Parents in Great Expectations Essay

Examine how Dickens portrays the incompetence of parents Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a bildungsroman, which is primarily concerned about the literal and metaphorical metamorphosis of the central protagonist, Pip. However, Dickens main thrust is that of parenting through the utilization of Mrs. Joe Gargery and Miss Havisham to establish their injustices towards children. Miss Havisham from an affluent class abuses her privileges of being a parent by using Estella, her adopted daughter to attack the male gender. In contrast, Mrs. Joe Gargery is from a lower class, yet she too torments pip, but through physical and verbal means. Through Miss Havisham and Mrs. Joe, Dickens dam’s the ethical codes of the rich and the poor and moreover, conveys that the incompetence of parents that transcend economic boundaries. Contrastingly, Charles Dickens utilizes Mr. Joe Gargery as the leading embodiment of how parents should be offering Pip wisdom, but more importantly love and friendship. In the beginning, Dickens emphasizes the ill treatment of children in a low-class through the use of Mrs. Joe Gargery. Mrs.  Joe’s apron symbolizes her unwillingness to perform her expected role and acts as a reminder of the troubles Pip gives her: â€Å"†¦ I may truly say I’ve never had this apron of mine off, since born you were. It’s bad enough to be a blacksmith’s wife (and him a Gargery) without being your mother. â€Å"(Pg 7) Mrs. Joe makes Pip feel guilty by reminding him of her domestic slavery. Thus, Pip is left feeling like he warrants all the abuse Mrs. Joe inflicts upon him. Moreover the â€Å"coarse† apron, â€Å"stuck full of pins and needles,† reflects Mrs. Joe’s unapproachable and unloving nature. Also Through this Dickens’s mocks the traditional gender roles in the Victorian times, as Mrs. Joe is perceived to be more masculine. Other incidents of Mrs. Joe’s rough behavior towards Pip further highlights the injustices of children. Mrs. Joe’s â€Å"trenchant† way of preparing meals portrays her negative attitude towards Pip and Mr. Joe. The adjective â€Å"trenchant† implies a deliberate and hurtful action. â€Å"She jammed the loaf hard and fast against her bib – where it sometimes got a pin into it, and sometimes a needle, which we afterwards go into our mouths†. (pg 8) This is peculiar for a married woman, of a mature age to be acting in this way. In addition this again demolishes the stereotypical mother figure. Furthermore, Dickens depicts the incompetence of parents in a wealthy class through Miss Havisham’s exploitation of Estella to highlight the ill treatment of children. Miss Havisham wallows in self-pity because the person she loved left her alone, on her wedding day. Miss. Havisham never recovered or allowed herself to recover. Her bluntness and harshness was not coming from a rude old lady, but more from a lonely women trying to break free and escape. Miss Havisham surrounds herself in an environment that reflect her inner feelings: â€Å"†¦ The passages were dark†¦ † (p. 57) This can be seen as suppression; keeping her problems inside and letting them kill her slowly. How she damages herself harms Estella as well. Estella was raised in a controlled environment, and psychologically disturbed by Miss. Havisham. Miss. Havisham say’s she cannot love anymore because of her uncontrollable suspicion that everyone is out to hurt her; hence Estella will never experience love. By adopting Estella, it shows her longing for companion – however hides this by claiming it is only for training purposes to break all men’s hearts. Because of this Estella will never know what real love is. On the other hand, Dickens use of Mr. Joe exhibits elements of hope and contrastingly conveys the humanity of parents. Mr. Joe is not just a father figure to Pip, but as an â€Å"equal† too: â€Å"I always treated him as a large species of child and no more than my equal† This quotation exhibits the genuine love Pip has for Joe and their close relationship. Mr. Joe conveys an interest about Pip’s education: â€Å"I say, Pip, old chap! † cried Joe, opening his blue eyes wide, â€Å"what a scholar you are. An’t you? † (p. 42) Joe is proud of Pip and doesn’t want Pip to be uneducated like him. He treats Pip like his own, even though he is adopted. He admits in Chapter seven that the only reason he is staying with Mrs. Joe is solely because of Pip. Lastly, Joe’s acceptance of Pip back into his house again reinforces his father qualities. Through Joe, Pip realizes the importance of family and friendship. In addition appreciates his relationship with Joe. Ironically, Dickens had a life somewhat similar to that of Pip’s life. Dickens grew up in Kent and moved to London, like Pip. His mother made him work in a Blacking warehouse at age twelve due to his father’s financial dilemmas. This incident in his life trampled him psychologically. Through his experience, Dickens’s sympathizes for children and mocks the abuse of children in society as a whole. Dickens wrote strongly about people who ill-treated children through his novels, for example Oliver Twist. The underlying fact, in ‘Great Expectations’, is that parents lack sufficient love for the maintenance of emotional stability in their children.

Majorca – Geography

Majorca – A Holiday DICKS Paradise? Map of Majorca Majorca in the Mediterranean Majorca is the largest of the 4 main Balearic Islands, located in the Mediterranean Sea, off the east coast of Spain. It is a highly popular holiday destination in the world, especially to Western European countries. Majorca’s capital city is Palma de Mallorca. Main Attractions for Tourists at Majorca North Majorca – * Serra de Tramuntana – large mountain range * Cap de Formentor – Northernmost cap of Majorca Valldemossa – Famous village related to composer, Chopin * Port de Soller – Village, port North Majorca is more scenic-tourism based compared to South Majorca, and features more natural attractions than artificial ones. Unlike South Majorca’s westernisation, North Majorca contains intact traditional culture. Much tourism in the north resides around beaches and the natural environment. South Majorca – * Cuevas de Drach – subterranea n cave * Es Trenc Beach – a beach.South Majorca is generally more westernised, Americanised, and tourist abundant. Resorts are designed to be extravagant and luxurious. Attractions are mostly man-made venues, such as casinos, night clubs, cruises, brothels, etc. That is not to say South Majorca lacks natural attractions; its beaches and landscape are just less visited. General – * Palma de Mallorca – Majorca’s capital city * Santa Maria Cathedral – Massive Gothic cathedral in Palma * Binissalem – specifically its wine * Prostitution – think what you will.Advantages/Disadvantages of Tourism Advantages – * Improved economy and wealth, which leads to†¦ * Improved infrastructure, which in turn†¦ * Improves local living conditions * Improves tourist conditions, welfare, accommodation, etc. * Rejuvenation/maintenance of historical and cultural interests * Sustainable tourism is emphasised and promoted * Employment created * Jobs and pay for locals Disadvantages – * Gradual disintegration of native ethnic culture to cater for tourists * Locals all generally speak fluent English Destruction of natural landscape * 25 tons of sand are removed from beaches by tourists with sticky bodies annually * Littering and pollution by the typically ignorant millionaire American tourist and his V8 truck(s) or the British drunk and his cardboard box * This kills the native flora/fauna of the island * Property Inflation * Locals are replaced in their houses by overseas aristocrats * Artificial Drought * Increased consumption of water by tourists, i. e. pools, cleaning, drinking, etc. combined with few days of rain equates to a growing lack of water* Majorca becomes over reliant on the tourism industry * Tourism sector makes up 95% of its economy Conclusion Is Majorca a holiday paradise or not? Google and its mechanics define paradise as: ‘†¦a place in which existence is harmonious; where there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. ’ The definition for ‘holiday paradise’ would therefore be along the lines of†¦. ‘†¦a holiday ecosystem where the tourism infrastructure system is harmonious, prosperous, and provides happiness to the tourist. Note that the concept of a ‘holiday paradise’ comes from a tourists view (locals don’t have a holiday on the spot where they live, and the environment doesn’t have holidays). We can deduce from the definition of a ‘holiday paradise’ that Majorca is indeed a holiday paradise. Majorca does offer a tourism infrastructure that is harmonious, and prosperous whilst providing happiness to the tourist. Majorca’s tourist catering is at a sublime level, with a massive amount of services destined to be harmonious with a tourists needs.Majorca’s tourism industry is also extremely prosperous, making up 95% of its economy and providing plenty of healthy economic stimul ation for the locals. Most importantly of all, the tourist is happy in Majorca, which is why so many tourists go there in the first place. Majorca’s abundance of fascinating tourist attractions, such as its culture, beaches, caves, natural landscape, historic villages, night clubs, casinos, marinas, restaurants, brothels, as well as its compliance with the definition of a ‘holiday paradise’, proves that Majorca is without doubt a tourist’s holiday paradise.References http://www. mallorca-info. co. uk/where-to-stay-mallorca. html, Where to stay in Mallorca, (30/7/12– 5/8/12) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Balearic_Islands, Balearic Islands (26/7/12– 5/8/12) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Majorca, Majorca (26/7/12– 5/8/12) http://www. tripadvisor. co. uk/Attractions-g187462-Activities-Majorca_Balearic_Islands. html, Things to do in Majorca (1/8/12– 5/8/12) http://etravel. org/places/europe/spain/top-five-places-to-visit-in-mallorc a/, Top 5 places to Visit in Mallorca (31/7/12– 5/8/12) ttp://www. seemallorca. com/mallorca/guide. html, Introduction to Majorca (27/7/12– 5/8/12) http://www. akademifantasia. org/europe/top-5-natural-attractions-in-majorca/, Top 5 Natural Attractions in Majorca (2/8/12– 5/8/12) http://wikitravel. org/en/Mallorca, Mallorca (26/7/12– 5/8/12) http://www. majorca-mallorca. co. uk/, Welcome to Majorca (27/7/12– 5/8/12) http://www. geographypages. co. uk/major. htm, Majorca tourism Project(26/7/12– 5/8/12)

