Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay

Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay In recent years governments within Canada have been facing increased pressure from the public to be more financially accountable, transparent and responsible when it comes to managing tax dollars. In large part, this is due to several economic and social pressures, such as an aging population, budgetary deficits and various financial scandals, which make the need for effective and efficient financial management a pressing matter. Governments have been developing systems, approaches and processes to continually ensure value for money, including integrating private sector practices into the public sector (e.g. New Public Management and Public Sector Renewal). One such private sector practice is the extensive use of and reliance on performance measures, which are used to obtain information thought to be critical to ensuring effective and efficient financial management, such as tracking government debt, program success, and forecasting future programming needs. This paper will demonstrate and explore the theory of performance measurement, including its advantages and disadvantages. A case study will then be presented, which will outline, apply, and assess financial performance measures used by the Ontario government on its provincial budget covering the period from 2002 to 2007. The paper will then conclude with observations and recommendations for more effective use of performance measures and a better understanding of the benefits and, perhaps more importantly, the limitations of performance measurement. Performance measures, while a useful tool, are not sufficient to guarantee effective and efficient management of public resources. Context for the need for performance measure in the public sector Governments are increasingly grappling with complex social and economic pressures. For instance, the aging of the population is expected to have important impacts on governments revenues and expenditures. With soaring health care costs as the population ages, Roy Romanow (2002) in his report on the future of health care in Canada estimates that annual per capita expenditure on people aged 65 and over is three times as much as the average of all age group spending (p.57). Looking at Ontarios annual report and consolidated financial statements between 2002 and 2007, the province has seen a significant increase in its expenditure in health and long term care where the province increased its expenditure by approximately 9.9 billion dollars or a 36.8 percent spending increase over five years. Overall expenditures during the same time period have increased by 20.4 billion dollars or a 28.6% increase. This essentially means that approximately 49% of the increase in expenditure went to health care spending. Ontarios revenues on the other hand increased by 21.8 billion dollars or a 31.8% increase. However, net debt has increased by 8.5 billion dollars or a 6% increase (Please refer to appendix 1.1). As these statistics show, expenditures on health care represent a significant proportion of provincial spending, a situation that may be exacerbated by an aging population. Furthermore, Saks and Haccoun (2004) estimates that Canadian labour supply shortage will reach the one million plateau by year 2020, which can have significant adverse effects on the Canadian economy and its provincial and territorial counterparts in terms of ability to raise taxes and maintain current program expenditures and ensure a sustainable economy in the future. As a result of these pressures and complexities, governments have started to examine its role in society and the various ways through which programs are delivered and managed. For instance, governments are increasingly delivering programs and services through partnerships as a means of improving efficiency in the delivery of services to Canadians. With increasingly complex and varied configuration of delivery of public services, there exists a real need to identify separate roles and responsibilities of participating partners and to develop expectations, standards, and measures of performance to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability. What is Performance Measure: Definitions and Considerations One of the results of this movement for better public service delivery is the integration of private sector practices, including performance measurement to ensure transparency, accountability and sustainability even in the face of pressures and complexities facing the public sector. In recent years, several developed countries and some developing countries have made increasing use of performance concepts and results indicators, both in their managerial practices and in the formulation and execution of public programs (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p. 649-650). Performance measurement is also considered by some experts as the first step toward improving the performance of a public-sector organization, and, if backed by an appropriate incentive system, it can help shift organizational focus from inputs to outputs and outcomes and thus improve efficiency and effectiveness (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p.663). It is essentially the collection of a bout an organizations performance indexes that will equip a program manager to evaluate its changes in performance over time (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). Performance measures are believed to be first applied in the public sector in 1960, when calls for the improvements in processes in which the way the government manages its resources or inputs to maximize efficiency and effectiveness started becoming more pronounced. It is argued that by tracking performance, the government is better able to meet its budget goals and objectives. There are many factors to consider when developing or applying a performance measure in an organization. The main factor that must be considered is cost. Can the organization afford the costs associated with developing, maintaining and implementing a performance measure? Clear, concise and realistic performance goals are needed. The performance measure must be fully communicated to everyone in the organization, as the success of a performance measures implementation depends on everyone buying into the concept. Once a performance measure is approved, an appropriate rewards system should be included, as well as a system for modifying the performance measures if the organizations objectives are not being realized. The organization must also ensure that individuals who have to work with the performance measures within the organization are well informed about the process and the benefits of the system and how to implement it (Mayne, 2005). In other tools, realizing and achieving the full benefits of performance measurement may be compromised or limited if analysts/managers fail to appreciate and understand the nature, purpose, meaning, and limitations of the indicators. Benefits of Performance Measurement As the economy grow, the demand for government services increases as well. Ontarios gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 493.1 billion dollars in 2002 to 586.2 billion dollars in 2007 or an increase of approximately 18.9% (Please refer to appendix 1.6). This means that there could be an increased demand for government programs and services and, likely, for the Ontario governments workforce. As programs, service, and government workforce grow, there would be a need to track the various programs the government provides. Performance measures can be beneficial in a given organization in various ways if implemented properly. Some of these benefits include: workforce and program management, assessment of program effectiveness, and increased accountability. Performance measures assist in organizing information that will help track, assess and analyze how various programs are