The Motive Behind Mergers And Acquisition

The Motive Behind Mergers And Acquisition INTRODUCTION Background Mergers and Acquisitions have gained substantial importance in todays corporate world. This process is extensively used for restructuring the business organizations. Some well known financial organizations also took the necessary initiatives to restructure the corporate sector of India by adopting the mergers and acquisitions policies. The  Indian economic reform since 1991 has opened up a whole lot of challenges both in the domestic and international spheres. The increased competition in the global market has prompted the Indian companies to go for mergers and acquisitions as an important strategic choice. The trends of mergers and acquisitions in India have changed over the years. The immediate effects of the mergers and acquisitions have also been diverse across the various sectors of the Indian economy. The Indian Economy has been growing at the fast rate and emerging as the most promising economy in the world. Be it in IT, RD, pharmaceutical, infrastructure, energy, consumer retail, telecom, financial services, media, and hospitality etc, there has been a sign of promising boom in the Indian economy. It is the second fastest growing economy in the world with GDP touching 8.9 % in 2010. Investors, big companies, industrial houses view Indian market in a growing and proliferating phase, whereby returns on capital and the shareholder returns are high. Both the inbound and outbound mergers and acquisitions have increased dramatically. According to Investment bankers, Merger Acquisition (MA) deals in India will cross $100 billion this year, which is double last years level and quadruple of 2005. Indias merger and acquisitions deal value in year 2010 reached almost US $50 billion which is three times of the deal value last year 2009. There were MA deals worth about $16 billion in 2009, down from close to US $40 billion in 2008. Definitions: Mergers: Mergers or amalgamation is combination of two or more companies to form as a single new company. In this process no fresh investment is made, however an exchange of shares takes place between the entities. In simple terms, a merger involves the mutual decision of two companies to combine and become one entity. Generally, merger is done between the two entities having similar size. Varieties of Mergers   Mergers can be of various types. But there are 5 main mergers varieties which are valued most in the corporate world.   Horizontal merger   Two companies that are in direct competition and share  the same product lines and markets.   Vertical merger   Two companies which are in the Value Chain. Market-extension merger  Ã‚  Two companies having same product but different target market. Product-extension merger  Ã‚  Two companies selling different but related products in the same market.   Conglomeration   Two companies with unrelated business/ industry.   Acquisitions   Acquisition means buying the ownership of one company by another company, often as the part of the growth strategy. Unlike in merger, acquisition is generally done by a large company to a small one. Acquisitions can be either friendly or hostile. Like mergers, acquisitions are actions through which companies seek economies of scale, efficiencies and enhanced market visibility. Acquisition is done either in cash or acquiring the stock of the target company or both. Distinction between Mergers and Acquisitions   Mergers and Acquisitions are often uttered as one and the same and considered to have the same meaning. But the terms merger and acquisition are two different term meaning.   When one company takes over another independent company and clearly established itself as  the new owner, the purchase is called an acquisition. From a legal point of view, the  target company  ceases to exist and the buyer or the acquirer possesses the full control of the business and the buyers  stock continues to be traded, then it is acquisition.   Regardless of the type of the strategic alliance they all have one purpose in common. They are all meant to create synergy that makes the value of the combined companies greater than the sum of the two parts. Synergy Synergy  is the force that is obtained when two or more components meet together to produces an exceptional result which when done solely cannot be achieved. In a business synergy takes the form of enhanced performance, increased profitability and exceptional cost reduction. By merging, the companies hope to benefit from the following:   Staff reductions Economies of scale   Acquiring new technology Improved market reach and industry visibility Importance of the study When a company wants to expand, there are various ways its can do. They can achieve the growth either by capturing the market share or by growing through strategic alliances. The main objective of the merger or acquisition is to achieve growth and synergy, economies of scale and capture or expand the market share. Buzz of merger and acquisition often creates hype in the financial market about the acquirers stock price. While most empirical research on merger focus on daily stock return surrounding announcement date, a few studies also look at long term performance of term performance of acquiring firm after merger.  [1]  Not only that, the performance of the company as a whole is also a matter of question mark. Will the company be able to perform better than it is doing or not? Problem Statement Many firm prior to merger and acquisition have an expectation to create a synergy from merger and acquisition. The main motive behind MA is to create efficiencies in the business and expansion of the business. But they most of the time ignore the fact that the effect of merger and acquisition has direct correlation with the value of the acquirers company and the stock price. The other problem that is to be considered is the financial risk associated with the MA. Research Objective The objective of this study is to gain the deeper and clear knowledge of the merger and acquisition on the acquiring firm. It also aims at the financial risk that a company may face post merger/ acquisition asa well as the long term performance of the acquirer. The objectives are as follows: To examine the effect of EPS myopia on the return of acquiring firms in mergers. Evaluate the effect on the stock price of the acquiring company post merger and acquisition. Critically evaluating if the shareholders of the acquiring companies experience wealth effect as a result of MA. The expected long term performance of the acquiring firm. Study of the financial risk pertaining to the merger and acquisition. Research Question What is the motive behind Merger and Acquisition? What is the effect on the stock price of the acquirer pre and post MA? Does the buzz create the bubble effect on the market or is it long lasting? What is the wealth effect of the acquirer firm post and pre MA? What is the trend of MA in Indian market? Drivers of MA in India What are the effects of MA to the competitors? Effect of the tax to the government post merger and acquisition. Limitations of the Study No proper information on the companies is found except for their Balance Sheet and Income Statement. This study is based on secondary database, so errors in the data could affect the results of the study. External factors such as economic conditions, regulatory changes etc are not taken into consideration. An overview of the Study This dissertation is divided into five chapters. The first chapter deals with the background information, problem statement, objective of the study, importance of study, research question limitation of the study. The second chapter deals with literature review. This chapter indicates the theoretical framework of the valuation method of Merger and Acquisition. It shows the detail description of the past research that has been done on the topic and discusses the outcome of the study. The third chapter deals with the research methodology of the dissertation. It deals with the Research method used for the data and information collection. It includes sample selection/design procedure, data collection