Attitudes Of University Students In Lebanon Towards Homosexuality

Attitudes Of University Students In Lebanon Towards Homosexuality Recently, almost all cultures have witnessed increasing trends in homosexuality. As a result, more and more organizations protecting gay, lesbian, and bisexual rights have emerged. One factor that seems to affect the emotional and social development of gays and lesbians is the attitudes of society toward them (Bowen Bourjeois, 2001). Much research has been conducted since late 1970s focusing on the factors that affect heterosexuals attitudes toward gays and lesbians (Whitley, 1988). Gender, religion, education, as well as race are some of the factors that play a role in determining these attitudes (Whitley, 1988; Negy Eisenman, 2005; Landen Innala, 2002; Grapes, 2006). Studies conducted in the United States, Australia, Turkey, Hong Kong, Sweden and Canada have indicated that most attitudes towards gays and lesbians are negative in general (Negy Eisenman, 2005; Landen Innala, 2002; Hopwood Connors, 2002; Schellenberg, Hirt, Sears, 1999). It is suspected that the prevailing attitudes in Lebanon are similar to those in the countries mentioned earlier. However, because of the lack of concrete research on this topic in Lebanon, it is necessary that a study be conducted in order to investigate the attitudes towards gays and lesbians among university students in Lebanon. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes that students at universities in Lebanon have towards gays and lesbians. Since previous research have shown gender and choice of major to be of great importance in determining university students attitudes towards homosexuality, this study also compared the attitudes of male vs. female, as well as Social sciences and Art students vs. Natural sciences and Business students. Review of the Literature One of the main problems associated with homosexuality in the Middle East is the negative attitudes that Arabs have towards gay men and lesbians. These attitudes are further complicated by international politics which slow down social progress in Middle Eastern countries. As a result, strict Arab morality is imposed in these countries as a means of defense against Western trends that promote female nudity and homosexuality. However, these negative attitudes could not be generalized as homophobia because they are directly linked to political, social, religious and cultural issues (Whitaker, 2006). Contrary to what many people believe, the attitudes towards gay men and lesbians are rather negative even in western countries such as the United States, Australia, Sweden and Canada (Negy Eisenman, 2005; Landen Innala, 2002; Hopwood Connors, 2002; Schellenberg, Hirt, Sears, 1999). Previous studies on attitudes of undergraduate university students specifically indicate mostly negative at titudes, with fluctuations that depend on factors such as gender, education, religiosity, as well as, race (Whitley, 1988; Negy Eisenman, 2005; Landen Innala, 2002; Grapes, 2006; Jonathan, 2008). Because of the lack of empirical evidence on the attitudes in Lebanon towards gay men and lesbians, it is important that this study be conducted so as to set stable grounds for this issue. The purpose of this study was to measure the attitudes of undergraduate university students in Lebanon towards gay men and lesbians. Hopwood and Connors (2002) examined the attitudes of undergraduate students toward homosexuality at a university in Australia. The first hypothesis was that homophobic males were most likely to be religious and politically conservative. The second hypothesis stated that levels of homophobia would be more prevalent among business majors than humanities majors. The sample consisted of 104 students from two faculties; 58% were registered in a humanities class, while 42% were registered in a business class, and 65% of the sample was females. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire composed of three parts. The first part included The Heterosexual Attitudes to Homosexuals questionnaire which measured the attitudes of the participants toward issues such as befriending or social equality for homosexuals. The second part of the questionnaire measured the participants fear of AIDS/HIV with the use of the Fear of AIDS scale by Bouton et al. The third part involved the measurement of demographic variables intended to ascertain participants religiosity and political views. The results validated the hypotheses tested in this research. Fear of HIV/AIDS seemed to be the most powerful indicator of homophobia among men, with a correlation of 0.64. Gender was also a predictor of homophobia; males exhibited more negative attitudes towards homosexuals than women. The results also showed that religious individuals expressed more homophobia than nonreligious ones. Last but not least, academic major aided in predicting homophobia; as hypothesized, business majors expressed higher levels of homophobia and fear of HIV/AIDS than did the humanities students. In another similar study conducted by Schellenberg et al. (1999) at the University of Windsor in Canada investigated the attitudes of undergraduate university students toward gay men and lesbians. Comparisons were to be made on the basis of the participants gender, faculty, and year at university. One hypothesis was that participants enrolled in Arts or Social science faculties would have more positive attitudes than those enrolled in Science or Business faculties. Another hypothesis was that females were more likely to have positive attitudes than men toward gay and lesbian individuals. This studys sample consisted of 199 undergraduate students (101 