Information Technology Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Information Technology Security - Essay Example Associations ought to have a powerful process for recognizing new clients of SpiderWeb and recording, endorsing, and overseeing access rights (SAMPEMANE 62-65). New demands for SpiderWeb will be put together by client administration to the information or framework manager for endorsement and handling. In specific cases, the task of rights may be secured by the workers part or gathering participation, and oversaw by pre-established approvals for that gathering. Sellers or builders may be allowed access, focused around their association. The data owner of SpiderWeb will review and evaluate the request based on job functions. Once approved, access will be configured by the data custodians or system administrators (Tolone et al. 29-41). The provisioning methodology ought to incorporate an effective system for informing the allowing power when a clients status or part changes (Tolone et al. 29-41). Thus, when change, will provoke a survey and result in the upgrading of access rights. Upon the client’s end, access control benefits ought to be disavowed in an opportune way. In addition to normal operations, the assignment of authentication and authorization credentials should include business continuity planning responsibilities for SpiderWeb. Validation is the check of character by a framework or database focused around the presentation of remarkable qualifications to that framework implemented in SpiderWeb. Confirmation helps the privacy of information and the responsibility of activities performed on frameworks by checking the exceptional character of a client. Passwords are an essential strategy for SpiderWeb, used to control access to assets and are the most well-known verification component. Different components incorporate token instruments and biometrics. Confirmation that depends on more than one certification is called multifactor validation and is for the most part stronger than any single-component methods. To focus on the requirement of

African Socialism: Analysis of Ujamaa

African Socialism: Analysis of Ujamaa MAJOR THEMES IN AFRICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT LECTURER: FRED OTIENO STUDENT: CHRIS MUGO NDIRANGU QUESTION What is African Socialism (Ujamaa)? Citing concrete examples from around Africa, examine why this ideology has faced immense opposition. INTRODUCTION African Socialism is an ideology that can be traced to the 1950s and 1960s when most African countries were attaining their independence. The ideology was propounded by African leaders in independent Africa who sought to ground their states in this ideology they believed would achieve the goals and aspirations of independence. The proponents of the ideology sought to differentiate it from other forms of socialism that existed across the world at the time, particularly Marxist-Leninist strands of socialism. African socialism can therefore be defined as a belief in sharing of economic resources in a traditional African way. It is however prudent to accept that the interpretations and definitions of African socialism differ as it is not the brainchild of a single thinker. According to Freidland (1964) : African Socialism differs in that no single leader has been distinctively and uniquely associated with the ideology. Rather the ideology of African Socialism has been the product of diverse leaders operating within the variety of exigencies in their own countries, which helps to account for the lack of development of a unified theory. (p. 2) African socialism can be said to be an indigenous attempt by various African leaders to develop a distinctive â€Å"African† path of economic and political development. It advocates for a return to traditional African values practiced before colonization. As mentioned above African socialism is a product of different leaders. Therefore to understand African socialism we must study the leaders and their works which collectively contributed to this ideology. These leaders implemented this ideology in their respective countries. Some were successful while others were not. The ideology as will be explained in this paper faced immense opposition hindering its full adoption. CHARACTERISTICS OF AFRICAN SOCIALISM Though the African Socialist leaders had their own distinct views on African socialism various characteristics of African socialism can be drawn. According to Martin (19) the socialist leaders’ conception of African socialism had the following common characteristics: Ideology and practice are inextricably linked Politics has supremacy over the economy Socialism is not a sacred dogma but a guide to action African socialism is a socialism building on and adapted to African indigenous values, culture, traditions and society The people are the main agents and ultimate beneficiaries of socialist development African socialism aims at creating ‘a new man’ The single party operates according to the Marxist-Leninist principle of Democratic Centralism, which institutionalizes communication between the leadership and the rank-and-file of the party, with ultimate decision-making power resting with the highest executive organ of the party. Collective decision making is based on collective deliberation and consensus State has control over the economy Furthermore (Batsa, 1965) has summarised some six basic characteristics of African Socialism: It ignores the power of monopoly capital. It accepts the mixed economy as a permanent feature of socialism. It denies the existence of classes in Africa and advances the idea of the neutral state. It advocates a multi-party system where possible, or a single party open to all, irrespective of beliefs, with a specific denial of any vanguard role The African element of the theory consists of a romantic interpretation of our traditional morals and culture Positive non-alignment is treated as neutrality Several African countries on attaining independence sought to establish declarations or policy documents that sought to clearly stipulate the ideology they adopted. In the context of African socialism, very few countries had clear and concrete policy documents on African socialism. Notable among these countries is Kenya and Tanzania that formulated policies or declarations with regards to African Socialism. Tanzania in 1967 formulated the Arusha Declaration a document written by socialist leader Julius Nyerere for the ruling party the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU). In this declaration it is clearly stated that ‘The policy of TANU is to build a socialist state’. It further goes on to lay down certain socialist principles it seeks to implement in Tanganyika. In Part two of the document lay The Policy of Socialism. The fist element in this policy is absence of exploitation. The declaration states that in a socialist state all people are workers and in which neither capitalism nor feudalism exists. It believes in a classless society where there is no one exploits another. Every worker receives a just return for their labour. However the declaration points out the fact that Tanzania still has elements of feudalism and capitalism that are remnants of colonialism. The second element is that the major means of production and exchange are under the control of the peasants and workers. The declaration stipulates that this should be done through the machinery of their Government and their co-operatives. The third element is the existence of democracy. This element requires that the government should be chosen and led by the peasants and workers themselves. Finally is that socialism is a belief. The declaration states that socialism is a way of life. A socialist society can only come into existence if i t is built by those who believe in and practice the principles of socialism. The declaration believes that the successful implementation of socialist objectives depends very much up to the leaders. On the other hand Kenya in 1965 produced a sessional paper which outlines in detail both the theory of democratic African Socialism and its practical application in Kenya. The president in introducing this paper states that, ‘we rejected both Western Capitalism and Eastern Communism and chose for ourselves a policy of positive non-alignment.’’ Thus the Kenyan government fully adopted the African socialism philosophy. The sessional paper goes on to outline the operating characteristics of African socialism. They are: Political democracy Mutual social economic responsibility Various forms of ownership A range of controls to ensure that property is used in the mutual interests of society and its members Diffusion of ownership to avoid concentration of economic power Progressive taxes to ensure an equitable distribution of wealth and income The above characteristics are evident in the various works of the African Socialist leaders. The understanding of their concept of African socialism is enhanced by looking critically at the individual African socialist leaders and their ideas and perception of African socialism. AFRICAN SOCIALIST LEADERS JULIUS NYERERE Julius Nyerere was the founding father of Tanganyika and later on Tanzania. He comes up with his own form of socialism known as Ujamaa a Swahili term for family hood and brotherhood. Ujamaa become the official policy of Tanzania in 1967 following the Arusha Declaration. According to Nyerere socialism is an attitude of mind and not strict compliance to a standard or set political pattern (Nyerere, 1977) . Nyerere emphasised on brotherhood or family hood where people view each other as brothers and sisters or as members of one family. Nyerere argues that social institutions and organisations cannot by themselves achieve the purpose of socialism. These institutions can only do so if they are infused with the spirit of brotherhood and care for one another. Nyerere believed that Ujamaa differed from other strands of socialism in that the foundation of the philosophy was to be found in African culture and traditions. Furthermore Ujamaa was opposed to capitalism and scientific socialism or Marxism which legitimizes class conflicts. Nyerere went further to elaborate on the practices of Ujamaa. The first is love where an African doesn’t regard his brethren as another enemy. An African regards all men as his brethren as members of his extended family. People in African Societies cared for one another. Secondly, Nyerere argues that their existed a classless society in Africa. Classes were only brought as a result of the agrarian and industrial revolution. These events produced conditions that brought about a class system. Since these revolutions did not occur in Africa, therefore no classes existed in Africa. Thirdly Nyerere believed that in traditional Africa everyone was a worker. Everyone contributed his or her fair share of efforts towards the production of societal wealth. There was no place for laxity or laziness. Finally Nyerere maintained that wealth was shared in traditional Africa. No one could hide wealth or amass it for personal selfish reasons. The riches or the poverty of an individual or famil y were the wealth or poverty of the whole community at large. KWAME NKRUMAH Kwame Nkrumah’s ideas on African socialism were different from those of Julius Nyerere. Indeed the two showed criticised each other on their perceptions of African socialism. Nkrumah in his own admission subscribed to scientific socialism and described it as the only true socialism. According to (Martin, 2012) Nkrumah viewed African socialism as a means of not only liberating the people from the shackles of imperialism but also empowering the people politically, economically, socially and culturally after independence. Nkrumah believed that the following were the tenents of African socialism; Common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange Planned methods of production by the state, based on modern industry and agriculture Political power in the hands of the people in keeping with the humanist and egalitarian spirit which characterized African traditional society Application of scientific methods in all spheres of thought and production AHMED SEKOU TOURE Toure’s concept and ideas on African socialism was similar to that of Nkrumah. The two had a strong friendship that was evident when he granted Nkrumah asylum when he was overthrown by a military coup in 1966. Toure led an authoritarian regime in Guinea that was strongly oppressive. He arrested over a thousand people who simply opposed his regime. Prominent intellectuals and cadres were jailed, tortured and executed. Sekou Toure’s was more grounded in the Marxist-Leninist education as compared to Nkrumah. He had a great interest in the writings of Mao Tse-tung as well as other Marxist philosophers. Initially during the first decade of his rule, he refused to launch the country into clear path to socialism. He downplayed the role of ideology in the construction of a new society. He adamantly refused to choose between capitalism and socialism. He argued that certain strange theories had little to do with the crucial tasks facing the country. However during the Eighth National Congress of the PDG (the ruling party of Guinea) in 1967, Sekou Toure officially launched Guinea on to a path to socialism. Sekou Toure prescribed to scientific socialism from which he derives the meaning of socialism from. That is socialism is expressed by the effective exercise of political, economic and cultural power by the working people. Toure however was for a socialist ideology adapted to African realities. He preferred the term â€Å"communaucratic’’ instead of African socialism. He believed that African life is communal characterized by collective life and social solidarity. An Afric an cannot organize his life outside that of his social group-family, village or clan. Finally Toure believes in the supremacy of politics over the economy. In this regard he was heavily influenced by the Marxist-Leninist ideology on the roles of the state and the party in the creation of institutions designed to translate socialist ideas into practice (Martin, 2012). Toure believed that the ruling party was the definer of the general interest, the custodian of the popular will and the incarnation of the collective thought of the whole Guinean people. The basic aim of Toure’s socialism is alter the relationship between human beings. This is done by decolonizing their viewpoints and attitudes and by creating a new man freed from a system of capitalistic exploitation and participating with all his strength in the development of his nation. MODIBO KEITA He was the first president of Mali. He led the Nation on a path to socialism, both politically and economically. In 1960 the countries single party, the Union Soudanaise RDA (US-RDA) decided to set the country on a socialist path to development. Keita’s priority was to build a new society aimed at the political, economic, social and cultural empowerment of Mali’s popular masses. Keita firmly believed that a type of socialism adapted to the conditions of Mali would be the best tool to achieve this goal. Mali’s socialism was characterized by the following features; A socialism based on agricultural workers and peasants rather than on a nonexistent proletariat A vibrant private sector encouraged to contribute to national development Respect of the Malian spiritual and religious values Modibo Keita argued that socialism cannot be adopted wholesale; it must be adapted to the specific socio-cultural context of Mali. Keita elaborated that Africa has its own values, its own history. Africa thus can solve its own problems within the African context using African methods. Malian socialism was also grounded in universal human values. Keita argued that socialism cannot be reduced to purely economic or social concerns. Its goal is man itself in its material, moral, spiritual and cultural dimensions. The African man must be open to all kinds of experiments. Keita considered socialist planning necessary to achieve the primary goal of improving the living conditions of the majority of the people, which in Mali were the peasants. He focused on the development of agriculture through an elaborate network of rural cooperatives, down to the village level. Keita also embarked on the complete overhaul of Mali’s educational system to be consistent with Mali’s rich cultural heritage. The above leaders contributed significantly to African socialism. They sought to implement their socialist ideas and concepts in their countries. Some were successful to some extent while others failed. Case in point is Kwame Nkrumah who was overthrown in a military coup. OPPOSITION TO AFRICAN SOCIALISM African socialism as an ideology faced immense opposition as an ideology. This is because of the various cons associated with the ideology. These disadvantages or flaws in the ideology brew dislike for the ideology preventing its adoption or implementation. African socialism faced opposition due to the following. First it is an unreal theory which cannot be implemented as it is. Most of the socialist principles were borrowed from the Marxist-Leninist school of thought. The socialist ideology is not adopted in the same way it was advocated by Marx and other socialist thinkers. Secondly and closely related to the first is improper implementation. African socialism faced rejection due to improper implementation. Few people were in charge of wealth distribution and formulation of policies such as taxation. Thus the notion that the masses or the people have control over the nation’s wealth is a fallacy. Thirdly is that African socialism is economically inefficient. The lack of a self regulating labour market, private ownership of capital and a free financial market affects the economy negatively. Entrepreneurs and foreign investors are discouraged from investing in the economy. This leaves a country economically underdeveloped. This is the case with most socialist countries. Another pitfall of African socialism is no real increase in standard of living. African socialism does not raise the standards of living but lowers it instead. This is because the income of the rich is reduced making them fall closer to the level of the poor. It only reduces the gap between the rich and the poor but does not improve the standards of living in the society. Lastly is that socialism promotes laziness and incompetence among members of society. This is because of the social security system in socialist states that takes care of those with no income. Such provisions by the government deter people from working hard to earn their livelihood. This equally affects the hard working members who feel dissatisfied as they are not rewarded for their toil. Their toil goes to taking care of those who don’t work. Such a system impacts productivity and hence economic growth negatively. REFERENCES Batsa, K. (1965). African Socialism. The Labour Monthly , 514-517. Martin, G. (2012). African Political Thought. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Nyerere, J. K. (1977). Ujamaa-Essays on Socialism. USA: Oxford University Press. William H. Friedland, C. G. (1964). African Socialism. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. Page | 1