progressing over time. It is a control measure that will make sure that the public sector is delivering services to the public that will maximize the publics utility level and at the same time ensure that resources are utilized efficiently and effectively(Carroll and Dewar, 2002). The management of these processes will also ensure compliance within various departments where the process can be standardized across various departments to ensure compliance. The application of performance management hopes that managers would change from being inwardly focused to being outwardly focused on public conditions, needs and problems (Waldt, 2004, p.21). By helping managers think outside the box, performance measure will hopefully generate innovation that can be fed back into the policy process to incorporate these innovations. However, this will only work if senior management i s able to sell this idea to everyone in the organization that will help break down resistance. By overcoming these barriers, an organization can now look ahead and collect various information regarding its performance, how well it is doing in comparison to previous years?, and how it is performing against other organizations. Performance measures can also help in improving public accountability. Outcomes information will inform public debate and the political process, and thereby providing direction to Government(Waldt, 2004, p. 19). In recent years, various government sectors have faced heavy scrutiny from the tax payer, electorate, opposition parties and the media. This is due to mismanagement of government funds such as the sponsorship scandal. This is one of the reasons why various performance control measures are increasingly filtering through the public sector. Since performance measure requires information gathering, maintaining and analyzing, then its proper implementation improves government accountability, transparency and responsibility. Since the public sector is more open to scrutiny because of the advancement of the information technology and the availability of legislations such as the Freedom of Information Act, this will further assist in ensuring that public sector managers are more cons cientious. Although one must ask whether or not performance measures in the public sector exist because there is a real need to improve performance or a perceived need for one. If the cost of performance measure outweighs its benefits, then performance measures can be seen as a ploy by the government to provide peace of mind to the public. Then the cost of performance measure is essentially the cost of buying peace of mind which is a waste on its own. Finally, another benefit of proper application and implementation of performance measure is through benchmarking (Carroll and Dewar, 2000). Benchmarking allows government agencies to create and compile best practice information that can help other agencies achieve their goals. This information may be useful to other organizations to help make their operations effective. A word of caution with utilizing benchmarks is that each organization is different from one another. Therefore, these benchmarks must be modified to fit into the organizations culture, goals and objectives. Though this may be helpful, the flip side is a potential to promote laziness and block innovation (De Bruijn, 2007). Limitations to the Use/Application of Performance Measurement The main idea behind performance measures is to be able to reduce cost and at the same time provide services at the least possible cost without jeopardizing the quality of service. However, the application of performance measure alone does not mean that governments will start realizing the benefits associated with this practice. Some may question the underlying reason why performance measures are needed in the public sector. It can be argued that performance measures were implemented in another country or province and they have been successful at achieving goals through the use of performance measures as a tool (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). However, just because performance measurement works in one particular organization does not necessarily mean that it can be fully integrated in another organization and be expected to provide the same level of success (the idea of benchmarking). This brings into light various motives or the driving force for the use of performance measures. Do public sector analysts and managed really believe that performance measurement contributes to more effective financial management? Or are they simply forced to include performance measures to fulfill reporting and financial requirements from the Center of government (e.g. Treasury Board)? Or are they just following a trend or a passing fad? The implementation of performance measure in the public sector can have a few disadvantages. These limitations include the manipulation of the performance measure system, challenges and difficulties in quantifying qualitative objectives (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). One of the major problems of performance measure is the manipulation of the performance system to maximize rewards by a particular individual/organization. Performance measure objectives can be interpreted in a variety of ways that can potentially give way to manipulate the system to allow a given organization to meet its objectives on paper but not in reality. One example of how performance measure can be manipulated happened in Australia when an Aboriginal tribe was informed that its sanitation and other subsidies would depend on their performance in keeping sanitary facilities clean, they did so most effectively by thoroughly cleaning the toilets, and then closing them to the public. (p. 660, Performance Measurement in Pu blic Administration) Performance measure can be manipulated by defining the goal and manipulating other variables to meet its objectives. For instance, if a police forces objective is to decrease crime rate in a given community, it can essentially meet its goal without any real changes to the crime rate in the community in question by choosing not to report certain crimes. This practice is a waste of resources that could have been used to fund other programs that are more efficient in nature. As illustrated by the examples given, the application of performance measure can potentially generate good performance on paper but not in reality. Another disadvantage of performance measure is the challenges associated to applying it to the public sector (Graham, 2007). This is because private sector is mostly concerned with profit maximization which is a quantifiable objective. The public sector on the other hand is concerned with measuring qualitative objectives and quantifying its results. Qualitative measures can be quite challenging because it involves subjective interpretation of quality. For instance, if the governments goal is to measure the quality of secondary education provided in Ontario, and then it becomes hard to determine how well the ministry of education is performing. The reason for this is because there are a variety of ways to measure quality, where is the data coming from? What measures are used? Who measures performance? And whether or not there is a conflict of interest that will manipulate the system. Finally, quality of education may not be measured until a few years later when the students graduate h igh school. The application of performance measure also calls for rewarding good performance and punishing poor performance (Waldt, 2004). The implementation of this premise may be a challenge in the public sector because politicians can over ride budget allocation. If for instance, health care is the governments top priority, if for instance health care is the worst performing ministry within the public sector then this may be a challenge. However, this will not work in the public sector because politicians can opt to ignore the performance measure