Physical Activity Basketball Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Physical Activity Basketball - Essay Example One of the physical activities that I think is beneficial for keeping the balance between the mind and the body is basketball. It has a lot of advantages that I have learned myself personally when I became a member of a basketball team in high school. My experience as a member of the team has shaped me into the kind of person I am today. Physically and mentally, basketball made me become a stronger and healthier person since this game does not only require one to be endure the pains of running and keeping up with the other players, but the mental skills of calculating distances and strategies in order to win the game. It demands passion, team work, and trust in oneself as well as the other members of the team. I have been playing basketball for at least seven years now and I find it to be a unique sport. Through my experience over the years, I have found that my mind has become more mature and so have my skills. By participating in basketball matches since I was eleven, I have found that practice is not the only key to winning a game. By studying the other team’s strengths and identifying their weaknesses, we gain more advantage over winning the game. Although basketball requires learning several physical skills, players’ should also train and hone its mental skills since the game demands analytical skills as well. As Gladwell and Crawford argue, physical activities require imagination, creativity as well as  flexibility rather than blindly following textbook knowledge. Like any other amateur players, basketball superstars started as any other basketball enthusiast who simply loves the sport. The only difference is that these superstars were humble enough to admit their we aknesses that they used it on their advantage. They worked hard to further develop their strengths and worked even harder to overcome their weaknesses. In The Physical Genius, Malcolm Gladwell shares the secret of how   Michael Jordan, the lord of basketball

Pursuing Criminal Justice Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pursuing Criminal Justice Paper - Essay Example In order to ensure that the innocent person is protected against harm, the federal government has established various departments and structures to facilitate these duties, namely the courts of law, correctional facilities and other agencies, which are very independent. In the United States, it is very important to recognize the existence of a criminal justice agency. In every 50 states, this totals to 51 criminal agencies in the United States (William, 2011). Indeed, one cannot deny that justice is synonymous to law enforcement. Therefore, the law enforcing agencies are tasked to treat both the individuals encountered and perpetrators with utmost unfairness. This touches on the morality of the law enforcing agencies and their ability to enforce laws of the land while at the same time; they maintain a moral and honorable move. It is justice that encompasses upholding of right and respect of individual freedom by the law enforcers. The origin of the criminal justice, particularly in t he United States dates back to 1967 when the presidents’ commission mandated with the powers of law enforcement and administration of justice came up with a report called â€Å"The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society.† The report was seen by many as a ground-breaking since it provided more than 200 proposals in an approach towards fighting and prevention of crime (The National Commission on Terrorist Attack, 2011). This commission created a structural approach on criminal justice and among its recommendations was a methodology that would ensure coordination among the legal court systems, correctional agencies and law enforcement improve. It is this commission that tried to define criminal justice as the enforcing standard of conduct that could be significant to protecting communities and individuals from committing crimes. Moreover, the discipline of criminal justice dates back to 1920 with August Vollmer, the Berkley police chief, an established criminal justice depa rtment at the University of California. It was O.W. Wilson, a student of August Vollmer, who started and researched on the meaning of the criminal justice (The National Commission on Terrorist Attack, 2011). Throughout the evolution process of the criminal justice, its scope has included the additions or removals of certain forms of punishments. Precisely, policing has led to change in customs and rights of offenders that are considered among other transformations in the criminal justice system (Ritter, 2006). Essentially, it is of the best interest to promote justice in the society, having the knowledge of how many people have suffered as a result of the injustice. It is important to uphold the moral values of the professional law enforcement agencies, which demands that one remains partisan at all times and have the utmost sobriety when carrying out justice. This means that both the victims and the offenders have the right to fair treatment. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every stakeholder in the judicial system to make sure that proper legal procedures are set in place (Ritter, 2006). One can be able to achieve promotion of justice as a law enforcing agent, through the protection of the freedom of speech, affirmative action, gay rights, and gender rights, build anti-poverty and economic opportunities that would help the poor. In addition, ending the mandatory arbitration to provide legal

