Rebellion Against Big Brother essays

Rebellion Against Big Brother essays The book 1984, written by George Orwell, is about an over-bearing government and society with too many rules and regulations. Although many characters in the story seem happy with the way life is, some yearn to rebel and fight for their rights of true freedom; to lessen the constraints put upon them. In the novel, both Winston and Julia act out different types of defiance, and the proles hold the power to completely overturn Big Brother. During the book, Winstons actions and intentions to discover the truth and bring justice to life in Oceania are strong and wholehearted. When he is writing in the diary, he prints DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again (18). This shows that in both his heart and his mind, Winston wants to get rid of the tight noose Big Brother holds around everybodys neck, and he cannot deny the feeling of wanting something. He feels trapped because he remembers a time where the Party did not always rule, and although he is unsure of whether or not the Revolution was a better time, it was a big part of his childhood and it holds significance to him that could open up the past. While being quizzed by O Brien, he answers, Yes! You are prepared to commit murder? Yes! To betray your country to foreign powers? Yes! (172). This shows that Winston feels like he will do anything for the exposure of Big Brother. He sees through their techniques and wants to reveal it to the rest of the world. His action of agreeing to do horrible feats against his country shows his determination for freedom. Winston just wants to broadcast the web of twisted lies and deceit made up by the Party. Julia, while hating Big Brother, is not quite as committed as Winston in her insubordination. While Winston is talking about evidence against Big Brother and how it could aid future life, she says, Im n...

AP Scores in College Admissions Do They Really Matter

AP Scores in College Admissions Do They Really Matter SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Since you put so much effort into studying for and taking AP tests, you’ve likely wondered whether colleges look at AP scores.How is all of your AP prep and effort going to affect your chances of admission to college? In this guide, we'll illuminate the relationship between AP scores and college admission. We’ll also discuss how important AP scores are for your application, how colleges consider these scores, and what being an AP Scholar can mean for your admission chances. Do Colleges Look at AP Scores? There are two issues to address when we consider the connection between AP scores and college admission. First, do colleges even look at your AP scores when you apply? Secondly, if they do look, how much do they actually care about your scores? Do Colleges Look at AP Scores for Admission? While you don't typically need to send official AP score reports to colleges you're applying to, some schools will have space on their applications for you to self-report your AP scores.And if your scores are on your application, admissions committees will see them.Similarly, if you have any low AP scores you'd prefer admissions committees not see, you don't have to (and shouldn't) report them on your application. But of the AP scores you do report, how much weight do they have in the admissions process? Is it more or less than the weight of these three apples? Do Colleges Care About AP Scores? As with many college-admissions related questions, the answer to this question is, "It depends." However, as a general rule, your AP exam scores aren’t going to be a major make-or-break factor in whether you get into a college or not. High AP scores will definitely work in your favor, though they’re far from the most important factor (test scores, transcripts, and your personal statement are all much more critical). Particularly high AP scores (i.e., 5s in a variety of subjects) may be helpful for very selective institutionswhere every bit of edge to differentiate you from other elite students can count. Similarly, low AP scores (i.e., 1 or 2) can be a red flag to selective institutions. This is especially true if there’s a lot of inconsistency between your AP scores and your grades in AP classes. If you have consistently high grades but low test scores, this can indicate to colleges that there’s grade inflation at your high school. However, because you’re probably going to self-report your AP scores anyway, there’s nothing wrong with simply not reporting one or two scores you’re not satisfied with. Another situation in whichcolleges will look more closely at your AP scores is if you submit AP scores to a test-flexible school. These types of schools give you several options for what kinds of standardized test scores you can submit with your application. You might be able to substitute SAT or ACT scores with scores from AP tests, IB exams, or SAT Subject Tests. If you’re sitting on some 5s, this might be an appealing option! For example, at NYU you can submit three AP exam scores to fulfill the university's standardized testing requirement. The University of Rochester also allows you to use AP exam scoresas your primary test scores for admission. If you're using AP exams as your standardized test scores, you'll most likely need to send in an official AP score report to that school as opposed to just self-reporting. Your official AP score report normally includes all test scores, but you can pay extra to withhold particular scores if you don’t want the college to see those. Like these dancers, you can use flexibility to your advantage! How Much Do AP Courses Matter for College? The fact that your AP exam scores aren’t a critical factor in college admission does not mean that AP courses are not important. While your actual slate of scores on exams is only of middling importance, AP classes themselves can be very important. This is because one of the most significant factors in the college admissions process- especially at selective schools- is your transcript. Colleges want to see evidence that you were able to excel in difficult classes in high school, so it’s critical that you take a rigorous class schedule, which at many high schools will include AP classes. If your school prioritizes the IB program or doesn’t offer any AP or IB classes, colleges will take this into account. Nonetheless, selective institutions expect you to take the most difficult classes available to you.This also means that it’s perfectly fine to take AP classes and not necessarily take the exam for each class. However, if you do take AP exams, another potential advantage is that you can sometimes earn college credit and/or skip prerequisite courses with your scores. Public schools almost always offer college credit for high scores for at least some exams. Selective private schools are less likely to offer credit for individual exams. Some schools, such as Harvard, even let you bundle AP credits so you can graduate in six to seven semestersand pursue a master’s degree your fourth year. As you can see, many colleges will let you use high AP scores to bypass prerequisites and get to more interesting advanced classes more quickly! Fly past those prerequisites! Does It Matter If You’re an AP Scholar? The