and data analysis tools used in the dissertation. In this part assumptions had been made where there is lack of appropriate data and information. The fourth chapter deals with analysis and interpretation of the financial data that are used to achieve the objectives of the dissertation. This section mainly deals with the findings from the study and also focuses on the analysis and its results. The fifth and the last chapter of this dissertation present the findings of the study, recommendation of the study to the investors, financial managers regulators. It also concludes the suggestions for future research. Chapter II Review of the Literature 2. Literature Review Many authors and writers have written lot about merger and acquisition and its impact on the performance of the company as well as on the economy. A great deal of research has been carried out on the performance of the corporations involved in the merger and acquisition. When a company wants to jump start a long term growth or boost up the corporate performance, MA may seem to be the best option. Yet study after study puts the success rate of MA lies just between 20% and 30%. A lot of researcher had tried to explain the abysmal statistics, usually by analyzing the attributes of the deals that worked and those that didnt. What is lacking is the robust theory that identifies the causes of those success and failures.  [2]   2.1 Merger and Acquisition: Conceptual Review Farlex Financial Dictionary  [3]  has defined A decision by two companies to combine all operations, officers, structure, and other functions of business. Mergers are meant to be mutually beneficial for the parties involved. In the case of two publicly-traded companies, a merger usually involves one company giving shareholders in the other its stock in exchange for surrendering the stock of the first company Pratap G. Subramanyam (2005) has stated merger as in the term associated with the integration of one company into another. The merging company should exist thereafter and all its assets and liabilities get legally vested in the merged company. This means that the merger means amalgamation of the assets of the two or more companies to form a new company serving the similar or different purpose. 2.1.1 Recognition of amalgamation (merger) by Indian Statutory Bodies The Company Act of India does not define an amalgamation or a merger. Therefore, the term are being interpreted as being included in the term arrangement as defined in Section 390(b). This is vindicated by the fact that Section 394 talks about arrangement that are in nature of amalgamation of two or more companies. It is possible under Companies Act for two or more companies to amalgamate using the shareholder approval route under Section 293(1)(a) though such route is never adopted. The more appropriate route is to get court order under Section 394 of the Act, which has been specifically enacted to enable amalgamations. Section 390 This section provides that The expression arrangement includes a reorganization of the share capital of the company by the consolidation of shares of different classes, or by the division of shares into shares of different classes, or by both these methods Section 394 This section contains the powers while sanctioning scheme of reconstruction or amalgamation. Under the Income Tax(IT) Act, 1961 Section 2(1B) the word amalgamation in relation to companies means the merger of one or more companies to another company or the merger of two or more companies to form one company so that: All the property of the amalgamating company or companies before the amalgamation becomes the property of amalgamating company by virtue of the amalgamation. All liabilities of the amalgamating company or companies immediately before the amalgamation become the liabilities of amalgamating company by the virtue of amalgamation. Accounting Standard AS-14 defines amalgamations as those pursuant to the provisions of the companies Act or any other statute, which may be applicable to the companies. Therefore, it applies to all transactions that come under the purview of Section 391-394 of the Companies Act that relate to integration of two or more companies. AS-14 categorizes amalgamation into two categories: (a) amalgamation in nature of merger (b) amalgamation in nature of purchase. An amalgamation fall into former category if: All assets and liabilities of transferor company become after amalgamation, the assets and liabilities of the transferee company. Shareholders holding not less than 90% of the face value of the equity share of transferor company (excluding the shares held by the transferee company), become the equity shareholder of the transferee company by virtue of the amalgamation. The consideration for the amalgamation, receivable by those equity shareholders of the transferor company who agree to become the equity shareholder in the transferee company, is discharged wholly by issue of shares (except for fractional shares that may be settled in cash). The business of the transferor company is intended to be carried on by the transferee company. Acquisition is the mechanism by which companies change hands and through transfer of ownership of share or transfer of control. Acquisition means the purchase of or getting access to significant stakes in a company, often making such acquirer a major shareholder or force in the company. According to Dictionary of Financial Term  [4]  If a company buys another company outright, or accumulates enough shares to take a controlling interest, the deal is described as an acquisition. For example, if Corporation A buys 51% or more of Corporation B, then Corporation B becomes a subsidiary of Corporation A, and the activity is called an acquisition. A single investor may buy out a publicly-traded company; one calls this going private. Acquisitions occur in exchange for cash, stock, or both. Acquisitions may be friendly or hostile; a friendly acquisition occurs when the board of directors supports the acquisition and a hostile acquisition occurs when it does not. 2.1.2 The Acquisition and Takeover Code in India After the advent of the SEBI, introduced in 1994, there was a concerted attempt at formulation of a comprehensive framework under which acquisition and takeover could be made in existing listed companies. However the takeover code does not apply to unlisted companies and continue to be regulated by the provision of the Company Act. Listed companies are currently governed by the provision of Takeover Code, clause 40A and 40B of the Listing Agreement of the stock exchange and Section 108B and 108D of the Companies Act as regards acquisition and takeovers. Under the provision of Section 108B, corporate under the same management holding whether singly or in aggrete.10% or more of the nominal value of the subscribed equity share capital of the any other company shall, before transferring one or more such shares, give to the central government an intimation of its proposal to do with the prescribed details. Section 108D provides the similar provision wherein the Central Government can act suo moto of any transfer of a block share in a company. All the Sections under 108 are backed by Section 108G. Section 108G Applicability of the provisions of sections 108A to 108F.†The provisions of sections 108A to 108F (both inclusive) shall apply to the acquisition or transfer of shares or share capital by or to, an individual firm, group, constituent of a group, body corporate or bodies corporate under the same management, who or which† (a) is, in case of acquisition of shares or share capital, the owner in relation to a dominant undertaking and there would be, as a result of such acquisition, any increase†Ã‚   (i) in the production, supply, distribution or control of any goods that are produced, supplied, distributed or controlled in India or any substantial part thereof by that dominant undertaking, or   (ii) in the provision or control of any services that are rendered in India or any substantial part thereof by that dominant undertaking; or   (b) would be, as a result of such acquisition or transfer of shares or share capital, the owner of a dominant undertaking; or   (c) is, in case of transfer of shares or share capital, the owner in relation to a dominant undertaking. The SEBI Takeover Code brought in several new features into acquisition law which were not present in Clause 40A and 40B. The basic theme of the code is to provide for fair play and transparency in acquisition and takeover but at the same time to ensure that they are not stifled into extinction. 