Program Evaluation as a Key Tool in Health and Human Services

Program Evaluation as a Key Tool in Health and Human Services Maria Delos Angeles Mora HCA460 Research Methods in Health and Human Services Professor TyKeysha Boone April 22, 2013 Program Evaluation as a Key Tool in Health and Human Services In this competitive health care environment, consumers want and expect better health care services and hospital systems are concerned about maintaining their overall image. There is also attention to ways in which patient satisfaction measurement can be integrated into an overall measure of clinical quality. As lots of information is available to be used in a hypothetical evaluation.The American Red Cross is my selection due to that I worked with them for several years as a voluntary and telephonic representative to answer incoming calls that needed to be checked for different parts of the United States and commonwealth territories. The fundamental Principles of the Global Red Cross Network are based on humanity- the Red Cross, born of a desire t o bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors-in its international and national capacity-to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found.Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation lasting peace amongst all peoples, impartiality-it makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress, neutrality- In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Red Cross may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or deological nature, independence-since the Red Cross is considered is independent. The national societies, while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their govern ments and subject to the laws of their respective countries, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with Red Cross principles, voluntary service-is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain, unity-is there is a Red Cross society in any one country no one can be turned out as it may be open to all.It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory, and universality-as the Red Cross is a worldwide institution in which all societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other. In the continuing effort to improve human service programs, funders, policymakers, and service providers are increasingly recognizing the importance of rigorous program evaluations. They want to know what the programs accomplish, what they cost, and how they should be operated to achieve maximum cost-effectiveness.They want to know which programs work for which groups, and t hey want conclusions based on evidence, rather than testimonials and impassioned pleas. This paper lays out, for the non-technician, the basic principles of program evaluation design. It signals common pitfalls, identifies constraints that need to be considered, and presents ideas for solving potential problems. These principles are general and can be applied to a wide range of human service programs.We illustrate these principles here with examples from programs for vulnerable children and youth. Evaluation of these programs is particularly challenging because they address a wide diversity of problems and possible solutions, often include multiple agencies and clients, and change over time to meet shifting service needs. It is very important to follow the steps in selecting the Appropriate Evaluation Design. The first step in the process of selecting an evaluation design is to clarify the questions that need to be answered.The next step is to develop a logic model that lays out the expected causal linkages between the program (and program components) and the program goals. Without tracing these anticipated links it is impossible to interpret the evaluation evidence that is collected. The third step is to review the program to assess its readiness for evaluation. These three steps can be done at the same time or in overlapping stages. Clarifying the Evaluation Questions is a design of any evaluation begins by defining the audience for the evaluation findings, what they need to know, and when.The questions used are determine which of the following four major types of evaluation should be chosen such as: The Impact evaluations focus on questions of causality. Did the program have its intended effects? If so, who was helped and what activities or characteristics of the program created the impact? Did the program have any unintended consequences, positive or negative? How performance monitoring does provides information on key aspects of how a system or program is operating and the extent to which specified program objectives are being attained (e. g. numbers of youth served compared to target goals, reductions in school dropouts compared to target goals). Results are used by service providers, funders, and policymakers to assess the program's performance and accomplishments. Process evaluations answer questions about how the program operates and document the procedures and activities undertaken in service delivery. Such evaluations help identify problems faced in delivering services and strategies for overcoming these problems. They are useful to practitioners and service providers in replicating or adapting program strategies.Cost evaluations address how much the program or program components cost, preferably in relation to alternative uses of the same resources and to the benefits being produced by the program. In the current fiscal environment, programs must expect to defend their costs against alternative uses. As the comprehensive eval uation will include all these activities. Sometimes, however, the questions raised, the target audience for findings, or the available resources limit the evaluation focus to one or two of these activities.Whether to provide preliminary evaluations to staff for use in improving program operations and developing additional services is an issue that needs to be faced. Preliminary results can be effectively used to identify operational problems and develop the capacity of program staff to conduct their own ongoing evaluation and monitoring activities (Connell, J. P. , Kubisch, A. C. , Schorr, L. B. , and Weiss, C. H. (1995). But this use of evaluation findings, called formative evaluations, presents a challenge to evaluators who are faced with the much more ifficult task of estimating the impact of an evolving intervention. When the program itself is continuing to change, measuring impact requires ongoing measurement of the types and level of service provided. The danger in formative e valuations is that the line between program operations and assessment will be blurred. The extra effort and resources required for impact analysis in formative evaluations has to be measured against the potential gains to the program from ongoing improvements and the greater usefulness of the final evaluation findings.Performance monitoring involves identification and collection of specific data on program outputs, outcomes, and accomplishments. Although they may measure subjective factors such as client satisfaction, the data are numeric, consisting of frequency counts, statistical averages, ratios, or percentages. Output measures reflect internal activities: the amount of work done within the program or organization. Outcome measures (immediate and longer term) reflect progress towards program goals. Often the same measurements (e. g. number/percent of youth who stopped or reduced substance abuse) may be used for performance monitoring and impact evaluation. However, unlike impact evaluation, performance monitoring does not make any rigorous effort to determine whether these were caused by program efforts or by other external events. The way that we are looking at Design Variations is when programs are operating in a number of communities, the sites are likely to vary in mission, structure, the nature and extent of project implementation, primary clients/targets, and timeliness.They may offer somewhat different sets of services, or have identified somewhat different goals. In such situations, it is advisable to construct a â€Å"core† set of performance measures to be used by all, and to supplement these with â€Å"local† performance indicators that reflect differences. For example, some youth programs will collect detailed data on youth school performance, including grades, attendance, and disciplinary actions, while others will simply have data on promotion to the next grade or whether the youth is still enrolled or has dropped out.A multi-sc hool performance monitoring system might require data on promotion and enrollment for all schools, and specify more detailed or specialized indicators on attendance or disciplinary actions for one or a subset of schools to use in their own performance monitoring. Another look is at the Considerations/Limitations when selecting performance indicators, evaluators and service providers need it is important to consider: The relevance of potential measures to the mission/objective of the local program or national initiative. The comprehensiveness of the set of measures. The program's control over the factor being measured.The validity of the measure and the reliability and accuracy of the measure, feasibility of collecting the data. How much effort and money is required to generate each measure? Practical Issues. The set of performance indicators should be simple, limited to a few key indicators of priority outcomes. Too many indicators burden the data collection and analysis and make it less likely that managers will understand and use reported information. Regular measurement, ideally quarterly, is important so that the system provides the information in time to make shifts in program operations and to capture changes over time.However, pressures for timely reporting should not be allowed to sacrifice data quality. For the performance monitoring to take place in a reliable and timely way, the evaluation should include adequate support and plans for training and technical assistance for data collection. Routine quality control procedures should be established to check on data entry accuracy and missing information. At the point of analysis, procedures for verifying trends should be in place, particularly if the results are unexpected. The costs of performance monitoring are modest relative to impact evaluations, but still vary widely depending on the data used.Most performance indicator data come from records maintained by service providers. The added expense invo lves regularly collecting and analyzing these records, as well as preparing and disseminating reports to those concerned. This is typically a part-time work assignment for a supervisor within the agency. The expense will be greater if client satisfaction surveys are used to measure outcomes. An outside survey organization may be required for a large-scale survey of past clients; alternatively, a self-administered exit questionnaire can be given to clients at the end of services.In either case, the assistance of professional researchers is needed in preparing data sets, analyses, and reports. Process Analysis key element in process analysis is a systematic, focused plan for collecting data to: (1) determine whatever the program model is being implemented as specified and, if not, how operations differ from those initially planned; (2) identify unintended consequences and unanticipated outcomes; and (3) understand the program from the perspectives of staff, participants, and the commu nity.The design variation is the systemic procedure used to collect data for process evaluation often include case studies, focus groups, and ethnography. As strong pressures demonstrates program impacts dictates making evaluation activities a required and intrinsic part of program activities from the start. At the very least, evaluation activities should include performance monitoring.The collection and analysis of data on program progress and process builds the capacity for self-evaluation and contributes to good program management and efforts to obtain support for program continuation-for example, when the funding is serving as â€Å"seed† money for a program that is intended, if successful, to continue under local sponsorship. Performance monitoring can be extended to non-experimental evaluation with additional analysis of program records and/or client surveys. These evaluation activities may be conducted either by program staff with research training or by an independent evaluator.In either case, training and technical assistance to support program evaluation efforts will be needed to maintain data quality and assist in appropriate analysis and use of the findings. There are several strong arguments for evaluation designs that go further in documenting program impact. Only experimental or quasi-experimental designs provide convincing evidence that program funds are well invested, and that the program is making a real difference to the well-being of the population served. These evaluations need to be conducted by experienced researchers and supported by adequate budgets.A good strategy may be implementing small-scale programs to test alternative models of service delivery in settings that will allow a stronger impact evaluation design than is possible in a large scale, national program. Often program evaluation should proceed in stages. The first year of program operations can be devoted to process studies and performance monitoring, the information from which can serve as a basis for more extensive evaluation efforts once operations are running smoothly. Finally, planning to obtain support for the evaluation at every level-community, program staff, agency leadership and funder-should be extensive.Each of these has a stake in the results. Each should have a voice in planning. And each should perceive clear benefits from the results. Only in this way will the results be acknowledged as valid and actually used for program improvement. Reference Connell, J. P. , Kubisch, A. C. , Schorr, L. B. , and Weiss, C. H. (1995) New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives: Concepts, Methods, and Contexts. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute. Ellickson, P. L. , Bell, R. M. , and McGuigan, K. (1993) â€Å"Preventing Adolescent Drug Use: Long- Term Results of a Junior High School Program. American Journal of Public Health 83(6): 856-861. Engle, R-F and Granger, CW. J. (1987) â€Å"Cointegration and Error Correction: Representation, Es timation and Testing. † Retrieved from: Econometrica 55: 25 1-276. Evaluation Strategies for Human Service Programs. Retrieved from http://www. ojp. usdoj. gov/BJA/evaluation/guide/documents/evaluation_strategies. html#p 6. Heckman, J. J. (1979) â€Å"Sample Selection Bias as a Specification Error. † Econometrica 47:153-162. IRB Forum. Retrieved from www. irbforum. rg. Joreskog, K. G. (1977) â€Å"Structural Equation Models in the Social Sciences. † In P. R. Krishnaiah (ed. ), Applications of Statistics, 265-287. Amsterdam: North-Holland; Bryk, A. S. and Raudenbush, S. W. (1992) Hierarchical Linear Models: Applications and Meta- Analysis Techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Kalbfleish, J. D. , and Prentice, K. L. (1980) the Statistical Analysis of Failure Time Data. New York: Wiley. Kumpfer, K. L, Shur, G. H. , Ross, J. H. , Bunnell, K. K. , Librett, J. J. and Milward, A. R. 1993) Measurements in Prevention: A Manual on Selecting and Using Instruments to Evaluate P revention Programs. Retrieved from: Public Health Service, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, (SMA) 93-2041. Monette, Duane R. , Thomas J. Sullivan, Cornell R. DeJong. Applied Social Research: A Tool for the Human Services, 8th Edition. Wadsworth, 2014-03-11. . MREL Appendix A. Retrieved from: http://www. ecs. org/html/educationIssues/Research/primer/appendixA. asp. Program Evaluation 101: A Workshop. Retrieved from: http://aetcnec. ucsf. edu/evaluation/pacific_evaluation%5B1%5D. ppt.