AP Scholar program gives honorary awards (meaning there’s no money involved) to students who meet certain score thresholds on certain numbers of AP exams. There are various award levels associated with particular scores and numbers of exams. For instance, you'd win an AP Scholar award if you got 3+ on three exams and a National AP Scholar award if you got 4+ on eight or more AP exams. In general, these awards aren’t going to make much of a difference in college admissions. The awards themselves really just communicate in shorthand how you did on your AP tests, and colleges will already have access to that information if you report your AP scores to them. In this sense, an AP Scholar award is not giving any new information to the school. The AP International Diploma program (created for students interested in going to college abroad) is similar. You’ll receive the diploma automatically once you meet the requirements. Again, though, since you'll likely be reporting your test scores, the diploma doesn’t provide schools with additional information. It's not the most important diploma you'll receive in your life. The Bottom Line: Do Colleges Look at AP Scores? Colleges typically ask students to self-report their AP scores on applications.As a result, they will see any scores you choose to report (and won't see any you choose not to report). The follow-up question, then, is this: do colleges care about AP scores?Although AP scores are far from the most important part of your application, high scores can act in your favor, whereas a number of low scores can be a red flag. This is especially true at selective schools. However, taking AP classes themselves (if they are offered at your school) are an important way to demonstrate that you’re taking the most rigorous schedule available to you- a quality that’s extremely important to selective institutions in the admissions process. Finally, AP exam scores can sometimes get you college credit or allow you to skip prerequisite classes in college. Not all schools do this, so be sure to check with the colleges you're applying to! What’s Next? If you need more information on the complete college application process, we've got you covered. We offer expert advice on the college application timeline, how many colleges you should apply to, and how to do college research to find the right schools for you! Looking to learn more about AP exams? We explainhow to prepare for AP exams, what you need to know in order toace your APs on test day, andwhether you should retake an AP test. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Teaching Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching Styles - Essay Example Students were asked to work individually on the project and had to complete two worksheets in the workbook: the â€Å"What do you know† and â€Å"What do you think† worksheets. Afterwards the class was divided into groups: each group consisted of only boys or only girls. These groups were mixed with strong and weak members and were asked to discuss and fully understand a point before continuing to the next and the teacher visited each team to ensure that each team understood what was required of them. Time was spent on a draft before commencing to the completed copy. Changes were to be made in another color or with a pen. This scenario is seen as a cooperative learning situation. Students work together in teams to complete a task; only their communication and teamwork skills will determine if their outcome will be successful. Johnson (1988) defines the word â€Å"cooperating† as â€Å"students working together in a group†. Students doing group work achieve better, as the members support and motivate each other. Learners also learn from other members’ ideas and perspectives and are more positive about school, teachers and projects. (Johnson, 1988) When working in teams learners are also more positive and that boosts their self-esteem, regardless of their abilities or background. They build on their communicative and interaction skills.

The effect of an outsider telling the story of Oscar Wao Essay

The effect of an outsider telling the story of Oscar Wao - Essay Example The book will also discuss why the author revealed the name of the narrator much later in the book instead of doing it at the very beginning of retelling the book. Oscar’s story starts with the description of Oscar’s childhood years. It shows readers how folks were proud of Oscar as a child for his unique ability to draw attention of the girls all time round. Right from the start, the story has a pinch of Spanish. Spanish was introduced into the story to give it a Dominican rusty style. In fact, while reading the story reader can come across lines such as Ese muchacho esta bueno! (That boy is good) or Gordo asqueroso (Disgusting Fat). Diaz incorporates these few words of Spanish with one single objective - to light up the bullied Dominican emotions of Oscar. Diaz does not reveal the identity of the narrator (Yunior) till we read half of the book. Only after half of the book is over reader has a chance to see the narrator. While some would refer to this technique of hidi ng a real narrator as stupid I would say that the author had reasons use such technique. This technique is brilliant for two reasons. Reason number one – such tactics enabled author to focus the attention of readers on the emotions and experience of Oscar and his close friends rather than on personality of narrator. Second reason – Diaz had a choice not to include Yunior into the story. However, if the story had been narrated by someone from Oscar’s family, readers would have only one choice - to concentrate their attention on the narrator rather than on the story itself. In this case Oscar will have no other choice than to include Yunior in the list of his friends. Desire to arise the feeling of curiosity is the main reason why Diaz chooses to have an outsider as the main narrator of the book. This measure helps the author to keep the main focus on Oscar as well as on his family and friends. The book reveals reader a lot of important information about Oscarâ₠¬â„¢s identity. When you’re about halfway through the book, you have a chance to reveal additional information about narrator’s identity. This identity is best expressed through Oscar’s words. Once narrator’s identity is revealed, the author adds Yunior to the story. Yunior is represented as Lola’s (Oscar’s sister) boyfriend. This kind of representation helps Oscar to bring Yunior closer to the family. This measure is taken in order to give reader a chance to get an insight into what is going between these two people. The book has a mesmerizing impact on the readers due to a number of reasons. The main reason is that this book keeps readers engrossed in the book all the time. The story is portrayed in such a manner that it grips attention of the audience from the very start. This grip lasts till the very end of the book. Oscar meets Yunior at the point of life when he has reached a certain level of identity development. At this level of iden tity development Oscar no longer worries about people who make fun of him or calling him name. This is so largely because Oscar he has made peace with all these things. After a period of communication with Oscar, Yunior starts to change his attitude to Oscar. Yunior even catches himself at the point when he starts to like Oscar for his inner character. The story takes a dramatic turn when Yunior starts

