Thursday, October 31, 2019
Onset Ventures Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Onset Ventures - Case Study Example Early-stage ventures are very young firms with limited operational resources and are usually in the development, startup or survival stages. The seasoned firms are usually in rapid-growth or maturity stages (Leach & Melicher, p.21-22). Seed financing is represented by the funds required to determine if an idea can be a viable business opportunity. This is usually necessary at the development stage of a venture. Other sources of financing are startup financing, first-round, second-round, liquidity stage, mezzanine and seasoned financing, depending upon the ventures life cycle stage. Onset Ventures is a top-tier seed investor which has raised three funds till now. The partners at Onset have analyzed and set six principles, based on which they provide seed financing to a startup venture. The principles address the skill set and experience of the entrepreneur, continuously evolving business model, validation of business model followed by hiring the CEO, the funds spent only to add value perceived by the capital providers, product’s Unique Selling Proposition and the skills of personnel hired. These principles have been refined over time and lead to the development of incubation process through which the company develops, refines and pursues or rejects business ideas. During the first phase, pre-seed phase of incubation process, Onset analyzes if the business concept can be an attractive investment. Based on the outcome of the pre-seed phase, it proceeds to the seed phase and provides seed financing to the business. Onset analyzes the possible risks and tries to address those risks during this phase. The five risks are market, technical, operating, pricing risks, as well as the risk related to the operational capability of the business team. Onset has a comprehensive process of screening the ideas and identifying profitable ventures but it has lost the opportunities of making more profits due to tight funding of the ventures and by being too careful and risk- averse. II. Facts of the Case A. Stated Facts Onset Ventures was set-up with an initial $5 million fund in 1984 and subsequently raised $30m (Onset I) and $67m funds (Onset II). Out of these funds, two-thirds have been invested in seed and follow-on investments, and the rest is kept as reserves in Onset II. In 1996-97, the size of an average VC fund increased by 40% to $71 billion. The company plans to raise $80m-$95m fund, it’s the largest fund till now. Onset has provided seed financing of $1m for the company TallyUp to develop a viable software product. Onset operates on a model of five business principles and a specific incubation process of pre-seed phase and seed phase to screen the business ideas. The company’s minimum target IRR of a fund is 30% over 12 year cycle. Onset puts in a company around $1m in seed round, $1.5m in the next round, and $2m in the third round. Onset I gave positive IRR within 4 years of its inception (appendix 1) and Onset II took only th ree years to give positive IRR (appendix 2). The average number of investment has increased in subsequent funds, i.e. $2.5m in Onset I, $3.5m to $4m in Onset II and expected $4.5m to $5m in Onset III. B. Implied Facts Over the last 13 years, Onset has invested mainly in seed-stage and early-stage financing. Onset II has performed better than Onset I (appendix 3). III. Problem Definition A. Source Problem How many funds must be raised for Onset III? Whether Onset should invest an additional $1m into TallyUp for
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
American Indian Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
American Indian Literature - Essay Example Thus, his ability to defend his people allows him to be seen as a hero by his tribesmen, and this also allows him to be revered and celebrated by his people. Since warriors were so important to all Native American tribes, throughout their literature, we see the concept of the warrior as a hero, or as a powerful individual, bustling throughout this literature. Take, for example, the story of "Lucy, Oklahoma" in which "medicine men" become warriors, by way of witchcraft, on behalf of one of their abused kin. Medicine men are revered in Native American cultures, too, aren't they Of course they are-however, they are not usually seen as the heroes of battles-this is reserved for the warriors. If these medicine men are going to do their tribe justice and take revenge, they must fight. So, even though they are revered members of the tribe, we see that the status of the warrior in the tribe is even more revered-and thus, again, these men, in order to be heroes and to defend their tribe's ideals, must become warriors. The status of the warrior in the Native American tribe is therefore revered and even holy. The ability of the warrior to defend his tribe and assure the tribe's survival, as well as the tribe's own respect and prestige (as is the case in "Lucy, Oklahoma") becomes very important to the tribe's own pride and honor.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
The Effects Of Homophobic Bullying Social Work Essay
The Effects Of Homophobic Bullying Social Work Essay The stigma and prejudice attached to homosexuality encourages the perpetuation of homophobic bullying against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and Trans gender (LGBT) youth by their peers. Bullying can take the form of homophobic epithets, sexual harassment and even violence. The class room has been described by social psychologists as the most homophobic of all institutions. This paper examines the effects of homophobic bullying on the physical and mental health of the LGBT youth which is characterized by depression, suicide ideation and engaging in risky behaviors (alcohol and substance abuse). The paper also analyses the buffering effects provided by positive school climate, parental and peer support as well as personal resilience. Keywords: LGBT youth, homophobic bullying, depression, hostile school climate, suicide ideation The Effects of Homophobic Bullying on the Mental and Physical Health of LGBT Youth: The Buffering Effects of Positive School Climate and Parental Support A Review of the Literature In todays permissive society an increasing number of adolescents who are in their early and middle teens (Middle and High school students) have