Saturday, August 31, 2019

Caveat Emptor

Caveat Emptor in Latin means † Let the buyer beware † in other words it is a notice to the buyer that the goods sold to the buyer are â€Å"as it is†. This rule Is a rule of the common law applicable to the sale and purchase of lands, other real estate and so on. Under the principle of Caveat Emptor, the buyer could not recover damages from the seller for defects on the property. However, this rule Is not arranged to protect sellers who engage In fraud or bad faith dealing by making false or misleading representations about the quality or condition of a particular product.Also, in buying used goods, like a used car, often the buyer has the risk, bears the burden of making sure that he or she gets what she bargained for or what she paid for and that there are no defects in the car because they will not be able to return the car and get money back because of the doctrine of caveat emptor. The word ‘caveat' is often used to warn buyers. For instance, you could s ay that the regulatory agency issued a caveat to citizens to do something or not to do something.This ollowing case is connected to the caveat emptor rule: Cheater v Cater [1917] 21 KB 247 The defendant landlord let a farm to a tenant retalnlng the adjoining premises on which was a shrubbery containing yew trees. The branches of the yew trees overhung the farm and were within the reach of the tenants cattle and horses. The tenant's horse died after eating yew from the overhanging branches of trees growing on the landlord's adjoining land. Held: The tenant's claim against the landlord in negligence and nuisance failed.Pickford LJ said: The law of this country is that a tenant, when he takes a farm, must look and Judge for himself what the state of the farm is. Just as in the case ofa purchaser of a business the rule is caveat emptor, so in the case of taking the lease of property the rule is caveat lessee; he must take the property as he finds it. I never heard that a landlord warran ted that the sheep should not eat his yew trees. † That is a distinct statement of the law and not a dictum. It Is the second ground given by the Lord Justice for his Judgment.If a Judge states two grounds for his Judgment and bases his declslon upon both, neither of those grounds Is a dictum. The law so stated by Melllsh L J. Is In agreement with a series of cases of which Sutton v Temple is an early instance. In a case of this kind the tenant takes the land demised as it is, and therefore if the tenant here took the land with the yew trees growing over it so that his cattle could eat of the branches and they did eat, he cannot complain. Therefore the broad proposition argued on behalf of the plaintiff cannot be maintained.In conclusion The caveat emptor had been seen as a powerful tool to the extent that many Jurisdictions have tried to overpower or neutralize it by establishing consumer protection or sale of goods legislation but when it comes to issues concerning land, the principle still applies. Towards the end of the 19th century, Caveat Emptor was still very much breathing as a general rule but the Judiciary were going In to some extent a different direction to go to the length of protecting a buyer as caveat emptor offers buyers very little protection. ThisInevitably led to the drafting of the Sale of Goods Bill. CAVEAT EMPTOR By elnxhshm Caveat Emptor in Latin means † Let the buyer beware† in other words it is a notice to the buyer that the goods sold to the buyer are â€Å"as it is†. This rule is a rule of from the seller for defects on the property. However, this rule is not arranged to protect sellers who engage in fraud or bad faith dealing by making false or The defendant landlord let a farm to a tenant retaining the adjoining premises on overhung the farm and were within the reach of the tenant's cattle and horses.The egligence and nuisance failed. Pickford LJ said: ‘The law of this country is that a farm is. Just as in the case ofa purchaser ofa business the rule is caveat emptor, so not eat his yew trees. † That is a distinct statement of the law and not a dictum. It is grounds for his Judgment and bases his decision upon both, neither of those grounds is a dictum. The law so stated by Mellish L. J. is in agreement with a series of but the Judiciary were going in to some extent a different direction to go to the length inevitably led to the drafting of the Sale of Goods Bill.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Overcoming Personal Challenge Essay

When someone has a personal challenge, it makes it difficult at times to achieve success. It is not always easy for me to achieve success in life because I have a mild form of autism known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger’s Syndrome affects many areas of my life. First, it affects my ability to learn, making success in school a struggle. Next, Asperger’s interferes with the ability to understand social situations, making success at work difficult. In addition, this disability affects the ability to communicate with others in personal relationships. I feel I have overcome many of the difficulties associated with my disability and have already achieved success in many areas of my life. One area that Asperger’s Syndrome affects for me is learning. Although I have a photographic memory and superb mathematical skills, abstract ideas are difficult for me. I taught myself to read at three years old, but I did not always understand what I was reading. Writing was difficult for two reasons. First, the physical act of writing was difficult due to fine motor skill deficits that made handwriting and printing hard. Using a keyboard eliminates this problem. Second, Asperger’s Syndrome affects expressive language, so expressing ideas has been a struggle. I read a story and understand the facts, but the â€Å"big idea† often eludes me. Despite these learning disabilities, I graduated in the top fifteen percent of my high school class, a member of the National Honor Society, and received the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for Advanced and Proficient MCAS scores. In addition to learning, work is not always easy for me, and I have to try harder than most employees. I am a part-time cashier at Stop-and-Shop where I interact with customers and colleagues. Asperger’s’ affects the ability to understand social cues and acquire social skills such as being able to read body language, and start or maintain conversations. I may appear to lack empathy, to misunderstand and confuse jokes, and to take sarcasm literally. This often makes work a struggle. Some people may not understand my social awkwardness, despite the fact that I’m trying my hardest to communicate with them. My social disability, however, has not  prevented me from succeeding at work for the past year and one half. In addition to a learning disability and difficulty in the working world, social relationships are not easy for me. Asperger’s interferes with the ability to take others’ perspective and have empathy. Without empathy and perspective taking skills, it’s very hard to carry on a conversation. Conversation is one of the main things that make relationships and emotional connections possible. Sometimes conversation seems like a meaningless, confusing ritual. I am still struggling with the ability to make and keep friendships. It will be a life-long effort to make and maintain more friendships. Achieving success when one has a personal challenge can be difficult. Asperger’s syndrome has presented me with significant educational, professional, and personal challenges. With determination and perseverance, I have managed to overcome many of my difficulties and achieved success at school, work, and socially. I live by the words of Liberace: â€Å"Nobody will believe in you unless you believe in yourself.†

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Diversity (cultures) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Diversity (cultures) - Essay Example Usually, the need to form a team arises from the need either to get things done more efficiently, using lesser time and effort (Mattson, 1998). And with this, the idea of a cross-cultural team sprouted up. Studies and researches were done to understand whether it would be of competitive advantage for a certain company if there are team members from different cultural backgrounds and how such differences can be understood and will not pose any problem for the company. With the continuing movement of the economy - may it be a decline or growth - every businesses and companies are using every possible means to keep the company at a stable end. Every organization must have the capability to adapt to the movement of the market and the ever-changing needs of the customers. However, an organization can only do this if the people - the very members of the workforce - are working smoothly as a team. Moreover, now that diversity in the workforce is seen as advantage rather than a problem, management have been seeking every possible means to maintain the competitiveness of each and every member of the workforce, thereby benefiting the company in the end (Becker, 1964). Diversity in the workplace has taken on a new face today. ... Moreover, now that diversity in the workforce is seen as advantage rather than a problem, management have been seeking every possible means to maintain the competitiveness of each and every member of the workforce, thereby benefiting the company in the end (Becker, 1964). Diversity in the workplace has taken on a new face today. Nowadays, workplace diversity is no longer just about the issue of anti-discrimination compliance. Leveraging workplace diversity is increasingly seen as a vital strategic resource for competitive advantage of the people and of the business. More companies are linking workplace diversity to their strategic goals and objectives. Because of this, the human resource department (HRD) plays a key role in diversity management and leadership to create and empower an organizational culture that fosters a respectful, inclusive, knowledge-based environment where each employee has the opportunity to learn, grow and meaningfully contribute to the organization's success (Jayne and Dipboye, 2004). Organizations intending to introduce multiculturalism in their workforce have two avenues of guidance. Organizations can base their structures on multicultural pedagogy and team management theory to help them prepare for an increasingly diverse workforce. Companies can benefit from academic studies, which have already provided an outline of difficulty. Pedagogical methodologies facilitate the re-conception of the relationship between the self and the 'other', and the active participation in the learning process. On the other hand, industry's team management theory, which recommends participatory structures over hierarchical structures, offers methods for

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Insurance Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Insurance Model - Essay Example The consumers have standard preferences defined over consumption. If P is the probability of the loss, then the consumers expected utility is: Thus, we can have the following indifference curve: It is simple to show that this leads to negatively sloped convex indifference curves. The slope of the indifference curves are: The high risk and low risk groups differ in their probabilities of incurring the loss. The probability of accident of an individual consumer belonging to the high risk group is PH and that of one belonging to the low risk group is PL, where PH> PL. Figure 1 below shows the indifference curves for a particular utility level for representative agents from the two groups. Observe that since PH> PL the indifference curves for the high risk type will have flatter slopes (less negative). Figure 1: Indifference curves for the high risk and the low risk consumers The monopolist The monopolist’s objective is to maximize its expected profits or alternatively minimize it s expected costs by trading with the consumer. The monopolist offers a pair of contingent claims (G,B) which realize in the good (No loss) and bad (loss) states in return for the consumers initial endowment. The expected costs of the monopolist are equal to: We can form the Iso-cost function for the monopolist as follows: Evidently, these are straight lines with a slope of . Observe that since PH> PL the Iso-cost line for the high risk type will have a flatter slope (less negative). Thus, the iso-cost lines for the High risk type and the low risk type can be drawn as follows: Figure 2: The iso-cost lines for the monopolist insurer for high risk and low risk contracts – C(H) represents the iso cost line for the high risk types and C(L) represents the isocost line for the low risk type. The separating equilibrium under asymmetric information Recall that asymmetric information is a situation where one or some of the players of the game have private information. In the present co ntext the asymmetric information is manifested in the form of consumers having private information since they know whether they belong to high risk or low risk groups. The firm does not know any particular agents type. However, the monopolist is perfectly aware of the exact probability distribution of consumer types. A separating equilibrium in the present context would be one where the high risk types choose a contract that is different from the contract chosen by the low risk types. The monopolist firm’s objective is to minimize its costs subject to the participation constraint or the individual rationality constraint and the incentive compatibility constraint of the consumer. The participation constraint requires that the contract offered by the firm provides him at least as much expected utility as the consumer’s initial endowment. This implies that for any consumer to accept the firms offer, the contract has to lie on or above the indifference curve through the in itial endowment. The incentive compatibility constraint on the other hand requires that consumers of either type do not find it beneficial to accept the contract devised for the other type. It is essentially the satisfaction of this constraint that leads to the separating equilibrium. In terms of indifference curves, the incentive compatibility constraint requires that the contract for the high type lies on or below the low types indifference curve

