The Great Gatsby- Immorality

The American Dream—A Road to Immorality â€Å"‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,  knowing good and evil’† (New International Bible, Genesis 3:4-5). The prevalence of temptation and immorality has been present from the beginning of time. In the Biblical sense, it was the serpent that tempted Eve with his promises for greatness and divinity, but ultimately corrupted her world, as well as the world today. Presently, the lust for power and authority is exceedingly evident amongst today’s society.In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American dream was a foundation of desires for wealth and supremacy. Throughout the novel, the characters’ greed has a negative impact on their everyday decisions, and leads them down the path of immorality and depravity. Through the examination of the lives of Nick Carraway an d Jordan Baker, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, the following essay will prove how the tempting and agonizing pursuit of the American dream often leads to a life full of dishonesty and corruption.In the beginning of the novel, Nick Carraway evidenced his mixed emotions towards the rich lifestyle. In the manner he described Tom Buchanan, it is clear that Nick noticed the complacency of the rich lifestyle: Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward. . . . His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked—and there were men at New Haven who had hated his guts. Fitzgerald 12) Despite his distaste towards the rich, Nick also idolized them. His strong desire to achieve the American dream persuaded him to associate with these people. However, as he got sucked into their world, he became more and more dishonest and immoral. When asked by Tom and Daisy about his rumoured engagement to a woman back home, Nick denied it. However, it is later revealed that he is, in fact, engaged: But I am slow-thinking and full of interior rules that act as brakes on my desires, and I knew that first I had to get myself definitely out of that tangle back home.I’d been writing letters once a week and signing them: ‘Love, Nick,’ and all I could think of was how, when that certain girl played tennis, a faint mustache of perspiration appeared on her upper lip. Nevertheless there was a vague understanding that had to be tactfully broken off before I was free. (Fitzgerald 59) Regardless of this, he pursued an affair with Jordan Baker. As the novel progressed, Nick began to realize how the fast and extravagant lifestyle of the rich was only a cover for the disturbing moral emptiness amongst them.He learned that even Jordan, whom he had developed feelings for, was dishonest and was willing to do anything to ensure her success: Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible. She was incurably dishonest. She wasn’t able to endure being at a disadvantage and, given this unwillingness, I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool, insolent smile turned to the world and yet satisfy the demands of her hard, jaunty body. Fitzgerald 58) After gaining much maturity, Nick returned to Minnesota seeking a life structured by more traditional moral values. The lives of Tom and Daisy Buchanan are prime examples of how achieving the American dream often leads to living a low and vulgar life. At a first glance, their home seems to be the perfect family setting. It isn’t long before Tom’s affair with his mistress becomes evident: â€Å"‘Is som ething happening? ’ I inquired innocently. ‘You mean to say you don’t know? ’ said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. ‘I thought everybody knew. ‘I don’t. ’ ‘Why—’ she said hesitantly, ‘Tom’s got some woman in New York’† (Fitzgerald 20). When Daisy sees Gatsby again, she also begins an affair of her own. However this affair is short lived as Tom becomes aware of the infidelity of his wife. Daisy was forced to choose between Tom and Gatsby, but she refused to abandon her â€Å"old rich† lifestyle. After hitting Myrtle while driving Jay’s car, Daisy and Tom decided to conspire a plan in order to avoid responsibility for the tragedy: â€Å"Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table, . . . There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together† (Fitzgerald 138). Despite Da isy’s professed â€Å"love† for Gatsby, she allowed him to take the blame for the accident, which eventuated in his death. When Wilson went to Tom and asked him who the car belonged to, Tom had no problem mentioning Jay Gatsby’s name, providing Wilson with the information needed to justify Myrtle’s death: â€Å"‘I told him the truth,’ he said. ‘He came to the door hile we were getting ready to leave, and when I sent down word that we weren’t in he tried to force his way up-stairs. He was crazy enough to kill me if I hadn’t told him who owned the car. . . .’† (Fitzgerald 169). In the end, Daisy chose the American dream over her moral conscience, proving that the rich are not really better than the poor. Jay Gatsby’s quest for the American dream began at the age of 17, when he left his North Dakota farm-life home in pursuit of better life. After meeting Daisy and seeing her wealth, he became obsessed wit h her.Gatsby’s â€Å"love† for Daisy was more of an urgent desire to possess her. He lied to her in order to draw her to him: He might have despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses. I don’t mean that he had traded on his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much the same stratum as herself—that he was fully able to take care of her. (Fitzgerald 142) Gatsby’s desperation drove him to work for Meyer Wolfsheim.He quickly earned a vast amount of money by bootlegging alcohol and associating in other illegal activities under Wolfsheim’s order: â€Å"‘He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. . . .’† (Fitzgerald 127). Even though Jay seemed to be an unsavory, worldly man with his illegal and immoral tendencies, he had an incredible sen se of loyalty. His unfailing loyalty extended to everyone he cared for, from his own father to Dan Cody to Daisy.Unfortunately, he did not always receive the same measure of devotion in return, demonstrated when Daisy allowed him to take the fall for her foolish actions. Nick Carraway recognized this goodness about him, and reassured Gatsby: â€Å"‘They’re a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together’† (Fitzgerald 146). Jay Gatsby’s hunger for the American dream proves how even good-natured people can become corrupted by their lust for money and power. â€Å"‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,  knowing good and evil’† (New International Bible, Genesis 3:4-5). The prevalence of temptation and immorality has been present from the beginning of time. In the Biblical sense, it was the serpent that tempted Eve with his promises for greatness and divinity, but ultimately corrupted her world, as well as the world today. Presently, the lust for power and authority is exceedingly evident amongst today’s society. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American dream was a foundation of desires for wealth and supremacy.Throughout the novel, the characters’ greed has a negative impact on their everyday decisions, and leads them down the path of immorality and depravity. Through the examination of the lives of Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, the following essay will prove how the tempting and agonizing pursuit of the American dream often leads to a life full of dishonesty and corruption. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Toronto: Penguin Books Ltd. , 1998. New International Bible. New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.

Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything

Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. After the Chernobyl disaster of April 26th, 1986, it was often said that the nuclear industry no longer had the resilience to survive another major nuclear accident. The industry hoped that the sentiment behind the Chernobyl accident could be eased on the basis that it was the consequence of a flaw in design that was unique to the Soviet Union’s reactors and that they had been operated in such a way that would not have been acceptable in the West.Then, Fukushima changed everything. That, at least, was the popular view adopted in the aftermath of March 11, 2011, by the press, media and across the Internet blogging community. A nuclear accident in such a densely populated and well-developed country would transform the way nuclear energy is perceived, as well as, determine the way it would be used, or not used, in the years to come. This analysis attempts to overview its causes, evaluate its impact, and understand its consequences on future nuclear development. CausesOn October 30th, 2011, the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (NAIIC) was enacted, creating an independent commission whose sole purpose was to investigate the Fukushima accident with the authority to request documentation and evidence required from whomever they saw fit. This independent commission was the first in the history of Japan’s constitutional government. Their main mandate was to investigate the direct and indirect causes of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima nuclear power plant accident that occurred on March 11, 2011 in conjunction with the Great East Japan Earthquake.This event triggered an extremely severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant, owned and operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). It was declared Level 7 (â€Å"Severe Accident†) by the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). At the moment the earthquake struck, nuclear reactor u nits 1 to 3 were functioning under normal operating parameters and units 4 to 6 were undergoing periodic inspection. Emergency shutdown occurred right after seismic activity was identified. The seismic tremors damaged the electricity transmission facilities between the TEPCO Shinfukushima Transformer SubstationsNuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 2 and the Fukushima Daichii Nuclear Power Plant. This resulted in a total loss of off-site electricity. The back-up transmission line that was hooked up to nearby Tohoku Electric Power Company failed to feed reactor 1 due to mismatched sockets. The first of 3 tsunami waves was more than twice the height of the seawall which TEPCO had failed to replace after recommendations had been made by a group of government scientists back in 2009. TEPCO later stated that this recommendation was in the process of review at the time the tsunami hit.The seawater began flooding the building floor breaking walls and scattering debris. As the w ater rose, emergency diesel generators broke down, along with the seawater cooling pumps, electric wiring system and DC power supply for units 1, 2, 3 and 4. This resulted in a complete loss of power. Unit 5 lost all AC power and unit 6 stayed online due to a working air cooled emergency diesel generator. The loss of electricity resulted in the shutdown of monitoring equipment, lighting and communication devices. Decisions had to be made on the spot without the proper tools or manuals, making it difficult to cool down the reactors in an efficient way.The cooling reactors which were dependent on electricity for high-pressure water injection, depressurizing the reactors low pressure water injection cooling, depressurizing the reactor containers, and removal of decay, failed. Lack of access to these key locations due to debris pile up led to the inability of the personnel to react appropriately. In June, 2011, four months after the accident, the country’s Nuclear Emergency Respo nse Headquarters confirmed the complete meltdown of reactors 1, 2, 3, and spent fuel pond of reactor 4.The conclusions held by the NAIIC stated that the direct causes of the accident were all foreseeable prior to March 11, 2011. The plants design was incapable of withstanding an earthquake and tsunami of that magnitude. In addition, operators (TEPCO), regulatory bodies (NISA and NSC) and the government body promoting the nuclear power industry (METI) all failed to ensure basic safety requirements, such as assessing the probability of damage, preparation for containing collateral damage and developing evacuation plans for the public in the case of a serious radiation release. Dr.Kurokawa of the Nuclear Safety Commission reserved his most damning language for his criticism of a culture in Japan that suppresses dissent and outside opinion, which he said might have prompted changes to the country’s lax nuclear controls. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 3 Impacts on Health & Environment The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident resulted in the release of fission products to the environment, including the contamination of air, water, soil, animals, fish, milk and crops. In addition, it generated radiation levels that caused the necessary evacuation of people within a 20 to 30 km range of the facility.A study on the effects of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown on the environment and public safety by Dr. med. Alex Rosen of the University of Dusseldorf came up with a series findings. The atmospheric emissions of more than 30 radioactive isotopes occurred through the explosions in reactors 1 to 3, the spent fuel pond of reactor 4 and the venting of reactors to relieve pressure and enable cool down. The total emission of iodine 131 was estimated to be 20% of the quantity emitted in the Chernobyl accident and 40% to 60% of cesium-137 emissions.Although, these are both naturally occurring elements, both of these radioactive isotopes are found to have dang erous impacts to human health under high doses. A dozen other radioactive substances including strontium-90, xenon-133 and plutonium-139 were spread throughout the region as radioactive fallout following the incident. Geography Radioactive fallout occurred mainly in the Northern Pacific (79%) and about 19% of the fallout contaminated the Honshu island, which includes the densely populated Tokyo metropolitan area. Overall, it was determined hat 1000 km2 were highly contaminated with radioactive isotopes. This led to the evacuation of an estimated 200,000 people in the immediately impacted zone in a radius of 20 km2 to 30 km2. Furthermore, an estimated 70,000 people are said to have stayed within 870 km2 radius of the plant’s highly contaminated land outside of the evacuation zone. These people were exposed to 100 times the natural background radiation expected within a year following the accident. Health Risks The risk of developing cancer and other radiation-induced diseases increased proportionally to the amount of radioactive exposure.According to Dr. Rosen, even the smallest amounts of Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 4 radioactivity can cause tissue damage and genetic mutations. Children have been found to be the demographic class with the highest risk in relation to radioactive exposure due to a greater level of sensitivity. Soil Contamination Following the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl 25 years ago, the Soviet government chose long-term evacuation over extensive decontamination. As a result, the area is non habitable and remains severely contaminated by radioactive fallout.In Japan, large areas of farmland and forests were contaminated following the accident. Lacking land for resettlement and facing public outrage, the Japanese government chose to embark on a decontamination effort of unprecedented scale. Japanese workers, power-sprayed buildings, scraped soil off fields, and removed fallen leaves and undergrowth from the woods ne ar houses, in an attempt to make Fukushima livable again. The Japanese Ministry of Environment estimated that Fukushima would have to dispose of 15 to 31 million cubic meters of contaminated soil and debris by the end of the econtamination process, with costs exceeding one trillion yen. The decontamination efforts were focused mostly on the radionuclides caesium-134 and caesium-137, with half-lives of 2 and 30 years, respectively. Although other radionuclides have been found in Japan, these two pose the greatest long term threat to human health through ingestion and external exposure. Radiocaesium has been found in all of Japan’s prefectures, but most highly concentrated within a 50 kilometer area northwest of the plant, and to a lesser extent throughout eastern and central Fukushima Prefecture.Marine & Groundwater Back flow and deliberate discharge of radioactive wastewater were released from the plant. Approximately 15 to 27 PBq (petabecquerel) of radioactive marine dischar ge resulted in the worst radioactive contamination of the Japanese coast in recorded history. The effect of dilution of the radioactive marine discharge may substantially reduce the impact radioactive fallout, but will inevitably to a greater area being contaminated at a lower concentration. Proceedings from the National Academy of Sciences of the U. S. A. ublished major findings on the detection of Fukushima-derived cesium-134 and cesium-137 throughout waters 30–600 km offshore, with Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 5 the highest radioactivity associated with near-shore eddies and the Kuroshio Current acting as a southern boundary for radioactive transport. Researchers concluded that even though cesium isotopes are elevated 10 to 1000 times over prior levels in waters off Japan, radiation risks due to these radionuclides are below those generally considered harmful to marine animals and human consumers, and even below those from naturally occurring