Of Mice and Men :: essays research papers

During the era of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, many people lost their jobs and became very lonely. This was around the time when John Steinbeck released his famous book about these â€Å"bindle stiffs†. The book was called, Of Mice and Men. Loneliness is one of the major themes of this novel. Several of the characters in the book are alone. In this novel, John Steinbeck shows how being alone affects different characters. Each is affected in a different way. Throughout the novel, the theme of loneliness is mostly expressed in the important characters of Candy, Curley’s wife and Crooks. Candy, the ranch handyman, lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless and unwanted. Candy's age and handicap also contribute to his loneliness. Many of the men reject Candy because of these things and he fears that he will eventually come to the same end as his old dog. Candy is crushed by Lennie and George's dream to get their own piece of land and "live off the fatta the lan'". This dream lifted Candy's spirit and only set him up for a bigger disappointment. This made Candy not only a victim of loneliness, but also of disillusionment. He also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, being described as â€Å"ancient†, â€Å"stinky†, and â€Å"half-blind†, had been in Candy’s life and his companion for a very long time and Candy had grown attached to it. He said he, "had him since he was a pup" and he used to &quo t;herd sheep with him." Once the other farmhands had finally gotten fed up with it and stated that the dog needed to be put out of its misery Candy was extremely reluctant to turn it over and let him go. After hearing the shot ring outside, all Candy could do was turn his face towards a wall and not look around. Certainly Candy found this dog to be a loyal companion of his and he had developed a strong relationship with it over the years, which helped him cope with his loneliness on the ranch. Whenever one is taking a deeper look at Of Mice and Men one will probably get a sense of how depressing the ranch really is. These are just a few examples of how different characters dealt with their loneliness. Of Mice and Men :: essays research papers During the era of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, many people lost their jobs and became very lonely. This was around the time when John Steinbeck released his famous book about these â€Å"bindle stiffs†. The book was called, Of Mice and Men. Loneliness is one of the major themes of this novel. Several of the characters in the book are alone. In this novel, John Steinbeck shows how being alone affects different characters. Each is affected in a different way. Throughout the novel, the theme of loneliness is mostly expressed in the important characters of Candy, Curley’s wife and Crooks. Candy, the ranch handyman, lost his hand in an accident and worries about his future on the ranch. He fears that his age is making him useless and unwanted. Candy's age and handicap also contribute to his loneliness. Many of the men reject Candy because of these things and he fears that he will eventually come to the same end as his old dog. Candy is crushed by Lennie and George's dream to get their own piece of land and "live off the fatta the lan'". This dream lifted Candy's spirit and only set him up for a bigger disappointment. This made Candy not only a victim of loneliness, but also of disillusionment. He also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, being described as â€Å"ancient†, â€Å"stinky†, and â€Å"half-blind†, had been in Candy’s life and his companion for a very long time and Candy had grown attached to it. He said he, "had him since he was a pup" and he used to &quo t;herd sheep with him." Once the other farmhands had finally gotten fed up with it and stated that the dog needed to be put out of its misery Candy was extremely reluctant to turn it over and let him go. After hearing the shot ring outside, all Candy could do was turn his face towards a wall and not look around. Certainly Candy found this dog to be a loyal companion of his and he had developed a strong relationship with it over the years, which helped him cope with his loneliness on the ranch. Whenever one is taking a deeper look at Of Mice and Men one will probably get a sense of how depressing the ranch really is. These are just a few examples of how different characters dealt with their loneliness.

