The Joy Luck Club :: essays research papers

-The Sisters of Misunderstanding-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parents always want what is best for their children, regardless of culture or ethnicity. In The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, and in â€Å"Life With Father† by Itabari Njeri, the parents express their parental methods upon their daughters. Children will all react differently to their parent’s methods, as do Waverly, June, and Itabari, but they still share a common resentment for their parents. It is shown in the two stories how parental methods expressed to children can be misinterpreted, thus influencing the child’s behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  June’s mother wants her to become a successful piano player. The problem with this is that June possesses no talent or determination to do so, so she doesn’t practice. Her mother cleans an old deaf piano teacher’s apartment in exchange for June to be taught piano, but the teacher can’t correct June when she makes a mistake, because he cant hear. June’s mother encouraged her to practice and would always brag about how good she was to everyone. June’s mother enjoyed having pride in her daughter, as she thought her daughter was a representation of how successful she was herself. June did not appreciate this at all. After making a fool of herself at the talent show she vowed to never play piano again. Her mother’s wishes for her success were mistaken for her mother’s selfishness. June thought her mother was only pushing her to find something in her daughter that was not in herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waverly was the same as June, in that her mother also wanted her to become great at something. Waverly’s mother saw her being a child prodigy of chess. Once she saw that Waverly was good at it, she encouraged her to play. Waverly enjoyed chess and took it upon herself to get good at chess. June could possibly have been successful with the piano, but she would not embrace her mother’s hopes to that degree. It seemed that Waverly had an ability inherited from her mother to conceal feelings and strategies, much like what is needed to win a chess match. Waverly got along better with her mother than June did, but June’s mother pushed her in a direction she didn’t want to go in, rather than taking credit for success. Both actions were misconceived however.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waverly has the ability to humiliate June, as she did at the New Year’s dinner. Those with self-confidence such as Waverly easily insult June.

Literature Introduction Essay

What Is Literature and Why Do We Study It? †¢ Literature is – Composition that tells a story, dramatizes a situation, expresses emotions, analyzes and advocates ideas – Helps us grow personally and intellectually – Provides an objective base for knowledge and understanding – Shapes our goals and values by clarifying our own identities, both positively and negatively – Literature makes us human. Genres †¢ Four genres of literature: – Prose fiction †¢ Myths, parables, romances, novels, short stories – Poetry †¢ Open form and closed form †¢ Relies on imagery, figurative language, sound – Drama. †¢ Made up of dialogue and set direction †¢ Designed to be performed – Nonfiction prose †¢ News reports, feature articles, essays, editorials, textbooks, historical and biographical works Guidelines for Reading Literature †¢ First reading – Determine what is happening, where, what, who is involved, major characters – Make a record of your reactions and responses – Describe characterizations, events, techniques and ideas †¢ Second reading – Trace developing patterns – Write expanded notes about characters, situations, actions – Write paragraph describing your reactions and thoughts – Write down questions that arise as you read (in the margins) Writing a Precis †¢ Precis = a concise summary = paraphrase – Retell the highlights so reader will know main sections – Only essential details – they must be correct and accurate – Must be an original essay, written in your own words – Be sure to introduce the title and author – Avoid judgments – Use present tense when retelling a story Elements of Fiction †¢ Essence of fiction = narration (the telling) †¢ Elements of fiction = verisimilitude and donnee – Verisimilitude = realism †¢ Must be compelling enough that the reader can â€Å"suspend disbelief† – Donnee = premise †¢ Something given by which you can judge the realism = ground rules. †¢ Sources of elements – Character, plot, structure, theme, symbolism, style, point of view, tone, irony Plot and Structure †¢ Plot = reflection of motivation and causation – No plot = The king died and then the queen died. – Plot = The king died, and then the queen died of grief. †¢ Conflict = controlling impulse in a connected pattern of causes and effects – Opposition of two or more people (e. g. , hatred, envy, anger, argument, avoidance, gossip, lies, fighting, etc. ) †¢ Dilemma = Conflict within or for one person – Conflict is a major element of plot because it arouses curiosity, causes. doubt, creates tension, produces interest – No tension = no interest Structure of Fiction †¢ Structure defines the layout of the work Crisis Complication Climax Exposition Resolution (denouement) Another structural element used sometimes = Flashback Characters in Fiction †¢ Character = verbal representation of a human being – Rounded = lifelike, full, dynamic, reader can predict future behavior because of an understanding of the personality – Protagonist = the hero or heroine, main person in the story, person on the quest, etc. – Antagonist = the person causing the conflict, in opposition to the protagonist, the obstacle, etc. – Flat = no growth, static – Stock = representative of a group or class (stereotypical) – Characters disclosed through †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Actions Descriptions, both personal and environmental Dramatic statements and thoughts Statements by other characters Statements by the author speaking as storyteller, or observer – Characters need to have verisimilitude, be probable or plausible Point of View †¢ Refers to speaker, narrator, persona or voice created by the author to tell the story †¢ Point of view depends on two factors: – Physical situation of the narrator as an observer – Speaker’s intellectual and emotional position †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ First person = I, we Second person = You (uncommon) Third person = He, she, they (most common) Point of view may be: – Dramatic/objective = strictly reporting – Omniscient = all-knowing – Limited omniscient = some insight Setting †¢ Setting = a work’s natural, manufactured, political, cultural and temporal environment, including everything that characters know and own (place, time, objects) †¢ Major purpose = to establish realism or verisimilitude, and to organize a story †¢ Setting helps create atmosphere or mood †¢ Setting may reinforce characters and theme, in order to establish expectations that are the opposite of what occurs = irony. Tone and Style †¢ Tone = methods by which writers and speakers reveal attitudes or feelings †¢ Style = ways in which writers assemble words to tell the story, to develop an argument, dramatize the play, compose the poem – Choice of words in the service of content †¢ Essential aspect of style is diction – Formal = standard or elegant words – Neutral = everyday standard vocabulary – Informal = colloquial, substandard language, slang Tone and Style (cont’d) †¢ Language may be: – – – – Specific = images General = broad classes Concrete = qualities of immediate perception Abstract = broader, less palpable qualities †¢ Denotation = word meanings †¢ Connotation = word suggestions †¢ Verbal irony = contradictory statements – One thing said, opposite is meant – Irony = satire, parody, sarcasm, double entendre †¢ Understatement = does not fully describe the importance of a situation – deliberately †¢ Hyperbole (overstatement) = words far in excess of the situation Symbolism and Allegory †¢ Symbolism and allegory are modes that expand meaning †¢ Symbol creates a direct, meaningful equation between: – A specific object, scene, character, or action – Ideas, values, persons or ways of life †¢ Symbols may be: – Cultural (universal) = known by most literate people (e. g. , white dove, color black) – Contextual (authorial) = private, created by the author Symbolism and Allegory (cont’d) †¢ Allegory is a symbol = complete and self-sufficient narrative (e. g. , â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†) †¢ Fable = stories about animals that possess human traits (e. g. , Aesop’s Fables) †¢ Parable = allegory with moral or religious bent (e.g. , Biblical stories) †¢ Myth = story that embodies and codifies religious, philosophical and cultural values of the civilization in which it is composed (e. g. , George Washington chopping down the cherry tree) †¢ Allusion = the use of other culturally well=known works from the Bible, Greek and Roman mythology, famous art, etc. Idea or Theme †¢ Idea = results of general and abstract thinking †¢ Literature embodies values along with ideas – In literature, ideas relate to meaning, interpretation, explanation and significance – Ideas are vital to an understanding and appreciation of literature. †¢ Ideas are not as obvious as character or setting. It is important to consider the meaning of what you’ve read and then develop an explanatory and comprehensive assertion. †¢ Theme can be found in any of these: – – – – – Direct statements by the authorial voice Direct statements by a first-person speaker Dramatic statements by characters Figurative language, characters who stand for ideas The work itself.