3.European governments have recently passed legislation making it Essay

3.European governments have recently passed legislation making it easier for firms to introduce short-term employment contracts. Evaluate the implications for - Essay Example This old convention, symbolised by an interchange of job security for work done and faithfulness, is being replaced by a new convention wherein employers guarantee to teach workers and enable them to be employed in several firms, but give no assurance of permanent job. The use of short-term contract workers is not restricted to clerical work, but also clinches high-skill profession like engineering, research, computer programming, drafting etc. (Kalleberg; Knoke; Marsden 4) The method of employing provisional short-term contract employees is not a new or an innovative one. IT firms started this method in the mid part of the 1990s and they have been effectively employing contractors since the last decade. But in the last few years, there has been an increasing dependence on contract workers in the fields like medical writing, communications, sales and marketing of the products of pharmaceutical companies. Several huge pharmaceutical as well as biotech firms have understood that it is more lucrative to employ temporary workers on a required basis when compared with keeping costly permanent employees having significantly lesser work. (Contract Employment: A New Paradigm for Pharma and Biotech) Reducing cost has an effect on the size as well as structure of jobs. Companies are able to stimulate a switch of permanent jobs with that of short-term contracts. (Nunziata, L; Stafolani 73) In recent times, there have been labour changes across Europe. It has been argued that the small employment boom that has been witnessed of late in Europe has mainly been due to short-term employment. (Alesina; Giavazzi 9) In France, the law forming the First Employment Contract known as the Contrat Premiere Embauche or CPE was being passed by parliament with regard to an expansive bill relating to equal opportunities. According to the CPE, short-term work contract was to be provided with a 2-year testing

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Marketing Plan - Essay Example This type of marketing propaganda attracts old and new customers alike and sales of the products usually shoot up. In essence, creative and innovative marketing strategy is always preferred to promote sale of new and product of services. A good database of customers always helps in introducing new products and to increase the sales. It is always good to give something extra along with the product with the basic principle of giving less and getting more out of the customers and this strategy is always behind all the schemes that the company may come up with. Strategic marketing plans are crucial part of promoting products and services of an organization. The market plans are focused around 4Ps (product, prices, place and promotion) and a good market strategy always takes these points on a priority basis. It is equally important that while planning appropriate market strategy, proper use of SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis is taken up. Awareness of strengths and weaknesses in the company’s resources facilitate and match the opportunities and threats so as to provide a competitive edge to their rivals. SWOT analysis is an important tool to up grade internal strengths of the company to meet the external opportunities and exploit them in a manner that would provide the companies with cutting edge advantage over their rivals. In the present case if the concept of coupon key ring is patented, nobody else would be able to copy this technique and it will present P&G with great opportunity to exploit this unique discount concept where customers need not bother with the regular discount coupons whenever new discount scheme or product is launched. Product is of vital importance and its pricing makes it salable item. Maintaining a good database of customers is important part of market strategy which

Rubber Tire ( car ) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rubber Tire ( car ) - Research Paper Example The materials can be stretched severally to almost double its original size, and upon being released, it will return almost to its original length. Rubber can be produced from two basic raw materials, natural rubber or synthetic rubber. With the objective for improvement, in accordance with customer and regulatory requirements, how a car tire chemical composition is reported through the IMDS system. The introduction of IMDS brought about introduction of pseudo-substance basically for tire. Guidance document clarifies how the pseudo- substance should be used in the IMDS system in order to describe the chemical composition of tire. Production of car rubber is classified into two basics steps, production of rubber itself and processing into finished goods. In the first step of rubber production, it can be produced naturally by use of an agricultural crop or synthetic rubber made from petroleum products. Natural rubber is acquired from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) as latex. This is a runny, milky white liquid which is tapped from the bark of rubber tree. Latex is a colloidal dispersion of solid particles of the polymer polyisoprene in water. The molecules of this compound are loosely joined making long, tangled chains. These molecules of chain when pulled apart untangles easily but springs but together once released and this brings about the characteristic of rubber being elastic. Many tanks are used to collect latex, blending the yield of many trees. (Wiley) General Natural car rubber currently accounts for about 30% to 40% of the total elastomeric part in a car tire, but in the case for a truck is 60% to 80%. The procedure of recovering this natural rubber from latex involves a process called coagulation. This process is carried out by adding acid such as formic acid (HCOOH). Coagulation takes about 12 hours. The coagulum, which is now soft solid slabs, is then squeezed through a series of rolls which removes most of the

Corporate Governance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Corporate Governance - Assignment Example The firing style of the companies in the past can be described upfront as high-profile dismissals (Feintzeig 2). At present, almost all the companies take fulfilment in declaring to the world that they fired an official. This is a way that the board can show that it is awake and willing to exercise its rights in ensuring that the company attains its goals and objectives. Fillings presented to the Securities and Exchange Commission by companies have many cases of CEIO terminations (Feintzeig 3). Companies are coming out declare that they are terminating the services of CEO’s and are giving the reasons for doing so. For instance, the COO of Yahoo Inc. was fired recently because the board and the Chief Executive Officer felt that the company did not need him. All this terminations seem to come after disappointing results and accounting problems such as the Hertz Global Holdings where the CEO, Frissora, was fired (Feintzeig 2). The firing of the CEO’s is presently seen as a way to show that the board of directors cares about the interests of the shareholders. Though sometimes the company may try to conceal the reasons for an executives firing or resignation, they increasingly give suggestions on what exactly happened (Feintzeig 3). Therefore, the board of directors is responsible for the progress of the organization and the shareholders too. An executive is fired for cause when he or she is guilty or perpetrates serious offences that affect the progress of the company. In this case, the fired executive loses his or her right to compensation. On the other hand, an executive is fired without cause when he or she is fired without having done any serious offence that affects the company progress or without any reasons or forced to resign by the company. In this case, the executive has the right to compensation and can claim bigger packages (Feintzeig 4). The stigma of being fired has changed over time. In the recent past, it was deemed as harmful to a

Future of Strategic Management Accounting Coursework - 1

Future of Strategic Management Accounting - Coursework Example In order to come to the discussion whether management accounting’s future lies in strategic management, it is necessary to start from the base of it. Management accounting has its features in contrast to financial accounting and it would be wrong to compare the two. Management accounting is designed to be used by managers and not by other stakeholders of an organisation. Unlike financial accounting, management accounting is confidential to an organisation and is not reported as public information. And above all the most important distinction between the two is the technique used. The computing techniques are on the basis of the needs of the organization and it hardly follows the general accounting standards. In recent times there has been a shift in the practice of management accounting as it extends its scope towards certain other areas like the strategic management, performance management and risk management. The discussion in this research paper will be confined to the role of strategic management in management accounting. The purpose of strategic management is to play an advancing role to the concept of traditional management accounting. But there have been some criticisms also regarding changes in the implementation of management accounting. The main aim of the research paper is to critically evaluate the controversies and arrive at a distinct conclusion regarding the best practice. Management accounting systems in the past years, before the innovations in information technology, have seen many problems in its applications in organisations.  