Use Of Counselling Skills When Assessing Needs Of Carers Nursing Essay

Use Of Counselling Skills When Assessing Needs Of Carers Nursing Essay Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) policies emphasises the need to support carers (2000 Strategy for Carers in Wales). However more recently, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) emphasizes the need to offer support to people with dementia and their carers in health and social care in the NICE clinical guideline 42 on dementia care (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2006). In response to English legislation the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) produced the Carers strategy for Wales: Action Plan (2007) it highlighted that in Wales 70% of care in the community is provided by unpaid carers. The document sets out WAGs strategic path for carers; it delivers specific action points that will lead the way forward over the next few years that will help achieve the objectives. Recently the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services (WAG 2010) consulted on a draft Dementia Action Plan for Wales paper produced by a Task Finish Group, which highlig hted four priority areas that would improve the lives of people with dementia and their families in Wales. As a result of these findings WAG has allocated funding of  £1.573m to support the development of Dementia action plans in the years between 2010 2012. WAG has also made available a one off funding of  £400,000 in 2010/12 to extend services provided by Older Peoples Community Mental Health Teams to develop new Young Onset Dementia Services across Wales (WAG 2010). These services would include appropriate support and assessment of carers. Prevalence The Care Standards Act (2000) provides regulation and national minimum standards. These standards are based on service user needs. The purpose of which is to provide a minimum standard, below which no provider may operate. One such provider is (Adult Social Services) (ASS), currently supports 100,000 adults in Wales. The main provision of ASS is to support and protect those people who would be worse off financially in their absence, by offering community care services and to work in partnership with other providers (ASS no date). ASS provides services to many adult groups. For the purpose of this assignment one group that ASS supports is older people with mental health issues such as dementia and their carers. The Community Mental Health Nurse (CMHN) is part of the Community Mental Health Team that works in partnership with ASS. CMHNs provide specialist skills in Caring for people with dementia and their carers. Dementia has been described by many as being a degenerative decline in mental functioning that equates to having complex needs dependency and morbidity ( NICE 2006, NICE-SCIE 2007). Having such complex needs the older adult with dementia is assessed. This assessment process also involves offering an assessment of n eeds for the carer. There are mental Health Policy Guidance issued by (WAG 2003) that recommends using an assessment tool called the Care Programme Approach (CPA) the CPA process will be discussed later in the assignment as this. The Carer The role and needs of the carer is often overlooked, despite government policies. The carer feels disappointed at the lack of information of support that is available and is not easily accessed. Along with lack of employer support in having time off to take their cared ones to appointments (Carmichael et al 2008). There is evidence to suggest from a carers view that it is an emotional rollercoaster of challenges that stretch the carer to the edge of normal reasoning see Appendix 1(HCWPC 2008). These challenges can cover a wide spectrum. This could include and not be limited to loss of personal space, privacy, and choices due to not having the time. This also disables the carers ability to think independently as a person as they have very little time to themselves. This can lead to having to deal with the emotional effects of facing the lack of having a meaningful relationship, self love and loss of the ability to know joy. Further emotional challenges can be evoked as friends, family and the wider community withdraw as often they can pick up on the carers feelings of despair and greater or lesser depressive symptoms. To avoid people catching a glimpse the carer will often put on an act to outsiders even though they are slowly emotionally dying on the inside, through lack of laughter and loss of control of ones self (HCWPC 2008). Therefore it is essential for the CMHN to utilise the skills they have in recognising the individual needs of the carer. CMHN have their role Currently in England there are Admiral Nurses who are specialist practitioners in dementia and work in partnership with family carers and people with dementia. In Wales the first Admiral Nurses started working in one county only. Three years later in April 2010 (An anonymous University Health Board) failed to get funding for the service to continue (Dementia UK 2010). Currently the gap in Wales is being met by Community Mental Health Nurse Specialist Practitioners (CMHNSP) whose role is that of team leader. Leading specialist teams that, pick up these patients and carers with complex needs. Specialist Practitioner courses are available through designated universities in Wales. These courses follow Standards for Specialist Education and Practice as set by the Nursing and Midwifery Central Council (NMC 2001). Identifying the needs of the patient with dementia and carer through the CPA draws on the skill of the CMHNSP. These skills will draw on effective communication, listening, counse lling and reflective practice skills. (Casement 1985), a psychoanalyst, cited in Johns (2004) Offers a more satisfactory concept of reflection as the ability to dialogue with self whilst dialoguing with a client. He calls this dialogue with self the Internal Supervisor paying attention to the way the self interprets what the other is saying, and weighing up how best to respond. During the assessment process the CMHNSP will be taking everything into account both as an internal supervisor, and active listener. The CMHNSP should feel positive in using these skills, but should also be aware that negative forces could also be in force. As using both skills could influence the CMHNSP to miss what actually was being said. Rowlinson (2010) warns that whilst actively listening, it is important that a counsellor stops any other kind of distraction. This includes the natural dialogue that everyone has running through their mind constantly. Forming judgments, regarding what is being said, is a lso a block to actively listening, as is the urge to provide information at, what may be, an inappropriate pause in the conversation. The assessment and any encounter with the patient and carer should also lead the CMHNSP to draw on their knowledge of counselling theory skills, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions and as an informal helper, this forms part of the CMHNSPs everyday interventions with both patients, and carers. CBT is a short-term talking treatment that has a highly practical approach to problem-solving. It aims to change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind both patient and carers difficulties, and so change the way they feel. Mind(2010). ( Mention CBT) Collins (2003) In response to a questionnaire, nurses responded that CBT enabled them to offer clients unconditional positive regard. The relationship that developed between the client and nurse helped the nurse to identify and respond to the needs of the client in a much more empathic manner. During any intervention with a patient with dementia and their carer would need careful non judgmental management. The CMHNSP would draw from their knowledge of counselling interventions that they had learnt and use these to offer the carer much needed support, to enable them to move forward and allow both patient and carer to make informed decisions about their care needs through the CPA assessment process. Along with an assessment of needs of the carer as their own needs are often overlooked or hidden by the carer. (Ref Required) During any dialogue with the patient and carer as an Internal Supervisor, the CMHNSP would make a mental note that careful documentation of any conversation would be needed using patients own words where appropriate. Where specialist assessments are carried out notes would be taken during such interventions to capture intricate details. (ref to KG something) Taking time out to think about and plan what needs to be written in the notes would also allow the CMHNSP to make sense of the situation through reflection whilst recording the intervention in the case notes. Keeping good records forms an essential part of nursing and midwifery practice, and instigates the provision of safe and well-organized care. It should form an essential task not to be missed even if there are time constraints NMC (2009). Encouraging the Carer to make their own notes will help them in reflecting on the issues and decisions that need to be made. Part of the CPA assessment involves both the patient and carer taking part in writing there own care plans. This process breaks down the issues at large into smaller stepped targets which can set clear achievable goals. By breaking down the items increases the chances of success and goal achievement (Kottler et al 2008). Patients records are just as important if not more so than the practitioners records. Patients obtain useful information that they can use both during and after the counselling Nelson-Jones (2002). Goals pop into the conversation often not being noticed by the person seeking counsel often needing the helper to point out the goals Tschudin(1995). Therefore providing the patient and carer with specialist knowledge or assisting them in knowing where to find it may help the patient and carer to see their situation in a different light and thus provide a basis for action. (Elgan 1994) Cited in, Freshwater (2003) Elgan argues that information sharing skills are challenging as they can compel the patient and carer to see themselves and their situation quite differently. For this reason he urges a sense of caution and tact when using information-sharing skills Cited in, Freshwater (2003). In the case of diagnosis and dementia there is evidence to suggest that the sufferer may not want the immediate family or friends to know and it can also work the other way around, so tact is required when collecting what could be sensitive information (Ref disclosure of diagnosis required). Listening is an important feature and is made up of many components, in order to effectively communicate both ways. The CMHNSP should allow for this by pausing, being attentive and allowing time for both the patient and carer to speak. Bayne.et al (1998:42) suggests that The first quality that anyone needs who wants to help another person, or hear what needs to be said, is attentiveness. A successful counselling relationship can be instigated by ensuring a safe environment, somewhere where there is privacy and free of intrusion. Asking do they feel comfortable in the environment to go ahead with the assessment or intervention? During the intervention giving reassurance to both patient and carer to take their time when answering any questions shows that the CMHNSP can be empathetic. By doing this it creates an atmosphere that creates a therapeutic relationship and with this comes the willingness of the Patient and carer to participate at each phase of the relationship. These Phases ar e discussed by (Roach 2001) who suggests that the therapeutic relationship Development process where trust is developed is seen as the first stage there are two more, Working phase where goal setting takes place and Terminating phase which is self limiting and where the patient and carer might achieve independence, if this last phase is not met then the phases can be cyclic in action and the process can continue. At times the CMHNSP needs to be aware that carers charge may be present, during certain aspects of the assessment or intervention and need to be sensitive to this fact and to be aware that either the patient or carer may be holding back information either one would not wish the other to hear. For example Silence during the dialogue by either party. Recognition of this non-verbal communication instigates sensitivity on the CMHNs part. At other times of silence the CMHNSP should pause, allowing both the patient and carer time to reflect so they could collect their thoughts and emotions. Furthermore the CMHNSP could when appropriate radiate that they too are human, by appropriately self disclosing. In context to the discussion the CMHNSP could recall a time when they felt the need to write things down to help them to remember. Through showing this sensitivity the CMHN would be able to build on a trusting relationship and nurture good communication by sharing similarity. Nelson-Jones (2002:223)The ability of counsellors to be real is very important for assisting clients to experience feelings. Rogers used terms like congruence and genuineness'(Rogers, 1957;1995). Existential psychologists use terms like presence and authenticity (Bugental, 1981;May, 1958; Mayay Yalom, 2000). Bugental views presence as consisting of an intake side called accessibility, allowing what happens in situations to affect one as a person , and an output side called expressiveness, making available some of the content of ones subjective awareness without editing. On each engagement with the patient and carer the CMHNSP would gradually encourage both to become more aware of their situation where appropriate through exploration and expression of feelings. This would empower and enabled them both to move from one place to another. Allowing them as an individual to explore in this way, would enable them both to decide how they would move further forward. This process would be helped through goal setting as mentioned earlier within the care plan as auctioned by the CPA. Albert Einstein observed, The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. Cited in Covey (2004). The CMHNSP needs to be aware that the carer initially could be holding back due to their charge being there. As the assessment progresses this might not be the issue, further active listening could draw out the more prominent issues. It is important to identify how the carer are they blaming themselves do they feel hopeless for not managing the changes in their charge or cared one. These expectations carers sometimes have of themselves could hide further issues they are not yet ready to address. These could be grief, loss and change. Firstly the carer could be vaguely grieving the loss of the person, mother, loved one they once knew due to Dementia. You are losing and grieving while youre providing the care, because Charlie isnt Charlie anymore, Frank (2008). Frank goes on to say that studies were undertaken and found that The fundamental barrier experienced by Alzheimers caregivers appears to be a combination of anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss, rather than hands-on care issues , further more Frank hopes the study results can be used to help design new support and intervention programs for dementia caregivers. There has not been much change in the treatment options for dementia patients in the last 20 years but there are policies in place to decrease the burden of carers. (REF Required). Secondly the carer could have further issues such as the changing of their role from Son or daughter or husband to main carer, and decision maker. Here the CMHN would feel empathy for the carer, and want to help them, not being judgmental but offering unconditional positive regard (UCR). Unconditional positive regard, a term coined by the humanist Carl Rogers, is blanket acceptance and support of a person regardless of what the person says or does. Rogers believes that unconditional positive regard is essential to healthy development. (Ref required). There is an important skill that CMHNSP should develop in recognising that through the reflective process it can became evident that the CMHNSP could also be avoiding the issue of the carer grieving the loss of the person they once knew. It is important to reflect on such feelings. If this is the case after further analysis the CMHNSP might feel that they were out of their depth in that area of counselling and should refer the carer on to a specialist. Dryden et al (1994:15) said Think of developing your referral skills as a positive enhancement of your overall practice. Lazarus, a therapist of considerable experience and standing, uses referral (which he considers a technique in its own right) for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the recognition of his own non-omnipotence. Seeking clinical supervision on this identified need through reflection of practice enables the CMHNSP develop their clinical practice weaknesses into stronger coping strategies that will enable and instigate the CMHNSP to further develop their role, through seeking effective evidence based practices and action researching the these practices in practice under clinical supervision. Evidently the role of the CMHNSP is constantly cyclically evolving using such research methods. The conclusion should draw together the main strands of the discussion and suggest implications for the development of clinical practice and research on assessment and intervention skills in the profession. Appendices Appendix 1 During our visit to Australia, we were shown the following job advertisement for the post of carer by the Chief Executive of Carers New South Wales. It had been written by a carer. We reproduce this here as an illustration of how some carers see their lives. Critical role for self starter for hands on role: Experience in first aid, counselling, occupational health and safety, pharmacology, cooking, cleaning, communication skills, stress management and ability to self medicate may be required. The successful applicant must be able to forgo personal privacy and the choice to do what you want. You will be required to lose your independent thinking ability and become invisible to the community at large. The successful applicant must be able to endure the lack of joy, self-love and relationships indefinitely. Must also be able to function alone as friends leave due to your state of depression. Although entitled to holidays, the successful applicant will not usually be able to have them due to lack of support or financial difficulties. The successful applicant must be able to function credibly with a smile while dying on the inside from lack of laughter due to losing your mind. Reassessment qualities are essential while you lose your sense of self, your reasons to get up in the morning, your dress sense, your hair and your sense of humour and identity. The successful applicant may be required and therefore willing to move home to accommodate the client and be happy developing bad nerves and anxiety 24/7. The successful applicant may be required to fight every day to remember five things to be grateful for while letting go of everything held dear. Must be able to let go and find comfort in a state of being stunned. The successful applicant must be able to cope with slowly going insane and back on a continual basis. The successful applicant must learn to live in silence to enjoy this truly challenging lifestyle. (House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee Valuing and Supporting Carers 2008).