males and 98 females) enrolled at the University of Windsor, who were hired so as to increase the chances that they would be enrolled in different faculties. Participants were asked general questions such as their year at college, their major, as well as their age and gender. Their attitudes were measured using the short form of Hereks Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay men scale which was designed to yield a subscale which measures attitudes toward lesbians, and other that measures attitudes toward gay men. The results of this study indicated that attitudes toward gay men changed as a function of the students faculties; that is to say that students in the faculties of Arts or Social Sciences had more positive attitudes than those in the faculties of Business or Science. Moreover, gender and year at university had a big role; women had more positive attitudes as compared to men regardless of their year at university. However, although new male students held negative attitudes toward gay men, these attitudes improved with the years spent at university. As for attitudes towards lesbians, gender and faculty played little or no role in determining the attitudes. However, the attitudes became more positive with the time at university. Along the same lines, Negy and Eisenman (2005) studied the attitudes and affects of African American and White college students toward lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. More specifically, this study aimed to investigate how enculturation and religiosity might control the attitudes toward lesbian, gay and bisexuals. Because of inconsistent findings in the past, no formal hypothesis was made. Previous studies regarding African Americans showed that they seem to be more probable than whites to both see homosexuality as incorrect and to support gay rights laws. As a result, this study aimed to investigate African American attitudes while considering variables which may influence homophobia such as culture, religiosity, and sociodemographics. The studys sample consisted of 77 African Americans (22 male, 48 female) and 143 non-Hispanic whites (38 male, 105 female) who attended a public university in Southeast U.S. 90% of the African Americans and 94% of the Whites were exclusively heterosexuals, and 89% of the African Americans and 76% of the Whites were Christian. In order to measure the three variables mentioned previously, several questionnaires were handed out to the participants. Questionnaires included a Demographic Sheet which inquires the age, gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation of the participants. It also inquired the level of parental education as well as the years of education of the participants parents so as to infer the socioeconomic status of each. Moreover, participants commitment to religion was assessed based on two measures; one of which is the frequency of church attendance, and the second includes reasons for believing in a religion. The third questionnaire was a Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, constructed to measure social desirability. The fourth questionnaire was the Index of Homophobia by Hudson Ricketts which measured homophobia among the participants. A fifth questionnaire was the Heterosexual Attitudes Toward Homosexuality (HATH) which measured attitudes and beliefs regarding gay and lesbian individuals. Finally, a sixth questionnaire, African American Acculturation Scale, was handed out to the African American participants only to measure how much African American respondents were absorbed into a traditional African American culture. The results indicated that even though African American participants affective and attitudinal reactions to lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals may be more negative than those of White students, this difference faded when regularity of church attendance, religious dedication, and SES were considered. So for both, African Americans and Whites, the three variables church attendance, religiosity and SES served as predictors of homonegativity. Bowen and Bourgeois (2001) examined the attitudes toward lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals based on certain social psychology theories. They first hypothesized that having had more LGB acquaintances in the past would yield more positive existing attitudes. The second hypothesis was that respondents were more likely to rate their personal attitudes toward LGB more positively than their friends or typical students as a result of pluralistic ignorance. The third hypothesis predicted that students attitudes would change with regards to the residence halls (i.e students from the same residence hall would share the same attitude) based on the Dynamic Social Impact Theory. The last hypothesis stated that present contact with LGB individuals would yield more positive approaches regardless of the respondents past contact with LGBs. Questionnaires were sent out by mail to 240 undergraduate students in two residence halls (6 Floors in building A and 5 floors in building B), however only 109 students completed them (48 females and 51 males). The questionnaire included only a Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Attitudes questionnaire made of a 7 point Likert type scale. Respondents were inquired to provide three responses: the first about his/her attitude toward LGB, the second about his/her beliefs about how friends would respond, and third they had to rate how they thought the typical student would reply. Respondents were also asked about the number of previous LGB acquaintances, as they were asked to indicate how many openly LGB individuals resided in their