Women in Advertising

Women in Advertising Irwin Allen Ginsberg; an American poet once said, â€Å"Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture. † The media constantly expresses images of the ideal female body. All women have their own individual set of attributes and characteristics, however, the media continuously tries to spread what they feel is the universal standard of what a woman should look like. One might argue, that the images put out by the media strongly affect our generation and the way in which we perceive ourselves. Ginsberg’s statement reminded me of a television advertisement produced by Carl’s Jr.This advertisement featured swimsuit model Kate Upton eating a burger in the backseat of an old school looking car. The advertisement was exceedingly sexually suggestive and showed a substantial amount of unsuitable sex appeal. Carl’s Jr. has acquired quite the reputation of producing these overtly sexual advertisements. Advertisements such as this ar e damaging today’s generation’s mental and physical state of being. In America, we are surrounded by a society that is primarily consumed by sex. With that being said, there are thousands of companies that produce risky advertisements to compete for the attention of viewers such as Carl’s Jr.With regards to the Kate Upton advertisement, the first thing that caught my eye upon viewing this ad is Upton wearing lace under garments scantily covered by a short polka dot dress. The revealing dress shows off her legs and hangs loosely off her shoulder ultimately exposing her bra and cleavage. The range of positions she lies in throughout the ad goes from innocent to offensive. Upton begins removing the South West Patty Melt from its wrapping and starts to slowly consume the burger in her car. After taking the first taste, Upton starts her high-speed strip tease.For the remaining thirty seconds, the camera moves up and down the parts of her body that are revealed by her dress. She unexpectedly begins sweating all over her body, which makes a direct reference to sex. Upton’s elusive hip movements add to the theme of sex, and serve to sidetrack the viewer from the actual burger itself. Upton’s face looks incredibly pleased as if she is fulfilled with the burger she is advertising but upon close examination, you see that the burger has not been bitten into. Furthermore, this indicates that the intent of this Carl’s Jr. advertisement is to sell sex in addition to the burger itself.The content in this advertisement implies that women cannot only be healthy but also sexually fantasized individuals by purchasing the southwest patty melt. In actuality, the opposite of that implication is often true. The obvious issue in this advertisement is that women rarely consume burgers the size of the one Upton is advertising. More importantly, eating a burger of that size is filled with calories and will not make those women who do resemble Upt on physically. Women are incredibly sensitive to their body image and easily perceive the body images media creates. Therefore, this advertisement may be perplexing to female viewers.In the journal Adolescent Evaluation of Gender Role and Sexual Imagery in Television Advertisements authors Donna Rouner and Michael Slater provide readers with insight on a study they conducted; the results portion states, â€Å"Exposure to advertising with idealized images of physical attractiveness will at least temporarily lower female viewers’ self perceptions of physical worth and self being. †(438) With that being said, adolescent females and adult women viewing this advertisement compare themselves to this excessively sexy yet highly idealized model and begin to feel dissatisfied with their own physical appearance.Furthermore, the fact that the feeling of temporary self-loath takes place when viewing advertisements such as the one produced by Carl’s Jr. is chilling. Many ado lescent females sit in front of their television screens and are bombarded with hundreds of advertisements each day. When advertisements like this appear, the message getting out to them is, in order for you to be desirable or considered beautiful you must reveal certain parts of your body and act in an incredibly sexual manner. This corrupts the minds of young women. Thus, one might say that the targeted audience for this advertisement is men or male adolescents.According to Carol M. Sheperd, a professor at National University, â€Å"Sexiness of an advertisement causes viewers to remember the ad, and thus the product. †(2) With that being said, though Upton’s advertisement stirred up quite the controversy last year, it was successful in getting people to talk about the ad due its extreme sexual content. More importantly, it got people to go out and buy the Southwest Patty Melt. Nonetheless, Carl’s Jr. uses the pathos rhetorical appeal in this advertisement to e voke certain feelings out of viewers.Upton’s sexually suggestive actions induce emotional responses from her predominately male audience, such as feelings of arousal and even desire. The use of pathos in this ad can go either way when it comes to its effectiveness. When viewing this advertisement a consumer could be paying attention to the high levels of sex appeal and disregard all other elements of the ad, like the actual burger Upton is advertising. Conversely, the appeal of sex can heighten the chance of an advertisement succeeding because it attracts the customer's attention.In the journal Ethics in Advertising: Sex Sells, but should it? Author Jessica Dawn Blair states: â€Å"The use of sexual appeals in the study seemed to detract from the processing and retention of message arguments. However, it did appear that the recipients would focus their attention more on the execution of ads using the type of appeal. † (112) It is our human nature to be curious about se x. Sex in addition to attractive women in advertisements often sells more than advertisements that do not use this appeal. What does that have to say about our society?The objectification of women in sexual advertisements does nothing but teach the youth of this generation that it is okay to overly sexy and in fact, it is encouraged. That is where the problem lies. These companies want to desperately appeal to their viewers and majority of them do not care if they are sending out the wrong message as long as the product gets sold. Overall, our country has based a vast majority of advertisements on sex appeal to sell their products to the targeted audience of predominately males.For the most part, women have been subjected to the role of playing â€Å"pieces of meat† to men. The objectification of women in advertising has extreme physiological consequences. It has the potential to make women think of themselves in the way in which they are portrayed and it causes them to engag e in self-loath or depression. Advertisements such as Kate Upton’s put out a negative viewpoint on women. It is crucial that we reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. Change starts from within and we have to step up as women, take the lead and reach as high as feasibly possible.Works Cited Blair, Jessica Dawn. â€Å"Ethics in Advertising: Sex Sells, but Should it? † Journal of Legal Ethical and Regulatory Issues 9. 1 (2006): 109-18. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Carl’s Jr. Advertisement. New York Daily New. N. p. , 1 Mar. 2012. Web. 3 Mar. 2013 Rouner, Donna, Michael D. Slater, and Melanie Domenech-Rodriguez. â€Å"Adolescent Evaluation Of Gender Role And Sexual Imagery In Television Advertisements. † Journal Of Broadcasting ; Electronic Media 47. 3 (2003): 435-454. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2013.

Market Potential Index Essay

What are the indicators used in developing this index? Market Potential Index was developed to help companies compare emerging market with each other so they can determine which market to enter and the appropriate marketing strategies for those countries. Eight dimensions were used to create the index; each measured using different indicators (Global EDGE). Market size is measured using indicators such as urban population and electricity consumption. Market growth rate is measured using Average annual growth rate of primary energy use and Real GDP growth rate. Growing markets will show increase demand for products. Market intensity is measured using GNI per capita and private consumption as a percentage of GDP. Market Consumption Capacity is measured using Percentage share of middle-class in consumption/income. Commercial Infrastructure is measured using indicators like Cellular mobile subscribers, Main Telephone lines, Number of PC’s bought, number of internet users, Paved road density, percentage of household with TV and population per retail outlet. Economic freedom relates to the degree of economic and political freedom residents enjoy. It is measured using indicators such as economic freedom index and political freedom index. Market Receptivity related to amount of imports a country consumes and the willingness to try forging products. It is measured using Per capita imports from US and Trade as a percentage of GDP from country trade data. Country risk is measured using the indicator country risk rating from country risk survey Which of the indicators, in your opinion, would have a greater impact for a company that markets laptop computers? I think the dimension of Commercial Infrastructure would have a greater impact for a company that markets laptop computer because it is measured using a very relevant indicator of number of Pcs (per 1000 habitants). This dimension also created using indicators such as number of cellular mobile subscribers, main telephone lines and number of internet users. All these indicators are very useful in determining if the market is favorable to enter because if the market has high number of internet users or telephone  and PC owners, it might show the company that the market has already been tapped by other companies and maybe prompt them to look at other markets, where commercial infrastructure is moderate or low. Using the MPI, which countries would be ideal for this company to enter? Why? I think that China would be ideal for the laptop company to enter because it has a high market size and market growth rate but a moderate to low commercial infrastructure. The way I am reading the MPI, It means that china has room to grow in the commercial infrastructure area and a laptop company could capitalize on this great opportunity. Whereas, Hong Kong, Czech Republic and South Korea are rated high for commercial infrastructure, which could means that those markets might have well established laptop companies and not worth it for this company to enter and compete. On the other hand, you also have to take into account other seven dimensions because a market might have low commercial infrastructure and potential to grow but also have very high country risk, low economic growth and market size for this laptop company to enter. Using the same logic and taking into account other seven indicators, I think some other ideal countries for this company to enter along would China would be Turkey, India, Singapore, Peru, Mexico, and Malaysia.

