Personal Safety in Kensington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Safety in Kensington - Essay Example As such fear of being a victim of a less serious crime has significantly contributed to behaviour change in residents of Kingston. 2,2 The Crime and Disorder Act of 1988 and The Police Reform Act of 2002 vested power and responsibility within the police force to work hand in hand with other agencies in a bid to develop a three year strategy that was meant to promote safety in the communities (Home Office, 2004). The need to monitor levels of public concern was also increased after the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003, Anti Social Behaviour Act 2004 and Government Strategy for reduction of Harm 2004. An emphasis on the need to strengthen the monitoring challenges arising for new anti social behaviour is found in A New Partnership 2008 -2011 (Home Office, 2008) in conjunction with the studies that were suggested by Kingston police as well as community members. 2.3 The Police and Justice Act 2006 resulted in the amendment of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 prioritises the aspect o f partnerships where a Strategy Group with a certain level of membership is responsible for undertaking strategic assessments on a yearly basis. The issues of concern which are identified through this strategic assessment are put forward in a three year Strategic Plan. The Partnership Plan is comprised of the following aspects: crime and disorder reduction strategy, dealing with unwanted elements of misuse are some of the elements earmarked to be covered by the Partnership Plan over the period of three years. Thus, according to the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Partnership plan 2008/11, there are six areas which are given prominence and these include the following: misuse of alcohol, misuse of drugs, unbecoming behaviour, violence against others, domestic violence, crime related to hate as well as crime committed by youths. 2.4 The use of CCTV across the United Kingdom has been adopted as a strategy to fight crime since these are used to monitor the events obtaining on the g round. Thus, in May 1998, Kensington introduced a centralised CCTV from a controlled center and this system has been extended to the other communities in the neighbourhood and the cameras are used to cover the shopping centers as well as railway stations (Lazell, 2009). 2.5 Since 1998 when the first Kingston Thames Crime audit was unveiled, this objective was attained through constant surveillance of the town center as well as district offices. The study links with surveillance programmes and it looks at the changes in the perceptions of the people about their concerns for safety in Kingston in 2012 February. Target population and survey design 3.1 A study about personal safety in Kensington was conducted on 17 February 2012 and 24 February 2012 by the Kingston University’s Students from the School of Social sciences (Herrick, 2012). Just like in previous years, quota samples were drawn on the basis of people who are more vulnerable to attacks such as the elderly, cyclists, p re-schoolchildren, disabled people, minority groups as well as the ordinary members of the public. The questionnaires were used to measure levels of concern of safety by individuals compared to recorded cases of victimisation. The victims of crime were also asked to

Environmental and Ecological Issues in Robyn Eckersley’s Perspective Essay Example for Free

Environmental and Ecological Issues in Robyn Eckersley’s Perspective Essay Robyn Eckersley, a renowned environmentalist believes that ecocentric theorists do not claim that anthropocentrism is the sole or original cause of the ecological crisis. She also reflects that environmental crisis is the outcome of humanity’s joyful and spontaneous instincts due to repressive social and psychic division of labor. As a matter of fact, she contends to the idea that it is the rise of material paradigms that people are in need of reconciliation with nature. She notes that utilitarianism in its very state undermined the essence of the environment which is why the veil of knowledge worn by the society is covering them thus colonizing the life-world. Eckersley examined the deontology of ethics inclined with the aim of making the recent topographical shifts within the field that are less â€Å"unknown to us (Eckersley). † To note, she states â€Å"utilitarian and eudaimonistic or therefore theological moral philosophy derives difference between good and evil from the effects which actions and attributes by nature have for the form of life of the actor and his environment (Louden). † In further illustration, she meant that the good deeds can conveyed as those that are considerably favorable effects for human welfare, while those that bring about the opposite are otherwise. Hence, this connotation also falls on the deliberative state of intuitive and formalistic ethics. Although Eckersley favors a rights discourse as a way to include the natural world in a liberal system, she admits that, â€Å"†¦the rights discourse becomes considerably strained (in all its dimensions) when we come to consider ecological entities (Eckersley). † She defines multiple human activities to be the cumulative result of the ecosystem’s components and that today’s approach towards this epidemic will not ensure sustainability. In essence, she is not against any form human-driven doings; however, she is not favor of the manner that it handles the resources that in the light provides for the very existence of human beings. The harvesting of the planet’s resources is seen to be detrimental to the future of the ecosystem and if such is prolonged, survival will be provided only for the few. Socialist critique of liberalism in comparison with the ecological state will differ in terms of morality and the deontology of ethics. It is apparent that not all deeds are the same when it comes to utilitarianism, sometimes, the ecosystem, being unable to air its share of sentiments, id reprimanded and oftentimes taken for granted (Rice). Humans are subject to care for those of its kind and the environment is not considered to be a part of it. In consequence, such is an irony, given that the human beings live and survive with the help of a healthy ecosystem—without the ecosystem, the members of the society will not be able to live. Policies, regulations and management may have changed over time. If compared to the previous century where not all are aware of the threat and the challenge of sustainability, the contemporary era now gives regard to narrowing the problems and eradicate or at least moderate in the utilization of resources provided that there is a massive chance that it may no longer be available in the next 100 years. The signs of climate change is a proof that laws would need to focus on combining good deeds not only for the people that it serves but also to detain the precautionary measures that may possibly harm the humanity.Accordingly guidance is considered necessary on the position of ecosystem mechanism that may be at risk (Rice). Works Cited Eckersley, Robyn. Liberal Democracy and the Rights of Nature: The Struggle for Inclusion. Environmental Politics 4. 4 (1995). Louden, Robert B. Toward a Genealogy of Deontology. Journal of the History of Philosophy 34. 4 (1996). Rice, Jake. Can We Manage Ecosystems in a Sustainable Way? A symposium on Sustainable Management of Marine Living Resources 60. 1-2 (2008). doi:10. 1016/j. seares. 2008. 02. 002.