in place and increase funding for the ministry of health. It is also useful to note that the implementation of performance measurement in the public sector could potentially be more challenging than in the private sector, in part because of differing operations/service goals. While the private sectors bottom line is profit maximization, the public sector involves multiple competing stakeholders with multiple goals (Graham, 2002). For instance, there are certain stakeholders who believe in maintaining balanced books and reducing debt, while there are others who believe that the government should consistently provide for social programs, even if this implies financing services through deficit. Furthermore, a performance measures effectiveness may not be fully utilized because politicians can choose to ignore these measures or can over ride budget allocation based on performance measures. Case Study: Ontario Financial Performance Measure A budget is one of the most important pieces of legislation in any given government because it outlines how the government plans to manage its limited resources effectively. A well-conceived, -applied, or -implemented budget allows the organization to realize its goals and objectives with maximum efficiency and effectiveness (McKinney, 2004, p.264). For many years, the public sector has been experiencing increased pressure from the public to provide the best quality of service at the least possible cost. Furthermore, governments have been facing increased pressure from the public to reduce its debt, otherwise debt servicing costs will be transferred to future generations at a higher cost (principal plus interest charges). As the government becomes larger, the role of financial management plays an indispensable role in the achievement of an organizations objective. It is the fuel that gives life and substance to the engine of public administration (McKinney, 2004, p.1). Along with its growth, the number of competing stakeholders also increases and therefore, the process of allocation becomes more complicated. This is the very reason why governments are increasingly finding ways to improve its financial reporting such as the adoption of accrual based accounting and the implementation of the Public Sector Accounting standards. These are some measures used in the private sector that are now being applied in the public sector. In theory, the purpose of the application of these measures is to be able to make governments responsible, responsive and fully accountable. This section will explore and analyze the financial performance measures used by the government of Ontario to assess its effectiveness. The government of Ontarios financial analysis measures three areas which includes sustainability, flexibility and vulnerability. Sustainability measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations. Sustainability measures Assets to Liabilities, Financial Assets to Liabilities, and Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue, Net Debt to GDP and Deficit to GDP. Flexibility measures the governments ability to move around its financial obligations across programs or across various years to be able to provide the best possible programming level. Flexibility measures Public Debt Charges to Revenue and Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets. Finally, vulnerability measures the extent to which the government is dependent on or can be influenced by external organizations such as the federal government, foreign institutions and foreign governments. Vulne rability measures Government Transfers to Total Revenue and net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt. Sustainability Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations through the liquidation of its assets. In the private sector depending on the company, an acceptable ratio is 2:1. However, looking at the Ontario governments assets to liability ratio, this figure hovers around 0.27:1 0.31:1 between 2002 and 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3). This figure may be way below the private sector expectations but the chances of a government experiencing bankruptcy (especially in developed countries) is quite low, since governments tend to have the ability to raise money by issuing debt to cover liabilities. Therefore, the use of this measure is limited to just merely observing upward or downward trends. Furthermore, with the implementation of full accrual based accounting in the public sector it becomes hard to determine the exact total value of the governments assets. These assets include heritage assets where a market value is non- existent or there are competin g estimates. It becomes a challenging task to assign a value on such an asset, or the asset may be of value to the government who owns the asset but not to anyone else. Given the challenges associated with determining an actual value for an asset, care should be taken when using this ratio as a financial performance indicator since its accuracy can be challenged. Financial Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to raise cash quickly or its liquidity to cover its liabilities. The Ontario governments ratio ranges from 0.18:1 to 0.23:1, where it reached its peak in year 2004/2005 and in 2006/2007 (measured at 0.21:1). (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue measures the governments net debt in relation to its ability to generate revenues. This ratio reached its peak over a five year span at 2.03:1 in 2003/2004 and 1.56:1 in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since 2003/2004, the Ontario government has been able to reduce its net debt in relation to its annual revenue. Net Debt to GDP measures the governments fiscal capacity. They relate bond indebtedness to the sources of government revenue (McKinney, 2004, p.245). Ontarios net debt is hovering around a quarter of its GDP and between 2002 and 2007 where it has been slowly declining from 0.27 in 2002 to 0.24 in 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since a consistent downward trend exists in this measure, this means that the government is improving in this ratio. Since both Net debt and GDP has increased from 2002 to 2007, this means that the GDP has increased at a faster rate than the increase in net debt. This means that governments ability to pay its debt obligations has improved over five years. Deficit to GDP measures the governments deficit in relation to its GDP. In this measure, the government has seen improvements from 2003/2004 to 2006/2007. This means that the Ontario government is continuously managing its expenditure and making sure it spending is within its capacity. Even though the Ontario government has seen deficits in the years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, this ratio is looking favourable since deficits are declining in relation to GDP, which has seen a constant increase over five years. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Flexibility Public Debt Charges to Revenue measures the governments ability to raise funds to pay its debt servicing charges. In this measure, the Ontario government has seen a constant improvement or a downward trend during the five year term from 14.9% in 2002/2003 to 9.7% in 2006/2007. The reason for this is because Ontarios revenues over the same five years have seen consistent growth and have increased by approximately 31.8% while interest on debt has seen a 13.7% decline over the same period. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets measures the true value of the governments capital assets. This value is hovering around two thirds of the cost of capital assets and it has seen a slight downward trend from 69.5% in 2002/2003 down to 67.2% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure is a good indication of the governments capital assets such as land, buildings, and transportation infrastructure such as highways, railroads and bridges. However, looking at the Ontario governments public accounts, it does not state whether or not the value of land is recorded at historical cost or fair market value. If the land is recorded as historical cost, then it does not really show the true value of the governments assets; instead it is under estimated if the value of the land increases in market value and vice versa if it decreases in market value. Furthermore, depreciation is measured based on estimates; it could be that the life span of an asset could be higher than expec ted and therefore, while the asset is recorded on financial statements as having no value, the asset could still be utilized. Furthermore, an asset can be estimated to have a lifespan of 10 years; at year 10, even though the asset can still be used, an organization can continue using the asset or request for new funding for the replacement of the asset. Since the asset can still be utilized, the organization can sell the asset and make money out of it (scrap value) and record it under its miscellaneous revenues. This becomes an issue of operational efficiency versus manipulation of assets to maximize revenues. Vulnerability Government Transfers to Total Revenue measures the proportion of the federal governments share of the province of Ontarios total revenue. Federal funding that flowed into the provincial government ranges between 13% (2002/2003), which is its lowest level between 2002 and 2007, and has increased steadily to approximately 15.8% (2005/2006) and dropped slightly to 15.5% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure can be interpreted in various ways where the upward trend shows that the federal government is continually increasing its transfer payments to the province of Ontario in relation to its total revenue. Looking at nominal figures, the federal government has increased its transfer every year between 2002 and 2007 (from 8 billion dollars in 2002/2003 to 14 billion dollars in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.2) Part of this increase is due to huge surpluses the federal government has been reporting in recent years. However, the increased in federal transfer can b e seen both negatively and positively. This can be viewed positively because the province is able to provide more services to the public. However, funding commitments can be revoked especially with a change in government and government priorities. Furthermore, budgetary models are built upon expectations, if the province expects to receive a certain amount of dollars from the federal government, and this is not realized, then it can potentially adversely affect the financial standing of the province. The provincial government should also use this figure as a sign of caution in terms of its forecasts not to rely heavily on federal transfers. The province should try to provide the same level of programs and services to its citizens without relying heavily on federal transfer payments because of fluctuations and uncertainty. However, others may argue that increasing federal transfers is a positive step towards addressing the so-called fiscal imbalance and providing Ontario a fair share of federal funding that is more proportional to the contributions that Ontarians make to the federal tax base. This demonstrates another useful limitation/caveat: performance ratios/indicators are not purely objective, in that their interpretation and ultimately the manner in which they are used/applied depend on the subjective point of view of the public sector analyst/manager. Net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt measures the provinces debt level to foreign countries and or organizations. This figure has seen an increase from 21.4% in 2002/2003 and 23% in 2004/2005 and from that point it declined to approximately 20% by 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This measure is a good indicator on Ontarios reliance on foreign governments in terms of trade and its indebtedness. A declining net foreign currency debt to total debt means that the province can have a positive effect on the provinces credit rating that assesses the governments vulnerability and stability which can have an impact on interest rates on its debt. An improving credit rating will increase the chances of the Ontario government to refinance its maturing debt because of lower risk of default from its debt. An increase in this ratio might cause international panic where other countries can call the province on its debt that can have adverse effects on the economy in terms of attracting investors and other countries willing to do business with the province. As a useful summary of the provinces dependence on foreign debt, it is important to keep track of this budget measure of vulnerability. Discussion of the Ontario governments Financial Analysis as a Measure of Performance Based on the above discussion the ratios used by the government of Ontario is a useful tool as part of a comprehensive strategy or approach to analyzing, measuring the provinces economic and financial performance. However, these tools alone are clearly not sufficient to obtain a full and clear picture and forecast of the economy. Variables such as domestic and international political conditions, international and domestic commodity prices, supply and demand, price of oil, interest parity, price parity, and other non-financial indicators, such as demographic trends, should be considered when formulating, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of policies and programs. Furthermore, these budgetary performance measures tend to be applied at a relatively high level (i.e. on rolled-up or summed-up figures or estimates) with a view to gauging whole of government performance. Since the Ontario government comprises of individual ministries and departments, improving whole of government performance must start with the individual ministries and their specific programs and projects. This reinforces the idea that full and effective performance measurement entails consideration of other and more specific factors/elements. The government of Ontarios financial measures provide very useful snapshots of the government position at a particular point in time. However, there are other measures, information and factors that one has to consider in gauging the performance of the government and formulating recommendations and strategies moving forward. Conclusion Increased pressures and complexities confronting the public sector has encouraged the proliferation of private sector practices, including the use of performance measurement to gauge program outcomes and ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability of government operations. As this paper has demonstrated, there are benefits to performance measurement, such as providing opportunities to track, compile, and maintain data and requiring regular reporting, thereby helping in promoting transparency and benchmarking. However, these financial/material indicators are not sufficient to ensure effective and efficient management of public resources. As this paper has pointed out, there are several limitations and caveats to performance measurement that public sector managers/analysts must bear in mind, including the need to incorporate other information (e.g. non-financial and qualitative data) in developing, implementing, and assessing policies and programs. These points were reinfor ced in this paper through an examination and evaluation of financial ratios intended to measure the performance of Ontarios budget between the period of 2002 and 2007. While this paper presented a case study of performance measurement from a financial perspective, perhaps a more interesting and richer case study would be to explore quantifying qualitative program performance measures in which represents another area of future research. Indeed, performance measurement when used in a public organization by itself is a fools gold (Carroll and Dewar, 2002).