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

To What Extent Festivals and Special Events Impact upon the Social Term Paper

To What Extent Festivals and Special Events Impact upon the Social Fabric of a Community - Term Paper Example Festivals are now considered to contribute extensively to the cultural and economic growth of a country. They have major economic, socio-cultural, and political impacts on the tourism industry of the destination area of the host group. Whilst scholars worldwide are working on developing suitable models to decide the various economic effects of festivals on host communities, there are also a few studies reported which center on the cultural, social, and political impacts of festivals and special events. The studies are to determine the extent to which festival attendance eases the growth of social capital/fabric by depending upon the literature from a variety of disciplines so as to commemorate the connection between festivals and social capital. There are many important festivals that occur in the world annually or seasonally. Every culture or religion has its own specific festivals which are attended by a large number of local or foreign people. Hindu Festivals are very famous and a re celebrated with their gods and goddesses (idols) in whom they commemorate their birth, lives, and incidents. Some famous festivals are Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Deepavali, and Krishna Janmashtami. Similarly, Muslim Festivals Muslim festivals are famous for their feasts and religious fasts. At the time of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, the local markets are filled with glittering jewelry and clothes, sweets and delicacies for everyone. Muslims believe that the family gets together for such festivals.Sikh Festivals are usually associated with the life of their Guru. Likewise, Buddhism Festivals are commemorated throughout the world on remembering the birth of Mahavira Buddha, the founder of Buddha. Here we will discuss specifically Christian Festivals. Important Christian festivals are Christmas and Easter.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

Health Care Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Health Care Reform - Research Paper Example The contention was supported by authors Siegel, Mead and Burke (2008) who revealed an analogous argument in the rising costs of health care services coupled with the increasing number of Americans who are uninsured. B. Reality of Health Care in the US The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) emphasized that â€Å"some  47 million U.S. residents have no health insurance, and the numbers keep growing† (AFL-CIO, 2011). In view of this, the current administration has enacted the Affordable Care Act that envisions implementing â€Å"comprehensive health insurance reforms that will hold insurance companies more accountable, lower health care costs, guarantee more health care choices, and enhance the quality of health care for all American† (USDHHS: Health Care, n.d,). C. ... rage through the following strategies, to wit: â€Å"(1) sets up a new competitive private health insurance market; (2) holds insurance companies accountable; and (3) puts our budget and economy on a more stable path† (USDHHS: Health Care, n.d., pars. 6 to 8). Section 2: The History and the Evolution of the Issue in Health Care The major issues in health care that significantly traced its historical evolution are sourced from The Henry J. Kaiser Family of Foundation (2011) and enumerated herewith, as follows: 1965 President Lyndon Johnson Lyndon enacted legislation which introduced Medicare covering both hospital and general medical insurance for senior citizens paid for by a Federal employment tax over the working life of the retiree, and Medicaid permitted the Federal government to partially fund a program for the poor, with the program managed and co-financed by the individual states. 1985 The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) amended the Employ ee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to give some employees the ability to continue health insurance coverage after leaving employment. 1997 The State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, was established by the federal government in 1997 to provide health insurance to children in families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. 2010 The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Patient Protection is enacted by President Barack Obama providing for the phased introduction over four years of a comprehensive system of mandated health insurance with reforms designed to eliminate "some of the worst practices of the insurance companies" — pre-condition screening and premium loadings, policy rescinds on technicalities when illness seems imminent, lifetime and annual

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Staffing Plan Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Staffing Plan Paper - Essay Example Developing a strategic plan for staffing in a transport or distribution company is one thing that helps many it in making the right choice of what best they want for themselves (Bechet, 2008). In this step, a human resource manager or the person in charge of this activity has to collect information basing on the kind of service provided by the current employees. This information gathered is very important for companies because they help when enforcing some training and also in the case when the company promotes its employees. After getting the information needed about the available staff members, one can use it in finding out the average input provided by each employee in accordance to the number of hours (Bechet, 2008). An example can be drawn from a transportation company which depends on the number of trips made by drivers in determining ones capability. Most of the companies around the world do have some of the seasons that they consider much busy while other seasons are not taken as such. During the busiest seasons, one can use the statistics in determining the kind of need the company requires for the purpose of making the best from what they have. For instance the transportation company has to have more vehicles during the busiest seasons because this is a time when a company’s products are very much competed in the market. With more vehicles for the purpose of transportation means that the available products will get to the market on time, improving the company’s supply. The fourth step in the staffing plan is determining the number of employees the company requires in terms of drivers responsible for the transportation activity. This must comply with both the busiest seasons and the less busy ones. An additional number of vehicles mean that more drivers have to be employed by the company while having less vehicle leads to the current employees or drivers being overworked

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Contemporary auditing and risk management Essay

Contemporary auditing and risk management - Essay Example In the event that our application is not complied with, we ought to cease to act as auditor to your company or to support the company in any revenue or tax matter. We must convey a copy of our resignation to an applicable office of the Revenue Commissioners within 14 days. We ought to report material pertinent offences to the administrator of the company in writing, in a period 6 months. Our costs or fees are calculated on the basis of the period spent on your matters by our staff and partners, and on the levels of expertize and obligation involved and expenses incurred and VAT. We shall not reveal, to potential competitors or third party, confidential information attained in during our professional duty without your permission unless a legal right to disclose. Under the law of our institution, we obliged to avail all documents available for scrutiny in the course of a general practice review. Where the engagement is dismissed the constitutional provisions governing dismissal or term ination of auditors in accordance to the Companies Act, shall apply. When we as auditors cease to continue in office, we have an obligation to notify UK Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Consultant within one month after the date of cessation. Once this letter has been approved, it will remain operative, from one audit employment to another, till it is replaced. We shall be thankful if you could sanction in writing your pact to the terms of our engagement letter, by appending your signature and returning copy of this letter, or inform us if they are not in accordance with your comprehension of our terms of appointment. Yours faithfully, _______________________ Loughran and Shrives Chartered Accountants We approve to the terms of this letter. ______________________________________ Signed for and on behalf of Land Securities Group Plc. Ethical Issues for New Clients Leaflet Study Title: Ethical Issues for New Clients Leaflet Firm: Loughran and Shrives Chartered Accountants Client: L and Securities Group Plc Ethical auditing is a procedure which examines the internal and external reliability of a company's values base. The key ideas are that it must be value-linked, and that it integrates a stakeholder method. Its purposes are two-fold: It is envisioned for transparency and accountability towards stakeholders and it is anticipated for internal regulation, to meet the moral objectives of the company. The importance of the moral audit is that it empowers the company to evaluate itself through a diversity of lenses: it incarcerations the company's ethical profile. Compliance with moral requirements involves: independence of a company with ethical standards supporting all stakeholders. Integrity of all the undertakings; where confidentiality, transparency, and accountability upheld. Objectivity and Professional Competence are added values. Our firm has been tested for the above ethical issues and proven fit of all. If you need any additional information now or at an y moment in the future, please contact: Name: Address: Phone No: Internal Control and Risk Management Letter The findings of the Cadbury Board provided an outline for corporate control which has become the foundation for the

Select a side ( prosecution or defense) and write a paper arguing for Essay

Select a side ( prosecution or defense) and write a paper arguing for your side based on the facts of the case, the relevant law - Essay Example Most of the evidences presented in the court of law firmly advocated that Ms. Johnson was guilty of killing Michael Thomas. In accordance with the case, it can be viewed that Michael Thomas, a 25 year-old man, was killed from being stabbed once directly in the heart that led to his death. It is further observed that at the time of his death, Michael Thomas was dating Kim Johnson’s sister, Latrice for a couple of years. Furthermore, he used to be violent and abusive at the time when he was drunk. Such acts of Michael Thomas have previously resulted in generating several domestic disputes with Latrice. On the night of the incident of alleged murder, Michael Thomas came to the apartment of Kim and Latrice to meet Latrice. Contextually, Latrice refused to meet him but still Michael Thomas and his friends continued to stroll around the building premise. Eventually, Ms. Johnson came down from her apartment and engaged in a heated argument with Michael Thomas. Moreover, during the ar gument threats were exchanged between the two. Ms. Johnson had a steak knife with her which she brought from her apartment. Subsequently, when Michael Thomas moved down close to the end of the fence and attempted to climb it, Ms. Johnson ran towards him and stabbed the steak knife directly into his heart which eventually caused his death. Thus, it can be affirmed that Ms. Johnson should be penalized for her act of 1st degree murder related to the killing of Michael Thomas. Statement of Law-Explanation of the Relevant Law in the Case 1st degree murder is defined as an act of killing which is both premeditated along with deliberate. In order to penalize an individual as guilty of first degree murder related to the killing of a person, there is a requirement of three basic elements to be considered that include willingness, deliberation along with premeditation and malice. In this similar concern, the term ‘willingness’ in the context of 1st degree murder specifies that th e act of homicide is committed with the intention of ending a human life. Similarly, the terms ‘deliberation’ and ‘premeditation’ is correlated with the conscious intention to kill a person prior to the murder. Furthermore, the law governing 1st degree murder charge asserts that it must have malice. Correspondingly, malice generally includes an evil disposition or purpose which tends to harmfully affect human life (Thomson Reuters, 2013). A law related to the case can be recognized as an affirmative defense. Affirmative defense is a kind of legal defense which is recognized by criminal law. Affirmative defense is categorized into two groups that include: justifications and excuses. In this context, the aspect of justifications aims to argue that the act committed by an individual is not wrong and thus it is quite justifiable under certain given circumstances. Self-defense is categorized as one of the decisive aspects of the justification defense. Self-defen se is determined as any countermeasure which facilitates to defend oneself from harm. Similarly, an excuse defense advocates that even though the act committed by an individual was wrong but there lays certain excuses for the defendant (Croddy & Hayes, 2012). Argument With regard to the case of State v. Kim Johnson, it is found that Kim Johnson fulfills a number of legal criteria that makes her guilty for her act of 1st degree murder related to the killing of Michael Thomas. Contextually, it can be justified that the action of