Economic recovery program of Ghana

Economic recovery program of Ghana CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction This chapter attempts to provide an overview on the problem statement of the entire research work, objectives of the study, relevance of the study, methodology applied as the research unfolds and the organization of the study. 1.1 Background Ghana is one of the fast emerging developing countries in West Africa with twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. With well endowed natural resources, Ghana still relies heavily on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, cocoa and timber are the major sources of foreign exchange. The introduction of Ghanas Economic Recovery Program (ERP) in 1983 to recover the initially very weak private sector participation did improve consistently but although still levels were modest during 1987-91. Over the past years Ghana has witnessed dynamic changes in its private Sector. The number of banks has increased from 9 in 1989 to 21 at May 2006 (www.bog.gov.gh). These banks serve a prominent role as corporate entities that provide investment capital in the economy to support employment opportunities, human resources development and contribute towards national and community development programmes (Aryeetey, E. Gockel, F. 1990). They primarily furnish loans to individuals and companies to finance various projects which lead to economic and private sector development. Brownbridge, M., Gockel, A.F. (1997) are also of the view that these financial institutions support savings and investment in the economy, which plays a major role in the overall development in terms of increasing productivity of resources in the economy. They further highlighted that this role of banks in the Ghanaian economy is crucial, in that shortcomings in the industry directly affect the trend of economic growth. In recent times Ghana has discovered crude oil, which is expected to boost the economic growth by bigger margins. Ghana has a unique welcoming attitude towards foreign investors; the long political stability of the country has attracted a lot of business investors to establish businesses in the country. The rate of foreign investors has not reduced as better prospects in doing business in Ghana are yielded in the long-run. The political state of the country has also been very peaceful with a vibrant atmosphere to establish businesses. During the fifth banking awards ceremony in Accra, Dr. Paul Acquah (Governor of Bank of Ghana) revealed that the banking industry in Ghana has become highly competitive due to the increased sophistication of customer needs coupled with tremendous global competition. He further stated that these reasons over the years have been the driving force for banks, in particular private owned banks, to focus on increasing shareholders value, delivering superior services aimed at achieving over all customer satisfaction and value. The concept of competition has introduced an overwhelming challenge among organisations worldwide. Most organisations are forced to compete by promptly responding to changes in national and world economies, technological changes, new business environments, cultural diversity and deregulation in emerging capital markets to improve overall organisational performance. Privately owned businesses in Ghana are constantly entwined in this fierce battle of global competition and the pressing need to sustain its existence in the growing rate of change in its environment. Recent trends in the Ghanaian economy have revealed that keen competition in the business sector has been as a result of an open market which promotes private sector participation. Though most private owned organisations have managed to survived, a considerable number of them do fail due to reasons not limited to economical and financial factors. A study conducted by Dun and Bradstreet (cited by Gaughan Patrick A. 1999, pp. 432) reveals that there are three most common factors that cause business failure such as economic, financial and experience factors (refer to Table 1). In some developing countries market forces are completely eliminated as a result of controls imposed by the ruling governments. These controls create adverse effects on the economy such as large fiscal deficits coupled with weak macroeconomic management leading to high inflation in the economy. The consequences are generally felt by banks and other non-banking institutions, in that, loans borrowed by individuals or organisations are not paid back due to economic hardship (Brownbridge M., Gockel A.F., 1997). According to Pfeffer J. (1994; p. 6), People and how organisations manage them are becoming more important because many other sources of competitive success are less powerful than they once were. He emphasises the fact that in recent times most organisations rely extensively on the traditional sources of competitive success such as product and process technology, regulated markets, access to capital resources, and economies of scale which provide an insignificant competitive influence as compared to the past. He further argues that organisational culture and potential employee contributions derived from managing employees in an organisation are crucial as compared to the traditional sources of competitive success. Employees have been referred to as assets to a firm or an organisation when they possess the right skills needed to work effectively and efficiently (Odiorne G. S, 1984). However, these employees may possess diverse capabilities that lead to various potential contributions to an organisation because of previous education, experience, or individual qualities. In view of the fact that employees contribution to the organisation determines extensively competitive success, their individual skills are considered vital (Pfeffer J. 1994). 1.2 Problem Statement The gradual transformation of Ghana has had a lot of positive feedback from other nations, but will this transformation termed economic growth survive the long-term or would it collapse somewhere in the future? What are the main strengths and weaknesses of the private sector? Will the private sector support sustainable development? Has Ghanas initiative to increase private sector participation been successful? What measures has Ghana taken liberalize its economy to encourage private sector participation? Recent discovery of crude oil (black gold) in Ghana has brought higher hopes to accelerating the countries development goals into reality. This is what the recent ex-president of Ghana, President John Kufuor had to say in an African programme with the BBCs Focus Were going to really zoom, accelerate, and if everything works, which I pray will happen positively, you come back in five years, and youll see that Ghana truly is the African tiger, in economic terms for development. Will this oil discovery further attract new entrants into the financial sector and in the affirmative will this promote a competitive private sector environment? 