Effective Communication in Building Relationships Essay

Communicating effectively is the most important aspect of any relationship. In all venues the way we communicate can determine if that relationship will be successful, this is certainly true in an intimate relationship, but just as important in business relationships, friendships, and familial relationships. Relationships are defined by how we communicate, and how effective we are at getting our message out, but just as important is how well we listen. Healthy relationships require us to know a bit about ourselves, and be willing to share some of ourselves with others, building that trust element helps determine the intensity of a relationship. Understanding some of these components will help you on your way to developing and maintaining a good relationship. Having good communication skills can mean the difference between success and failure of a relationship. Most relationships that are successful are in an â€Å"equitable relationship† (Myers, 2010, pg. 429). Being aware of some of the barriers to effective communication can help you avoid the pitfalls of bad or ineffective communication. There are several communicating errors that can signal the end of a relationship, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) some of those are, â€Å"aggressive talk, regrettable talk, criticism and complaints, avoidance, and defensive communication† (pg. 199). Having disagreements are a normal part of any relationship, it is how we resolve those conflicts that can mean the difference between a healthy relationship or one that is heading towards destruction. We tend to fall back on the destructive methods when we have no other tools in our toolbox. Aggressive talk is using language that demeans another; it is calling names, using disparaging words, wearing down the self esteem of the other person. This is so destructive to a relationship; it can at times lead to physical violence. But the most insidious form of communication is indirect aggression, or passive aggression. This is when we consciously commit an act that we know will hurt or upset another. We manipulate the situation to get our way, or get our â€Å"dig† into the other person. This way we do not have to  confront directly, it is very subtle, and can be the real killer of a relationship. It is a way to continue an argument without actually saying much at all. The Los Angeles Times (1997) reported on passive aggressive tendencies in relationships, and gave some advice on how to handle the situation, â€Å"first, realize that you may not be able to get your mate to change his or her behavior, but you can change yours† and â€Å"take control of the sit uation by setting limits, figure out what you can do† (pg. 3). Regrettable talk is saying something, and then wishing you could take it back. I think we are all guilty of this to some extent. We blurt out a remark without thinking, and immediately we regret it. Using regrettable talk can leave others with hurt feelings, and cause them to want to avoid us. I think in relationships it is easy to fall into this category, you know someone so well, and feel comfortable saying just about anything, so you let your guard down, and many times the things we say we wish we could take back. I have commented to my spouse that we talk nicer to our neighbors than we do to each other, and if we wish to continue in a relationship we must be aware of this, and make every effort to think before we speak. Criticism and complaints creep into a relationship when couples have no real tools for resolving an argument. In an article from Cosmopolitan, reporter Laura Gilbert (2007) interviews professionals about some of the consequences from constant complaints and criticism, â€Å"After a while, you stop talking with those sweet undertones,† says Edythe Denkin, PhD, author of Relationship Magic, â€Å"and sarcasm or negativity can become more common† 243 (5). There are different styles of attachment, â€Å"people with negative views of others exhibit either the dismissive or the fearful attachment style† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). Dismissive is a relationship marked by distrust, and fearful attachment is a relationship marked by fear of rejection. Either types can lead to the end of a relationship. Avoidance and defensive communication are two types of negative methods used to get our point across. When we are unhappy we avoid any discussion, the silent treatment is what a lot of couples use to avoid any conflict. This is counterproductive, and will destroy the trust in a relationship. Many  couples mistakenly feel that arguing is the end of a relationship, but in truth it is when we begin avoiding each other that can signal a relationship is in trouble. David Code from the Christian Science Monitor (2009) writes, â€Å"Just because you seldom argue doesn’t mean your marriage is strong, the real silent killer of marriage is distancing yourself from your partner† (pg. 9). He goes on to discuss some possible solutions, and encourages couples to not worry so much about disagreeing, but focus on â€Å"your flight response†, If we can learn to spot the â€Å"distancing pattern in our relationships† we can help â€Å"prevent family problems and divorceà ¢â‚¬  (Code, 2009, pg. 9). Defensive communication occurs as we are trying to defend ourselves from a comment made by our partner. â€Å"Defending ourselves is dealing with a past behavior; it gives us no time to resolve the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 200). In a relationship each partner must get out of the relationship â€Å"proportional to what you each put into it† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). The best way to fix a problem is to recognize and admit you have one in the first place. In Cosmopolitan, Jennifer Benjamin (2007) gives us some common communication pitfalls, and says â€Å"to avoid these, you first have to recognize them† (pg. 126). The article goes on to list five communication mistakes that we as couples tend to make. One mistake many couples make is leaving out important information. We give our partners some of the needed information, but assume that he or she knows me so well; they will know what I am talking about. So vital information is left out, this leads to mis communication, and hurt feelings. Another area that we have to be aware of is the time we pick to have a discussion. During Super Bowl, or when one is rushing off to work, is not the time to have a discussion. Mistake number three, prefacing our remark with doom and gloom statements such as, â€Å"do not take this the wrong way† or â€Å"do not get mad but† it begins the conversation with a sense of impending trouble, and gets our