Friday, August 23, 2019

Literature review of supplements and erogoeinc aids used by cycling

Of supplements and erogoeinc aids used by cycling athletes - Literature review Example It was estimated that the cyclists spend approximately 82 680 KJ of energy during this event. From this total energy spend in the race 54 percents were obtained during the race with intermittent ingestion of liquids, energy and sports drinks and other sources. Based on this approximately 46 percents of the total energy was provided by the intrinsic stored energy (in a form of glycogen, fats, proteins etc.) form the cyclist. As a result of this at the end of the race cyclist loosed 1.19 kilograms of body weight. This example shows that energy demands during long lasting cycling events are extreme. It is estimated that they are 3 times greater than the highest recorded energy demand in a heavy industry worker. There are many parameters that are used in order to measure the level of physical demands in one exercise and in the same time to evaluate the physical condition of the athlete. One of them is VO2 max. It is defined as maximum oxygen consumption in one athlete or peak oxygen inta ke in a period of time during intensive exercise. It is the maximal measured capacity of the organism of the athlete to use oxygen during one physical exercise and is measured in liters of oxygen in minute or milliliters per kilogram body weight in minute. It is a measurement of the ability of the organism to use aerobic system to produce energy. In order to better understand the implication of this measurement we must note that the organism has several systems of energy production that in essence is one complex system, composited of the ATP system, anaerobic system of glycolisys and aerobic system or mitochondrial respiration. End product of all systems is ATP (adenosine three phosphate) which is the main energy source for the cell metabolism. During low level exercises human muscles almost exclusively use aerobic mitochondrial metabolism as for energy production. It is much more effective process of energy production because from one molecule of glucose it produces 30 molecules of ATP. Because of this during low levels of exercise muscles use mitochondrial respiration. But we must understand that the metabolism of glucose is conducted both by aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. In the anaerobic metabolism glucose is converted to pyruvate which is than metabolized oxalate and oxalate it then finally metabolized in the mitochondria to CO2 and water producing 30 molecules of ATP. Now in low level exercises almost all glucose is converted to pyruvate and all pyruvate is metabolized to CO2 and water using this aerobic metabolism in the mitochondria. VO2max is actually measurement of this ability of the human organism to use aerobic processes to produce energy. In order to measure VO2max the intensity of the exercise is gradually increasing until the oxygen consumption reaches maximal values (Niels et al. 2004). It is important measurement because by aerobic metabolism energy is used much more effectively and therefore athletes can produce better results in a long l asting low level exercises. However in the case of extensive exercise (for example during a sprint before finish or very steep slope on the mountain) there is a demand for more energy and more glucose is metabolized to

Thursday, August 22, 2019

History of education Essay Example for Free

History of education Essay â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. † –Nelson Mandela The importance of learning is to enable the individual to put his potentials to optimal use. Education makes man a right thinker and a correct decision-maker. It achieves this by bringing him knowledge from the external world, teaching him to reason and acquainting him with past history, so that he can be a better judge of the present. With education, he finds himself in a room with all its windows open to the outside world. A well educated man is a more dependable worker, a better citizen, a centre of wholesome influence, pride to his community and honour to his country. A nation is great only in proportion of its advancement in education. Education is Self Empowerment. Receiving a good education makes a person strong enough to look after himself in any given situation. It keeps him aware of the given surrounding as well as the rules and regulations of the society. Its only through knowledge that one can question authority for its negligence or discrepancies and only then that can a person avail his rights as a citizen and seek improvement in the structural functioning of governance and economy. As a whole, people can bring about development only when they know where improvement is necessary for the greater good of mankind. Education gives a better understanding to the person, it helps realize potential and qualities one possesses as a human being. It helps tap into latent talent, so that people can sharpen their skills. Education teaches what man lives and struggles for. It cultivates an integrated life. By so doing, it gives significance of life. It helps restores financial stability and dignity of life. It is the essential basis of a good life. Education enlightens and lifts a nation to heights of progress. The problem in India is that it has adopted democracy without preparing the ground for it by educating population. But its never too late to undertake mass programmes of Adult education or Social education. Adult education is the education of grown up men and women. In the complex modern times, people must be knowledgeable and be aware of what they are doing and what is being done to them. To create such sentience every responsible citizen should take up this social cause and educate the knowledge deprived people. Teaching a daily worker for just an hour daily can change their lives in propitious ways as it was rightly quoted by Neil Armstrong, ‘One small step is a giant leap for mankind’. In recent history our country has taken up good measures to ensure a high educated population by taking up several social causes and concentrating on the rural areas, since they comprise a majority but the system has been laid back due the restraints imposed by old cultural ethics. For the past few centuries in India, the girl has been completely neglected even as a human being, her sole purpose of life has been to feed the family and bear a child. Good education has been denied to women. It is argued that women have their domestic duties to perform and that, if they were educated, they would bury themselves in their books and have little time for attending to the management of their households. But what people fail to understand is education involves knowledge of the means by which health may be preserved and enable a mother to consult such modern books as will tell her how to rear up her children into healthy men and women and skilfully nurse them and her husband, when disease attacks her household. The purpose of education is not just earning a livelihood but education makes an individual into a good human being, which is passed on to the next the kith and kin. It is true that, the education of girls has lately taken a slight leap but this is only in a very small segment of Indian society. Unless the motion is fast and continuous, and includes more of poor urban and rural girls in the field of education, there can be no hope of having a developed and first world country status for India. â€Å"When a man is educated, only he is educated but, when a woman is educated, a family is educated. † – Indira Gandhi â€Å"Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another. † – Nelson Mandela.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