2.2 Differentiation of Merger and Acquisition In general Mergers and Acquisitions are used interchangeably, but they have a subtle differentiation in there meaning. Weston and Copeland (1992) distinguished merger and acquisition: merger as a transaction between more or less equal partners, while acquisitions are used to denote a transaction where a substantially bigger firm takes over a smaller firm. Their basis of distinguish was the size. But there are other factors apart from size that denotes the differences between merger and acquisition. Asquith Mullins (1986) define mergers and acquisitions on basis of share distribution. When two firms merge, shares of both are surrendered and new shares in name of the new firm will be issued. Unlike in merger, shares of the acquiring firm are not surrendered but traded in the market prior to the acquisition and continue to be traded by the public after the acquisition. The shares of the target firm cease to exist publicly. Motives behind Merger and Acquisition There are three major motives for the mergers and takeovers: Synergy, Agency, Hubris Synergy motive means that the sum total return/value from the integration of two or more companies should be greater than that from the individual company. Elazar Berkovitch (1993) suggests that the takeovers occur because of economic gains that results by merging the resources of the two firms. They even concluded that total gains from MA are always positive and thus can say that synergy appears. The agency motive suggests that takeovers occur because they enhance the acquirer managements welfare at the expense of acquirer shareholders. Elazar Berkovitch and M. P. Narayanan (1993) suggested three major motives for mergers and acquisitions: synergy, agency and hubris. The synergy motive suggests that the takeovers occur because of economic gains that results by merging the resources of the two firms. The agency motive suggests that takeovers occur because they enhance the acquirer managements welfare at the expense of acquirer shareholders. The hubris hypothesis suggests that managers make mistakes in evaluating target firms, and engaged in acquisitions even when there is no synergy. Khemani (1991) states that there are multiple reasons, motives, economic forces and institutional factors that can be taken together or in isolation, which influence corporate decisions to engage in MAs. It can be assumed that these reasons and motivations have enhanced corporate profitability as the ultimate, long-term objective. It seems reasonable to assume that, even if this is not always the case, the ultimate concern of corporate managers who make acquisitions, regardless of their motives at the outset, is increasing long-term profit. However, this is affected by so many other factors that it can become very difficult to make isolated statistical measurements of the effect of MAs on profit. The free cash flow theory developed by Jensen (1988) provides a good example of intermediate objectives that can lead to greater profitability in the long run. This theory assumes that corporate shareholders do not necessarily share the same objectives as the managers. The conflicts between these differing objectives may well intensify when corporations are profitable enough to generate free cash flow, i.e., profit that cannot be profitably re-invested in the corporations. Under these circumstances, the corporations may decide to make acquisitions in order to use these liquidities. It is therefore higher debt levels that induce managers to take new measures to increase the efficiency of corporate operations. According to Jensen, long-term profit comes from the re-organization and restructuring made necessary by takeovers.

Impact of Globalisation on Australia

Impact of Globalisation on Australia Table of Contents 1. Title page 2. Table of Contents 3. Introduction 3.1 Map of Australia 4. Social Impacts of Globalisation 4.1 Positives 4.2 Negatives 4.3 The Verdict 5. Political Impacts of Globalisation 5.1 Positives 5.2 Negatives 5.3 The Verdict 6. Economic Impacts of Globalisation 6.1 Positives 6.2Negatives 6.3 The Verdict 7. Environmental impacts of Globalisation 7.1 Positives 7.2 Negatives 7.3 The Verdict 8. Conclusion 9. Bibliography Introduction Globalisation is what runs the modern world now especially with the ever-increasing knowledge and advance in technology connecting the world person to person. With modern technology, two people on different sides of the world can talk to each other with instant messaging. In this way the world grows smaller, quicker and easier to live in. It’s not just technology that influenced globalisation, the current ability to have cheap, quick and easy global trade that has given everyone on Earth something not native to their country. As Australia is a fairly new developed country, it is moving away from being a colonised country, globalisation has helped Australia become a wealthier country. Is Globalisation a good thing for Australia? How has Australia been affected and where? This report answers that question. Figure 1: Social Impacts on Australia Australian society has expanded to the entire world with modern technology and networking. Australians can now communicate to people around the world in an instant using instant messaging and phone calls as well as the increasing number of international Australian citizens. However, what effect does this have on Australia? Positives Australia is a fairly new country and often receives information and trade products latest out of most other countries. However, the invention of internet and network has enabled Australians to receive information and retail quicker as well as speak with people worldwide. Australia is close to 3rd world countries and is a fairly cheap source of refuge and international education, this also makes Australia a place for refugees and international families hoping for a good education for their children. Australia is moving closer to the rest of the modern world. Negatives With Australia slowly becoming more culturally and ethnically diverse, unwanted attention is being brought to Australia. The recent G20 meeting has started protests across the wealthier and poorer countries to stop G20 as it may separate the world and throw the economy off balance as well as raising awareness for world crisis and demanding for public needs. The public has also divided to challenge the governments to allow or ban refugees from entering Australia. When Australia allows refugees to enter Australia, people protests as the refugees may bring diseases, spies and war. When Australia sends refugees back then Australians protest to allow refugees in the country. The Verdict Australia has been mainly positively affected by globalisation in society, particularly in the tourist industry. Australia is one of the most unique countries for its strange geographic structure and wildlife. When tourist and refugees that have gained citizenship have seen the country that is Australia, The tourist and refugees will arrange for their friends and family to travel. Political Impacts on Australia Australian government has strong connections with other nations with official visits and assisting with international and worldwide affairs. Recent Australian government has made Australia a very involved country with the world, involving Australia in many world affairs such as wars, political meetings and attending to crises. Positives Involving Australia internationally was the right choice to make a good image other countries. Assisting in wars, attending casual and business meetings as well as just being there for a handshake has given off the image that Australia is a friendly country and a great continent†¦ Negatives Sometimes the