Newly Established Nations in World Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Newly Established Nations in World Wars - Essay Example At the beginning of the XX century, Asian and African countries were occupied and controlled by European states and the USA. For instance, British Empire controlled population of 458 million people. Belgium had only one colony, the Belgian Congo, but its territory was 76 times larger than Belgium. Germany, France, the USA and Russia controlled countries Asian and African continent. For these colonies World War I opened the door to a revolution in world politics in which several perspectives on international relations competed for attention in the period of intellectual ferment (King 23). Speaking about the establishment of the new states, historians speak about policy of countries involved in a conflict. For instance, German aggression was fueled by Pan-Slavic policy provided in Sarajevo. Usually, the common sense of war concerns the questions of national safety, and usually accepted and accomplished not on the basis of choice, but on the bases of force connected with the bureaucrati c system. The main consequence of the WWI was new division of power and new world order. New states emerged in Eastern Europe and after the collapse of the Habsburg Empire and Turkish Revolution. The large-scale death and destruction exacted by World War 1 destroyed the security that had made current history a comfortable approach to international politics. That catastrophic global war, begun in 1914, was a painful learning experience that stimulated the search for knowledge that could address contemporary policy problems-notably war-in a theoretical context (King 45). After the war, Great Britain became one of the biggest debtors; the USA, and Woodrow Wilson, followed policy of isolationism; France occupied the Republic of Alsace-Lorraine but suffered from destructions caused by the war. Many of its colonial solders returned to native lands and began anti-imperial movements; Russia suffered from the civil war and the revolution (1917); Germany was subjected with obligations and rep arations under the Treaty of Versailles. Bending to French pressure, the Peace of Paris (the Versailles treaty) insisted on the destruction of Germany's armed forces, the loss of territory, and the imposition of heavy reparations to compensate the Allies for the damage that German militarism had exacted (King 76-77). The World War II created new opportunities for colonies to preserve their self-identity and national spirit. Domestically, nationalism inflamed forceful recovery of lost territory and rationalized the expansion of German borders to regain provinces ceded to others and to absorb Germans living in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland (LaFeber 22). The rise of fascism animated this renewed imperialistic push. German aggression was fueled further by resentment of the punitive terms imposed at the 1919 Paris peace conference by the victorious World War I powers (France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States). A key cause the WWII was the failure of the British hope for Anglo-American collaboration to maintain world order. That hope vanished when the United States, in a fit of anger, repudiated the Versailles peace treaty and retreated

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment in an Emerging Market Dissertation

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment in an Emerging Market - Dissertation Example This study will adopt a rational position in evaluating the impacts that FDI flows towards emerging economies, and this will be holistic in order to establish the impacts in either positive dimensions or negative dimensions.  This paper has the main objective as being to measure the impacts of FDI in developing countries in general (without particular preference towards any country in particular). This discussion stresses that there are various and distinct methods that researchers employ while conducting such a research study as the current one. In this section, methodology will be used to refer to the systematic processes that will be adopted in conducting this study for data collection analysis and derivation of qualitative conclusions in answering the lead questions identified. It is however worth noting that research methods are part of the methodologies in any research study. The basis of choosing the various methods that are applied in this study is on first investigating literature through reviewing the methods that have been used in the past while studying the topic of such a related theme. This study notes that many of the past studies on FDI in emerging economies have been done through qualitative and deductive methodologies. This study also adopts a qualitative deductive methodology in analyzing the information presented through the literature reviewed for testing of the hypothesis guiding the study and effectively answering the questions posed for this study.

Family Medicine Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family Medicine - Personal Statement Example There may be numerous venerable paths in medicine; however, family medicine as a field may be considered to provide a transitional level of specialization which entails a thorough acquaintance of the field unlike the girth in other crucial healthcare areas of expertise. Following several experiences in family medicine, the specialty may be termed as a calling rather than a profession; in view of the fact that, it is the only area of medicine that gives a smooth progression into a broad, yet solid basis in the field of medicine. In brief, family medicine residency offers familiarity and exposure to a diverse range of patients, various conditions, treatments and cures, in ways that could not be matched through classroom lectures. I was allured to the field of family medicine for the reason that I wanted to master most medical conditions and have the ability to diagnose and treat them. During the beginning of my clinical career, as a student, I was unnerved into the demanding and multif aceted field of family medicine. I am a migrant from Africa, specifically; Ghana and I entered medical school with the apparition that, people who practice family medicine are individuals with a vast acquaintance in treating incalculable ailments. As a student, I had to get acquainted with particular patient situations and participated in numerous activities intended at expanding my familiarity and exposure to a diverse range of patients, various conditions, treatments and cures, in ways that could not be matched through classroom lectures.

The girls stories Essay Example for Free

The girls stories Essay What is there about Millers presentation of the society of Salem which allows the girls stories to be believed? In the 16th century, the lives of most people were centered around God. Many of the laws of the time were based from the Bible, the Ten Commandments in particular. It was believed at the time that there were supernatural forces at work to cause one to stray from Gods path. Ministers and clergymen thought it their duty to purge the Earth of these beings when they presented themselves. During the 1600s, due to most peoples strong belief in God there was consequently a strong belief in the Devil. It was believed that, as God had angels working in his order, the Devil had witches working to corrupt innocent souls. If something went wrong, there were two reasons for it: that you had displeased God or that the Devil was tempting you. So naturally when something as devastating as your child falling ill occurs, you would be looking for someone to blame: a witch. As the people of Salem based their laws on the teaching of the Bible and believed that the Bible itself told them that witches were to be punished by death. To the people of Salem the forest that surrounded the town was met with suspicion. The forest was inhabited with Indians, and as the Indians were not Christians they were believed to be evil, and therefore any association with the forest was considered to be part of the evil. As the girls were struck down by illness after dancing in the forest, it gave the town people the suspicion of the Devils involvement. The original cause of the suspicion was that two of the girls in the town fell ill, one of who was the daughter of Goody Putnam. Having already lost seven children at young ages, Goody Putnam was very worried for the health of her child. She was also becoming suspicious of how many children she had lost, with them all being seemingly healthy at birth. Goody Putnam was the first to cry witch. As the people of Salem based their laws on the teaching of the Bible they believed that the Bible itself told them that witches were to be punished by death.