MBA Marketing Analysis and Planning

MBA Marketing Analysis and Planning The report analyzes the market for Converses Chucks All Star range of footwear in the United States of America and includes a look at other competitive brands for comparison. Graphs depicting market data in terms of net sales in US dollars have been included to support the findings. The report segments the market for Chucks on basis of demographic, psychographic and behavioral factors and then moves on to highlight the target market for the canvas shoe. Also included is the market position of Chucks relative to its competitors. The report describes the products marketing mix and its influence on the market position and customers buying behavior. Also, the approach has been criticized in terms of current and future opportunities. Finally, the report draws a conclusion of the market Introduction to Converse and Chucks All Star It all began in 1908, when Marquis M. Converse launched the Converse Rubber shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts. The company started as a manufacturer of rubber shoes, which offered winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By the year 1910 the Converse Shoe Company was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it was not until 1912, that it first began producing athletic shoes for tennis. In 1917, the company revolutionized basketball by introducing the worlds first canvas high-top performance basketball shoes, that it named the All Star. Five years later, a semi-professional basketball player, Charles Chuck Taylor officially joined Converse as Americas first sports player endorser; Chucks signature was added two years later in the All Star patch and for the next four decades, Chucks, as they became known, were the shoes to have, particularly on the basketball court. The involvement of America in World War II (1941) took Converse into a new phase and it began manufacturing boots and ponchos. Converse designed the A6 Flying Boot for the U.S. Army Air Corps and even post the war these shoes remained the government issued athletic shoes for military training. For its war efforts Converse received a number of honors from the Army, Navy, and U.S. Treasury. Converse shoes became the number one footwear among the teenagers, who wore them as a symbol of youth rebellion in the 50ÂÂ ´s and for the same reason they continued to be popular in the 70ÂÂ ´s and 80ÂÂ ´s. But it was in the late 80ÂÂ ´s that Converses popularity started to decline. A series of unfortunate events and bad decisions lead Converse to file for bankruptcy in 2001. In June, 2003 Nike bought Converse out for $305 million and has ever since invested more than four million dollars into its advertising. Today, Converse has over 1,000 different types of Chucks selling in the market to individuals and organizations, all with the same goal WEAR A SHOE THAT MAKES A STATEMENT. As mentioned in the mission statement of the company: Our MISSION is to deliver personal service to our customers knowing that soon we will become friends. Our hope is that we provide the same shoes that our owners father wore for cross country in 1965, and his grandfather wore to play stickball in the streets of Philadelphia in the 30s. This report is an outcome of an analysis of marketing strategies used by Converse in the United States of America. The main purpose of the report is to indicate the market segmentation and target customer base of Converses most famous range of shoes, the Chucks or Converse All Star, in the U.S. The report further analyzes the position of Converse in the footwear industry in comparison to its competitors; the positive and negative aspects of the positioning strategies. It further discusses the product, pricing, promotional and distribution strategies and their influence on the buying behavior. Market Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning of Chucks Converse claims to be the first shoe company to launch footwear with Self Expression and till date Chucks enjoy the status of being the most popular shoes with this advantage. Despite this fact, Converse prefers to focus only on certain preference clusters and chooses target marketing over traditional mass marketing. The market for the Chucks All Stars has primarily been segmented according to demographic factors, namely, age and income. Furthermore, the company also divides the market on basis of psychographic factors like lifestyle and personality. Behavioral factors, like attitude and user status, have also been used to segment the market further. The product goes beyond segmenting the market on basis of gender, by offering shoes for both men and women, and also unisex shoes. The market for the Chucks has been segmented on basis of the following factors: Demographic Under this factor the U.S. population is primarily categorized on basis of age, discretionary income and generation. The age groups have been split into four parts, namely: under 13, 13 to 19, 20 to 35 and above 35. *Further, the income groups have been divided into: 0 income (students), $ 1 to $ 30,000 (young entry-level professionals) and above $ 30,000 (upper middle class). The generations have been segmented into baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), Generation X (those born between 1964 and 1984) and Generation Y (those born after 1984). Psychographic For this factor the market has been categorized on basis of lifestyle and personality. The population of the U.S. has been segmented on basis of lifestyle into seven groups, namely: Resigned Rigid, authoritarian, chauvinistic (older) Mainstream Domestic, conformist, conventional (Part of the mass, favoring big brands) Aspirer Materialistic, acquisitive, image conscious, attractive more important than quality of contents (Younger, clerical/sales type occupation) Succeeder Strong goal orientation, confidence, work ethic (Top management) Explorer Energy-autonomy, adventurous (Younger students) Reformer Freedom from restriction, intolerant of bad taste ( Higher education) Behavioral The market has been segmented on basis of loyalty status into Hard-core loyals, split loyals, shifting loyals and switchers. Also, attitudes of the American populace have been used to factor the market into: upbeat enjoyers, insecures and financial positives. Converse has analyzed web users online activities to figure out who is most likely to be interested in its product, which enables them to place ads on whatever sites those consumers are visiting. For example, behavioral segments important to the footwear industry, such as fashion-interested, outdoor sports enthusiast or soccer mom, would be based on where the user has gone and/or what they have done on various web pages. Share of U.S. Footwear Retail Sales by Consumer Group and Major Product Category, 2008 (%) Target Market With respect to the segments classified above, the Chucks have been made to target two age groups: the Teens, ranging from 13 to 19 years of age and the entry-level professionals ranging from the age of 20 to 35. The Chucks are designed for both male as well as the female consumers with different variations and patterns for both. The product also offers a unisex range to its consumers. Chucks marketing strategy also targets the zero, mid and upper range income groups. The marketing focus lies mainly on the younger generation, Generation X (Gen X) and Generation Y (The Echo Boomers), who fall in the Aspirer, Explorer or Reformer category based on lifestyles. *The shoes became very popular with rock musicians, and younger generations wore them for their distinctive looks, colors, and comfort and as an alternative to the high priced high performance shoes made by Nike and other companies. They were considered a leisure shoe and also were purchased because they were fashionable.* People from inner-directed hierarchy of stages, particularly I-am-me and Experimental lifestyles are being targeted. Product Positioning of Chucks relative to its competitors Converse once stood for athletic footwear. Now the brand has developed into a fashion statement for the retro-modern sub-culture prevalent in todays generation and is marketed as a Classic shoe for the new generation. Converse has obtained a good position in the buyers mind through better product attributes, price, quality and image, offering the product in a different way than the competitors do. The company offers the product in a variety of colors and styles at an affordable price with high branding, which ultimately helps to position the Chucks, in the buyers perspective, as trendy yet simple shoes. Converse has adopted the Cultural Symbol Approach to position Chucks in the market by associating the product with the basketball legend Chuck H. Taylor and appending his signature with the brand logo. The brand value of Converse is such that owning a pair of Chucks is equivalent to owning a piece of history, which apparently is a value offered by none other in the market. The Product User Approach for positioning the Chucks relative to its competitors. Another advantage Converse enjoys over its competitors is the association of the brand with music. The shoe became associated with puck rock and counter culture after being worn by the bands The Ramones and Blondie, who communicated with both strong music and fashion statements. The Ramones used the shoe as part of their street image with black leather jacket and blue jeans whereas Blondie gave the shoe a glossier menswear revamp creating an alternative suiting look as band members wore red and black colored Chucks with tight black pants, black jackets, shirts and ties on the cover of their Parallel Lines LP. Adopting the Product User Approach to position the Chucks Converse have also collaborated with designer John Varvatos and worked on several innovative marketing and charitable projects. They also released a collection of Converse shoes inspired by Kurt Cobain featuring artwork sourced from Cobains journals. Cobain was often seen wearing Converse and was wearing Chucks when he ki lled himself. The Converse Cobain collection has earned a mixed response from Nirvana fans who have noted that Cobain was particularly concerned about corporate appropriation of counter culture value. The unique selling proposition (USP) of Converse All Star is their simple design, wearing which the consumers declare the ownership of the old-school essence. The classic 2-ply canvas and rubber sole has been the only design that Converse shoes have revolved around and always will. Apart from the image value provided by Chucks, the product also provides its consumers with a diversity of patterns and colors to choose from, a most attractive attribute for the youth. Moreover, Chucks also come in low ankle height design and high boots to suit the style of every individual. The Chucks also compliment almost all outfits for both the genders. Be it under skinny jeans, or a short skirt, Chucks can give a trendy look to all. The big broad colored laces in the shoes can easily be arranged by youngsters in different ways to give a new look on every arrangement. It has also been a fad amongst youngsters to paint the shoes highlighting their individualism. *Therefore, Chucks are more than just shoes. Marketing Mix and Market Position of Chucks This section describes the way Converse uses the tactical marketing tools for marketing Chucks in the United States. This section will cover the product attributes, pricing, distribution channels and promotional activities of Chuck Taylor All Star. Product The benefits provided by Chucks can be classified into three groups: The core benefits of the product comprise of the fact that Chucks are classic kicks that fit any look. They provide a perceived look of self-expression, free-spirit and creativity for every owner. Also, Chucks are easy to care for and teens prefer them because of the low maintenance feature that comes from a simple canvas and rubber design. The actual benefit of the shoe is its exquisite quality for a reasonable price. The Chucks use 2 ply canvas and a sturdy rubber toe-guard, which looks trendy and at the same time protects your feet. Although Chucks are not designed for athletics, they feel pretty comfortable and have a relatively simple design. Another special quality is their ability to transcend cultures; they appeal to punks, rebels, athletes, and kids. Another benefit of chucks is that they come in an unimaginable range of colors and also are packaged in color-themed shoe boxes, making it more appealing to the target consumer base. One of the most important features of chucks is that they provide the consumer with a variety of choices in terms of designs and patterns. The consumer can choose from hi-top, low-top, X-Hi and Slip-On. Above all, Converse is a recognized brand in the market of canvas shoes. Because of this, even after Nike took over Converse, they carried on the range with the same brand name. Augmented benefits include, the consumers being offered with an option to buy a customizable shoe with user-generated content, allowing users to design and select colors for the entire shoe. Consumers are able to create unique custom canvas shoes by uploading their own designs, patterns, illustrations, images and text, and then preview their shoes instantly. Users can also embellish their shoe designs with preset colors and patterns. The shoes are embellished and assembled from scratch within 24 to 48 hours, which enables consumers to receive their shoes in one to two weeks. Apart from all these benefits offered by Chucks, they also come in limited editions for those who want an exclusive shoe. Converse keeps coming up web exclusive offers to increase sales and make consumers revisit the site frequently. The sales and purchase agreement of Converse also offers an easy return within 30 days if the consumer happens to be unsatisfied with his online purchase. If purchased at high-end retailer, satisfaction guarantee Price Converses Chucks are priced quite reasonably relative to its competitors. On one hand, where brands like Sketchers, Vans, Levis, Adidas and Lee Cooper, offer the same quality and style for a high price, Converse All-Stars dont usually cost more than $35-60. Chucks are positioned to suit practically every pocket. Consumers can also avail the Just Reduced and Last Chance offers on particular shoes while purchasing online. The company usually provides discount coupons or vouchers on in-store purchases which can be utilized at the time of the next buy. Place/Distribution Converse has 53 outlets in the Unites States located in all major cities like California, Florida and Texas. (www.converse.com) Apart from exclusive Converse Stores, the product is also distributed to major retailers and is sold to the consumer through a variety of channels. According to data from BIGresearch, in the years 2006-2008 BIGresearch, nearly 18% of adult consumers have no preference for a particular branded outlet, 12% of consumers shop most often at Wal-Mart and Payless for footwear. Chucks can also be bought online from Converses official website www.converse.com. Promotion Apart from competing in price, Converse has to fight for market share through strategies like strengthening brand image and product proliferation. The brand image of Converse is created by extensive marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements. The product has had a collection of classic advertisements after Nike invested a sum of $4 million post its takeover of Converse. The figure below shoes the growth in the sales of Converse after Nike pushed its promotion. Nike, Inc. Net Sales of Cole Haan, Converse Other Products and Percent of Total Net Sales, 2005-2009 (in millions $) Source: Nike, Inc. annual reports and press releases. Chucks have been marketed by famous personalities like Chuck H. Taylor, The Ramones and Will Smith from the field of sports, music and entertainment respectively. Converse has been actively building up a presence within the hip, indie/alternative music youth culture for the better part of the past decade, in particular emphasizing its retro-tinged Chuck Taylor All Star brand. Previously, the company has tapped musicians like Tokyo Police Club and Matt Kim to design shoes and sponsored collaborative singles from blog-hyped acts, including a recent release from Best Coast, Kid Cudi, and Vampire Weekends Rostam Batmanglij. The company also sponsors rock concerts, a kind of event associated with the target market. Since Converse is more like a community, a part of its advertising is done by its existing consumers through Word of Mouth (WOM) and internet blogs. Influence of Marketing Mix on Buying Behavior for Chucks Though the marketing mix needs to be updated on a regular basis to suit the variable needs of the existing customer base and to foray into newer markets, Converse has always promoted Chucks as an affordable trendy shoe for youngsters. With its classic customizable range of kicks, Chucks directly meets the need of creativity and self-expression for the youth. Also, the association of the brand with music since decades is a strong attraction to the followers of punk rock. Colors, styles, fashions, and what is likely to be hot are important criteria in the design of fashion footwear, and Chucks meet them all. Moreover, Converse is a renowned brand for canvas shoes and this brand familiarity influences the buyers decision to purchase Chuck Taylors each time he walks into a store with the intent of buying a pair of shoes. Chucks are reasonably priced and therefore are more likely, than its competitors, to be purchased. The frequent discounts and offers that Converse comes up with play a significant role in attracting the customers. The vouchers earned on in-store purchases work to persuade the customers to shop at Converse again. With several factory stores in the important cities of the country, Converse has made the purchase of Chucks quite convenient for its customers. Comforters are also lured by the option of website purchases and the availability of the shoe in ubiquitous retailers like Wal-Mart and Payless. The association that Converse has made with the celebrities from all spheres of life, sports to music to media, has helped it make a positive impression on minds of the targeted younger generation. The followers of indie/punk rock also relate with Converse much more than with any other brand, owing to Converses sponsorships of music events. Also, since Converse is a recognized brand, customers tend to buy Chucks since influencers or the reference groups possess the shoe. Conclusion Converse is a recognized brand in the fashion footwear industry, which positions its Shoe, Chucks All Star, as a shoe of self-expression. The product is reasonably priced and targets the younger generation of students and young professionals. With a variety of designs and colors, high quality standards and relatively low pricing, Chucks are amongst the most preferred shoes in the target market. Converse promotes Chucks through a number of distribution channels and celebrity endorsements. Overall with its marketing activities Chucks has been a successful brand. The only area in which Chucks are lagging is the athletic footwear segment which is huge market to be forayed in.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Growth and Development in Venezuela