Australian government forgets that there is such a thing as too involved. People have died in assisting international wars, several citizens live in fear of war being brought to Australia through involvement and asylum. G20 has scared off some of the poorer countries and some are taking advantage of the meeting and protesting for the world leaders to serve their needs. The Verdict Currently Australia has good favours with wealthier countries but connections with the poorer countries is rusty or unknown due to involvement. However, the country has benefitted from the government’s decisions, connections made and favours from Britain. Australia is also slowly getting wealthier, only a decade ago, people mainly drove cheap but practical Japanese cars but now expensive and better looking European cars are driving around the streets. Economic Impacts on Australia Australia has been isolated from other continents for billions of years and this has allowed Australia to hid it’s valuables until modern technology found them. Australia is rich in iron and coal and as the country itself doesn’t need it, all the raw materials are sold overseas. However, how much is used here and how much is bought from overseas? Positives Australia’s economy is focused on the mining industry and its exports. Australia exports mainly to countries with low iron, coal and gold deposits such as major Asian countries with fast development and requirement for steel. Modern technology has allowed for a year of mining to travel to overseas countries in less than two weeks by boat and about a week by plane factoring in the travel time from mine to port. Being a top exporter for mining products, this makes Australia a favourite for metal exports, most exports going to China, Japan, Korea and the United States. Apart from mining and gas exports Australian farming, medicinal chemicals and animal food products are bought by other countries and combined with all the other top exported products, Australia makes approximately $249 billion from raw materials. Negatives As Australia is a developed country, everyone is trying to stay up to date with the rest of the world and imports computers, machines, parts and cars which are all new, always updating and very expensive. Cars also need fuel to run on so large imports of crude and refined petroleum are bought in plenty as well as medicine for Australia’s sick and injured. Overall, adding all the top imports together, Australia spends about $240 billion on imports, only about $9 billion of profit. The Verdict Australia spends large amounts of money on imports and leaving a little left for saving. Being a young country means Australia doesn’t have a good economic foundation to build on or much variety to offer. To keep up with the world, much has to be imported mostly computers and many different types of machines, all new and expensive. With $249 billion made from exports and $240 billion spent on imports, quite a lot of the products imported are used and not re-sold. Possibly the only time Australia made the most money was during the gold rush and the start of the microchip age. Environmental Impacts on Australia Australia was an originally isolated country where people lived with and not off of the country until European settlement started and the coasts were over taken with modern technology. Was European settlement really beneficial for Australia? Was the old way of living for the indigenous the better way? Which way is better now? Positives In one way, being a young country is good, the Australia is possibly the least polluted and destroyed major European country. Australia is often choosing the most sustainable options for the country as the wildlife and vegetation native is not found anywhere else and currently, introduction of wildlife and vegetation is taking over much of the original land. Negatives Australia is mostly dusty red desert with dry deep-rooted plants, it is also where most of the most plentiful raw mining materials are. Australia is a country that can relate to District 12 of Panem, a country of miners. The desert of Australia is slowly becoming more unstable with the replacement of short-rooted plants, the dust storms of 2009 were caused by the combination of uprooted plants, bushfires, salinity and holes in the country for mining. People experience low visibility, possible blindness, dusty clothes, machines and houses. The dust was dumped all over Eastern Australia and the surrounding seas and coasts. The Verdict Too much has happened to the country that has not helped, the gold rush, introduction of wildlife and vegetation and general European influence from settlement. The way the indigenous Australians lived was a more peaceful and safe than the modern way of life where the more people rip up the land, the better for the people. Soon there would be nothing left for humans to live on and technology won’t be able to feed us. Conclusion Australia has mostly benefited from globalisation in terms of Social and political, however, the economic and environmental aspects are still in between good and bad†¦ Bibliography Cite This For Me, (2014). Cite This For Me: Automatic bibliography generator. [online] Available at: https://www.citethisforme.com/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Citewrite.qut.edu.au, (2014). QUT cite|write Writing a report. [online] Available at: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/report.jsp [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. DCosta, A. (2014). Will growth mean more jobs? Not necessarily. [online] ABC News. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-14/dcosta-g20-should-focus-on-jobs-not-growth/5891308 [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014]. Fisher, M. (2013). A revealing map of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s most and least ethnically diverse countries. [online] Washington Post. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/16/a-revealing-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-ethnically-diverse-countries/ [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014]. Globalization101, (2014). What Is Globalization?. [online] Available at: http://www.globalization101.org/what-is-globalization/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Green, J., Muller, S., Johnson, D., Danko, M., Barret, T. and Meyer, R. (2014). Globalization II Good or Bad?: Crash Course World History #42. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_iwrt7D5OA [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014]. Green, J., Muller, S., Johnson, D., Danko, M., Meyer, R. and Barret, T. (2014). Globalization I The Upside: Crash Course World History #41. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnR-e0S6Ic [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014]. IMPACTS, G. (2014). GLOBALIZATION AND ITS SOCIAL-CULTURAL-POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/4668865/GLOBALIZATION_AND_ITS_SOCIAL-CULTURAL-POLITICAL_AND_ECONOMIC_IMPACTS [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Investopedia, (2014). How Globalization Affects Developed Countries. [online] Available at: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/10/globalization-developed-countries.asp [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Moodle.sjac.qld.edu.au, (2014). [emailprotected]: Login to the site. [online] Available at: https://moodle.sjac.qld.edu.au/moodle/course/view.php?id=718 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Moodle.sjac.qld.edu.au, (2014). [emailprotected]: Login to the site. [online] Available at: https://moodle.sjac.qld.edu.au/moodle/mod/forum/view.php?id=24840 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Morin, R. (2013). The most (and least) culturally diverse countries in the world. [online] Pew Research Center. Available at: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/18/the-most-and-least-culturally-diverse-countries-in-the-world/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Um.dk, (2014). What is a Trade Barrier. [online] Available at: http://um.dk/en/tradecouncil/barriers/what-is/ [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014].