1.3 Objectives of the Study The main objective of this thesis is to show the role of the private sector in contributing to business competitiveness and economic growth. The research limits its focus on the inflow of private non-financial and financial institutions in the Ghanaian economy as a result of the introduction of Financial Sector Adjustment Programme (FINSAP) in Ghana. The economy over the years has witnessed an increase in private sector participation, which has significantly promoted business competitiveness and contributed to a vibrant economy at large. Table 2: SMART Objective of the Study Strategic Operation Tactical Specific Evaluate the role of the private sector (Privately owned financial institution) contributing to business competitiveness and economic growth. Present a platform for private sector participation in economic development. Provide a primary evaluation for developers and investors who aspire to do business in Ghana. Measurable To fall within the framework of the private sector and factors leading to business competitiveness and economic growth. Increase real GDP. Impact of the private sector on economic growth. Note government policies that would prevent adverse effects on critical sectors of the economy. Attainable To recommend effective and sustainable business development strategy and policies that will enhance more participation in the private sector. Increase economic growth and improve effective and efficient business plans. Embark on comprehensive business competitiveness and productive performance within the various business sectors. Realistic The research will look extensively into government development goals as well as the private sectors role in development. Access to economic reports surveys from IMF. Ghana Government reports on development projects. The IMF monitors on a yearly basis the economic situation in Ghana. Time-Limited To complete the thesis within two months. This thesis expects to propose recommendation based on the information available at the time of writing. The recommendations and proposals are expected to be considered and if applicable implemented by other developing countries as well. Source: Self-prepared. Specifically, the thesis critically focuses on the following: The role of the private sector (privately owned financial institutions) contributing to economic growth in Ghana. To investigate the driving forces of Ghanas emerging markets. The role of the government promoting the private sector. The challenges and constraints facing the private sector. To evaluate the strategies being employed by Ghana in the private sector and its impact on the economy. 1.4 Significance of the Study The study will be beneficial in many respects: To help identify the success and bottlenecks of the significant economic contributions from private sector with regards to its contribution to economic growth business competiveness. It also reviews the strengths of the financial sector to support expansion of the private sector development and more importantly availability of credit facilities to promote businesses. It will help investors to get a fair idea of business establishment opportunities. To help formulate strategies to help implement better policies and promotions for the private sector development. 1.5 Methodology This study uses secondary data and literature to evaluate the topic. It also uses SWOT analysis to examine the strategic position of Ghana in improving its economic and business areas. The research will employ the use of CAMEL approach as the overall framework to evaluate the financial strength and stability of the Banking Industry in Ghana, where; C Capital adequacy, A Asset quality, M Management capability, E Quality and level of earnings, L Adequacy of liquidity 1.6 Organisation of the study The paper is divided into five chapters. Chapter one presents the introduction, problem statement, objectives of the study, significance of the study, methodology and the organisation of the study. Chapter two gives an overview of the Ghanaian financial sector as well as reasons that led to the financial sector reforms. Chapter three gives an overview of the Ghanaian private sector. Chapter four uses CAMEL approach to analyse 4 major privately owned financial institutions. The final chapter looks at the overall findings, conclusions and recommendations. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Overview of the Ghanaian economy This chapter provides an overview of the Ghanaian economy and the Ghanaian Financial System. The chapter also looks at reasons that led to the introduction of the financial sector reforms, a SWOT analysis of financial sector adjustment program (FINSAP I II). Ghana is one of the developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa that introduced structural and economic reforms to address its extensive macroeconomic shortcomings, reduce poverty and to liberalize the financial sector. The broad money/GDP ratio fell significantly to 12.5% in 1983 as compared to 29% in 1976, whiles currency/M2 ratio also decreased from 35% in 1970 to 50% in 1983. Bank deposits decreased from 19.5% of GDP in 1977 to 7.4% of GDP in 1984 because there was lack of confidence in the banking industry (Brownbridge, M., Gockel, A. F. 1997). During the 1980s the Ghanaian economy was hit by the most devastating economic crisis (www.bog.gov.gh). This gave rise to numerous extensive economic drawbacks in the Ghanaian economy. Leechor Chad reveals in an article published by the World Bank the following economic crisis that plagued the Ghanaian economy between the years 1982 to 1983: The countrys power systems, communication, postal and railway services ceased to function properly and the whole country was in a state of chaos. Tax collection had declined to about 5% to GDP, investment dropped drastically beyond the level required to maintain capital stock. Real income per capita which was continuously diminishing for a decade was a third below the level reached in the early 70s as at 1983. Foreign exchange reserves deteriorated considerably. The Ghanaian economy was heavily controlled by the government in terms of setting unrealistic interest rates and sectoral credit ceilings; banks were forced to focus on lending to priority sectors (agriculture, export and manufacturing) regardless of the borrowers performance in terms of profitability and their capability to payback the loan. The economy was regulated to foreign investments and the strong existence of strict capital flow regulations (The Corporate Guardian, July-September 2006). Governments heavy intervention in the financial system set the stage for economic shortcomings a few such as lack of competition, high incidence of inefficiency, hardship and the escalating rate of non-performing loans (Leith, C. J., Sderling, L. 2000). Since the late 1980s, the government of Ghana continued to implement financial sector reforms as an integral part of its ongoing Economic Recovery Program (ERP) (Brownbridge, M., Gockel, A. F. 1997). Ghanas enthusiasm to initiate the ERP with close collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the year 1983-85 was to liberalise the financial sector and establish an open market-based economy by eliminating price ceilings, reducing the influx of foreign imports, diversifying viable sectors of the economy and stabilizing