radionucl ides.Food & Vegetation Radioactive contamination was found in fruits and vegetables grown in the affected region. Meat products originating from animals grazing on contaminated soil and destined to human consumption was found to be contaminated. Contamination was also detected in milk and tea, as well as, tap water in the Tokyo metropolitan area (the world’s largest city in terms of population). It has been determined that eating 500g of contaminated vegetables can cause internal exposure of 100 times the normal amount of radioactive food content for adults and more than 200 times for children.Fish and seafood caught in the North Pacific region was contaminated and showed clear accumulation of radioactivity in sea life higher up in the food chain within the months following the accident. Washout and bioaccumulation will continue to cause the radioactive contamination of marine animals for years to come due to the extended half life of certain radioactive elements. Although it is quite clear that this accident has had significant impacts on human health, soil, food, animal and marine life, it is still too early to accurately determine the full extent of the accident’s environmental impacts and the proper approach to remediation.Impacts on Nuclear Energy Development Nuclear power provides global carbon-free dispatchable base load generation and its continued growth is a major component in many forecasts for future greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions. Nuclear energy accounts for 13. 5% of global electricity production as of 2012. This GHG reduction potential is one of the reasons for the much discussed â€Å"renaissance of Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 6 nuclear power†.It has been acknowledged that nuclear power represents a potential source for large quantities of carbon-free electricity production from plants that do not share the intermittency issues of solar and wind energy production. Two potential forces could adversely affect nuclear production projections postFukushima accident. Foremost, the accident may affect safety criteria and procedures for existing and new nuclear generating units. These changes could lead to increased associated costs. Second, the accident may have adverse affects on public opinion and potential political support for nuclear power.Hence, some countries could ultimately move away from nuclear energy on a political basis, making relicensing of new plants more difficult, leading to tighter safety criteria and delays in regulatory decisions. Determining what the long run responses will be globally and how they will affect the economics of nuclear power generation, as well as the politics associated with acceptance of nuclear power in different countries will remain uncertain for years to come. Prior to the Fukushima accident, it appeared that there was growing political acceptance of nuclear energy.In the world’s 3 largest nuclear economies (U. S. , France, J apan), extensions to licensing were in progress and associated operating lines of most existing plants were proceeding without much political opposition. In particular, Unit #1 of the Fukushima Daichii plant had just received a 10 year extension on its operating license months before the incident. As for new construction, major nuclear vendors were heavily promoting the latest generation 3 design as being safer and more economical than previous generations.Construction was beginning on new nuclear units in Finland and France, and commitments were being made to build new units in the U. K. China had also just made a major commitment to increase its production from 1% to 6% by 2020. India was also in the midst of piercing into the nuclear market, with the help of the U. S. , France and Russia. Additional construction was anticipated in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. A number of developing countries were also beginning to show interest in integrating nuclear energy as a part of their e nergy portfolios.These countries included Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Chile, Venezuela and Vietnam amongst others. A number of considerations were driving this interest. Policies to promote low to zero carbon emitting energy sources and the intent of reaching C02 emissions reduction targets by Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 7 2020 and 2050 were having a positive effect on political decision making. In addition, significant improvements in the performance of nuclear plants in were enabling countries such as the U. S. to reach up to 90% capacity factors.Furthermore, the rise in fossil fuels and new generation reactors were promising higher safety ratings and lower construction costs. The reconsideration of Italy, Spain and Sweden on the use of nuclear power use and the growing interest in emerging countries to rapidly respond to increase in demand for electricity were also leading factors. All these reasons led experts into the optimistic belief that the world was on the verge of a new wave of investment in the nuclear energy sector. Since the Fukushima accident, detrimental impacts on expert optimism have been observed.Japan has permanently closed units 1-4 of the Fukushima Daichii plant and the status of units 5-6 remain uncertain. In addition, only 10 out of Japan’s 50 previously operational units are now operating, and there has been significant local opposition to returning them to service. Public support for Japan’s current nuclear power program is under considerable stress. Following the accident, most countries with major nuclear programs have moved quickly to perform short-term safety assessments of existing plants and have opted to launch longer term assessments of regulatory procedures and safety criteria.The situation in Japan remains uncertain. As the third largest nuclear program worldwide, a decision to move away from nuclear energy with Germany would have a definite material effect on f uture development trends. Any tightening of safety requirements resulting from the accident will only make the economic status of nuclear power less attractive. However, it has been observed that the Fukushima accident has had little effect on plans for unit construction in countries where significant nuclear programs were being planned prior to Fukushima.Some countries such as Taiwan, Chile, Israel and Venezuela have decided to not enter or re-enter the nuclear expansion business. On the other hand, current non-nuclear countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Abu Dhabi have recommitted to start building nuclear power plants. As for China, it is believed that its willingness to sacrifice on economics to meet energy security and environmental goals is still present. The setback is that China can not fail to meet safety requirements and this may constrain the rate at which its nuclear program can proceed. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. The Fukushima Daich ii nuclear accident will contribute to a reduction in future trends on the expansion of nuclear energy, but at this time these effects appear to be quite modest at the global level. For countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Japan, the effects are significant, but for most other countries, changes have not been currently made in their support for nuclear power. Due to significant loss of trust in reactor safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency reduced, in Juin 2011, the 2030 projection on the worldwide contribution of nuclear power by about 10%.Nuclear power has been the source of fear and excitement for decades, and what the Fukushima Daichii nuclear accident caused, first and foremost, was irreparable damage to the local communities of Japan and their surrounding environment. It is now clear that the international community may have dodged the bullet once again, however it seems as though they might not be getting a second chance. The potential for clean energy producti on with nuclear energy is undeniable, perhaps advancements in technology such as the development of Generation IV reactors will put nuclear energy back on the forefront of global energy production.Whether or not potential energy output outweighs the risks associated with future accidents differs based on personal perspective. The Gen IV International Forum will evaluate lessons learnt and integrate them in the design and safety criteria of the reactors under development, which are expected to be ready by mid-century. Inherent reactor safety features will become far more important as a result of the Fukushima accident. Furthermore, modular and smaller reactors, due to their lower in-core energy density, will probably gain in popularity.As we move forward, a dedicated and permanent effort is needed to regain trust by open, transparent and honest dialogue with the public on the risks and benefits of nuclear energy. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 9 References Lincoln L. Davies. â€Å"Beyond Fukushima: Disasters, Nuclear Energy, and Energy Law. † Brigham Young University Law Review. (2011): 1937-1990. The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission. â€Å"The National Diet of Japan. † (2012): 1-15. Dr. med. Alex Rosen. â€Å"Effects of the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns on environment and health. † (2012): 1-18. Paul L. Joskow & John E. Parsons. The Future of Nuclear Power After Fukushima†. MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research. (2012): 1-30. Roland Schenkel. â€Å"Nuclear Energy Acceptance and Potential Role to Meet Future Energy Demand. Which Technical/Scientific Achievements Are Needed? †. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements. (2012): 356-364. Winifred Bird. â€Å"As Fukushima Cleanup Begins, Long-term Impacts are Weighed†. Yale Environment 360. (2012): 1. Karl K. Turekian et al. â€Å" Fukushima-derived radionuclides in the ocean and biota off Japan†. PNAS. (2012): 1-5. Nuclear Energy: How Fukushima Changed Everything. 10