A Study On Disability Social Problem Social Policy Essay

A Study On Disability Social Problem Social Policy Essay Disability excites interest because disability is seen as a social problem i.e. it is seen either in terms of personal tragedy or of blame. Social problems generate public concern and private misery and call for collective action to remedy this (Worsley, 1972). Disability has been theorised in a number of different ways, most of which locate the problem in the individual rather than the broader social, political, and economic influences. This has implications for the location of the blame for social problems, such that they become depoliticised. The rise in the idea of the politics of minority groups is well documented and implies that in the case of people with disabilities who are unable to work the Government should provide a whole range of services. Because most Governments are unwilling to commit themselves this far, disability is again defined as a social problem, and often the burden of care lies with the family (Moore, 2002). This paper will give an account of definitions of disability and the ways in which they impact on disabled people. There will be an exploration of the concept and history of the family and its contemporary diverse forms, and an examination of the ways in which the ideology of the family has problematised the concept of care. The paper will then assess how the family has been implicated in both solving and defining the problem of disability and to what extent the social problem that is disability is a matter of private concern for families. Models of Disability The medical model of health is the most powerful in western society, doctors introduced a curative model of health that concentrated on the body where the hospital became the space for such models were put into practice (Walsh et al, 2000). This model situates ill health in the individual and ignores the social circumstances that may give rise to ill health, furthermore it has impacted on government healthcare policy throughout the twentieth century. The situation is exacerbated by the medicalisation of many conditions making them into a problem that can only be addressed by experts, as Brisenden(1986) comments: The problem is that medical people tend to see all difficulties solely from the perspective of proposed treatments for a patient, without recognising that the individual has to weigh up whether this treatment fits into the overall economy of their life. In the past especially, doctors have been too willing to suggest medical treatment and hospitalisation, even when this would not necessarily improve the quality of life for the person concerned. Indeed, questions about the quality of life have sometimes been portrayed as something of an intrusion upon the purely medical equation. (Brisenden, 1986:176). The medical model leads to the treatment of people with disabilities as passive objects of medical attention. This is oppressive of disabled people and spreads to other social relationships, it sees disability as pathological i.e. rooted in a persons biology, and thus unchanging. Contained within this model is the perception of people with disabilities as problematic. Disability has also been theorized as a personal tragedy, resulting in individuals with a disability being seen as victims. This results in policy making whereby people with disabilities need compensating for their disability. This model also affects social relationships. The view of disability as personal tragedy individualises disability so that it becomes depoliticised and the disabled person must make his or her adjustments to that disability as best they can (Dalley, 1990). In locating disability within the individual society denies any responsibility to cater for the diversity of their needs (Oliver, 1990). The third way in which disability has been theorized is in the social model of disability. This model is becoming increasingly dominant in research on disability. Vassey (1992) has described it thus: redefining disability in terms of a disabling environment, repositioning disabled people as citizens with rights, and reconfiguring the responsibilities for creating, sustaining and overcoming disablism (Vassey, 1992:44).. Here the person is disabled because of the refusal of society to provide for example suitable access for the wheelchair user. This model stresses that a disabling society leads to the exclusion of people with disabilities. Oliver (1996) contends that this notion has been politically empowering for disabled people, and has allowed a previously contested notion to develop an agenda that has influenced policy making. Some people see disability as entirely a result of social structures and processes while others feel that society compounds the difficulties that disabled people encounter. Disability is not a universal category, people have different types and degrees of impairment, some can function well with technical aids while still others are, to a greater or lesser degree, dependent on the care of other people (Dalley, 1988). The Concept and History of the Family Parsons (1955) argued that the family is the primary place of socialization and serves to introduce and instill the norms and values of society. Parsons model was what is commonly known as the nuclear family, i.e. parents and children living together to provide the mutual love and support that individuals need to be productive members of society (Giddens, 2001). Murdock (1949 cited in Giddens, 2001) maintains that traditional concepts of the family are a universal phenomenon. Others criticise the nuclear model for being too narrow and for neglecting the fact that not all family members experience life in the same way (Abbott and Wallace, 1997). Whether the nuclear family is regarded as universal depends largely on how the family is defined, certainly it is no longer the norm in contemporary society. Gittins (1993) maintains that there are a wide variety of domestic relationships. Thus relationships may be universal but the forms they take can be infinitely variable. There are many single parent families, whether through death, divorce or choice, there are also second marriages that often result in reconstituted families. The nuclear model relates specifically to nineteenth and early twentieth century ideological views of the family (Giddens, 2001). The Family and Ideology Until the late seventeenth century there was little or no distinction between the public and the private sphere, families generally worked the land and they did this together. The rise of industrialization and the growth of the towns brought massive changes to what had constituted family life up until that time. Feminists argue that for centuries women have been the subordinate sex in society and this subordination is largely a result of the fact that they have been born women rather than men. This subordination increased with industrialisation and the separation between public and private spheres (Oakley 1982). The coming of the factory meant that the family was replaced as the unit of production. The growing dependence of children, Oakley (1982) states, led to womens increased dependence on men and their restriction to the private sphere. Throughout the nineteenth century there was a growing idealisation of the feminine. Women were regarded as both physically and emotionally weaker than men and unfit for the same roles. Victorian ideology said that women were created to help men and should thus remain at home. This primarily affected the middle classes but as the century progressed the working class were also influenced by this ideology, locking women into the housewife role (Oakley, 1982). Murdock (1949 in Giddens, 2001) argued that gender roles are the natural result of the biological differences between men and women. Mens superior strength and womens childbearing capabilities make the sexual division of labour the most sensible way of organising society. Delphy (1977) maintains that this results in sexual inequality. Gender differences are not innate but socially constructed to serve the interests of the socially dominant group. Delphy contends that women are a separate class because the categories of man and woman are political and economic, rather than eternal biological categories. Within the family particularly, women form a class who are exploited by men, as Delphy states: While the wage-labourer sells his labour power, the marrie woman gives hers away; exclusivity and non-payment are intimately connected. To supply unpaid labour within the framework of a universal and personal relationship (marriage) constructs primarily a relationship of slavery (Delpy, 1977:15). This relationship has been exploited by successive Governments and is implicit in many social policy initiatives. The Family and the Welfare State The post-war welfare state which promised universal welfare provision, was set up on the assumption of full employment and the notion that men would go out to work while women stayed home (Abbott and Wallace, 1997).. Moore (2002) maintains that this is an ideological view of the family and how it might function. In the late 1970s the Tories actively discouraged alternatives to the traditional family e.g. cohabitation and gay partnerships (Abbott and Wallace, 1997). Since the Thatcher Government public and policy debates on family life, parenting and health have centered around the idea of responsibility (Such and Walker 2004) Moore (2002) maintains that in the thinking of the seventies and also in Labours Third Way, family members have a duty to help each other as it is not the job of the state to look after them. The state takes over when no-one else is around to share the burden. The fact that the State has had to intervene, it is argued, is one of the reasons why the traditional family is on the decline. In a good society members should help each other without regard to personal benefit. The State should be there to provide a safety net when there is no other help available. New Labour advocate a mixed economy of welfare where welfare is provided in part by the state and partly by private companies operating for profit. The shift from public to private has received much publicity and contributed to social problems and to social exclusion. Previously highly subsidized, or universal, services have either become part of the private sector, or have been subject to means testing, some welfare provision has been handed over to voluntary organizations. This has increased the likelihood that welfare and caring are now a private rather than a public responsibility (Giddens, 2001). This tends to stigmatise further those who are forced to rely on benefits, e.g. the disabled and their carers, usually women. The State and Womens Caring Role Marxist feminists e.g. Walby (1990) argue that the gender ideology that has filtered down to the working classes has affected their solidarity as a class and this makes them more easily controllable by the Capitalist system. While Marxism gives an explanation of exploitation by the capitalist system it does not explain the inequalities between women and men. Delphy (1977) maintains that gender and sexual inequality should be the fundamental categories of feminist analysis. Marxism alone does not explain for example why women are seen as responsible for household tasks. Capitalism could still profit if men stayed at home. The Community Care Act of 1990 has imposed further responsibilities on women in the role of informal carers. Dalley (1988) argues that much Governments policy making has been based on ideologies of caring with the assumptions behind the idea of community care being based on outmoded notions of the family. In practice this notion of caring disadvantages women carers and also many disabled or older dependent relatives. Within such an ideology, the caring that women do in the home is considered to be a natural part of womens role within the family. Thus, her caring role become invisible and shouldering the burden increases the likelihood that women will themselves be in need of care (Graham, 1993). This is borne out by the increasing number of women who suffer from disabilities and mental health problems. Womens caring role is further undermined by the idea that any health care that matters is given by professionals. When this is accompanied by Government discourses of self-help, self-reliance and the responsibility of the family this adds to the social stigma that disabled people face. It focuses on the disability, not the person themselves, inevitably this places an added strain on families. The prevalence of the medical model of health and the ways in which families are kept under-informed regarding the disability of a family member, particularly a child, affects family relationships. Gregory (1991) maintains that when a person is diagnosed as diabled this affects the ways in which society and the family respond to and deal with that person. Families themselves can tend to see the disabled family member as sick and different. Gregory (1991) found that having a disabled family member also affected the way in which mothers viewed themselves because ideological images of motherhood focus on having an able child. Thus a woman may feel that she is somehow not a mother because of the ways in which society defines motherhood. Press reports on disabled children and their families usually present them in terms of sacrifice and heroism (Gregory, 1991). This can affect family members response to the disabled person, their forced reliance on the medical model, and the view of disability as a tragedy becomes universalized. This misses the individuals personal needs and circumstances. It seems that increasingly the social problem of disability is becoming a matter of private concern for the family. The NHS appears to take this view. While doctors may diagnose a physical or learning disability families are often left to cope without ei ther sufficient information or professional help. In a number of cases families have reported that hospitals have refused to admit non-emergency cases unless a parent or carer remains on site to provide additional support (http://www.cafamily.org.uk/rda-uk.html). A shortage of nursing staff and the increasing tendency to perform surgery on a day care basis means that many families are left with extra caring responsibilities once they take the disabled child or adult home. (http://www.cafamily.org.uk/rda-uk.html). Conclusion Back to: Example Essays Ideologies of the family and the medical model of disability exacerbate the social problems of disability. Discourses of family responsibility place a much greater burden on many people, particularly women who bear the burden of responsibility of care. Such discourses tend to make women who find it difficult to cope feel that they are a failure. This in turn reflects back on the disabled person who may feel that they are a burden. Clearly current policies and debates over partnership between the Government and families and family responsibility is moving closer to the view that disability is no longer a public concern but a private family one. Dalley (1988) argue that some form of institutional care e.g. supported living should replace care in the family. While there are support structures in place for people with disabilities, the extent to which informal carers have access to such facilities is very limited (Baldwin and Twigg, 1990).. Perhaps supported living arrangements along wit h family involvement in personal care would, arguably, take some strain off of the family and give more independence to the person with disabilities thus making the social problem of disability a shared public and private concern rather than simply a concern for the family. Bibliography Abbott, P. and Wallace, C. 1997. An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives. London, Routledge. Baldwin, S and Twigg, J. 1991 Women and community care: Reflections on a debate in Maclean, M and Groves, D eds 1991 Womens Issues in Social Policy London, Routledge Crowe, G. and Hardey,M.1992. Diversity and ambiguity among lone-parent households in modern Britain. In Marsh, C. and Arber, S. (Eds.) 1992. Families and Households: Divisions and Change. London: Macmillan. Dalley, G. 1988 Ideologies of caring: Rethinking Community and Collectivism London, Macmillan Delphy, C 1977 The Main Enemy London, Womens Research and Resource Centre Giddens, A. 2001. (4th ed). Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press. Gittens, D. 1993 The Family in Question: Changing households and familial ideologies London, Macmillan Graham, H. 1993 Hardship and Health in Womens Lives Hemel Hempstead, Harvester/Wheatsheaf Gregory, S. 1991 Challenging Motherhood: Mothers and their deaf children in Phoenix, A and Lloyd E, eds. 1991 Motherhood: Meaning Practices and Ideology London, Sage Moore, S. 2002 Social Welfare Alive 3rd ed. Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes Oakley, A 1982 Subject Woman London, Fontana Parsons, T. and Bales, R. 1955. Family, Socialisation, and Interaction Process. Glencoe, Illinois: Free Press Oliver, P. 1990 The Politics of Disablement Basingstoke, Macmillan Oliver, M 1996 Social Work with Disabled People Basingstoke Macmillan. Such, E. and Walker, R. 2004 Being responsible and responsible beings: childrens understanding of responsibility Children and Society 18 (3) Jun 2004, pp.231-242 Swain, J. Heyman, B and Gilmour, M 1998 Public Research, private concerns: Ethical issues in the use of open-ended interviews with people who have learning disabilities in Disability and Society 13 (1) pp. 21-36 Thomas, C. eds 2004 Disabling Barriers, Enabling Environments London, Sage Vasey, S. (1992) A response to Liz Crow, Coalition, September, 42-44 Walby, S. 1990 cited in Abbott, P. and Wallace, C. 1997. An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives. London, Routledge. Walsh, M. Stephens, P. and Moore, S. 2000 Social Policy and Welfare. Cheltenham Worsley, P and Chatterton, M 1972 Problems of Modern Society: A Sociological Perspective Harmondsworth, Penguin More Free Social Policy Essays