begun to come out of the proverbial closet. However, even in this day and age our society is largely intolerant of deviation from gender norms prescribed by the culture. This makes it especially challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth who are struggling and trying to come to terms with their sexual identity and orientation. The stigma attached to homosexuality encourages the perpetuation of homophobic bullying against the LGBT youth by their peers. It is a matter of immense concern to the doctors, psychologists and the entire community that there is a high incidence of suicide within this sexual minority group as compared to the heterosexual youth. This literature review focuses on homophobic bullying and its effects on the LGBT youth who are at a challenging stage in life and are struggling with their feelings abo ut sexual orientation and sexual gender. The effects of homophobic bullying on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth encompass challenges to their psychosocial development, emotional distress an increase in risky behavior (substance abuse), depression and suicide ideation. However, the literature review also highlights the buffering effects of a positive school environment and positive parental relations against negative effects of homophobic bullying. Homophobic Teasing and General Peer Victimization Homophobic teasing, peer victimization and gender non-conformity attitudes are some important mental health issues faced by the LGBT youth as result of their sexual orientation. Homophobic teasing is often long-term, systematic, and perpetrated by groups of students; it places the targets at risk for greater suicide ideation, depression and isolation. Homophobic teasing includes negative beliefs, attitudes, stereotypes and behaviors towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender youth, and can take the form of verbal and/or physical abuse, and in todays advanced technological age cyber abuse. Peer victimization can take the form of verbal insults, threats of violence, physical assault, and sexual assault (Espelage, Aragon, Birkett Koenig, 2008). A 2009 survey of more than 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students aged 13-21 years found that in the past year, because of their sexual orientation: Eight of ten students had been verbally harassed at school; four of ten had been phys ically harassed at school; six of ten felt unsafe at school; and one of five had been the victim of a physical assault at school (cdc.gov). Challenges to Psycho Social Development According to Erik Eriksons theory of psychosocial development all individuals must master particular developmental tasks during the adolescent years in order to lead productive and healthy lives. These tasks include adjusting to the physical and emotional changes of puberty, forming practical social and functioning relationships with peers, accomplishing independence from primary care takers, preparing for a career, and formation of a unique identity and a set of moral values (McDermott, Roen Scourfield 2008). However, for the LGBT adolescents achieving these developmental goals is challenged by the stress of being part of a stigmatized group. These youth also have to contend with a lack or absence of a support system such as family rejection, social isolation and harassment by peers and feelings of alienation with the school as a result of consistent homophobic bullying. Emotional Distress The social climate of our nation promotes heterosexist attitudes and these views are up held by our social institutions such as families, schools, the church, and government institutions. These prejudiced attitudes result in gay related stress for the LGBT youth who experience a unique set of stressors related directly to being sexual minorities within a heterosexually oriented society. These stressors may be both external (homophobic bullying, family rejection), and internal (internalized homophobia) in nature From the time they are children the youth have been barraged by negative attitudes towards homosexuality and this can lead to the internalization of homophobic sentiments. Internalized homophobia often results in feelings of shame and disgust towards ones sexual orientation which has been reinforced by family and society and can create conflict and dissonance and lead to emotional distress (Rosario Schrimshaw 2002). School Alienation and Lack of Social Support The constant flow of negative information regarding gender non -conformity and homosexuality from figures of authority such as parents, teachers, the clergy, and government officials encourages discriminatory and prejudicial behavior towards the sexual minority group by fellow students. Their heterosexist tendencies are manifested through homophobic bullying, social isolation and violence towards the vulnerable LGBT adolescents. Peer victimization can result in creating a hostile school environment and promotes feelings of alienation from school. An on-line research conducted on 3,450 public and private students (ages13-18) in the U.S found that 88% of the students reported that homophobic remarks were used in the teachers presence and that teachers and staff failed to intervene during these incidents (Espelage 2008). These findings clearly indicate that teachers and staffs failure to intervene encourages and promotes peer victimization and homophobic teasing and creates and sustains a hostile environment for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender youth. Having a strong social support system (family, peers, and teachers) is vital to maintaining mental and emotional health. It works as a buffer against stress; elevates a persons self-confidence and self-esteem; reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation to name a few. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender youth have lack or absence of a social support system by virtue of their sexual orientation that is negatively sanctioned by the heterosexual society. They face family rejection after coming out, social isolation by their peers, and many adults fear discrimination, job loss, and abuse if they openly support LGBT youth. Thus there is a lack of positive role models and support system which makes it more challenging to cope with the stress produced by stigmatization (Padilla, Crisp Rew 2011). Depression, Substance Abuse, and Suicide Ideation Suicidal ideation is defined as thoughts of engaging in suicide-related behavior. It can range from passive ideation- having the thought but not the intent to active ideation which includes intent as well as a plan to harm oneself. Suicidality has a number of risk factors as well as a number of protective factors. Among LGB individuals there is a higher incidence of risk factors and there are less protective factors in place. There is, for example, a higher incidence of important suicide risk factors such as depression and substance abuse in LGB youth compared to their heterosexual peers. These associations between mood disorders are borne out by research studies (Malley, Posner, Potter, 2008). Also, LGB individuals often experience a lack of support at home and are deprived of positive environments in their schools due to avoidance or bullying. Within the LGB cohort certain factors can affect the risk of suicidality as well-for example the younger the age at which the individual di scloses sexuality the higher the risk of suicide. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2007), It has been widely reported that gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youth and that thirty percent of all attempted or completed youth suicides are related to issues of sexual identity. The Suicide Prevention Resource Centre (2008) in the United States noted a 1.5 to 7 fold (depending on the study) increased risk of attempted suicide in LGB youth as compared to their heterosexual peers. A landmark study commissioned by the US Secretary of Health found that one third of all sexual minority youth suicides occur before the age of seventeen (Malley, Posner, Potter, 2008). Padilla, Crisp, and Rew (2010) found that in the adolescent population sexual minorities have a much higher rate of drug use with contributing factors including a greater number of psychological stressors and poor social networks. They also noted that when parents accepted the adolescents sexual orientation the impact of life stressors was decreased significantly. Buffering Effects Provided by Parental Support and Positive School Climate and Resilience As mentioned previously there is a greater prevalence of psychological problems and high risk behaviors in LGBT youth then in their heterosexual peers. These include mood disorders, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. Espelage, Aragon, Birkett and Koenig (2008) and Poteat, Mereish, Di Giovanni Koenig(2011) highlighted the crucial role a support system plays in preventing psychiatric and other behavioral problems in LGBT youth. Two important and beneficial support networks identified were the first of which were communicative and empathic parents and the second affirming and healthy school environments. The presence of both these networks corresponded with a markedly reduced incidence of psychological problems, suicide and substance use compared to individual where there was a lack of these support systems. Parental support and acceptance also seems to foster resilience and improve coping skills. It appears from the review of relevant literature that contrary to popular perception and despite the efforts of most sections of the media as well as many social organizations, general and unconditional acceptance of LGBT individual remains the exception and not the norm. The alienation and stigmatization is achieved through both passive (social ostracization, not standing up for LGBT rights) and aggressive (violence and emotional homophobic bullying) means and is aggravated by the absence of a buffer against these assaults in the form of parental acceptance and positive school environments. These findings do not differ much from those of earlier studies or from studies of other minorities that face prejudices. We know that the problem exists and we have identified the enabling, aggravating and protective factors. What remains to be seen is whether society will show the will to follow words with actions. What may also be beneficial is to conduct larger studies with more statistical power so that the facts can be ascertained with a greater degree of confidence. Annotated Bibliography Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011, May 19). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm This website provides statistics on the prevalence of homophobic bullying in the schools. Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Espelage, D.M. (2008). Addressing research gaps in the intersection between homophobia and bullying. School Psychology Review, 37 (2), 155-58. Homophobic bullying is a pressing and immediate problem facing our community since it affects adolescents who are members of a sexual minority group. One of the fundamental principles of Community psychology is a respect for diversity which includes race ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and social class. Espelage, D. L., Aragon, S. R., Birkett, M., Koenig, B. W. (2008). Homophobic teasing, psychological outcomes, and sexual orientation among high school students: What influence does parents and schools have? School Psychology Review, 37(2), 202-216. Another fundamental principle of Community Psychology is ecological perspective and multiple levels of intervention. LGBT youth face an increased risk of mental and emotional problems as a result of stigmatization of their sexual orientation. It is of interest to the community psychologist that the youths positive parental (microsystem) and school (microsystem) involvement help as a buffer to negate the effects of stigmatization. McDermott, E., Roen, K., Scourfield, J. (2008). Avoiding shame: young LGBT people, homophobia and self-destructive behaviors. Culture, Health Sexuality, 10(8), 815-829. doi:10.1080/13691050802380974 Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Padilla, Y. C., Crisp, C., Rew, D. (2010). Parental acceptance and illegal drug use among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents: Results from a national survey. Social Work, 55(3), 265-275. Community psychologists are interested in the effects of social support on our youth. Since social support has been shown to promote and maintain physical and mental wellbeing and also helps in the development of resiliency in youth who are at risk such as the sexual minority youth. Poteat, V., Mereish, E. H., DiGiovanni, C. D., Koenig, B. W. (2011). The effects of general and homophobic victimization on adolescents psychosocial and educational concerns: The importance of intersecting identities and parent support. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(4), 597-609. doi:10.1037/a0025095 Another fundamental principle of Community Psychology is ecological perspective and multiple levels of intervention. LGBT youth face an increased risk of mental and emotional problems as a result of stigmatization of their sexual orientation. It is of interest to the community psychologist that the youths positive parental (microsystem) and school (microsystem) involvement help as a buffer to negate the effects of stigmatization. Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., Hunter, J., Gwadz, M. (2002). Gay-related stress and emotional distress among gay, lesbian and bisexual youths: A longitudinal examination. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70(4), 967-975. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.70.4.967 Since community psychology focuses on social issues and social institutions it is of particular interest to community psychologists that our sexual minority youth are facing harassment and violence at the hands of these social institutions such as schools, church and governmental organizations. Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2008). Suicide risk and prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. Community psychology advocates the importance of context and environment because our behaviors are governed by the expectations and demands of given situations. It is vital to study the social environment of the LGBT youth to figure out what interventions can be made in order to prevent suicide within this population.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Greek :: essays research papers
                                                       Othello is a perfect example of Greek tragedy. It embodies all the essential parts needed to produce a Greek tragedy. A hero of noble birth, his tragic flaw and the reversal and recognition. Fitting a Greek tragedy Othello starts in the middle of an event. Othello’s marriage to Desdemona. Iago keeps us informed how and when things are going to happen. Everything is explained through dialogue. Iago tells the audience how things are going to play out in Act II, scene 1, lines 288 through 314, where he says†¦.                That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t;                That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.                The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,                Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,                And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona                A most dear husband. Now I do love her too;                Not out of absolute lust, though peradventure                I stand accountant for as great a sin,                But partly led to diet my revenge,                For that I do suspect the lusty Moor                Hath leaped into my seat; the thought whereof                Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;                And nothing can or shall content my soul                Till I am evened with him, wife for wife;                Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor                At least into a jealousy so strong                That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do,                If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash                For his quick hunting, stand the putting on,                I’ll have our Michael Casio on the hip,                Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb                (For I fear Cassio with my nightcap too),                Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me                And practicing upon his peace and quiet                Even to madness. This here, but yet confused:                Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used.      Othello’s flaw is jealousy, in the beginning its not even an issue for him. However when Iago began to plant poisonous seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind, it doesn’t take long for the green eyed monster to rear it’s ugly head. During the crisis to the extreme killing of Desdemona. However in the time period when this story takes place, it was acceptable and common for husbands to kill their wives if they tarnished their husband’s good name. After Othello kills her the falling action began to take place when Othello finds out that he has been betrayed in Act 5, scene II, beginning at line 170. During the falling action you feel pity for Othello even though he murdered Desdemona.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
JSBMHA and HIPPA case study Essay
There are many faults in this scenario that I read about with Jim and Betty. First of all, when you are dealing with people who are in a â€Å"counseling or any type of therapeutic†setting, you have to be able to handle this situation with privacy and always try to treat your client with respect and never discuss them outside of the clinical setting. The HIPAA laws are to protect the patient’s rights so that they cannot be given just out to anybody. The only people that can have access to the medical files would be someone that is involved in the care of or needs to have access to them for anyone that is billing, or the insurance company that is paying for the services that the client is receiving. What areas of the JSBMHA did HIPAA compliance impact, When Jim and Betty were working for that company, they had unfortunately talked about specific clients and some relatives of the clients had heard the conversation and also their relatives names. They had immediately gone to the company and talked with their supervisor so he could deal with the employees that had broken the privacy laws. JSBMHA, is an certified agency that works with clients that have psychological, mental, and addictions for drugs. THE clients need to be able to feel safe, knowing that their conversations are not talked about elsewhere, unless it is related to their recovery. What Jim and Betty did at the cafeteria is inexcusable. You never know who is going to be listening in on your conversation when you are in a public place. If the wrong people hear what is being said, you never know what the ramifications could be. If a woman is at a domestic violence shelter and you are talking about what she went through with her ex-boyfriend , not knowing the whole time that the ex is in the booth right behind you. Right there you have just put that women in a dangerous position. Without thinking you have just put that woman’s life in jeopardy. 3 I believe that because of their actions that JSBMHA should suspend both of them for at LEAST two weeks without pay. I believe with that type of punishment, maybe both of them will really think about what they did and why it was inappropriate. Maybe they should even write a paper on how their actions were wrong and also be able to see how they’re gossiping put that woman in jeopardy. They need to really understand how their actions can affect other people. ‘