fiscal deficit. Ghana in 1984 launched the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) with the primary aim of reducing its involvement in the economy and allowing the free interaction of demand and supply (The Corporate Guardian, July-September 2006). However, during the period 1983-88 the performance of the banking industry deteriorated with high levels of non-performing assets (NPAs) and inefficient deposit mobilization which made most public banks insolve nt (Leith, C. J., Sderling, L. 2000). The government launched the first phase of the Financial Sector Adjustment Program (FINSAP) in 1988. This was to fully deregulate as well as liberalize the financial sector and improve resource allocation within the various sectors of the economy (www.oecd.org). Since 1983, Ghana has attached great importance to its divestiture initiative program. About 200 stated-owned enterprises (SOEs) were being considered for diversification under governments ongoing privatization initiative. At the end of the last two years, government still owned 35 enterprises valued at more than 60% of GDP in 2003 (IMF Survey, 2005). Governments expenditure during 1986-1991 increased and this called for policy reforms to enable government to meet its high spending. Government depended on the tax system to support its high level of spending. The Parliament of Ghana in 1993 increased tax on petroleum. However, the tax system could not supplement its GDP share to match the expenditure. Consequently this brought about deficit financing. Government resorted to other forms of financing its expenditure such as extensive borrowing from the Central Bank (issuing new notes), public and foreign borrowing, and privatization of sate-owned enterprises (Leith, C. J., Sderling, L. 2000). Over the years, Ghana has witnessed a massive transformation in its economy as a result of continuous implementation of financial sector reforms to deregulate the economy and stimulate savings, investment and growth. The Central Bank is constantly implementing policies adopted under FINSAP to ensure the entrants of privately owned financial institutions, free interest rates, stabilize the cedi against foreign currencies, encourage the flow of foreign investment and allow easier access to credits (www.bog.gov.gh). The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) was set up in 1989 as a private company limited under the Company code. The Stock Exchange act of 1971 (Act 384) allowed it to function as an authorized Stock Exchange. The Securities Industry Law PNDCL 333 (1993) as amended bestowed regulatory rights to the Security Regulatory Commission (SRC) with its main function to register, protect, assist and supervise all stakeholders in the securities market. In April 1994 the Ghana Stock Exchanges status became a public company limited (www.gse.co.gh). At the end of 2003, listed companies equity increased to 26 as compared to 22 in 2002 (www.gipc.org.gh). The performance of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has improved tremendously. All-share Index increased by 91.3% in 2005 as compared to 154.7% in 2003 (ISSER 2005). Flow of foreign investment increased from $110.0 million in 2003 to $139.3 million in 2004. In 2004 the cedi depreciated by only 2.2% against the US dollar, 10.7% against the Euro and 12.1% against the pound sterling. There was quite an improvement in the value of the cedi as compared to the previous year (2003) when the cedi depreciated by 22.5% against the Euro and 13.0% against the pound sterling. Average inflation fell from 26.7% in 2003 to 12.6% as at December 2004 (ISSER 2005). Ghana is the second largest producer and exporter of cocoa; the agriculture sector accounts for about 50% of GDP and is considered the backbone of economic development (www.ghanaweb.com). Real GDP growth in 2004 was 5.8% (www.gipc.gh). The tremendous performance of the Agricultural sector has supported Ghanas remarkable rate of economic growth over the years. The Agricultural sector contributes significantly to GDP growth. In 1990 GDP increased by only 3.3%, this was due to the negative 2% growth rate in the Agricultural sector that year. The year 1991 witnessed a GDP growth rate for the Agricultural sector by 5.8% which consequently increased the whole Ghanaian economy GDP by 5.3% in that year. The sector has also contributed immensely to the countrys foreign exchange earnings; 38.5% in 1999, 35.4% in 2000, 33.9% in 2001, 35.5% in 2002. (www.fao.org/es/esa). Other main exports are gold, timber, bauxite, manganese ore and diamond (BOG Quarterly Economic Bulletin, April June 2005). The performance of the agriculture sector over the years has immensely improved with growth rate of 7.5% in 2004 as compared to 6.1% in 2003. The production of cocoa for export contributed 46.7% during the year 2004, a significant portion of over all growth (ISSER 2005). The crops and livestock contribution increased from 2.3% in 2003 to 5.4% in 2004, the largest contribution to the agricultural sectors GDP. The forestry and logging sub-sectors increased by 6.1% in 2003, but dropped with a growth rate of 5.8% in 2004. (www.gipc.org.gh).The elimination of maximum lending rates and minimum time deposit rates succeeded to some extent in the liberalization of interest rates in 1987. Direct controls in the form of credit ceilings were also abolished. During the 1990s banks were at liberty to price deposits and loans and to distribute loans accordingly; however the Bank of Ghanas high reserve requirement limited the funds available for allocation (Brownbridge M. Gockel A. F 1997). These h igh reserve requirements prevented banks from developing their loan portfolios and consequently, most banks preferred to invest in attractive and somewhat risk-free government securities (strategis.ic.gc.ca) Interest rate dropped steadily owing to the Monetary Policy Committee (set up by the Bank of Ghana in 2004) decreasing prime rate from 21.5% in 2003 to 18.5% in 2004. Consequently, the commercial banks base rate has decreased from 29% to 25.4%. Interest rate for 91-Treasury bill fell from 18.71% early part of the year to 17.08% at the end of 2004. Interest rates for the 182-Day Treasury bill dropped from 19.78% during the early part of the year to 17.85% at the end of 2004. Inter-Bank interest rate also fell from 17.12% in January to 16.23% at the close of the year 2004 (www.gipc.org.gh) The Banks spread (21.3%) is still too high as compared to the other African countries (see table 3*). The banking industry has been structured in a way that banks are able to adjust their interest rates according to policy rates. Banks maintain a high spread to ensure that their profits are not significantly influenced by their interest margins (BOG financial stability report 2004). However, according to the BOG financial stability report 2006 the emergence of new banks will lead to an efficient financial sector which is expected to reduce the pressure on lending spread due to the fact that banks will continuously try to gain market share by competing for customers. Table 3: Selected Commercial Bank Interest Rates, 2000 and 2004 Deposit Rate Lending Rate Spread 2000 2004 2000 2004 2000 2004 Gabon 5.0 5.0 22.0 18.0 17.0 13.0 Ghana 16.8 7.5 47.0 28.8 30.2 21.3* Kenya 8.1 