Non-Profit Organization Finances and Pricing

Non-Profit Organization Finances and Pricing The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) is a non-profit organization which uses its revenues to develop new, simpler, faster-acting TB drug regimens[1] rather than distributing those profits to its shareholders and board of directors.[2] It is also a PDP (product development partnership) that operates like a biotechnology firm creating collaborations between the private, public, academic, and philanthropic sectors to drive the development of new TB drugs for developing countries using various licensing and partnership agreements. In this way risk and incentives are shared between the partners. TB Alliance manages the various projects although the laboratory experiments and clinical studies are performed by external partners. Donors include private foundations, governments, multilateral donors including the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Commission, the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, Irish Fund, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di sease, UK AID, UNIT AID, United States Agency for International Development, and the US Food and Drug Administration.[3] As a corporation, TB Alliance has to maintain legal status and reporting functions by filing reports with federal, state and local authorities. However, they have to demonstrate â€Å"no profit† and show how the money was utilized by submitting a Form 990 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to keep their tax-exempt status.[4] The financial position for non-profit research based organization is important because it is funded by various donors. The board of directors and management of TB Alliance are accountable for how the money is spent for research, administrative activities, and production of new, faster-acting and affordable TB drugs. Ratios to Measure the Financial Position of an Organization: An efficient measure which could analyse the trends and financial position of the organization over a period of time is the ratio analysis. Ratio analysis is a gauge which indicates the organizational financial performance.[5] Management of a non-profit organization uses ratio analysis in order to highlight the flaws and strengths of various strategies on the basis of which plans could be shaped. Funders or private donors of the organization can use the ratio analysis to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of the projects and make decision about management’s performance.[6] The assessment of financial condition of non-profit organization starts with the evaluation of financial reports.[7] Various ratios are there to analyse the financial position of organization but a ratio is more useful if it is consistent in nature over time and measure the precise financial information.[8] We normally look at the published annual reports http://www.tballiance.org/annualreport/ and review their financial position and look for any red flags. We make sure their cash position is good relative to the annual operating income, and their equity / net assets are reasonably positive. We also make sure that any grant or investment we give is not a huge percentage of their annual budget.[9] There are eleven ratios identified by Non Profit Assistance Fund which could be used by a non-profit research based organization which is funded by private donors.[10] There are 5 Balance sheet ratios which could be used by a non-profit organization: Debt ratio: It is used to examine how much organization is relying on other people debts and how much cushion there is for the company. It is calculated by dividing total debt to total net assets.[11] Current ratio: Current ratio is current assets to current liabilities and it identifies the ability of the organization to pay its debts on time. It is a measure which tells about the cash flow in near future.[12] Days cash on hand: It is cash and current investments to daily cash requirement and helps to identify the amount of operating cast required by organization. It is helpful as it tells about the unrestricted cash available to the organization.[13] Accounts receivable aging: Account receivable aging ratio is important because it helps to identify all those bills which have become older and are aberrant. This ratio identifies the cash flow problems of the non profit organization. It consists of all the accounts payable overdue for more than 90 days to total accounts receivable.[14] Accounts payable aging: It is all the accounts payable over due for more than 90 days to total accounts payable. It specifies the cash flows problems related to payments and serve as a tool for several financial problems.[15] There are 3 expense ratios which are important for a non-profit organization as donors will need to examine the expense incurred and these are: Personnel costs ratio: It indicates the expense incurred on the human resource of the organization and tells how much budget is allocated for staff. It is the total wages to total expense.[16] Administration cost ratio: It is the total general and administrative expense to total expense. It is very helpful for the donors who regularly examine the expenses of company over time.[17] Fundraising efficiency: It is the income contributed to fundraising expense. As the organization raise funds from private donors it’s important to know each dollar which is being raised from the contribution by incurring expense on fundraising.[18] There is 1 ratio related to income statement: Reliance ratio. This ratio helps to identify the major source of income which is utilized by the organization for income. It highlights major activities which help to increase organizations income and it is the largest income source to total income.[19] Contracts and Its Affect on Provider Behaviour: Private donors can use Donor Advice Funds which is a written agreement between the donor and the non profit organization.[20] It is the fastest growing technique for non profit organization funded mainly by private donors. In this contract a special fund is created by the private donor to donate as charity or for well being of society. In this type of contract there is an agreement between the organization and the donor which states that the non profit organization will respect the donor’s wishes while using funds. But the agreement is non-binding and the ultimate decision and control is in the hands of non profit organization. The nature of provider in the contract is advisory and can only give suggestions to the board of non profit research company and the ultimate decision lies with management.[21] Contracts can be: (1) Fixed price contract when there is no uncertainty in the scope of work. The contractor is bound to complete the task within the agreed amount of money and time and is required to finish the task within a fixed amount. In this type of contract, the contractor bears the risk and the scope needs to be as detailed as possible[22]; (2) Cost reimbursable contract where the contractor is reimbursed for completed work and paid a certain amount representing the profit. In this type of contract, the buyer bears the risk since the buyer pays for all (allowable and reasonable) costs incurred by the contractor[23]; (3) Time and Materials contract when a contractor is paid on the basis of cost of labor specified hourly, actual cost of materials and equipment used, and an agreed upon amount to cover the contractor’s overhead with instructions not to exceed a certain limit. Here the risk is distributed between both buyer and seller[24]. Pricing Policy and Costing Methods: Price is the value charged for a product and pricing policy is the strategy by which the wholesale or retail price of the product is decided.[25] In developed countries the price of product is high due to high cost of RD as compared to underdeveloped countries.[26] Various costing methods which could be used by organization are cost based, competition based and value based pricing. Cost based pricing is the price of product decided according to the cost plus a profit margin. Cost based pricing consider both the fixed plus variable cost of the product and adds a margin over it.[27] Competition based pricing is a pricing technique that considers the industry in which the firm is operating and the competition.[28] Finally, Value based pricing is the customer based pricing technique which is based on customers’ needs, habits and attitudes.[29] The pricing structure for a non-profit pharmaceutical company providing inexpensive drugs is cost based pricing method which includes the fixed and variable cost plus an addition of suitable profit margin to cover the expenses for instance Howard Hugh medical institute uses cost based pricing. [30] The company can also use three tiered pricing policy in which it could make the pricing strategies by dividing countries into groups. The drugs could be sold at marginal cost in those countries where there is hard strike of disease and can be sold at a higher price with profit margin to middle income countries for instance Abbott uses three tiered pricing policy.[31] GlaxoSmithKline was one of the first vaccine companies to adopt this approach – higher prices for high income countries; low prices in GAVI eligible countries; and intermediate prices in middle income countries. [32] References Allen, S. ‘Pricing Methods’. 2015. http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/salesmarketing/a/pricingstrategy_2.htm (Accessed 2015-3-9) B. Barkin, TB Finance Manager, Bill Melinda Gates Foundation (personal communication, March 13, 2015) Basu,C.‘Four Basic Types of Financial Ratios Used to Measure a Companys Performance’. 2015. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-basic-types-financial-ratios-used-measure-companys-performance-25299.html (Accessed 2015-3-9) Bate, R. Boateng, K. ‘Drug Pricing and Its Discontents’. 2007. http://www.aei.org/publication/drug-pricing-and-its-discontents/ (Accessed 2015-3-10) Business Dictionary. Cost reimbursable contract. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/cost-reimbursement-contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) Business Dictionary. Time and materials contract. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/time-and-materials-T-M-contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) Chabotar, k., J., Financial ratio analysis comes to nonprofits.The Journal of Higher Education, 1989.pp. 188-208. Chuang, J., and Marvin, S. Pricing multicast communication: A cost-based approach.Telecommunication Systems, 2001, vol.17, no.3, pp. 281-297. DCU. ‘Charitable Planning: Donor Advised Funds vs. Private Foundations’. 2015. http://dcufinancial.org/new/dcufinancial/content.asp?contentid=2017940795 (Accessed 2015-3-10) FRA. ‘Financial Ratio Analysis’ 2013. http://www.demonstratingvalue.org/resources/financial-ratio-analysis (Accessed 2015-3-9) Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. (2015) http://www.tballiance.org/about/operating-model.php (Accessed 2015-3-9). GSK Tiered pricing and vaccines. (2014) http://www.gsk.com/media/280905/tiered-pricing-for-vaccines-policy.pdf (Accessed 2015-3-13) Herman, R. D., Renz, D. O. ‘Theses on nonprofit organizational effectiveness’.Nonprofit and voluntary sector quarterly, 1999,vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 107-126. Investorwords. Fixed Price Contract. http://www.investorwords.com/19291/fixed_price_contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) Joskow, P. Alvin, K. A framework for analyzing predatory pricing policy.Yale Law Journal,1979, pp. 213-270. Kanter, R. M., Summers, D. V. ‘Doing well while doing good: Dilemmas of performance measurement in nonprofit organizations and the need for a multiple-constituency approach’.Sage publication, 1994, pp. 220-236. Kaplan, R. Strategic performance measurement and management in nonprofit organizations.Nonprofit management and Leadership, 2001,vol.11, no. 3, pp.353-370. Mckeever,M. ‘Family Foundations: Donor Advised Funds and Supporting Organizations as Alternatives to Private Foundations’ .1999. http://www.pgdc.com/pgdc/family-foundations-donor-advised-funds-and-supporting-organizations-alternatives-private-foundations (Accessed 2015-3-10). NAF. â€Å"Analyzing Financial Information Using Ratios†. 2014. https://nonprofitsassistancefund.org/sites/default/files/publications/nonprofit_financial_ratios_2013.pdf (Accessed 2015-3-10). Nagle, T., T., and Reed K., H.,Strategy and tactics of pricing. Pearson Education Limited, 2013. Salamon, L., M., The rise of the nonprofit sector.Foreign Affairs, 1994, pp. 109-122. Tuckman, H., P., and Cyril F. C., A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations.Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 1991,vol.20, no.4, pp.445-460. Zall, M., ‘The Pricing Puzzle’. 2006. http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/archive/mdd/v04/i03/html/03zall.html (Accessed 2015-3-10). Z, J., ‘Nonprofit financial objectives and financial responses to a tough economy’.Journal of Corporate Treasury Management,2010,vol.3, no.3, pp. 238-248. [1] Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. (2015) http://www.tballiance.org/about/operating-model.php (Accessed 2015-3-9). [2] R. M. Kanter, D. V. Summers. ‘Doing well while doing good: Dilemmas of performance measurement in nonprofit organizations and the need for a multiple-constituency approach’. Sage publication, 1994, pp. 220-236. [3] Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. (2015) http://www.tballiance.org/about/operating-model.php (Accessed 2015-3-9). [4] B. Barkin, TB Finance Manager, Bill Melinda Gates Foundation (personal communication, March 13, 2015) [5] R. D. Herman, D. O. Renz. (1999). ‘Theses on nonprofit organizational effectiveness’. Nonprofit and voluntary sector quarterly, 1999,vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 107-126. [6] FRA. ‘Financial Ratio Analysis’. 2013. http://www.demonstratingvalue.org/resources/financial-ratio-analysis (Accessed 2015-3-9). [7] R, Kaplan. ‘Strategic performance measurement and management in nonprofit organizations’. Nonprofit management and Leadership, 2001,vol.11, no. 3, pp.353-370. [8]FRA. ‘Financial Ratio Analysis’. 2013. http://www.demonstratingvalue.org/resources/financial-ratio-analysis (Accessed 2015-3-9) [9] B. Barkin, TB Finance Manager, Bill Melinda Gates Foundation (personal communication, March 13, 2015) [10] C, Basu. ‘Four Basic Types of Financial Ratios Used to Measure a Companys Performance’. 2015. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-basic-types-financial-ratios-used-measure-companys-performance-25299.html (Accessed 2015-3-9) [11] J. K., Chabotar, ‘Financial ratio analysis comes to nonprofits’. The Journal of Higher Education, 1989.pp. 188-208 [12]H, Tuckman, and C, Cyril. ‘A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations’. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly20.4 (1991): 445-460 [13] J. Zietlow, ‘Nonprofit financial objectives and financial responses to a tough economy’.Journal of Corporate Treasury Management,2010,vol.3, no.3, pp. 238-248. [14]R, Kaplan. ‘Strategic performance measurement and management in nonprofit organizations’. Nonprofit management and Leadership, 2001,vol.11, no. 3, pp.353-370. [15] NAF. ‘Analyzing Financial Information Using Ratios’. 2014. https://nonprofitsassistancefund.org/sites/default/files/publications/nonprofit_financial_ratios_2013.pdf (Accessed 2015-3-10) [16] H, Tuckman, and C, Cyril. ‘A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations’. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly20.4 (1991): 445-460 [17] J,,K.,.Chabotar, ‘Financial ratio analysis comes to nonprofits’. The Journal of Higher Education, 1989.pp. 188-208 [18] NAF. ‘Analyzing Financial Information Using Ratios’. 2014. https://nonprofitsassistancefund.org/sites/default/files/publications/nonprofit_financial_ratios_2013.pdf (Accessed 2015-3-10) [19] L., M. Salamon. ‘The rise of the nonprofit sector’.Foreign Affairs, 1994, pp. 109-122. [20] M. Mckeever. ‘Family Foundations: Donor Advised Funds and Supporting Organizations as Alternatives to Private Foundations’ .1999. http://www.pgdc.com/pgdc/family-foundations-donor-advised-funds-and-supporting-organizations-alternatives-private-foundations (Accessed 2015-3-10). [21] DCU. ‘Charitable Planning: Donor Advised Funds vs. Private Foundations’. 2015. http://dcufinancial.org/new/dcufinancial/content.asp?contentid=2017940795 (Accessed 2015-3-10) [22] Investorwords. Fixed Price Contract. http://www.investorwords.com/19291/fixed_price_contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) [23] Business Dictionary. Cost reimbursable contract. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/cost-reimbursement-contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) [24] Business Dictionary. Time and materials contract. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/time-and-materials-T-M-contract.html (Accessed 2015-3-10) [25] P, Joskow K, Alvin. ‘A framework for analyzing predatory pricing policy’.Yale Law Journal,1979, pp. 213-270. [26] R. Bate, K. Boateng.‘Drug Pricing and Its Discontents’. 2007. http://www.aei.org/publication/drug-pricing-and-its-discontents/ (Accessed 2015-3-10) [27] John,Chuang Sirbu, Marvin. ‘Pricing multicast communication: A cost-based approach’. Telecommunication Systems, 2001, vol.17, no.3, pp. 281-297. [28] T, T. Nagle, H.,,K., Reed.‘Strategy and tactics of pricing’. Pearson Education Limited, 2013. [29] S. Allen, ‘Pricing Methods’. 2015. http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/salesmarketing/a/pricingstrategy_2.htm (Accessed 2015-3-9) [30]M., Zall.. ‘The Pricing Puzzle’. 2006. http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/archive/mdd/v04/i03/html/03zall.html (Accessed 2015-3-10). [31] R. Bate, K. Boateng.‘Drug Pricing and Its Discontents’. 2007. http://www.aei.org/publication/drug-pricing-and-its-discontents/ (Accessed 2015-3-10) [32] GSK Tiered pricing and vaccines. (2014) http://www.gsk.com/media/280905/tiered-pricing-for-vaccines-policy.pdf (Accessed 2015-3-13)