The Bone People- Relationships Essay -- Essays Papers

The Bone People- Relationships Relationships surround us all though out lift. Everyone needs some type of relationship, whether it's a friendship, family, or lover. People can't last without them, no matter how different the relationships are. In the novel The Bone People, it's based on the relationships between the three main characters; Kerewin, Joe and Simon. The relationship between Kerewin and Joe was very odd. They have a type of relationship that they aren't even sure about, they like each other, but don't realize it. It's starts off with Joe asking Kerewin: "Are you afraid of kissing," and Kerewin answers "I don't like kissing." (pg: 265) It's both a strange question and answer. Then later on in the page, Joe keeps on the topic by saying: "I thought maybe someone had been bad to you in the past, and that was why you don't like people touching or holding you." "Ah damn it to hell," she bangs the lamp down on the desk and the flame jumps wildly. "I said no. I haven't been raped or jilted or abused in any fashion. There's nothing in my background to explain the way I am." She steadies her voice, taking the impatience out of it. "I'm the odd one out, the peculiarity in my family, because they're all normal and demonstrative physically." (pg: 265) Joe is Sharing with Kerewin his feelings about family, and childhood. "I've often thought that maybe what happens to you as a child determines everything about you. What you are and what you do, a...

Essay --

Genocide, assimilation, and segregation-- these are all forms of cultural and ethnic cleansing that we as Canadians do not necessarily associate with what it means to be a Canadian, rather they are terms that we associate with occurrences in distant, dangerous and abysmal places (Fleras, 2012; p. 10). However, these terms are evidently applicable to the treatment of Aboriginals during the time of European colonization of Canada. Genocide is considered to â€Å"be the most serious of punishable crimes under international law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fleras, 2010; p. 11); unfortunately, genocide has been inflicted upon Aboriginals in numerous forms as they suffered a loss of cultural identity through European-colonization. Assimilation has also affected Aboriginals as through the use of residential schools, Aboriginal children were taken from their families and forced to learn the dominant white way of life and abandon their culture (Fleras, 2010; p.13). Segregation of Aboriginals has also occu rred, as reserves are restricted purely for individuals with Indian citizenship, hence keeping Aboriginals separate from the dominant culture (Fleras, 2010; p. 15). There is a lack of awareness on the horrendous and disgusting treatment of the original Canadian settlers, Aboriginals, which can be partially attributed to a narrative that has helped create the image of what it means to be a Canadian, a narrative that has provided the belief that white Europeans were the first to settle on Canadian land and has painted a picture of white settlers struggling to survive on their discovered Canadian land. This narrative has been termed the ‘frontier narrative’, and it truly has shaped Aboriginals lives in Canada. This paper will provide first and foremost a clear definition o... ...in attempting to alter the policies and practices that keep them in their marginalized position, however one obstacle being that â€Å"conventions that refer to the rules may change, but rules that inform the conventions rarely do† (Fleras, 2010; p. 185). The frontier narrative has inadvertently placed a veil over Canadians that keep feelings of guilt and responsibility for the cruelty towards Aboriginals invisible, and simultaneously keeps visible the belief that it is because of the white-settlers that Canada has become what it has today. Some may argue that the frontier narrative is no longer relevant to Canada’s multicultural society, however as demonstrated, it is clear that the narrative has manifested itself and has played and continues to play a crucial role in the structuring of Canadian society and treatment of Aboriginals; the true first-settlers of Canada. Essay -- Genocide, assimilation, and segregation-- these are all forms of cultural and ethnic cleansing that we as Canadians do not necessarily associate with what it means to be a Canadian, rather they are terms that we associate with occurrences in distant, dangerous and abysmal places (Fleras, 2012; p. 10). However, these terms are evidently applicable to the treatment of Aboriginals during the time of European colonization of Canada. Genocide is considered to â€Å"be the most serious of punishable crimes under international law†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fleras, 2010; p. 11); unfortunately, genocide has been inflicted upon Aboriginals in numerous forms as they suffered a loss of cultural identity through European-colonization. Assimilation has also affected Aboriginals as through the use of residential schools, Aboriginal children were taken from their families and forced to learn the dominant white way of life and abandon their culture (Fleras, 2010; p.13). Segregation of Aboriginals has also occu rred, as reserves are restricted purely for individuals with Indian citizenship, hence keeping Aboriginals separate from the dominant culture (Fleras, 2010; p. 15). There is a lack of awareness on the horrendous and disgusting treatment of the original Canadian settlers, Aboriginals, which can be partially attributed to a narrative that has helped create the image of what it means to be a Canadian, a narrative that has provided the belief that white Europeans were the first to settle on Canadian land and has painted a picture of white settlers struggling to survive on their discovered Canadian land. This narrative has been termed the ‘frontier narrative’, and it truly has shaped Aboriginals lives in Canada. This paper will provide first and foremost a clear definition o... ...in attempting to alter the policies and practices that keep them in their marginalized position, however one obstacle being that â€Å"conventions that refer to the rules may change, but rules that inform the conventions rarely do† (Fleras, 2010; p. 185). The frontier narrative has inadvertently placed a veil over Canadians that keep feelings of guilt and responsibility for the cruelty towards Aboriginals invisible, and simultaneously keeps visible the belief that it is because of the white-settlers that Canada has become what it has today. Some may argue that the frontier narrative is no longer relevant to Canada’s multicultural society, however as demonstrated, it is clear that the narrative has manifested itself and has played and continues to play a crucial role in the structuring of Canadian society and treatment of Aboriginals; the true first-settlers of Canada.