Growth and Development in Venezuela Growth and Development are terms that are often used synonymously to indicate progress or movement in the forward direction. However, the nuances of these two terms differ. While growth is a more short-term, spurt-like movement, development encompasses a whole array of progressive moves in different aspects of life. Economic growth is indicated by an increase in a countrys  gross domestic product, or  GDP which is an economic model that reflects the value of a countrys output. In other words, a countrys GDP is the total monetary value of the goods and services produced by that country over a specific period of time. Economic development is usually indicated by an increase in citizens quality of life. Quality of life is often measured using the  Human Development Index, which is an economic model that considers intrinsic personal factors not considered in economic growth, such as literacy rates, life expectancy and poverty rates. Economic growth adopts a quantitative approach and takes place at a revolutionary speed. It is interested in quick/immediate gains, in the market period. As against this, economic development prefers to take a qualitative approach, emphasizing on the quality of the production and equitable distribution rather than its quantity. It is more evolutionary, and follows a sequential pattern of outcome. It has immediate as well as futuristic gains i.e. it is more sustainable. Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition of economic development.There is no single definition that encompasses all the aspects of economic development. The most comprehensive definition perhaps of economic development is the one given by Todaro:‘Development is not purely an economic phenomenon but rather a multi – dimensional process involving reorganization and re orientation of the entire economic and social system.’Amartya Sen defines economic development in terms of personal freedom, freedom to choose from a range of options. While economic growth may lead to an increase in the purchasing power of people, if the country has a repressed economy, there is lack of choice and hence personal freedom in restricted. Hence once again growth has taken place without any development. While economic growth may result in an improvement in the standard of living of a relatively small proportion of the population whilst the majority of the population rema ins poor. It is how the economic growth is distributed amongst the population that determines the level of development. This shows us how important growth is for development to take place, but also how growth in itself is not enough; It should instead be a necessary ‘pre-condition’ to ‘takeoff’ for a country to leap forward. (Rostow’s stages of growth) In the country of Venezuela, let us see whether there is consistent growth, and if there is, then whether there is an effective turnaround from growth into development. Country Profile: Venezuela is officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and is part of the latin American countries. It lies on the northern coast of South America. It has a dense population of 29,100,000 approx, in the country area of 916,445 sq.km. It was first colonized by Spain in 1522, and later in 1811 got its independence and was one of the first Spanish-American colonies to be free. Later in 1830, it gained complete independence as a sovereign nation. The main interest in colonial Venezuela for Spain was geographic: its geographical position was a very strategic one and gave protection against enemies. Also, later in the 1620s, Venezuela became well known for its cocoa production and export. The sizable profits earned from this industry were carried away by the Spanish. Oil, as a commodity was virtually ignored until the 1900s. In Venezuela, the benchmark or watershed year can be counted as 1989. In this year, there was the launch of an ambiguous liberalization policy called â€Å"the Great Turnaround†. This entailed huge exchange rate devaluation, liberalization, privatization of trade, financial deregulation including free interest rates, no restrictions on foreign investment and new tax reforms. Post the economic boom in 1974, the economy was dragged into a downswing and GDP declined by 15%; this led to political pressure on the country by private companies. Liberalization was brought in to help the economy to revive itself. The final push to implement the liberal policy in 1989 was given by a balance of payments crisis in 1988. During 1970-2012  consumption expenditure per capita  in Venezuela increased by 8344 US dollars (in 12.3 times) to 9084.1 US dollars. The average annual growth of Consumption expenditure per capita in Venezuela was 198.7 US dollars or 26.8%. GDP per capita USD= 6401.91 PCCE/PCI= 9084.1/6401.91=1.4189 Gross Savings (% of GDP) = 26% (in 2012) The main economic driver of the Venezuelan economy is the production and export of crude oil. Venezuela is endowed with rich natural resources and has the largest oil reserves in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was also the world’s third largest exporter and ninth largest producer of oil. Its national petroleum company- Venezuelan Petroleum Corporation (PDVSA) is the third largest international conglomerate of oil. In 1990, Venezuela was also deemed to become an international leader in the export of its abundant mineral wealth namely- coal, iron, steel, aluminum. The production and export of crude oil forms the heart of the Venezuelan economy. The period of the oil industry in Venezuela can be roughly traced over four periods, namely: 1912-1943: the discovery and the initial production of oil. 1943-1974: Affirmation of Venezuela’s control over the oil industry. 1974-1998: The boom in oil production and prices, and also the nationalization of the oil industry. 1999-2003: Government’s attempt to regain control over the industry to curb its growing independence. (Refer Appendix, [1] for period from 1980-2000) In 1912, the petro-state of Venezuela was born and from then on, it took its baby steps to becoming the world’s second largest oil producer following U.S in 1929.In a short span of 15 years from 1920-1935, Venezuela’s oil share of exports exponentially shot up from 1.9% to 91.2%. This had an immediate and direct impact on the economy called as â€Å"the Dutch disease† [2] by many economists. This implied massive declines in agricultural production and also in industrialization. In 1943, Venezuela aimed at strengthening the industry and hence passed the Hydrocarbon Act. This tied the state income more closely and tightly to oil revenues. The law affirmed that foreign companies could not make more profits from oil than they paid to the Venezuelan state. This led to a growing reliance on the state. {This can be compared to the MRTP act initiated by the Indira Gandhi government in India} However, in the 1950s, the world oil industry felt the effects of the oversupply of oil (especially from the middle east) and hence oil prices drastically and chronically reduced. To confront this problem of oversupply, in 1960, the OPEC was formed as a cartel. Venezuela also created the Venezuela Oil Corporation, which formed the basis for oil nationalization. Post the formation of the OPEC, in 1973, oil prices and Venezuelan revenues from it increased four-fold, from 1972-1974. This lump sum increase made development a nearer goal to achieve. President Perez called his project â€Å"La Gran Venezuela† or â€Å"sow the oil† which encompassed fighting poverty through price controls and also the diversification through import-substitution techniques. This was also accompanied by the nationalization of the Oil company namely, PDVSA. The windfall gain from the oil boom ushered in an era of positives for Venezuela, but it also brought chronic inflation and massive indebtedness. This can be shown by the business cycle in appendix [3]. After the periods of boom, the economy got dragged into a slowdown due large scale inflation. Later in 1998 when oil prices lowered (because of oil members breaking their quotas) the economy of Venezuela took a hit and the per capita income steadily decreased. This is again shown in the business cycle in appendix [3] with the depression phase. The election of President Chavez in 1998 strengthened OPEC countries to maintain oil prices at a high rate. He persuaded all the head of states of the OPEC nations to stick to their quotas and to not oversupply oil. His efforts had immediate results and the price of oil rose for the firm time since 1985, to more than $27 per barrel. Thus, we see how oil revenue and government income in Venezuela are indivisible. President Perez indirectly wished to adopt the ‘unbalanced version’ of the ‘Big Push Model’. He claimed ‘sow the oil’ which in other words meant increasing revenues from the oil sector would fuel development in other sectors such as agriculture and industry. But this failed to happen since with a four-fold increase in oil revenues, government expenditure also increased and even surpassed the newfound revenues. When the oil prices took a hit, the government spending could not decrease as easily it was first increased. This gave rise to deeper debt. In between 1970 and 1994, public debt rose from 9% to 53% of GNP. Also, due to growing importance given to the oil industry, agriculture was neglected and contributed merely to one tenth of the economy in 1950s when it was one third of the GDP in 1920s. Presently, agriculture comprises of only 6% of the GDP. Thus, the Big Push to just one sector did not help in the case of Venezuela as other sectors did not benefit as much. Politics and Oil The oil economy of Venezuela left an imprint on its politics. The ‘clientelistic’ [4] nature of the state led to being increasingly bureaucratic. Maximum people working in the formal economy (approx 50% of the working population), about 45% of them are employed in the government, or rather in the government –run oil industry. Yet another consequence of Venezuela’ss oil wealth, is what political scientist Terry Lynn Karl calls â€Å"a pacted democracy.†This entails democracy which is held together through an agreement amongst elite groups, usually opposing, and powerful interest groups. It is a kind of truce among them which is struck to maintain their personal interests and privileges. Differently put, even when a single party won the elections, the revenues from oil had to obligatorily be shared among members of other parties, more or less among the voting results. This guaranteed the different interest groups access to jobs, contracts and ministries and even the power of the union federation, CTV was similarly divided. Thus, this level of bureaucratization in Venezuela, the clientelistic trends, and the ‘pacted’ nature of its democracy made Venezuela resemble a one-party socialist regime. In Venezuela, during the rule of President Hugo Chavez, his manifesto drew heavily on the Marxist ideology. Marx fought for the proletariat or the ‘have-nots’ of society, claiming that they were the ones who did the real labor (manual labor) as against the bourgeois or the ‘haves’ who only indulged in intellectual labor, took advantage of the labor class, usurped their profits and exploited them. Chavez, in 1992, attempted a coup because he believed that the president was corrupt. When later he was elected as president, he vouched to end poverty and exploitation and redistribute the profits earned by wealthy businessmen. Owing to a leftist and socialist ideology, he aimed at attaining and asserting control over privately owned property. Thus, eventually, he gained control over all the factors of production- land and its resources (oil), capital, labor. He did as he told he would do, and his governance was labeled as â€Å"petroleum socialism†. Oil was used as a measure of control in terms of the domestic economy as well as the international political affairs. PDVSA is the Venezuelan state-owned petrol company. In 20002, Chavez claimed that 10% of its revenues must be invested in social programs. The kind of domination control over oil that a corrupt or unstable government claims is detrimental to the country’s economic development. Chavez implemented many social programs to combat poverty and reduce inequality. These programs were supported by the PDVSA and were fabricated to meet the basic needs of the people. Some of them are: Health: Mission ‘Barrio Adentro’ or â€Å"inside the neighborhood† has set up clinics and made doctors available in areas previously lacking these facilities. Mission ‘Alimentacion’ or Mission Food, a food plan funded by the government in order to supply products through grocery stores (Mercal and PDVAL) without the aid of intermediaries. Also to set up community kitchens to provide three free meals per day. This mission has benefited about 15 million people. Mission Sonrisa or Mission Smile which addresses to the oral health of the people by the setting up of many new dentistry clinics. Mission Christ Child and the inauguration of a neonatal intensive care unit and enhance the quality and access to facilities for pregnant women. Education: Mission Robinson was created with an aim to eliminate illiteracy. This mission taught approx 1.8 million people to read and write. Mission Rivas aimed at integration of Venezuelan people into the elementary and secondary education and proved beneficial for more than a million. Mission Sucre had been set up to help improve the access to higher education. About 700,000 people profited from it and successfully completed their graduation. Housing: Mission Habitat, in 2004, helps the people secure housing through credit facilities and also helps in creating integrated communities. Employment: The Great mission Knowledge and Work hopes to integrate 1 million jobless people into the labor market, which will also help reduce unemployment. All these missions did a great deal in alleviating poverty and reducing inflation and unemployment in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez concentrated on an expansionary fiscal policy through social spending. Social expenditure from 1911-2011 accounts for more than 60% of revenues- this is nearly double of the expenditures made in previous periods. The number of households living under the poverty line in 2003 was 55% which by 2011 fell to 26%., and those families living in extreme poverty has fallen to 7% from 25%. In 2003, there was again a spike in poverty, inflation and unemployment due to a coup to overhaul Chavez’s government. There are other factors which show an impact of the missions of the overall welfare of the country. For example, infant mortality rates and malnutrition victims have fallen; while school enrolment and graduation rates have risen. The Gini coefficient of Venezuela, which measures inequality on a scale of 0-1, is 0.394. Thus, these missions were effective instruments for alleviating poverty, by tackling urgent needs of education, food, health, housing etc. They began in 2003, and 36% of state revenue went into funding them between 1986 and 1998, while 60% of revenue was spent between 1999 and 2011. Politicization of the missions: But, there are claims that Chavez’s social missions served two very different purposes: they were subject to political manipulation (i.e. to buy votes) and also allowed for a direct distribution of oil rents to the low income population. The government used these funds clientelistically and also distributed them to the very poor. It is seen that Chavez distributed these oil revenues to primarily those poor section which were sure vote banks for him. Thus, the missions helped to buy votes. Chavez’s government also laid emphasis on providing all citizens with identification cards. These cards would be required by them at the time of gaining access to cash transfers. At the time of election, this card got automatically transformed into an election card and was required by the National electoral Council for voting purposes. (Mission Identidad) These missions have been dispatched to the masses and seem to be catering at a mass scale. Therefore, they are more quantitatively-aimed than quality-oriented. The infrastructure is not well maintained, the teachers are paid a pittance and schools seem to be largely used as a site for ideological indoctrination. Wrt health-Some of Venezuelas public hospitals are closing. Others are ridden with crime. Many physicians are quitting medicine starting new careers in Venezuela or emigrating, upset at being paid a pittance or not at all. Medical supplies are in short supply. Wrt job and employment conditions- Investors are running away from here since the government is taking over many companies. There is an outward movement of the educated class of engineers, doctors and other professionals to other countries where the pay is better. There is an influx of migrants, mainly for blue-collar jobs.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Physics of Personal Watercraft :: physics sport sports boat jet ski pwc