2.4 22.3 12.5 14.2 10.1 Mauritius 9.6 8.2 20.8 21.0 11.2 12.8 Mozambique 9.7 9.9 19.0 19.2 9.3 9.3 Nigeria 11.7 13.7 21.3 19.2 9.6 5.5 Tanzania 7.4 4.2 21.6 13.9 14.2 9.7 Uganda 9.8 7.7 22.9 20.6 13.1 12.9 Zambia 20.2 11.5 38.8 30.7 18.6 19.2 Source : International Financial Statistics, IMF Fiscal and Monetary Policy The financial policies implemented by monetary authorities in Ghana before the implementation of FINSAP were direct government controls on all sectors of the economy. Government excessive control in the economy by setting price and interest ceilings coupled with weak macroeconomic problems lead to a high level of inflation (Ziorklui, S. Q. 2001). Ghanas fiscal policy primarily aims at decreasing domestic debt, ensuring economic stability, cutting down on the increasing level of interest payments to achieve the required real interest rates. Consequently, the Bank of Ghana has adopted numerous strategies to address fiscal deficit and governments borrowing (www.gipc.org). Budget deficit was 0.55% of GDP during the second quarter of the year 2005 as compared to 1.18% of GDP during the last quarter of 2004. This showed significant decrease in the overall budget balance (Bank of Ghana Quarterly economic bulletin, April-June 2005). The Bank of Ghana in 2004 set up the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to mainly focus on formulating effective monetary policies, making available statistical data and providing necessary support in terms of advise for monetary policy formulation (www.bog.gov.gh). The MPC seeks to control inflation, stabilize price and exchange market, manage external debt and develop the capital market (www.gipc.org.gh). 2.1 The Ghanaian Financial System in Brief Ghanas banking sector has evolved over the years. There are 23 major banks (refer to table 7) operating in the banking sector in Ghana as at 2006. The Ghanaian banking sector is made up of 19 universal banks, 2 Development Banks, 2 Commercial banks including Apex Bank and 121 Rural Banks (www.bog.gov.gh). The introduction of universal banking in Ghana is overwhelmingly changing the way banks function in the economy. Unfortunately, not all banks operating in Ghana are eligible to be universal banks. To be eligible for banks to operate as universal banks they are expected to have at least 70 billion as shareholders capital (www.agighana.org). According to the Bank of Ghana universal banking substitutes the famous three-pillar banking model, namely development, merchant and commercial. Table 4: List of Major Banks in Ghana 2006 INITIALS BANK DATE OF ESTABLISHMENT NATURE OF BUSINESS ABL Amalgamated Bank 2000 Universal Bank ADB Agricultural Development Bank 1965 Development Bank BBG Barclays Bank Ghana 1918 Universal Bank CAL CAL Merchant Bank 1991 Universal Bank EBG Ecobank Ghana Limited 1990 Universal Bank FAMBL First Atlantic Bank 1995 Universal Bank FBL Fidelity Bank Limited 2006 Universal Bank GCB Ghana Commercial Bank 1952 Universal Bank GTB Guaranty Trust Bank 2006 Universal Bank HFC HFC Bank Limited 2002 Universal Bank ICB International Commercial Bank 1996 Universal Bank INTER Intercontinental Bank Plc 2006 Universal Bank MAB Metropolitan Allied Bank 1995 Commercial Bank MBG Merchant Bank Ghana Limited 1972 Universal Bank NIB National Investment Bank 1963 Development Bank PBL Prudential Bank Limited 1997 Commercial Bank SBL Stabic Bank Ghana Limited 2000 Universal Bank SCB Standard Chartered Bank 1896 Universal Bank SG-SSB SG-SSB Bank Limited 1976 Universal Bank TTB The Trust Bank 1994 Universal Bank UBA United Bank for Africa 2005 Universal Bank UNI Unibank Ghana Limited 1999 Universal Bank Zenith Zenith Bank 2005 Universal Bank Source:http://www.bog.gov.gh/privatecontent/File/BankingSupervision/Licensed%20Banks%20%20Addresses%20November%202008(1).pdf Until 1957 the West African Currency Board (WACB) acted as the only board under the Colonial regime conferred with the authority to exchange sterling to Gold Coast pound. Government of the then Gold Coast declared its intention to issue its own currency after independence. Politicians and economists were of the strong opinion that with the establishment of a Central Bank, Ghanas independence will have a significant meaning in political history. In view of this, preparations started which ended up in the establishment of the Bank of Ghana on the 4th of March 1957 under the Bank of Ghana Ordinance (No.34) of 1957 passed by the British Parliament. The whole idea for the establishment of a Central Bank was to meet the financial needs of vast indigenous sectors of the economy as well as the new independent Ghana government. After the establishment of Bank of Ghana (replaced WACB) as the central bank, the 1957 ordinance empowered the bank to primarily assume the following role in Ghana when it first begun formal operations on 1st August 1957 (www.bog.gov.gh): Printing out and redeeming bank notes and coins. Lender of last resort for banks in Ghana. Using fiscal and monetary policies to regulate money supply and maintaining monetary stability. Advise the government and be the main source to finance to the government of Ghana. Supervise and regulate all banks in Ghana. The legal and regulatory frameworks in which financial intermediaries operate in Ghana are as follows (www.bog.gov.gh): Bank of Ghana Act 2002, Act 612 Banking Act, 2004 (Act 673) Financial Institutions (Non-Bank) Law 1993, PNDC Law 328 Companies Code Act 179, 1963 Bank of Ghana Notices /Directives / Circulars / Regulations Non-Banking Financial Sector Ghana has achieved significant success in the economy particularly in the non-banking sector as a result of initiating the structural adjustment program, liberalizing the economy and by passing the Banking law in 1989 and the Non-bank financial law in 1993. These initiatives embarked by the government of Ghana have paved way for new entrants in the private sector and also transformed the existing financial institutions to diversify into the financial system. Consequently, there has been a rapid growth of Non-Bank Financial Institutes (NBFIs) with the prime aim of providing financial services to potential target groups outside the banking system (Ziorklui, S. Q. 2001). According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre the financial system in Ghana includes the following licensed non-Bank Financial Institutions: Insurance companies Stock exchange Building Society Mortgage Finance Co. Venture Capital Funding Financing Trust Company Credit unions Discount houses Financial houses Leasing companies Savings and loans associations 2.2 Objectives of Financial Sector Adjustment Program (FINSAP) According to Ziorklui S. Q. (2001), FINSAP was introduced and implemented in two phases. He further outlines the main objectives in both phases of the implementation. The first phase was implemented in 1988 with its main objectives as follows; FINSAP I Embark on restructuring to address financially distressed banks. Mobilize savings and strive to improve efficiency in the allocation of credit. Establish an effective regulatory and supervision system to monitor and improve the banking sector. Improve and strengthen the money and capital markets. To establish a non- performing assets recovery trust. The second phase of FINSAP was implemented in 1990 with the following objectives; FINSAP II Promote foreign investment and increase private participation in the banking sector in Ghana. Continue the implementation of policies adopted under the first phase of the financial sector adjustment program (FINSAP 1) to restructure the financial sector. Better manage the collection of non-performing loans by Non-Performing Assets Recovery Trust (NPART). Promote and develop non-Bank financial Institutions (NBFIs) to be more effective and efficient in savings mobilization. 2.3 SWOT Analysis Financial Sector Adjustment Program (FINSAP) This section seeks to determine whether the main objectives under the implementation of the financial sector reforms (FINSAP) are attainab

