and Smith, 2009). The nature and shape of the elements in a primate face is to a great extent determined by social factors. In many social animals, facial traits offer an adequate source of information that is significant in social interaction. The face is used to express signs regarding primate behaviours, condition and identity. Given the role of face in social interaction, it is sensible to assume that social factors have a crucial contribution in enhancing facial diversity in primates. Facial diversity in primates is explained by the differences in characteristics, shape, colour and size expressed by different primate in the world. According to biologists, facial diversity among primates is highly contributed to by emerging social factors (Bradley & Lawler, 2011). The essay below will present some of the important social factors in driving primate facial diversity. In this essay, the author will provide evidence on the contribution of both social and ecological factors in directing diversity in primates. The table above illustrates the nature of social interaction among different primates in the world. It shows the social status of different players in their social settings. From the table, it is clear that the social responsibility among male and female primates varies from one primate to another. According to the table, facial diversity is highly influenced by social setting which primates engage in. Many primates spend

Election of 1876 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Election of 1876 - Research Paper Example Amendment 14 and 15, passed in 1866, were well incorporated in the constitution giving black citizens equal status as whites and abolishing slavery. The stage was all set to select a new president for the new United States of America. The panic created by the economic depression in 1873 had left the public with many bitter memories. The economic depression had also reduced the interest of northerners in Reconstruction of southern region. (Olson, 15-24) General Ulysses Grant, the 18th President of US was not able to handle the 1873 panic crisis aptly. Many key people in his government were directly accused of being involved in the railroad corruption charges. Hence, the entire population of US was hoping for a change and the election of 1876 was supposed to deliver it. (Brune, 124) Selection of the 19th US President The election of 1876 has a very special significance in US history. It is till date the closest Presidential election in the US history. On March 03, 1987, Rutherford Birc hard Hayes was sworn in secretly in the Red Room as the 19th President of The United States. The entire saga dates back to the last Presidential term of General Ulysses Grant. Grant’s term as a President was tainted with many corruption charges. Both the Republicans and the Democrats were aware of the importance of winning public trust to clinch the 19th US Presidential Election. Hence, both the parties wanted their candidates to have a clean image. To serve this purpose the democrats opted for Samuel J. Tilden, who had an impeccable record. Tilden had established himself as the reform minded governor of New York. He also had strong support base .His stand on removing the remaining Federal occupation soldiers from south had won him many fans from his northern constituency. Due to the economic crisis, the northern region was no more interested in the Reconstruction of south. The Reconstruction was depleting the north and they wanted to end the reconstruction movement. (Cooper) The republicans on the other hand decided to nominate James G Blaine but due to his involvement in some questionable deals his nomination was revoked and Rutherford B. Hayes was nominated. Rutherford B. Hayes was the governor of Ohio. He also like Tilden had a clean public image and commanded respect from many. He was hailed as a war hero by many. Peter Cooper was nominated by the National Greenback Party. He was 85 years of age. The Republicans raised questions regarding the health issues of Tilden. Tilden’s ties with railroad projects were also an issue of objection for many. The democrats questioned the intentions of Hayes regarding reforms to assure equality to the black citizens of United States (Cooper). The Election Campaign As the election campaign began, the general view was that the Democrats would win by a huge margin. Grant’s term as a President was clouded by many corruption charges. The Republicans were afraid of a public backlash due to their last gover nment’s performance. By the time the election was concluded, it appeared as though Tilden had won the election. It was only once the counting was over that it was realized that Tilden must win the southern state votes by huge margin to declare a win. The republicans became aware of the ground reality and fought southern state elections with a new leash of life. The Republicans and the Democrats both indulged in giving bribes and spread money around to buy votes. Florida, Louisiana, and Southern Carolina were the states in question. Both parties knew that if

Price Elasticity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Price Elasticity - Research Paper Example The greater the percentage of income the commodity represents, the greater the elasticity because it will attract people’s attention as a result of its high cost (Moschandreas, 2000). If a commodity represents a small percentage of the consumer’s income, on the other hand, it will have little effect on demand, and is deemed to be inelastic. Therefore, the purchasing power of the consumer affects elasticity a great deal. Necessity also profoundly affects elasticity. If a product is necessary, that is, if one cannot do without a product, elasticity is reduced because people will still buy the product irrespective of the change in price (Ferrell, 2010). The availability of alternative goods affects elasticity. If a substitute good is close and readily available to the market, elasticity will be high since people will have the choice to switch to the attractive alternative. This can be necessitated by the slightest of changes in prices, and therefore largely affects elasticity (Ferrell, 2010). Substitute goods availability and reach is a factor that many companies look at in price consideration due to its massive impact on elasticity. Some factors have the least effect on elasticity. Though relative, the effect that these factors have is thought to be negligible. Time is one such example. Price changes that persist for short time periods affect the demand for a good, and subsequent sales far much less than price changes that hold for a long time. If a price change holds for a long time, elasticity is likely to be high since the customers will have time to find suitable alternatives (Moschandreas, 2000). Loyalty to a specific brand affects elasticity. This is so because if a consumer is loyal to a brand, elasticity is low as the variables that affect the product will not affect its demand. However, it s worth noting that with time and availability of better alternatives, loyalty eventually

New Heritage Doll Essay Example for Free

New Heritage Doll Essay This paper summarizes recent studies in behavioral finance—particularly regarding market anomalies and investor behavior—that are not reconciled with the traditional finance paradigms. This paper differs from previous survey literature in several aspects. We introduce more recent papers in the field, more literature on behavioral corporate finance, and provide statistics on the recent trends that are explored in behavioral finance papers. We expand the research scope to studies on Korean financial markets, introduce specific funds using behavioral finance techniques, and discuss the challenges facing behavioral finance. Keywords: Behavioral finance, Market anomalies, Market efficiency, Survey of literature *  Hyoyoun Park: Credit Analyst, Euler Hermes Hong Kong Services Limited, Suites 403-11, 4/F Cityplaza 4, 12 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong; phone: +852-3665-8934; e-mail: [emailprotected] **  Wook Sohn (Corresponding author): Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, 87 Hoegiro, Seoul 130-868, Korea; phone: +82-2-3299-1062; e-mail: [emailprotected] kdischool.ac.kr. 4 Seoul Journal of Business INTRODUCTION Although Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), which represent standard finance, are successful, the alternative approach of behavioral finance includes psychological and sociological issues when investigating market anomalies and individual investor