The Rights And Protection Of Our Future Generations

Introduction It is difficult to imagine a world where children have no voice in society, and a government that lacks laws endorsing the rights and protection of our future generations. And yet, there are still millions of children around the world who suffer from human rights abuses and other forms of protection. For example, â€Å"Children in Nepal, Uganda, and the Congo are used as soldiers on the front lines of armed conflicts. Police in Bulgaria and Guatemala beat and torture homeless street children; disabled children in Romanian orphanages are confined to cribs for life, eating and defecating in their crib. Millions of children around the world, including in developed countries such as England and the United States, are subject to poverty, violence, rape, and cruelty â€Å"(Human Rights, 2008). Although it may seem like these issues are primarily outside of the U.S. what about issues that children in our culture struggle with even today? For example, what is easy to miss by someone who has never traveled outside of the U.S., why is it that children around the world die of hunger and thirst, are abandoned, and forced to fend for themselves? Why should governments feel obligated to care and protect children when they don’t have any political rights and are not bringing immediate benefits to the current government or to its economy? An important issue revolves around prioritization of rights when resources are limited or when rights conflict (Khadka, 2013). The history ofShow MoreRelatedThe Rights And Protection Of Our Future Generations1819 Words   |  8 PagesIt is difficult to imagine a world where children have no voice in society and a government that lacks laws endorsing the rights and protection of our future generations. And yet, there are still millions of children around the world who suffer from human rights abuses and other forms of protection. For example, â€Å"Children in Nepal, Uganda, and the Congo are used as soldiers on the front lines of armed conflicts. Police in Bulgaria and Guatemala beat and torture homeless street children; disabledRead MoreEnvironmental Awareness And The Environment1191 Words   |  5 PagesOur environment is a shared resource that has increasingly been threatened by the rapid expansion of the extractive industry to keep up with demands driven by consumerism. The deterioration of the environment, threatens the earth s natural resources such as our clean water, fossil fuels for energy and food. One attribute that I believe is crucial to good citizenship is having environmental awareness and educating others about it because the health of the environment is not only a political issueRead MoreIntergenerational Justice Apa1146 Words   |  5 PagesIntergenerational Justice Suzan Khlaikhel Schiller International University Intergenerational Justice Now we have to consider the fairness between generations. There is no need to emphasize the difficulties raised by the problem. However, the presentation of justice as fairness would be incomplete without a discussion of this important issue. It arises in this context because it is still an open question whether it is possible to make the social system as a whole, competitive economy, surroundedRead MoreResponsible Stewardship Of Wild And Marine Life1508 Words   |  7 Pagesstewardship should not be taken lightly. It is a privilege bestowed upon mankind that not only embellishes God’s plan to protect what he created but it also gives mankind a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that our planet will continue to have sustainable resources for future generations to come. The word stewardship can be defined in many ways to suit many purposes, but for the purpose of preserving wildlife and other natural resources, the best definition comes from the Merriam-Webster onlineRead MoreSustainable DEvelopment: The Key for Future Generations1572 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Sustainable Development The key for future generations Sustainable Development Definition Although there are many definitions about what sustainable development (SD) is, the most widely accepted one, is the one stated by the Brundtland Commission in their report ‘Our Common Future’ (also known as the Brundtland Report). Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (BrundtlandRead MoreGun Control And The American People1236 Words   |  5 Pagesto the protection of our rights as U.S. citizens, our safety from those mean us harm, and the maintenance of an important economic market for providing legal firearms for both sport and protection. Rather than making gun ownership harder for law abiding U.S. citizens, we should be more aggressively enforcing the gun-related laws currently in place, while looking for ways to make legal gun ownership less complicated and burdensome. This will help protect the constitutional freedoms of future generationsRead MoreWhat is Obamacare?716 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is Obamacare? â€Å"Obamacare is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The name was created by critics of President Obamas efforts to reform health care, but it stuck. Even Pre sident Obama likes it, because he says it shows he does care.