Why Should Huck Finn Be Banned Essay - 1485 Words

Why Should Huck Finn Be Banned? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel by Mark Twain, has been controversial since it hit the shelves on its release. The novel had ideals of racism, slavery, tricks, and societal wake up calls that was a smack in the face to readers. This novel has been fought now and again to be censored, or to be banned altogether from public high school reading lists. Huck Finn is a novel in which the reader doesn’t have to look very far below the surface to see the message and proofs it brought to the surface. The word choice, character traits, and plot line are all factors that made Huck Finn what is considered the greatest fiction novel in American writing. Ernest Hemingway, author of The Great Gatsby and other major literary works, said, â€Å"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. The novel was written to shock people, and that is exactly what it did. Censoring or banning this novel would be takin g away a piece of American culture and taking away meaning from the purpose of the novel. Huck Finn should be encouraged in high schools, as written, and taught to show the meaning and influence this novel had on people at the time it was written. Early arguments for the banning of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that the novel was â€Å"trash† on grounds of literary merit, racial, social, and economic class. The Concord Massachusetts, public library called it, â€Å"Trash of the veriest sort.† Critics didn’tShow MoreRelatedBanning The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain in Schools1030 Words   |  5 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain might seem like a good book to have high school students read since it’s about a boy named Huckleberry Finn and his adventures through his life by dealing with the struggles that he has or when he finds a runaway slave, named Jim, who is on an island trying to stay hidden s o he will not be sold as a slave. Throughout the novel the reader will see that Huck has an adventurous personality, comes to find out who is father is and tries to helpRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain Essay1055 Words   |  5 PagesJhonatan Zambrano Mrs. Patmor AP Lit-Period 5 28 September 2016 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1835 Mark Twain embodies realism in almost every aspect of his writing not excluding The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which in he portrays such a lifelike setting that it almost gives you this sense of reality through the point of view of a young man that has an urge for freedom yet struggles to conform to society s norms due to his adolescence. Twain s ability to unmask the true identities of theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1648 Words   |  7 Pagesof Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, developed into one of the most controversial books in America. The basis of this controversy can be summarized briefly for it was the use of racial slur and issues of slavery that caused tension in our society. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned for the first time one month after its publication. â€Å"â€Å"Not suitable for trash† was the opinion of the Concord, Massachusetts, librarians who banned it in 1885.† (PENRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1542 Words   |  7 Pages Over the last 130 years â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† has been called everything from a piece of trash to a national treasure. Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Clemens wrote â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.† Only one month after it was published, librarians in Concord, Massachusetts had it banned. â€Å"He has had his problems with librarians from the start when, in 1885, â€Å"those moral-ice-bergs,† the Library Committee of Concord−symbolic seat of freedom−pronounced the book rough, coarseRead MoreHuckleberry Finn and the use of Satire Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pages Huck Finn and the use of Satire Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been controversial ever since its release in 1884. It has been called everything from the root of modern American literature to a piece of racist trash. Many scholars have argued about Huck Finn being prejudiced. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses satire to mock many different aspects of the modern world. Despite the fact that many critics have accused Mark Twain’s novel of promoting racismRead MoreThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a significant book in the history of American literature that presents readers with the truth of our past American society in aspects such as speech, mannerisms, and tradition that we must embrace rather than dismiss by censorship. It is a novel that has been praised and proclaimed America’s â€Å"first indigenous literary masterpiece† (Walter Dean Howells) as well as one that has been criticized and declared obscene. It hasRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Despite being banned in many public schools, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has been cherished throughout American society for many decades due to the it’s clever characters, absorbing storytelling, and engaging plotline. There are three reasons in which I am led to believe that it is the quintessential American classic novel; these three reasons include the explicit detail of racial differences during this time frame, the faultless self vs. self conflictRead MoreThe Value Of Challenged Literature1389 Words   |  6 Pagesworld situations is only hurting them in the long run. For Huck Finn in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, growing up in times of racial injustice allows readers to see the value of not ignoring history’s real world problems and how they are portrayed in controversial American literature. â€Å"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn†, one of most commonly banned books, is about a young boy named Huck who befriends a black man named Jim and together run awayRead MoreHuckleberry Finn Should Be Banned Essay1603 Words   |  7 Pageswith The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shortly