Community Service Essay

Before actually partaking in community service, I always thought of it as a means of overworking students for the employers to save money, but after actually getting myself involved in it†¦I realized that doing community service is actually a privilege for us the volunteers. It gives us an opportunity to gain experience, widen our skills and get a better understanding of the hard labour and it is a process that essentially goes into the outcome of a product or service. Community service has literally made me realized how little I contribute to my country, how little I know about my country and has brought to my attention and conscience that I should try my best to assist more—free of wage—in the continuous growth of my economy. Doing my service at St. Rose Nursery, has opened my eyes to the not so easy process of growing flowers, plants and trees; for example how important fertilizers are and what a big difference the right fertilisers make—and also the diff erent types of fertilizers and their functions . Before I never really understood the beauty of them nor did I realize how much work went into nurturing and harvesting them, but now I am more aware and more concerned about the health of trees and how they are treated and even situated in a pot or the ground. On my first day at St. Rose Nursery, I was given a tour of the compound and while getting the tour, I could not help but feel relaxed and free. The ambience of the nursery changed my mood and thought completely; it had me wondering why do we stress out ourselves? Also it made me realize that I should take time to get in touch with nature and myself. After being introduced to the employees, I felt intimidated because I was the only female surrounded by five males so I saw that as a challenge in terms of them underestimating me and my abilities but after talking to them for a little I felt right at home and was able to be myself and even challenge myself by learning to pot plants, fertilize them and water them all in one day. They were all so helpful and very explanatory and took the time to show me exactly what to do before I did it, at the end of the day I excelled and  accomplished far more than they expected; the good energy at the nursery led me to spend longer hours there than I actually expected to spend per day. Throughout my time at St. Rose nursery, I would like to believe that I have brought a youthful and eager emotion to the compound; despite the fact that we worked in separate areas. I believe that I have shown them that a woman can be productive in the nursery field and can also keep up with their speed and even surpass them; I stared of potting only 1 plant per 2 minutes and by the end of the day, I was able to plant 2 plants per minute—it was fun and we turned it into a game—I observed the workers fertilizing the plants and heard the headman tell him that he was applying too much so I made an attempt to fertilize the next batch of plants and was told that I had done a good job! Not too much and not too little; I felt pleased and proud of myself—I had done better than someone who had much more experience in that field than me. It is funny how one can assume that plant nurturing to be a simple and senseless skill, well I learned the hard yet interesting way that it is far from simple and a lot of thought and precision goes into the whole process, from the pot the plant goes into, the climate & atmosphere and type of soil that it is planted in. I have learned from this experience that it is possible to push myself a bit further when trying to accomplish a certain task in a given amount of time, I have learned that I am far more patient than I thought and most importantly I have learned that I personally stress myself over minor issues instead of taking time to breathe, relax and find a solution for it; through this I have come to the conclusion that I should find more time to clear my mind and possibly do something that I find interesting, productive and selfless to release my stresses of life. I have learned that even though I am an introvert, working with people is not that bad after all it just takes gett ing used to them and knowing how to work to suit all their different personalities. I also learned that working with other people really helps to get more work done faster. I honestly can say that I enjoyed the interaction with people who were not of my norm; I enjoyed the whole learning about new trees and their fruits,  smells, blooming and reproduction time. I enjoyed planting and reposting plants and most importantly I enjoyed the view of the surroundings. This endeavour was a challenging one in terms of patience and precision but in the end it all paid off, because I was blessed with the opportunity to enhance my gardening skills and was given the opportunity to be social with people who I would normally be afraid to talk to or even be around. Before transposing myself into the real life community service equation, I thought to myself and made an oath to myself that my main aim was to simple complete my thirty hours of community service as fast and as soon as possible, but after starting and observing the nursery, I realized that it would provide me with far more knowledge and far more fun and experience than I expected and I realized that it would be in my best interest to use it to my advantage to gain a greater skill. I believe that service to others is important because it is a good way to give back to the community and also to increase one’s level of experience and variation. I believe in my distant future I would once again volunteer my time to another estate to expand my comprehension and also to help improve my community and help improve myself as a person. The people at the St. Rose Nursery are very hospital and down to earth, to the point where I can honestly say that there is nothing I would change about their mannerism. To potential volunteers, I would like to advice them to go into the experience open minded and willing to learn. I would also suggest that they find something that is within their comfort zone or something at that they at least have a strong interest in learning or have a passion for, simply because if one does something that they do not like or will not like, then they will not enjoy the experience to the fullest and similarly if one does something that seemed interesting to them before they actually partook in it, then they would draw from that experience that it is simply not something they would like to do in the future and would have learned a valuable lesson.

Reflective Entry: Othello and Orientalism Essay

The notion of being Oriental, in an academic perspective, is based on its distinction as compared to the Occident. It is generally defined in terms of their ontological and epistemological characteristics (p. 2). But establishing the difference between the two doesn’t fully deduce the Orient’s full meaning—it is but just a part. ‘†¦Orientalism as a discourse one cannot possibly understand the enormously systematic discipline†¦politically, sociologically, militarily, ideologically, scientifically, and imaginatively during the post-Enlightenment period’ (p. 3). Othello’s world circles on the society and its ties on various key people. It may be derived from another literary piece from Italy, but that doesn’t mean that it is exclusively Occident (west, as for being Orient connotes something from the east). Shakespeare incorporated a number of characteristics that made the tragedy seem ‘orientalized’ like the character’s physique, religion, social setting, etc. Though Othello is a Moor, the characterization itself was not clear—though racial discrimination is evident on text. Being a Moor doesn’t clearly give definition to one’s identity in the society ‘coz basing it on racial identity at that time, they are neither black nor white. And being such makes it harder for scholars to define Othello’s affinity because a Moor is so complex, that they carry various cultures—both black and white skinned people can also be considered a Moor. Although Othello faced these forms of discrimination, from his social status to his personal engagements, he still was able to keep an Occident pride of himself until the last part where he was considered to act just like a slave because he killed everybody else out of frustration. Those kinds of actions shouldn’t be done by high-ranking people. ‘The Oriental†¦is therefore not for an exclusive academic matter. Yet it is an intellectual matter of some very obvious importance’. For one to be considered as an Oriental, one must be able to consider all factors in the equation and not just by focusing on a single aspect.