† (Amadeo, N.d) In short, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a policy in which you are required to obtain medical insurance if you do not already have any, or be subject to a tax. The most easily argued aspect of the bill is constitutionalityRead MoreThe Equal Protection Clause783 Words   |  4 PagesRacism is a powerful piece in our nations history. About more than 60 years ago, we struggled in a society of discrimination and racial segregation. We lived in a time of cruelty because we didn’t see eye to eye with a person who had a different skin color. But overtime we have evolved from racism and focused on fairness. The interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment has contributed to racial equality by the Equal Protection clause. The clause was a deciding factor in cases that involved racismRead MoreThe Steady Rise in Domestic Violence1113 Words   |  4 Pagesimpacting our lives and most imp ortantly there has been a significant rise in the domestic violence. The main victims have been the females and they have been persecuted in a number of ways and it has not helped their cause at all. Domestic violence against the females has existed for centuries now and time and again there have been cases where they were forced to the limit but things have never become so gloomy and open as they are now. When the violence starts to infringe upon the right of the otherRead MoreThe Assimilation Policy and Its Impact on the Indigenous Australian Society1071 Words   |  5 Pagesfighting for their rights through protests, strikes and the notorious ‘day of mourning’. However, over the last century the Australian federal government has generated policies which manage and restrained that of the Aboriginal people’s rights, citizenships and general protection. The Australian government policy that has had the most significant impact on indigenous Australians is the as similation policy. The reasons behind this include the influences that the stolen generation has had on the indigenous

Free Online Dance Classes to Take

Use Of Steroids For Sports Athletes - 1684 Words

The Use of Steroids in Sports Imagine yourself as a young professional athlete, who has been suffering from constant injuries. Physical therapy might help the injury heal but the time being wasted also plays a major factor. Your doctor and physician eventually bring up the conversation of early retirement unless you can show them that you’re capable of returning to your natural ways. Realizing that your career could be here today and gone tomorrow is something that every athlete thinks about. Suddenly the idea of steroids enters your mind and it could possibly be the only thing to save your career and more importantly your body. The use of steroids by professional athletes has been acknowledged as a problem since at least the 1960s (CNN). This has led to sports organizations banning illegal substances from being used by any athlete. Not giving consideration that perhaps steroids can surge the athlete’s potential along with increasing their career expectancy. Therefore a thletes should be allowed to use steroids. Visualize a world where steroids are common and legal for sports. Bigger, faster, and stronger athletes will be produced to make the sport itself much more exciting. There would be a higher level of competition along with less drama about athletes playing unfair. When an athlete is having trouble with reaching their maximum potential, they turn to the idea of using steroids. Some athletes take a form of steroids known as anabolic-androgen steroids or just anabolicShow MoreRelatedSteroid Use in Sports1732 Words   |  7 Pagespercent of professional athletes use illegal steroids which are also known as performance enhancing drugs. These substances which are banned in professional sports aren’t just any type of steroid or drug. They are called anabolic steroids or performance enhancing drugs, and they are synthetically produced substances of male testosterone hormones. The use of these illegal steroids has garnered a lot of publicity within the world of sports over the past few years. As athletes continue to become biggerRead MoreSteroids And Other Performance Enhancing Drugs1407 Words   |  6 PagesSteroids in Sports Introduction The debate over athletes using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has always been a hot-button issue in the sports world. From major league athletes in baseball and football; to track stars and bicyclist in the Olympics, the use of steroids in sports has been a wide-range problem. Those who disagree with the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs say that the athletes who use them are breaking the rules and getting an unfair advantage overRead MoreEssay about The Use of Steroids in Sports1299 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristic associated sports. So much attention, time, and money are devoted to sports these days, maybe even too much. Perhaps all the pressure is what has sparked steroid use in sports and stimulated numerous controversies over the subject. The use of steroids is an unfair training method for sports. Unfairness is contrary to laws, marked by deception, and unethical. When the legality, lack of work and advantageousness, and cheating are exam ined it is easy to see how steroids are extremely unfairRead MoreAnabolic Steroid Use in Sports Summary1493 Words   |  6 PagesAnabolic Steroid use in Sports The competitive drive to win at all cost is fierce among athletes. Winning at all cost often includes using one of many performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, to achieve higher goals and set higher records than other drug-free successful athletes. Although athletes are performing at higher levels when using such drugs, what is the cost? Finally anabolic steroids should remain bannedRead More Steroids in Sports Essay1122 Words   |  5 PagesProfessional sports are very special in the United States. One reason for this is the spirit of competition. However, steroid use taints this competition. If steroids were to be completely eliminated from sports, the competition would be much more special because athletes would compete with their hearts and will, without an extra boost. Also, since not everybody can be a professional athlete, the elimination of steroid use, in my opinion, would make the fans appreciate the game more and make themRead MoreSteriods in Sports Essay1259 Words   |  6 PagesThat athlete could improve his or her already superb skills into something even greater. This can be possible with the help of steroids. There is a current debate of allowing steroids to be legal in sports. Steroids should not be allowed in sports. Some people ask why. This research paper will give those people just a few of the many reasons why it should not be allowed. Through examining dangers of steroid abuse, ethics