level of anger ratcheted up. Another common mistake is one many women are guilty of, talking the problem to death; we tend to not get to the point, and feel we have to give every single detail. The article says, â€Å"Men have about three minutes of attention for any single discussion† (Benjamin, 2007, pg. 126). The last area is in giving out to much detail. Again women can be guilty of this; we feel we need to tell our man everything, all our past exploitations, we want to be close to our guy, but too much information can  be as damaging as not enough. If we are to avoid the destructive methods of communicating, we must increase our strategic flexi bility, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) this means â€Å"expanding your communication repertoire† (pg. 6). The more communication skills we have, the more we can draw on them for any scenario or situation. We will be better prepared to handle whatever comes up, while still getting our message across, in the most effective manner. People who possess these skills have much more flourishing interactions with the people in their lives. When discussing communication between partners in an intimate relationship gender and language must be taken into consideration. The way the sexes communicate is very different. According to Hybels and Weaver (2007) â€Å"women use the language of rapport-talk, men use report-talk† (pg. 117). This means that women are trying to form bonds with communication, and increase intimacy levels, men are letting us know their knowledge and skills in a particular subject area. It is a completely different style of communicating, women are â€Å"building relationships† and men are trying to â€Å"fix the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 117). In the book, Why Mars and Venus Collide, author Vanessa Bush researches the differences in brain chemistry that is produced by women and men when under stress, â€Å"biochemistry can also explain why women multitask and men are more single-minded in their focus. Problems occur when men and women misinterpret the different ways t he opposite sex responds to and copes with stress† (pg. 104). Several tips that were offered by the author to increase our levels of communication, women should let our partners know when we need support, and men should listen fully to the problem without trying to fix it. I have researched communication in intimate relationships, looked at a lot of studies, and felt I should put my own relationships to the test. I wanted to see if my emotional intelligence matched that of my husband and my children. I wanted to see if the gaps I perceive in our communication as a family was due to the differences in each of our emotional intelligence quotients. What exactly is emotional intelligence; according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) emotional intelligence â€Å"is the ability to understand and get along with others† (pg. 156). In order for us to get along with others, and deal with their emotions, we must first be aware of our own emotions and feelings. We must learn how to appropriately express, and manage our feelings, and learn some self-control,  and we must learn to recognize and handle the feelings of others. I had each family member take the emotional intelligence test, which was retrieved from the Institute for Health and Human Potential. This ev aluates your emotional intelligence, and shows you your strengths and weaknesses. I took the survey, and I had my husband and my daughter take the survey. My daughter and my husband scored very similar on the quiz, my results were about ten points higher than there score. The results said I have a very high emotional intelligence. The results of the emotional intelligence test reflects my life, I am a high achiever, can be very task oriented, and want to ensure that my work with families shows great results. The quiz said I needed to remember why I do the work I do, not get bogged down in tasks, but remember the reason you chose this line of work. The results said I should take time each day to reflect on what brings me the greatest joy. That really reflects me, I enjoy the work tremendously, but sometimes the day to day tasks that have to get done can make me a bit cynical. I think it also translates into my personal life, I can read people well, and feel I am in tune with their emotions, but some days I just do not take the time to really sit down and listen to those closest to me. I can see this reflected in my relationship with my husband. I am so busy being busy; I do not really pay attention to him, and what his concerns are. The emotional intelligence test scores for my husband and daughter both said they have slightly above average emotional intelligence, with room to grow. It reflects what I see in both of them, they are very sensitive to the needs of those around them, but do not always take time for themselves. The quiz also says they may not always communicate their feelings or needs to others. This is very true, especially of my husband; he does not communicate his needs well, and then he can become angry and distant. The quiz gives areas for improvement for both my husband and my daughter. They are to look at what causes them stress and tension, and how they handle those situations, and try and rid themselves of the negative thoughts that play in their minds. I have seen the destructive results of this type of negative thinking, feeling you are unworthy and unlovable. We now know the results of the emotional intelligence quiz, now what. We must come together and as a family and decide how best to proceed. Having the results of this quiz has opened the doors to communication for my family. We saw in print, what each of us sees  reflected in the other. The communication between my husband and me was bordering on becoming destructive, we both were passive aggressive when dealing with issues. I did not want to argue, so I would let it go, but not really, it stayed with me, and I would do mean things to get back at my husband. I might not wake him up, even if I saw he forgot to set his alarm, and was going to be late for work. I might not put his work clothes in the dryer, even when I see he is running late. It would be little inconsequential things I would do, but over the years they have added up, and we were at the brink of separating. My husband was no different; he was just as guilty of allowing the barriers to effective communicating to come between us. I also have to admit that I saw some of the same communication barriers creeping into my teenage daughter’s style of communicating. I think being aware of a problem is half the battle, when we are honest, and do some self assessing, we can truly begin