residence halls and on their individual floors. The results of this study confirmed the hypotheses constructed at the very beginning. Respondents actually did represent themselves as having more positive attitudes towards LGB individuals than their friends and the typical student, proving the pluralistic ignorance theory. Moreover, consistent with the contact hypothesis, respondents who referred to as few as one or two explicitly LGB students in their residence halls or on their floor held considerably more positive attitudes than students who knew none. Some limitations of this study could be the small sample, the ethnic homogeneity of the respondents. Moreover, the low response rates could have been an indication of bias since it is possible that the students with more negative attitudes did not respond. In an interesting research article by Landen and Innala (2002), the effects of a biological explanation on attitudes towards gays and lesbians in Sweden were examined. The purpose of this study was to test whether attitudes towards homosexuals differed between people who supported the biological explanation and those who supported a psychological explanation. Comparisons were also to be made between the attitudes of men and those of women, as well as between an old age group and a young age group. A sample of 992 people was randomly selected from the National Registration and was sent questionnaires by mail. 668 out of the 992 people returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of ten questions that covered the participants beliefs about the origin of homosexuality, the integration of homosexuals in the society as well as homosexual friendships. Participants ranged between 18 and 70 years of age, with the median age being 44 years. The results of this study supported previous findings that proposed that individuals supporting the biological explanation of homosexuality had more tolerant attitudes toward it (CITE). Moreover, the more participants were acquainted with gays and lesbians, the more liberal attitudes they held toward them. Also, the results of this study showed that women and the younger age group tended to have more positive attitudes towards homosexuals than those who believed in a psychological explanation of homosexuality. Out of the 668 people, a little more than half of them (51%) believed in a biological explanation, whereas the remaining 49% believed in a psychological explanation. This study supports theories of the prominence of positive attitudes among people who believed that homosexuality had a biological origin, as well as people who had more personal contacts with homosexuals (CITE). In an attempt to inspect the prevalent attitudes towards homosexuals among Turkish university students, Cirakoglu (2006) aimed to examine the students beliefs regarding the causes of homosexuality. The study also aimed to compare how participants attitudes varied towards the labels gay and lesbian. Finally, the attitudes of participants who had had previous social contact with homosexuals were measured. Cirakoglu (2006) hypothesized that the label gay would elicit the most negative attitudes, whereas the label lesbian would trigger more positive ones. And, in relation to previous studies, he hypothesized that participants who had prior social contact with a homosexual would have more positive attitudes than those who hadnt. Participants of this research included 334 private university students (140 women and 194 men) in Turkey. Students were given questions regarding their demographic information, as they were also given a 50-item scale for the causes of homosexuality and a 19-item attitude scale. When asked about previous contact with at least one homosexual, 41.82% of participants reported having had contact with a homosexual. The results of Cirakoglus study seemed to verify the hypotheses stated at the beginning. The label lesbian seemed to elicit more positive attitudes than did the term gay or homosexual. It seemed that the term gay triggered the most negative attitudes among the three labels (CITE). Moreover, men had rather negative attitudes towards homosexuals, unlike women who held more positive attitudes. As hypothesized earlier and in accordance to previous research, participants who reported having previous social contact with homosexuals held more positive attitudes than participants who reported no prior social contact. It is interesting to note that, participants who had no social contact with homosexuals seemed to believe that homosexuality stems from a psychological or physiological disorder; participants who reported prior contact, however, believed that homosexuality is a choice of lifestyle (CITE). Since South Africa became the fifth country to legalize homosexual marriages in 2006, Mwaba (2009) studied the attitudes and beliefs of South African students regarding homosexuality and same-sex marriages. Even though South African law protected its homosexual citizens rights and bans any sort of discrimination against them, the general attitudes of students remained negative. Mwabas sample was made up of 150 undergraduate students at a university in Western Cape in South Africa. These students were hired during a time of intense debate after the validation of homosexual marriages in 2006. The samples mean age was 18.3 years, 83% of which were females. Also, 68% of the sample students were Christians. An 18-item questionnaire was used to measure the attitudes toward homosexual marriages and homosexuality. The results signified rather conservative attitudes among the sample, as almost 44% thought that homosexuality should be socially unacceptable rather than acceptable in South