in sports, and characteristics of individuals who take and use steroids, it isRead MoreThe Increasing Epidemic of Steroids621 Words   |  3 Pages Steroids As the popularity of sports continues to increase in society, so has the use of performance enhancing drugs, primarily anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids increase the amount of testosterone in the body which allows for increased muscular development. These drugs have been known to be used in all kinds of different sports. Athletes will use these drugs to try to please fans, receive a large contract, and to try to keep up with the players who are already using these drugs. This is creatingRead MoreDrugs Should Be Banned For Professional Sports1211 Words   |  5 PagesDrug Use In Sports Ninety-eight percent of professional athletes say that they would take performance enhancing drugs if they didn’t have a chance of getting caught. Performance enhancing drugs, or PEDs, or steroids, have been around since 776 BC when the Greeks would use them to improve their performance in the Olympic Games. During World War II, the Germans, including Hitler, would take steroids to make themselves stronger and more aggressive. The Americans, British, and Japanese also began toRead MoreSports Philosophy And Recreation : Anabolic Steroids1430 Words   |  6 PagesSports Philosophy and Recreation Are Anabolic Steroids Important Of Body Building? I will argue no that anabolic steroids are not important for body building because they have great negative effects. The use of anabolic steroids has been discouraged over the years because of their side effects, and they are against the philosophy of sports. The steroids are medicine and protein supplements that aid in the body building. I hugely oppose the notion that anabolic steroid are imperative in buildingRead MoreSteroids And Athletes Should Not Be Allowed1234 Words   |  5 PagesSteroids and Athletes What is the best way to get big quick? Most would say to go to the gym or start a more intense workout program and eat right. It is contrary for some professional athletes that go against the correct way to maximize their strength and take steroids. Most your sport competitors participate in sports to have the opportunity to put their abilities against those of their peers. Many athletes are determined to win at all cost. They may use that determination to justify the use of

The Health Belief Theory

Questions: 1. Discuss the concepts and sub concepts of the theory with clarity and simplicity. 2. Describe the generality of the theory and how it is applied broadly across the culture. Give examples that support your view. 3. Discuss the impact and continuing influence or predictability for further development. Answers: Introduction According to Wills (2015), the health belief theory explains that the involvement or lack of involvement in behaviours that promote health is triggered by beliefs and factors that include perceived benefits for undertaking the action, severity of health problem , a cue or stimulus for taking the action and self-efficacy in taking the action. Discussion 1. The health belief model has six concepts as described below Perceived Susceptibility The perceived susceptibility refers to the assessment of an individual in acquiring the disease or the health condition (Walker Jackson, 2015).The health belief model asserts that individual who conceives themselves as more susceptible to acquiring a certain health problem will engage in behaviors that aim at reducing the risk of acquiring the health condition (Walker Jackson, 2015) .The theory also explains that the individual who perceives themselves to be at a lower risk of contracting the health problem are likely to involve themselves in risky and unhealthy behaviors and do not take the necessary precaution in preventing the risk of acquiring the health problem. Perceived Severity The health belief model explains perceived severity as the person perception on the potential consequences and seriousness of the health condition (Davis, Buchanan Green, 2013).The people who perceive the health problem as likely to cause a serious health condition or consequences are more likely to develop positive health behaviors in order to prevent the health condition. Perceived Benefits The perceived benefits refer to the persons believes that taking a certain action will lower the susceptibility and severity for a particular health condition (Ar-Yuwat, Clark, Hunter James, 2013). An individual who believes that undertaking a certain action will reduce seriousness and risk of the health condition will engage in it regardless on the objective fact of whether the action is effective or not effective. Perceived Barriers The perceived barrier is ones beliefs on the obstacles that hinder the behavioral change including both psychological and tangible cost (Ayele, Tesfa, Abebe, , Tilahun Girma, 2012). The perceived barrier prevent a person from embracing a health promoting behavior despite understanding that undertaking certain action will reduce the threat of disease. The behavioral change can, therefore, occur if perceived benefits outweigh the perceived barriers. The perceived barriers include the cost of undertaking the action, discomfort, and side effects for undertaking the behavioral change. Cues to Action The health belief model argues that there should be activating factors required for an individual to undertake a behavioural change in promoting good health (Jalilian, Hazavehei, Vahidinia, Jalilian Moghimbeigi, 2013).The triggering factors to taking the action can be both external and internal. The external triggering factors include the information and awareness provided to an individual from other people. The internal triggering factors can be psychological including pain and symptoms. Self-efficacy The Health belief model states that self-efficacy is the individual perception as possessing the capability of undertaking the action towards promoting positive health behaviors. Ar-Yuwat, Clark, Hunter James (2013) asset that the individual who believes to possess the ability to change their behaviors in order to prevent a health problem are more likely to change their behaviors. The actions for behavioral change may include exercise, quitting smoking and diet modification. 