behavior. In the financial markets, we often observe some phenomena which cannot be explained rationally. For example, we do not have any logical evidences on random walk in the stock price movement while many fund managers use several behavioral concepts in their investment strategy. In corporate perspectives, company owners and managers do not rely only on logical elements to make critical decisions on mergers and acquisitions and new investment. Two of the key topics discussed in behavioral finance are the behavioral finance macro, which recognizes â€Å"anomalies† in the EMH that behavioral models can explain, and the behavioral finance micro, which recognizes individual investor behavior, or biases that are not explained by the traditional models incorporating rational behavior. In particular, we employ the behavioral finance micro because it explains a number of important financing and investment patterns by using a behavioral approach, which expands on the research in the behavioral corporate finance field. This paper summarizes these two major topics in behavioral finance, which include behavioral corporate finance, and introduces evidence that adopts behavioral concepts in the actual financial market. It also describes challenges to behavioral finance by reviewing recent studies and surveys. Recently acknowledged theories in academic finance are called standard or traditional finance theories. Based on the standard finance paradigm, scholars have sought to understand financial markets using models that presume that investors are rational. MPT and the EMH form the basis of traditional finance models1). How1) Harry Markowitz introduced MPT in 1952,  and he illustrated relationships between portfolio choices and beliefs in terms of the â€Å"expected returns–variance of returns† rule. Ricciardi and Simon (2000) defined MPT as an expected return, while standard deviations of particular securities or portfolios are correlated with the other securities or mutual funds held within one portfolio. Another major concept is known as the EMH, which states that investors cannot consistently  ever, if researchers only use the MPT and EMH, individual investor behavior is not easily understood. In contrast, behavioral finance is a relatively new concept in the financial markets, and is not employed within standard finance models; it replaces traditional finance models, and it offers a better model for human behavior. Although MPT and the EMH are considered as successful in financial market analysis, the behavioral finance model has been developed as one of the alternative theories for standard finance. Behavioral finance examines the impact of psychology on market participants’ behavior and the resulting outcomes in markets, focusing on how individual investors make decisions: in particular, how they interpret and act on specific information. Investors do not always have rational and predictable reactions when examined through the lens of quantitative models, which means that investors’ decision-making processes also include cognitive biases and affective (emotional) aspects. The behavioral finance model emphasizes investor behavior, leading to various market anomalies and inefficiencies. This new concept for finance explains individual behavior and group behavior by integrating the fields of sociology, psychology, and other behavioral sciences. It also predicts financial markets. Research in behavioral corporate finance studies highlights investors’ and managers’ irrationality, and shows nonstandard preferences, and judgmental biases in managerial decisions. Currently, many companies apply behavioral approaches to determine important finance and investment patterns. Several theories under the banner of traditional finance develop specific models by assuming the EMH and they explain  phenomena in markets; however, in the real financial market, many problems and cases cannot easily be explained via those standardized  models. In the cases involving managers or investors, unbiased forecasts about future events need to be developed and used to make decisions that best serve their own interests. In this type of situation, we need to entertain more realistic behavioral aspects, as there is evidence for irrational behavior patterns that cannot be explained by the traditional or standard financial theories. To be specific, Shefrin (2009) pointed out that the root cause of the global  achieve an excessive return over market returns on a risk-adjusted basis because all publicly available information is already reflected in a security’s market price, and the current security price is its fair value. Financial crisis of 2008 was a psychological, not fundamental phenomenon. Risk-seeking behaviors were evident in the loss-dominant markets, while excessive optimism and confirmation bias acted as driving factors behind the crisis, and not fundamental factors such as terrorism, skyrocketing oil prices, or disruptive changes in the weather. We can understand, identify, and address psychological distortions in judgments and decisions by considering behavioral concepts, and then we can integrate both traditional and behavioral factors to be better prepared for dealing with any psychological challenges. As mentioned, managerial decisions are strongly affected by cognitive biases and emotional aspects in real financial markets, as human beings are not machines. Additionally, evidence of  mispricing and market anomalies that cannot be fully explained by traditional models, is prevalent. Thus, we would like to propose behavioral finance in this paper to clearly explain a number of important financing and investment patterns, aiding  investors in understanding several abnormal phenomena by integrating behavioral concepts with existing. Ricciardi and Simon (2000) defined behavioral finance in the following manner: â€Å"Behavioral finance attempts to explain and increase understanding of the reasoning patterns of investors, including the emotional processes involved and the degree to which they influence the decision-making process. Essentially, behavioral finance attempts to explain the what, why, and how of finance and investment, from a human perspective† (Page 2) (See figure 1). Shefrin (2000), however, mentioned the difference between cognitive and affective (emotional) factors: â€Å"cognitive aspects concern the way people organize their information, while the emotional aspects deal with the way people feel as they register information† (Page 29). We understand that there are several survey literatures on behavioral finance. However, this paper differs from the literature in several aspects. We introduce more recent papers in the field and expand the research scope to studies on Korean financial markets. We introduce more literature on behavioral corporate finance, provide statistics on the recent trends that are evident in behavioral finance papers, introduce the specific funds that are using behavioral finance techniques, and discuss the challenges of the behavioral finance model. Source: Ricciardi and Simon (2000)  particularly regarding market anomalies and investor behavior, which cannot  be explained by traditional finance paradigms. In section 2, we introduce two topics in behavioral finance: cognitive biases and the limits of arbitrage. In section 3, we summarize the research on behavioral corporate finance. In section 4, we examine behavioral applications via two routes: evidence from real investments and specific evidence from the Korean financial market. In section 5, we analyze the recent developments in behavioral finance publications. Section 6 discusses several challenges to behavioral finance and ends with suggestions for future research. TWO TOPICS IN BEHAVIORAL FINANCE Behavioral finance is a study that combines psychology and economics, and it tries to explain various events that take place in financial markets. For example, from the behavioral finance  perspective, some individuals’ limitations and problems are shown in the expected utility theory and in arbitrage assumptions. In particular, there are two representative topics in behavioral finance: cognitive psychology and the limits of arbitrage.2) Cognitive Biases Under the traditional and standard financial theories, investors are viewed as being rational. Basically, a rational economic person is an individual who tries to achieve discretely specified goals in the most comprehensive and consistent way while minimizing any economic costs. A rational economic person’s choices are determined by his or her utility function.