Wireless Communication :: essays research papers

The radio is a wireless form of communication which is transmitted through sounds or signals by electromagnetic waves directly through space to a receiving set. Some types of radio communications are HAM radios, CB (Citizen Band) radios, Cell Phones, Radio Scanners and Walkie-talkies. Radio communications are widely used in the United States and majority of it is used by law enforcement and emergency services. Police/Sheriff, Fire-Rescue, Highway Patrol, Ambulance and EMS are some of the agencies that use radio communications. There are many factors that contribute to radio failure. These factors could delay law enforcement and emergency services getting to a distress call immediately. Some of these factors are; lack of maintenance on a radio communication system, causing it to crash. This happened at the Palmdale Air Traffic Control Center, when a technician failed to perform required maintenance. This caused the communication system even the back up system to shut down for more then three hours. Radio Failure also occurred during the September 11 attacks, where the radio system used by city firefighters failed. These radios should have been replaced two years earlier, but the new radios never worked properly. Radio problems also occurred during the Cedar Fires in Southern California. When firefighters went face to face with the most destructive wildfire in California history, their most reliable method for communicating with each other may have been shouting. Mismatched radio systems left U.S. Forest Service crews unable to talk to their counterparts in other fire agencies. Some firefighters resorted to palm-size Family Radio Service devices that sell for as little as $25 apiece after the failure of their regular radios, which cost thousands of dollars each. At times, supervisors had to leave their crews in trucks parked in the field and drive back to their base camp to get instructions because they couldn't reach anyone by radio. The radio failure and communications failure in these cases caused a lot of lives to be lost and damages and delays. HAM radios are a great way of communication when normal communication is down, this way of communicating could have been used in during the Cedar Fires. The National Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is an organization that uses the HAM Radios. They provide local and long distance communications services in local, regional, national and international emergencies. When normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged, or disrupted because a disaster has occurred, or is likely to occur, an amateur station may make transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and facilitate relief actions.

International Organization Based on the Assumption of Liberalism and Realism

Different theories explain why international organizations are createdWhich are basically a response to problems of incomplete information, transaction costs, and other barriers to efficiency and welfare improvement for their members. But different questions like; do international organizations really do what their creators intend them to do?Do they really support member states in achieving their basic interests mutually? These critical questions and others of their likes can be analyzed to some extent by several theories proposed by different scholars in the field of international relations.Such theories are liberal, realism and constructivism but the concern of this work is on realism and liberal theory. International organization is a union or association of States, or of enterprises or of other national entities set up across national boundaries.Examples are Of States, are the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) of enterprises: Transnational Corporations (TNCs); inclu de The Coca-Cola Company, Sony, McDonalds, Toyota, etc. Of other national entities; are like Amnesty International; International Olympic Committee, World Organization of the Scout Movement, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.Around 30000 such organizations are active in about 300 countries and territory over the world. International organizations progressed after the Second World War, the gulf between the international politics and formal organizational arrangement which began to open in ways that were not easy to reconcile. This organization seemed to strengthen in dealing with rising problems such as the extension of property right, environment protection and formal supernatural authority. The international organization was the answer on solving collective problems.Public interestRefers to the net benefits derived for, and procedural rigor employed on behalf of, all society in relation to any action, decision or policy. Public may include the widest possible scope o f society, example of individuals and groups sharing a market place for goods and services (included those provided by government), as those seeking sustainable living standard and environment quality for themselves and future generations. Interests are all things valued by individual and society such as economic freedom, political power access to government property right.Those things we seek to acquire and control are interest like ideas we aspire to and protections that are harmful. Realism theory views that world politics is driven by competitive self-interest; they believe that decisive dynamic among countries is a struggle for power in an effort by each to preserve or, preferably, improve its military security and economic welfare in competition with other countries.As an approach to international politics, realism can be traced to such ancient practitioners and thinkers as Sun Tzu (544-496 B. C) the Chinese general and the author of The Art of War; Thucydides (460-399 B.C), a Greek historian and author of The History of the Peloponnesian War, and more recently statesmen such as Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) the Iron Chancellor who engineered the unification of Germany under Prussian control. (Rourke 2012b; p20)Liberal theoryStates are not simply ‘black boxes’ seeking to survive and prosper in an anarchic system. They are configurations of individual and group interests who then project interests into the international system through a particular kind of government. Survival may very well remain a key goal. But commercial interests or ideological beliefs may also be important.The conventional wisdom is that states create and delegate to IOs because they provide essential functions. They provide public goods, collect information, establish credible commitments, monitor agreements, and generally help states overcome problems associated with collective action and enhance individual and collective welfare.Notable philosopher advocating liberalis m including Thomas Hill Green, John Rawls, John Lock, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill. Emanuel Kant, Jean Jacque Rousseau and the former USA presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt.It is true saying that international organizations based on the assumption that ‘’government aims at public interest’’, this is because international organizations sees that the government at a large extent is the best solution for solving public problems and a representation of public interest at the same time. This connotation can be analyzed through the use of liberal and realism theories as follows. Realism theory as the first theory of international organization is used to prove right the above quotation as they assume that, survival is the principal goal of every State. Realists hold states to be the main actors.It means that state control each and everything. Even if domestic interests, strategic culture, or commitment to a set of national ideals would dictate more benevolent or co-operative international goals, the anarchy of the international system requires that States constantly ensure that all states posses some military capacity, and they have sufficient power to defend themselves and advance their material interests necessary for survival. Survival of the state is important for every individual for example United States normally employs military power for the survival and to defend her national interests (Gulf war and Iraq war).  (Wolfrum,2011)Realists believe in the anarchic structure of the international system as the most important determinant of state behavior. Realists believe that the international system exists in a state of anarchy a term that implies not chaos or absence of structure and rules, but rather the lack of a central government that can enforce rules. Therefore order for the state to maintain public interest, a state makes use of the economic prosperity and military might to make decisions that are of much importanc e to the public.States will also act as best as they can in order to maximize their likelihood of the public and continuing to exist. (Ibid) Realists hold states to be rational actors. This means that given the goal of survival, States will act as best they can in order to maximize their likelihood of continuing to exist. Thus States may create international law and international institutions, and may enforce the rules they codify. However, it is not the rules themselves that determine why a State acts a particular way, but instead the underlying material interests and power relations.A country’s foreign policy may reflect broad national objectives and the strategies governments use to guide their actions in the international arena. Also a government extends the domestic interests to the international environment through the use of foreign policy that will guide the interaction of the state with other international actors like the international organizations. For example the foreign policy of Tanzania is aimed at developing the country through economic diplomacy, regional cooperation and multilateral relations.(ibid)Realism assume that all state posses military capacity and no any other state knows about neighbor intend precisely, thus the world is uncertain and dangerous, the only purpose of state is to defend the interest of the state, enable state to survive while promoting public interest against foreign invasion and occupation. Through government organs like judiciary, legislature and executive enforce laws to ensure achievement of public interest, where people have surrender their authority to the government to protect their liberty, life and property.People may ensure their safety through government from internal and external invasion or threats. (ibid) Liberal theory on the other hand is another theory of international relation which tries to explain the truth of international organization on the assumption that government aims at public interes t. This theory analyzes how government aims at providing public interest in several ways using its key assumptions as follows. Liberalism believes on democratic stability theory which rests on the observation that no two democratic states have ever gone to war with one another, and that democratic states rarely strike first.Liberals argue that democracies identify with one another because of their shared norms and values like the United States doesn’t want to take Canada partly because each country believes that citizens have the right to choose their own government and consequently believe that conquering another country and enslaving its citizen is wrong. Moreover democracies are not dominated by the military and lie in the hands of an individual or a small group; leaders are accountable to their people, who are often reluctant to see their children go to war.A variety of issues can dominate the international agenda. Unlike realist, liberals believe that national security d oes not always have to be of paramount importance economic, environmental issues, and human rights can all become the most important goal of a nation. Also in liberalism the ideas was international and they depend each other to solve certain problems for example the problems of hunger is not to Africa only but it is global while they provide deferent aids to African.Also the problem of economic crises is the western countries problems but shacked till African due to lose aids and loans. The state acts in the liberal of law, and not acts outside the law. Liberals contend that people and the countries that represent them are capable of finding mutual interests and cooperation to achieve them at least in part by working through International organizations and according to International law. On the other hand liberals do not dismiss power as a factor, but they add morality, ideology, emotions (such as the friendship and mutual identity) and habit of cooperation.Jean Jacques Rousseau (17 12-1718), he argued that in social contract (1762), that human had to join together in civil societies because they found it easier to improve their existence through cooperation than competitive self reliance. So in contemporary liberals in where each government aims at public interests they apply this notion to global society and argue that people and their countries can better their existence by joining together to build a cooperation and peaceful global society.In policy prescriptions liberals urges on creating norms of justice and peace, promoting and strengthening International Organizations in achieving people’s interests. Both classical and neo Liberals like Jean Jacques Rousseau and Wilson Woodrow on nature of politics, principles and cooperation as standards of international standards argue that people are not inherently political predators and are capable of achieving less conflictive relations either through current government structures or new models of governmen t.And on principle emphasis is on states to formulate their foreign policy according to cooperative and ethical standards to improve social, economic and political needs of each member country; they are not forced into organizations but according to their willingness and global challenges they face in providing public’s social, political and economic needs, thus different states join organizations like UN, AU and EU which enables member states in achieving such interests.  (Rourke 2005a, pp 17-22)Liberal international relation theory believes that government represents some segments of domestic society, whose interest are reflected in state policy. Consistent with the view that society, understood as an aggregate of autonomous individual and voluntary groups, is prior to the state. Liberal theories of politics accord a central place to the domestic institution that link state and society. Liberals analyze such institutions primarily as mechanisms for the representation of s ocial interests.The state is assumed to be representative to some set of social groups, although not all governments represents the entire population. For liberals, the principal agent relationship between the population and the state is thus a central issue. (Moravcsik,2010)In recommending the quotation that international organization based on the assumption that government aims at public interests; in realism point of view states act as main actor on the insurance of public interest within international system, still on its loneliness seem to fail on defending public interest fulfillment a hundred  percent due to series of challenges, threats or obstacles that fade upon state survive on maintaining public interest.Example hunger, issue of security, outbreak of diseases, as well as economic recession problem that is common to third world countries. Therefore state regardless of its potentiality role on public interest it must cooperate with non state actor be it international org anization like UN or be it regional organization like NGOs, civil society for maximum public interest achievement.Under liberal perspective state seems to be with great role in public interest since it cooperate with another actors on making the availability of conducive environment for public interest attainment within their respective boundary. Although most of this cooperation is not two way traffic in such a way that only one which is powerful side benefit from this cooperation either bilateral or multilateral.Example north-south, Therefore cooperation is inevitable for proper prosperity of public but should be win-win or two way traffic cooperation. Therefore principal actors of the world politics remains nation-states, though they are not the only actors. The international system consists of nation-states, international organizations, and private actors, thousands of international organizations were established during the post-World War II era.The increasing number of internat ional organizations is parallel to the increasing levels of economic, political, social and cultural transactions between individuals, societies and states in today’s world which are significant in their respective fields reflecting preferences of states albeit non-state actors challenges and even weakens weaker states favor preferences of stronger states.