Africa. However, when it came to granting homosexuals equal rights, 41% only believed that the government was right in doing so, with the majority of the sample (59%) opposed it. 37% thought there was nothing wrong in discriminating against homosexuals, and 71% indicated that they thought the marriage of two people of the same sex to be strange. But overall, those who believed that homosexual marriages should be legalized were almost equal to those who were against it (51% and 49% respectively). One of the factors that seems to affect peoples attitudes towards homosexuality is their level of education. In one of her studies, Grapes (2006) investigated the relationship between the level of education and the attitudes towards homosexuals and their rights. Grapes hypothesized that as the level of education increases, the attitudes towards homosexuals become more liberal. She also hypothesized, in accordance to literature, that females will have more tolerant attitudes than males. Grapes obtained data from the General Social Survey which was conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (Grapes, 2006). Her two independent variables were gender and level of education, and her dependent variable was the attitudes toward gays and gay rights. The attitudes were measured by choosing four specific questions that address homosexuality in the General Social Survey (Grapes, 2006). The sample consisted of 740 participants. Consistent with previous studies, Grapes (2006) results prove that gender plays a big role in determining the attitudes toward gay rights and homosexuals. Females held more positive attitudes than did males. Moreover, Grapes established a multivariate relationship between level of education, gender and attitudes toward gay rights (2006). She found that males who had a degree lower than high school were 36% more inclined to be against equal rights for homosexuals. Whereas females with a graduate diploma are 28% more likely to be supportive of homosexuals rights than females with an education lower than high school (Grapes, 2006). Congruently, Herek (1988) used a sample of 405 students to study what contributes to heterosexuals reaction formation to gay and lesbian individuals. First, he wanted to determine how heterosexuals attitudes were affected by gender. Second, he inquired about the contribution of social psychological factors to the attitude formation toward homosexuals. Last, he questioned whether attitudes differ toward lesbians and gays men (Herek, 1988). Hereks sample included 405 students (226 females, 179 males) from six different universities in the United States. The participants presented information about their religious backgrounds and how often they attend religious services, as well as the number of their gay/lesbian acquaintances. An Attitude Toward Lesbians and Gays (ATLG) scale composed of a 20-item likert scale was developed by Herek (1988). The scale had two ten-item subscales: half of which measure attitudes toward lesbians, whereas the other half measures attitudes toward gay men. Hereks results (1988) proved that male participants held more negative attitudes than females on both the ATL (Attitudes Toward Lesbians) and ATG (Attitudes Toward Gays) scale, yet they held less negative attitudes toward lesbians. Hereks study also verified that attitudes toward homosexuals are influenced by participants loyalty to traditional gender and family values, as well as by the level of their religious commitments and previous experience with gay men and lesbians (Herek, 1988). Last but not least, and in accordance to the Pluralistic ignorance theory in Bowen and Bourgeois study (2001), participants who held negative attitudes were likely to presume that their friends had similar attitudes towards homosexuals. Likewise, attitudes of undergraduate university students toward gay men and lesbians were investigated in a study conducted by Engstrom and Sedlacek (1997). The study aimed to investigate whether heterosexual college students at a southeast university held negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Moreover, the study investigated the type of situations in which negative feelings toward homosexuals were expressed (Engstrom Sedlacek, 1997). The studys randomly selected sample consisted of 224 heterosexual university students; half of which were males, and half of which were females. Engstrom and Sedlacek (1997) administered the SAS Sexual Orientation Survey to measure the students attitudes toward gays and lesbians. The survey contained a likert-type scale ranging from one to five; it consisted of ten statements that covered personal, social, and academic situations. Three different forms of the survey were produced and mailed to participants: one referred to student (with no specified sexual orientation), the second referred to Gay male student, and the third referred to lesbian student, (Engstrom Sedlacek, 1997). Engstrom and Sedlaceks study confirmed that male students attitudes were more negative toward gay men than toward lesbians. It seemed that participants displayed more intolerant attitudes in situations where they must interact with gay males in public. Moreover, despite the fact that women hold more negative attitudes toward lesbians, in this study, females had surprisingly more negative attitudes toward gay males (Engstrom Sedlacek, 1997). However, and despite the negative attitudes toward homosexuals, participants seemed to be infuriated at the thought of the physical assault of a homosexual. This study gives insight as to how and in what situations stereotypical attitudes could be formed and allows further implications for practice (Engstrom Sedlacek, 1997).