2. Application The health belief model is applied in promoting positive behavioral changes by targeting the various concepts of the model in order to prevent and reduce the risks of health problem due to certain behaviors (Wills, 2015). The application aim at increasing the peoples perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, perceived severity, cue to action and perceived benefit and decreasing the perceived barriers in order for them to undertake behavioral changes aimed at promoting health (Wills, 2015). The health belief model can, for example, be used to impose behavioral changes in order to prevent the risk of heart attack in the members of the community by educating them on the consequences and risk of the disease, prevalence, incidences and training the people on the health promoting behaviors. The model can also be used to reduce HIV transmission by use of a condom. The educator can increase the perceived susceptibility and perceived severity in not using a condom and manipulate the people on the perceived benefits of using a condom in order to reduce the risk of contracting HIV. 3. Impact and Influences The embracement of the health belief model in the health sector can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of developing certain health conditions. The health professional should use the health belief model in order to educate and manipulate the people to change the behaviors that are risk factors for certain diseases and promote behaviors that prevent the diseases (Davis, Buchanan Green, 2013). The theory, however, does not relate other reasons that may be influencing health- related behaviors but unrelated with health. A person exercising for leisure and to feel better does not fit in this model because there is no negative consequence motivating the person to exercise although the person avoids risk of heart attack due to exercise. Conclusion The health belief model is one of the theories that can be embraced by health care professional in order to champion for good health of the people by inspiring people to live a healthy lifestyle. The health belief model has six concepts all of which determines a person adoption to behaviours that promote health. The understanding of the six concepts of the health belief model by the health care professional is what helps them guide the patient on ways of changing behaviours that promote health. References Ar-Yuwat, S., Clark, M. J., Hunter, A., James, K. S. (2013). Determinants of physical activity in primary school students using the health belief model.J Multidiscip Healthc,6, 119-26. Ayele, K., Tesfa, B., Abebe, L., Tilahun, T., Girma, E. (2012). Self care behavior among patients with diabetes in Harari, Eastern Ethiopia: the health belief model perspective.PloS one,7(4), e35515. Davis, J. L., Buchanan, K. L., Green, B. L. (2013). Racial/ethnic differences in cancer prevention beliefs: Applying the health belief model framework.Health Promotion,27(6), 384-389. Jalilian, F., Hazavehei, S. M. M., Vahidinia, A. A., Jalilian, M., Moghimbeigi, A. (2013). Prevalence and related factors for choosing self-medication among pharmacies visitors based on Health Belief Model in Hamadan Province, West of Iran.Journal of research in health sciences,13(1), 81-85. Walker, K., Jackson, R. (2015). The health belief model and determinants of oral hygiene practices and beliefs in preteen children: a pilot study.Pediatric dentistry,37(1), 40-45. Wills, T. (2015). Factors relating to motivation to change behaviour in individuals who are overweight: application of the health belief model.

Hamilton Wong, In-Charge Accountant free essay sample

If I was in Hamilton Wong’s position, I think I would report all of the time I spent working on the Wille Lomas audit, even if it exceeded the budget. As an accountant, my ethical responsibility is to be honest and have integrity and by not reporting the actual amount of time I worked on the audit, I would be lying. I will be losing my honesty and integrity if I was not to report the actual amount of worked I did. I would first have to evaluate why it is that I am spending a large amount of time on that part of the audit; is it because I am not managing my time efficiently or because a situation arise with regards to the examination or the documents. I would then talk to my manager and let them know the reasons for which I will be going over the budget. The manager would be able to find a solution to not go too much over budget or he or she will be able to talk to the client about the situation. The second reason why I would report all of the time I spend working on the audit will be because if an inquiry was to arise, I would be able to demonstrate all the worked I did on the engagement. Documentation and paper trail is a big part of the audit, therefore it will be very important to keep proper tacking of who worked on what and how much time was spend working on the engagement. Although Lauren Hutchinson is not doing anything illegal, I do believe that she behaved unethically by underreporting the time she worked on the Willie Lomax engagement. Lauren is lying about the spent time working on the engagement and therefore is not been honest, which is a responsibility of an accountant and auditor. Lauren was lying to her managers and to the client. The manager will be under the perception that Lauren is more efficient than others, even to the point of going under budget, and will be more likely to give her the promotion. I see this as unethical because it is an unfair advantage over the other audit staff. Lauren will also be lying to client, who will misrepresent the efficiency of the audit. This could bring problems in the future when Lauren cannot â€Å"eat† so much time or when the audit staff is rotated. 