Triple Bottom Line Reporting on Corporate Sustainability

Triple Bottom Line Reporting on Corporate Sustainability In this paper we explore the concept of triple bottom line reporting and its use in gauging the level of corporate sustainability. The concept of triple bottom line reporting is shown to be effective in ensuring that the corporate sustainability concerns are addressed and business takes account of the outcomes. This is done using a review of relevant literature in order to point out the success factors as well as the threats that face TBL reporting programs. Introduction The contemporary corporate environment and culture has been steadily leaning towards the increasing need of higher levels of transparency and accountability in regard to public reporting as well as communication. This is a trend that demands for increased disclosure of the nature and level of corporate performance and engagements in matters of social-economic and environmental dimensions (G100 2003).In a nutshell, the public is in need of information regarding the level of sustainability in which various corporations engage in. In order to gauge the level of sustainability, it is important that a standard of reporting be adopted. Triple Bottom Line reporting is one of the techniques of reporting sustainability. The definition of TBL reporting A standard definition of triple bottom line reporting does not exist. This therefore means that no universally accepted definition exists. It can loosely be defined as the a form of corporate communication which engages stakeholders and holds the key to the corporations accepted approach to the management of social, economic and environmental dimensions via clearly instituted communication channel that provides information on the above mentioned three dimensions (G100 2003). The elements of social, economic and finally the environmental dimensions in an organization are what constitutes sustainability/sustainable development.TBL can therefore basically be used to refer to the official publication of social, economic and environmental information of a given business entity in a manner that is integrated to reflect both the activities as well as the results of a corporations performance on the basis of the three dimensions. The factors driving the general trend towards the adoption of TBL reporting There are quite a number of factors that are driving corporation towards the adoption of TBL reporting. Some of these factors are; mandatory requirements, the need to be consistent with the high level of public vigilance on the corporate code of behavior, and the increase in the level of stakeholder requirement for high level of transparency as well as results. The idea of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) reporting has in the previous years become progressively more stylish in organizations; consulting firms, investment firms, and also the NGOs extensively employ it in the management of their operations. The thought lies behind the TBL model is that a firms final can be gauged not merely by the customary financial end result, but again by its social, moral as well as ecological performance. For quite a long time, the majority individuals who are both in the corporate world and outside have come to an agreement that organizations are required by the stakeholders to perform their tasks responsibly. Firms are not capable of flourishing in the long run when they constantly ignore the interests of the main stakeholders. The evident uniqueness of TBL is lying in the contention of its supporters that the general accomplishment of responsibilities to the society, workers, clients, and suppliers ought to be calculated, reviewed and the information provided to the stakeholders the same way that the financial results of public corporations is being conducted. If we strongly believe that moral practices of the business and also social responsibility are significant purposes of corporate authority and administration, then we ought to accept the efforts to come up with tools that are capable of making much clearer to the administrators, shareholders besides the other stakeholders how well a corporation is performing in this regard. This paper looks at the usefulness of TBL, the advantages of socially responsible practices by the businesses, and the probable effectiveness of tools that are capable of being used to assess and report on performance. Triple bottom line reporting is making firms liable for not only economic and social effects but also for environmental results of doing businesses. Indeed it is an accepted accounting form for the nonprofit organizations and also the governmental organizations to demonstrate their dedication to corporate social responsibilities. To these firms, both the ecological and also social performance also significant the way financial performance is important. The concept of triple bottom line reporting was originally applied by John Elkington in the year 1995. He published a book concerning this topic in the year 1998. The book was entitled Cannibals with Forks: the Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Indeed, Triple bottom line reporting has got drive in all sectors and industries and not for the not for profit making organizations and also for government organizations as it has been presumed. As stated above, the term triple bottom line was supposedly invented by John Elkington in the year 1995 (Sarre Treuren 2001) despite the fact that it was not made popular until the book that he published became widespread in the year 1997. The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is an idea that has got authorized imprimatur as a structure to give confidence to the organizational concerns regarding sustainability. Despite the fact that at first it was viewed as a mere idea or a method of thinking about sustainability, similar to the notion of corporate social responsibility, it has now become a device for both accounting and reporting. Other authors are arguing that Triple Bottom Line is essentially imperfect in the things it is offering, and besides, they are saying it is transmitted by proponents who are mainly uninformed of the other approaches that are in existence. The Function of Triple bottom line reporting Triple bottom line reporting needs the corporations to socially be responsible to both the shareholders and also to every stakeholder of the respective firms. Stakeholders usually entail all the shareholders, workers, clients, goods and services providers and any other person who is influenced by the events and proceedings of the business. It is demanding that a firm be liable for all the aspects of the business. The Benefits of Triple bottom line reporting The social feature of triple bottom line reporting is focusing on reasonable treatment of a firms human resources. in addition to the provision of a safe place of work and also reasonable salary for workers, being responsible socially involve performing responsible and helpful business practices in the community the surrounds the business. Triple bottom line reporting is requiring a corporation to be involved in sustainable ecological activities. Corporations and firms ought to put great efforts to conserve the surroundings, or to significantly minimize the harm that they are inflicting on to the surroundings. A corporation using triple bottom line reporting is capable of managing the utilization of energy, minimizes waste, recycles resources and also shuns the production of very dangerous substances like chemicals and weapons. The Significance of Triple bottom line reporting When a business appears to be both socially and environmentally responsible to its clients, it will be capable of maximizing the profits that it is making. It is very common situation to see many companies making headlines because of being involved in accounting scandals, giving their workers very unjust salaries, unsafe work conditions and prejudice. All these reports are affecting the reputation of the firms that are involved besides their goodwill, thereby resulting into the lost of many revenues. Also, focusing on more things just profits can help a company open market potential that was unattainable before. Companies may also lose market share to other competing businesses that are utilizing triple bottom line reporting because they appear more socially responsible to consumers. TBL is capable of making a firm to reach the untapped market. Indeed TBL firms are capable of finding niches that are financially profitable, and which were previously missed by the firms when their driving force was money only. TBL is capable of developing highly profitable ways to aid the NGOs that are in existence with their missions like fundraisings, getting to the customers, or generating networking opportunities with other numerous NGOs.It is also capable of providing goods and services which will be of great use to the populations that are languishing in poverty. It is capable of making businesses to become familiar with new business ventures. Due to the fact that numerous business opportunities are coming up in the sphere of social entrepreneurship, the businesses that are having hopes of reaching this growing market have to prepare themselves of being profitable financially, socially helpful and economically sustainable or else they will not be able to compete with the firms which are not designing themselves that way. For instance, just trade and ethical Trade firms need moral and sustainable practices from every supplier providing them with goods and services. Any businesses that are having plans of working with the firms that are dealing in just Trade or moral Trade have to design the models of their business to become TBL. Firms usually issue TBL reports mainly for two purposes: to meet the demands of the investors and also to be recognized for the actions that the firms do. For instance, firms like Shell and Nike have in the past applied this kind of reporting to enable them restore the reputations of their firms after having received negative exposure for inefficient ecological and social decisions Tschopp (2003) Firms are usually being scrutinized both by the media coverage and public watchdog groups. It is an undeniable fact that the individuals who are capable of ensuring that their firms have good reputations in environmental conservation and social policies will have to succeed. Those ignoring responsibilities as such will probably fail Tschopp (2003) Firms are also capable of getting financial advantages from TBL reporting. The firms will be able to get attention from the new investors. Similarly, they will trap new employees as they maintain their current workers. TBL reporting permits transparency of a firms environmental and social undertakings, limitations, and goals of the years to come. Firms that are striving for success are capable of meeting eligibility standards and they can be members of some environmental and social funds. When the firms fail to achieve the requirements, their stock performance can be hindered (Tschopp 2003). Triple bottom reporting has been shown to have several benefits. The first on is that it improves the reputation of an organization. It also has a positive influence on the brand name of the firm as well as its products. The reputation of a corporation is a function of the manner in which it is perceived by the stakeholders. Having an effective method of communicating with the stakeholders on the social, economic and environmental dimensions can act very well in changing the perceptions of the stakeholders and in the process improving the reputation of the corporation. The other benefits of TBL reporting are that it aids the corporation to openly operate in the society. In this context, it acts as a sort of a license to enable the business to operate freely by the virtue of the support, acceptance and acknowledgement that it receives from the stakeholders. The transparency in communication and accountability in actions are what makes it possible for the corporations to be granted the license to operate. The rest are outlined below Through the integration of sustainability into the business models and thinking, firms are capable of realizing these seven bottom line benefits: It will be very easy to hire the best employees. Researchers are estimating that the highly significant corporate resource after 20 years for any organization is usually talented workers. Majority of them usually pay great concentration to corporate social responsibilities and also to the environmental behavior of the firms for which they are working. TBL results into greater withholding of the top talents. It is very challenging for firms to keep their most talented and most skilled workers in the present market that is characterized by a lot of competition. Studies are however showing that the skilled workers usually tend to continue staying with a firm when they are having meaningful work. TBL is also capable of maximizing the productivity of the workers. There is a big connection that exists between important job and productivity. The managers of organizations should involve the whole firm in sustainable growth goals such as zero emissions, independent energy production, and no d isposal of waste and helping in the conservation of environment, the firm will get much more back from the workers. Enhancement of reputation and brand Efficient communication with the shareholders and also the stakeholders on one or more dimensions of TBL is capable of playing a significant role in the management of the perceptions of the stakeholders. This will not only protect but also enhance the corporate reputation of the firms. Securing a social license to operate Having a good reputation, the members of the community and the stakeholders will strongly support the operations of the organization. The surrounding communities will probably provide more support to the firms because they are communicating openly and besides, they are honest about the performance of the firms in relation to environment factors, social factors and also to economic factors. Attraction and retention of high caliber employees Through the publication of the information regarding TBL, the information is capable of playing a significant role in positioning the employer as the employer to work with. This is capable of enhancing worker loyalty, reducing turnover and also capable of attracting skilled workers. Reduced risk profile During TBLs reporting, firms usually indicate their obligation to minimize risk. This usually takes place during the times of growing legal action, where owed diligence is capable of being established and a firm comes up with risks, the risks can be managed better. Consecutively this is capable of advancing the relations of the stakeholder and hence makes it simpler to draw investment capital and consequently positively influence the price of the shares. Identification of potential cost savings TBL reporting is involving the assortment and scrutiny of information on resource, the usage of materials and the evaluation of business processes. This is capable of actually helping the firms to identify the opportunities that are present for savings of costs through effective and efficient allocation of both resources and materials.TBL is accompanied by minimized expenses at the commercial sites .numerous unnecessary waste usually happen at the non-manufacturing areas. Through the employment of more sensible handling of wastes, effectiveness of energy, conservation of water and naturalized landscaping (Ann 2003) Reduced risk, easier financing Firms that are showing both the environmental and social responsibility always is likely to be seen as less dangerous. That is capable of translating into the avoidance of cost, minimized insurance premiums, minimized official and regulatory costs, and evasion of missing revenue from customer crusader actions (Ann 2003). The desirable qualities of a TBL report. A good TBL report has the following qualities and characteristics. Reliable- a good TBL report should be accurate and should provide information that is true regarding the activities as well as performance of a given corporation. The report should be useful meaning that the information contained should have a high level of relevance to the stakeholders (both internal and external ) the information should be relevant to the corporate decision making process. The TBL report should exercise and exhibit full disclosure meaning that the content should have open explanations. The report should be reproducible in order to allow for the ongoing publishing of the information contained for the purpose of reporting in the future. The report should have a high level of auditability. This means that the report should be having the quality of being able to be verified externally (G100 2003). The challenges that affect the use of TBL reporting Angela Lewis Consulting (n.d) pointed out that the two main problems facing the use of TBL reporting are that it lacks a universal method of gauging/measuring its success. The implication of this is that there is no social, economic, environmental or ethical equivalents of assets, liabilities, equity, expenses and revenue. The other one is that there is no numerical method of accurately describing consumer, environmental or community benefits. Rafiq (2010) pointed out that the other challenges to TLB reporting are informal corporate culture, lack of understanding by the top management, lack of human resources capacity, Lack of support from the government and other development agencies, resistance by privately listed firms to reveal their financial information, resource constraints that affect SMEs and a general lack of public service orientation. Conclusion Despite the challenges affecting TBL reporting, extant literature reveal that it is indeed a success since it has its benefits outweighing the challenges. It is therefore crucial that all firms embrace TBL reporting since it pays to be social responsible. . Referencing Angel Lewis Consulting,n.d. The Triple Bottom Line Explained: http://www.angelalewis.com.au/publ/The%20Triple%20Bottom%20Line%20Explained.pdf Anne,P, A. 2003. The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line. (Book Review).CMA management. John Elkington,J. 1997 Cannibals With Forks: The Triple. Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Capstone,. Oxford,402 pp. ISBN 1-900961-27-X G 100, 2003.Sustainability:A guide to triple bottom reporting http://www.group100.com.au/publications/G100_guide-tbl-reporting2003.pdf Rafiq, M .2010. Major Challenges for TBL Reporting in Pakistan http://www.tbl.com.pk/major-challenges-for-tbl-reporting-in-pakistan/ Sarre, R. Treuren, G. 2001. The triple bottom line: balancing social, environmental and financial outcomes in business (paper prepared for the South Australian Business Vision 2010) (on-line resource) http://business.unisa.edu.au/cae/tbl/tbldownloadables/sabv2010fin.rtf [accessed 26 February 2004]. Tschopp, D. 2003. Its Time for Triple Bottom Line Accounting. The CPA Journal. 73(12): 11.