Selection Interview Essay -- Work Careers Jobs Essays

Selection Interview "Selection is increasingly important as more attention is paid to the costs of poor selection, and as reduced job mobility means that selection errors are likely to stay with the organization for longer." (Torrington and Hall, 1998, p221) The selection decision has always been important as the way for a company to obtain the human resource that is appropriate for the job and company. There are many methods for selection such as: testing, advertising, completing application form, screening, corresponding with the prospective employee. Among these, the two principal selection methods, which most are used, are application forms, and interviews. In fact, it is not just one selection method used in practice. Generally, two or more methods are often used in combination. Comparison Of Strengths Selection is two-way process. The interview is a necessarily medium of two-way communication. It supplements the information in the pre-procedures such as application form and reference. It also provides the further particulars respectively to help both ends take decisions. On one side, the interviewer usually has some basic information from the application form or test, and these may require further face-to-face communication to clarify. For the selector, the interview can provide some further evidence and clues concerning the applicant's personal data, circumstances, career pattern and attainments, powers of self-expression, range and depth of interests, intelligence and special aptitudes, behavioural patterns and preferences which selectors are interest in. On the other side, because interview has a broad range of topics, the employer has the opportunity to introduce the company and explain job details in dep... ...take the initiative to either take advantage of classes or to take courses at a local college or attend workshops. It certainly is the employee's responsibility to keep abreast with developments. In almost all professions, those who stay up-to-date are leaders, while those who prefer to rest on previously gained laurels are left behind. REFERANCES: http://www.managementfirst.com/career_management/art_interview.htm A brief history of the selection interview: may the next 100 years be more fruitful http://www.dbm.com/hr/what/new12.html Ten Steps to establishing a "Learning Organization" The Truth About Training When You Need It and How to Get It by Kathy Simmons, IMDiversity Career Center http://careerplanning.about.com/careers/careerplanning/library/weekly/aa052498.htm The Virtual Job Club: Your Guide to Succeeding On the Job Search Job Interviewing

The Doctrine of the Indefinite Terms in the Ancient Commentators of Aristotle :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

The Doctrine of the Indefinite Terms in the Ancient Commentators of Aristotle ABSTRACT: The ancient commentaries on Aristotle's Peri Hermeneias (De Interpretatione) give us important elements to understand more clearly some difficult passages of this treatise. In the case of the indefinite names and verbs (i.e. 'not-man', and 'does not recover', respectively), these commentaries reveal a doctrine which explains not only the nature of the indefinites, but also why Aristotle introduces these kinds of term in Peri Hermeneias. The coherence and explanatory capacity of this doctrine is entirely absent in modern exegesis of Peri Hermeneias. This fact has important implications: it can make us to think whether there will be another topics in which the ancient commentators are still indispensable to understand Aristotle. It can also make us to think to what extent a profounder reflection of the ancient commentators can modify our idea of Aristotle and the ancient world. I. The labour of translation of and comment on the ancient interpreters of Aristotle, which in our days have been edited by Professor R. Sorabji,(1) has put modern readers in contact with new dimensions of Aristotle's thought. In these ancient commentaries, many of the traditional and well-known doctrines of Aristotle find not only theoretical basis, but also a number of obscure and condensed texts reach an important and valuable elucidation and explanation. The subject-matter that I would like to discuss today is a sample of how these commentators can still contribute to understand Aristotle. I would like to warn, however, that the theme of the indefinite terms is especially illustrative of what I indicate, for the modern comments on this topic have been made without a profounder consideration of the ancient teaching. In my opinion, however, a more reliable and complete explanation about this difficult subject is to be found in the analysis of the ancient view. II. The commentaries of Boethius(2) and Ammonius son of Hermeias(3) contain in a slightly different manner the ancient doctrine of indefinite names and verbs. They explain some questions whose answers are not evident in Aristotle's Peri Hermeneias (= PeriH.):(4) namely, (i) why does Aristotle introduce indefinite names and verbs after defining name and verb? I.e. Why does Aristotle consider adequate to define expressions like 'not-man', 'does not recover', etc., once he has defined 'man' and 'recovers' as name and verb respectively? Even more, (ii) why does Aristotle in Chapter 10 of PeriH. leave indefinite verbs aside and introduces only indefinite names in simple (= categorical) propositions?

