Ownership and firm performance in Gulf countries Dissertation

Ownership and firm performance in Gulf countries - Dissertation Example 1.1 Background In 1932, Berle and Means published The Modern Corporation and Private Property which argued that the modern American business of the 1930s was better off if there was a separation of ownership and control. This created the grouping of the representation of shareholders and managers into distinct classes to promote efficiency and effectiveness. The idea was rooted in the fact that there were many large and expanding corporations growing in America who had unaccountable managers. Hence, the popular calls of sociologists (particularly political scientists who believed in the separation of powers) and lawyers (who saw the dangers of rights without obligations to account for the use of rights) culminated in Berle and Means' article which argued for the separation of powers between shareholders and managers in order to create a system of accountability. Indeed, the concept of separating the role of owners from the activities of managers thrived for the decades after the 1930 s. Jensen and Meckling (1976) defined the agency theory as was based on the presumption that there is a conflict of interest in the different aspects of a given company or corporate entity. Shareholders, corporate managers and creditors of the business had different processes interests and visions that they sought to attain by their association with a given corporate entity. In their views, Jensen and Meckling argued that where the interest of managers and other stakeholders can be achieved without attaining the interest of the shareholders or the business. Hence, there is the need for some kind of checks and balances to ensure that the goal of managers are merged with the best interest of the company or the business. Hence, there was the need for some degree of checks and control. However, â€Å"the â€Å"shareholder value† movement of the past generation has succeeded in turning managers into faithful servants of share price maximisation, even when this comes at the expens e of other considerations† (Davis, 2011). In other words, after the 1990s, the main barometer that was used to gauge the efficiency of a manger was his ability to maximise share value returns. This led to the use of negative attitudes and negative approaches to management. These managers sought to use ways and means to maximise share value through the disregard of standards, corrupt practices and other illegitimate methods to ensure that they presented good financial statements that did not necessarily show the real activities in the period in question. The culture of shareholder value maximisation at the expense of important considerations led to major corporate scandals like the Enron scandal which led to the surprising collapse of a company that was known to have healthy annual reports. This led to the popular implementation of corporate governance standards in corporate entities around the world. This has come up as a method of controlling and running entities throughout t he world. After corporate governance became the norm and conventional approach after the major financial crises, most countries and most communities adopted corporate governance systems and structures. The Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) nations naturally applied elements and aspects of corporate governance due to the pressures of globalisation and internationalisation which hit the world in the 1990s and the early part of the

Comment To Peer Response Dq1 AND dQ2jb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comment To Peer Response Dq1 AND dQ2jb - Essay Example A branding strategy is build through the passage of times by investing in marketing and public relations initiatives. It takes time to build a brand value. Coca-Cola has tremendous brand value because it has been in existence for over 100 years. Two factors that help develop a brand strategy are effective communications with stakeholder groups and effective use of distribution channels (Williams, 2012). Diversifying is a great strategy to remain competitive during tough economic times. Companies with greater product variety will attract more customers. I agree with you that diversifying can help boost profits. Two types of diversification strategies are related and unrelated diversification (Scribd, 2012). A second strategy that you mentioned in your response was mergers and acquisitions. Mergers and acquisitions help companies increase their market share in an industry. Some of the benefits of mergers and acquisitions include access to new market segments, new innovation opportunities, access to new revenue streams, and maximization of return on investment (Frost). I also liked your idea of seeking expansion by taking advantage of the internet. Customers are purchasing more goods and services online than in the past. In 2011 the e-commerce sales in the United States reach $188.1 billion (Plunkettresearchonline, 2012). Some of the most successful online businesses are EBay, Amazon, and