The Right To Choose essays

The Right To Choose essays In todays society, war is a huge debate due to the United States military presence in Iraq, as well as, other foreign parts of the world. Due to the U.S. governments foreign policy, which has developed the U.S. into a country heavily dependent on its voluntary military, the U.S. soldiers have been serving time abroad well over their original tours of duty. This problem and the lack of volunteerism in the military has caused some to say that it is time for the United States to implement the military draft. Although implementing the draft would be an easy solution to a difficult problem, this solution may ultimately create more problems than it solves. There are three main reasons why the United States should not implement a military draft: First, there is no formal procedure for drafting that has proven to be successful. Second, there is no set standard for strongly enforcing the draft. Last, the use of a draft may only encourage further corrupt foreign policy by the United States gov ernment. During the Vietnam War of the 1960s, the United States government implemented a military draft that proved to be extremely faulty in its method of selection. According to Russell T. Hurlburt, author of a commonly used college textbook titled, Comprehending Behavioral Statistics, the problem with the selection process of drafting in the Vietnam War was that the government used a quasi-random sample, rather than an actual random sample. Hurlburt points out that debate occurred when the U.S. government drafted men according to their birthdates, which were put into capsules and mixed in a glass bowl. The problem with this system was that it was not truly random due to the fact that statistically it was more likely for those with birthdates in the beginning of the year, such as January and February to be drafted first. Those with birthdates at the end of the year, like November and December, were least likel...