after being published. Huckleberry Finn was first published in January of 1885 and only two months later in March of 1885 the book was banned. The problem first with the book was it was too friendly toward African Americans and believed to lead children astray from certain values. Now over 100 years later â€Å"Huckleberry Finn is still making news† (Pitts). Now in the 21th century we have a problem with Huckleberry Finn not because of kindness to AfricanRead MoreThe Use of the Word - Nigger - in Twains Novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1238 Words   |  5 Pages Since 1884, when the book was first published, there has been much controversy regarding the use of the word â€Å"nigg er† in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Many people all over the world, predominantly the African-American population, feel that the word demoralizes the Blacks, and feel that the novel should be strongly censored from society. Some say that the constant use of the â€Å"n-word† forces the reader to conceive one of the main characters, Jim (Huck’s slave friend)

Autism Spectrum Disorder And Genetics - 1437 Words

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Genetics ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder and since the early 1900’s; it has been a mystery to many researchers and psychologists. Autism is usually noticed in the first three years of life but there are many theories on which it comes about. Before the 1940s, children who showed signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder were labeled schizophrenic, emotionally disturbed, and psychotic (Kartemquin, 2008). Not until about 1943 did Leo Kranner give a clear definition for autism, by writing Autistic Disturbances of Effective Contact, describing his research of autism cases. The paper descriptively addresses the behaviors of the children, describing them as self- satisfied, showing no apparent affection for others, oblivious to their surroundings as if they live within themselves (Kranner, 1943). From this, many other scientists like Bruno Bettelheim pinpointed the main cause of autism as psychodynamic; meaning the mothers of autistic children were the r oot cause (PBS, 2002). This became known as the â€Å"Refrigerator Mother Theory.† Bettelheim stated that children with autism have an emotional disorder developed from psychological distress brought upon by their mothers (PBS, 2002). Previously, Bettelheim spent ten months in a Nazi concentration camp and wrote his book The Empty Fortress: Infantile Autism and the Birth of the Self. He stated his experience paralleled the experiences of autistic children, as if their parents were Nazi prison guards wantingShow MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder : A Genetic Disorder2166 Words   |  9 PagesRFT(W) 12 Professor Raths Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Autism, is a genetic disorder that now affects approximately one in sixty-eight children. 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Thus, relinquishing the word â€Å"autism† from its connection to schizophreniaRead MoreEthical Implications Of Mandatory Genetic Testing For Autism Spectrum Disorders2398 Words   |  10 PagesImplications of Mandatory Genetic Testing for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children For most of the 20th century, scientists were not equipped with the technology while parents were not fully aware of the social, behavioral, and communicative challenges associated with children having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Abnormal symptoms, ranging from repetitive behaviors to developmental and social disabilities, were previously diagnosed as other neurological or psychological disorders such as schizophreniaRead MoreGenetic And Epigenetic Influences On Autism Spectrum Disorders : A Role For The Methyl1619 Words   |  7 PagesGenetic and epigenetic influences in autism spectrum disorders: A role for the methyl CpG-binding protein in Rett syndrome. The genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) rarely display a Mendelian mode of inheritance, and can result from a single rare gene mutation, more common variations in single nucleotide polymorphisms, or often a combination of these two factors in conjunction with environmental influences [1]. In contrast, epigenetic mechanisms are heritable changes in gene expressionRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder1493 Words   |  6 PagesAutistic spectrum disorder is caused not only by environmental factors but also by genetic inheritability. This disorder can range from mild to severe and is shown in many different forms. Symptoms include speech impairment, disorganized language; sensory processing disorder which causes absent responses, sleep disorders, depression and anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and many more. 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Earnings Management and True and Fair View of Financial Accounts

Question: Discuss About Earnings Management and True and Fair View of Financial Accounts ? Answer: Introduction The question of validity, reliability, and relevance of financial reports to the business community has since been a concern to many parties. The widespread use of the reports by the management team and the business community at large has necessitated the need for reliable financial reports which depict a truthful and reliable view of the financial position and status of the businesses[1]. The reports are used as a measure of the activities and performance of the business entities as well as making informed decisions and strategies of developing the plans and investment decisions. Different approaches have been used by managers, where a number of tools have been employed to ensure that financial accounts reflect the actual financial position. Among these is the tool of earnings management, research has shown that this tool has been commonly used by managers in reporting the financial position and performance of their business entities. The underlying question is whether or not earnings management can be relied upon as a measure of truth and fairness of financial performance of businesses[2]. The study will, therefore, provide findings from research which will bring us to