Urban Water Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Urban Water Cycle - Essay Example The Consent Decree does not contain a completed schedule both for upgrades and construction. In other words, the Decree is not by all means a full resolution of claimed violations. In the Decree, Akron is required to submit an updated long-term control plan detailing the construction of every project. Akron was required to upgrade its Water Pollution Control station so as attain a minimum secondary treatment capacity of 130 million daily by not later than October, 15, 2017. In the same way, Akron was also needed to separate the sewers for the combined sewer outflow outfalls at Racks 8, 13, 21, and 25, as well as 30 within eight years of lodging the decree. The city was imposed with fines amounting to more than $1 billion for more than 4,000 violations of the federal Clean Water Act over the years (Davidson, ‎Howard and ‎Jacobs 825). Therefore, the courts held that the decree as not fair, adequate, reasonable, and in the best interests of the public. The ruling implies tha t rates of more than 300,000 Akron together with the suburban residents who make use of the city’s sewer system would be boosted on a less expensive plan. The sewer clean-up was necessary since it was a threat to the ecosystem of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Cleveland area is also dealing with the same problem. The Akron/Cleveland CSO area covers about 167 square miles and includes majority of the Akron metropolitan area. The population is about 352,000. When it rains heavily, the industrial and domestic wastewater exceeds the capacity of the Akron Waste Water Treatment overflowing into the Ohio Canal, Little Cuyahoga River, Cuyahoga River, and Camp Brook. It may cost the City of Akron about $1.4 billion to implement its long-term control plan. In the plan, the green infrastructure would reduce the storm water from getting into the sewers. They would rely

Critical Review E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Review E - Essay Example McDonough and partners’ conceptual project of rooftop gardening in China (2005) demonstrates how congestion entails the need for new buildings that cater to sustainable communities. See Figure 1. The project fits Manhattan urbanism because of its megalomania, but it also challenges the latter because it seeks to address and reduce the culture of congestion through a program that tackles spaces and actions. The project illustrates megalomania because of its localization of a â€Å"world totally fabricated by man† (Koolhaus, 325). Rooftop gardening is a localization of agriculturalism, through the conversion of a dimension of urban space to a local rural one. Though the project aims to improve the building’s sustainability, it remains as an evidence of the negative effects of the culture of congestion: an Urbanism that has created the loss of spaces dedicated to agricultural industries. The project is a garden, but it also depicts Urbanism through its features of human-made fabrication and integration into a congested culture. The same project, nevertheless, addresses and diminishes the culture of congestion through a program that tackles spaces and actions. It represents the programmatic function of architecture that Tschumi believes is its essential role. He argues that architecture must create places that â€Å"confront spaces and actions† (Tschumi 141). The project deals with urbanism through promoting an ecosystem in the megalomania, which combines social engagement (through its walkways) and sustainability. It confronts congestion through expressing its desire for ecological balance. The conceptual project of rooftop gardening in China reveals that Urbanism is experiencing a rupture, as it scrambles to invite back Nature into its form and function. It remains a megalomania that exhibits human-made fabrications of living systems, though it also confronts the culture of congestion by attempting to provide more agricultural spaces that attend to long-run

Professional Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Professional Sports - Essay Example The analysis of the advertising campaign made it evident that NHL’s â€Å"Inside the Warrior† campaign is an example of exploring the crisis masculinity in the field of sports. The articles made it evident that without the presence of a masculine character in sports, the success of that is a cause of concern. In the similar milieu, the NHL’s success will be in doubt for public consumption, without the presence of a masculine figure. A number of scholars have argued that the presence of masculine character is vital in every field so as to fulfill the objectives and serve the purpose. In the words of Connell, 2005; Edwards, 2006; Messner, 1992, â€Å"MacInnes and other scholars within sociological and cultural studies suggest that men, both individually and collectively, are experiencing a displacement of male power/privilege regarding their customary roles in institutions such as politics, employment, education, and family.† Despite several literature debat es pertaining to the veracity, scenery, and potential effects of a crisis of masculinity remain unresolved. Whannel (1999) suggests, â€Å"Whether or not there is a crisis, there certainly is a lot of talk of one† (p. 254). In the next half of the study, a critique of the article that describes the impact of masculinity crisis in the field of sports will be done. CRITIQUE At the outset, I would like to throw light on the fact that sport is medium that provides man to prove his masculinity. I would not compare the levels to which different sports offer different levels of masculinity, but what I would like to shed light upon is the role played by hockey in showcasing one’s masculinity or the other way where an individual gets the opportunity to reflect upon his masculine ability. I agree with the thoughts put forward in the article that the visual representation in the form of looks and appearance are extremely important. As mentioned in the article that â€Å"The visu al representations of men circulated by the media, including those available through advertising and marketing campaigns, provide benchmarks of masculinity against which some men measure themselves† clearly exemplifies the statement made above is true. However, the role of the promotional media is important as they are the one who are responsible for creating the image of the sports person. On the contrary a good image always does not resemble a masculine image and the question of masculine image is also a subject of debate among the scholars and practitioners around the world. Arguably, the various forms of masculinity portrayed through advertising can contribute to social constructions of the crisis of masculinity. According to my opinion masculinity can be conceptualized in a number of forms and one of forms which I believe is the sportsperson’s ability to appeal to the audience. Hence I agree to the articles where it mentions masculinity â€Å"involves persuasion o f the greater part of the population, particularly through the media, and the organization of social institutions in ways that appear ‘