Analysis of “Eat at My Restaurant †Cash Flow” Essay

Understanding the flow of cash within an organization is critical to knowing the health of an organization. Without this understanding, a business may run into a situation where even though they are profitable, they may not have enough cash on hand to meet their obligations. This paper will look at the case study Eat at My Restaurant – Cash Flow (Gibson, 2013) and will analyze the difference between net cash provided by operating activities and net income and determine which a better indicator of long-term profitability is. It will then provide an analysis of the cash flow ratios for each of the firms contained in the case study. Finally, this paper will conclude with a determination of if one of the companies in the case study has a cash flow problem. Net Cash versus Net Income Net income is derived from the Income Statement, which is based on the accrual method of accounting. Under the accrual method, revenue is recognized when earned and expenses are recognized when incurred. Net cash provided by operating activities uses the cash method of accounting where cash and expenses are recognized when received and paid. For example, under the accrual method, which net income is based on, a company would recognize revenue for services delivered based on the delivery of services instead of when a customer actually pays the invoice for these services. This is an important distinction because from an income perspective, the company will eventually receive that money, the company will not actually have that cash in-hand to pay expenses or make investments until receipt of payment from their customer. This could create a situation where although the company looks profitable, in reality they cannot make their short-term commitments. When considering whether net cash provided by operating activities or net income is a better indicator of long-term profitability, the writer feels that the words â€Å"long-term† are critical to that decision. While net cash is  critical to determine the ability of the organization to meet its immediate requirements, the non-cash factors that are included in the net income calculation portray a more accurate view of the long-term profitability. Also because of the timing differences between when revenue and expenses are recognized, the accrual method behind the net income model will produce visibility that is more accurate. For example, a month that produces low volume of sales and a high volume of receivable could produce a positive cash flow when in reality that low sales volume will negatively affect the subsequent months. This variance wou ld be visible in the net income but would not be visible in net cash. Case Study Company Comparison Yum Brands, Inc. In the two years presented in the case study (2009-2010), Yum Brands, Inc. saw a significant decline in its operating cash flow/current maturities of long-term debt and current notes payable. This indicates that they are less able to meet their current debt obligation. However, when looking at operating cash flow/total debt, there is an increase of 7.3% showing that Yum Brands, Inc. is more able to cover its debt with operating cash. A review of the operating cash flow per share shows an increase of $1.14 showing an improvement in its ability to make capital expense decisions and pay dividends to its shareholders. Finally, Yum Brands, Inc. a .9 increase in operating cash flow/cash dividends. This shows that they are more able to pay dividends with its yearly operating cash. Panera Bread During the same two-year period (2009-2010), Panera Bread did not have any long-term debt mature or have any current notes payable. They did however have 17.27% decrease in their ability to meet their total debt burden with operating cash. Panera Bread did show an increase of $0.74 in operating cash flow per share indicating an improved ability to make capital purchase decisions and pay dividends to its shareholders. Panera Bread did not make any dividend payments in either year. Starbucks In 2009 and 2010, Starbuck also did not have any long-term debt mature or have any current notes payable. However, they did show a 7.94% increase in their operating cash flow/total debt ratio. This indicates an improved ability to cover their total debt with operating cash flow. During this same period, Starbucks had an increase of $0.37 in operating cash flow per share indicating an improved ability to make capital purchase decisions and pay dividends to its shareholders. Although they did not pay any dividends in 2009, they did show an increase of 9.97 in operating cash flow/cash dividends in 2010. This shows that they are more able to pay dividends with yearly operating cash. Cash Flow Woes While Panera Bread does show an increase of 28.5% in net income-including noncontrolling interest, they are only showing an increase of 10.6% in net cash provided by operating activities. This