Causality among Financial Liberalization, Poverty and Income Inequality

Kappel, V (2009) explored the impact of financial liberalization on poverty and income inequality by using panel and cross country data of developed and developing countries. By applying OLS and 2SLS significant negative relationship is found between financial development and income inequality. In developed countries weak evidence was found for financial development to decrease income inequality whereas in developing countries financial liberalization was found to increase income inequality. Pradhan (2010) examines the causal relationship among economic growth, financial development and poverty reduction in India during the period of 1951 to 2008. The empirical analysis deploys cointegration and dynamic Granger’s causality. Long run equilibrium relationship is found to be present among financial development, economic growth and poverty reduction .The Granger’s causality test shows that there is unidirectional causality from poverty reduction to economic growth, economic growth to financial development, and financial development to poverty reduction and economic growth to poverty reduction. It also shows the presence of no causality between financial development and economic growth, and poverty reduction and financial development. The research study recommends that economic growth is of prime importance to stimulate financial development and both could play a pivotal role in reducing poverty. Jeanneney and Kpodar (2006) examine how financial development is useful in reducing by poverty on one hand by McKinnon conduit effect and on the other by promoting economic growth. The study is conducted on a panel of developing countries during the period of 1966 to 2000 first by employing OLS and then by Dynamic panel Generalized Met... .... The bank of Albania (2009) inspects the causative association between financial development and economic growth for the Albanian economy using the Granger causality test for five different proxies for financial development. For the non-stationary and non-cointegrated series, the VAR model has been constructed and later, the above test has been applied. For non-stationary series but with a cointegrating relationship, the Granger-causality test has been applied after the construction of the vector error correction model (VECM). The empirical findings of the study show that there is a positive relation between all indicators measuring the financial development and economic growth in the long term. While in the short term, this relation is quite vague since different indicators provide different results. The data used in this paper belong to the period 1996-2007.

The influence of ancient Indian philosophy Essay -- History, Classica

Think Classical India, and one instantly conjures images of an exotic land filled with mysticism and rich in lore. Now think Classical Indian politics and the first thought that comes to mind, the infamous caste system. To better understand the caste system, one must know that upon its initial introduction the caste system was foreign to Classical India. It was in actuality the political system ordained by the outsider Aryans, Indo-European nomads who would settle in and later integrate with Classical India through the conquering of its eastern and southern regions, soon going on to establish a stable and partially unified administration and spreading its influence across all of Classical India (Bentley & Ziegler 76-77). When the caste system, eventually renamed the varna [color] system by the Aryans, was definitively widespread among Classical India it provided a very detailed social hierarchy amongst the Indian and Aryan peoples which included well defined classes and roles for the people, and etiquettes regarding their respective class and role (Bentley & Ziegler 76-78). The question surmised from this context is how was it that such a discriminate system, which assigned semi-permanent unequal classes, justified? The answer lies within the philosophy practiced by Classical India itself. From sacred text, such as The Vedas and Upanishads, political declarations from the ruler, such as the Edicts of Asoka, and Hindu text, such as The Laws of Manu and The Bhavagad-Gita. Classical Indian Philosophy helped to justify and enforce the varna [caste] system by: explaining and defining the roles of the people, exaggerating the importance of dharma, karma and moksha in relation to their roles, and eventually dictating how one should act i... ...ds, or even the dictations presented in the Laws of Manu, these philosophies all helped to promote the notions of the role of the people in society, the duties one had to fulfill and the reasons for doing so, and the actions one should perform in regularity. By constantly retelling and reinforcing these concepts into the minds of the people, the philosophy was able to embed itself into the mindset of every person in Classical India. By taking away the choice of whether or not to listen to these philosophies, via repeated teachings that one had to follow dharma to find happiness, it was ensured that total dominion over a state, whether or not the subjects were aware, was possible. Humans can learn one very important lesson from Classical India, that with enough pre-programming any will could be forced upon a person, any thought inputted with resounding positivity.