Regional Security Complex Theory

Regional Security Complex Theory This chapter will provide an in-depth look at a range of theoretical approaches to the concept of energy security. It is expected by examining several theoretical approaches we will be able to determine a comprehensive understanding of what constitutes energy security. A range of academic approaches exist which can be utilised in order to understand the origins, prerequisites, and consequences of any given type of security. Throughout this chapter we will be taking the concept of energy security and firstly examining approaches to understanding it as part the existing theoretical framework. Secondly, efforts will be made to comprehend the securitization of energy as a part of broader and more contemporary political architecture. The scope of this literature review will extend to the work of founding theorists, as well as contemporary literature, journals, and reviews. 2.1 Understanding Security Since the eventful oil disruptions of the 1970s, energy security has slowly but surely assimilated itself into the key debates of IR theory (Bohi and Toman, 1996: 32). Energy security discourses are varied and volatile at the best of times. If we are to comprehend energy security, we must first have a clear understanding of how security can be approached and conceptualized. Is it a response to threat or a strategy to evade threat? Or perhaps neither? Security is a both a highly contended and heavily debated concept. Owing to its inherently multifaceted premise, it is rare now for a political article not to refer to security in some form or another (Neocleous, 2000: 11). Irony lies in the fact that our present inability to define security has, as a result, caused the international society and our interpretation of it to be less secure as a whole (Booth Wheeler: 2007: 94). What is exceedingly clear, however, is that our understanding of security and what it entails has moved well beyo nd the claim that security studies should focus only on the threat, use and control of military force (Nye and Lynn-Jones in Walt, 1991: 212). It is interesting that our understanding of security has only relatively recently been contested. We can classify security either as defensive (a response to a threat) or offensive (interaction with other actors for state gain) (Grafstein, 2002: 139-165). Traditional thinkers have conventionally classified security primarily as a defensive mechanism (i.e. power measured by war and military strength). Kenneth Waltz built further on this assumption in his book, Theory of International Politics. By suggesting that, in an anarchic international system, the incentive of every state is to put itself in a position to be able to take care of itself since no one else can be counted onto do so, he suggests security will remain an inherently defensive mechanism. Barry Buzan, on the other hand, took this further and attempted to dissect this highly complex term by questioning the very legitimacy of security itself (1997: 5-21). Buzan, Ole Wà ¦ver, and Jaap de Wilde form the foundations of the C openhagen School of security studies, which focuses on the process of securitization, regional security complexes, and sectoral security. This has conversely been criticized by those of the Critical Security Studies school of thought, which itself is set in contrast to the assumptions of neo-realism and realism. As such, we can see how security has undergone and will continue to undergo analytical re-evaluation thanks to recurrent contestation of this concept within the field of IR. As a result of this unremitting confrontation, the scope for what constitutes security has broadened significantly and developed into a dynamic yet still unbalanced concept. Thus, how might we define begin to security, and at what point does a states action, agenda or thinking become a security concern? It is useful here to refer to Buzan et al.s definition of security: It is when an issue is presented as posing an existential threat to a designated referent object (traditionally, but not necessarily the state, incorporating government, territory, and society). The special nature of security threats justifies the use of extraordinary measures to handle them (1998: 21). Conceptualizing security as such posits that if a concern is deemed to be a security issue, it must be presented to and subsequently accepted by an audience: indeed, Buzan, Wà ¦ver and de Wilde further clarify that securitization is not decided by the securitizer but by the audience (1998: 31). In adopting their understanding of securitization as a speech act, we can see how this process creates rights, obligations and responsibilities which are decided not by the securitizer but by an audience (Buzan  et al. 1998: 25-31). Taking this approach, we can apply this framework in understanding why the need to find, secure and diversify energy supplies has been construed as a leading security concern for many states. As Luft and Korin note, energy security is very much in the eyes of the beholder (2009: 1). By having a succinct critical framework for analysis, we are better able to understand the actions, reactions, and needs of states who consider their energy security to be threatened. What follows is a range of theoretical and analytical approaches for conceptualizing energy security. 2.2 A Realist Scope No IR theory accentuates the position of security more than realism, yet there is rarely a critical analysis by realists to explain what security actually means (Baldwin, 1997: 21). The presence of realism simply cannot be ignored when trying to frame the concept of energy security, and although it fails to address some of the key reasons as to why energy is a contemporary security concern, it is nonetheless a theoretical standpoint which has been synonymous with mid-twentieth century security studies (Baldwin, 1997: 9). Sustained by centuries of progressive and traditional thought, the realist stance is backed by great intellectual contributions from Rousseau, Thucydides, Hobbes and Machiavelli to name but a few (Deudney, 2011: 18). Realism is not a single theory, but a cluster of progressive theories with shared core values: Realism focuses on power struggle, national interests, competition between states, and conflict over resources. To realists, international politics is characterised by a zero-sum game: one sides gain is the other sides loss. Therefore, relations between states can only produce competition and conflicts (Bathily, 2009: 185). Realism is a state-centric theory, the classical premise of which declares that the international system is anarchic and within this system states strive for survival and cannot rely upon other states, since every state has the potential to harm through use of military force (Mearsheimer: 1994/95: 9-10). Hans Morgenthaus contributions to the realist paradigm discuss the inherently flawed nature of humans, suggesting that our innate selfishness and desire for power leaves no room for moral principles when understanding the behaviour of states (Morgenthau in Donnelly, 2000: 15-16). Donnelly further emphasises that, realism emphasizes the constraints on politics imposed by human nature (2000: 9), demonstrating that if energy security is accepted as a realist security concern, states will strive for survival by resolving this issue without concern for moral or human principles. Kenneth Waltzs development of structural realism (also referred to as neo-realism) explains the international system by identifying a central and anarchic state, then subsequently relating this object to the interaction between constituent elements of the system (e.g. states in search of survival). These components are further characterised by the balance and distribution of power; in this context, their capability and proficiency in terms of seeking survival and energy security (Waltz in Booth, 2001: 5). The fundamental approaches to energy security under Waltzs structural realism are summarised by Luft and Korin as follows: 1) States are inherently predisposed to egotism, and will therefore pursue hegemony through use of whatever powers they may possess. 