buy custom Still Alive essay

buy custom Still Alive essay Peter Novicks article by declaring that many people to the tune of millions in number lost their lives. This was not because they were killed accidentally in any war, but as a consequence of a well orchestrated and deliberate government policy. The victims, who either lost their lives or suffered in one way or the other, were not opposed to that regime, neither were they armed. But that did not make the perpetrators to spare even the vulnerable in the society like women and children. The perpetrators of the genocide were people who enjoyed massive protection of the state and used extensive resources available to the state. Unbelievably, the people who were responsible for this heinous extermination were never brought to book and instead went unpunished. Although the accurate data of the lost lives are still hard to come by, estimation put the numbers at between 30-40 million (Jean,18). In understanding the aftermath of the holocaust, Novick wanted to answer some questions that really astonished him. First, he wanted to understand why the Holocaust became the center of the evil in the twentieth century. He was also interested in unearthing the reason why Holocausts are considered the only common denominator of American Jewish identity. The article explained how just one serious and terrifying event came to be the major subject of discussion in the US of political evil. In fact, such grave centrality could not be realized in the periods 1945, 1945 or 1965. No one in American land could ever think of a museum mall in the capital city of Washington being built purposely to encourage the nation to reflect back on that evil. Ironically, the museum is situated on a capital which was built by the hard labor of slaves. According to Novic, this creates a force that affirms confrontation with what happened to foreigners in other continents, yet as the Holocaust continued to d iminish, the more has its effects been relaimed in peoples memory. In Europe, such paradoxes have reigned and continued to haunt the Jewish community much now than ever (Jean, 20). Novick is critical when he affirms that the consciousness of the Holocaust did not occupy a central position in the communal life of the Jewish community before the period of 1960s. Indifference and omissions existed before and intentionally shifted the attention of the regimes to communist perpetrated crimes while at the same time, overlooking those linked to Nazism. Fortunately, as the cold war came to closure in 1960s, Holocaust survivors gained confidence and began to narrate their story to an increasingly attentive audience making holocaust to be an integral component of the political discussion in America. In giving a deeper understanding of the aftermath of Holocaust, Novic does not focus on Holocaust as an event which merely took place between 1933 or 1939 ending in 1945. Instead he expounds on it by presenting an investigation on how Jewish-Americans viewed the destruction of mostly European Jewry and to a certain level, how that thought had been shaped, influenced and disto rted (Jean, 21). Through the article, Novic reignites a public interest to remember the events and experiences the Jewish people underwent in Nazi regime, which was faltering. With diminishing of ethnic differentiation, with disappearance of neighborhoods dominated by working class individuals, with the growing inability of the synagogues to collect funds due from members who have defaulted in making subscriptions, and lastly with the increased disorganization in the Israeli politics which is linked with the coming into power of Likud in 1977, the Jewish civil service found themselves in a state of confusion hence resorting to lean towards the Holocaust as a way of unifying their fragmented community into one again (Jean, 46). Afteer Edward Said finalized the Question of Palestine in 1978, many publishers declined to publish it claiming it was provocative. Beacon Press and Pantheon Books for instance refused to take the manuscript. Another publisher from Beirut invited Said and only agreed to publish it in Arabic only if said removed the criticism contents of the book something he did not agree with. Fortunately however, Said found a publisher by the name Time Books who produced it in the year 1979. More importantly, Said carried out a thorough research on the history and the ideologies of Zionism rejuvenated a series of criticisms from different from fronts. Robert Wisrich who is a renowned Jewish critic particularly faulted as erroneous the link espoused by Said between Zionism and European colonialism (Wylen, 392). Consequently, many Palestinians were of the view that Said was conceding too much ground, especially when people criticizing Zion ideals made attempts to end the imperial ramification associated with it. In return, "Zionism from the Standpoint of Its Victims" greatly realized that Palestinians who stood as the victims of victims occupied a central and important part in the entire history of Zionism. To make the matter more interesting, Said insisted in his book that they have to be given special consideration right within the Zion history , the same way Palestinians cannot be separated from Zionism. He also explained his approach by associating it with strategies that were imminent in mutual recognition as well as the two-state solutions of the rivalry that existed between Palestinians and Israel. To make Said to stand out from other scholars is the fact that he was the first Palestinian to rationally argue and advocate for a full political engagement between Palestinians and the Jew s. This made his work to be a focal point for the explanation of the aftermath of Holocaust events (Tesler, 23). Buy custom Still Alive essay

Role of arts essays

Role of arts essays Arts are the only medium that can teach us about every historical period through its music, visual arts, literature, dance, and drama. Arts provide opportunities for self-expression, bringing the inner world into the outer world of precise reality. In his essay "Don't Ignore The Arts," Harold M.Williams says that the language of arts is universal and is acknowledged or admired in every culture. He also says that arts help us to understand the people who lived hundred years ago and to learn the history of mankind. They create a connection between instruction and practical applicationleading to deep understanding. Harold questions that if arts play a significant role in human life, then, arts should also be the central source of study in education or in the American schools. I agree with the views of the author . In the essay, Harold gives an example of a physicist Richard Feynman who learned arts (how to draw) at the age of forty-four. The physicist who didnot draw good in high school, became good at it in his late age. This example of Richard Feynman reveals that Arts can be learned and practiced in later part of life. A person who is not good in drawing should not give up, but try to practice it to get good at it. For instance, my uncle who is a software engineer in India, was very creative in his ideas of designing cars in his high school. The only problem he faced to express his ideas was that he was very bad in drawing. The reason that he was not good in drawing was his school system, which did not offer classes in drawing until the tenth grade. So, he quit from designing and became a software engineer. He used to work in a computer company called "Infosys" and at the age forty-nine, he got laid off. Then he applied for job in other computer companies, but all his efforts in vain. Then he thought to join an art school to learn ...

Many Ways to Break

Many Ways to Break Many Ways to Break Many Ways to Break By Mark Nichol How does one break? Which preposition follows the verb break depends, in American English idiom, on which type of literal or figurative breaking is occurring. To break away is to escape, to suddenly separate from a group, as in a race, to stop doing something (also referred to as taking a break), or to end or reduce one’s dependence on another. A part of something is also said to be broken away from a whole. (See also â€Å"break up.†) â€Å"Break down† means to succumb to one’s emotions, or refers to when something, such as a vehicle, stops working, or to dividing something into parts or destroying it; the noun form is breakdown. To break for something is to stop doing something, such as working (also referred to as taking a break), or to run toward something suddenly, as when trying to escape. â€Å"Break in† means to interrupt, intrude, or invade. In addition, one breaks a person or an animal in by training him, her, or it; to break something in is to accustom it to use. To break into means to start doing something suddenly, as in â€Å"break into song† or â€Å"break into tears.† â€Å"Break into† can also be synonymous with â€Å"break in† or can refer to dividing something into pieces. An invasion of private property is called a break-in. To break off is to suddenly interrupt one’s speech or a meeting or to cut off communication with someone, or it can refer to a part of something separating from the whole. â€Å"Break out† can refer to the onset of a rash or another skin condition, to an escape, or to a sudden outburst or to the beginning of a disturbance such as a riot or a phenomenon such as a fire. It also describes the act of suddenly making something such as drinks and/or food available. One can also break out into a cold sweat from anxiety. The noun form, suitable only for some senses, is breakout. Waves or a sudden overflow of water can break over an object such as a ship’s gunwale or a seawall or other barrier. A person or a thing can break through a literal or figurative barrier; the act is called a breakthrough. â€Å"Break up† is slang for ending a romantic relationship, but it can also refer to the division of a whole into smaller pieces, whether naturally, as when ice breaks, loosens, and melts in warmer weather, or artificially, as when somebody breaks a candy bar into sections to share it; the noun form is breakup. (The admonition â€Å"Break it up!† is a call to stop engaging in something, such as a fight.) One can break with tradition, which alludes to doing something differently than it is customarily done. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyDisappointed + Preposition25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

The Typical Firms in Hong Kong and Singapore Assignment

The Typical Firms in Hong Kong and Singapore - Assignment Example There are several methods that are currently being used to encourage economic growth for the typical firm in Hong Kong and Singapore. Four methods will be discussed in this paper namely: the development of well-functioning markets; enhancement access to productive opportunities; strengthening of the international framework of policies and institutions (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2008) and increase in the rate of technological progress. The development of well-functioning markets would include effective fiscal policies which focus on a fair, properly administered and implemented tax system. It should not be susceptible to corruption and must not be a hindrance to the economic activities of the country. The monetary policy plays a significant role in the economic growth of the country. It can either slow down or speed up the economy through manipulation of interest rates or the exchange rates (Johnson, 2005). Aside from an efficient fiscal and monetary policy, economic growth is promoted by removing the barriers to entry of foreign investors and promoting healthy competition among enterprises (USAID, 2008). Barriers to entry would include such aspects as corruption and too much red tape from the government. Foreign investors are also attracted to economies which have a strong system of intellectual property rights protection which minimizes investment risks. Systems of commercial law should also be in place for both the public and private institutions. The judicial system must be perceived as being fair and just and settlements of disputes must be expeditious and transparent. Other contributing factors in the development of well-functioning markets are the improvements in the agricultural development programs, support for infrastructure, trade capacity-building, financial sector reforms, enterprise development and privatization and workforce development. The second method that can be employed to encourage economic growth is to enhance access to pr oductive opportunities. This method would mean that both the poor and non-poor members of society should be given equal opportunity to become productive and contribute to the economy. All sectors of society should be given access to finance especially to sources of credit even without being able to offer adequate collateral. Banks, particularly the government-owned ones should offer financing programs for small and medium-scale enterprises. Aside from financial support, these small enterprises need access to other non-financial business services such as technical and supply chain expertise (USAID, 2008). This is necessary for the firms to be able to be competitive in the face of globalization. A country’s economic growth is fueled by a productive labor force. To achieve this, the labor markets must be able to create new jobs and at the same time assist in the improvement of the workers’ skills and productivity (U.S. Agency for International Development, 2008). Fair lab or practices, specifically protections and benefit programs for the workers must be observed to motivate them; thereby, increasing their productivity. Other ways of enhancing access to product

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

Global Marketing - Essay Example As the essay declares the Starbucks Coffee channels of distribution include department store and work place environment, airports and hotel chains, coffee shops and coffee bars, etc. According to the company’s statistical data, in 2002, there were â€Å"a total of 4,247 coffee shops in the United States and Canada†. In order to grow direct sales, Starbucks has created Online Caffe to reach the global market. This paper stresses that new market entry is aimed to increase the level of sales, and maintain the firm ground for word wide market penetration. Liberalization, foreign ownership and mergers will have a major impact upon the future of the coffee industry, but many regulatory and ownership barriers remain in force worldwide. Organizational 'type' has been dramatically influenced by the rise of globalization. Coffee trade is seeking to maximize its 'global reach', in the belief that those that offer a global service will be in the strongest competitive position. For these very reasons the Asian market has been chosen as the potential one. The Asian market shows the highest rate of economic growth around the world. As for the coffee consumption, its growth rates are approximately 20-30% a year, and that is why it is very attractive for Starbucks Coffee company promising potential growth for coffee industry, in comparison with the European market forecast. Singapore was chosen by Starbu cks as the main business canter in Asia.