Example of Interpersonal Communication

Concept Application Paper Aside from food, water, oxygen and other practical needs, communication with the people around us has proven to be essential for our own well-being. The different types and styles of communication allow ourselves the opportunity to create and build relationships with the people around us. It is also the basis on how we define ourselves through self-image and self-esteem. Through social, inflated, and deflated comparison we shape ourselves into the image in which we feel would satisfy the people around us; how we think others want to see us.In more cases it is a negative thing as the true soul inside a person is usually too ashamed or scared to reveal themselves to the public. We then force ourselves to shape into an image we feel will please the people around us. Evolved from our life experiences, we set an imaginary guideline in our mind for people to be considered ‘normal’ based on our perception of how society should behave. We automatically isolate anyone who deviates from these â€Å"guidelines†; they might include a person from a different culture or someone who simply wants to express themself.It was our responsibility to investigate how society reacts to an adjustment in the social norm. In this experiment I wore a tank top, board-shorts, and flip-flops in which I enacted in unordinary verbal and non-verbal communication with the people around me. As a male in the American culture, I dress myself according to what I suppose is ‘trendy’ in my sub-culture. By observing a person’s patterns in the way they dress and how they act, it is possible to discover a person’s personality. An identity is created through our manners, appearance, and the environment we associate ourselves around.We pick and choose how we want others to see us in different situations, so of course no one would ever think of dressing out of their usual pattern for no apparent reason. However, the purpose of the expe riment is not to continue to carry on with daily procedures, but to deviate and record reactions and changes in behavior of bystanders. I devised a theory that I would be able to observe two sets of reactions, one from the people whom I share relationships with and random students whom I have never met before.People who have knowledge about my existence would be able to detect a change in behavior while a stranger would just consider their encounter simply as something out of the ordinary. I chose to wear clothing not typically suited for the weather; Corvallis was reaching mid 40os and I had decided to be dressed in clothes one would wear to the beach. I felt this was an appropriate change in behavior because it would not be following the usual guidelines of the social norm. Everyone had one or two jackets and long pants, setting the basic social code to follow.However, since I was not abiding to this ‘system’, I was considered an outcast or placed in an out-group of t he current social culture. Even if I were not doing an experiment and intentionally dressing this specific way, I would be relaying non-verbal codes to whoever saw me which in their opinion would be interpreted much different than what I may have meant them to be. It would all be a matter of opinion or relational communication between me and the people in the environment. The channels of communication would be through non-verbal/ non-vocal communication.Other channels would be invalid because I would not be communicating through other means including spoken or written words. However, fewer available channels did not result in any less interaction. In the experiment, it was interesting as the deviation from the social norm sparked two reactions in people whom either allowed this contact to prohibit them from verbally communicating with me or on the contrary, the change actually was a catalyst and started verbal communication as the main topic of discussion.This occurred in both group s of people whom I was acquaintances with and people I did not know. A friend who had happened to see me first as I left my room was slightly shocked and warned me about the weather. Although their tone wasn’t hostile, more trying to help, the message that I interpreted was â€Å"If you’re not going to change clothes you’re going to look really weird wearing that type of clothing and secondly, you’ll be cold for the rest of the time until you decide to change your mind. My reaction to this conversation was close to emotionless because I would have reacted the same and produced similar responses because we interpret any change in behavior as ‘not normal’. Walking to a dining hall outside in public, my first observation was receiving numerous stares from the people passing me. Through my analysis this was a form of intrapersonal communication because I decoded their body language with a certain meaning and message.By simple gestures of staring and changes in body language, it encoded a message of ‘out casting’ to the receiver solely based on the type of clothing I wore. I am thankful that I was not dramatically influenced by any of the responses and reactions I observed between my friends and the public. My analysis is these responses were forms of communication which easily could have been affected by culture and perception. People’s different interpretations would eventually lead to the shaping and defining of one’s identity through their behavior and appearance based on how they want others to see themselves.Although it apparent that media has a large influence on choosing how we present our public self, it may seem that the people around us also have a large influence as well. They might include significant others or just ordinary people whom we compare ourselves to in social comparison. This experiment was a great understanding of how some people automatically separate someone just by expr essing themselves. Society defines certain things such as fashion or behavior attached with the message, â€Å"follow the same guidelines or beware of being put in an out-group. Majority of people will be high-self monitors and follow the norm. Personally, I feel I am this way because of the need to feel belonging to a particular group or something. I learned that it is much harder to express one-self based on our own intuition of being ‘judged’ for what we do. By investigating how society reacted to an adjustment in the social norm, it was evident when I wore different clothing; the results when engaged were rather un-warming incidents of unordinary verbal and non-verbal communication.