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Controlling Organized Crime Essay
Combating organized crime can be an intricate task. Various laws exist in the fight against organized crime, and some have been successful in prosecuting several members of organized crime groups. However, without the refinement of such laws, organized crime groups will just find ways to get around such laws. Law enforcement efforts to combat organized crime can run into limitations as far as what law enforcement can and cannot do. Laws need to be changed to avoid such limitations. Without the changing of such laws, law enforcement efforts to combat organized crime will be almost wasted. Organized crime has become a growing problem over the last several years. Organized crime can exist in any community and strikes fear into the individuals which live in the communities in which an organized crime group has set up base. An organized crime group will come into a community where the government is weak, or nearly non-existent. Setting up base in these types of communities makes it easier for the organized crime group to perform their illegal activities. Organized crime groups have their hands in many illegal activities meant to make money. Illegal activities such as loan sharking, prostitution, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and human trafficking are just some examples of the activities organized crime groups are involved in. The problem with stopping these activities is that there can be a great number of people from one group committing these crimes, and getting to the â€Å"big fish†is almost impossible. Even if the small players are taken out of the game, those people likely will not tell who they are working for, making it almost impossible to take down the entire group. With organized crime reaching across state and country boundaries, combating organized crime can run into legal limitations. Each state’s and country’s jurisdictional requirements are going to vary. Different jurisdictional requirements make it almost impossible for law enforcement from one jurisdiction to apprehend criminals in anothe r jurisdiction. Organized crime groups are aware of these problems with jurisdictions and will use this knowledge to their advantage when committing criminal acts (Limbaugh, 2010). A major federal law intended to combat the growing problem of organized crime is the 1965 /1967 Mafia-membership (law proposed by Senator John McClellan) Senate Bill 2187, 89th Congress, Senate Bill 678, 90th Congress. This law states that any person who knowingly and willfully becomes, or remains a member of the mafia, or any other organized crime group, in which the group operates illegal activities such as gambling, extortion, blackmail, narcotics, prostitution, or labor racketeering, and the member has prior knowledge of such activities committed by the organized crime group, is subject to a punishment of no less than five years but no more than 20 years in prison and fines up to $20,000.00 (â€Å"Organized Crime And Federal Legislation†, n.d.). This particular piece of legislation appears that it would be very effective in combating organized crime. Taking out the small players in an organized crime group could lead law enforcement to the top of the chain-of-command, ther efore effectively taking down the group as a whole. Another federal law intended to combat organized crime is the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Statute. The RICO Statute provides penalties for persons involved in racketeering activities. Racketeering includes criminal acts committed such as any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in an obscene manner, or dealing in a controlled substance. I think this law would also be very effective in combating organized crime as organized crime groups are likely to be involved in some form of racketeering. Having laws such as the RICO Statute can bring down an entire organized crime group, as each member will likely be involved in some form of racketeering. Laws such as this one may not completely stop an organized crime group from committing such criminal acts, but this law may make an organized crime group think twice about committing such criminal acts. The continual refining of such laws intended to combat organized crime would create better efforts for the law enforcement fight against organized crime. As times change, organized crime groups are becoming smarter, and using new technology in the commission of criminal acts. Operating an online store to sell counterfeit clothing overseas would be one such example of use of new technology. Laws need to be refined to keep up with the changing criminal world. Laws written prior to the introduction of the internet did not take into account the changes that would come over time, so such laws have to be re-written to accommodate technology such as the internet. The fight against organized crime will be a never-ending effort. As long as there is public demand for prostitution, illegal drugs, and other services provided by organized crime groups, there will be organized crime. Taking down organized crime groups will have to be a joint effort amongst all law enforcement agencies, federal and state. By combining resources of state and federal law enforcement, a better handle can be gotten on the fight against organized crime. References Limbaugh, S. (2010). Controlling Organized Crime. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/controlling-organized-crime-6835298.html Organized Crime and Federal Legislation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.organized- crime.de/OCLAWS.htm
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