PLANNING Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PLANNING - Research Paper Example However, on the other hand, if any organization is not planning adequately then, it is on route to damnation to say the least. Additionally, it is important to mention that too much of something is always bad and same goes with planning. The organizations and managers that succumb to planning unnecessarily do not have sufficient time to implement and translate plans into the reality. The value of modifying strategy was revealed in order to survive in the global corporate arena. Each and every country in the world is known to have divergent cultural norms and therefore, it is imperative for the companies to modify their practices according to the environment of the local economy. Ireland, D., & Hitt, M. (1999). Achieving and maintaining strategic competitiveness in the 21st century: The role of strategic leadership. Academy of Management Perspectives Vol 13 (1) 43-57. The leading firms are famous for building a consortium of strategists and operational management. The strategists are responsible for planning new practices and products and the operational managers are there for making these concepts a reality. The abovementioned division is necessary because those who plan cannot implement and those who implement cannot plan. In this manner, a synergetic relation gets birth and therefore, the doers have to work closely with the thinkers. The planning remained an integral part of the business in all ages but in the era of the 21st century, it is more than an integral now because it is the heart and soul of the commerce. The environment of each and every industry in the world is changing rapidly and therefore, the businesses have to change their strategic stance in order to cope with varying climate. The organizations that are planning without any plan are nonexistent because they cannot survive in the challenging market environment of the 21st century (Ireland & Hitt 1999). The entrance of foreign competition placed a premium on the practice of planning and becaus e of this reason, the companies are needed to use more complex methods of planning in order to live their days peacefully in the modern era that is plagued with technological interventions. The planning got complex and if organizations fail to use sophisticated methods towards scheduling then, they will be going to end up extinct. Agnew, M. (2013). Strategic Planning An Examination of the Role of Disciplines in Sustaining Internationalization of the University. Journal of Studies in International Education Vol 17 (2) , 183-202. The importance and value of strategic planning in the field of education was highlighted. The global educational institutions have to plan vigorously in order keep their course offering aligned with the changing and growing needs of the practical arena. The idea of foreseeing the development of new educational needs is indeed the essence of managing educational institutions in the modern era of the 21st century. The planning is also defined as predicting the future and this is the manager’s way to talk to the future. The managers are always talking to the future on their own way. The planning helps the managers in creating the future. Those business professionals who only talk to the future adapt in order to manage the future. But, the managers who plan in detail somehow end up with the power to manipulate the future to service them and their objectives. Thusly, a new organizational philosophy developed where employees are empowered. The planning took a role of providing a new ways of

INFORMATION SOCIETY & INFORMATION ECONOMY Essay

INFORMATION SOCIETY & INFORMATION ECONOMY - Essay Example The changing internet related environment at overseas branches and operations of banks has such a big impact on the online banking related decision making process. While multinational companies (MNCs) such as banks have been making use of internet banking as the main investment related strategic policy alternative, smaller banks too have been making use of it in order to achieve positive synergies over the internet (Durkin, and Howcroft, 2003). However while the former have being able to increase their net investment expenditure on internet banking on a larger scale, the latter have only been able to increase such investment on a smaller scale. As a result a clear dichotomy between the two entities can be noticed. Big business organizations including some international banks have adopted growth oriented communication policy measures primarily with the intention of enhancing growth drivers such as merger and acquisition (M&A) related synergies while smaller banks have basically relied on capturing niche markets. Online banking related benefits have come to be identified with positive organizational outcomes as well. Therefore internal and external growth drivers of banks operating internationally are mostly determined by either the success or the failure of the average banks online banking policy. In fact according to recent World Bank reports nine out of ten companies engaged in international business operations have invested a greater percentage of asset related investment funds in ICT. This is because that such investment brings about a qualitative shift in their operational environment and capabilities (Bell, 1976). Such capabilities include incremental growth rates in financial management cash flow, quality, sales revenue and profits. While big banks have successfully made use of online banking activities to achieve these organizational goals, smaller banks have been less successful because they lack adequate resource portfolios to engage in competition at every level of operations. Analysis Despite a series of online banking related investment successes by big banks, there have been some policy related lags too. For instance the operational environment of a bank is constantly influenced by the changing circumstances in the global environment. The current economic downturn has played a very important role in changing the fortunes of many banks. Falling demand and supply constraints have forced many banks to adopt variety of online banking policies in their international operations (Mackay, 2003). According to available statistics already there are signs of falling internet related investments in overseas operations of banks, though so far no fully-fledged study has been undertaken into a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the economic downturn.Online banking strategy requires well defined organizational goals and such organizational goals might vary from one banks to the other. For example some international banks are faced with a different set of policy alternat ives while small banks have a completely different set of priorities and opportunities (Mattelart, 2003). Therefore it is very important to consider multinational banks and smaller banks separately.

HRM functions shape employee behaviour Research Paper

HRM functions shape employee behaviour - Research Paper Example EEO and Affirmative Action The federal government has been making efforts for freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, age, color, religion, nationality and disability through its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) mission. Affirmative action plans are deemed moral and social obligations to amend wrongs done in the past while also eliminating the present effect of past discrimination. Computer technology is increasingly being used to eliminate or reduce discriminatory practices. The same technology increases discrimination against the disabled. In certain organizations only computer-based employment selection tools are used but the visually impaired are at a disadvantage if applications are accepted only through computer systems. It is hence absolutely essential that applicants with such disabilities are provided with alternate solution and methods to submit applications. Companies claim to have policies in place which encourages them to contact the HR department in case they have been wronged but when the application procedure itself has flaws, the question of contacting the HR department does not arise. The visually impaired may have talent that goes untapped. Coates Field Service, Inc has a provision that the contractor is obliged to read out the notice to the visually disabled. To some extent this sounds as an affirmative action because the hiring agent would be having applications from the disabled. However, in such cases, the responsibility is passed on to the hiring agent and the organization absolves itself of accountability against discrimination. It really is difficult to ascertain the efficacy of such a method as it depends upon the selfish interests of the agent now instead of the organization. If the organization is not supportive, retention of disabled staff becomes a critical issue. Planning, recruitment and selection It has become esse ntial to keep abreast of changes in the labor market so that recruitment efforts are not wasted or misaligned. Planning entails assessing the future needs, aligning training with requirements, avoiding redundancies, developing a flexible workforce, and controlling staff costs. However, organizations engage in both internal and external recruitment. As far as internal recruitment is concerned, it saves costs but it also stifles creativity (Gros & Sonntag, n.d.). The same resources are shifted from one department to another. Moreover, conflicts among the employees can be expected as promotions are denied based on seniority if they are found to be lacking in skills. Now in this case the employee may be lacking in skills possibly because adequate training has not been provided, perhaps due to discrimination. Work-life balance and flexibility are essential to get the best out of the employees. Organizations that offer such benefits are preferred;

Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Evolution - Essay Example The effects of evolution, while difficult to prove, have left an archeological record that gives us a picture of how and why evolution occurs. One of the most basic and fundamental forms of evolution occurs when a virus or bacterial agent mutates to become immune to the drugs that are developed to treat them. HIV is a particularly challenging agent to overcome through drug therapy. According to Luskin, "HIV is particularly prone to "evolution" (i.e. change) because of its high replication and mutation rate--nearly one mutation per replication". The physical characteristics of the HIV virus adapt to the agents designed to kill it. While we can measure and observe this in HIV, "The amount of genetic informational change between rapidly mutating virus strains, such as HIV, is miniscule compared to the type of informational changes required in the wild to create new body plans or biochemical pathways" (Luskin). This is evolution being accomplished at the most basic level. Just as HIV evolves as a group, higher life forms also experience change over time to adapt to their environment. Ancient environmental events forced animals to adapt to a new environment and nature accentuated the differences.