to make some changes. I decided that since my emotional intelligence results were so different from my husband’s that taking a personality test might be in order. I found a personality types questionnaire, and we both took the survey. The survey was published by Dawn Billings, (2004) CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network. The Primary colors personality tool asks specific questions, and you rate yourself from highest to lowest in each category. Once finished, you add up the scores and the one with the largest number represents your major personality profile. I took the survey as did my husband and my daughter. The results were very interesting, the one area I found fascinating was that my husband and I both scored the highest in the same category. It said we were both gentle and understanding, which is true, that we are more interested in being loved than in being right, so we may stay with partners that do not treat us well. There have been times in this relationship where I felt I was being mistreated, and my husband has admitted that he has felt the same at times. It also says we may put the needs of others above our own needs, this is very true, and was also reflected in our emotional intelligence test. The tests also said this personality type over commits themselves, and not leave room for those closest to them. This has been a real issue in my marriage; I am so driven by work and school that I forget that I have a husband and a daughter who needs me. Since taking these surveys, the gaps in our communication has closed dramatically. My husband  was open to taking the test, which surprised me; I thought he would balk at doing this. He was as surprised as I was with some of the results; it opened the door for us to begin really talking about issues, as a family, and as a couple. There is more work to be done, taking a couple of quizzes cannot erase years of bad, and ineffective communicating. The pain is there from years of misunderstandings, and from the communication barriers we placed in our paths, but what has happened is the willingness for us to come together as a couple, see what needs to be worked on, and begin that process. Communication skills are vital for any relationship, both personal and professional. This journey has made me aware that I spend a great deal of time working on my professional relationships. I am very careful of how I phrase my comments to coworkers, I am cautious of hurting feelings, or of being misunderstood. I think about what I have to say to a coworker before I actually say it; I try and take into consideration their feelings. But I am not always as conscience at home of the impact my words will have. Communicating effectively is a skill, one that takes work and practice. It also requires that at times we must do some self assessing, see where our strengths are at, but also admit where our weaknesses are at, and begin the process of reducing those barriers. This is the only way we can be both effective at work, and at home, and have a happy, healthy relationship. References Jennifer Benjamin. (2007, October). 5 Talking Mistakes Most Couples Make. Cosmopolitan, 243(4), 126. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1394182521). Billings, D. (2004). Primary color personality tool. The Heart Link women’s network. Bush, V.. (2007, December). Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Stress [review of Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Strss]. The Booklist, 104(8), 4. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1402448851). David Code. (2009, February 13). How emotional distance ruins marriage. The Christian Science Monitor,p. 9. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1644399621). Laura Gilbert. (2008, September). Couples. Cosmopolitan, 245(3), 145. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1529579221). Hybels, S., and Weaver, R. (2007). Communicating effectively (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Institute for Health and Human Potential. (March, 2010). Emotional intelligence. Retrieved March, 21st, 2010, from http://www.ihhp.com/quiz COMMITTMENTS Caught Up in a Cycle of Nagging, Ignoring :[Home Edition]. (1994, July 25). Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext),p. 3. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Los Angeles Times. (Document ID: 59646758).

On Just and Unjust War Essay

The general thesis of the article titled â€Å"On Just and Unjust War† was in using a recorded panel discussion that addressed how and whether or not one can distinguish between what is a just war versus what would be the considerations involved for a war to be considered an unjust war. The panel discussion was part of a conference entitled â€Å"War, Evil, the End of History, and America Now† that was presented at Skidmore College in the state of New York in March of 2006. The author begins developing the argument by discussing the five criteria that one should use when considering the occasion for war. I felt that the theoretical approach used in the article was excellent. Instead of pulling ideas out of the sky as their theoretical basis, the panel generally focused on theoretical examples that had already occurred in one form or another in current or past history and focused on these. Because there were a variety of viewpoints represented, the input was relatable and spanned a variety of approaches. This New York panel touched on a variety of ethical theoretical considerations and principles of the Just War Debate. One discussion was in regards one determines â€Å"unjust aggression† or â€Å"unjust threats. Another consideration presented was the obligation to protect the innocent, while at the same time clarifying that â€Å"the innocent need not be morally innocent† (Session 4, 2008 p. 209). The ethical consideration of other ways to deal with the situation before resorting to war is included in the panel discussion as was pre-determining some probability of success in advance of war was included. The point was made that â€Å"if you accept the framework of the just war tradition, you have to accept as a starting point that the war can be an instrument of justice† (Session 4, 2008, p. 09). I felt this was the most insightful consideration stated in the discussion to identify why the subject of â€Å"A Just War† is even worth approaching. In discussing pacifism and neo-consequentialism, the point was made that pacifists â€Å"start with the notion that all we control is our own behavior and our own will. People will die; I will not kill† (Session 4, 2008, p. 210). It was discussed how pacifists don’t want to have to take responsibility for any deaths because they cannot guess the consequences. My