The Cather in the Rye :: Free Essay Writer

The Cather in the Rye Nog voor hij het de klas instapte wist hij het al. Moest hij dit wel doen? Was het wel zo verstandig? Al maandenlang had Bertus B. rondgelopen met het plan. Steeds opnieuw hadden angst en onzekerheid hem ervan weerhou-den het ten uitvoer te brengen. Dagen lang had hij staan kijken bij dit, op het eerste gezicht lege en onschuldige klaslokaal. Maar plotseling op dat midder-nachtelijk uur, nam hij de beslissing en liep met zekere passen het lege donkere klaslokaal binnen. Het duurde even voordat zijn ogen gewend waren aan het donker en het lokaal. Stap voor stap kwam hij dichter-bij het gat in de vloer vliering. Langzaam kroop hij op zijn knieà «n naar een doos. Hij klikte het slotje open en pakte er een pistool eruit. Het had het al diverse malen gebruikt om zijn zogenaamde klusjes te klaren. Hij vergrendelde het pistool met de veiligheidspal en stopte het in z’n jaszak. Hij deed de doos weer op slot en liep zachtjes het lokaal uit. Bertus liep op zijn tenen om de congiere maar niet te wekken uit zijn verdoving, als die wakker werd waren de poppen aan het dansen. Hij t rok de rits van zijn leren zwarte jas helemaal dicht en sloop de nooduitgang uit. De lamp buiten sprong aan. Zonder naar te denken zette Bertus het op een lopen en verdween in de donkere nacht. Toen hij thuis kwam sloop hij zachtjes naar de schuur. Tegen de wand stond een breekijzer, hij wikkelde deze in kranten en hield het ijzer onder zijn jas. In zijn hoofd ging hij alle mogelijkheden na. Had hij alles? Kon iemand hem? Of nog erger HAD iemand hem gezien? Hij zette deze gedacht uit zijn hoofd en liep zachtjes naar buiten. Hij liep zonder na te denken naar de afgesproken plaats waar hij Arie zou ontmoeten. Van een afstand zag hij Arie al staan. Arie was helemaal in het zwart gekleedt. Arie liep op hem af, en ging naast hem lopen. "Vanmiddag gaat het beginnen en komen ze langs, tot dan hebben wij de tijd", zei hij. Bertus knikte instemmend. Hij rook aan Arie dat hij weer gedron-ken had. "Ik dacht dat je opgehouden was met drinken, dit valt me van je tegen. Zeker als we een klus gaan klaren heb ik liever dat je nuchter bent.

IT for education and learning Essay

As we all knew, Information Technology has been well-developed for years. Nowadays, lots of youngsters would study online via the Internet, such as finding academic materials for doing project, submitting assignments to the online learning environment of their schools and so forth; therefore, people started to think what features of information technology can facilitate with education and learning. In particular, people would call this kind of learning as â€Å"e-learning†. According to D. R. Garrison (2011)1, e-learning is â€Å"formally defined as electronically mediated asynchronous and synchronous communication for the purpose of constructing and confirming knowledge. † The foundation of this technology is the Internet associating with communication technologies. So how would e-learning affect our education and learning? My ideas are as follows. First and foremost, online games are suitable for using within a learning environment as they are based on the theories of situated learning, motivation and learning by doing. What is online game? A. Rollings and E. Adams (2006) 2 introduce online game is a technology for connecting players together over computer networks like on the Internet. Online games can provide large simulated conditions in the real world for learners to solve problems and deal with others. They not only increase learners’ motivation and engagement but also enhance the learning experience and recognition. Additionally, they also provide free trainings that allow mistakes and errors so that the cost can be lowered. They can also increase the chance of communication such that they would have better coordination and communication skills. Take military and emergency services as an example, like America’s Army, it offers soldiers a virtual but real environment to have trainings. To be more specific, the soldiers are required to work as a team and accomplish the missions. It can build up the team spirit and let them enter into the real situation. Secondly, in accordance with Athanassios Jimoyiannis (2012)3, online game is beneficial for people to learn languages. Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) is one kind of the online games that involves multimedia and gaming elements to act as a story to let learners contribute their own ideas and action as if they took place in real time. ARGs are usually built around social networking system, which is an online platform, with Web 2. 0 technology, that focuses on building up social networks or social relations among people by sharing posts and doing real-life connections, like Facebook and Twiiter, in which learners can interact with others and form alliances. Therefore, through these kind of games, learners are able to gain appreciations for colloquial meanings, verbs and so forth. Thirdly, there is another technology that cannot be omitted – Learning Management System (LMS), like OUHK Online Learning Environment. It works as a platform for students to access multi-media study materials and participate in a wide range of learning-related activities through the use of a computer and an Internet access. Furthermore, students can obtain updated information about courses and programmes that they attend to, participate in online discussions with their peers and tutors, submit assignments, do exercises and self tests and monitor their own study progress through the web-based instruction. As a result, we can see that online learning environment can facilitate with E-learning for people to enhance their studies. And the advantages that LMS brings us – management of personal knowledge and learning resources, collaboration and instructional support – can enhance people’s critical thinking and decision-making. As a final point, people like youngsters, not like the previous generation, would not only receive what their teachers give them but find other sources through search engines, such as Google and Bing, themselves. They prefer videos, audios and interactive media; in the meanwhile, some scientists claimed that using graphics and colours can stimulate people’s brains to memorize and strengthen this ability. That’s why tutors would love to express their ideas through PowerPoint to their students nowadays. Simple and clear structure of PowerPoint slides can offer the content ideas with few lines in bullet form to students. Moreover, visual and auditory media can be added to make the materials more appealing. It not only improves the audience focus, but also engages multiple learning styles, for instance, students can read the materials through their mobile phones. However, if people get addicted to Internet uses, e-learning might become a severe obsession that they would get lost in the real life, like virtual world is â€Å"pulling† them from the real life. Dr. Charles O’Brien, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, claimed that getting addicted to Internet uses like online games will become an official disorder because more and more people are going to do studies on it. There was a case last year in South Korea, where the couple, who had a real baby, was so involved with the virtual baby and doing things with the virtual baby, thus they neglected their real live baby and the baby died. Therefore, people’s self-restraint and the cooperation between teachers and parents (for youngsters) are undeniably required if e-learning becomes more and more popular in the world. (870 words) Reference list: 1. D. R. Garrison (D. Randy)(2011), E-learning in the 21st century a framework for research and practice, New York : Routledge 2. Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams (2006), Fundamentals of Game Design. Prentice Hall. 3. Athanassios Jimoyiannis (2012), Research on e-learning and ICT in education, New York : Springer 4. Alan J Daly (2010), Social network theory and educational change, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard Education Press 5. John D. Sutter,† Is ‘gaming addiction’ a real disorder? †, CNN, linkage retrieved from: http://www. cnn. hk/2012/08/05/tech/gaming-gadgets/gaming-addiction-dsm/index. html 5. http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=NdDmp_Ak1no.