Personal Watercrafts or "jet skis" are basically Personal Watercraft (PWC) are basically small inboard boats able to travel at high speeds due to large amounts of power and very light weight. Alomst all PWC's are under 600 lbs and most of todays PWC's have at least 90 hp.Not only are PWC's some of the fastest water vehicles they are also some of the most maneuverable water vehicles. This is because PWC's propultion is based on a jet that also is it's turning mechanism. When the driver turns the handlebars the jet (via cables) turns in the direction of the handlebars so the stern is pushed in the opposite direction. This allows the driver to turn at a much tighter angle than traditional boats with keels and rudders.The main drawback to this maneuverability is the fact that if there is no thrust coming from the engine the ability to turn is effictively zero meaning that anytime the driver presses the kill switch (a large red button) they lose all ability to steer. This is extremely dan gerous whenever an inexperienced person may drive the PWC back to dock or into shore. PWC's have no brakes and have no ablilty to stop other than turning around. They have an extremely efficient ability to hydroplane (when most of the PWC is above water) and it takes most PWC's a few hundred feet to come to a stop after being at full throttle. This is because 600 lbs + a rider is traveling at a very high speed with only minimal friction to slow them down (since PWC's are made to travel with very little friction). PWC's also have a problem with turning. When a PWC is at full speed there is a great amount of force produced by the jet and the vehicle is therefor very difficult to turn. The main way to turn sharply during high speeds is to let of the throttle temporarily. This slows the amount of water flowing through the jet so the jet can be turned. Once the jet is turned the driver can depress the throttle again. Although being very effective this tecneque can also be quite dangerous. When the PWC turns it resists it's change in motion, however the driver does not recieve the same change in motion. The driver's body still wants to continue in the previous path of the PWC. Unless the Driver holds on very hard the driver is likely to fall of the PWC at a very high speed.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Essay --

We live in the 21st century where no human right is an equal right. We were issued human rights to be treated equal but everyday life situations show me that society is so unfair. Human rights are made to be inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is entitled to do because he or she is a human being. Human rights are meant to be natural rights to anyone who takes part in America's population. Human rights can be defined as rights that are believed to belong justifiably to every person. World War I and World War II of the twentieth century is what led to the development of the human rights. The human rights were derived from 18 members of many various political, cultural and even religious backgrounds. Authors consisted of those from John Peters Humphrey, Charles Malik, Peng Chun Chang, William Hodgson and Eleanor Roosevelt to name just a few. At the time that human rights were created it was for the people who faced such horror. I put myself in society shoes and I notice that the Human Rights are more of a dream than reality. When stating my opinion, each state has its own violation of the human rights of some kind. Tortured or abused in at least 81 countries, unfair trials in at least 54 countries, and lastly but definitely not the least restriction in freedom of expression in at least 77 countries. So many human rights are being violated in our everyday life yet America is considered the ideal place to live. Human rights violations still plague the world today. Who can recall how article three of the Declaration of Human Rights stating "everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person" has been violated in such ways. An estimate of 6,500 people were killed in the year of 2007 in armed conflict in Af... ...the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enlist. People are very bias when it comes to gay and lesbian relationships. Everyone is supposedly treated equal and fair correct? Or at least that's why we have Human Rights to abide by to ensure that all is treated as one. But the question that still rises in my mind, if there are people in society who is not being treated as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights say we should who will enforce them? Who do those who don't have the equal opportunity as some turn to? The government, do we reach out to society, maybe those that stand higher ground than us, start petitions for those who seem to be getting unfair treatment. I not only support same sex marriage because of myself but because in my opinion love has absoutely no gender. A right was set as freedom to many but not to all, coming with a crutch.

Adapting International Accounting Standards Essay -- Accounting Inter

Companies in each country have to adapt and regulate their financial statements to certain requirements. They base and format their accounting standards on their national General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) set by security regulators. However, in this modern globalized era, owing to too many financial differences between nations, it is increasingly difficult for entities to compare their financial records and identify trends in their financial position and performance with their competitors. As an answer to such financial chaos, harmonisation consists of formulating one universal GAAP; accountants worldwide would subsequently be able to use one single standardized practice, which would, according to Weber (1992), improve financial market information, government accountability, facilitate international transactions and minimise exchange costs. However, harmonising standards remains a disputable answer in accounting. This paper will attempt to shed some light on the current debate about the pros and cons of adopting a universal set of accounting standards. International accounting standards are discussed, set and published by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) which was formed in 2001. The International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) was the predecessor of the IASB; its Foundation is to harmonise all worldwide GAAPs into one single set of accounting standards. According to Mogul (2003), harmonisation is defined as the constant process of ensuring that the GAAP of each country are formulated, aligned and updated to international best practices (GAAPs in other countries) with suitable modifications and fine tuning, considering each domestic condition. Harmonisation is thus wished by any financ... ... issue 7, pp. 975-992 ScienceDirect [Online]. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science (Accessed: 03 November 2010) Mogul, S. (2003) Harmonization of Accounting Standards. Available at: http://www.icai.org/resource_file/11430p681-684.pdf (Accessed: 3 November 2010) Blake, J. and Hossain, M. (1996) Readings in International Accounting. London: Routledge. Weber, C.M. (1992) ‘Harmonization of international accounting standards’, The National Public Accountant [Online]. Available at: http://www.allbusiness.com/accounting/methods-standards/339832-1.html (Accessed: 3 November 2010) Wittington, G. (2008) ‘Harmonisation or discord? The critical role of the IASB conceptual framework review’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 27, issue 6, pp. 495-502 ScienceDirect [Online]. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science (Accessed: 03 November 2010)