combined with a 17.27% decrease in their operating cash flow/total debt ratio could indicate potential challenges meeting debt. Furthermore, although Panera Bread does show an improvement of $0.74 in operating cash flow per share, they have not issued any dividends. This could indicate that Panera Bread is trying to invest in growth or potentially they are having difficulty meeting cash obligations. For these reasons, the writer believes Panera Bread may be experiencing a cash flow problem; however, a deeper look into their financial statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements over a broader timeframe would be required to assess their true position. Conclusion Net Cash and Net Income are both critical elements allowing a view to the health of an organization. While it is imperative that a business has visibility to the cash available to pay debt, make investments, make capital purchases and pay its shareholders, it is equally important to have visibility to all revenue and expenses. While each tells their own story, in the end it is when used together that they bring the most value. References Gibson, C. H. (2013). Financial Reporting & Analysis. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Barriers Of Critical Thinking Essay

Three barriers that influence your thinking are fear, laziness, and stubbornness Fear: Overcoming fear is one of my biggest challenges there are several ways I have learned to try and overcome that fear is stop doubting myself when it come to taking on a new task. Always keep a positive attitude even when I think negative. Because of my fear unfortunately I have missed out on several opportunities that could have been very positive. What I have also learned about overcoming fear is never be afraid of opportunity. Learning how to face your fears head on is a great way to overcome fear as well. Once you overcome fear it can be life changing. Laziness: Overcoming laziness in critical thinking is to understand that research is very important and not always wanting to the easy way out of things. Taking the time to sit back and analyze and consider different point of views and also opinions. Always be willing to put in hard work when it comes to critical thinking. Critical thinking plays a critical part in our everyday lives and being able to make quick decisions is very important. Sometimes information is not easy to access and in some cases this where research and critical thinking play a major role in quick decision making. Stubbornness: Overcoming stubbornness in critical thinking is being able to accept another person opinion also being open to changes. Not always thinking about what’s in it for me stop always saying I can’t or I want just because a change may come. Being able to think of change in a positive way in everyday living there is always change some we may like some we may not however as a human being you have to be able to accept and live with change. Employers have constant change and as an employee we have to be able to adapt and keep an open mind in every aspect.

Critical Analysis of Beowulf

Grendel Deep within the earth, in the frigid darkness laid the mighty beast Grendel. His tall, grisly frame trembled as the melodious hymns floated down to his lair. The joyful music sounded like liquid gold and it stung Grendel's ears. He howled a mournful, drawn-out growl in pain. After several days of the Earthwalkers' continuous celebration, Grendel was becoming steadily impatient, thirsting for retribution. How he longed to taste the bitter, metallic blood that coursed through their veins, and how his whole body ached to cause mayhem.The enormous demon was growing weary of hearing about how the world was created. He was tired of them drinking, and celebrating, all while he suffered within the black, bleak cave he was banished to. He would make them suffer, though. Grendel was a deft demon, and he was ready to demonstrate how powerful he truly was. Children of Cain, such as Grendel, do not often sit idly by, as those whom carouse the victories of the Gods that banished Grendel an d his familiars to the Underworld.Forever was Grendel to be punished for the death of Abel, a crime of which he did not commit. To make matters worse, his familiars were on the losing end of the war against God's creatures, thus casting them deeper within the shadows. However, that would not be the case today. It had gone on long enough. Grendel's large feral body trembled in anticipation – he would strike them tonight. He would spill their blood in the streets and show them what such a mighty creature can do. Then, as the icy blanket of night crept across the Above World, Grendel emerged from his cavern.His muscular legs propelled him quickly across the grassy fields to Herot, and as he went, Grendel wondered how the warriors would be recuperating from their celebrations. As he approached Herot, he found all of the warriors scattered