Corporate Governance and Financing Decisions by Saudi Companies

Corporate Governance and Financing Decisions by Saudi Companies Ali Al-Nodel College of Economy and Administration, Qassim University, P. O. Box 4667, Burydah 51412 Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Email: [email  protected] edu. sa Khaled Hussainey Ain Shams University, Egypt Accounting & Finance Division Stirling Management School Stirling University Stirling FK9 4LA United Kingdom Email: Khaled. [email  protected] ac. uk 1 Abstract Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to the corporate governance literature in emerging economies by examining the effect of some corporate governance mechanisms on financing decisions in Saudi Arabian listed companies.Methodology: A multiple regression model is used to examine the association between financing decisions and corporate governance mechanisms for a sample of 37 listed Saudi companies. In particular, we examine the effect of board size; ownership concentration and corporate governance reporting on the debt-to-equity ratio. Corporate governance reporting is measured by the content analysis approach. Findings: After controlling for companies’ profitability and their growth opportunities, we found that both board size and ownership concentration are positively associated with debt-to-equity ratio.Research limitations: We limit our analysis to a small sample of firms that use the internet to communicate corporate governance information between October 2005 and January 2006. Practical implications: The findings suggest that managers are likely to choose higher financial leverage when they have stronger corporate governance (large number of directors on the board and higher ownership concentration). However, we did not find any statistical association between corporate governance disclosure and debt-to-equity ratio.This suggests that firm’s asymmetric information is not an important driver of the financing decision of Saudi Arabian companies. This might be due to the nature of the Saudi business environment. Orig inality: We strongly believe that this paper provides a novel contribution to the existing literature as we are the first to examine this issue in Saudi Arabia. Keywords: Corporate governance, financing decisions, emerging economies, Saudi Arabia. Paper type: Research paper. 2 1. IntroductionThis paper aims to contribute to the corporate governance literature by examining the effect of corporate governance characteristics on financing decisions in Saudi Arabian listed companies. In particular, it examines the effect of board size; ownership concentration and corporate governance reporting on the debt-to-equity ratio. The investigation of these research issues in Saudi business environment could extend prior research and give different explanations to those carried out in more developed countries Research related to determinant of corporate capital structure is a well established part of the accounting and finance research.Modigliani and Miller (1958) is the first to study this area of research. They also provided another study in the same area of research after modifying some assumptions such as relaxing the prefect market assumptions and considering corporate tax into their models (Miller and Modigliani, 1963). In their later study, they suggested that firm value will be enhanced if the level of debt increases because interest rate is a tax deductible and consequently companies would enjoy debt tax shield when funding their activities by long-term debt. Further accounting and finance research studies were more expressive.Those researches were concentrated on examining some determinants of corporate capital structure. For example, the association between board size and capital structure decisions have been suggested by a number of empirical studies (see for example Mehran 1992, Berger et al. 1997, Wiwattanakantang 1999, Wen et al. 2002, Du and Dia 2005, Abor and Biekpe 2005 and Al-Najjar and Hussainey 2010a and 2010b). Another determinant of capital structure decision which received significant attention is the ownership concentration (see for example Wiwattanakantang 1999, and Al- 3 Najjar and Hussainey 2010a and 2010b).More recently, number of studies have, also, investigated the association between asymmetric information and corporate decisions (see for example Li and Zhao, 2006 and Bharath et al. 2009). The results of these research studies suggest that firm value will be enhanced if the level of debt increases, board size and ownership concentration are associated with capital structure decisions and firms with higher levels of information asymmetric are more likely to use debt in financing their activities than equity. Unfortunately, the results of these research studies cannot be generalized for number of reasons.First, these results provided mixed evidence. For example, Mehran (1992), Berger et al. (1997), and Abor and Biekpe (2005) found a significant negative association between the size of the board of directors and debt-to-eq uity ratios, while Jensen (1986) found a positive association between higher debt ratios and larger board size. Further, other researchers found that there is no significant association between board size and debt-to-equity ratios (i. e. Wiwattanakantang, 1999; Wen et al. , 2002; and Al-Najjar and Hussainey, 2010). A second reason for the difficulty behind generalizing the results of these esearch studies are that the majority of them were carried out in most developed countries such as U. S and European continental. More precisely, in developing countries the conclusions of this line of research are likely to be challenged due to the business environmental differences between those of developed and those of developing countries. In another words, in a different business environment such those of the Middle Eastern countries, there are significant environmental factors that may affect corporate capital structure decisions.Hove (1986 and 1990) asserted the importance of political, ec onomical, and social systems on corporate decisions. 4 Third reason for the difficulty of generalising the evidence of prior research examining determinants of corporate capital structure is that there are very limited numbers of studies that have examined determinants of capital structure in developing countries and even fewer such studies may be found in the Middle East countries, leaving significant doubt about the applicability of these evidence in the business environment of Middle east countriesAccordingly, a natural area of extending the lines of the accounting and finance research related to determinant of corporate capital structure decisions is to explore other drivers of corporate capital structure decisions and to consider suggested drivers within a different business environment. In the present paper, we aim to examine the degree to which corporate governance affect the financing decisions of Saudi Arabian listed companies. We focus only on three corporate governance me chanisms.These are board size; ownership concentration and corporate governance reporting. The main reasons for concentrating on these issues are the possibility of making comparison with other studies because these are the most studied issues in the literature, the availability of data regarding these issues1, and the importance of advising regulators whom are more concern about these issues in the process of regulating corporate governance in Saudi Arabia.To help us in focusing on a group of firms that report corporate governance information on their websites, we utilised a sample of 37 companies listed in Saudi Stock Market in January 2006. This was based on a recent paper by Hussainey and Al-Nodel (2008) who collected their sample from Saudi listed companies’ websites 1 Cost of capital is an important factor in corporate capital structure decisions; however data for capital structure was not available. 5 etween October 2005 and January 2006 representing a total number of 77 companies listed in the Saudi Stock Exchange at that time. We found that both board size and ownership concentration are positively associated with the debt-to-equity ratio. However, we did not find a significant association between corporate governance reporting and the debt-to-equity ratio. The findings seem to suggest that managers are likely to choose higher financial leverage when they have stronger corporate governance (large number of directors on the board and higher ownership concentration).However, firm’s asymmetric information seems to be not a driver of the financing decision of Saudi Arabian companies. A possible explanation is that decisions relate to capital structure are affected by the Islamic view of financing which prohibits interests and in turn to the public view who disrespects such practice. This is enhanced by the weakness of the business reporting practice in Saudi Arabia which could provide pave for a different mean of getting information by parti es related to loan agreements.The results of this paper may be of use to the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority (SACMA, thereafter) who issued a guidance in 2006 that recommends all listed companies to disclose corporate governance information to the public. This would help SACMA to explore the attitude of companies to voluntarily report corporate governance rather than being enforced to do so. The paper proceeds as follows. Section 2 reviews prior research on the determinants of corporate capital structure. In Section 3, a description of the Saudi business environment is provided.Sections 4 and 5 discuss the development of the research hypotheses and the research model. Section 6 is the data description. The 6 main regression results are presented in Section 7. Section 8 concludes and suggests areas for future research. 2. Literature Review Although the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure has been the subject for an extensive research in developed co untries2, a limited research has been carried out to investigate the issue in business environment of developing countries.The association between board size and capital structure decisions have been well established in prior accounting and finance research. In particular, Mehran (1992), Berger et al. (1997), Wiwattanakantang (1999), Wen et al. (2002), Du and Dia (2005), Abor and Biekpe (2005) and Al-Najjar and Hussainey (2010a and 2010b) examined the association between board size and corporate capital structure decision, but the results are mixed. Mehran (1992), Berger et al. (1997), and Abor and Biekpe (2005) reported a significant negative association between the size of the board of directors and debt-toequity ratios.However, Jensen (1986) revealed a positive association between higher debt ratios and larger board size. Other researchers found that there is no significant association between board size and debt-to-equity ratios (Wiwattanakantang, 1999, Wen et al. , 2002, Al-Naj jar and Hussainey, 2010). 2 Examples include the UK (see, for example, Demirag 1998; Ezzamel and Willmott 1993; Writer 2001; Vinten 2001), The Netherlands (Groot, 1998), and Canada (Elloumi and Gueyie, 2001). Other researchers compared the corporate governance practice between developing countries.For instance, Vinten (2000) compared the corporate governance practice between the UK and the US. Another comparative study is Charkham (1994) which found significant differences in the corporate governance practices in five countries: Japan, Britain, France, the United States and Germany. 