The Vietnam War - 1055 Words

The early 1960’s marks a time when the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War is increased. On August of 1964, North Vietnamese patrol boats fired upon American vessels and Lyndon Johnson declared this as an act of open aggression against the United States and Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which gave the president full power to make any decisions he thought to be necessary. President LBJ decided to increase the United States involvement in war and his reasons included: credibility of the United States, threat posed by China, and he feared that if he did not get the United States involved it would make him seem soft on communism. This war had many effects on Americans and the people that seen the effects of the war up close and personal were the soldiers. Full Metal Jacket is a movie that showcases the hardships and terrors undergone by soldiers in the Vietnam War. In this film it is evident that a war will change a person not only on a physical aspects but also on a psychological one. The first part of Full Metal Jacket tells the story of young recruits as they undergo the harsh reality of boot camp, Paris Island, as they prepare to become soldiers and fight in Vietnam. More specifically it is the narration of the struggles of Private Pyles as seen by Private Joker. This two young men are the two prime examples of how boot camp and war will change a person and how the stress will push them to do things they would otherwise not have done. Both ofShow MoreRelatedThe War Of Vietnam And The Vietnam War1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe war in Vietnam is The United States and other capitalist bloc countries supported South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) against the support by the Soviet Union and other socialist bloc countries of North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and the Vietcong of war. Which occurred during the Cold War of Vietnam (main battlefield), Laos, and Cambodia. This is the biggest and longtime war in American history during the 1960s (Best 2008). It is also the most significant war after World War IIRead MoreThe Vietnam War On Vietnam1725 Words   |  7 PagesThe War on Vietnam Many believe that the way Americans entered the war against the North Vietnam communists was unjust. The United States got into a war that they had no clue on how to win. â€Å"The Vietnam War was a long, costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The divisive war, increasingly unpopular at home, ended with the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973Read MoreThe Vietnam War : Vietnam1170 Words   |  5 PagesBeyond Vietnam. The Vietnam War is one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of the United States. Not only because it ended with a defeat for the United States Army, but because unleashed the largest wave of protests in the country, in which the government lost support. Extended over more than a decade, between 1959 to April 30 of 1975, although the US intervened in 1965, in which American soldiers experienced in firsthand scenes of destruction and death. During the Vietnam War clashedRead MoreThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam920 Words   |  4 Pages1940’s Vietnam was trying to break free of French reign over their country. During this time period Vietnam was split into two parts, north and south. The Japanese had decided to take over Vietnam in 1942. They couldn’t capture all of Vietnam, so they decided to retreat. North Vietnam proclaimed independence on September 2, 1945 as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The State of Vietnam declared independence on June 14, 1949, but rema ined under French rule until August 1, 1954. South Vietnam was theRead MoreVietnam And The Vietnam War1711 Words   |  7 Pages â€Æ' The Vietnam War was one of the bloodiest wars in the history of Vietnam. Vietnam use to be a peaceful country until the idea of communism started spreading across Vietnam. Many wanted to stay democratic but saw what happened to the Germans and started to lean towards communism. Many also wanted to stay democratic and still had it hopes high that it will soon get their lives and economy back on track. It later exploded into a huge argument and then leads to a civil war spurring between NorthRead MoreThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam952 Words   |  4 Pageswords that describe the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War had 240 days of combat in one year. World War II had forty days of combat in four years(Interesting Facts). That statistic shows how rough the Vietnam War was. The fighting was constant between the two sides. This war was fought over politics and had many gruesome battles. Before the Vietnam war, Vietnam was in a revolution because they did not want to be ruled by France. Vietnam wanted to be independent right after World War II ended in 1945. JapanRead MoreThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam1534 Words   |  7 Pages The Vietnam War began November 1st, 1955 and ended April 30th, 1975. It was a long costly war that involved North Vietnam and their Southern allies, known as Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its main ally the United States. This war was very unpopular at home and would end with the withdrawal of the United States and the unification of Vietnam under communist control. Many think of war as something that just men are involved in but very rarely do people think of the role of women in the warRead MoreThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam1573 Words   |  7 PagesA. The Vietnam War occurred from 1955-1975, this included the North and South fighting over government structure of the newly independent state of Vietnam, having recently become independent f rom France. However, the USA was in Vietnam as a sort of protection for the South Vietnamese people, who had a weaker army force, but only a few thousand Americans were in Vietnam for that purpose at the time. On August 7, 1964, the USA entered the war for the purpose of fighting the North Vietnamese due toRead MoreThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam2003 Words   |  9 PagesThe Vietnam War in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia lasted from November 1st, 1955 to around April 30th, 1975. The war was split up between two sides, North Vietnam, who were allied with the Soviet Union, China, and most of the communist countries during this time period, and South Vietnam, who were allied with the United States and many countries that were against the belief of Communism. Although the United States did not necessarily have to get involved in the war, they believed that they had too soRead MoreVietnam And The Vietnam War1987 Words   |  8 PagesIn 1945, at the end of WWII, Vietnam started their war for ind ependence against their colonial rulers, France. Nine years after the start of the First Indochina War, the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu which led to a peace conference in Geneva. At the conference, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam received their independence from France. However, Vietnam was divided between a Communist North and a Democratic South. In 1958, Communist- supported guerrillas in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, began