the agreement or disagreement of the research statement that earnings management is a necessary tool to ensure that financial accounts reflect the actual performance of the business. Financial accounts of any business entity shows its value or the extent to which the business or company has engaged in activities which add value to the business. These can be defined as the earnings of the company. In most case, the theoretical value of any companys stock research has shown that it presents the companys present value of its future value[3]. It is then used in direct resource allocation in capital markets. An increase in earnings of a company in most cases translates to an equal increase in companys value, while a decrease shows a decrease in the value of worthiness of a company. Earnings management can, therefore, be described as the practice of using accounting techniques by business managers in providing financial reports that present the expected true view of the activities the company activities as well as its financial position. The relevance of earnings management (EM) as a reflective tool of truthfulness and fairness in financial reporting is also affected by unethical pro-organizational behaviors. Research has provided that such behavior is socially unacceptable and in most cases, it is always driven by an individual desire to promote the companys interest at the expense of the interest of other external parties[4]. The behavior is common among accountant professionals who may experience pressure and end up altering financial accounting numbers with the intent of meeting specifically targeted earnings. The common belief in them is a misguided ideology that a morally questionable behavior is in a way acceptable as long as it acts to the benefit of the company. For example, the management team of a company may set some target goals for the annual earnings of the company. At the event that these goals or targets are not achieved, the accountant may experience some form of ethical pressure; the chances are th at they will adapt to themselves to believe that they should always protect the image and interest of their companies at the expense of consequences to external stakeholders. Other scholars have defined the term as a management decision-making process which is reasonable and legal and intends to achieve stable and predictable financial results[5]. Lastly, it can be defined as managers choice to treat accounting reports as either economically efficient or opportunistic in nature. In his findings, accounting techniques are said to be economically efficient if they maximize a firm's value and opportunistic in nature when it fails to realize or achieve a maximum value of the firm. Research has provided that, earnings management can only be achieved by the management decisions and actions that make it easier to achieve a company growth through increased earnings[6]. The decisions and actions are based on the accounting choices (GAAP) and the operating decisions which are also known as the economic earnings management. The system of earnings management has been criticized and found to reduce the transparency of financial report whereby, the GAAP has been fouled of permitting many accounting choices which require a lot of estimations and thereby providing room for opportunistic earnings management. Secondly, research has found that since most companies assume the use of innumerable operating and accounting choices, there is a likelihood of engagement in some form of earnings management mostly by default if not for an active choice[7]. Earnings management has also been mistaken by many as fraud activities. It is, therefore, important for the users of financial data and reports to distinguish between earnings management and fraud issues of the business. A report published by the National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (NACFE), defined as the omission and misstatements of material facts and accounting data or information and in most case its deliberate and intentional[8]. The information then becomes unreliable and misleading to the users and interferes with their decision making processes or their judgments. Earnings management is hence viewed as legal while financial fraud if illegal and anyone caught of fraud activities is guilty of the offense. The most key element of financial fraud, according to research has been found to be the intent to deceive. It is carried out for personal gain which can be through direct means or indirect employment terms. For example, when an individual manipulates accounts wit h the intention of receiving a higher bonus during the sharing of dividends is a form of direct fraud. In circumstances where an individual manipulates or distorts financial information with the intent of maintaining a career path usually associated with managers who receive pressures from their partners may be termed as an indirect form of financial fraud.Research has found that a manager may adopt or use specific earnings management tools with the intent of manipulating earnings by the principle of relative cost-benefit advantage over the earnings management[9]. The evidence has been based on the fact that managers can only change the priority of earnings strategies but cannot eliminate any available earnings management. He concludes further to denote that in his case study of Taiwan, that earnings management and its prevalence to business ethical, legitimacy and moral issues. He also cautions the users of financial data and information that in most cases earnings management reflects the interests of the management and not the general and true performance of the business activities. In achieving their interests, managers commonly employ the use of discretionary accrual analysis, manipulation of operational activities which at times is a resultant of pressure from affiliated parties such as the shareholders, creditors, etc. as well as their attitudes and beliefs[10]. In most cases, the abnormal accruals may end up attracting scrutiny, and therefore it is not commonly used. Managers are said to commonly employ the strategy of real earnings management (EM), as it is possible to detect any miss-valuations in financial statements. Research also provides that altering the normal