HRM functions shape employee behaviour Research Paper

HRM functions shape employee behaviour - Research Paper Example EEO and Affirmative Action The federal government has been making efforts for freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, age, color, religion, nationality and disability through its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) mission. Affirmative action plans are deemed moral and social obligations to amend wrongs done in the past while also eliminating the present effect of past discrimination. Computer technology is increasingly being used to eliminate or reduce discriminatory practices. The same technology increases discrimination against the disabled. In certain organizations only computer-based employment selection tools are used but the visually impaired are at a disadvantage if applications are accepted only through computer systems. It is hence absolutely essential that applicants with such disabilities are provided with alternate solution and methods to submit applications. Companies claim to have policies in place which encourages them to contact the HR department in case they have been wronged but when the application procedure itself has flaws, the question of contacting the HR department does not arise. The visually impaired may have talent that goes untapped. Coates Field Service, Inc has a provision that the contractor is obliged to read out the notice to the visually disabled. To some extent this sounds as an affirmative action because the hiring agent would be having applications from the disabled. However, in such cases, the responsibility is passed on to the hiring agent and the organization absolves itself of accountability against discrimination. It really is difficult to ascertain the efficacy of such a method as it depends upon the selfish interests of the agent now instead of the organization. If the organization is not supportive, retention of disabled staff becomes a critical issue. Planning, recruitment and selection It has become esse ntial to keep abreast of changes in the labor market so that recruitment efforts are not wasted or misaligned. Planning entails assessing the future needs, aligning training with requirements, avoiding redundancies, developing a flexible workforce, and controlling staff costs. However, organizations engage in both internal and external recruitment. As far as internal recruitment is concerned, it saves costs but it also stifles creativity (Gros & Sonntag, n.d.). The same resources are shifted from one department to another. Moreover, conflicts among the employees can be expected as promotions are denied based on seniority if they are found to be lacking in skills. Now in this case the employee may be lacking in skills possibly because adequate training has not been provided, perhaps due to discrimination. Work-life balance and flexibility are essential to get the best out of the employees. Organizations that offer such benefits are preferred;

Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Media - Essay Example Information sharing is considered as one of the major aspects of social media. The success of social media relies on the way people transmit and share information in an efficient manner (Panahi, Watson and Partridge, â€Å"Social Media and Tacit Knowledge Sharing: Developing a Conceptual Model†). Thesis Statement The report discusses the opinions of people on the usage of social media for sharing information. In order to understand the opinions about social media, two people have been interviewed on how they make use of social media for gaining information in one of the popular social networking sites named ‘Facebook’. The objective of the report is to recognize the importance of social media for sharing of information in present times. Information Sharing and Facebook Social media permits users to share their views, experiences, thoughts, understandings and perspectives effortlessly. Social media has opened new opportunities for users to involve in online groups and to develop media contents. Social media utilizes Web 2.0 application which has brought in a big revolution in the internet. Social media encourages sharing of information in a cooperative way. ... In these social networking sites people can establish relationships and influence social associations for sharing information and resources. In this context, it can be stated that Facebook is the biggest social networking site in the world (Wilson, Boe, Sala, Puttaswamy and Zhao, â€Å"User Interactions in Social Networks and their Implications†). It allows users to share basic information such as name, birthdate and other private interests. In Facebook, people use messaging applications in order to share information. Unlike other social networking websites, Facebook is developed by the model of networks which categorizes users to membership oriented groups. Users’ network membership enables to decide the type of information they can view and how their information is viewed by other people. Users can easily share photos and can post remarks (Wilson, Boe, Sala, Puttaswamy and Zhao, â€Å"User Interactions in Social Networks and their Implications†). Data Collectio n In order to understand the opinions of the people about information sharing in social media, two teenage students have been interviewed. The reason for selecting teenage students is that they are considered as the most active players in using social media and they also engage in social media activities frequently. Findings The interviewees were interrogated with close ended questions and open ended questions in order to understand their modes of using social media along with their thoughts about it for information sharing. The interview began with asking two questions concerning the frequency of using Facebook messaging and information sharing. It has been found that both interviewees use instant messaging on Facebook on a daily basis. With respect to sharing information both contribute