Culture Shock in Japan Essay

Culture is a condition of confusion and anxiety affecting a person suddenly exposed to an alien culture or milieu. There are many different ways to experience culture shock. It can be experienced across the world or as near as one’s backyard. Many Americans would venture that they consider themselves very culturally accepting. Often, when these same Americans travel abroad, they experience culture shock. It is not always a negative thing. Often to some American coming to Japan and adjusting to life in Japan can be difficult, since even the most mundane things could be done differently than they would have been done in the U.S, so here are some basic facts of Japan. And remember be patient. Home. When entering a Japanese home you are expected to remove your shoes before stepping up from the entry area into a Japanese home known as the genkan. There in the genkan you must change from outdoor shoes into indoor slippers. When entering the genkan, you have to remember to step out of your shoes, and step into the house proper. Then you must turn around, kneel or bend down, and turn the outdoor shoes around so that they face the door, ready to be slipped into again when they leave. This custom is also required in many traditional Japanese restaurants, all department store dressing rooms, temples, and a few other businesses. On an extra note it is wise to buy clean socks since you will be taking off your shoes when you enter homes or some resteraunts. And you don’t want to embarrass yourself with dirty socks. Food. In the U.S many people carry their lunches in lunchboxes, but in Japan people use Bento boxes which are pre-prepared lunches, sold in every convenience store in Japan or brought from home. Usually a bento box consists of a box divided into several sections, containing perhaps, noodles, rice, pickles,  meat or fish, and maybe a little fruit. If there is a need to heat their lunches almost all stores also have a microwave so that you can heat the bento in the shop. When traveling to Japan one must be aware of the proper way to eat. In the U.S slurping is generally considered rude, so it is useful to know that the Japanese people consider it correct to slurp whenever eating noodles, ramen or soup etc. By making slurping when one eats their soup or noodles is considered to be polite, also by slurping you compliment the person who cooked it. More than that slurping serves a practical purpose, as noodles, ramen etc, are often served very hot, slurping draws air into the mouth which helps to cool the food as well as bring out the flavor. Knowing how to use chopsticks can make life in Japan a bit easier, but you have to remember the certain etiquette that concern using chopsticks. Just as there are good manners when it comes to using a knife and fork in the west, the Japanese have definite rules of thumb when it comes to using chopsticks. Don’t point at people with your chopsticks, move plates with them or wave them or stick them. Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. Only at funerals are chopsticks stuck into the rice that is put onto the altar. Education. Education in Japan is similar to that of the education system in the U.S, since it was adopted based on the U. S education system by the Japanese after World War II. But some things are quite different. If you are a parent sending your child to school in Japan, there are some key facts you must know In Japan competition for entering a good University is fierce, for that reason many student start at a young age go to Juku, which are cram schools, parents send their kids to, so that they have a better chance of doing well on University exams. In Japan if you are able to go to a good University than the chances of a good and stable job is quite high. It quite common for kids to finish school then go at night for 2 to 3 hours to a cram school. Hygiene. When bathing Japanese style, you are supposed to first rinse your body outside the bath tub with some water from the tub, using a washbowl. Afterwards, you enter the tub, which is used for soaking only. The bath water tends to be relatively hot for Western bathing standards. If you can barely enter, try not to move much, since moving around makes the water appear even hotter. After soaking for a while, leave the tub and clean your body with soap. Make sure that no soap gets into the bathing water. Once you finished cleaning yourself and rinsed all the soap off your body, enter the bath tub once more for some more soaking. After leaving the tub, do not drain the water, since all household members will use the same water. There are three types of toilets commonly found in Japan. The oldest type is a simple squat toilet, modern Western-type toilets and urinals and the state of the art is bidet toilets However traditional toilets are usually the most common type in most public places, universities, restaurants etc. The tradition toilet is known as the squat toilet, it essentially looks like a miniature urinal rotated 90 degrees and set into the floor. Most squat toilets in Japan are made of porcelain, though in some cases (like on trains), stainless steel is also used. Instead of sitting, the user squats over the toilet, facing the wall in the back of the. A shallow trough collects the waste, instead of a large water-filled bowl as in a western toilet. In Japan, being clean is very important; the bidet toilet is like the western flush toilet. While the toilet looks like a Western-style toilet at first glance, there are a number of additional features, such as blow dryer, seat heating, massage options, water jet adjustments, automatic lid opening, flushing after use which are included either as part of the toilet or in the seat. These features can be accessed by a control panel that is either  attached to one side of the seat or on a wall nearby, often transmitting the commands wirelessly to the toilet seat. For an American coming to Japan for the first time, the squat toilet or the bidets could be quite a shock and could take some time getting used to. Gambling entertainment. If you want to gamble in Japan you must remember that gambling is illegal so to compensate there is the wildly addicting game known as Pachinko a type of vertical pinball machine. The winnings are in the form of more balls, which the player may use to keep playing or exchange for prizes such as pens or cigarette lighters. Cash cannot be paid out according to Japanese law, but players can then exchange certain prizes for cash at small centers located nearby, but separate from the parlors. In America there are cartoons and comic books in Japan there are manga and anime. Remember when reading manga or any Japanese book, guide for the matter, you must start at the â€Å"last† page and work â€Å"backwards†. The same applies to the panels within the pages. They should be read right to left, not left to right. Transportation. In Japan, cars drive on the left side of the road and have the driver’s seat and steering wheel on the right. And unlike the U.S which has a minimum driving age of 16, the legal minimum age for driving in Japan is 18 years. While you are waiting for the train to arrive, you stand in politely in neat rows, calmly waiting for your train. When the train arrives, the first rule you must bear in mind is that no matter how crowded it looks, there will always be room for one more. If you have any doubt about the above rule, there’s a white gloved attendant ready to shove you in. Then, once you get one the train, you must remember certain rules. Don’t drink coffee in the morning, save drinking anything for the ride back home. The morning rush hours peak on weekdays between 8am and 9am, while the evening rush hours are more spread out and commence around 5pm. Rush hours are most extreme in Tokyo, but also pretty heavy in Japan’s other major cities. So if you plan on riding the train it is best to go before rush hours. As you stay in Japan you as individual can learn to grow towards multicultural perspectives and develop alternative futures for his or her self, thus making his or her self a more culturally accepting person.

Scramble for Kenya

Imperialism is defined as one country’s domination of the political, economic, and social life of another country. In Africa in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, imperialism was present and growing. The main countries involved in the imperialism in Africa were the French, German, and Britain. All of these countries were in a constant struggle to become the most powerful, to have the most riches, and control over high abundances of the natural resources in Africa. One region in particular being that of present day Kenya was desirable to the British. Although Britain’s reason’s to imperialize Kenya were selfish and harmful, in the long run Britain helped Kenya progress. On a quest to find natural resources in Kenya the Portuguese were among the first European settlers along the coast of Kenya. Up until the 19th century, very little was known about Kenya’s land beyond the coast until the arrival of the British who came and colonized Kenya. Kenya was under the control of British between the 19th century and mid 20th century. In the early 1800s, European powers began rushing to get a hold of unclaimed territories within areas of interest in Africa. Zanzibar and the interior of Eastern Africa caught the attention of both Germany and Britain. To avoid conflict, in 1886, Germany and Britain signed a treaty in which they agreed upon what lands they would pursue. Germany would take the coast of present day Tanzania and Britain had access to the area where Kenya and Uganda lie. 1 Britain was also interested in other areas in Southern Africa; however, the British were hesitant in accepting full responsibility for the region they had access to. The result was Britain allowing a commercial company, the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC), the right to administer and develop the eastern territory. The IBEAC was responsible for the land stretching from the eastern coast of Africa to Uganda all the way to the northwestern part to Lake Victoria. 2 The British settlers were particularly attracted to Kenya's fertile highlands. Britain’s main interest in Kenya was not to control the local people, but to build a railway that would connect Uganda and Zanzibar, to the Indian Ocean. The railway was important for strategic and economic reasons. It was to be the main link that would connect Lake Victoria and Uganda. Uganda became a source of interest since the source of the Nile river was thought to be there. The construction of the railway led to immigration of people from India who were imported to work on the railway. In order to maintain control over the Kenyans, the British limited their education to practical skills for working on farms. The colonial government forced Kenyans to work. In 1901, the British imposed tax payments in every area that they controlled. In order to make room for the incoming British, indigenous agricultural peoples such as the Kikuyu and the Kampa were removed form their land and relocated. No longer allowed to farm on their own land, many Kenyans were forced to work for Europeans growing cash-crops. Wages for these workers were very low. Laws were also put in place by the colonial government that allowed employees to be fine or imprisoned if employers were not pleased with their work. It was these crimes, among other abuses, which gave rise to independence movements in Kenya which eventually liberated the country from the British. Discrimination, imposition of taxes, forced labor, and confiscated land caused friction between Kenyans and the colonial government. 4 The friction led to eventual resistance by Kenyans against the British rule. Rebellious groups were formed one of them being the Mau Mau. The Mau Mau was a rebellion group formed to oppose British rule from 1890 until 1960. They worked on plans to force the British to leave. The loss of European life is very little. The main victims of Mau Mau violence are other Kikuyu who refuse to support the cause. Among the Mau Mau themselves as many as 11,000 died in encounters with British forces. In 1929 one of the nationalist leaders, Jomo Kenyatta, was sent to England to negotiate on behalf of the Kikuyu community by presenting their concerns to the British government. In October 1952, there was a sudden outbreak of sabotage and assassination in Kenya. Kikuyu terrorists and their ritual oaths of loyalty to their secret organization reflect the customs of Jomo Kenyatta's political group, the Kikuyu Central Association. The colonial government reacted immediately, declaring a state of emergency and arresting Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta was charged for planning the Mau Mau uprising, he was sentenced in March 1953 to seven years' imprisonment. Jomo Kenyatta was still in detention as of 1960, but his colleagues elected him president of their newly formed political party, the Kenya African National Union. Kenyatta is finally released by the British in 1961. 5 In elections in May 1963, Kenya African National Union won the majority of the seats. Independence of Kenya was achieved in December 1963, with Kenyatta as prime minister. A year later, under a new constitution, Kenya becomes a republic. In 1964, Kenyatta was elected president. British imperialism changed Kenyan society in a number of ways. Large numbers of new peoples from different cultures took up residence in Kenya bringing in new ideas, missionaries brought about changes in religion, and land and labor practices changed. In addition to spreading their religion, missionaries also influenced and changed Kenyan culture in other ways. They established European style churches, schools, and hospitals which would have an ongoing impact upon the Kenyan people7. he cultural changes Kenya has undergone during the British imperialism has helped Kenya progress as a whole.