Parents Involvement in Childrens Education Essay

Parents Involvement in Childrens Education - Essay Example This essay stresses that a child’s first three years is the basis for his/her cognitive growth and this is why the family part in these years of development is crucial. The family setting in which a child grows influences his/her activities, observations, communication skills, conducts and motives, which are indeed the key elements in shaping the child’s literary experiences. On this perspective, it is evident that families are the main context of learning for the children and a supportive environment will make a positive difference, particularly in their educational success. This paper makes a conclusion that children who are nurtured well in their family environment tend to be better competent in their social and educational spheres even in the later stages of life. However, differences in these settings will contribute to variations in patterns of learning among the children. This is why children brought up at different levels of families tend to act differently, in accord to the way in which they were raised. Thus, family environment is the main context of learning for the children as it will boost up their educational attainment to a greater level, when nurtured in the right way. The relationship between the parental aspirations and the children’s educational outcomes is complex as it is interrelated with various other social, economic and psychological aspects. It is evident from various researches that the expectations of the parents tend to impact the achievement of the children to a considerable level. Parents who have higher expectations on their children tend to involve more in their learning activities, which would

Professional Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Professional Sports - Essay Example The analysis of the advertising campaign made it evident that NHL’s â€Å"Inside the Warrior† campaign is an example of exploring the crisis masculinity in the field of sports. The articles made it evident that without the presence of a masculine character in sports, the success of that is a cause of concern. In the similar milieu, the NHL’s success will be in doubt for public consumption, without the presence of a masculine figure. A number of scholars have argued that the presence of masculine character is vital in every field so as to fulfill the objectives and serve the purpose. In the words of Connell, 2005; Edwards, 2006; Messner, 1992, â€Å"MacInnes and other scholars within sociological and cultural studies suggest that men, both individually and collectively, are experiencing a displacement of male power/privilege regarding their customary roles in institutions such as politics, employment, education, and family.† Despite several literature debat es pertaining to the veracity, scenery, and potential effects of a crisis of masculinity remain unresolved. Whannel (1999) suggests, â€Å"Whether or not there is a crisis, there certainly is a lot of talk of one† (p. 254). In the next half of the study, a critique of the article that describes the impact of masculinity crisis in the field of sports will be done. CRITIQUE At the outset, I would like to throw light on the fact that sport is medium that provides man to prove his masculinity. I would not compare the levels to which different sports offer different levels of masculinity, but what I would like to shed light upon is the role played by hockey in showcasing one’s masculinity or the other way where an individual gets the opportunity to reflect upon his masculine ability. I agree with the thoughts put forward in the article that the visual representation in the form of looks and appearance are extremely important. As mentioned in the article that â€Å"The visu al representations of men circulated by the media, including those available through advertising and marketing campaigns, provide benchmarks of masculinity against which some men measure themselves† clearly exemplifies the statement made above is true. However, the role of the promotional media is important as they are the one who are responsible for creating the image of the sports person. On the contrary a good image always does not resemble a masculine image and the question of masculine image is also a subject of debate among the scholars and practitioners around the world. Arguably, the various forms of masculinity portrayed through advertising can contribute to social constructions of the crisis of masculinity. According to my opinion masculinity can be conceptualized in a number of forms and one of forms which I believe is the sportsperson’s ability to appeal to the audience. Hence I agree to the articles where it mentions masculinity â€Å"involves persuasion o f the greater part of the population, particularly through the media, and the organization of social institutions in ways that appear ‘