The American economy boomed in the 1920s Essays

The American economy boomed in the 1920s Essays The American economy boomed in the 1920s Essay The American economy boomed in the 1920s Essay As Europe was beginning to recover from a very damaging and costly war, both in human and economic terms, America entered a period of prosperity. In the years following the end of the First World War America experienced an economic boom, a rapid growth of wealth. It resulted from an economic cycle known as the cycle of prosperity. This is a continuous cycle, one aspect of which leads on to another and so on. In the USA it began with the rise of demand for goods produced which led to the need to increase production. This in turn naturally led to the need to employ more workers providing people with jobs and thus with money to spend on goods produced. The result was a further increase in demand and the continuation of the cycle. As the cycle continued, the country experienced an economic boom and became more and more prosperous. This essay will assess the causes of the boom, both long and short term, and their relative importance. This essay will firstly examine the first long-term causes that created an environment in which the American economy could boom. The first long-term cause was Americas natural advantage. Without this long-term cause it is questionable whether the boom would have happened at all. There were two parts to Americas natural advantage; raw materials and regional diversity. Since America was (and still is) such a large country, she had an abundance of raw materials. During the nineteenth century America had been busy developing these riches(Harriet Ward World Powers in the 20th century) and had an ample supply of coal, iron ore, and oil. With this abundance of raw materials America was able to build up industries. This made many people rich, In 1914 there were 4,500 millionaires and in 1929 11,000! (Harriet Ward World Powers in the 20th century). America was also aided by the fact that she was huge, this allowed for the creation of internal markets. This is called regional diversity. America in the 1920s was divided up into four main regional sections. These were; the East Coast, The Mid-West, the South and the West Coast. Each region specialised in one area of production, whether it was film or farming. An example of this could be the difference between the East Coast and the West Coast of America. The East Coast was the financial centre of America, it included cities such as New York. It was also the richest part of the USA with a lot of factories and businesses. The West Coast was the newly developed part of the USA, with lots of high-tech industries. This regional diversity greatly benefited America. Where other, smaller, counties had to look abroad to sell their goods America didnt have to. This factor gave a boost to the American economy as the internal market gave a kick-start to the process known as the Cycle of Prosperity. It created an initial market, and this demand was a platform on which the rest of the cycle could be based. Americas natural advantage meant that she had the materials and a market for her products. But industrious workers were needed to produce the goods. To ensure a sufficient number of workers, the American government and businesses promoted the American Dream. This American Dream wasnt a new idea at the time, it had been around for a long time, and it is the second long-term cause of the economic boom. The American Dream was the idea that if you worked hard, you would become well off and successful. Although this was not true in most cases many people believed it. Many immigrants believed it also, but they were, in most cases, just used as cheap labour. Businesses and the government promoted the American Dream because they wanted people to work hard and to follow the work ethic. The Dream was promoted by propaganda, an example of this propaganda can be seen on an American poster used during this time. You are boss of your future (The USA, a divided nation. Neil de Marco). The gave an incentive for working hard, because it claimed that one might become boss of ones own business in the future. America had the environment, created by the long-term causes, for an economic boom. She had raw materials, hardworking workers and an internal market. All that was needed now was a spark to turn economic growth into an economic boom. America had the means of making the goods but did not have a large enough demand for their goods. This demand came during the First World War. There are two main reasons why the war led to an economic boom in America. Firstly, the war was fought in Europe. Many European factories had been destroyed by the war and some factories were converted to produce weapons and uniforms. This meant that there were fewer factories producing consumer goods for the civilians. So the allied countries turned to America for consumer goods. This created demand for American goods as American industry and agriculture had not been affected by the war, as no fighting took place in America and she did not join the war until 1917. This huge amount of demand for American goods turned economic growth into an economic boom. Secondly, America had lots of money because of this economic stability and therefore she was able to lend huge sums (Harriet Ward World Powers in the 20th century) of money to allied countries during the war. After the war America lent money to Germany so that she could pay her war debts to Britain, France and Belgium. (Harriet Ward World Powers in the 20th century). This money was to be paid back with interest that created extra money to be invested in industry. Hence, American industries continue to grow and became more mechanised and efficient. This enabled more goods to be produced, which contributed to the economic boom. The long-term causes had created the environment for an economic boom to take place in and the First World War acted as a spark to ignite the boom. However, short term factors were also needed because the economic boom had to be maintained and developed. The first short-term cause that allowed the economic boom to continue and grow was the policies followed by the Federal Government of America. A car in every garage and a chicken in every pot. (BBC GCSE Bitesize). This was the aim of American politicians in the 1920s, and the Federal Government followed two economic policies to create this. The first of these was laissez faire, which, in English, means leave it alone. As a result of laissez faire taxes were kept low. This meant that more people had more money, which created more demand for goods. This all linking back to the circle of prosperity and fed into it. Laissez faire also meant that banks were able to lend more money to people, who could invest it in new businesses. These new businesses were able to meet the increased demand created by the decrease in taxes. This kept the circle of prosperity going. The President at the time, Calvin Coolidge, agreed with the policies of the Government as he once said the business of America is business. This meant that it was Americas aim to make her businesses rich, powerful and successful. The Federal Government also started to use tariffs. High taxes were put on foreign goods, this encouraged Americans to buy American products as imported goods would cost more. There were two tariff acts. In 1922 the Americans introduced the Fordney McCumber Tariff Act and in 1929 tariffs were made even higher as a result of the Hawley Smoot Tariff Act. The tariffs added to the circle of Prosperity as it created more demand for American goods. The Circle of Prosperity was continuing to go and grow as a result of the Federal Governments policies. Another short-term factor which contributed to the economic boom was that companies used a great deal of advertising during the economic boom. This is supported by the fact that in 1914, approximately $250,000 was spent on advertising in magazines but by 1929, this had increased dramatically to $3 billion. Companies and businesses started to spend more and more money on advertising because it directly created demand for their products. Posters advertisements, radio advertisements and travelling salesmen encouraged Americans to spend (Modern World History, Ben Walsh). The aim of the advertising was to make people feel dissatisfied if they did not have a certain product. The advertisements led people to believe that their lives would be enhanced and improved by the certain products or goods. A range of advertising methods such as posters, radios and magazines were used. Advertising w as very important because it stimulated demand and consequently maintained and increased the cycle of prosperity and the economic boom. People wanted to buy goods because of advertisements, this meant that they would also work harder, to try to earn more money. This had another positive effect, because people were working so hard that it meant that more goods could be produced. All this kept the circle of prosperity going and growing, which kept the economic boom going. It is all very well to have advertisements plastered all over, but people had to have money to buy the products. Purchasing power had to be increased to keep up with demand for goods which was created by the advertising. Purchasing power was important because without it, having demand would be of no use. We have already seen how the policy of Laissez Faire, implemented by the American Federal Government, reduced taxes enabling people to have more money to spend on goods. People were, and still are, also inclined to work harder for products that they really want or need. Good advertising, in most cases, created this need for something. However, there were two other ways in which purchasing power was increased. Between 1923 and 1929 the average hourly wage rose by 8%. This meant that people generally had more money, therefore being able to buy the products they desired and adding to the cycle of prosperity. Products also became more widely available to a wider variety of people. This was because finance companies (World History 1870-1992, Peter Lane) were set. These companies meant that people didnt have to pay the whole cost in one go, but they could pay in monthly or weekly instalments, after having paid a deposit. This was called credit. Credit also allowed more people to join the cycle of prosperity as more people could buy things that they could not afford before. All this meant that there was a massive increase in purchasing power, which in turn led to an increase in demand and therefore an increase in overall production, as more products were needed all this fed into the cycle of prosperity and kept it going and growing. So far, the short-term causes have increased demand for products, and increased purchasing power. However, if all went as it was supposed to without any addition to the cycle, people would soon have bought everything they wanted or could afford. To keep the economic boom going therefore, new industries and new types of goods were created. This was to maintain a high level of demand throughout the 1920s. The introduction of electricity boosted the production of new goods and industries a great deal. Electricity acted as a type of catalyst for the creation of new goods. By 1927 approximately 63% of all homes in the USA had electricity. It meant that a whole new range of products could be made like vacuum cleaners, washing machines, toasters, fridges and radios, this, therefore also led to the growth in the electrical engineering industry and in the industries producing these consumer goods (World History 1870-1992, Peter Lane). This new influx of demand kept the cycle of prosperity going and the economic boom maintained. Advertising also increased as more new products came about, this also helped to create and maintain a high demand. More jobs were also created, as all these new industries needed to employ more people. This meant that there was less unemployment in the USA and more people with money to spend on American produce. This new wave of people with money to spend also contributed to the economic boom and maintained it. The industry which created the most amount of jobs was the car industry, this was because the car industry required other industries, for example the basic raw materials such as steel. The car industry also created the need for roadside petrol stations and these in turn led to the creation of roadside restaurants. These new industries and such, kept the economic boom going and growing. Having accepted that new industries were necessary to keep the boom going, it is now necessary to look at how the demand was met with the goods. If enough goods werent being made to keep the demand high, the cycle of prosperity was likely to end. There were two ways in which the demand was met. The first of these ways was the buying of stocks and shares. During the 1920s buying shares became extremely popular. Companies would float their company on the stock market so that people would buy stakes in the company. This provided money for the company, which could be invested back into the company to make it larger so that more goods could be created. This then led to higher employment, higher purchasing power and into even more demand. Also during the 1920s share buying became much easier. This was partly due to the government policy of Laissez faire. Laissez faire meant that people were able to borrow money from banks more easily so that they could invest it into shares. Another reason why it was easier to buy into shares is because people were able to buy them using instalments. People could put down a 10% deposit and then pay for them over the period of time following. The second way that the USA could keep production high enough to meet the demand was by using mass production and the moving assembly line, as pioneered by Henry Ford. The moving assembly line sped up production a great deal. For example, before the assembly line, on average a car took about 12 hours to make, but by using the line it took only 2 hours, this being a dramatic saving in time. Not only did the moving assembly line increase production, it helped to lower the price of goods meaning that the price of these goods could go down, increasing demand. The prices were able to go down because more products could be made within the same amount of time, with the same amount of workers so companies could afford to lower their prices. This essay has shown that both long-term and short-term causes were necessary to cause the American economy to boom in the 1920s. The boom would not have happened without the long-term or short-term causes. The long-term causes created an environment for which an economic boom could happen in and the short-term causes maintained and increased the economic boom once it had started. Both the long-term and short-term causes fed into the cycle of prosperity. The long-term causes created it and the short-term causes stimulated it and kept it going. The First World War was probably the single most important factor that caused the economic boom to happen. Without the First World War America would not have had an external market to sell her goods to. America also leant money to European countries after the war, this money was repaid to America with interest. If this hadnt happened it would have meant that not as much money would have been coming into America, therefore not as much money would have been invested into American companies and businesses, making them probably less successful. However, all the factors that created and maintained the economic boom were important. But they all needed to happening at the same time and to and to a great extent. This happened when there was increased demand, increased means of production and increased spending power. However the economic boom only lasted a short whist and on the 29th of October 1929 the American economy crashed during the Wall Street Crash and a period of depression followed.