Native Alaskan elders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Native Alaskan elders - Essay Example It is currently noted that aging in the American territories is a prevailing issue, specifically because there are larger numbers of older adults that are growing older in society. This particular change is now being referred to as the graying of America, started by baby boomers that are now becoming older and which need extra assistance. Rising costs in care, health policy issues and the need to find specific resources are all becoming issues with every elder in American society. The Native Alaskan elders are now being looked into because the expectations for living are increasing. It is now noted that 16% of the Alaskan Native population was considered as elder in 2010 with 140,000 people being 65 or older (Easley, 1). The complexity with the Native Alaskan elders is based on abuse which is occurring among others. This includes mistreatment by family and social institutions and includes everything from domestic violence to neglect of care of the elders. It has been noted that 2.1 m illion elder Americans are victims of abuse each year, with only 1 in 5 cases being reported. The changes are noted to be related to the alterations in society. The first is cultural changes, which is inclusive of the traditions of Native Alaskans being lost to the colonialization and contemporary ideals of American society. The result is a loss of respect for the elders that used to exist. However, older heritages still expect the same respect and often have associations with the historical trauma of losing the tribal identity. This causes most to not respond to the abuse and to respond by alcoholism, social isolation, dependency or stress. The elderly abuse then remains suppressed in the society because of psychological and emotional responses as well as relationships to society that are emerging (Department of Health and Human Services, 1). An important aspect to consider with the changes with the elders that belong to the Native Alaskan care is based on the cultural affiliations . The difficulty is based on the newer changes in society that have led many families and associations to think differently about elders. The culture that is now prevalent is one which doesn’t have the traditional beliefs of elders that were held by Native Alaskan tribes. Most now consider aging and the deterioration of health as a burden that should be given to a social institution. However, the cultural associations of most of the elders have recounted the same traditions in which elders were widely respected and cared for in society. In the Alaskan reservations, this system still exists and creates cultural influences. This is creating one of the main controversies for those that are now categorized as being elderly. It should also be noted that the concept of living on a reservation and being influenced by these beliefs is furthered with poverty and exceptions in federal policy that don’t allow elders to have the correct care. This is leaving a gap with the elders as the right access to health care isn’t available for reservations while most families are dispersing from the ability to care for elders in the way which is expected culturally (Smyer, Stenvig, 27). The gap that is a part of the Native Alaskan elders is furthered with

Interacting with investors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interacting with investors - Essay Example A business plan may be so nice and interesting, but too long for an investor to go through it. It leads to a rejection, not because it was a wrong plan, but simply because the investor never read it. Going through about 40 pages of just one business plan and they are hundreds of them is not only time-consuming, but also boring. Just as Selke puts it, it is important to write a brief email summarizing the whole business plan and very brief. The email should, however, be convincing and appealing trying to show the investor why he should put his money in the particular business and not any other business plans. One should never give up even after getting a rejection on whatever he thought was the best business plan. He should leave the door open by a friendly ending since the investors may call back in future for consideration. It is true that some rejections could be frustrating, but in business, one has to control the emotions and know that it takes endurance to succeed in business. W hen one throws insults at the investor because he rejected his business plan, the business suffers finally. The way to attract an investor is by writing a brief appealing and convincing email concerning the business plan and always leaving the door open even after getting a rejection. The email should not sound like the person is only interested in the investor’s money but has the desire to be part of the company. It is important to ask for feedback if nothing is coming forth and never give up even after several rejections.