operations by the managers and subordinate executives with the intent of meeting a particular accounting target or goals is considered to be sub-optimal and it ultimately erodes the firms value. The financial crisis facing the economy is also a key factor in the examination of earnings management. Research has shown that during the financial crisis, the levels of earnings management a low[11]. It is observable that during the financial crisis the demand for high financial reporting and audit quality are very high. The underlying reasons for this trend or behavior are because during this crisis there is increased monitoring from the auditors as compared to when there are favorable economic conditions. It may also be as a resultant of the existing relationship between the quality of audit reports and the conditional conservative nature of the business. Research has shown that the most basic and fundamental push factors of earnings management are resultant of the excess pressure on the management CEOs of the companys to deliver set goals as compared to the pressure on other company executives who are driven by the long-term goal[12]. In this case, the executives may not sacrifice their long-term ambitions to achieve short term goals. The performance of the internal board of governance of any company or business entity, therefore, depends on the extent to which key company executives influence the CEOs[13]. The findings of the research stated that the longer the horizon of relationships between the CEOs and the subordinate executives, the greater the relative compensation (RC). The more dependable the internal governance is, the lesser the extent of real earnings management (REM). Hence the likelihood of manipulation of financial data and accounts by the CEOs will also depend on the internal governance of the company. Decision making has been greatly affected as well as earnings management increasing in cases of family-controlled companies. Research has provided that independence of the management board is a very important tool in earnings management. And the lack of board independence affects the validity of financial reports. It is evidenced by the existence of enabling environments of less functioning systems of control creates more loopholes for management to engage in illegal activities and alteration of accounting information. The board forms part of the internal control environment and its responsible for establishing other control systems within the company. The family-controlled companies exert pressure to the CEOs and managers with motives of achieving certain goals which increase the rates of earning management. But research shows that a more independent board is expected to reduce accounting manipulation and improve the reliability of financial reports. Another issue of primary concern in earnings management is the ethical climate surrounding decision making. Research has provided that the ethical climate of any organization depicts the attitudes and behaviors of management[14]. Research has therefore categorized these management ethical climates into; egoistic climates, principled climatesand benevolent climates. The egoistic climate is said to focus on the self-interest and self-interest maximizing behaviors. Therefore managers will tend to make decisions based on the principles of relative maximum advantage which increase the tendencies of earnings management. On the other hand, benevolent climate shifts its focus on fulfilling the wishes of the parties involved or what is best for the parties under consideration[15]. Therefore in most case, their management decisions will be based on the interest of the parties involved, which also increases the tendencies of earnings management. Lastly, the principled climate which has been reg arded as the best ethical climate centers its decision making principles on following the rules, laws and professional codes of conduct. This entails preparing reports based on the internal company rules and regulations[16]. Research has been done to promote the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in making management decisions rather than relying on the criticized system of earnings management. Companies can, therefore, support its business environment and society in general by developing environmental protection systems and policies. It can achieve by a developing a plan action which promotes relations with their clients. Research has also provided that corporate social responsibility is more appreciated in society as it generates positive externality in operations of the company by going above and beyond legal requirements. It is also proposed that corporate social responsibility does not only focus on the companys stakeholders needs but also lays more emphasis on the principles coherent with some socially accepted and constructed systems of norms, values, and beliefs. Lastly, a positive corporate social responsibility strategy has been argued to promote a climate of legitimacy and support am ong decision-makers, regulators, and stakeholders. The above case of corporate social responsibility minimizes the chances of increased earnings management. The study also aims at providing a relevant published journal to the study. In this case we examine a report released by the International Management Institute in their annual global annual review. Their research conducted on 119 firms by the use of Generalized Least Square and all the companies were listed under the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) for the financial years of 2004 to 2011. The research found out that all the firms engaged in real earnings management activities and were found to engage in manipulation of the real financial data to give a report of higher earnings which consequently lead to worse financial position in the future. They argue that earnings management always seems helpful in the current situation but in the long run creates great problems. It also provides that the firms earnings are manipulated by the managers with the intention of showing a firms good performance in the current period of the business operations. The last aspect in this study that affects the validity of earnings management in presenting a more viable and reliable view of financial reports