STCW IMO Standards for Training Certification

STCW IMO Standards for Training Certification The Standards for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping, or STCW, is a convention of the IMO. These regulations first came into existence in 1978. Major revisions to the conventions occurred in 1984, 1995, and 2010. The goal of the STCW training is to give seafarers from all nations a standard set of skills useful to crew members working aboard large vessels outside of the boundaries of their country. Do All Merchant Mariners Need to Take an STCW Course? In the United States mariners only need to take an approved STCW course if they intend to work aboard a vessel greater than 200 Gross Register Tons (Domestic Tonnage), or 500 Gross Tons, which will operate beyond the boundaries defined by the Federal Regulations which indicate international waters. Although STCW training is not required for seafarers working in nearshore areas or domestic inland waterways it is recommended. STCW training offers exposure to valuable skills which make the mariner more flexible aboard ship and more valuable in the job market. Not all nations require their licensed merchant mariners to take a separate STCW course. Many high-quality programs meet the training requirements for STCW during the regular licensing coursework. Why is STCW a Separate Course? STCW training guidelines are laid out in the IMO convention to standardize the basic skills needed to safely crew aboard a large vessel outside of areas where domestic rules apply. Some of the training does not apply to smaller craft or vessels operating in coastal or river areas. To simplify testing requirements, not all countries include the STCW information for basic merchant mariner licensing. Each country may decide if their licensing requirements meet the terms of the IMO convention. What is Taught in an STCW Course? Every course goes about their training in different ways so no two courses are the same. Some courses have a greater emphasis on classroom learning but generally, some concepts are taught in a hands-on situation. Classes will include some of the following disciplines: Bridge and Deck Skills; Traffic Patterns, Lights and Day Shapes, Horn Signals for international watersEngine Room; Operations, Signals, Emergency ProceduresInternationally Standardized Radio Operations and TerminologyEmergency, Occupational Safety, Medical Care and Survival FunctionsWatchkeeping Major components of the STCW conventions were modified during the last revision in June of 2010. These are called the Manila Amendments and they will go into effect January 1, 2012. These amendments will bring the training requirements up to date for modern operational situations and technologies. Some of the changes from the Manila Amendments are: â€Å"Revised requirements on hours of work and rest and new requirements for the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as updated standards relating to medical fitness standards for seafarers†Ã¢â‚¬Å"New requirements relating to training in modern technology such as electronic charts and information systems†Ã¢â‚¬Å"New requirements for marine environment awareness training and training in leadership and teamwork†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Updating of competence requirements for personnel serving on board all types of tankers, including new requirements for personnel serving on liquefied gas tankers†Ã¢â‚¬Å"New requirements for security training, as well as provisions to ensure that seafarers are properly trained to cope if their ship comes under attack by pirates†Ã¢â‚¬Å"New training guidance for personnel serving on board ships operating in polar waters†Ã¢â‚¬Å"New training guidance for personnel operating Dynamic Positioning Systems† These new training elements will give a merchant mariner many valuable and potentially life-saving skills. Anyone considering a new career in the maritime industry or an upgrade to their current credential should strongly consider taking part in an approved STCW course. More information is available for U.S. licensees from the National Maritime Center website.

Assignment6 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment6 - Article Example Further, user charges offers invaluable data on which services should be supplied, in what quality and quantity, and to whom. In turn, the application of user charges is to promote and enhance economic efficiency. The problem with the user charges is that in some cases, it is difficult to determine the specific and proper design and domain of user charges. Further, the prices set of certain services may not be charged on a competitive market. My State prepares tax expenditure to show the residents revenue loss because of issuance of tax preferences and concessions to certain activity and particular class of taxpayers. Further, it prepares the tax expenditure to show its spending and spending via the tax system. Yes, it prepares fiscal impact statement to predict how the authorization of a ballot measure would affect the finances of the state. When preparing revenue forecasts, it significant for the local government financial accountants to begin with expenses not revenues since in this manner, it much easier to predict expenses than expenses. In addition, it significant to predict revenues utilizing both an aggressive and conservative case because aggressive state keeps one motivated while conservative state brings reality on the ground. It is also good to monitor key ratios to ensure that the projections are logically and

TELENURSING Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

TELENURSING - Research Paper Example In the field of nursing, there have been such kinds of technological development that target to address the problems of long distance between the caregivers and the receivers of the care. This has led to the development of a telecommunication system in nursing that enhances communication and ensures that many people from distant places can receive care according to the plan. Tele-nursing is a technology that ensures that communication in the field of nursing is easier than when the nurses have to travel to the places where patients are situated. This technology has come to ensure that the services like consultation, patient education, examination of test results and, therefore, assisting the physicians to administer treatment and the technology are used in transmission of medical record from one place to another. This technology in nursing has a lot of benefits that can ensure that nurses are able to provide care to as many patients as they could at a low cost and within a short time (MEDINFO, Kuhn, Warren & Leong, 2007). Discussion Background Nursing practitioners offer a variety of services to their clients and in different places in the world. This means that these nurses are required to travel to different places to meet their clients and provide the services that they need and carry out a follow up to the things that they need to ensure that those clients recover from their ailments. At one time, a nurse may have more than five patients whose health statuses he or she needs to track and afterwards prepare a report that shows the history of the services they have offered. When patients are not located within the same locality, the nurse may have to travel too much, and therefore, he or she will spend a lot of money on transport to achieve his or her goals. This means that the development of a system that would reduce frequent movement to patients is good to ensure that they can receive nursing care at their convenient time. The development of tele-nursing i s a technological development that will ensure that many patients can access the required services from anywhere in the world (Briggs, 2007). Services offered through Tele-nursing Tele-nurses offer similar services as other nurses who use travelling mode to avail information to and acquire it from patients in a particular place in the world. This means that all people who need care from the nurses link up through telecommunication systems to get the information they need in their different situations. The services that these patients receive may vary according to the problem from which they are suffering and which may need immediate or delayed care. Briggs (2007) notes that the services that tele-nurses offer include professional consultancy in which a patient seeks information about a particular condition. The tele-nurse involved in a situation may choose from various media through which he or she can provide the information that his or her client needs. This could be through calli ng, sending text message, faxing, emailing or any other electronic method that conveniently transmit information from one place to another. Tele-nurses transmit medical records that physicians may need to enable them to administer treatment to a patient who seeks care from them. This will mean that they will not need to transport through physical means the records that they have collected about the patient for whom they are caring. Tele-nurses may transmit this information

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Financial Management - Essay Example Aspects like the shareholder’s concern regarding the working capital management will also be discussed in the following sections. Working capital management refers to the money used for the making of goods and sales. It has been defined as, â€Å"A managerial accounting strategy focusing on maintaining  efficient  levels of both components of working capital, current assets and current liabilities, in respect to each other. Working capital management ensures a company has sufficient cash flow in order to meet its short-term debt obligations and operating expenses† (Investor Words, 2010). Working capital management involves a strong relationship between the short term assets of a company and the short term loans. The main aim of this concept is to ensure that there is enough cash in the firm to continue all the operations. It also aims at keeping enough liquidity for facing both the short term debts as well as the operational expenses. Inventories, accounts receivable and accounts payable and cash fall into the category of working capital management (Study Finance, 2010). As has been discussed earlier, working capital management is based on the needs of the company and the ability to keep liquidity level at all times. It is essential to be understood that the profit margins of a company and the working capital are inversely proportional to each other. A company with high levels of profit margins generally tend to have a low level of working capital. Similarly a company with low level of working capital will have much higher levels of liquidity (Bhattacharya, 2001). The working capital management mainly deals with the amount of liquidity of the firm and the profitability. The main aim is to ensure that both are in place while dealing with the day to day processes and operations. The short term and long terms financial planning play a major role in the overall liquidity of the company. The long term

Rethinking the European Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Rethinking the European Integration - Essay Example European integration as it exists today is largely confined to the domain of economics. In other words, the dismantling of labor movement barriers between nations, the floating of a common currency, the adoption of common laws pertaining to trade and commerce, are all outside the purview of domestic/internal policy. To this extent, the constituent nations retain their cultural and social uniqueness, while still benefiting from new economic opportunities created within Europe. This essay will look into the advantages and challenges created by the process of integration by way of studying its various facets. Given the long history of war and conflict between European nations, there emerged a need for a strong commitment toward cooperation and mutual benefit. The first step toward this cooperative framework was initiated with the formation of Council of Europe and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in the year 1950. An impressive 40 European nations subscribed to the resolutions carried forward in the convention. Yet, the Council of Europe remained a peripheral institution as the continent was divided in two during the Cold War. It would be another forty years for the next significant step toward integration, which came with the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 and with it the collapse of the Soviet Union. The commitment toward amicable relations within Europe resumed with the signing of Maastricht Treaty in 1993, which was further expanded in the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the year 2000. The Charter drew together â€Å"all EU-protected p ersonal, civil, political, economic, and social rights into a single text. But it goes beyond simply restating already respected human rights by addressing specifically modern issues such as bio-ethics and protecting personal information and data†. (Nagel, 2004)