7 Ownership concentration is considered as one of the key determinants of capital structure decision. Wiwattanakantang (1999) reported that managerial shareholdings have consistent positive influence on family-owned firm leverage.In addition, Al-Najjar and Hussainey (2010a) found that insider ownership is positively and significantly associated with the debt-to-equity ratio. However, Al-Najjar and Hussai ney (2010b) did not find the expected significant results. A relatively recent and growing number of studies have investigated the association between asymmetric information and corporate decisions (see Li and Zhao, 2006 for more details). For example Bharath et al. (2009) used a novel information asymmetry index and examined the extent to which information asymmetry is a determinant of capital structure decisions.They found that information asymmetry affects capital structure decisions of US companies. In particular, they found a significant positive association between information asymmetry and debt-to-equity ratio. In other words, their results suggest that firms with higher levels of information asymmetric are more likely to use debt in financing their activities than equity. On the other hand, other research found that voluntary disclosure is negatively related to asymmetric information. For example, Hussainey et al. 2003) found higher levels of voluntary disclosure reduce info rmation asymmetry between the firm and investors and hence increase investors' ability to better anticipate future earnings. Research investigating corporate governance in developing countries is much beyond in considering the impact of issues of corporate governance on corporation capital structure. A review of research investigating issues of corporate governance revealed that most such research approach the issue whether to describe the state of 8 orporate governance from an official perspective or from the perspective of what should the practical applications of its principles be. For example, Al-Motairy (2003) explored the state of corporate governance practices in Saudi Arabia. He concluded that there is a vital need for (1) a review of these regulations to reflect the current practices of corporate governance, (2) the issuance of guidance for best practices for management and financial affair in corporations and (3) the establishment of an organisation to accelerate the adopt ion of best practices of corporate governance.Similarly, Fouzy (2003) evaluated the practices of corporate governance’s principles in Egypt. He recognised the development in Egyptian official regulations toward the application of best practices of corporate governance. He then argued that these developments are not met enough by Egyptian companies in their practical applications. Another example is the study which was carried out by Oyelere and Mohammed (2005) investigating the practices of corporate governance in Oman and how it is being communicated to stakeholders.They recommend enhanced regulation and communication for the Omani stock market to keep pace with the international developments. Finally, a research paper by the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE, 2003) examined the corporate governance practice in four Middle Eastern countries (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Lebanon). It found that corporate governance practice is approached differently by each cou ntry depending on the sophistication of the financial market in each country. The research paper further provided several 9 ecommendations to improve the application of the principles of corporate governance in the region as a whole. The impact of the corporation attitude toward their corporate governance on their financing decisions needs further investigation giving the unique of the Saudi business environment and the mixed results of the accounting and finance research relating to the determinants of corporate capital structure. This is evident by the unique aspects of the business environment of Saudi Arabia which will be discussed in the following paragraph. 3.Saudi business environment This section provides a general description of the environment of the Saudi business practices. The discussion will be directed to the most important environmental factors, as suggested by the literature. The main aspects of the Saudi business practices that will be discussed are the social, eco nomical, and political systems. Also, some highlights will be given to the 1965 Company Law that regulates the practice of Saudi businesses and the guidance of corporate governance issued by SACMA in 2006 which regulates corporate governance reporting.As a conservative society, a significant number of Saudis are adherent to Islamic values such as avoiding loan interests. This does not mean there is no such type of transactions but to mean that the majority of Saudis do not openly accept such transactions. Saudi society is also characterized by the impact of the personality and power of particular individuals, the role of family and friend relationships over regulations, privilege given to personal relationships over tasks, and the existence of a high level of secrecy (Al-Rumaihi 1997; Al-Nodel 2004). 0 The economy of Saudi Arabia is an oil-based economy and government exercises strong controls over major economic activities. Since the discovery of oil in 1938, oil revenue represents the biggest contribution to the economy. In 1990s, it accounted for around 35% of nominal GDP, about 75% of government revenues, and 85% of export receipts (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2003). Table 1 presents the country’s budgetary revenues, expenditures and net surplus or (deficit) for the last three years.Insert Table 1 here Similar to most developing countries, Saudi businesses are characterized by the domination of family businesses, the deep involvement of the government in the private sector, and the existence of a number of foreign-owned and controlled companies based on joint venture agreements with domestic companies. Al-Nodel (2004) reported that joint-stock companies represent only 1. 14% of the total number, and account for less than 40% of the total capital of the registered businesses.Since the type of businesses is mostly small to medium size companies, there was an apparent need for more foreign investors and involvement of the government in the private sec tor to carry some important activities which cannot be carried out or provided by local companies. This has left the country with significant number of foreign-owned and controlled companies based on joint venture agreements with domestic companies and significant involvement of government in some major business activities (Presley, 1984; Aba-Alkhail, 2001).The political system of Saudi Arabia is a monarchy, headed by the King. Within the political system, there are three legislative bodies, which have the authority to initiate and/or approve policies, regulation or rules: the Council of 11 Ministers, the Consultative Council, and various individual Ministries (Al-Amari, 1989; Al-Rumaihi, 1997). The legal system of Saudi Arabia is derived from Islamic law (Shariah; Alqur’an Alkareem and Sunna Alsharifah3), and coded laws for a number of specific fields, such as commerce, tax and labour.Al-Amari (1989) reported that Islamic law prevails in legal disputes. Two of the most impor tant aspects of the Islamic values relating to corporate financing are that Islamic law prohibits loan interests whether giving or taking by individuals or business institutions and obligation of Zaket4 which should be giving, calculated based on the capital of the business or individual, and given to specific groups as mentioned by Alqur’an Alkareem and Sunna Alsharifah.Taxes duty is imposed on non-Saudi or Gulf States companies operate in Saudi Arabia. There are some differences between Zaket and Taxes whether on whom to impose, the manner of collection, or calculation. For example, Zaket is based on the wealth of the business with some specific deductions for specific items as indicated by Shariah; Alqur’an Alkareem and Sunna Alsharifah, while Tax is based on the net income with some deduction according to the law of Taxes. The 1965 Company Law regulates the practice of businesses in Saudi Arabia.It sets conditions for several aspects of businesses such as legal fra meworks through which business companies can be established, the registration requirements, minimum capital to be maintained, number of partners, number of directors, accounts, the 3 Alqur’an Alkareem is the Holly book of Islam and Sunna Alsharifah is the interpretations, speeches and actions of prophet Mohamed Peace be up on him. Alqur’an Alkareem and Sunna Alsharifah provide the main of Islamic instructions. 4 Zaket is a financial religious duty and represents the third pillar.Alqur’an Alkareem and Sunna Alsharifah explain to Muslim the compliance with the Zaket duty. 12 annual audit of the accounts, and so on. Shinawi and Crum (1971) asserted that the origin of the 1965 Saudi Company Law goes back to the British Companies Act of 1948. The similarity between the 1965 Saudi Company Law and the UK acts issued in 1948, 1967 and 1976 was also reported by Kahlid (1983). The reporting requirements which are imposed by the 1965 Company Law represent the only rules th at should be observed.It requires the issuance of a balance sheet, a profit and loss account, and a report on the company’s operations and financial position every fiscal year. It further stipulates that all corporations and limited liability companies must issue annual financial statements audited by an independent auditor licensed to practice by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Similar to stock markets in developing countries, the Saudi stock market is new and small. In 1984, the Royal Decree No. 81230 was issued as an attempt to officially regulate the stock exchange (Abdeen and Dale, 1984; El-Sharkawy, 2006).Under this Royal Decree, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) was given actual control over the stock exchange through national commercial banks. The significant change was in 2003 when the Saudi Arabian Capital Market Authority (SACMA) was established to oversight the exchange of Saudi stocks (Ramady, 2005). This period observed significant increase o f the number of listed companies, regulations for the market in general and reporting in specific. Table 2 compares some key numbers of the Saudi stock market between 1996- 2005. Insert Table 2 here 13For example, in 2006 SACMA issued a draft for reporting requirements of corporate governance for listed companies. The draft provides recommendations of the criteria for the best corporate governance practice that should listed companies counsel. It has covered to some extent the main five principles issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): the rights of shareholders, the equitable treatment of shareholders, the role of stakeholders in corporate governance, disclosure and transparency, the responsibility of the board of directors.According to the recommendations of SACMA, listed companies are required to report to SACMA about their compliance with the criteria of corporate governance as issued by SACMA or reasons for uncompliance if any. The disclosu re contains, for example, the board of directors’ functions, responsibilities, formation, committees of board of directors; audit committee; Nomination and Remuneration Committee; Meetings of the Board and Remuneration and Indemnification of Board Members5.Finally, SACMA asserted that the criteria for the best corporate governance practice mostly constitutes the guiding principles for all listed companies unless any other regulations, laws or rules require such requirement. 4. Research hypotheses To examine the effect of corporate governance characteristics on financing decisions in Saudi Arabian listed companies we formulated three research hypotheses; 5Detailed information about these regulations is discussed in the following articles (SACMA, 2006): Article 9: Disclosure in the Board of Directors’ Report; Article 10: Main Functions of the Board of Directors; Article 11: Responsibilities of the Board; Article 12: Formation of the Board; Article 13: Committees of the B oard; Article 14: Audit Committee; Article 15: Nomination and Remuneration Committee; Article 16: Meetings of the Board; Article 17: Remuneration and Indemnification of Board Members. 14 he effect of board size; ownership concentration and corporate governance reporting on the debt-to-equity ratio as following. Board size hypothesis Given that prior research investigating the association between board size and debt-to-equity ratios gave mixed result (see section 2), we also revisited this research area and examined the association between board size and capital structure for Saudi Arabian companies. We set the following first research hypothesis for the impact of board size on capital structure:H1: Ceteris paribus, there is a relationship between board size and debt-to-equity ratio. Ownership concentration hypothesis Given the results of the prior research are – to some extent – mixed, we also revisited this research area and examined the association between ownership concentration and capital structure for Saudi Arabian companies. We set the following second research hypothesis for the impact of ownership concentration on capital structure: H2: Ceteris paribus, there is a relationship between ownership concentration and debt-to-equity ratio. Corporate governance reportingTo examine the role of the information environment on capital structure decision in Saudi Arabian companies, we used a corporate governance voluntary disclosure index as a measure of a firm’s information environment and set the 15 following third research hypothesis for the impact of corporate governance reporting on capital structure: H3: Ceteris paribus, there is a relationship between corporate governance reporting and debt-to-equity ratio. 5. Model Development In order to test the above hypotheses, we regress debt-to-equity ratio on some corporate governance characteristics and some control variables.The study will investigate the following model: Levit = ? + ? ? X it + ? it Where: Levit is defined as long term debt to equity ratio; ? is the intercept. ? ? is the slope coefficient estimates of regressors. X it is the corporate governance variables (and control variables) for firm i at time t. Dependent variable: The dependent variable ( Levit ) is defined as the long term debt to equity ratio. Independent variables: We have three independent variables and two control variables. We identified three types of corporate governance variables: 1) Board size (BOARD): This represents the number of executive and non executive directors on the board. (2) Ownership concentration (OWNERSHIP): This represents the total percentage of the company’s shares that owned by owners. 