2) Structural realists stress that energy commodities have historically held value beyond simply that of commercial pricing they emphasise how resources have repeatedly been used strategically as means of directing foreign policy and asserting dominance. 3) Although realists will take into account the influence of mutual cooperation and independent institutions, they also maintain that culture, history, and economic tendencies and trends do play a crucial role and cannot be ignored when understanding energy security needs and concerns (2009: 340). Approaching energy security in such a manner allows us to see why states might prioritise energy security over other concerns; however the realist paradigm has always prioritised military security in their understanding of security as a whole. Engaging with strands of realist though explains why self-interest of states and the struggle for dominance is an occurring theme in the international system, but the critical flaws of Waltzs structural realism lie in the fact that he largely discounts the importance of geography and geographical regions, while also paying little attention to technology as an influential shaping force (Deudney, 2011: 29-30). When endeavouring to find a position for energy security in a theoretical framework, it is evident that realism does not offer a fully logical and explanatory approach to the concept. As mentioned earlier, Buzan (of the Copenhagen School of security studies) deems anarchy to be the key feature within the international system, and splits security concerns into 5 categories (political, military, societal, economic, environmental); energy security, however, is not explicitly identified within these categories (Buzan, 1991: 19). Although this categorization is evidently broadening the approach to security, a prominent weakness of the theory is its inability to account for the impact of other actors and structures on securitization, while giving too much attention to how international anarchy is constructed politically. The main critic of Buzans work is Bill McSweeney, who claims that the key flaw within Buzans work is his inability to break away from the neo-realist assertion that the state is always the main object for analysis (2004: 123). 2.3 A Liberal Understanding Liberalism and security are concepts which have in recent times both clashed and contradicted each other. Hyde-Price understands this to be a result of liberalism misunderstanding the nature of power (2007: 16). The core value of classical liberalism are neatly summed up into four components up by Kelly: All individuals are of equal and ultimate moral value. This individualism is ethical and not sociological or psychological. Equality of concern and respect is cashed out in terms of a set of basic rights, civil liberties and economic entitlements. These rights entail accompanying responsibilities and duties. Ethical individualism and equality of concern and respect does not entail moral scepticism about objective values. It is instead concerned with the moral limitation of coercion or political power (2004: 13). What can liberalism offer in terms of conceptualizing energy security? Bathily forms a coherent and persuasive argument for approaching it from a liberal perspective. They assert that liberalism in fact challenges the very notion of security in any form and suggest that the realist egocentrism, struggle for survival and innate fear of external threat could be substituted by a so-called liberal logic, wherein states maximise absolute gains and generally prioritise economic development over that of political. In doing this, they predict that traditional elements of security will become sidelined and therefore the security agendas will eventually become redundant. Liberals view naturally occurring resources such as oil to be strategically unimportant, given the frequent rate of discovery around the world. This consequently turns oil from an economic fortune to an ordinary commodity. They further believe that resource management is not the responsibility or the right of the governing bod y, and that management should be decentralized and democratised to multiple, non-governmental actors (2009: 183-184). In some ways, the liberal take on energy security is a valid and applicable one. It explains why actors controlling the resource industry have freedom and independence from government decree which is true in many states and explains why the need for peaceful cooperation and mutual reliance is present in the international system today. What is fails to address, however, is the rising concern for resources in resource poor nations, which in turn has caused political instability, egocentric policy making, and the rise of resource nationalism (this will be examined further on). When trying to understand energy security, liberalism places too much emphasis on the importance of moral human nature in relation to political and resource-based relations, and does not provide enough focus on the importance of geographic, economic, regional and political involvement. 2.4 Energy Security and the Regional Security Complex Theory Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) offers a somewhat more contemporary and relevant approach to conceptualizing energy security. The founding academic linked to this particular theory is Buzan, with further contributions from Wà ¦ver. A regional security complex has been defined as a group of states whose primary security concerns link together sufficiently closely that their national securities cannot realistically be considered apart from one another (Buzan, 1991: 190). It is argued by Buzan and Wà ¦ver that the security complexes of states depend primarily on the pressures deriving from geographic proximity, and the interplay between the anarchic structure and how balances of power play out in the system. They view the world as regional clusters, whereby security complexes are magnified within these clusters (2003: 45-46). Buzan and Wà ¦ver further clarify the central ideas of RSCT as follows: The central idea in RSCT is that, since most threats travel more easily over short distances than long ones, security interdependence is normally into regionally based clusters: security complexes. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Process of securitization and thus the degree of security interdependence are more intense between actors inside such complexes than they are between actors inside the complex and outside of it (2003: 4) Here, it is supposed that both mutual and rival interests can contribute towards the formation of such a region, and in this case, ensuring energy security would be one of those interests. A major benefit of RSCT is that it allows analysts to confront common conceptions and thus discuss security concerns between members of a given security complex this dispels the overly generic assumptions of liberalism and realism, and suggests that the concept of energy security can be analysed and approached by varying methods, but all within the scope of RSCT. Furthermore, applying Buzans theory gives an explanation as to why security concerns vocalized by one state are frequently echoed around neighbouring states with a relatively short time frame (Sheehan, 2005: 49-50). The strengths of RSCT also lie in its ability to be adaptable and logical RSCT, unlike the traditional theoretical approaches, does not rely on sweeping generalization of defining concept such as human nature. RSCT confidentl y explains the occurrence of energy complexes and relations between two or more states within a region, and further demonstrates how energy has become securitized within a given geographical area (Buzan, Wà ¦ver and de Wilde, 1998: 31). To classify an energy security complex, however, it is necessary to understand the nature and level of energy dependencies through studying the energy profile of a given state: e.g. the extent of external dependence, diversification possibilities, trade levels, domestic supplies etc. This in itself highlights the problematic nature of RSCT if a state is said to have 100% dependency for, say, oil, this contributes to the securitization of energy. On the other hand, if oil only constitutes 10% of the states energy profile, this brings about an entirely different view. Therefore, in order to analyse energy security from this standpoint we must choose whether it is more beneficial to group together major energy sources, or to base our understanding upon aggregate energy reliance of a given state. Further to this, it is crucial to acknowledge that energy security also entails a need for supply security and demand security. In addition, dependence can be both positive and negative between two or more states. While RSCT presents a plausible and applicable framework in terms of understanding energy security, it is limited in that it does not address the interaction of states at a global level. With the possibility and indeed reality of constructing long energy export pipelines and transport energy by land and sea, we can see that energy (inter)dependence between states from different regions is both real and developing. Furthermore, it is undeniable that with the rise of globalization, the integration and transfer of knowledge, and the power of technology, energy security is not confined solely within regional complexes. 2.5 Critical Security Studies (CSS) Increasingly, IR theorists have been left searching for a concept to shed light on why structures and responses within the international society are increasingly determined by shared ideas rather than material forces, and that the identities and interests of purposive actors are constructed by these shared ideas rather than given in nature (Wendt, 1991: 1). In contract to the realist and neo-realist assumption that security is primarily defensive, traditional and in pursuit of hegemony, CSS significantly broadens the concept of security. It brings in the notion of instability-of-the-object within the international system, and conceptualizes security not as an absolute feature but as a constructed quality which is dependent on shared ideas rather than state-centric gain (McSweeney, 1991:1). CSS has already been subject to diversification since its appearance in the 1990s, but several key aspects characterize this school of thought. They are summarised by Vaughan-Williams below as foll ows: The focus of analysis within CSS is called the referent object this can be an actor, sector, or concept which requires securitization The broadening of security. This refers to the move away from narrow and traditional views of security defined in terms of military strength, and posits concerns within other sectors as security issue The normative approach suggests what must or ought to be secured and analysed. The derivative nature of security. This idea speculates that our methods of understanding the world have a profound effect on the way we approach and conceptualize security (2010: 4).

Importance Of Sound In Movies Film Studies Essay

Importance Of Sound In Movies Film Studies Essay As we know, the film sound design is divided into two main categories. The first is sound effects design, mostly non-musicals. The second is film scores composing, in other words, the background music that is written specifically along with a film, mostly musicals. Film score ought to contain cue tracks. Each track is an individual piece, which will typically be a composition from instruments. Nowadays, a growing number of film scores include a mixture of orchestral and electronic instruments. The notion of a point of audition can have two meanings: 1. A spatial sense: from where do I hear, from what point in the space represented on the screen or on the soundtrack? 2. A subjective sense: which character, at a given moment of the story, is hearing what I hear? (Chion, 1994) Sound is indexical in our natural way of listening. Sound conveys time information more accurately than visuals. When sound occurs, an event of material interaction is taking place. Sound fertilises and enhances the visual landscape, makes us able to make an outline of information about the source as well as the cause. In short words, sound reflects the physical reality of the scene, immerses the listener into the world, which makes the environment comes alive. What is important to the audience is to know what produces the sound and where it comes from. Diegetic sound is sound whose apparent source is in the space-time continuum of the scene onscreen. Diegetic sound is sound that the film leads us to believe the characters can hear. (Chion, 2009) For indicating the materiality of the sound source more accurately, the dimensions and distances more precisely, sound effects design has more to be considered. While some sound effects are recorded while they are produced, most of them are added or created afterwards. Production mixers normally ask that all action cease for a few moments on each location so that they may record the continuous background ambient sound in that space, such as water lapping on shore. Editors will later have to reinsert ambience under dialogue and effects created during postproduction for continuity with production sound. Sounds from disparate sources must be adjusted with tools like equalisers and filters to match and flow seamlessly. Choices of characteristics imparted to the sound in reverberation, pacing, timbre, volume, and mixing of sounds with each other may not only decide our sense of the physical reality of the space, but also suggest a number of feelings, such as loneliness, joys, paranoia and so on. Reverberation is an essential tool for placing a sound in a space to indicate how far we are from a sounds source. You can clarify an element of the plot with sound, or you can make things more ambiguous, which is often what you want to do. In such close-ups of sound we must be careful, however, to bear in mind the specific nature of sound which never permits sound to be isolated from its acoustic environment as a close-up shot can be isolated from its surroundings. Music played in a restaurant cannot be completely cut out if a special close-up of say two people softly talking together in a corner is to be shown. The band may not always be seen in the picture, but it will always be heard. The close- ­up will contain the whole acoustic atmosphere of the restaurant space. Thus we will hear not only the people talking, we will also hear in what relation their talking is to the sounds all round them. We will be able to place it in its acoustic environment. (Weis, 1985) Sound can heighten realism or it can diminish it. Sound can draw attention to a detail or draw attention away from it. (Sider, 2003) The microphone is not as selective. The sound designers have to eliminate that unintended cacophony from global for audience. The camera shoots directly at a ticking clock, we may hear the ticking. But a few seconds after the character looks away, the ticking will be gradually dropped out. Inception is a film that tells a story about inception of idea in dream. The movie itself is a mind altering brainstorm and an intelligent experience. It implants much plot clue