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Water, the Finite Resources

Water, The Finite Resources Outline I. Introduction A. Opener: What is water scarcity? B. Thesis statement: One of the crises that our environment is facing is fresh water scarcity which is a very serious issue and it affects our global environmental. II. Water shortage effects on environment and human beings. A. Causes disease B. Agricultural fields C. Poverty group D. Aquatic Ecosystems III. Water scarcity is causes by different factors. A. Global warming B. Changes of climate C. Decreasing ground water level D. Population growth and the increased consumption of water IV. Solution for water scarcity is a necessity. A.Water Sharing Treaty B. Environmentalists Oppose Desalination Solution C. Government’s rules, regulations and plan V. Conclusion: People should use water wisely to prepare a better future for our next generation. Water, Our Finite Resources One of the crises that our environment is facing is fresh water scarcity which is a very serious issue and it affects our g lobal environment. In the boundless black desert of space, the Earth which is always a blue-green oasis has a finite stock of fresh water (Lean, 2009). Water is the principal element for all socio-economic growth and for sustaining healthy ecosystems (â€Å"Water scarcity: The†, n. . ). Water scarcity is the product of an inequity between the supply of and demand for water supplies in a geographical area. Plainly put, water scarcity is based on the lack of water which means the quantity of water and the lack of access to safe water which refers to quality of the water. It is hard to picture that safe and clean water cannot be taken for granted; but, finding a dependable source of safe water consumes time and it is expensive in the developing world. This is defined as economic scarcity whereas physical scarcity of water can be overcome if more water can be found, but it needs more resources to do it.In other areas, the shortage of water is a more intense problem (FOA, n. d. ). There is only less than 1% of the world’s fresh water which is readily accessible for direct human use (â€Å"Water facts†, n. d. ). Lean (2009) researched that by 2030, more than half of the world’s population will stay in high risk areas. Based on the World Water Development report, which is compiled by 24 UN agencies under the auspices of UNESCO, add that shortages of water are starting to constrain the economic growth in regions as diverse as Australia, California, Chia, India, and Indonesia (FOA, n. d. ).Thus, this can show that water scarcity really affects human beings and the environment especially poverty, agriculture field, aquatic ecosystems, and causes disease. Poverty is the largest issue on which water crisis has an impact. Shah (2010) announced that there are 2. 6 billion people in the world who lack basic sanitation whereas inadequate access to water has affected 1. 1 billion people in developing countries, while the rest of world enjoys direct access to freshwater for domestic use. For poor people, water scarcity is about ensuring the fair and safe access which they need to secure their livelihoods, and sustain their lives. FOA, n. d. ). About 1. 8 billion people only can access water within one kilometer and consume around twenty liters per day; people in United Kingdom use on average 150liters per day. One out of every five children (400 million) from the developing world does not have access to safe water. Around 443 million children lost their school days each year from water-related illness (Shah, 2010). Furthermore, lack of water means millions of women are spending many hours every day in collecting water, sometimes from several miles away (FOA, n. d. ).It is clearly show that water scarcity is preventing them from attaining even first step on the socioeconomic ladder. Water scarcity has a huge influence on agriculture fields and food production. (Sentlinger, n. d. ) Since agriculture is the biggest water consumer, it takes 70percent of the total use; water deficiency causes weak farming harvest, loss of animal wealth in farmland, and leads to insecurity of food. (â€Å"Water security†, 2010) Moreover, the amount of water needs for food production is the problem. People desire more and more water for even more agriculture.Yet the most major contributor to water scarcity and to the ecosystem is the way people use water (Molden, De Fraiture, & Rijisberman, 2007). In addition, the quantity, availability, and price of key food product inputs can be directly impacted upon by water scarcity having a negative affect on animal and crop yields. The price of food commodities is particularly vulnerable and defenseless to the shocks of unexpected extreme weather incidents, while animals yields are highly at risk from raised water temperatures especially aquaculture and access to clean water sources (Krechowicz, Venugopal, Sauer, Somani, & Pandey, 2010).Within the next ten to twenty years, the wate r crisis seems likely to trigger significant shortfalls in cereal production. As a result, an enormous global food crisis will occur (Quarterly, 2010). Water scarcity, the global critical issue cause increasing environmental stress, and it affects the ecosystem. In order to solve the water scarcity problem, huge dam construction causes interception of river flow, and it is endangering the dependent creatures.The study estimated 24% of mammals, 12% of birds, and 10% of freshwater fish types are endangered (â€Å"Water security†, 2010). Increasing consumption water not only decrease the amount of water for human development but has brought a profound influence on the aquatic ecosystems and their supported stocks (World Water Council, n. d. ). In addition, freshwater species also experience habitat degradation and changes of thermal regimes which relate to climate alteration and water impoundment (Arthurtonet al. , n. d. ).More than half of native freshwater in South Australia a re already listed as rare, endangered or vulnerable and the problem is worsening by the drought which makes conservation difficult, once their habitats dry up (â€Å"Water security†, 2010). Covich, Postel and Carpenter explain that the life those ecosystems support and the health of aquatic ecosystems are in the risk stage because of the withdrawal of more fresh water for industry, agriculture, or cities in many areas (as cited in Postel, 2000). Over and above, water scarcity brings a big effect on human health.The single most important issue determining public health which has been identified by the World Health Organization is clean water (â€Å"Problem: Fresh water†, n. d. ). The global water crisis causes death and disease in the world taking more than 14,000 people’s lives which include 11,000 of children under age five take each day (West, n. d. ). Poor water quality raises the risk of diarrhoeal diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, cholera, and othe r water-borne infections. Meantime, diseases such as trachoma, typhus, and plague are caused by water scarcity.People store water at home due to water shortage; this will increase the risk of household water contamination and providing mosquitoes with a breeding ground, which are carriers of malaria, dengue fever and other diseases (World Health Organization, n. d. ). Human health is the most important issue but now water crisis already put human health below the safety level. The ever-increasing world population is a prime cause of the water scarcity. As populations grow rapidly, industrial, agricultural and individual water demands increase (â€Å"Global water shortage†, n. . ). In the last century, global water consumption amplified six fold which is more than twice the speed of population increase and it is believed that water consumption will continue growing and outpace population growth in the future; however, the available freshwater is limited which is less than the one percent of the total water on the Earth (â€Å"Water scarcity and†, n. d. ). Postel predicted the world is now facing the issue of insufficient water supply and foresees that problem of water supply or water availability will get worse for the next 30years.Consequently, Sandra argued it raises the issues of water supply in agriculture, production for human demand due to increase of income, and providing drinking water (as cited in Environmentalist on Water Conservation, 2010). Water shortage also happens because of decreasing groundwater level. In 2000, global water withdrawal was predicted to be 30% of the world’s total available fresh water supply. Before 2025, this fraction might reach 70% (â€Å"Water security and†, 2010). The water level underground in different parts of the earth are called water tables (Edwin, 2010).Water tables are dropping because of the over-pumping out of groundwater in many countries in a large portion (â€Å"Problem: Fresh†, n. d. ) which already exceeds natural replenishment (â€Å"Water security and†, 2010). The lack of the rain water falling causes ground water to flow into the sea. This will cause a slow decrease of the ground water level and this has to be controlled to try to make the water table increase. Water mining is happening at  twice  the speed of natural renewal, causing aquifer water tables to fall by 3 to 10 feet per year in most parts of the country.As a result, the deeper the water table, the more tough it is for those who need to use it (Edwin, 2010). Water scarcity happens due to its distribution but not the total volume of water worldwide (King, 2010). There are various reasons which cause water shortage. Based on research, global warming is one of the major roots of water scarcity (â€Å"Problem: Fresh†, n. d. ). The global temperature rises which leads to upstream glaciers melting into water. This might possibly be permanent and will cause various rivers to reduce in size and some will disappear completely.As there is less snow and more rain, the sea water level increase will encroach into the lower reaches of the streams. There will be more flooding and runoff during the rainy season, but water held as ice and snow in the mountains will also be less for use in the dry season (King, 2010). Yet, global warming raises the chance of evaporation losses from the surfaces of rivers, lakes, and reservoir (Glennon. 2005). Climate change ‘contributes’ to the water deficiency. It brings intensive and more frequent droughts (â€Å"Water security and†, 2010).The sum of water available to refill groundwater sources impacted upon by the rate of evaporation differs a great deal, depending on relative humidity and temperature. Konikow and Kendy showed fleeting heavy rainfall and a fast evapotranspiration rate being combining together with high demand of water channels will cause groundwater reduction. Oki et al had explained that t he terrific temporal inconsistency in water resources worldwide leads to the unevenness of distribution of precipitation in space and time (Climate institute, n. . ). Severe floods inundate coast-lines to cause interruption of salt water into fresh water which is also brought by climate change. UN scientists calculate that climate change effect will probably account for about a fifth of the increase in water scarcity (â€Å"Water security and†, 2010). All told, water as a renewable source has faced crisis due to the several causes which are mentioned above. Government plays an important role in solving the water shortage problem.While the final  custodian of the national water resources must be the government and must play the key role in deciding strategies and frameworks (â€Å"Water†, n. d. ). Some governments instil some rules and regulations to ensure the water supply lasts longer, for example, Arizona’s Groundwater Management Act, which enforces regulati on on all users including cites, farms, and mines over 45years (Glennon, 2005). This innovative law results by starting an effective and comprehensive approach to groundwater management (Arizona Department of Water Resource, n. d. ).On the other hand, China’s 11th five year plan from year 2006 to 2010 is focused on the development of technological innovation and water works for ensuring water supply and the safety of drinking water; it is also improving flood control and mitigation of disaster, and enhancing water saving and conservation. In constructing water conservation programs, governments still have a critical task to play. (Glennon, 2005) An alternative solution for water shortage is implementing new multination water sharing treaties. Currently, there is a large quantity of treaties in effect concerning water, yet most of them do not distribute properly.These ineffective agreements will also lead to apprehension between nations. There are 261 major rivers’ wate rsheds presently shared by two or more nations (Gleick, n. d. ). The Rio Glande Compact which exits between the United States and Mexico has gone through debate, experiment and negotiation to reach agreement. Basically, a water sharing treaty distributes water based on land, population, and contribution to supply to ensure appropriate allocation. Reduced uncertainty or future population, industry and environmental needs are some of the benefits of the treaty (War, 2011).Furthermore, sharing a treaty can let both countries have the high cost-sharing; (Diar, 2008) yet can improve the economics of the country (War, 2011). To conclude this, a multinational treaty would be exceptionally beneficial in resolving water arguments as well as reducing animosity and tension between countries. As, 97. 5percent of water on the earth is seawater (Arthurtonet al. , n. d. ), desalination of seawater is one of the long term solutions for water scarcity (Medalla, 2009). Desalination means remove salt from seawater.Desalinisation is explained as filtering salty water through chemical membranes filters and removing the salt through electro dialysis and reverse osmosis leaving only fresh water as end product. In the Middle East and North Africa, about 130 nations have already worked by this procedure. However, the desalinization process has become much more practical for city areas and reverse-osmosis systems have attained significant enhancements recently. Arrandale shows globally implementing simple water recycling and filtration systems would be a relatively easy task that would reap outstanding benefits.Making these global advancements would be an economically viable and environmentally friendly sustainable green step in the right direction towards the reduction of global water scarcity (Schwikert, Hall, & Jen, n. d. ). If compared with ten years ago, the cost of desalination has considerably lowered; this shows that making this type of solution is now more practicable. The des alination industry has also undergone other positive developments and technological advancement in capacity and filtration that have reduced general operating costs (Medalla, 2009). In conclusion, the problem of water scarcity is growing.As more demand is made on limited supplies, the effort and cost to develop or even sustain access to water will rise (â€Å"Water scarcity: The†, n. d. ). Indeed, solution for water scarcity is a necessity which has been mentioned, such as water sharing treaties, environmentally opposed desalination solutions, and government’s rules, regulations and plans. Apart from corporation, agencies, and government’s efforts, everyone can contribute too. Every small thing makes a difference for the world. Furthermore, people can just buy only fair-trade products, only organics, only sustainably certified seafood, wood and paper (Caldecott, 2008).The next generations deserve a better future! References Arizona Department of Water Resource ( n. d. ). Securing Arizona’s water future. Retrieved from http://www. azwater. gov/AzDWR/WaterManagement/documents/Groundwater_Code. pdf Arthurton, R. , Barker, S. , Rast, W. , Huber, M. , Alder, J. , Chilton, J. , †¦ Wagne, G. (n. d. ). Water. Retrieved from http://www. unep. org/geo/geo4/report/04_water. pdf Caldecott, J. (2008). Water. The causes, costs and future of a global crisis. (2nd ed. ) London, Virgin Books. Climate institute. (n. d. ). Water. Retrieved from http://www. climate. org/topics/water. tml Dinar, S. (2008). Treaty principles and patterns: Negotiations over international rivers. Benefits and costs and/or under economic asymmetry. (6. 1. 2. 2. 4). Retrieved from http://books. google. com. my/books? id=zSvObjuN8wYC&pg=PA229&lpg=PA229&dq=benefits+of+%22Water+Sharing+Treaty%22+cost+sharing&source=bl&ots=_pdTyaOsbd&sig=0S7DAmeJ-c9f0hzkEDlu3aLdOUo&hl=en&ei=ZgyoTrCSLKje4QTOhvDcDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=benefits%20o f%20%22Water%20Sharing%20Treaty%22%20cost%20sharing&f=false Edwin, S. 2010). The various causes of water scarcity in the world. Retrieved from http://www. saching. com/Articles/The-Various-Causes-of-Water-Scarcity-in-the-World-254. html Environmentalist on Water Conservation. (2010). Retrieved from http://thegreatvixen. weebly. com/water-conservation. html FOA. (n. d. ) Water & poverty, an issue of life & livelihoods. Retrieved from http://www. fao. org/nr/water/issues/scarcity. html Frank A. Ward. (2011). Presentation from the 2011World Water Week in Stockholm [Power Point slides]. Retrieved from http://www. worldwaterweek. rg/documents/WWW_PDF/2011/Monday/K24/Hydroeconomic-Modelling-in-Basins/Hydroeconomic-Modeling-in-Basins-Practice-Challenges-and-Reward. pdf Geoffrey, L. (2009). Water scarcity now bigger threat than financial crisis. Retrieved from http://www. independent. co. uk/environment/climate-change/water-scarcity-now-bigger-threat-than-financial-crisis-1645358. html Glei ck, P. H. (n. d. ). Making every drop count. Retrieved from http://web. macam. ac. il/~arnon/Int-ME/water/MAKING%20EVERY%20DROP%20COUNT. htm Global Water Shortage Looms In New Century (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://ag. arizona. edu/AZWATER/awr/dec99/Feature2. tm King, B. (2010). Scarcity of water. Retrieved from http://www. greeniacs. com/GreeniacsArticles/Water/Scarcity-of-Water. html Krechowicz, D. ,Venugopal, S. , Sauer, A. , Somani, S. , & Pandey, S. (2010). Weeding Risk: Financial Impacts of Climate Change and Water Scarcity on Asia’s Food and Beverage Sector. Retrieved from http://www. wri. org/publication/weeding-risk-asia Medalla, E. (2009). Hatch: Desalination is the solution for water scarcity in the north. Retrieved from http://www. bnamericas. com/news/waterandwaste/Hatch:_Desalination_is_the_solution_for_water_scarcity_in_the_north