Christian Perspective on Counseling Essay

This is a personal theory paper which focuses on the Christian perspective; it involves the integration of faith and scripture into the personal counseling process. It discusses personality structures, individual differences and the motivations that guide and push the human person. Included is a contextual definition of health and the factors that cause illness. They are understood by using psychological techniques in concurrence with Biblical truths. Employing a theological worldview for counseling helps a therapist’s awareness of the innermost complexities of a client and enables them to be an effective guide towards the path of hope and healing. Introduction Counseling is centrally and critically a relationship between people who care (Crabb, 1977). It is essential that a psychotherapist develop a genuine desire for the well-being of a client. This is an ideal arrangement for which a Christian counselor can flourish, because â€Å"Every Christian is called to a ministry of encouraging and helping others (Crabb, 1977)†. Although an atmosphere of caring and encouragement is not limited to Christians it is ideal to integrate psychology and Christian spirituality to most effectively aid clients. Personality Personality structure and components There are many theories involving the structure of the human personality. One is the theory presented by Dr. Ron E. Hawkins (2006a). In this theory, Dr. Hawkins likens each individual to many concentric circles. Every circle is affected by the other circles but every one has its own distinctive characteristics. This structure can best elucidate the complexities that exist inside an individual. The boundaries between circles can help determine the source of each dilemma and each circle provides a different approach to problem-solving. The first circle is the innermost circle of a person and encapsulates the very essence of being human. It is in this most personal circle that the Holy Spirit inhabits within each believer, as supported by the biblical quote â€Å"The kingdom of God is within you† (Luke 17:21). Also included in this circle are the options of free-will and the concept of original sin. The original sin is common to all human beings as maintained by Paul when he writes his letter to the Romans and utters, â€Å"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God† (Romans 3:23). It must be noted that outside of issues involving deliverance, there is not much that can be dealt with in this circle by human intervention. Instead, if a problem really reverberates from this circle it must be surrendered in strong faith to the hands of God. The next circle encloses the soul, feeling, and cognitive aspects of the human being. For most clients looking for counseling, this is the circle that receives the most focus. It is in this circle that emotional and psychological troubles not originating from biological sources resonate. The next circle in this theory of personality makeup is the biological circle. This circle consists of the biological processes and focuses on the wellness of the physical human body. Problems in this circle include chemical imbalance which is the failure to normalize the chemicals in the brain, resulting in problems like obsession, anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia, and insomnia. Problems in this circle are more likely to have physical sources, like physical trauma or abuse. The next circle is another prevailing source of problems dealt with in counseling. The temporal circle, it is the beginning of external focused aspects. In this circle, external environmental structures like society and culture have a significant influence on the individual. Societal values and cultural expectations will always have an impact on personality development. Society, friends, family, and church are examples of the temporal systems that must be dealt with when counseling people. Learning who the client is responsible to and what he is responsible for is essential to developing personal responsibility (Cloud & Townsend, 1992). Additionally, the influences of the client’s family system are dealt with in this circle. The Bible supports this, â€Å"fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord† (Ephesians 6:4). Many problems can be rooted from the effects of family and environment The final circle of the human personality structure is the circle of the supernatural. This includes the archetypal epic struggle between good and evil, demons and angels. Despite this concept it is important to keep in mind that â€Å"our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms† (Ephesians 6:12). The Bible states that demonic power is a real and it would be imprudent to disregard its potential. Spiritual forces have a great impact on personality development and it cannot be excluded from the growth process Motivation There are five basic propositions about motivation: [1] human beings are all motivated to seek our needs, [2] motivational energy is channeled through the mind and results in specific behavior, [3] motivated behavior is always directed towards a goal, [4] when a goal is perceived to be impossible a state of disequilibrium exists, and finally, [5] all behavior is motivated and all behavior makes sense (Crabb, 1986). Motivation is a drive toward security and significance, with these thoughts in mind, Dr. Crabb details that the definitive goal of counseling is to â€Å"free people to better worship and serve God by helping them become more like the Lord† (1977). Individual differences In counseling, the level of maturity of each client must be assessed. Individuals are in the process of ‘moving over’ and ‘moving up’, clients differ in as to where they are in the process of dealing with presenting problems in a manner consistent with scripture and developing a Christ-like character (Crabb, 1977). Perhaps the most important reason that accounts for individual differences is that God provided free will to His creation. This free will makes each person unique and not merely a puppet with predetermined actions. Alteration of procedure used in counseling is necessary when dealing with different types of people. Some clients should be approached in a feeling level while others should be led spiritually. Cognitive based personalities are best dealt with on the thinking level and those suffering from physical disabilities are helped first with their tangible needs (Hawkins, 2006). Health A contextual explanation of health All counselors should want their clients to become healthy. According to McMinn (1996), the three factors that determine health are: accurate awareness of self, accurate awareness of needs and involvement in healthy relationships. Basing self-worth on the word of God is an effective strategy; to be able to create a self-image based on the unconditional love of Christ is a helpful direction for people who are injured in the different psychological aspects of their lives. McGee (1992) states, â€Å"changing our beliefs from false beliefs to the truths of God’s Word will assist us in experiencing more appropriate emotions and thereby will change the way we respond†. Helping clients to become more Christ-like in seeking self-worth and happiness is the goal of Christian counseling. A contextual explanation of illness The sources of illness are biological, cognitive, emotional and spiritual. Biological are often the easiest to identify they have physical signs that can be studied. Biological illnesses include physical sickness, chemical imbalances, and traumatic abuse. Typically, biological problems can be treated with medications or removal of the source of problem. For instance, physical trauma caused by an abusive husband involves treatment wherein the first step is to remove the victim from the abusive relationship. The cognitive aspect is the area of focus for most counseling therapies. Many problems that counselors must contend with relate to cognitive disorders, including depression, anxiety, guilt, and fear. The illnesses with a cognitive source are of critical concern as they are often more difficult to treat than biological illnesses. Emotional causes must also be considered. Sandra Wilson’s (2001) mantra of Hurt People Hurt People explains how emotional damage begets more emotional damage. Out of wounded emotions, people repeat the same