beliefs may not be the same but it made stimulating discussion. One of the advantages of bringing people together on a panel upon discussing subjects like â€Å"Just War† is that you readily get different ethical theoretical interpretations on the subject being approached. Because we each have different perspectives varying upon our environments, our education, our life experiences, this creates a diversity of ethical interpretations. One comment made by Jean Elshtain was how peace is a slippery concept. â€Å"I daresay no one would contend that the Iraqi people were somehow at peace under the rule of Saddam Hussein and the Baathists† (Session 4, 2008, p. 09). She makes this comment to strengthen the fact that peace is not simply an absence of war because the veil of peace can â€Å"cover up and promote illusion† (Session 4, 2008, p. 209). It is discussed that even the most absolute pacifists can sometimes see war being used as an instrument of justice. The movie â€Å"Glory† was used as an ethical consideration in â€Å"Just War† on how it identified the struggle African-Americans had in convincing Lincoln that African-Americans should be included in fighting for their own freedom. The quote was made, â€Å"I’ll die standing like a man rather than on my knees like a slave† (Session 4, 2008, p. 210). In the time given for this assembly and considering the amount of people represented, I feel there was ample empirical evidence included in the discussion. You have the military persons relating their real life experience to the â€Å"Just War† concept, you have those that consciously abstain from war and other perspectives in between all rendering their thoughts on the considerations of â€Å"Just War. † This discussion made the information far easier to relate to then one person writing an article with resources. It was like making an article 3-Dimensional. When the panel discussed our current war, it was brought up that our government failed the â€Å"Just War† test on every point. We didn’t go in having a probability of success, we didn’t engage in good faith efforts to avoid the war, we didn’t give enough thought to engage in war as a last resort, etc. In discussing the Just War, Michael Massing used Iraq as an example of what all should be considered in the cost of a â€Å"Just War. Not only civilian casualties, but also instability creatd in the region, additional terrorism, damage to the US image in the world. In short we failed in the â€Å"Just War† appraisal with the American intervention. This article based on a panel discussion absolutely makes a contribution to the further understanding of the â€Å"Just War† debate along with important themes in the â€Å"Just War† debate. The discussion was represented in such a way to make the information livelier, engaging and easy to digest. We are taught of the different learning styles as we go through the education system. I found that hearing a variety of perspectives represented by using a discussion panel is always stronger in my understanding of a subject. Each individual relays information differently so that the odds are increased that they can relate to a wider audience since a variety of teaching styles are represented. I found the article â€Å"On Just and Unjust War† to be very clearly written and very relatable. This was an article I would enjoy reading whether it was an assignment or more importantly, if it were not. The variety of voices represented in the panel discussion were able to add a human element to the facts. Because personal experiences are interwoven through the article along with the invaluable information and discussion, this helps the reader in understanding the points made throughout the article. Another element of this article which would go under the â€Å"strengths† column would be that the panel consisted of those who had already been active in some wars, those who had made a conscious decision not to participate in war and every viewpoint in between. One of the reasons I felt this was an excellent article was that I read it multiple times because I enjoyed it whereas other articles I read multiple times to merely understand them. The panel did such a clear and excellent job of presenting the information that upon completing the article, I could relate to both sides of opinions on the â€Å"Just and Unjust War† debate. I consider myself to be an open-minded person but I did go into reading this article with one opinion and completed the article with a broader understanding of the whole. Although it’s simpler and easier to look at things as black and white or right and wrong, through the process of understanding, we often discover there are no extremes, no positives without the negatives. So basically I come away from this reading with a better understanding of the gray.

The Financial Crisis And The Collapse Of The World Wide...

The 2008 financial crisis was one of the worst economic times since the 1929 Great Depression. It led a worldwide economical, social, and political instability that shook the very foundation of the term â€Å"laissez-faire†, or free market. Millions of people around the world lost their homes and their jobs, while large corporations and entire countries were at the brink of insolvency. Others, who are as unfortunate, lost their life savings and pension funds. But it is important to question what led to the events toward the collapse of the world wide financial system. In an era of low interest rates and easy credit, home ownership appeared to be a great investment. World housing prices rose drastically in 2005 to 2007, and a great majority of the population began buying up houses – even if they could not afford them. Subsequently, countries began massive construction projects of apartments and condos, in speculation that their values will continue rising, despite the f act that much of them remained unoccupied. Lenders saw an excellent opportunity to make money, and in sense, lowered their rates and requirements to acquire a home mortgage. Such mortgages came to be known as â€Å"subprime mortgages†. Those lenders then sent those packages of mortgages to investors and financial institutions, e.g banks, hedge funds, and individuals. Each mortgage was rated for how likely each family was able to pay off the loans. Some of the largest American banks who hoped to take a big profit fromShow MoreRelatedThe World Experienced A Tremendous Financial Crisis Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pages the world experienced a tremendous financial crisis which rooted from the U.S housing market; moreover, it is considered by many economists as one of the worst recession since the Great Depression in 1930s. 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