Friday, August 16, 2019

Pupils at Elementary School and Their Behavior Essay

Elementary school was formerly the name given to publicly funded schools in Great Britain[citation needed] which provided a basic standard of education for working class children aged from five to 14, the school leaving age at the time. They were also known as industrial schools. Elementary schools were set up to enable working class children to receive manual training and elementary instruction. They provided a restricted curriculum with the emphasis on reading, writingand arithmetic (the three Rs). The schools operated on a ‘monitorial’ system, whereby one teacher supervised a large class with the assistance of a team of monitors, who were quite often older pupils. Elementary school teachers were paid by results. Their pupils were expected to achieve precise standards in reading, writing and arithmetic such as reading a short paragraph in a newspaper, writing from dictation, and working out sums and fractions.[2] Before 1944 around 80 percent of the school population attended elementary schools through to the age of 14. The remainder transferred either to secondary school or junior technical school at age 11. The school system was changed with the introduction of the Education Act 1944. Education was restructured into three progressive stages which were known as primary education,secondary education and further education.[3] In the UK, schools providing primary education are now known as primary schools. They generally cater for children aged from four to eleven (Reception to Year Six or in Northern Ireland and Scotland P1 to P7). Primary schools are often subdivided into infant schools for children from four to seven and junior schools for ages seven to 11. In the (diminishing) minority of areas where there is a â€Å"three-tier† system, children go to lower school or â€Å"first school† until about 9, then middle school until about 13, then upper school; in these places, the term â€Å"primary school† is not usually used. United States Main article: Education in the United States Elementary school in Kentucky, 1946 In the United States, authority to regulate education resides constitutionally with the individual states. The direct authority of the U.S. Congress and the federal U.S. Department of Education is essentially limited to regulation and enforcement of federal constitutional rights. Great indirect authority is exercised through federal funding of national programs and block grants; but there is no obligation upon any state to accept these funds, and the U.S. government otherwise may propose but not enforce national goals, objectives and standards, which generally lie beyond its jurisdiction. Nevertheless, education has had a relatively consistent evolution throughout the United States. All states have historically made a distinction between two genres of K-12 education and three genres of K-12 school. The genres of education are primary and secondary; and the genres of school are elementary school, middle or junior high school, and high school (historically, â€Å"senior† high school to distinguish it from the junior school). Primary education (or â€Å"primary school† meaning â€Å"primary education†) still tends to focus on basic academic learning and socialization skills, introducing children to the broad range of knowledge, skill and behavioral adjustment they need to succeed in life – and, particularly, in secondary school. Secondary education or secondary school has always focused on preparing adolescents for higher education or/and for careers in industries, trades or professions that do not require an academic degree. The elementary school has always been the main point of delivery for primary education; and the (senior) high school has always been the focal point ofsecondary education. Originally, elementary school was synonymous with primary e ducation, taking children from kindergarten through grade 8; and secondary school was entirely coextensive with the high school grades 9 – 12. This system was the norm in America until the years following World War I, because most children in most parts of what was then the mostly rural United States could go no further than Grade 8. Even when the high schools were available, they were often not accessible. As the population grew and became increasingly urban and suburban instead of rural, the one-room schoolhouse gave way to the multi-room schoolhouse, which became multiple schools. This produced the third genre of school – the junior high school – which was designed to provide transitional preparation from primary school to secondary school, thus serving as a bridge between the elementary school and the high school. Elementary schools typically operated grades Kindergarten through 6; the junior high school, often housed in the same building as the senior high school, then covered grades 7 through 9; and the senior high school operated grades 10 through 12. At the same time, grade 9 marked the beginning of high school for the purpose of GPA calculation. It was typical during this period for state departments of education to certify (in California, â€Å"credential†) teachers to work in either primary or secondary education. A Primary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades K through 8, and his/her major and minor subjects in grade 9. A Secondary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades 7 and 8, and his/her major and minor subjects in grades 9 through 12. Certain subjects, such as music, art, physical, and special education were or could be conferred as K through 12 Teaching Certificates. By the late 1960s, the lines of transition between primary and secondary education began to blur, and the junior high school started to get replaced by the middle school. This change typically saw reassignment of grade 9 to the (senior) high school, with grade 6 reassigned to the middle school with grades 7 and 8. Subsequent decades in many states have also seen the realignment of teacher certification, with grade 6 frequently now included on the secondary teaching certificate. Thus, whereas 20th-century American education began with the elementary school finishing at grade 8, the 21st century begins with the American elementary school finishing at grade 5 in many jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the older systems do persist in many jurisdictions. While they are in the minority today, there are still school districts which, instead of adopting the â€Å"middle school†, still distinguish between junior and senior high schools. Thus, high schools can be either 9-12, which is most common, or 10-12.