North Korea's threat to Peace and Stability Research Paper

North Korea's threat to Peace and Stability - Research Paper Example In the 1950, North Korea allied to the communist states and precisely, the U.S.S.R, then under the command of Joseph Stalin. Similarly, the republic of South Korea allied to the United States of America for protection and economic propulsion. The end of the Second World War marked the beginning of rivalry among communist and capitalist. Each group had different ideologies to development, leadership, and relations (Segell, 2005). The communist held tight fists on dictatorial regimes hoping, thus diminishing democracy to the lowest point, and undermining economic progression since most properties belonged to government, and there was no privatization whatsoever. North Korea desired to acquire the Southern country, and under the support of communist, the country invaded the South but foreign troops held it back (Kim, 2011). Thereafter, the country endeavored in militarizing the troops through the provision of mass destruction weapons, hoping to stand better chances against enemies. The following is an outline of the course to militarization, competing for supremacy, and threats to world peace in the country of North Korea. The course to militarization The family of Kim IL Sung has continuously indulged in armament of its troops through nuclear enrichments and provision of superior weapons. Further, the number of active arms total to more than a million out of a twenty two million-population count. This tally of officers represents 4.51% of the population, bearing in mind that almost all the citizens undergo military training. Therefore, North Korea is the first country in the world to militarize in relation to the population. At this point, advocacy for the acts of armament and nuclear development in the country remain a secret in the country’s heart of monarchical and dictatorial family of the Kim’s (Segell, 2005). Years after the Second World War, North Korea embarked on aggressions against neighbors, China, and South Korea. The country stands read y for any possible threats and challenges neighbors to war acrimonies by stressing on the urge to try military activities over their territories. The successions of Kim IL Sung and family lineage, over the leadership of North Korea to the current leader, Kim Jong-un tend to worsen the situation (Pak, 2000). Instead of defecting from their predecessors’ indulgence to nuclear armament, they enhance the projects. Militarization The state of North Korea produced weapons even at a time when famine befell the country for at least three years. During that famine period, estimations reveal that 800,000 to 1,300,000 citizens died of hunger whilst the country targeted military supremacy over the lives of the people. This occurred between 1994, and 1998 and the country’s leadership declined involvement of any humanitarian organization to the calamity, mentioning the strengths it had to tame the calamity. The country preferred military stability to economic, thus during the famine , the authorities did little to save the people, but ran expensive and intense nuclear programs at the time. The leader argued that, nuclear and weaponry stability was for the best interest of the entire nation. Initially, the United States of America assisted North Korea in eradication of a binding statute that deterred any nuclear operations in Korea. The US took the opportunity to acquaint southern and home country troops with nuclear weapons, while other nations declared the act as perpetrating

Leadership and Corporate Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and Corporate Culture - Essay Example To achieve this, corporate leaders must possess certain influences and powers that will enable them shape the cultures for the betterment of the organization and without infringing on the rights of either. The first tool most managers use is the delegation of duties. By delegating duties to their juniors in a responsible manner, the managers empower the employees who in turn will go to greater lengths to maintain consistency (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).   Another crucial aspect is employee mentorship by the corporate leaders, who instill social and professional values on the employees that are in line with the attainment of the organization’s goals. Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2011) state that the corporate leaders can put in place proper conflict resolution mechanisms and good communication network in their quest to transform the organization’s culture. Perhaps the last but equally important power that a corporate leader can use to influence and shape t he general culture of the organization is to cultivate a culture of trustworthiness within the environment and outside the given organization. This normally has an effect of motivating the employees and subsequently identifying the organization with the said culture of motivation (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).   Important ethical leaders in and organization and their various roles Varieties of ethical leaders exist with each having more or less distinct roles in an organization setting. Ethical leadership entails the consistent practice and advocacy for normative actions that promote social values through engaging the employees in communication, teamwork, and decision-making. Top on the list are the decision makers who always strive to make well-informed and timely decisions about matters pertaining to the organization. This group of ethical leaders plays a strategic and proactive role within the organization (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011). There are the public relati ons leaders whose main role in the ethical sense is to ensure good and effective communication with all the stakeholders within the company. Since communication is important in solving problems, these leaders can also play a role in conflict resolution. In addition, the mentors play a major role in motivating their junior within the organization by organizing such initiatives as the corporate social responsibility (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).   Illustration of the relations between ethical leaders and stakeholders According to Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2011), stakeholders contribute to, depend on, involve in, or feel the effect of the organizations activities and therefore their interests should form part of the organization’s agenda. These include the shareholders, customers, investors, and partners, whose needs, interests, and preferences can seem farfetched but in the end determines the culture exhibited by the concerned organization. Since both direct an d indirect stakeholders affect the organizations culture, all the ethical leaders within the company normally exhibit cordial relationship with all the stakeholders irrespective of the background in terms of contribution, geographic location, and size. This way, virtually every stakeholder will get higher percentage

Journalism and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Journalism and Ethics - Essay Example The power that the media holds can at times be abused and tainted to the degree that its very core duty of protecting the people’s democracy is threatened. In fact, this factor has made some media outlets to turn into propaganda bullhorns for dangerous and corrupt politicians in power. In addition, other outlets have even been used as vehicles of inciting violence and xenophobic against vulnerable groups of individuals and minorities.Essentially, the media outlet Democracy Now! Was established in 1996, becoming the solitary broadcasting company that was devoted to cover and inform the public on the precedents of the presidential elections. The outlet basically began as an investigation on why most people, by then, did not seem to actively participate in or care about political activities and politics respectively. For that reason, the outlet gathered enthralling stories all of which pointed out that democratic activities were not getting any media coverage. The outlet thus foc used on this deserted region, broadcasting elections and other democratic functions. Today, Democracy Now! Broadcasts on averagely over 850 television and radio stations internationally as well as through the use of an online platform.Comparatively, ethical journalism is concerned in the way through which various parties such as editors, presenters, anchors, and reporters deliver commentary on issues which can shape the lives of people in the society. Ethical journalism is thus rooted in moral values and thus journalists, as well as governments, should ensure that they work towards improving journalism as well as improving the rights and standards of human beings. Â  Democracy Now! Reveals the importance of ethical journalism through its insistence on media independence and democracy. For true democracy to come into effect, there is a need for the citizens to gain access to both independent and diverse sources of information and news.

International Monetary Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

International Monetary Economics - Essay Example From the Keynesian identity it can be deduced that the current account deficit is caused by the reduction of the private spending and a large budget deficit. This model was applied to the international trade by Keynes. Keynes designed this model just to deal with the current account deficit that UK was suffering from in the 1960s. Since at that time the foreign capital investment was minimal and there was a fixed exchange rate system in the UK, most of the policies of the Keynesians work according to these two conditions. The Keynesian model relies greatly on the expenditure changing policies. The expenditure changing policies are designed to change the level of spending in the domestic economy. This can be explained through the income and the adjustment model. Since the expenditure that is spent on the imports results in a loss of the money and income to the foreign countries, it is considered an injection. The Keynesian model states that in order to maintain or improve the circular flow of income it is important that the expenditure on the imports is reduced. This can be done if the income in the country is reduced. The domestic income has a direct relation with the imports of a country. This is because as the income in the country increases, there is an increased amount spent on the imports. Also the increase in the income means that the production of the country has increased. The production process may also involve raw materials that are to be imported. As a result the expenditure on the imports would be further increased. In order to reduce the expenditure spent on the imports the Keynesian policies propose the reduction of the domestic production. Since the Keynesian identity is also applicable to the domestic economy (without the net imports), the governments can reduce the government expenditure and reduce the taxes etc to decrease the domestic activity and so the expenditure