is the moral judgment of the managers. The moral judgment presents a certain descriptive and prescriptive valuing of the obligatory or rightful decision-making[17]. Moral judgment, in this case, is assumed to deal with duties rather than personal preferences. If a manager is obligated by his roles to perform a certain duty, it is such guidelines which should guide him or her in making decision whenever presented with a financial situation which needs his or her consent. Research has also provided that people tend to exhibit a stronger preference for cooperative strategies. This is why accountants can easily manipulate financial accounts when they work as a corporate without the thought of moral judgment in their decision. Accounting numbers are therefore shaped both collective and individual culture across the world. Research has shown that management culture influences both individual moral judgment and behavior of corporate groups and hence the general corporate governance[18]. Conclusion The research above has present several cases concerning the reliability of the earnings management. From the arguments presented, it disagrees with the statement of our study that earnings management is a necessary business tool to ensure financial accounts reflect the actual financial positionand of the company. The concept of true and fair view (TFV) requires that all financial statement and reports prepared by any company should reflect a true and fair view of the companys performance and position. When such standards are achieved, then the financial institutions and firms can be trusted by both internal and external parties in a business environment. It also boosts investors confidence with the companies. Earnings management, in my opinion, cannot be a replica of truthfulness and fairness in financial reporting for the financial accounts of companies as it is subject to manipulations both by internal parties which include the management and the external business environments with the intent of achieving certain short-term goals especially by the CEOs of the company. References Ahmed, Helaluddin, and Md. Azim. 2015. "Earnings Management Behavior: A Study on the Cement Industry of Bangladesh." International Journal Of Management, Accounting Economics 2, no. 4: 264-276. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017) Alexander, David, and Eva Eberhartinger. 2009. "The True and Fair View in the European Union." European Accounting Review 18, no. 3: 571-594. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Chen, Ching-Lung, Su-Hui Huang, and Hung-ShuFan."Complementary association between real activities and accruals-based manipulation in earnings reporting."JournalOf Economic Policy Reform 15, no. 2 (June 2012): 93-108. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Commerford, Benjamin P., Dana R. Hermanson, Richard W. Houston, and Michael F. Peters. 2016. "Real Earnings Management: A Threat to Auditor Comfort?." Auditing: A Journal Of Practice Theory 35, no. 4: 39-56. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Dhole, Sandip, HariomManchiraju, and Inho Suk. 2016. "CEO Inside Debt and Earnings Management." Journal Of Accounting, Auditing Finance 31, no. 4: 515-550. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Kothari, S. P., Natalie Mizik, and SugataRoychowdhury. 2016. "Managing for the Moment: The Role of Earnings Management via Real Activities versus Accruals in SEO Valuation." Accounting Review 91, no. 2: 559-586.Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Martnez-Ferrero, Jennifer1, andGarca-Snchez. 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility as a Strategic Shield Against Costs of Earnings Management Practices." Journal Of Business Ethics 133, no. 2: 305-324. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Medeiros Cupertino, Csar, Antonio Lopo Martinez, and Newton CarneiroAffonso da Costa Jr. 2016."Consequences for Future Return with Earnings Management through Real Operating Activities."RevistaContabilidadeFinanas - USP 27, no. 71: 232-242. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Naila, Tabassum, Ahmed Kaleem, and Mian S. Nazi, 2015. Real Earnings management and Future Performance. Business journal International Management, 126, no. 1: 43-60. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Prencipe, Annalisa, and Sasson Bar-Yosef. 2011. "Corporate Governance and Earnings Management in Family-Controlled Companies." Journal Of Accounting, Auditing Finance 26, no. 2: 199-227. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Qiang, Cheng, Lee Jimmy, and Terry Shevlin."Internal Governance and Real Earnings Management."Accounting Review 91, no. 4 (July 2016): 1051-1085. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Riccardo, G 2015. "How has the financial crisis affected earnings management? A European study."Applied Economics 47, no. 3: 302-317. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 2, 2017). Sawicki, Julia, and KeshabShrestha. 2014. "Misvaluation and Insider Trading Incentives for Accrual-based and Real Earnings Management." Journal Of Business Finance Accounting 41, no. 7/8: 926-949. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Shafer, William1, weshafer@ln.edu.hk. 2015. "Ethical Climate, Social Responsibility, and Earnings Management." Journal Of Business Ethics 126, no. 1: 43-60. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). Tian, Qing, and Dane K. Peterson. 2016. "The effects of Ethical Pressure and power distance orientation on unethical pro-organizational behavior: the case of earnings management." Business Ethics: A European Review 25, no. 2: 159-171. Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 2, 2017). Zhang, Xu1, 2013. "Individualism-Collectivism, Private Benefits of Control, and Earnings Management: A Cross-Culture Comparison." Journal Of Business Ethics 114, no. 4: 655-664. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson), EBSCOhost (accessed May 1, 2017). [1]Commerford, Benjamin P., Dana R. Hermanson, Richard W. Houston, and Michael F. Peters. 2016. "Real Earnings Management: A Threat to Auditor Comfort?." Auditing: A Journal Of Practice Theory 35, no. 4: 39-56. [2]Kothari, S. P., Natalie Mizik, and Sugata Roychowdhury. 