using a very good sound design. In fact, it is also a successful aural inception. This is a going through of all the interesting technical points in this film. The thing that differs Inception from the other film is the simultaneous hierarchy architecture. It is common in this film that multilayers of sound happen at the same time in the movie. And in different levels of dream, the audience get different pace of sound. You can tell somebody what part of the world they are in, depending on what kinds of sound you play. The basic timeline and plot are based on dream within a dream. Even if the characters are in dreams, we expect them to follow the laws of physics. The very use of sound in this film is that the sound is used for connecting the different layers of dreaming. The song used for the musical countdown to make the dreaming characters aware of the impending kick is Non, Je ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf. There are 3 versions of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien, which are the original, the slowed version and the super-slowed version. When time is shifting between the dreams, the original Non, Je ne Regrette Rien is slowing down and being cross-faded with Zimmers score. When the musical countdown is heard down a level from its origin, its slowed down by 300%, and when it passes down another level, it slows by 300% again. By slowing down Non, Je ne Regrette Rien by 300%, the sound becomes very similar to the slow horns in Half Remembered Dream at the beginning of the film. When Cobb and Ariadne descend into limbo, without any headphones on to re-adjust the tempo of the music, that same score is heard slowed down by 300%. As Cobb and Ariadne wash up on the shores of Cobbs subconscious, the loudest and most drawn-out horn section of the entire soundtrack takes place in the end of the score 528491. The audience is not the only part involved hearing the slowed score, but so are the characters in the film. Many different films have made use of first person perspectives. It is just like experiencing life from the  first  person  point of view of  Malkovich in the movie Being John Malkovich  (1999). The first-person aural perspective has an immense impact on viewing film. The first person perspectives will surely make the audience feel in the characters way. The audience hears what exactly the characters hear. Since the characters can hear the music with us, the score itself is a hint at what layer of a dream we are viewing. Knowing this, it becomes possible to distinguish between dream and reality by merely hearing the music. The fact that score never dips into the slow droning in the reality level is a pretty good proof that the top level in the movie is indeed reality. The better-defined film sound became in the high frequency range, the more it induced a rapid perception of what was onscreen. This film has a very good dynamic frequency range. As for low frequency, there is the shaking of the building and the thunder sound. As for high frequency, there is water lapping and the gun shot recording. Mysterious electronic sound at the beginning implies that it is going to be a very unusual film. The water lapping and waves sound on shore goes from right to left according to the water flowing on screen. It can be a live record, but more probably is reinserted when post production. We Built Our Own World begins when Cobb is lying on the shore. It provides a strong sense of desolation when Cobb is looking at his children, which means he is not in the reality. The sound of spinning top is much louder than it should be because the filmmaker wants us to focus on the spinning top but not anything else. Then the spinning sound gradually fades out after switching views. Recording the background voices in a restaurant where Cobb was having a meal with Saito was a clever way of delivering the idea that they were in a very big building. We can hear low-frequency noise which sounds like the ground that is shaking at the same time. And then it gets louder and louder. All the above information that sound conveys is a clue that they are actually in dreams and lay the groundwork for the building collapse soon after that. Later the audience can hear the shaking sound of the tables and the glasses very clearly. Then the ticking sound of the clock goes faster and faster, which means we are travelling from dream to reality. Without sound, the audience do not even know what is going on. Sound inevitably carries much useful information in this collapsing scene indeed. The audience can hear background riot voices when there is only inside-house shots taking on, which means these background voices come from the riot people outside. Then we hear a simulated explosion sound which makes us feel we are in the scene. When Cobb is talking with Mal, we can hear ambience sound of water lapping sound again while we cannot see the shore, which means the shore is right beside the building. One Simple Idea takes place when Cobb is trying to steal an idea from Saito in dream. That is obviously a working theme that calms the audience down and tells the audience that Cobb is in the process of doing something important. Sound designer should record the building collapsing sound or simulate it in post-production in order to immense the audience into a surround atmosphere of danger. The background music Dream Is Collapsing is a magnificent piece that we can feel the dream is in the process of collapsing. In the gun shot scene, we cannot see the bullet or the fire light but we can hear very loud gunshot so that we know they are firing at each other. When Cobb is falling into water, it seems that we can hear what Cobb is hearing. Because Cobb is dreaming, so actually he is in two layers of world. In the upper layer dream, we here the water bubble sound when Cobb is drowning into water and water is running into his ears, thus causing a reverberation. But in the dream within a dream, the water is crushing into the building from everywhere, and then we should hear a sound like massive water drop on the ground, which is very similar to waterfall sound. When the scene goes back to drowning Cobb, we hear a pulse with its frequency getting faster and faster, which means he is crossing one dream layer up. We can hear the sound of a moving train when we see the characters are sleeping and dreaming together, which means in reality they are actually dreaming in a moving train. The sound designer perfectly builds up three layers of world using sound as a clue to the audience, but it is hard for the audience to notice these little clues. Anyway the sound clue will become clear when the audience watch the film a second time. When the dreaming character listens to the music on headphone, the audiences hear Non, Je ne Regrette Rien as if they are the dreaming character. Again there are two layers of sound at the same time. In the dream layer, the character can only hear a highly filtered version of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien in a low voice as if someone is whispering beside the ears. Sound images are often used in the film for the purpose of creating an atmosphere. Just as the film can show visual landscapes, so it can show acoustic landscapes. (Weis, 1985) Sound can describe an acoustic space. (Sider, 2003) Sometimes sound is simple enough to tell the audience what is happening, we do not need an extra visual image showing the detail. When Cobb drags Saito to the ground, there is no image showing Cobb has loaded the gun, but the audience hear a bullet loaded sound, which means Cobb is threatening Saito and probably he is going to kill Saito if Saito does not tell the secret of his company. That same thing happens again in the scene when Cobb is about to kill himself in