You can choose one out of five Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

You can choose one out of five - Essay Example er the story of myths, let us examine the place and the role of the place where it is supposed to happen and be able to characterize the relationship of gods to the place where the story is supposed to take place, and what does it tell us about early Greek culture? I have chosen two myths that I believed have connections with mortals. First myth that I chose who played an important position in the mythology is Zeus. Zeus appeared in the collection of myths in the Greek pagan creation of myths. He was described as the king of the gods, king of law and order, fate, and sky and weather (Atsma, 2000). The Geographic location often referred to in the story of Hesoid, Theogony, is Mt. Olympus. It is a tall mountain with snowy peaks able to penetrate heaven.(v. II 36-52). Mt. Olynpus is characterized as a peaceful place wherein gods and goddesses lived peacefully. This is where Zeus lived, together with other goddesses and muses, his wife, brothers and sisters. Mt. Olympus first appeared in the story of Hesoid, while he was sheparding sheep at the foot of Helicon. Mt. Olympus was the home of Zeus and the twelve muses of Mt. Olympus. These muses came to see Hesoid to tell him of their stories so he could retell it to others. Hesoid is not a supernatur al being. He was an early Greek poet who lived during the 700 BC era. Hesoid opened his story with the tale of muses singing tirelessly to their father, Zeus, in Mt. Olympus. This is the first talk about Mt.Olympus. It is thru songs that the muses told the tale of the clans of men and giants. I perceived Mt. Olympus hall to be happy as it resonates the voices of muses. Mt. Olympus is featured with snowy peaks that leads to heaven, a peaceful place with no troubles or worries because it is guarded by a god. This is where gods built homes and palaces and any gods can live there but no humans were allowed. Mt. Olympus is different from what we see in mountains today. Today, in geography, there are several mountains

Universe in 1850-1914 Essay Example for Free

Universe in 1850-1914 Essay Science in the period of the later half of the 19th century to the early years of 20th provides a rather busy picture for the scientific community in identifying the extent of the universe. In the previous generations, the universe was perceived to be an only small patch of space occupied by some considerable amount of celestial bodies. However, due to the expansion of industrialism and technology in the West, more and more aspects of the true beginnings and characteristics of the universe were uncovered. With the use of instruments, science was able to reveal that the actual composition of the universe is not merely influenced by planets and stars. There are other materials in various elemental forms which can be found in the vast space. Also, theories were formulated about the true nature of the start of the universe itself which is in direct contrast to the previous generations of â€Å"materialism† which asserts that the universe has â€Å"always† existed (Koestler, 2003). The materialism approach was definitely put into fiction in this era. The more modern approach of science about the universe was deeply presented by the Big Bang and Relativity theories in the early 20th century. In terms of the philosophy about humanity’s true significance in the universe, many scientists believed that human existence is just another segment of the evolutionary line of events. The philosophy of the same scientific community between late 1800 and early 1900 provided a rather radical approach in presenting that there is a certain design pattern which allowed humans and other biological entities to exist. The design is not a correspondence to the true goal of the creation of the universe rather; it is a design which would permit life to exist. The previously accepted Darwinian approach was considered as just the supporting fact to this philosophy. References Koesteler, A. 2003. A Century of Discoveries in Physics. Retrieved November 8 2007 from http://www. creationofuniverse. com/html/materialism. html.