16 (3) Corporate governance reporting (DISCLOSURE): This is calculated as the number of sentences that include at least one corporate governance related information. Control variables: (1) Profitability (PROF): we used return on total assets as a measure for firms’ profitab ility. (2) Growth opportunity (MB): we used share price to book value ratio as a measure for firm’s growth opportunity. . Data Our data collection is based on a recent paper by Hussainey and Al-Nodel (2008). This helped us to focus on a group of firms that report corporate governance information on their websites. We focused on firms that disclose information through internet because prior research argued that internet reporting is one of the most important sources of voluntary disclosure and this source is more likely to complement published annual reports (Aly et al, 2010). Hussainey and Al-Nodel (2008) collected their sample from Saudi listed companies’ websites between October 2005 and January 2006.At that time, the total number of companies listed in the Saudi Stock Market was 77 representing eight sectors: agriculture, services, cement, industrial, banks, electrical, telecommunication and insurance. They used TADAWUL website (www. tdwl. net) and Google website (w ww. google. com) to access every company's website. They deleted some companies from their analysis for a number of reasons. These include 11 firms without websites; one firm with a website under construction and one firm with a restricted website. This reduced their sample to 64 companies. We also further excluded 27 firms because of missing corporate 7 governance and accounting information. This led to a sample of 37 listed firms for the current study. Data on debt-to-equity ratio, Board size, ownership concentration, profitability and price-to-book value ratio were collected from TADAWUL website. Following Hussainey and Al-Nodel (2008), we used the content analysis approach to measure the number of sentences that contain corporate governance information. Accordingly we used the corporate governance disclosure index developed by Hussainey and AlNodel (2008) to analyse the content of every company's website. 7.Empirical Results This section discusses the descriptive analysis, the c orrelation analysis and the empirical results. Descriptive analysis Table 3 shows the descriptive analysis (mean, minimum, maximum and the standard deviation). It shows that on average the number of directors on board in Saudi Arabia companies is around 8, with a minimum of 4 members and a maximum of 11 members. Mean ownership concentration is 35. 6 and the mean corporate governance disclosure is 5 sentences with a minimum of zero corporate governance sentence and a maximum of 21 corporate governance sentences.A broad range of variation in financial variables is also evident in our sample. The debt-to-equity ratio ranges from 0 to 97 with a mean of 24. 52 and a standard deviation of 32. 576. The return on total assets ratio ranges from -37. 3 to 71. 74 with a mean of 8. 8535 and a standard deviation of 13. 81767. The share price to book value ratio ranges from 0 to 21 with a mean of 5. 03 and a standard deviation of 5. 336. On 18 average, our sample covers large firms as the mean fi rm size is 23240077. 81.Finally, our sample covers nine sectors as follows: Banks (9 firms), Chemical (8 firms); Cement (6 firms); Retailers (2); Energy (I firm); Agriculture (7 firms); Telecommunication (2 firms); Advertising (1 firm) and Insurance (1 firm). Insert table 3 here Table 4 shows the correlation analysis. The correlation between each of the independent variables is not too high. The highest correlation found between corporate governance disclosure and share price to book value ratio (MB) is 43. 5, which is acceptable. This confirms that no multicollinearity problem exists between the independent variables. Insert table 4 hereTable 5 shows our empirical results. It shows that the coefficient estimate on board size is positive significant with a p-value of 0. 059 (see model 4). This is consistent with Jensen (1986) who also found a positive association between higher debt ratios and larger board size. Our finding indicates that larger board size puts Saudi Arabian firms i n a good position to finance their activities by using debt. This is consistent with the fact that higher quality of corporate governance improves companies’ financial performance (Bhagat and Bolton, 2008) and hence leads increase the ability of the company to obtain debt.Liang and Zheng (2005) provided an explanation for this positive sign. They argued that boards with a large board size are more likely to have a difficulty in getting an agreement because of different and conflict opinions and views. Accordingly, firms with large number of directors on board might not choose equity financing which requires high transaction cost to resolve communication and coordination dilemma. In addition, they argued that 19 directors would choose debt for financing their activities because this source of finance will not dilute the equity of current shareholders and change their current position.This leads us to accept hypothesis 1. Table 5 also shows that the coefficient estimate on owne rship concentration is positive significant with a p-value of 0. 005 (see model 4). This result is consistent with Wiwattanakantang (1999) Al-Najjar and Hussainey (2010a). This indicates that when the total percentage of the company’s shares is concentrated internally, managers will prefer to use debt to finance their companies’ activities. This is because – as mentioned in Liang and Zheng (2005) – debt will not dilute the equity of current shareholders and change their current position.This leads us to accept hypothesis 2. Insert table 5 here Finally, corporate governance disclosure as a proxy for asymmetric information between managers and investors is expected to be negative and statistically significant. However, Table 5 shows that the coefficient estimate of DISCLOSURE variable is positive, indicating that firms with higher levels of corporate governance disclosure (less information asymmetry) has higher debt-toequity ratio. This finding is statistic ally insignificant and not consistent with prior research. This leads us to reject hypothesis 3. . Conclusion The aim of this paper was to examine the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on capital structure for Saudi Arabian listed companies. Our results show that the corporate capital structure decisions in Saudi Arabia is driven by some of the same corporate governance determinates suggested in prior research. Based on 20 a sample of 37 Saudi Arabian listed companies, our results show that the number of directors on boards and ownership concentration are the main drivers of Saudi companies for capital structure decisions.Our results, however, show that corporate governance reporting was not an important driver of Saudi companies for capital structure decisions. This might be due in part to the nature of the Saudi business environment where there is a weak reporting requirement of the practice of corporate governance in the country. This fact could have encourage parties to loan agreements approach different means to get the needed information rather than the traditional reporting mechanisms which is likely to be practical in a small community of businesses.This is also likely to be affected by the characteristics of Saudi society whereas the impact of the personality and power of particular individuals, the role of family and friend relationships prevail over regulations, and tasks, and the existence of a high level of secrecy. The main limitation of the study is that it did not cover the whole market so the sample may not be representative of the population of Saudi companies. This, however, is justified by the nature of the study, which relied on the availability of data needed. Further recheck was carried for companies which are not included.We found that these companies are in general small and less likely to affect the results. 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Corporate governance and capital structure decisions of the Chinese listed firms†, Corporate Governance, 10 (2), 75-83. Wiwattanakantang, Y. (1999). â€Å"An empirical study on the determinants of the capital struct ure of Thai firms†, Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 7, 371–403 Wikipedia website (2006) http://www. Wikipedia. Com (Accessed on 10th July 2008). 24 Table (1): Saudi Arabia budgetary revenues, expenditures and net surplus or deficit 2005-2007 Annual government budgeting ( estimates ) Million Saudi Riyals ($1= 3. 75 SR) Total Non-oil Total (Deficit)/ Oil revenues revenues revenues expendituresSurplus Amount Amount % Amount % Amount Amount 2005 280000 220000 79% 60000 21% 280000 0 2006 390000 320000 82% 70000 18% 335000 55000 2007 400000 330000 83% 70000 17% 380000 20000 Source: SAMA (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency) annual report (2007). 25 Table (2): Key Figures of Saudi Stock Market between 1996-2005. YEAR 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 NO. OF TRANSACTIONS (THOUSAND)) 284 460 377 438 498 605 1,034 3,763 13,320 46,607 TRADED STOCK (MILLION) 138 314 295 528 555 692 1,736 5,566 10,298 12,281 Source: TADAWUL website accessed on 29th September 2006 26 MARKET VALUE ($MILLIAR ) 46 59 43 61 68 73 75 157 306 650 INDEX 1,531 1,958 1,413 2,029 2,258 2,430 2,518 4,438 8,206 16,713 Table (3) Descriptive Statistics ; Industry Classification a) Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Lev 37 0 97 24. 52 32. 576 Board 37 4 11 7. 89 1. 822 Ownership 36 .0 82. 7 35. 550 27. 7875 PROF 37 -37. 30 41. 74 8. 8535 13. 81767 MB 37 .00 66. 87 9. 9181 10. 56721 Total assets 37 0 Disclosure 37 0 136950480 23240077. 81 21 b) Industry Classification Sectors Number of firms Banks 9 Chemical 8 Cement 6 Retailers 2 Energy 1 Agriculture 7 Telecommunication 2Advertising 1 Insurance 1 27 5. 03 3. 888E7 5. 336 Table (4) Correlation analysis Disclosure Board Ownership Lev MB PROF 1. 000 .077 .246 .301 .435** -. 139 .649 .149 .070 .007 .410 37 37 36 37 37 37 Pearson Correlation .077 1. 000 .234 .395* .083 .212 Sig. (2-tailed) .649 .170 .016 .626 .207 Disclosure Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Board N 37 37 36 37 37 37 .246 .234 1. 000 .504** . 097 .064 .149 .170 .002 .574 .711 36 36 36 36 36 36 Pearson Correlation .301 .395* .504** 1. 000 .109 -. 062 Sig. (2-tailed) .070 .016 .002 .520 .716 37 37 36 37 37 37 .435** .083 .097 .109 1. 000 -. 019 .007 626 .574 .520 37 37 36 37 37 37 Pearson Correlation -. 139 .212 .064 -. 062 -. 019 1. 000 Sig. (2-tailed) .410 .207 .711 .716 .910 37 37 36 37 37 Ownership Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N Lev N MB Pearson Correlation Sig. (2-tailed) N PROF N **. Correlation is significant at the 0. 01 level (2-tailed). *. Correlation is significant at the 0. 05 level (2-tailed). 28 .910 37 Table (5) Regression analysis 5. 1 Model summary R Square Adjusted R Square 1 .617 a .380 .277 28. 002 2 .616b .379 .299 27. 565 3 .602c .363 .303 27. 492 4 .576d .332 .291 27. 726 Model R Std. Error of the Estimate a.Predictors: (Constant), PROF, MB, Ownership , Board , Disclosure b. Predictors: (Constant), PROF, Ownership , Board , Disclosure c. Predictors: (Constant), Ownership , Board , Disclosure d . Predictors: (Constant), Ownership , Board 29 5. 2 ANOVA analysis e ANOVA Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Regression 14436. 181 5 2887. 236 3. 682 .010a Residual 23524. 187 30 784. 140 Total 37960. 368 35 Regression 14405. 109 4 3601. 277 4. 739 .004b Residual 23555. 258 31 759. 847 Total 37960. 368 35 Regression 13774. 798 3 4591. 599 6. 075 .002c Residual 24185. 570 32 755. 799 Total 37960. 368 35 Regression 2592. 380 2 6296. 190 8. 190 .001d Residual 25367. 988 33 768. 727 Total 37960. 368 35 Model 1 2 3 4 a. Predictors: (Constant), PROF, MB, Ownership , Board , Disclosure b. Predictors: (Constant), PROF, Ownership , Board , Disclosure c. Predictors: (Constant), Ownership , Board , Disclosure d. Predictors: (Constant), Ownership , Board e. Dependent Variable: Lev 30 5. 3 Coefficient estimates Coefficients Unstandardized Coefficients Model a Standardized Coefficients t Sig. -1. 839 .076 .315 2. 079 .046 .181 .400 2. 619 .014 1. 064 1. 032 .174 1. 031 .311 MB -. 101 .507 -. 0 32 -. 199 .844 PROF -. 311 .352 . 132 -. 886 .383 -39. 272 20. 901 -1. 879 .070 Board 5. 669 2. 696 .312 2. 102 .044 Ownership .475 .178 .401 2. 672 .012 Disclosure .971 .906 .159 1. 072 .292 PROF -. 315 .346 -. 134 -. 911 .369 -38. 586 20. 831 -1. 852 .073 Board 5. 185 2. 637 .285 1. 967 .058 Ownership .466 .177 .393 2. 630 .013 Disclosure 1. 113 .890 .182 1. 251 .220 (Constant) -35. 046 20. 814 -1. 684 .102 Board 5. 196 2. 659 .286 1. 954 .059 Ownership 4 .519 .173 .438 2. 990 .005 21. 252 5. 721 2. 752 .474 Disclosure 3 -39. 090 Ownership 2 Std. Error Board 1 B (Constant) (Constant) (Constant) a. Dependent Variable: Lev 31 Beta