The Regional Economic Integration

The Regional Economic Integration Introduction: Regional economic integration has existed in most geographical regions since the early days of the multilateral trade system. For example, the European Union was first established as the European Economic Community through the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Latin America and Central America followed soon after with the formation of the Latin American Free Trade Association and the Central American Common Market in 1960. By 1965, regional integration had also begun to take root in North America with the conclusion of the Automobile Products Trade Agreement between Canada and the United States. Regional economic integration is both a process and a state of affairs. Regional economic integration basically approaches a hierarchical model. Free trade area involves the elimination of tariffs and quotas on goods. This is followed by a customs union, in which members of a free trade area also adopt a common external tariff. A common market is the next step and involves creating a single market, with common policies on product regulation and the free movement of goods, services and factors of production. To benefit from regional integration, there are various conditions which has to be fulfilled, they are political commitment of all countries, to higher forms of integration; mutual economic dependence; disparities between countries of the region or narrow economic gaps; similarities at the policy level basically in human development and social policies; lastly, good governance and institutions in order to maximize the benefits of economic integration. Regional economic integration generally leads to greater foreign direct investment (FDI), financial and capital account liberalization, trade liberalization and migration of labour. A region made be regional integration mainly attracts foreign investment and it also reduce the rivalry between the neighbouring regions. Regional Economic Integration in East Asia: In the last two decades, the East Asian economies have achieved substantial liberalisation in Foreign Direct investment (FDI) under the frameworks of WTO and APEC. The result of the expansion of trade and FDI has become the main reason for development and economic growth in East Asia. Trade and FDI openness has also encouraged domestic institutional and governance reforms, which has further promoted trade and investment. Since early 1990s, emerging East Asia has also experienced increasing financial openness. Financial openness helps in rapid economic growth by attracting short term capital and long term capital with trade and FDI openness, with deepened market driven economic interdependence in East Asia. It has been applied as valuable comparative parameters due to a number of its significant characteristics: East Asia is the world largest regional market of 2 billion populations, which is much bigger than the 27 countries of European Union contributing 495 million and NAFTA contributing 405 million populations. After 1960 East Asia has been recorded as the fastest growing region of the world. The region has recorded average annual economic growth rates of around 7%, which is much higher than that of the average 5% growth in the rest of the world. East Asia contents almost half of the worlds foreign exchange reserves and in which China alone recorded a world largest foreign exchange reserve which passed $1.4 trillion in 2007. Along with the European Union and the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), East Asia is one of the worlds three largest economically integrated regions. East Asia has been characterized by extensive economic integration at both regional and global level. Commercial enterprises based in East Asian states particularly Japan, but increasingly also emerging industrial states such as Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan have been at the forefront of processes of regional economic integration, and are increasingly important contributors to global transnational research and development (RD) and production networks. China, a relative latecomer to transnational economic collaboration, is an increasingly prominent participant both regionally and global as well, as it undergoes a transition from a site for low value added assembly and production to advanced production. Regional economic integration in East Asia is notable not only for its extent, but also for the degree to which it transcends the economic and politico military rivalries of the states concerned. The pattern of East Asian economic integration reflects relatively little concern ove r economic objectives stemming from the perceived requirements of national security or intra regional economic competition. The most striking example of this is provided by China and Taiwan, which have managed to develop an extensive and mutually beneficial economic relationship, despite their long standing rivalry. Achievements of Regional Economic Integration in East Asia The prospect of regional economic integration plays a positive role in East Asia after initiating in United States and other western countries. Following are the some of the achievements of regional economic integration in East Asia which can be the proof that East Asia is gathering pace. (i) ASIAN Free Trade Area ASIAN is the important foundation for regional integration in East Asia. This was the first ever regional economic integration of East Asia. It does not affect the intra ASEAN trade and also the regions overall trade with world. The change came in 1992 when ASEAN achieved establish agreement on free trade area in order to help its neighbouring economies to achieve growth in trade. The main aim of ASEAN is to attract investors from foreign and regional as well. Multinational corporations locating in ASEAN would be able to exploit economies of scale and to rationalize production by allocating different segments of production processes among the ASEAN countries according to their respective competitive advantage. He tariff is reduced to 0 5% till 2008 for ASEAN. ASEAN also conduct various agreements focused on enhancing regional integration in transport and communications, trade facilitation, investment, e commerce and intellectual property rights. (ii) Free Trade Agreement Regional Economic Integration in the form of Free Trade Areas has come into existence in the Asia Pasic region. Growing number of bilateral and plurilateral FTAs involving such countries as Japan, China, Singapore, Korea, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico and Chile are currently being negotiated. Significantly, this trend is gathering momentum not much because of a change of sentiments in some of the countries in the region like Japan, China and Korea, which have been strongly opposed to preferential arrangements in the past. In the various Asian countries an important breakthrough was achieved when Japan and Singapore agreed in October 2000 to begin negotiations on a bilateral FTA with a view to concluding the talks by the end of 2001. These results to be gained a little by both countries which already have open investment region, minimum tariff and little trade in the area of agriculture. The important features of Japan and Singapore free Trade Area are establishing the harmonisation of legal frameworks, mutual recognisation of certification authorities for digital signature and coordinated corporate privacy standard. With the help of FTA many Japanese firms find it easier to run their operations in Singapore. This FTA will not only benefit these two signatories but will also have positive effect on various other countries of East Asia. Japan Singapore FTA is also important because it is the first institutionalized link between North East Asian economies and South East Asian economies. It is therefore has a potentially positive demonstration effect that could catalyse closer economic integration in East Asia as a whole. Many times the idea of East Asia FTA was failed few years back. But later East Asia Free Trade Area showed a great pace and attributed not only Japan Singapore FTA but also change the position of other East Asian countries like China. With the successful launch of Japan Singapore FTA, China also decided either creates a free trade zone between China and ASEAN to set up link with the ASEAN Free Trade Area. (iii) ASEAN plus three Unlike other more established regional groupings, cooperation among the ASEAN+3 (i.e. ASEAN plus China, Japan and Korea) thus far has been proceeding more rapidly on financial issues than on trade matters. So for this purpose it is decided to call for a summit on an annual basis which can be a kind of informal meeting. The aim of these summits is to set up the vision to explore ideas for cooperation and has also been holding regular meetings of its Finance Ministers. Trade agreements in East Asia are basically slow to organize as in other regions partly and politically difficult to reach because of the diversity in approaches to trade liberalization. Financial cooperation can proceed more quickly to some extent without discrimination against outsiders. For this purpose, the financial crisis in 1997 provided a strong impetus for East Asia to push ahead with financial cooperation. ASEAN+3 have also implemented a region wide system of currency swaps to help countries in the region which are dealing with possible future financial crises. This currency swap system will helps in the surveillance mechanism that ASEAN has created to anticipate and head off future crises through sophisticated early warning indicators. These achievements are the positive sign that shows the further growth in the region of East Asia after facing financial crisis in 1997. Impact of Regional Economic Integration: Case from China Since ancient China has the hegemonic power in the East Asian region with good relation with neighbouring countries. East Asian region was also influenced by Chinese traditional culture including language and philosophies. Till mid 9th century China has still the largest economy in the world but after mid 19th century till early 20th century China was overwhelmed by static decay, civil instability, famines, military defeats and foreign occupation. During the Cold War period, Chinas social experiments achieved some progresses but suffered serious setbacks due to the internal and external constraints. Since China started the economic reform in late 1970s, the world witnesses the return of Chinas emergence as a regional and global political and economic power. China attracted various large foreign firms when it adopted the open door policy and large amount of foreign currency inflows into China this was not enough after this many industries with latest technology and better infrastructure have established in China. Taking the example of Hong Kong, it has moved almost all of its manufacturing industries to China while. In recent years Taiwan and Mainland China are also came into economic relation after China open doors for foreign investments. Due to the shift of these firms the growth of country as well as firm are coming into existence. In terms of intra regional economic relations in East Asia, since the 1990s there has been a shift away from the previous Japan led flying geese model of vertical economic integration structured on the basis of the Japanese investment, technological transfer and supply of manufacturing parts in line with a hierarchical market exchange and regional division of labour and production networks to a new horizon tal intra regional economic integration. Economic integration helps China to grow in positive way in terms of economy and trade which makes Asia to make stand in the competition with developed nations of EU and NAFTA. The new engine of regional economic growth in China is basically by foreign direct investment which becomes the reason for the developments in the region. It generated networks between domestic firms and other firms in the other countries. This network based exchange of trade and capital has profound impact to East Asian economic integration. One of the key actors in generating dynamic intra regional industrial and economic integrations is the overseas Chinese business communities. Economic integration not only contributing Chinas economy to grow by the sources of foreign direct investment but also contributes to be a network connector which becomes link between Chinese market with rest of the region. With this link many of the developed economies in the region are usi ng China as low cost manufacturing and export base instead of directly exporting finished goods to the Western markets. For this purpose they moved there production in China which results in enhancing the Chinas integration in the regional economy in East Asia. Main factors of these firms in regards to regional integration with China because China act as a source of technology and expertise, Capital and it also brings close business relation between China and rest of the region. The rise of China has met different responses from different corners of the world. With the rapid economic growth due to the regional integration has transformed the Asia in many ways. Talking in economical and political terms Chinas energy and commercial ties with all major regions of the world are expanding. China is one of the main driving forces proliferating regional and bilateral trade agreements and politically, it is often interpreted that China seeks to shape the regions emerging political institutional contours and to encourage movement toward an East Asian community in order to balance the declining influence of the United States. Growth prospects and challenges of China Japan Business Alliance While Japan poses a formidable competitive threat, it also provides a vast opportunity. As the latter aspect of Chinas rise became increasingly apparent around 2002, Chinas perception of Japan became more realistic and balanced. Japans investment in China has been increasing rapidly in recent years: between 1999 and 2004 it grew by 3.5 times. And trade between the two countries has risen steadily over the last six years. Japan China business alliances have begun to cover broader aspects of business activities, from joint ventures and technology tie ups, to contracting aspects of production and consignment arrangements. Although there have been a limited number of examples, Japanese firms have even established comprehensive strategic partnerships with Chinese firms. With major and big Japanese firm small manufacturing firms are also looking towards China as locating their business and with better opportunities with future expansion. But for the successful business alliance between Chi na and Japan, these countries have to work together for several challenges which can become the issue in their alliances 1). There must a rule passed to secure the safety of Japanese firms operating in China and concluding a bilateral investment agreement. The large scale anti Japan demonstrations in China this past April damaged the facilities of some Japanese firms. And while the movement was promptly cooled by the Chinese government, a survey conducted in May following the April disturbances revealed that more than a third (or 36.5%) of respondent firms anticipate the negative impact on their business activities in this fiscal year. For further Japanese FDI in China in future, a bilateral investment agreement needs to be put in place. There is some cautious concern on the Chinese side about concluding such an agreement, but thinking of future technological cooperation between both countries should take a forward looking approach. 2). Another issue between both countries can be regarding the credit. Both China and Japan have to work together to build more credit based business culture. For urban economies to achieve healthy growth, the safety of business transactions must be guaranteed. Various business models can only be fostered in an economy where business transactions are secured and mutual trust is well established. A large number of foreign companies operating in China, however, face difficulties in collecting monies owed to them. This is also a looming issue for Chinese companies, because such problems can hinder future stable economic growth in urban areas, where many of these companies operate. China can resolve this problem by swiftly establishing an antitrust law and also enhancing law enforcement, clamping down on illegal transactions and improving corporate transparency. Japan also faced these issues during its high economic growth in the 1960s. 3). With getting the tough competition and being a rival for some years China and Japan are now understand the importance of come into alliance for the future growth, so for this purpose now Japanese and Chinese firms are coming into collaboration. Some local Chinese companies have recently begun to actively seek business partnerships with Japanese counterparts. In January 2002, Japans Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (Sanyo) and Chinas Haier Group Company (Haier) agreed on a comprehensive collaboration deal some local Chinese companies have recently begun to actively seek business partnerships with Japanese counterparts. In January 2002, Japans Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (Sanyo) and Chinas Haier Group Company (Haier) agreed on a comprehensive collaboration deal that included the sale of Sanyo products under either the Sanyo or the Haier brand names. In July 2003, a major Chinese pharmaceutical company announced an agreement with a medium sized Japanese manufacturer of Chinese medicines to purch ase the latter, the first case ever for a Chinese company to buy a Japanese one. These are the few example which shows that Chinese companies provides Japanese company with distribution channel to sell their products in Chinese market and grow their business. Conclusion East Asia will enter the second stage of economic integration by around 2008, when the whole region will aspire to become a free business zone, encompassing all regional FTAs and EPAs, including the FTA/EPA between China and Japan. However, in order to make talks for such an agreement go smoothly, China and Japan must build a firm mutual trust, both on political and private levels. Recent developments and achievements suggest that East Asia is finally coming around to giving more serious consideration to regional economic integration either as a complement or an alternative to the multilateral trading system. As discussed above, the economic grounds for closer economic integration among the East Asian countries have existed for many years. Rapid economic development over the past few decades, reinforced by changes in the global economic environment and an uncertain outlook for the international trading system, appears to have convinced the East Asian countries that potential benefits of closer regional economic cooperation outweigh the costs at least for now.

Essay --

Effects on Politics at home The Vietnam War brought complete turmoil to the American society. It all started when President Harry Truman wanted to stop the spread of communism in the Middle East and Asia by promoting the United States as an anti-communism country and offering help to other countries that were also against communism. President Truman used the word containment to describe this act of stopping communism in his foreign policies. This containment policy transcended to the 1960s, when John F. Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, were presidents. Kennedy won his presidency based largely on the fact that he promised to be more involvement in Vietnam (which was favored largely by the United States population) and the Cold War in general. Kennedy wanted to be more involved in Vietnam, and the Cold War in general, to preserve America’s power. With Kennedy and his team of U.S. Foreign Policy advisors, they believed to preserve America’s power they could help the development of Third World countries—mostly, in turn so they will not become communist countries. One of these countries so happened to be Laos, however, it soon fell to communism and Kennedy had to pull back forces. With the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the back down in Laos, Kennedy believed that America could not withstand another failure; another hit that would diminish America’s integrity. This is what led to Kennedy’s involvement in Vietnam—for he could not take another defeat of it. Kennedy offered a huge amount of support for the Ngo Dinh Diem’s Government. However, Kennedy rejected continuous proposals on sending large amounts of American troops into Vietnam in fear of a full out war and a huge rate of deployment. Instead, Kennedy ... ...t about 2 billion dollars a month, leading America to experience deficits and inflation. Because of this de-valued U.S. currency, it lead foreign investors to invest in things more profitable—taking away a lot of America’s revenue. This lead to extremely higher tax rates, which also, threaten Johnson’s reelection. There were protests in the streets, angry civilians, too many soldiers overseas, and chaos among congress, that led to Johnson’s downfall. America was an absolute turmoil, and because Johnson relied too heavily on his advisors—which often had many different opinions—he did not know how to control the chaos. When reelection time came around, Richard M. Nixon won in a landslide with the promise of ending war in Vietnam. By 1969, Nixon had instituted Vietnamization. This policy ended America’s involvement in the war and lead to a more stable America.