torture to those they are closest to. Finally, illnesses can also be of a spiritual character. In order to be successful and productive counselors â€Å"we have to learn to distinguish between organic or psychological mental illness and a spiritual battle for the mind,† (Anderson, 2000). Spiritual illnesses stem from sin, a lack of faith, and destructive influences. Anderson (2000) advises, â€Å"Don’t think Satan is no longer interested in manipulating your mind in order to accomplish his purposes. Satan’s perpetual aim is to infiltrate your thoughts with his thoughts and to promote his lie in the face of God’s truth. He knows that if he can control you thoughts, he can control your life† Therapeutic Involvement Techniques, methods The Bible provides excellent guidance in various aspects of life; it is an excellent source for every Christian counselor. Accordingly, â€Å"all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness† (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In a helping relationship, techniques are used to help the client reach the point of change. One approach that Christian counselors should not be without is prayer. Craigie and Tan (as cited in McMinn, 1996) write, â€Å"Indeed, praying with clients that they may be liberated from resistant misbeliefs, that they may be empowered to do the truth, and that they may come into a deeper relationship with the truth can sometimes be a most powerful experience†. The use of scripture in therapy sessions is useful in integrating God’s Truths to a client’s mindset. The use of the technique miracle question is helpful; this is a method of questioning which begins by helping the client imagine a situation wherein, overnight, a miracle happens that solves all their familial problems. The client has to define what differences they would observe to prove that a miracle had taken place. This is vital in making the client realize how vastly improved their relationships will be when the problems are resolved and defines the goal they aim to achieve. The method of Scaling questions is another tool used to rate the client’s current state, with zero/one being the most ideal and ten being the worst, this facilitates the therapist in identifying factors that prevents them from moving up the scale and recognizes what pushes them down. This is helpful in shifting the client’s focus from problems to solutions. The goal of therapy is promoting a high level of self-worth; the therapist must introduce genuineness into the environment by omitting shame from the process. This can be supplemented with compliments and positive encouragement by vocalizing admirable traits; it is a helpful exercise that generates an atmosphere of goodwill more conducive to problem solving. Hawkins (2006b) identifies the first in counseling step as own having an understanding of the real problem. Then, he goes on to reality testing. From there, a plan of action is formulated and the client is occupied with taking tenure to this plan of action and accepting accountability for its conclusion. Lastly, the counselor helps in building support and responsibility into the process of transformation concerning the client. A good cognitive counseling approach is to focus on the inner-voice and truth. The inner-voice is often constructed as a direct result of the temporal and supernatural circles in which an individual develops. In destructive or less-than-ideal relationships, the individual can develop spiteful and untruthful concepts about themselves which are constantly conveyed by the inner-voice. An understanding of truthful reality, often combating the untrue inner-voice, is critical for change. As Dr. Backus and Dr. Chapian explain, â€Å"locating and identifying pain-causing fabrications plus learning the factual reality-based truth† is therapeutic and critical for healing (2000). Expectations in success Counselors can measure success of counseling by evaluating the client’s progress in the accurate awareness of self or needs and by determining if they are participating in healing relationships (McMinn, 1996). McMinn’s affirms that, â€Å"A more careful look suggests that spiritual and psychological health require a confident sense of self, an awareness of human need, and limitations, and confiding interpersonal relationships with God and others† (1996). Real success in psychotherapy is measured by advancement not perfection. Worldview Dimensions Every individual possesses a worldview whether or not they recognize it. For example, the temporal system an individual develops in will have significant impacts on the individual’s worldview. Someone who was raised in a war torn environment with rampant violence and lawlessness will have a different set of moral code than a person is raised in a secure and peaceable community. These worldviews affect the progress in counseling; worldviews differ from person to person and may include science, perception or the Bible. It is imperative for the Christian counselor to have a broad perception of what his/her worldview consists of. The Biblical worldview filters pertinent information through the sieve of God’s Word. Since all issues are not addressed in Scripture, to sift means to see if the issue lines up with God’s Word (Collins, 2001). Uniting psychology, spirituality, and theology encompasses all the components of human behavior necessary to assess functioning (McMinn, 1996). Conclusion The integration of spirituality and theological scriptures to counseling provides a panoramic view of how psychotherapy can progress. The Bible must be used as a reference in choosing ideologies, techniques or processes to integrate in a personal theory. The use of solutions-based therapy, also referred to as ‘solution focused therapy’ or ‘brief therapy’, is a type of talking therapy that is based upon social constructionist philosophy. It includes miracle and scaling questions. It focuses on what clients want to achieve through therapy. The approach focuses on the present and hopes for future, because as Dr. Worthington explains, â€Å"hope provides the motivation to work† (1999). Cognitive therapy can be used most effectively in Christian counseling because the cognitive approach is imperative in changing the client’s self-awareness by challenging negative thoughts and untruths. Cognitive therapy helps unchain the client from unrealistic expectations by perceiving and revising the pointless difficulties they place on themselves. Understanding the components of human personality through the theory of concentric circles is important in developing a complete strategy for helping individuals change. Recognition of an integrated model that considers the scripture of Christian teachings is a potent tool in wrestling against the dysfunction residing in a client’s life. Resources Anderson, N. (2000). The bondage breaker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers. Backus, William and Chapian, Marie. (2000). Telling yourself the truth. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers Cloud, H. & Townsend, J. (1992). Boundaries: When to say yes when to say no to take control of your life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Collins, G. (2001). The Biblical basis of Christian counseling for people helpers. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress Publishing Group. Crabb, Larry. (1977). Effective biblical counseling: A model for helping caring Christians become capable counselors. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Hawkins, Ron E. (Speaker). (2006). Model for guiding the counseling process. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University. Hawkins, R. E. (Producer). (2006b). Grid for tracking process [Motion picture]. (Available from Liberty university, 1971 University Boulevard, Lynchburg, VA 24502) Worthington, Everett L. (1999). Hope-focussed marriage counseling. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press Greece. McGee, R. (1992). Search for significance: Build your self worth on the forgiveness and unconditional love of Jesus Christ. Nashville, TN: LifeWay Press. McMinn, M. (1996). Psychology, theology and spirituality in Christian counseling. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wilson, S. (2001). Hurt people hurt people: Hope and healing for yourself and your relationships. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.