Pipeline Inspection at Petronet, South Africa The WritePass Journal

Pipeline Inspection at Petronet, South Africa Introduction Pipeline Inspection at Petronet, South Africa Introduction1. Background2. Description3. Possibilities Of Failure3.1. Weld Defects3.2. Incomplete Fusion3.3. Internal Corrosion3.4. External Corrosion3.5. Mechanical Damage3.6. Fatigue Crack           3.7.   Material Defects3.8. Weld Cracks3.9. Hydrogen Blistering4. Inspection5. Results6. Conclusions7. Recommendation7.1. Short Term Solution7.2. Long Term Solution7.3. Prevention of Lack of Fusion  ReferencesRelated Introduction Petronet, a local company that transports natural gas through underground pipelines across South Africa, had approached MA2K Testing Labs to conduct an investigation on a leakage on the pipeline, which was found during a random leak inspection. The Pipeline operates from Johannesburg to Potchefstroom. Upon inspection a joint was singled out as being a major source of leakage. The affected area was joined using a butt weld and reinforced with a clamp. This section was dissected and inspection revealed that the leakage was due to incomplete fusion in the weld which initiated the formation of hook cracks and cavities in the parent material directly adjacent to the weld. External stresses from the environment may have accelerated the growth of the cavities and cracks yet the clamp increased the strength of the joint aiding in the prevention of any accelerated growths of the defects. As a short term solution it is advised to replace the damaged section with a new pipe. It must be correctly welded of the same material and as an added precaution to weld an additional sleeve over the newly joined and welded section. As a long term solution it is advised to replace the entire pipeline with a new combination of materials. 1. Background Petronet, a leading company in South Africa which transports natural gas through underground pipelines conducted a random leak inspection survey on one of their pipelines operating from Johannesburg to Potchefstroom, and it was discovered that there was a gas leak at the specific joint. The pipe carries natural gas and it is imperative that the leak should be fixed, due to the volatile nature of gas as well as the loss of resource, in turn profits. The systems comprised of numerous seamless pipes and connected using a butt weld; these joints were reinforced by clamps bolted on. MA2K Testing Labs had been approached by Petronet, to inspect the leakage and was employed to identify the true cause of failure and as well as make many suitable recommendations for the repair and prevention of malfunction of the joint. The pipeline was effective since the 20th February 1995; this put the pipeline age in the region of 15 years. Figure 2.1 (Below) was taken on site 2. Description The defective section of the pipe, including the clamp was then marked, cut out and removed from the site for further inspection and analysis. The inspection and analysis was carried out in MA2K Testing Labs in Durban. Two grade A 106 GR.B SCH40 seamless pipes with outside diameters of 168.3mm and wall thickness of 9mm were butt welded end to end. A butt weld consists of the two pipes heated to a proper fusion temperature then joined by means of force. The joint was further secured by a clamp. The operating internal gas pressure was 2620 kPa (380 psi). Chemical composition of the pipe: Element C Si Mn P S Cr Mo Cu Ni V % ≠¤ 0.30 ≠¤ 0.10 0.291.06 ≠¤0.035 ≠¤0.035 ≠¤0.40 ≠¤0.15 ≠¤0.40 ≠¤0.40 ≠¤0.08 3. Possibilities Of Failure 3.1. Weld Defects Penetration is poor at the start of welding Ensure the grades of pipes are constant to optimize bonding strength Poor quality welds caused by  Inaccurate timing Incorrect temperature Incorrect pressure applied Failure due to fatigue (welding lowers fatigue strength)   Fusion did not occur between weld metal and fusion faces. Incomplete penetration Weld metal does not extend through the joint thickness Exposed to water and contaminants in the gas, such as O2, H2S, CO2, or chlorides. A particular gas composition may cause corrosion under some operating conditions Oxygen content (oxidizing salts) Passing through soils of different mineral content Contact of different metals, particularly at valves (galvanic corrosion) Normally consists of gouges and dents. Generally created by excavation or handling equipment during construction. Results from cyclic stresses that are below the ultimate tensile stress, or even the yield stress of the material. 3.2. Incomplete Fusion 3.3. Internal Corrosion 3.4. External Corrosion 3.5. Mechanical Damage 3.6. Fatigue Crack            3.7.   Material Defects Material defects are unwanted contaminants at the melting of steel, the steel forming or the heat treating. Furthermore faults can occur by improper storage or processing. Material defects can appear in different forms. Example of various defects mentioned below :                              Ã‚  Non-metallic inclusions                               bad microstructure                               surface corrosion                               mechanical damage                               surface defect 3.8. Weld Cracks Refers to fracture of weld caused as a result of poor parts fit-up, rapid cooling, and localized stresses exceed the ultimate strength of the metal etc. Examples of weld cracks :                                 Arc   Cracks                               Longitudinal Crack                               Transverse Crack                               Crater Crack                               Throat Crack                               Toe Crack                               Root Crack                               Hot Crack                              Cold Crack                              Hook Crack 3.9. Hydrogen Blistering A type of hydrogen-induced failure produced when hydrogen atoms enter low-strength steels that have macroscopic defects, such as laminations 4. Inspection The clamp was removed for further inspection of the weld join. The removal of the clamp was done under supervision by National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). The pipe surface was required to be cleaned. An acetone solution was used. Liquid Penetrant examination was performed on the weld area of the pipe. Surface discontinuities were visible on the bottom of the pipe. All examinations and analysis was carried out by MA2K Testing Labs. Through inspection it was deduced that a Butt weld was used to join the pipe line and macrostructure images revealed that there were defects on the welded area. Namely weld cracks, improper penetration and incomplete fusion.   Cavities were discovered near/adjacent to the welded section of the pipe material. Surface discontinuities were made visible by the Liquid Penetrant examination. These results further justify the suspicion that there was an improper weld process conducted on the joins of the pipeline and thus the cause of the gas leak. Cavities are visible in the pipe walls. This may be caused by vacancies in the material join in the weld. The extracted sample was investigated by method of etching. A Nital solution was used to etch the pipe material. Nital is a solution of alcohol and nitric acid commonly used for routine etching of metals. It is especially suitable for revealing the microstructure of carbon steels. The alcohol can be methanol, ethanol or methylated spirits. By viewing the etched sample under a Scanning Electron Microscope it was revealed that there was an overlap of material and as a result, it was discovered that there is an irregularity or there is a non-uniform overlap or join of material. This could cause a weakness in the join due to variants in material or state of the material. The non-uniform joint of material gives weak point on the structure of the pipeline and thus resulted in a leak. Arrows on figure 5.3 clearly indicate all the weld areas, the heat affected zones and the pipe parent material. 5. Results Before the pipe was sectioned for detailed examination, a radiographic examination was performed on the premises of MA2K Testing Labs. The following image was revealed on the radiographic film. The radiograph picture shows the microstructure of the material and identifies the weld overlap with the parent material. There are clear indications of variant material or states which cause weakness in the join when added stress is applied. There are cut out root cavities visible in the radiograph which could be the cause of leakage in the pipeline. Figure 6.2: Radiograph Of Material In figure 6.3 below: The longitudinal cross section of the pipe showed the weld structure inside the pipeline. This revealed defects in the weld structure and cavities in the wall of the pipeline and a clear indication of the crack and fracture lines that could cause a leak in the pipeline. These defects occurred in the joining of the pipe and together with possible external stresses that act on it due to the environment, no corrosion had occurred and pipe was designed to withstand pressure of the gas within the pipe. Longitudinal samples were taken from the extracted piece. Cuts were made across the weld line, to define the differences in the material used in the weld and the parent material. The two cross sections through the wall thickness of the pipe was polished and etched with Nital. The one macroscopic image (Figure 6.4) revealed a clear leakage path through the wall thickness of the pipe. This shows that there was a weakness in the join between the weld material and the parent material. Further fracture and strain caused the weld to split at the join between the weld material and the parent material. Figure 6.5 shows that there was a lack of side wall fusion in the pipe and that there was another weld bead on the left, this had been made to try to fill the vacancies produced from the lack of fusion. 6. Conclusions After thorough investigation of the defective area of the pipe it was found that the leakage was due to improper weld process and lack of fusion, lack of fusion causes cavities. Cavities form cracks over a period of time. Due to this hook cracks were formed and leakage had occurred. Therefore, the components used contain no post installation defects as there was no internal or external corrosion to the material. The design of the material is suited to the environment as it was able to withstand cyclic loading, fatigue stresses and no signs of hydrogen blistering was present on the material. Mechanical damage may have aided or accelerated the growth of the crack size. The clamp made detecting the source of the leak more difficult and may have helped in the prevention or retarded the rate in which the cracks had grown. The condition of the pipe or clamp base steel compositions or microstructures was as expected for the working life of the system.   No softening was found associated w ith the weld and pipe Heat Affected Zone. 7. Recommendation 7.1. Short Term Solution As a short term solution it is advised to replace the damaged section with a new pipe. It must be correctly welded of the same material and as an added precaution to weld an additional sleeve over the newly joined and welded section. This may suffice for the next 10 years 7.2. Long Term Solution As a long term solution it is advised to replace the entire pipeline with a new combination of materials as per Petroleum Bulk Storage Regulations, the requirement is that all new underground pipelines be as follows: v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pipes must be either constructed of a non-corrodible material such as fiberglass reinforced plastic, nylon or engineered thermo-plastic, or metal such as steel with a cathodic protection system designed to protect it for 30 years. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pipes may be in single or double-walled construction v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Access ports must be installed to permit tightness testing; v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Installation must be in accordance with recognized engineering practices v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pipes and joints must be tightness tested before being covered and placed in. To reduce downtime and loss of profits, the new pipeline may be installed next to the existing pipeline and until completion will be ineffective. Thereafter the new pipeline will replace the old with minimal downtime. This is another advantage of laying down a new pipeline. 7.3. Prevention of Lack of Fusion v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surface should be machined/ground smooth to avoid minute discontinuities. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ensure welding current is sufficient. v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Weld arcs should not be longer than the pipe diameter v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The â€Å"V† angle should not exceed 7 degrees v  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The strip width should be appropriate and consistent for the diameter of the pipe   References Alibaba.com, 1999. Sourcing Products And Suppliers (Carbon Steel Piping: ASTM A106 GR.B). (Updated 01 April 2011) Available at: alibaba.com/product-gs/258930670/ASTM_A106_GR_B.html. [Accessed 24 April 2011] Jernberg, John (1919), Forging, American Technical Society (Updated 29 April 2007) Available at: http://books.google.com/books?id=-ksxAAAAMAAJpg=PA26 [Accessed 24 April 2011]