2. Academic research suggests that underreported time on audit engagements is a common practice. What are the key objectives of tracking hours worked by individual accounts or assignments on audit engagements? What implications does the underreporting of time have for individual auditors, their colleagues, and the overall quality of independence audits? One of the key objectives of tracking the hours worked by individual accounts assignments on an audit is to have documentation to show the client why they are charging them what they are been billed and how much time was spent in their audit engagement. This way the client can clearly see that all the time reported and charged to them was actually worked in certain part of their engagement. Another objective of tracking hours is to show how much time was spent on individual accounts and determine which accounts require more time. This will alert for staff and managers to assess that account and investigate why so much time it is spent on that account. This process could possibly make the manager aware that there could be a problem with such account. Another objective of tracking the hours is to measure the efficient of the staff working on the audit. Some auditors might be misusing their time and others could be underreporting their time. This could be beneficial for mangers when they need to assess the staff auditors and help them during promotions. However, this could be a problem as we saw in the case with Lauren. This leads me to one of the implications of underreporting time. Colleagues can be affected because a person who underreports time, like Lauren, could possibly get an unfair promotion. Managers will evaluate how an individual performs based on the budgets, thus a person who underreports time spend working on an engagement will seem more efficient than other employees. In the case of Hamilton, if he reports all of his hours and Lauren does not, it will seem as if she was more efficient than him and is more likely to get the promotion. If Lauren can underreport her hours and get away with it, even benefiting by getting the promotion, her colleagues and other auditors will think it is acceptable to underreport their hours. This will result in even more unethical behavior by their colleagues and other individual auditors. Hamilton, for example, will feel that he could possibly get away with underreporting his hours since he is the timekeeper and someone else is doing it. Hamilton will not see his behavior as unethical but rather as an opportunity to level the playing field with Lauren in competing for the promotion. Therefore, if the unethical act of underreporting time continues without the individual been reprimanded, more auditors will be likely to follow Lauren’s example, creating an unethical work place. Underreporting time will also have an implication on the overall quality of the independent audits. If auditors realize they are spending more time than what was budgeted for a certain audit engagement, they will begin to cut corners and find other solutions to fall within budget. If auditors are more focused on meeting the budget, they might do their jobs in a rush manner, and possibly missing errors. Detecting errors is one of the responsibilities of the auditor, thus by cutting corners, and auditor can possibly violate their auditor’s responsibility. In the end, the quality of the audit will be low, which will not be good for the client; and not good for the firm in the long run. It is good to have auditors who are efficient but it becomes a problem when the quality of the audit drops. 3. What measures can accounting firms take to ensure that time budgets do not interfere with the successful completion of an audit or become dysfunctional in other ways? One measure accounting firms can take to ensure that time budgets do not interfere with the successful completion of an audit will be to decrease the focus on the time budget and raise the focus on the quality of the audit. Allowing flexibility in the time budget will give the auditors an incentive to be more honest about the time they actually spent on the engagement. If auditors are not so worried about meeting time budget, they can place their focus on the quality of the audit and will possibly do a better job. This will create an ethical work environment and reduce dilemmas like the one Hamilton is faced with. Having a flexible time budget could become a problem when presenting the budget to the client. However, I believe it could help in the completion of a successful audit. Another measure accounting firms can take to reduce interference of time budgets on the completion of successful audits is to create consequences for those who violate the code of ethics. If firms create penalties for those who falsify or lie on their time budgets, auditors will be less willing to underreport time. 4. What measures can accounting firms take to reduce the likelihood that personal rivalries among auditors of the same rank will become dysfunctional? One measure accounting firms can take to reduce the likelihood or rivalries among auditors of the same rank become dysfunctional is to create a better and more ethical work environment. If the firm takes measures to reduce the act of underreporting time, all auditors might be more ethical and will understand no one has a certain advantage over another. If auditors realize they all have a level playing field, personal rivalries will lessen and the audit will be successfully completed. In Hamilton’s case, he realizes that Lauren has an unfair advantage over him and might be willing to underreport his time; if this continues among all auditors, the work environment will become dysfunctional and the audit will not be completed successfully or with high quality. Another measure accounting firms can take to prevent personal rivalries is to implement clear policies about unethical behavior and fair incentives. If auditors perceive a fair playing field among all colleagues, they will be motivated to be more ethical and put personal rivalries aside, which will result in a successful completion of an audit.