2016. "Managing for the Moment: The Role of Earnings Management via Real Activities versus Accruals in SEO Valuation." Accounting Review 91, no. 2: 559-586. [3]Ahmed, Helaluddin, and Md. Azim. 2015. "Earnings Management Behavior: A Study on the Cement Industry of Bangladesh." International Journal Of Management, Accounting Economics 2, no. 4: 264-276. [4] Tian, Qing, and Dane K. Peterson. 2016. "The effects of Ethical Pressure and power distance orientation on unethical pro-organizational behavior: the case of earnings management." Business Ethics: A European Review 25, no. 2: 159-171. [5]Dhole, Sandip, HariomManchiraju, and Inho Suk. 2016. "CEO Inside Debt and Earnings Management." Journal Of Accounting, Auditing Finance 31, no. 4: 515-550. [6]Alexander, David, and Eva Eberhartinger. 2009. "The True and Fair View in the European Union." European Accounting Review 18, no. 3: 571-594. [7] Zhang, Xu1, 2013. "Individualism-Collectivism, Private Benefits of Control, and Earnings Management: A Cross-Culture Comparison." Journal Of Business Ethics 114, no. 4: 655-664. [8]Martnez-Ferrero, Jennifer1, and Garca-Snchez. 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility as a Strategic Shield Against Costs of Earnings Management Practices." Journal Of Business Ethics 133, no. 2: 305-324 [9] Shafer, William1, weshafer@ln.edu.hk. 2015. "Ethical Climate, Social Responsibility, and Earnings Management." Journal Of Business Ethics 126, no. 1: 43-60. [10]Prencipe, Annalisa, and Sasson Bar-Yosef. 2011. "Corporate Governance and Earnings Management in Family-Controlled Companies." Journal Of Accounting, Auditing Finance 26, no. 2: 199-227. [11] Riccardo, G 2015. "How has the financial crisis affected earnings management? A European study."Applied Economics 47, no. 3: 302-317 [12]Sawicki, Julia, and KeshabShrestha. 2014. "Misvaluation and Insider Trading Incentives for Accrual-based and Real Earnings Management." Journal Of Business Finance Accounting 41, no. 7/8: 926-949 [13]Qiang, Cheng, Lee Jimmy, and Terry Shevlin."Internal Governance and Real Earnings Management."Accounting Review 91, no. 4 (July 2016): 1051-1085. [14]Chen, Ching-Lung, Su-Hui Huang, and Hung-ShuFan."Complementary association between real activities and accruals-based manipulation in earnings reporting."JournalOf Economic Policy Reform 15, no. 2 (June 2012): 93-108. [15] Ibid. [16] Ibid., 5 [17] Ibid., 7 [18]Medeiros Cupertino, Csar, Antonio Lopo Martinez, and Newton CarneiroAffonso da Costa Jr. 2016."Consequences for Future Return with Earnings Management through Real Operating Activities."RevistaContabilidadeFinanas - USP 27, no. 71: 232-242.

Project Risk Management Roles and Responsibilities Essay Example

Project Risk Management Roles and Responsibilities Essay The benefits of risk management in projects are huge. You can gain a lot of money if you deal with uncertain project events in a proactive manner. The result will be that you minimize the impact of project threats and seize the opportunities that occur. This allows you to deliver your project on time, on budget and with the quality results your project sponsor demands. Also your team members will be much happier if they do not enter a fire fighting mode needed to repair the failures that could have been prevented. It is important to note that the roles and responsibilities must be documented and included in the original project plan. For all intents and purposes, project risk management can be seen as a project within a project or alternatively a sub-project of the project. Five separate roles can be defined for performing project risk management. We will write a custom essay sample on Project Risk Management Roles and Responsibilities specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Project Risk Management Roles and Responsibilities specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Project Risk Management Roles and Responsibilities specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These are: †¢ Project risk manager †¢ Project risk management team †¢ Project risk profile owners †¢ Project risk custodians †¢ Project team members It is important that the project manager and team leaders show their support for the effort and motivate team members to contribute . On many projects, reporting a risk is rewarded by making the same person the risk profile owner. Doing this sends a message to other members that reporting a risk will lead to more work. If possible, team members should rather be incentivized to report risks. Keyword:- Risk management procss, Risk management roles, Risk management responsibilities, Project Risk management culture. 1. INTRODUCTION There is no denying the importance of risk management on modern day projects . It has taught us that things do go wrong and that it is naive to think that everything will go according to the project plan. Both the PMBoK and the APMBoK have sections dedicated to the field of project risk management. There is also a significant amount of literature available on how to perform risk management on various kinds of projects across different industries. Different techniques have been developed over the years to address both macro-level project risks, for example project selection, as well as micro-level risks, such as scheduling risks. Different formulae with varying degrees of complexity have been developed, followed by a myriad of supporting tools and techniques. Despite all this, research has shown that projects, specifically IT projects, still fail at an alarming rate [8]. The question can, therefore, be asked why this is the case given the information, knowledge, tools and techniques available to perform risk management. This paper addresses the human component of risk management, specifically focusing in on the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved. The first section looks at risk management and its well-defined processes and the roles and responsibilities as defined by the PMBoK. This is followed by a suggested, structured framework for roles and the associated responsibilities. The article concludes by looking at the required culture to ensure successful project risk management. 