Free Essays on The Great Gatsby Jay

The greatness of an individual can be defined in terms far beyond tangible accomplishments. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby’s greatness comes from his need to experience success and his will to achieve his dreams. Nick Carraway narrates the story, and his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, is Gatsby’s love. Daisy, however, is married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy, arrogant womanizer who despises Gatsby. Gatsby feels the need to be successful and wealthy, and his participation in a bootlegging operation allows him to acquire the wealth and social status needed to attract Daisy. In his narration, Nick focuses on Gatsby’s fixation of Daisy and how he longs for her presence in his life. Gatsby’s greatness comes from his power to dream, his competence in turning dreams into reality, and his absolute love for Daisy. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby uses his dreams as motivation for his existence. Fitzgerald uses wealth and social status to define Gatsby’s character, which is exemplified by his lavish parties and the dignitaries who attend them. In his formative years, Gatsby was employed by a wealthy yachtsman, Dan Cody. It is from Cody that Gatsby develops his appreciation for wealth. â€Å"To young Gatz, resting on his oars, looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world† (Fitzgerald 106). Fitzgerald uses this quote to mark the point at which Gatsby encounters wealth and power for the first time, and also, he uses it to symbolize Gatsby’s social standing and economic status. By comparing Gatsby’s rowboat with the luxurious yacht of Cody’s, Fitzgerald presents the idea that money and power translate into bigger and better things. The event is symbolic in that it illustrates Gatsby’s perception that wealth is a necessity. By saying that he was â€Å"looking up† to â€Å"all the beauty and glamour in the world,† Fitzgerald make... Free Essays on The Great Gatsby Jay Free Essays on The Great Gatsby Jay The greatness of an individual can be defined in terms far beyond tangible accomplishments. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby’s greatness comes from his need to experience success and his will to achieve his dreams. Nick Carraway narrates the story, and his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, is Gatsby’s love. Daisy, however, is married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy, arrogant womanizer who despises Gatsby. Gatsby feels the need to be successful and wealthy, and his participation in a bootlegging operation allows him to acquire the wealth and social status needed to attract Daisy. In his narration, Nick focuses on Gatsby’s fixation of Daisy and how he longs for her presence in his life. Gatsby’s greatness comes from his power to dream, his competence in turning dreams into reality, and his absolute love for Daisy. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby uses his dreams as motivation for his existence. Fitzgerald uses wealth and social status to define Gatsby’s character, which is exemplified by his lavish parties and the dignitaries who attend them. In his formative years, Gatsby was employed by a wealthy yachtsman, Dan Cody. It is from Cody that Gatsby develops his appreciation for wealth. â€Å"To young Gatz, resting on his oars, looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world† (Fitzgerald 106). Fitzgerald uses this quote to mark the point at which Gatsby encounters wealth and power for the first time, and also, he uses it to symbolize Gatsby’s social standing and economic status. By comparing Gatsby’s rowboat with the luxurious yacht of Cody’s, Fitzgerald presents the idea that money and power translate into bigger and better things. The event is symbolic in that it illustrates Gatsby’s perception that wealth is a necessity. By saying that he was â€Å"looking up† to â€Å"all the beauty and glamour in the world,† Fitzgerald make...

A Review of the Movies City of God, Gueros and Wadjda

A Review of the Movies City of God, Gueros and Wadjda City of God, Geros, and Wadjda can be described as the movies of the season. The videos present real-life situations, capturing the attention of their audience and changing their view of the societal norms and practices. Although the movies were written and produced by different people, they nevertheless contain individual physical, social, and cultural aspects that may or may not be the same. In each movie, there is a main character whose decisions and actions are influenced by the environment, societal and cultural beliefs. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to describe the similarities and differences in the physical, social, and cultural factors in the films that influence the decisions of the main characters. Physical Differences In Wadjda, the leading actor is Wadjda, rebellious young lady who has her beliefs on how the universe should run. She is affected by three physical factors. First is her desire of own a bicycle. Her environment does not accept a woman to ride a bike. However, as a child, Wadjda has always wanted to ride one. She has seen a beautiful bike a nearby shop and intended to buy it. Her desire causes her to join the school music festival hoping she would win and get the money she needs to by the bicycle. This is a secret she keeps to herself. Secondly, Wadjda is influenced by the school, where she meets people from different backgrounds with different beliefs. She learns about freedom, and she wants to extend the same in her surrounding. Finally, Wadjda does not like the dressing code. Women in her society have to cover their faces and hair. Wadjda, however, does the opposite and leaves her face and hair exposed. In the City of God, the main character, Alexandre Rodrigues, or Rocket, is influenced by two factors. First, he does not like the dirty city. Rocket was born and raised in the slum. All his life he has witnessed the unhygienic state of his home. When he becomes of age, he decides to join the gang and move out of the dirty slum life. Again, his decisions are affected by the people around him. While growing up, the only ones around him were criminals who were part of gangs. He grows up knowing that there is the only way to go. He later joins a band although he was not good at it. Finally, the main character in Geros is influenced by the desire to do things his way for a better life. For instance, when he goes to visit his college brother in New York and finds them living in a small, filthy room with no power, he wonders why they have not yet stricken. According to him, the strike would be the only way to push the administration to ensure students welfare is attended to properly. Social Differences Although the society prevents girls from befriending boys, Wadjda respects and values friendship and has no problem befriending the boy next door. She believes people from both sexes should be allowed to be friends. Additionally, she listens and watches western music that gives her more exposure to the world, and she learns it is not bad to own a bicycle. Violence and gangster life influence Rocket, on the other hand. In his society, being part of a gang is the only means of livelihood available. One has to join a group to earn income for the family. This forced Rocket to be part of a gang although he did not like it. Finally, Geros is affected by poverty and his will for freedom. He opposes everything that reduces human dignity. He also makes quick and irrational decisions some of which land him in trouble. His mother sends him to New York after she could not tolerate him anymore. There, he mobilized students, and they engage in a strike demanding for better housing conditions. Cultural Differences Wadjda does not like her cultural beliefs. The fact that women have not say in the society annoys her. Her teacher claims she a stubborn girl because she opposes some things she does not like. She also forced to watch her mother suffer in her fathers hands. The girls religion also demands that women should not walk without guardians even when they are married. Wadjda opposes this walking alone admiring the city. Rocket, however, is influenced by the slum life his surrounding is living in. Their culture is that of poverty, and people are forced into criminal acts to make ends meet. Rocket has no choice but to follow suit. He, however, moves out of the slum and finds a good place to stay. Lastly, Geros is influenced by political radicalism and the need for social change. He seems to oppose the authority and demands them to perform their duties. Even his mother gets tired of him and sends him to New York. In New York, he becomes one of the ring leaders organizing strikes and demonstrations. Physical, Social, and Cultural Similarities Physically, all the movies are set in the modern society. Wadjda can access and watch videos. She has also seen and liked a bicycle and intends to buy it. In the same way, Rocket is born and raised in a slum. Slums are familiar in the main cities where people in the lowest social class live. They are usually dirty, and gangsters are very many. Geros is also exposed to the town of New York, which is one of the largest cities in the United States. Together with other youths, they engage in strikes to improve the condition of people living in the city. Socially, freedom fights and violence are common in all the three movies. Wadjda wants to buy the bicycle because it represents her freedom. Rocket joins gang life as he wants a better life that enables him to move out of the dirty life. Geros also engages people in strikes in the quest for freedom and better living conditions. Finally, poverty is a cultural phenomenon that drives all the main characters in the films. Wadjda cannot afford the bicycle; and thus, she is forced to join the music competition. Rocket is a gang because his family is poor. They are also living in a slum. Geros and his brother are also poor. They live in a dirty little room without electricity. In conclusion, the three movies are the true presentation of the modern societies and the challenges that people experience in their daily lives. They give pictures of how people are forced to make hard decisions as they attempt to make their lives better and easy.