Leaving a Job between Shannon kaiser and Tomoyuki Iwashita Essay

Leaving a Job between Shannon kaiser and Tomoyuki Iwashita - Essay Example In the case of Shannon Kaiser, she had been dragging herself and crying on her way to work due to the severe emptiness that she feels about her work that she is seeing it to be a cage. In her words, she â€Å"followed a career path that felt soulless†. Clive Offley typified the regular upscale life of a Japanese â€Å"yuppie† where they work for a prestigious that is desired by many. But Offley was so tired of because the amount of work that they do is already taking toll on the quality of their lives. He spoke of Karoshi or death from work to emphasize how Japanese companies will make you work to death. This was highlighted in his article when he â€Å"collapsed from working too hard†. But instead of being taken cared off, he was instead admonished by his boss that â€Å"it's your own fault if you get sick†. This kind of life was succinctly described by Kaiser as â€Å"I followed a career path that felt soulless†. It has perks that can make one fee l successful and supposed to be happy due to the accompanying superficial trappings that goes with the perks. Kaiser for a time had it. She had a fancy car, awards, achievements and money she could get. But instead of being happy, she instead felt an animal that is caged longing to come out. She longed to be with the â€Å"three-story tall maple tree. ... His workplace also provided everything that he never felt the need to leave the building. There is a barber shop there, doctor, sauna and other facilities and amenities that would cater to his needs. But all of these privileges have their price. And the price is worth more than the privileges because the change of lifestyle that his work wrought deteriorated the quality of his life instead of improving it. Suddenly, his life was reduced to work and his dormitory with the commuter train in between. They also have to work hard to the point of Karoshi or death from work in the company that they do not have anything left for their personal lives. The demand of work deprives them to find girlfriends (for the bachelor) and if an employee is married, they have less time to spend with their wives and their children. The predicament about work that was articulated by Kaiser and Iwashita represents the situation that many people are in with their work. Kaiser and Iwashita is not an isolated ca se and is shared by many people. Most of the time, we are doing the jobs that we are doing because we needed the job to pay our bills, mortgages, send children to school, etch. Or, it is because we are trapped by the impression of prestige of working in top companies and the trappings that goes with it that even if we feel miserable, we still stayed with the company just to keep the respect of other people. What made Kaiser and Iwashita’s casespecial was because they had the courage and opportunity to break free from the bondage of their work which Kaiser put it as â€Å"A giant ball of energy burst outward from my †¦ For the first time, I had let my inner voice, my heart, speak its truth.  I felt alive. For the first time in my

Documentary Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Documentary Review - Essay Example As expounded in the documentary, it is evident that the overdependence on one person as the overseer of all processes in the production of bottled water paves way for the occurrence of errors in the bottled water industry. In connection with this, it is evident that the plastic used in bottling water is made out of materials that leak chemicals into the water. Thus, with such leakage of chemicals as well as errors achieved in the process of manufacturing water affect the health of human beings. Disposition of the used bottles is also one of the contributing factors for pollution in the world. Lots of bottles are everywhere; that is, on land and in water bodies. Such bottles hamper with the ecological system, as a result, lead to the death of other living organisms such as marine fishes. Additionally, it is evident that a lot of resources have been wasted in the name of bottling water. The money used in purchasing the materials for the bottles, the manufacturing process of the plastic bottles, transportation of water from one region to another, and the chemicals included in the water cost the production industry a lot of money. A significant amount of money is also used in managing the mess created by the end use of the bottles. Thus, it is advisable for the industries associated with the production of bottled water to stop wasting resources and advocate consumption of natural

Rethinking the European Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Rethinking the European Integration - Essay Example European integration as it exists today is largely confined to the domain of economics. In other words, the dismantling of labor movement barriers between nations, the floating of a common currency, the adoption of common laws pertaining to trade and commerce, are all outside the purview of domestic/internal policy. To this extent, the constituent nations retain their cultural and social uniqueness, while still benefiting from new economic opportunities created within Europe. This essay will look into the advantages and challenges created by the process of integration by way of studying its various facets. Given the long history of war and conflict between European nations, there emerged a need for a strong commitment toward cooperation and mutual benefit. The first step toward this cooperative framework was initiated with the formation of Council of Europe and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in the year 1950. An impressive 40 European nations subscribed to the resolutions carried forward in the convention. Yet, the Council of Europe remained a peripheral institution as the continent was divided in two during the Cold War. It would be another forty years for the next significant step toward integration, which came with the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 and with it the collapse of the Soviet Union. The commitment toward amicable relations within Europe resumed with the signing of Maastricht Treaty in 1993, which was further expanded in the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the year 2000. The Charter drew together â€Å"all EU-protected p ersonal, civil, political, economic, and social rights into a single text. But it goes beyond simply restating already respected human rights by addressing specifically modern issues such as bio-ethics and protecting personal information and data†. (Nagel, 2004)

Documentary Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Documentary Review - Essay Example As expounded in the documentary, it is evident that the overdependence on one person as the overseer of all processes in the production of bottled water paves way for the occurrence of errors in the bottled water industry. In connection with this, it is evident that the plastic used in bottling water is made out of materials that leak chemicals into the water. Thus, with such leakage of chemicals as well as errors achieved in the process of manufacturing water affect the health of human beings. Disposition of the used bottles is also one of the contributing factors for pollution in the world. Lots of bottles are everywhere; that is, on land and in water bodies. Such bottles hamper with the ecological system, as a result, lead to the death of other living organisms such as marine fishes. Additionally, it is evident that a lot of resources have been wasted in the name of bottling water. The money used in purchasing the materials for the bottles, the manufacturing process of the plastic bottles, transportation of water from one region to another, and the chemicals included in the water cost the production industry a lot of money. A significant amount of money is also used in managing the mess created by the end use of the bottles. Thus, it is advisable for the industries associated with the production of bottled water to stop wasting resources and advocate consumption of natural

An Analysis of Night by Elie Wiesel Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of Night by Elie Wiesel Essay â€Å"One day as I was looking in a mirror, I didn’t recognize myself†¦I then decided that since everything changes—even the face in the mirror changes—someone must speak about that change. Someone must speak about the former and that someone is I. I shall not speak about all the other things but I should speak, at least, about that face and that mirror and that change. That’s when I knew that I was going to write.† Elie Wiesel in Conversation with Elie Wiesel â€Å"I owe them my roots and memory. I am duty-bound to serve as their emissary, transmitting the history of their disappearance, even if it disturbs, even if it brings pain. Not to do so would be to betray them, and thus myself.† Elie Wiesel, â€Å"Why I Write,† in Confronting the Holocaust: The Impact of Elie Wiesel One of the primary themes or messages Elie Wiesel said he has tried to deliver with Night is that all human beings have the responsibility to share with others how their past experiences have changed their identity and how those experiences affect others. Wiesel believes that, in order to understand the true impact of the Holocaust, survivors like himself must serve as messengers to current and future generations by â€Å"bearing witness† to the events of the Holocaust and by explaining how those events changed each individual’s identity. II-Pre-Writing assignment: Personal Inventories Before writing your autobiographical sketch, all students must complete 10 Personal Inventories that describe the important people, places, experiences, lessons, etc. in each person’s life. Since these inventories could include sensitive or private information, they will checked for credit but will not be read by anyone except the student who wrote them. III-Autobiographical Sketch Write a story about an experience that affected you deeply and ought to be known by others. The story can be written in prose, can be a poem, can be a short story, can be a song, or another approved form of written artistic expression. In writing that story, answer the following questions: Provide context: what was the year? how old were you? Where did you live? what were the circumstances surrounding the experience? Re-tell the experience from beginning (exposition, rising action) to end (climax, falling action, resolution): what happened? who was involved? when? where? why did it happen? Reflection: what were your thoughts about the story at the time it happened? what are your thoughts about the story now? Share the moral or lesson: how does your story relate to the way you see yourself and others? W hat did you learn? what lessons does your story teach others? The sketch must be typed, point size 12, and double-spaced. The story is due on the day of the final.