2. RISK MANAGEMENT Risk management consists of five phases starting with planning and finishing off with monitoring. This process is repeated as cycles throughout the duration of the project. One such cycle isshown below: FIGURE 1 – RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS Each of these processes is further sub-divided into sub-process with PMBoK clearly showing the inputs, tools and techniques and outputs for each . The one area that seems to be neglected is the roles and responsibilities for performing risk management. During the risk planning phase, the PMBoK states that one of the outputs would be a risk management plan containing the roles and responsibilities and is explained as follows: Defines the lead, support and risk management team membership for each type of action in the risk management plan†. It goes on to motivate why an external risk management team would be better than an internal one. During the risk response planning phase, one of the inputs is stated as risk owners and explains this as follows: â€Å"A list of project stakeholders able to act as owners of risk responses. Risk owne rs should be involved in developing the risk responses†. These are the only references in the PMBoK to the people that should be involved. From the above, two roles are identified. The first is the risk team that will perform the required activities and secondly, risk owners to be involved in the development and implementation of the risk actions. It does, unfortunately, not state what the responsibilities are that accompany these roles. In the next section, a more comprehensive framework is given for the roles for risk management followed by an explanation of the associated responsibilities. 2. RISK MANAGEMENT ROLES Five separate roles can be defined for performing project risk management. These are: †¢ Project risk manager †¢ Project risk management team Project risk profile owners †¢ Project risk custodians †¢ Project team members Following is an explanation of each role. 1. Project risk manager The role of the project risk manager is to provide the overall project risk strategy and to coordinate the project risk management team. On small projects this can be done by the project manager, but on medium to large projects, a different person should fulfill this role. The project risk manager should ideally be from outside the team or organisation to ensure objectivity. This need not be a full-time role and can, therefore, be outsourced. The project risk manager reports to the project manager but has a direct link to the project sponsor. 2. Project risk management team The role of the project risk management team is to collect, capture and coordinate the necessary project risk information. The size of the team will be determined by the size of the overall project. Team members can be internal to the project but must have a detailed understanding of the project risk management methodology being used. The project risk management team reports directly to the project risk manager. 3. Project risk profile owners The role of the project risk profile owners is similar to the risk owners as mentioned in the PMBoK. Once a risk has been identified, it must be allocated to a responsible person. The person must be in a position to address the specific risk. It is, therefore, possible that a project risk profile owner could only have one risk although the norm is to have several. The project risk profile owner reports to the risk custodian [1]. 4. Project risk custodians The role of project risk custodian is to oversee and consolidate all the risks within a specific risk category. Risk custodians are usually team leaders or sub-project managers. Depending on the risk categorisation schema used, there might be several risk custodians. The project risk custodian reports to the project risk manager but also has a direct link to the project manager. 5. Project team members It is very important to explicitly state the role of project team members as they need to provide the necessary information to the project risk management team as well as to the project risk profile owners. Without this information the process of risk management cannot take place. On many projects team members are under the impression that they need not do anything about risk, as there is a team responsible it. Risk management is a team effort and can never be done in isolation. Project team members report directly to the project risk custodians that are usually their team leaders or sub-project managers. 6. Other The two other roles that must be mentioned are those of the project sponsor and the project manager. The project sponsor must realise that there is a cost associated with risk management but that the payoff is an increased probability of success. If the project sponsor perceives risk management as an unnecessary cost, then the rest of the team will follow suit. The project manager must also understand that risk management is a supporting function and is there to assist theproject manager. Often risk management is viewed as an unnecessary overhead taking valuable resources andtime away from the project. The attitude and perceptions of the project sponsor and project manager is vital for the establishment of a risk management culture. A project risk organizational structure is depicted below: FIGURE 2 – PROJECT RISK ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE The solid lines represent direct reporting lines with the dotted lines representing communication lines. The following section lists the responsibilities associated with each role. 4. RISK MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES Using the roles discussed above, different responsibilities can now be allocated to each. It is important to note that the roles and responsibilities must be documented and included in the original project plan. For all intents and purposes, project risk management can be seen as a project within a project or alternatively a sub-project of the project. . Project risk manager The project risk manager fulfills the same role within the project risk management context as a project manager does in a project context. Responsibilities include: †¢ Selecting and implementing a project risk management methodology †¢ Developing a project risk management strategy †¢ Implementing a project risk management infrastructure †¢ Generally managing within the risk manage ment context, for example setting