Balanced Scorecard In Hsbc Bank Accounting Essay

Balanced Scorecard In Hsbc Bank Accounting Essay CHAPTER 1 In the past decades, many organizations were facing intensive pressures for changes in strategies and structures without a proper human resource management and performance management model (Weng, 2011). It has been a challenge to many managers to measure and appraise their human capital with an increasing and constantly changing volume of employees across the organization at different levels as well as across different geographic locations with high consistency and standards. Therefore, it is crucial that organizations have a strategic management tool. Much debate has been taken to find the most effective way of measuring not only a companys financial performance but also how the company satisfies its customers and employees (Kocakulah and Austill, 2007). Then in 1992, Kaplan and Norton introduced a BSC model. Their concept of BSC has opened a new field in the literature of management control (Franco and Bourne, 2003). Since then, BSC has been an interesting topic that many academic authors choose to write. The reasons why the researcher is interested to write about BSC are as following. First, it is essential that performance measurement be of great significance to an organization, playing as a tool in conveying the companys strategies to individuals objectives (Smith and Kim, 2005). Drucker (1954) also highlighted that all employees, from a big boss to a junior clerk, should have personal performance objectives that aligns strongly to the companys strategy. Therefore, the application of BSC really helps organizations to depict such objectives evidently. According to Kocakulah and Austill (2007), when structural changes and job specifications become more complex, it is required to develop a methodology and formula that can align the organizational strategies and main principles with performance measurement and management indicators. Kaplan and Norton (1992, cited in Kaplan, 2010) recognized that any comprehensive measurement and management system has to link operational performance improvements to customer and financial performance. Second, BSC was presented as the most practical and comprehensive performance measurement model and has then become a popular strategic tool amongst managers all over the world (Sanayei et al., 2011). In recent years, the BSC has been a comprehensive model when looking at management issues for financial and non-financial purposes and has been very popular as it attracts a lot of attention (Norreklit, 2000). It has been widely used by many companies and has gained worldwide acceptance as a useful tool for management. From 1992 to 2000, more than 200 companies adopted the BSC method (Kaplan and Norton, 2001 cited in Kocakulah and Austill, 2007). In 2001, David Norton estimated that about 50 percent of large organizations in the United States were using the BSC, about 45 percent in Europe; and about a third of the large organizations in Australia used the BSC (Weber et al., 2001 cited in Kocakulah and Austill, 2007). Another recent study by Bain Company indicated that 57 percent of fir ms worldwide use the balanced scorecard, including 75 percent of large firms and 64 percent of firms in North America (Rigby and Bilodeau, 2005). The Harvard Business Review in 1997 listed it as one of the 75 most influential ideas of the 20th century (Bible et al., 2006). Apparently, BSC  has become the leading strategic management system of the 21st century. Organizations use the scorecard to create an entirely new performance management framework that puts strategy at the centre of key management processes and systems (Kaplan and Norton, 2001). Third, BSC has been chosen by many financial and banking institutions as a key to achieving a successful execution of their strategic plans (Frigo et al., 2000), whereas Aranda and Arellano (2010) stated that it is for strategic development and performance measurement. As a result, BSC was chosen by HSBC Bank to put into use in its early stage of starting business in Vietnam. Throughout all these stages, BSC has always been used at all levels as (i) a strategic tool to connect organizational goals with 1500-employees targets and (ii) a standard performance measurement system to drive individual performance, evaluate their achievements and create values (HSBC Vietnam, 2011). HSBC Bank, a member of HSBC Holdings Group, is one of the worlds largest financial institutions and the biggest foreign bank in Vietnam. It established the first full-service branch in Ho Chi Minh City in 1995 and then expanded to 17 branches and offices across the nation. It strategically focuses on Premier Centers with a purpose of delivering world-class international services to high-profile customers. Currently there are one Premier Centre in Hanoi (the North) and one in Ho Chi Minh City (the South) (HSBC Vietnam, 2012) serving a number of 6,000 Premier customers. Forth, the role of BSC in HSBC has been strongly recognized by either employees or managers at all levels. At Group and business level, it supports the implementation of the business strategy, ensuring that all aspects that contribute to its success are taken into account. At a team level, it helps managers align their objectives with those of the business and focus their efforts and resources on what is most relevant. Individually, it helps an employee understand how her/his work links with and affects the success of the organization (HSBC Vietnam, 2011). The effects of performance measurement and management at HSBC Vietnam have been evaluated through surveys conducted bank-wide to collect employees feedback and response. Such surveys then supported managements strategic analysis and improvement plan (HSBC Vietnam, 2011). However, there has been little empirical research into whether the balanced scorecard actually works in practice (Neely, 2008). Moreover, as pointed out by Hung-Yi Wu (2012), most of the BSC-related studies have focused mainly on performance measures rather than the causal relationships between key performance indicators for the purpose of strategy implementation. This is the first time a research is conducted in HSBC (Vietnam) Ltd. at a more focused level with specific attributes directly related to individual BSCs perspectives and potential relationships as well as their impacts. Accordingly, the author chooses to study on the below topic: BALANCED SCORECARD IN HSBC BANK (VIETNAM) LTD. PREMIER CENTERS: POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS 1.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY The initial purpose of this study is to gain further understanding of BSC and its role as a performance management tool in an organization. Many studies by Gates (1999), Lingle and Schiemann (1996) suggested that organizations managed through balanced performance measurement systems perform better than those that are not. Therefore, the research can help figure out positive results on a specific organization using the scorecard to support those ideas. Besides, it will serve as a guide to business strategy planning. According to Davis and Albright (2004) and Littler et al. (2000), banks can save an enormous amount of time and money if they understand which measures, financial or non-financial, are best suited to their needs. As such, it is expected that the study can indicate whether the current BSC applied in HSBC is ideal in a way that an appropriate mix of performance drivers and outcome measures has been tailored to the business units strategy (Frigo et al., 2000). In addition, the study reemphasizes the important role and positive effects of BSC on an organizations strategy implementation. As mentioned by Hung-Yi Wu in his 2012 work, banking institutions must develop an effective way to align their strategies with corporate goals based on performance analyses if they are to sustain their competitive advantages. Such effective way is recommended to be the BSC model, which is proved to be a useful and efficient tool in communicating organizations goals and targets to all bank staff and in performance measurement (Bible, et al., 2006). Moreover, the research is to identify good points related to BSC in both academic publications and real-world experiences of an organization. Apart from that, the research helps the author and readers analyze the difference of BSC from theoretical to practical perspectives based upon feedback of surveyed employees. Accordingly, it is good to understand how BSC has been adapted and implemented in the context of HSBC in Vietnam, which is, as pointed out by Burney and Swanson (2010), integral to the development of systems that will effectively obtain organizational goals. The research will definitely give more insights of the banks BSC implementation process and effectiveness. Furthermore, the research will reveal HSBC employees satisfaction level and specific feedback on the banks BSC system and increase understanding of its strategic link and potential relationships between BSC measures in practice. It allows the business to stay competitive and profitable (Zeng and Zhao, 2005) in sustainable development. However, apart from the positive effects of BSC on HSBCs execution of strategy, the research also helps to figure out some gaps and areas for attention and improvement that will be analyzed in the following chapters. In case its results are appreciated and draw the attention of higher management then it can make further contribution to the development and acknowledged effectiveness of BSC in HSBC Vietnam. This article may help the management to focus on the need to complete the implementation of BSC system to maximize its benefits and minimize the negative effects. The disclosure of the shortcomings, if any, is crucial as it will entice organizations to search for measurement systems that support them better in the challenging business environment (de Waal and Counet, 2009). With these above reasons, the author strongly believes that the topic Balanced Scorecard in HSBC Bank (Vietnam) Ltd. Premier Centers: positive and negative effects will help the readers get more into the research. 