throughout, all in a deep sleep. As he stepped lightly on the ground, Grendel sniffed the air. A fowl stench of brandy mixed with the bitter sc ent of their sweat intoxicated Grendel. His canine ears perked as he heard the slow, rhythmic beating of each of their hearts. He walked among their numbers, gazing upon each potential victim and sizing them up.Who would provide the best kill? Who would give him the luscious blood he so eagerly wished to taste. Finally, he came upon the perfect victim – a boy, about to become a man, his warrior's helmet was slightly askew on his sandy-colored hair. A silvery trail of drool slid from his lips and out onto the cold stone floor as he snored quietly. He had obviously never experienced battle, for his armor was made only of thin leather and had not even a fleck of dirt on it. Grendel's black lips curled upwards as he gazed down upon his unknowing victim.The power of the demon could crush his skull in a second, splattering the boy's hopes and dreams all across the stone floor. No, that would be too abrupt – and it wouldn't be the warrior's death that this boy obviously so ea gerly desired. No, Grendel would enjoy this. So with one slash of his razor-sharp talons, the boys throat was cut. Long ribbons of scarlet ran down his almost severed head and down onto the floor. The instant his neck was cut, his eyes shot wide open in horror, staring for only a moment at his murderer.The fear, now etched eternally in his face, was like that of watching your worst nightmare transpire right in front of your eyes. That moment was everything Grendel wanted from his journey into mayhem. That single moment was what captured Grendel's thirst and made it even stronger. Grendel licked the crimson beads from his claws and savored the coppery taste. He could feel it enter his body and it made him even stronger. Every one of his muscles throbbed in eagerness to slaughter more people, to taste more blood, and to incite even more fear. He moved swiftly between his victims, his footsteps barely making a whisper.After a few more throat cuttings, Grendel decided he would massacre more by crushing a few skulls. Moving up to one rather rotund warrior, he grasped the warrior's head within his long fingers, and the instant Grendel felt the warrior awaken, he squeezed with tremendous force. Within that moment, the warrior's body felt limp, his enormous weight now pulling Grendel's arm down. The demon could feel the sharp fragments of bone and helmet inside his hand, and the warm, stickiness of the blood as it ran along his fingers. Over two dozen more, he did this to, before carrying all of their bodies back to his lair.On his way back, though, he made sure that they left a long river of blood towards his cavern. Grendel greatly anticipated the awakening of the other warriors. As soon as day broke, he was not disappointed – those whom Grendel had spared began to cry and moan as they discovered the fate of their loved ones and compatriots. Their joyous songs of celebration turned to marred hymns of lament. Now that was music to Grendel's ears. In fact, the magnitude of excitement Grendel felt made it impossible for him to stay within his cavern that night.Just like he had done last night, he crept out of his lair and slaughtered even more of the warriors. As the months drew on, eventually the remaining warriors would try to combat Grendel, or run and hide. Each warrior, young or old, met the same fate as those Grendel had killed on his first night. A gruesome and gory death awaited any and all who Grendel wanted to kill. Years began to pass, and Herot became abandoned, thus making Grendel the only inhabitant. No longer were stories told of the creation of the world, but instead of Grendel's power and hatred.

China vs India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

China vs India - Essay Example Although, China has long been into modernized security strategy, actually nuclear forces are not their priority, in order to protect the country from external forces.3 In addition, China’s transitional shift towards modern and professional military equipped with high-technology weaponry marked a better security strategy. Part II. US-China Relations According to De Castro, China has been the most like America’s major competitor for geostrategic dominance in the Asia Pacific.4 China in its sphere has developed their economy since early years--very rapid economic growth. It is a large and populous country; a communist and capitalist, reforming and resisting change, strong and weak. However, it is quite hard to understand China, because it’s complicated--the fact that it is changing rapidly.5 U.S is undeniably prominent because of its booming economy and large political dimension. China has risen and will â€Å"bring the United States unipolar moment to an end.†6 This is not to say that there would be a literal violent struggle, or overthrowing of the Western system.