objectives, forecasting, planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, controlling and communicating 2. Project risk management team The project risk management team is there to execute the risk management process. Responsibilities include: †¢ Facilitating the risk identification, analysis, quantification and qualification of the risk profiles †¢ Providing a format and mechanism for project risk management †¢ Providing integrated interpretation and basic recommendations †¢ Consolidating, documenting, reporting and providing feedback on risk profiles †¢ Ensuring that the risk profiles are updated and made available to the project risk manager, project manager and project team Monitoring risk profiles †¢ Providing general guidance on any facet of the risk management process 3. Project risk profile owners Project risk profile owners must ensure that action is taken to address risks. Responsibilities include: †¢ Populating the risk profiles in terms of risk measurement and risk action plans †¢ Ensuring that risk profile values are objective and representative (reflect opinion of adequate number of involved/affected parties) †¢ Implementing risk action plans Providing comments on additional risks and communicating changes to risk measures to the project risk management team for consolidation and reporting †¢ Communicating with team members regarding specific risks 4. Project risk custodians Project risk custodians perform a quality control function. Responsibilities include: †¢ Consolidating all risks within a specific risk category †¢ Co-coordinating all project risk profile owners within risk category †¢ Providing feedback to project risk manager and project manager on progress with the implementation of action plans Providing project risk profile owners with necessary resources to implement action plans 5. Project team members All project team members have a responsibility towards ensuring project success. Often team members forget this responsibility as it is perceived as being of secondary importance. Responsibilities include: †¢ Providing project risk management team with necessary information †¢ Assisting with the implementation of action plans as specified by the project risk profile owners †¢ Reporting any new risks that might appear during the life cycle of the project to the project risk management team. The next section addresses the need for a risk culture in which to operate. 5. PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT CULTURE For project risk management to contribute to the success of the project, the right culture must be established. Telling all project team members to cooperate with the project risk management team will have no effect if risk management is perceived as a waste of time and effort. It is important that the project manager and team leaders show their support for the effort and motivate team members to contribute. On many projects, reporting a risk is rewarded by making the same person the risk profile owner. Doing this sends a message to other members that reporting a risk will lead to more work. If possible, team members should rather be incentivised to report risks. Project risk management culture can be measured by using the Risk Management Maturity Model (RMMM). FIGURE 3 – RISK MANAGEMENT MATURITY MODEL LEVELS The RMMM was developed based on the now de facto Capability Maturity Model (CMM) that was developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). The level of maturity of an organisation in terms of risk management will determine its value. Having a Level 1 maturity will not yield the same results as a Level 4 maturity. It is therefore recommended that a risk culture survey be performed before the start of a project. This will help in establishing realistic expectations as well as show what needs to be done to reach the desired maturity level. It must be noted that risk management requires an extensive infrastructure if it is to deliver optimal results. This infrastructure must be in place before the start of a project. 6. CONCLUSION The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for the roles and responsibilities associated with project risk management. Detailed processes, tools and techniques are of little value if the human component that is supposed to use it, is not in place. The project manager should ensure that risk management has been included into the project plan from the beginning. Adding it at a later stage can create the perception of lower importance and even an increase in workload. Unless there is a true belief in the value of risk management by the project sponsor and the project manager, the results will be of little value. The benefits derived from this suggested framework are numerous and include the sharing of workload and, even more importantly, raising the awareness of risk. It also fits into any project organization and can be used in conjunction with any of the current standards for project management. For risk management to be truly successful it is important to remember the following:  ¦ Risk management should never be seen as an audit function that checks up on project team members or their managers. The project risk manager must make an effort to build relationships with all stakeholders and to promote the benefits of risk management.  ¦ Risk management is an enabler to assist the project manager to bring the project to its successful completion. Too often there is an â€Å"us-and-them† mentality on projects where in actual fact, everyone is on the same team.  ¦ Risk management cannot be performed without the support of all project team members. The project risk manager and risk management team can only provide the mechanisms for managing risk; the information must come from the team members. Future research in this field includes the risk management infrastructure that is required before starting a project as well as how to measure the risk culture by means of a risk culture survey. 7. REFERENCES †¢PMI. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge; PMI; ISBN 1-880410-25-7, 2000 †¢Software Risk Management A Practical Guide, Department of Energy Quality Managers, Software Quality Assurance Subcommittee, Reference Document SQAS21. 01. 00 – 1999, http://cio. doe. gov/sqas, February, 2000.