Jean Paul Sartres No Exit And Its Existentialist Themes Essays

Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit And Its Existentialist Themes I would like to take this opportunity to discuss Jean Paul Sartre's philosophy and it's integration into his play "No Exit". Embedded within the character interactions are many Sartrean philosophical themes. Personal attributes serve to demonstrate some of the more dominant ideas in Sartre's writings. Each of the three characters in the play show identifiable characteristics of sexual perversion, bad faith, and interactions of consciousness.This play takes an interesting setting, that of the afterlife. The plot centers around three main characters, Joseph Garcin, Estelle Rigault and Inez Serrano. Hell, as portrayed in this work, is no more than a room with three couches and Second Empire decorum. There are no mirrors, no windows, no books, generally no form of amusement. Some very human privileges that we take for granted have also been taken away: sleep, tears, and even momentary reprieves of blinking. Each of the three characters is introduced into the room by a surprisingly polite Valet. Initial confrontations are "uncomfortable", each person knowing that he/she is deceased, but they are not impolite. However, as the true reasons why each person has been sentenced to Hell are revealed, the true nature of the place takes shape. Rather than try to explain the chronological progression of the play, I would rather take each character and their opinions individually in an attempt to highlight what I believe are the important parts. The first person to appear in the play is Mr.Garcin. At first glance, he is a very polite, gentlemanly, and moral individual. However, the further into the play that we read, we find that he is none of these things. Instead, he represents some of the worst ails that afflict humankind (according to Sartre). He was graced with a wife that loved him unconditionally, and he loathed for no other reason. In fact, one the first memories that he has of her is how "she got on his nerves". There is one story that is obviously intended to shock the reader, and provide a good interpretation of Garcin's true character. He states:"Well here's something you can get your teeth into. I brought a half-caste girl to stay in our house. My wife slept upstairs; she must have heard - everything. She was an early riser and, as I and the girl stayed in bed late, she served us our... ...tolen away their ability to close their eyes. There is no way to turn off the sinks! Oaklander gives us a good description of the system, and how it applies to this situation:Rather it appears that the world has a kind of drain hole in the middle of its being and that it is perpetually flowing off through this hole. The universe, the flow, and the drain hole are all once again recovered, reapprehended, and fixed as an object. All this is there for me as a partial structure in the world, even though the total disintegration of the universe is involved. Moreover these disintegrations may often be contained within more narrow limits.. (Oaklander, pg. 284)In conclusion, Jean Paul Sartre takes less than fifty pages to materialize his existentialist ideas for the stage. He has given us interpretations of sexual desire, bad faith, and conscious interactions. As a note: I truly believe that this play could be analyzed on an even deeper level. Each comment could be dissected and applied to part of Sartre's theory. However, this scope was limited to stay within the bounds of this paper. Works Cited Sartre, Jean Paul. No Exit and Three Other Plays. 1944. NY: Vintage Books, 1989.

Is War Ever Justified Essay

War, although being described by those who have survived it as hell, is in my opinion a necessary part of life in some sense in order to expand in many ways like socially, economically, and politically. In terms of social changes brought on by war, war often teaches us lessons about how to better our behaviour and attitudes in terms of our association both domestically and foreign. In World War 2 (1939 – 1945), America and Germany’s interaction and hostilities soon diminished after the end of conflict suggesting that they had learned to get along (or at the very least solve their issues in a more diplomatic way.). Learning from our mistakes is essential for growing as a race in general. Had it not been for World War 2 the UN (United Nations) would have most likely not been formed and therefore our world would not feel the sense of unity that is present today. In terms of economic changes brought on by conflict or changes, had it not been for wars we would not gain items of value for the use of economic resources. Had the USA not gone over and improvised in Afghanistan they would have most likely lost what is estimated to have been one trillion dollars worth of oil. For this reason the Afghan War (2001 – Present) has been referred to as the â€Å"resource war†. In terms of political change brought on by conflict or war, we as a society have learned many lessons of the importance of a strong political power which could in fact reduce the need for conflict or war. Had it not have been for the Vietnamese War (1959 – 1975), we would not have been shown the importance of international involvement from a single nation in order to assist a less fortunate nation. War has always, in the end, increased all nations sense of unity in some way. Had it not been for the Vietnamese War, America would still be in some state of singularity and arrogance. The loss in Vietnam for the Americans proved that even they the very powerful can be defeated; if they were not given assistance the losses could have been far greater. War may be brutal but there are many positives that can be taken away from it. War, though an expression of our inability to coordinate and understand one another is also a great teacher for the world at what is right and what is wrong. The atrocities and crimes committed during wartime, though terrible and evil as they appear are usually necessary and in the long run will eventually prove to be better for society. During World War 2 had the Allies not declared war against the Axis it is unthinkable as to what could have happened to our world. The Allies chose to stand up to what atrocities were committed by Hitler and stop his evil from spreading. World War 2 is also an exceptional example of what happens when good men fail to act and allow the actions of evil men to spread. Hitler rose to power and began breaching the Treaty of Versailles and built an army despite the Treaties clear clause in which it states that Germany is banned from ever creating an army to avoid the repetition of World War 1 (1914 – 1918). Had a militant force not attempted to stop Hitler and his Axis powers it is unthinkable as to what the outcome of Hitler’s plan could have been. World War 2 was completely justifiable in that the evil committed during this war far outweigh the possible evil that could have occurred had a war not occurred. Had a militant force not intervened and caused a war it is quite probable that Hitler would have just kept exterminating the Jewish population and that the world would have just continued to watch. During World War 2 we learned the importance of standing up against the tyrannical and not being afraid to stand up for what we as a civilisation believe to be acceptable behaviour. The conflicts during World War 2 could very well have been avoided had good men acted against Hitler’s breach of the Treaty of Versailles and had the courage to stop him before, as we can now see, his plan could have been put into motion. We can simply justify World War 2 in that had The Allies failed to intervene the Nazis would simply continue to exterminate the Jewish population and many attempts to reach Hitler on a political level had been attempted and failed. War, although being a major drain on our economy, is also a great representation of our ability to learn and adapt to what is occurring throughout our time. Had we not spent so much money on war machines during wartimes, we would not have defences in place today that protect our nations against attacks from other possible threats. It is also important to recognize that had wars not occurred it is quite possible that our economies would in-fact be damaged by this. for example a large portion of the economy revolves around oil and it is estimated that had America neglected to act in Afghanistan and stop the Taliban from burning their oil supply as an act of aggression and arrogance against the USA, it is possible that approximately one trillion dollars worth of oil would have been wasted. Had the USA not stepped in and intervened in this conflict, America’s already struggling economy would have been severely damaged and it is possible that this massive loss of oil would have quite possibly caused another depression in America. Had America not invested so much money into the conflict in Afghanistan there economy would have been severely damaged by this. The war in Afghanistan can be justified in that it was not originally intended for the sole purpose of protecting a means of economic revenue but was originally intended for the purpose of retrieving Osama Bin Laden and to punish him for his atrocities committed. It was only after this fact that Osama’s militia began to burn up the oil fields that American geologist discovered that Afghanistan was actually sitting over one of the worlds largest oil deposits. Many people who are against the war in Afghanistan claim that this conflict comments on Americas greed for Afghanistan’s oil deposits but it was intended originally to have been a mission to capture a known terrorist and to protect the people of Afghanistan. War is often a result of the lack of political effectiveness to eliminate issues and this causes violence. War can be justified in that many people are so close minded in that they would rather resort to violence and not accept a diplomatic solution to their issues that they have. The Vietnamese War is a result of America and her one-time ally the Soviet Union’s inability to discuss and resolve their issues without resorting to War and conflict. The collective inability of the Soviet Union and the Vietnamese Government to accept Americas attempts at peace resulted in this conflict and therefore this conflict was justified. The Vietnamese War was somewhat unavoidable in that many attempts by America were made to achieve peace with Vietnam. After the Vietnamese War was eventually lost by the American Military, it was determined that the original intention of the Vietnam War was to preserve the Vietnamese people’s right to self determination and freedom from oppression by the government. The war is justifiable in that America was merely attempting at preserving a god given constitutional right in that we as a people deserve the right to choose our actions without input from and political force. The Vietnamese War had the best intentions to preserve our rights but was perhaps ill prepared on part of the American Military. Sometimes in order to do what’s right we have to put aside the safety of others and make the difficult decisions that need to be made. Each and every war or conflict throughout history has been caused by circumstances that require action. Had action been neglected during any of the wars listed within this paper the results of these wars would have been far worse and many more would have died. All of the wars listed within this paper were unavoidable and justified in the fact that they all had the best of intentions in mind and that they were all attempted to be solved through non violent means. If a conflict is attempted to be resolved without violence or conflict then the act of war is justified.