dream. When Cobb is playing the spinning top, we hear the familiar Old Souls again. Every time when Cobb is not sure if he is in dream, the theme Old Souls will appear. It feels like a looping paradox. We can never make it right; we can never go out of the paradox. That is what Zimmer tries to convey to the audience through Old Souls. When Cobb is having conversation through telephone, we hear Cobb is speaking normally, but obviously reverberation is added to the voices come from the other end and these voices are so clear as if we are hearing it from Cobbs first person perspective. The sound designer has to make it clear so as the audience will not miss any information or emotion that Cobb receives from the telephone. When they mention Mal in the telephone, the background music suddenly changes into a soft and sad piece. That means Mals dead is really a nightmare for Cobb. He cannot stop his endless grieve about Mal. The microphone is placed in two places to record the speech in a big concert room between Cobb and his architect teacher. At first it is a close-up record. When the scene changes into a wide shot, the audience can hear a distant record version with more echoes which makes the ambience sounds more realistic than before. And that truly helps push the audience into the world. During the conversation, the background music Old Souls comes up again because they are talking about the idea of designing dream. One Simple Idea is a good choice of background music when Cobb is teaching Ariadne how to design a dream world like maze. That music simply draws the audiences attention to difficult staff they are going through but not itself. That is to say, when background music goes off or goes down without any supporting emotion, it leaves the space for the audience to stay in the visual and the profound idea naturally. To make the story more logical and each plot scene connected better, a good, logical and complicated sound design is required. Even if it is in dreams, the ambience sound goes like it is in reality. When Cobb is talking with Ariadne, the voices of the other people around are still available. In order to surprise the audience with a later explosion scene, the designer would rather let the audience believe this is a reality scene at first. So everything sounds as normal as daily life at the beginning. In fact few people can notice that the Non, Je ne Regrette Rien is fading in in the explosion scene when the dream is collapsing, which means the headphone on Ariadnes ear is playing to wake her up. A ground moving sound is simulated in the scene that Ariadne is folding the ground upside down in her dream. Everybody knows there is no way to record this sound in real life, we have to record the other sound, such as rock moving on the ground, to replace the imagined sound in the scene to make it sounds like what it should be. Radical Notion is on the way when Ariadne makes everything functioning radical and unbelievable in her experimental dream. The two gradually switching chords make us feel the way like How could it be like that? What an amazing thing! If the scene has a big change, it is a good practice to insert a background music which is in completely different style from the music in the scene before. Actually the Mombasa theme has already begun long before the chasing takes place, but again it is a gradually fading in, which means something excited should be just around the corner. We can hear sound similar to helicopter and also the sound of wind when Mal is sitting on the window. The moment when she jumps out, the background music suddenly changes into a sad tune. That seems to say it is not in dream but in reality. So it deserves to be a tragedy definitely. And this theme lasts until Cobbs narration is over. When they are taking action to hijack the son of the companys head, the music becomes very intense from that time. When Arthur is having gun fire, we hear the sound from his angel but not enemies angel because we only need a first person record. The sound the enemies are hearing is not that important to the plot. We can notice that whenever the speech between the characters is over, the background music will soon get louder. The sound designer does not want the background music cover our semantic listening. It is always a serious headache to record the sound when several driving cars are firing at each other, because there is often fast switching shot. In the film, the car braking sound, the gun fire sound, the braking glass sound because of the gun shot and the water lapping sound, every sound mix with each other at exactly the same time. So post production edit for the recorded sound is obviously needed at this specific moment. Some part of the sound is reinforced while some is reduced or diminished. It is the way to select useful sound information for the audience. When we see a close-up shot of a glass of water is shaking, we get a glass shaking sound. After the shot switches to peoples face, we still get that glass shaking sound. This time we know what it is the glass that is generating the sound. And also we can judge the shaking intensity simply by the acquiring the volume of the glass shaking sound. When the glass hits the table and breaks, we hear a sound which is similar to metal ringing and the ringing keeps lasting for a long time. And that is the time when Cobbs attention is extracted by his subconscious. That ringing is a clue that he may lose himself in thinking about Mal and his children. He simply cannot run away from the idea. The sound designer has to think of a best way to deliver the sound in a virtual environment. When the scene is switching between two levels of dream, especially at the conjunction point, sound effects do not necessary have to complete a sudden change. Sometimes for the consideration for continuity the sound from the upper level will pass on to the next level. The wind blowing sound and water lapping sound from the upper level become the thunder sound causing by the strange weather in the next level. This is a very good example of designing sound according to the requirement of plot and environment. I have to say that this is really a very smart sound design. A close-up shot on Robert Fischers face with a thunder sound above makes the whole scenery more nervous. Robert Fischer definitely feels anxious about being in dream with a strange continuing thunder sound above. The very clear fast breathing sound of Robert Fischer also reveals his anxiety. We can hear almost all the detail from Robert Fischers mouth so clear that it sounds like the microphone is just around the mouth of Robert Fischer. Thus it has to be a later recorded version of syncing facial expression with a close-up recorded sound. The messy footsteps sound is a good way to show a chaotic scene, thus reflects peoples tension. When Robert Fischer is escaping with Cobb from the men who were sent to abduct Robert Fischer, the sound of footstep is getting louder and quicker. At the best part of the film when five levels of dream are interacting and the shots keep switching between these five levels every few seconds, there is no speech, only the sound effects with magnificent background music which sounds like orchestra march. That particular background piece makes up the best part of the film, telling the audience this should be a spectacular moment that they would never see in any other film. In a word this piece stirs the emotion to the climax of the whole film. When the characters on the third and fourth level of the dream put on headphone on the second level, they hear a distorted version of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien. All the perception on the upper level has a reflection effects on the deeper level. In here, the music reflection effect