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND QUESTIONS According to Varkevisser, Pathmanathan Brownlee (2003), the objectives of a research project summarize what is to be achieved by the study. It is advised by Ababa (2005) that if specific objectives are properly formulated, they will facilitate the development of research methodology and will help to orient the collection, analysis, interpretation and utilization of data. Therefore, these objectives should be closely related to the research problem (Saunders et al., 2009). Furthermore, objectives should be logical, coherent, feasible, realistic and considering local conditions as well as being defined in operational terms that can be measured and phrased to clearly meet the purpose of the study (Ababa, 2005). With the topic: Balanced Scorecard in HSBC Vietnam Ltd. Premier Centers: positive and negative effects, six objectives of the study are determined as following. To understand the concept of BSC and its perspectives as a performance measurement tool, To identify positive and negative effects of BSC in HSBC Vietnam, To measure if HSBC BSC model is different compared to an ideal model, To evaluate the relationship between employee understanding of the organizations objectives with a well-performing organization, To analyze the causal relationships (if any) amongst four perspectives of BSC, and To identify the weakest one of the four perspectives to improve. With these research objectives, the study is to be conducted to clearly answer the questions relevant to the topic as below. What is the Balanced Scorecard and its four components? What are HSBC BSC positive and negative effects? What is an ideal BSC model and what is HSBC BSC compared to it? How do HSBC employees understand the organizations objectives and its relationship with a well performing organization? Are there any relationships amongst four perspectives? Which one among the four perspectives needs more focus? 1.4 BOUNDARY OF THE STUDY Due to the limitation of time and scope of work, this research only focuses on a small group of employees, hereinafter mentioned as those working at two Premier Centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but not extended to the entire number of about 1500 employees bank-wide. Two Premier Centers have a number of 60 staff including Premier Center Managers, Sales Managers, Relationship Officers, Services Managers, Services Assistants, Counter Officers and tellers. As such, the findings and results are only representative of part of the real figures and possibly not completely accurate. In addition, the research is only conducted at employees level or a single group of employees point of view rather than on the senior managements stand point, then there will be some imbalanced justifications and explanation after the survey. It is hoped that once the research methodology is proved to be trustworthy enough to the representative sample, it will be supported to apply to the whole bank with full participation of employees at all levels including senior managers to get a broader view and more precise results. 1.5 OUTLINE STRUCTURE This paper consists of five main chapters. Chapter 1: Introduction This 2389-word section is an introduction to the research, serving as an explanatory background to what leads the author to the chosen topic and why to choose the topic. In addition, it is followed by a brief summary of significance of the study and key issues that the research work intends to address. The scope of study is also included in the first chapter in order to narrow the boundary and put the focus on the research area. Chapter 2: Literature Review This 4836-word chapter is the theoretical background of the study focusing on the relevant literature and theories on performance measurement, balanced scorecard and its perspectives. It helps to demonstrate an understanding of the research topic and its surrounding content. At this stage, it is important to critically review many academic authors points of view on the research topic and related issues. From those literatures, specific hypotheses are developed as a foundation to start the research. Chapter 3: Methodology In this part, the research philosophy, strategy, method and approach used in this study are described. It also presents the process of gathering data, sampling method, implementation of questionnaires and techniques of analysis. Some ethical issues when conducting this research in a banking organization like HSBC are also mentioned. 3836 is the number of words in this chapter. Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Discussion This section outlines the findings and results of information collection at HSBC as conducted in chapter 3. Feedback from its employees will be revealed through a list of figures and tables. The proposed hypotheses will be further discussed based on the results. There are 3897 words for this chapter. Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations This is a summary of the main conclusions of this research and feasible recommendations to the research issues. Some limitations and suggestions for next researches are also included. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter will cover the literature on performance measurement, strategy map, balance scorecard and its role in aligning organizational goals to the strategy. By studying related literature on BSC, it is seen that BSC really plays a significant role in the success of an organization and that it helps to measure the success of the strategy (Kaplan and Norton, 2001). Schneiderman (1999) stated that balanced scorecards that did not have a sound foundation would fail. Therefore, this chapter will summarize the positive and negative effects of BSC collected from many studies and elaborate hypotheses to predict the effects of BSC in practice of a specific organization. Additionally, it is learnt from this chapter that the four perspectives of BSC are inter-related, and that even though financial results are very important, delivering long term value and success will require a focus on non-financial factors including high performing people, efficient processes and effective customer serv ices (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). The following part is related conceptualization on the research content. 2.2 Performance Measurement 2.2.1 Definition Performance measurement is defined by Lebas (1995) as a system by which a company monitors its daily operations and evaluates whether it is attaining its objectives. Meanwhile, Lichiello and Turnock (1999) define it as the selection and use of quantitative measures of capacities, processes, and outcomes to develop information about critical aspects of activities, including their effect on the public. Basically, it is considered part of a performance management system (Sanayei et al., 2011) and is set aligned with the organizations strategy. According to Hronec (1993), performance measurement system is a tool for balancing multiple measures (cost, quality, and time) across multiple levels (organization, processes and people). While it was suggested by Green et al. (1991) to target the value-added activities of the company, Kaplan (1991) suggested that an effective performance measurement system should provide timely, accurate feedback on the efficiency and effectiveness of operations. In fact, organizations always plan to build an effective tool to help them manage the performance and well achieve the targets. 2.2.2 The role of performance measurement According to Christian C. Johnson (2007), it is important to understand why measuring an organizations performance is both necessary and vital. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ An organization operating without a performance measurement system is like an airplane flying without a compass, a Formula One race car driver guiding his car blindfolded, or a CEO operating a company without a strategic planà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The purpose of measuring performance is not only to know how a business is performing but also to enable it to perform better. The ultimate aim of implementing a performance measurement system is to improve the performance of an organization so that it may better serve its customers, employees, owners, and stakeholders. Basically, a performance measurement system enables an enterprise to plan, measure, and control its performance according to a pre-defined strategy (Johnson, 2007). Many authors including Atkinson and McCrindell (1997), De Toni and Tonchia (2001), as cited in Pongatichat and Johnston (2008), have identified its benefits as a tool to (i) communicate the organizations strategic direction, strategic priorities, (ii) create a shared understanding, (iii) monitor and track the implementation of strategy, (iv) align short-term actions with long-term strategy, (v) make clear the links between performance of individuals and sub-units, and sub-units and overall organizational performance, (vi) promote integration among various organizational processes, (vii) focus change efforts, and (viii) facilitate organizational learning. 2.2.3 Different performance measurement models Many researches on banking performance measurement used traditional measures like statistical analysis (Arshadi Lawrence, 1987; Devlin Gerrard, 2005), structural equation models (SEM) (Collier, 1995), multi-criteria classification methodology (PARCLAS) (Kosmidou et al., 2006) and DEA (Giokas, 2008). In the meantime, Wu et al. (2011), Chen et al. (2008), and Meyer and Markiewicz (1997) chose to adopt the four BSC perspectives, including both financial and non-financial indicators. In their 1992 work, Kaplan and Norton also described performance measurement as a way to review an organizations financial and non-financial goals. Figure 2.1 summarizes the selection indicators of banking performance measurement that have been investigated in several important studies, along with their main analytical methods (Wu et al., 2011). According to Weber et al. (2001) and Bible et al. (2006), traditional measures no longer worked effectively because those measures relied so strongly on financial indicators and did not sufficiently cover other critical factors like skills, competencies, and motivation of employees; customer and supplier relationships; innovative product development; databases and information technologies; efficient and responsive operating processes; innovation in products and services; customer loyalty and relationships; and political, regulatory, and societal approval. Meanwhile, the BSC can cover all these measures in a more specific and appropriate way that supports management in implementing organizational goals.