is distortion music sound. The music at the shore of Cobbs subconscious is a woozy piece. It makes us dont know where we are. In fact it is the fifth level of dream. It is also desolation piece that few people can enter this level of dream so far. It becomes a strong kick with a long horn when the music Non, Je ne Regrette Rien is on. This time it is not a distorted version, it is a new recorded slow version of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien. Let us take a look at the film score part of sound design. What can film score does to the film? The obvious first thing to say: It makes you feel a certain way. It adds emotion, it evokes feelings, and it creates a mood. They can establish the pace of a scene. Directors are constantly asking composers to write a piece of music which will make the scene seem to go faster, or slower, than it goes. (Sider, 2003) A good film score will push the audience into the movies plot. It should reach the perfect interaction point between audio and visuals. Usually the composer is shown an unpolished rough cut of the film, and talks to the director about what music styles should be followed. Once a composer has the film, they will then work on composing the score. Some composers prefer to work with traditional paper scores, but if it comes to score like Inception that contains odd ambient and electronic noises, it has to be written in a computer-based environment. In some instances, film composers may be asked by the director to imitate a specific style. As seen in many film DVDs, the orchestra performs in front of a large screen depicting the movie, assisting the conductor to synchronize the music with the film. Films often have different themes for important characters, events, ideas or objects. So we divide the whole soundtrack into pieces of scores. By convention, the film soundtrack is constructed so as not to draw the audiences attention to itself but to accompany the film unless it is part of the plot. The director, composer, and music editor will have a spotting session, running through and agreeing on where and what kind of music is needed. The composer of the Inception scores is Hans Zimmer, whose music is characterized by high audible. Because Inception is based on the practice of entering dreams and planting an idea in someones head, the soundtracks to Inception should be designed as dream-like and create a complete sonic world to immerse the audience into each layers of the dreams. The original soundtrack album is largely an atmospheric album. The soundtrack has to be composed in ways that are quite unrealistic so that the audience will not notice the background music. Listening to this soundtrack really guide me to recall most of the main plot, at the same time music is the perfect embodiment of the films theme. It is an aural journey into ones imagination which creates images and story lines in my mind. It is a soundtrack to the imagination, or perhaps, dreams. In viewing period, the film score will never grab the limelight of the film itself, but to help the audience build up the courage of the dream and promote the development of the plot. Inception movie scores rely more on real live instruments rather than digital audio samples. The whole soundtrack is a combination of electronic and classical. Traditional orchestra can be heard here and there in each track. Some cues even play with electric guitar, odd ambient and electronic noises. Dream Is Collapsing is one of the most powerful tracks in the score. It is seen as perfectly rational that all characters in this scene keep calm and behave naturally with having a house collapse. This technique increases the contrast of the characters rational behaviour against the powerful background score which tells the audience that it deserves to be a nervous scene. Dream is Collapsing is very well done and incredibly addictive. Dream is Collapsing is the most memorable song. Radical Notion begins with heart beat which makes the audience lulled into a false sense of security. Those low chords that switch up and down before lie underneath strings as if a beast is softly breathing, or perhaps, it implies that it is the dreamer who is breathing, and always with a slowed down version. Recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition Radical Notion is a track that walks in familiar territory in terms of the string ostinatos. It is a motif which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. It is a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the same weight or stress. The repeated idea may be a rhythmic pattern in itself. Starts off playing the main motif rather dramatically then dips into some too cool for school stuff before playing around with the little motif some more. The last moments of the track gets aggressive. Old Souls reflects Mals anxious about living in dreams. It makes the audience puzzled, wondering if they are living in dreams. And the vibrating electronic underscoring is used in such a special way. It is a long and effective track that continues the atmospheric feelings of the album. Old Souls is a cue that leads us into the conversation between Cobb and Mal and make every audience puzzled with what they are doing and why they are acting like that. Most of the original background cues have something in common, but some of cues have slight differences. Mombasa is the only percussion in the score, which has distinctive flavour from the rest of the score. What is occurring on screen is a chasing scene which lasts about 4 minutes. Thus the accompanying soundtrack should be a very fast on-going rhythm in order to provoke audiences emotions. The Hi Octane element provides intense personal experience and delivers a paranoid sense of being chased when Cobb is running to get out of the chasers. It has a fairly light start, but it soon explodes into an action cue. Dream within a Dream brings back the motif heard in Dream is Collapsing but adds some too cool for school percussion. Waiting for a Train is the longest cue of all, which feels very mysterious and nostalgic when there are too many musical elements and emotion changing blended in. Around 3 minutes, it changes the feeling completely and the atmosphere becomes a little darker in nature. At around 5:30, it gets more dramatic as there are almost only synths left. In stark contrast, Edith Piaf is in there at around 7:04. Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien is a classic, but it still sounded strange there. The female voice wakes up the dreamers. All of these form 9 minutes and 29 seconds of continuous wonderfulness. Great inspirational scores and soundtracks should all have the quality of independence from their intended film. Time may be one of the most beautiful epic songs in the soundtrack that can be appreciated independently from Inception. It gives a sense of closure by building up an emotional thread from beginning to end. There is no doubt that Time should be the main title in this original soundtrack album. The piano gets the view feeling sentimental, which brings tears to the eyes, especially at the very end after the audience has experienced all the dreams in the film. This is probably the one that most people will truly love and listen to a thousand times without being tired of. What Time did was no pure sensationalism, the fate of a sense of desolation in which the melody is along with the spinning top, so that we cannot distinguish if it is a dream or not. It is not just orchestral music, but every form of music because you never know when you might need to use some electric guitars. Great composers adapt to the story and to their directors vision. It can be said that sounds greatest influence on the film is manifested at the heart of the image itself. (Chion, 1994)