Decision Making Process

Decision Making Process 1.0 INTRODUCTION: Globalism is the term that being mentioned everywhere in the field of business at present. Thus, due to lots of new developments and emerging techniques are introduced in the organizations very rapidly, creates a number of problems in the field of management. The problem solving and decision-making process begins when recognizing the problem, experiencing pressure to act on it, and the resources to resolve the problem. This can be done only by a manager, whose key roles are solving problems and making decisions. He must recognize problems, make a decision, initiate an action, and evaluate the results. It is difficult to make good decisions without good planning. Generally, a problem can be solved by thinking about the issue and making logical decisions. These are mostly assumptions that can predict the decisions that are being formulated as a result of the problems. This can also be given as rational thinking of the organizational problem solving strategy can be benefited by a positi ve result. 2.0 WHAT IS RATIONALITY? Rationality is related to the idea of reason, referring to thinking that gives an account or an explanation. Rationality and reason are the key methods used to analyze the data gathered through systematically gathered observations. It also gives the success of goal attainment. Rationality is equated with behavior that is self-interested to the point of being selfish. Whereas, irrationality refers to talking or acting without regard to rationality. Peoples actual interests differ from what they believe to be their interests. Mechanisms that have evolved to give optimal behavior in normal conditions lead to irrational behavior in abnormal conditions. Thus, rational behavior in an organization is nothing but having sound judgment and practical implementation. There are 2 types of rationality that are existed. They are: Mathematical Rationality Functional Rationality 2.1 Mathematical rationality: Mathematics can be used to formulate objective knowledge. The mathematical formulation enables us to express the knowledge of reality with a maximum degree of objectivity. There are number of possible conceptions of mathematics, it is open to the risk of choosing different hypotheses, a risk which is technically called undesirability. 2.2 Functional rationality: Functional rationality prevails in an organization of human activities in which the thought, knowledge, and reflection of the participants are virtually unnecessary; men become part of a mechanical process in which each is assigned a functional position and role. What they forfeit in creativity and initiative is gained by the organization as a whole and contributes, presumably, to its greater efficiency. Bureaucratic organizations strive for maximum functional rationality. 2.3 SCIENTIFIC RATIONALITY: The history of science constitutes the evident for the concept of rationality. A good theory of rationality must fit the history of science. A methodology for scientific rationality is a theory of rationality, it tells us what is rational and what is not in specific cases. Always accept the theory with the greatest degree of confirmation. 3.0 ADVANTAGES OF RATIONALITY: Thinking rationally means thinking logically. Rational thoughts will be always right and true. Its a sole source of knowledge. Rational thinking gives confidence. It helps to make decisions. Rational decision making is good for incremental, linear causality. Can solve problems incase of critical situations. Gives independent thinking and meaningful orientation. There is a traditional ingrained habituation. It avoids a value-laden assessment. It ultimately leads to self-awareness. 4.0 LIMITATIONS TO RATIONALITY: The incompleteness of formal logical systems can be an incontrovertible truth. An arithmetical statement is true but not provable in the theory. Any theory capable of expressing elementary arithmetic cannot be both consistent and complete. Rationality is arbitrary, subjective and incapable of describing something completely. Rational approach will always fail eventually. It evaluates uncertainty. 5.0 APPLICATIONS OF RATIONALITY: There are different applications of rationality. They can be classified into normative and positive forms of applications. They are: The firm acts rationally and this is to predict behavior. For example the firm makes decisions according to options that can predict the behavior of the firm. The firm will be a better off if it makes its decision following a rule derived from rational analysis. For example using an options formula will improve a firms capital allocation. The user must verify that the environment fits the assumptions of the model. For example, the assumptions made in mathematics model derivations should be true of the strategic context. Instead of presenting a mathematical model, the general implications of a theory can be taken and applied without working out mathematics. These applications run the real risk that the assumptions of the model are not checked for their fit with the real world. 6.0 PROBLEM SOLVING: Problem solving forms part of thinking, the most complex of all intellectual functions. Problem Solving has been defined as higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills. It occurs if an artificial intelligence system does not know how to proceed from a given state to a desired goal state. It is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping. The problem-solving process operates under awareness versus outside of awareness, and typically employs mathematically well-defined computerized systems. Problem-solving often involves decision-making, and decision-making is especially important for management and leadership. There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the nature of the problem and the people involved in the problem. The more traditional, rational approach is typically used and involves. There are many techniques for problem-solving. They are: Challenge your assumptions Lateral thinking Divide and conquer Hill-climbing strategy Trail and error Brainstorming Morphological analysis Hypothesis testing Root-cause analysis Break big problems down Ask three people Write down the problem Change your perspective Generalization and specialization Working backwards These techniques can be applied to an organization by using certain tools. They are: Extracting maximum information from facts Appreciation Understanding problems in detail Drill-Down Identifying possible causes of problems Cause Effect Diagrams Understanding how a process works Flow Charts Understanding the way factors affect one-another Systems Diagrams Analyzing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats SWOT Analysis Making Cash Flow Forecasts with Spreadsheets Methods of Risk Analysis Understanding where the power lies Porters Five Forces Understanding the big picture PEST Analysis Identifying what really matters to customers Value Chains Find your competitive edge with USP Analysis For example, taking my own organizational experience (I-Tech Ppl Staffing Solution, Chennai, India) we had certain issues relating to location change in our organization where we used some techniques like morphological analysis, etc. we also used certain tools in relation to the problem solving technique i.e. SWOT Analysis and PEST Analysis for solving our organizational problems. 7.0 DECISION-MAKING: Decision making can be regarded as an outcome of mental processes (cognitive process) leading to the selection of a course of action among several alternatives. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion. Human performance in decision making terms has been subject of active research from several perspectives. From a psychological perspective, it is necessary to examine individual decisions in the context of a set of needs, references an individual has and values he/she seeks. From a cognitive perspective, the decision making process must be regarded as a continuous process integrated in the interaction with the environment. From a normative perspective, the analysis of individual decisions is concerned with the logic of decision making and rationality. The decision-making process can be explained by two different models. They are: Garbage Can Model Carnegie Model GARBAGE CAN MODEL: The Garbage Can Model of organizational choice was formulated by Cohen, March and Oslen. The Garbage Can Model deals with the pattern or flow of multiple decisions within organization. It was developed to explain the pattern of decision-making in organizations that experience extremely high uncertainty. It was developed in reference to ambiguous behaviors, i.e. explanations/interpretations of behaviors which at least appear to contradict classical theory. The Garbage Can Model was greatly influenced by the realization that extreme cases of aggregate uncertainty in decision environments would trigger behavioral responses which, at least from a distance, appear irrational or at least not in compliance with the total/global rationality of economic man†. An organized Anarchy can be caused by three characteristics: Problematic Preferences Unclear, poorly understood technology Turnover The theoretical breakthrough of the Garbage Can Model is that it disconnects problems, solutions and decision makers from each other, unlike traditional decision theory. Specific decisions do not follow an orderly process from problem to solution, but are outcomes of several relatively independent streams of events within the organization. THE STREAMS OF EVENTS: PROBLEMS Problems require attention, they are the result of performance gaps or the inability to predict the future. Thus, problems may originate inside or outside the organization. Traditionally, it has been assumed that problems trigger decision processes; if they are sufficiently grave, this may happen. Usually, however, organization man goes through the garbage and looks for a suitable fix, called a solution. SOLUTIONS They have a life of their own. They are distinct from problems which they might be called on to solve. Solutions are answers looking for a question. Participants may have ideas for solutions; they may be attracted to specific solutions and volunteer to play the advocate. Only trivial solutions do not require advocacy and preparations. Significant solutions have to be prepared without knowledge of the problems they might have to solve. CHOICE OPPORTUNITIES There are occasions when organizations are expected to produce behavior that can be called a decision. Just like politicians cherish photo opportunities, organization man needs occasional decision opportunities for reasons unrelated to the decision itself. PARTICIPANTS They come and go; participation varies between problems and solutions. Participation may vary depending on the other time demands of participants. Participants may have favorite problems or favorite solutions which they carry around with them. The organizational decision making generally takes on a random quality. When a problem arises a solution can be proposed by the participants. Equal opportunities should be given to all the staffs in an organization. For example, considering my own organizational experience, our organization was suffering from poor training process. Our Manager was welcoming some volunteers to give some good suggestions to improve the process of training process. Thus, I and my colleagues worked on this by gathering information from many sources. We conducted a survey in many big organizations about the training methods that are being followed by them. Then, finally we ended up by giving certain logical ideas as well which formed to be the good solution for the training methods. Thus, rational thinking is important for solving any kind of problem in an organization. Equal opportunities were given to all the employees in our organization. Thus, the problem was solved using the kind of Garbage Can Model. PROBLEMS CHOICE OF OPPORTUNITIES MANAGEMENT PARTICIPANT SOLUTION Fig. 1.0 represents the Garbage Can Model of decision-making. Source: Self CARNEGIE MODEL: The Carnegie model was formulated by Richard Cyert, James March and Herbert Simon. This helped to formulate the bounded rational approach to individual decision making that can provide new insights about organizational decisions. An organizational decision-making involves coalition choice made by the mangers. It means the relationship among the managers who take decisions about organizational goals and problems. The organizational goals are mostly unstructured and contradictory. The mangers can be rational but function with human cognitive limitations. The coalition process has several steps starting with satisfactory decision that can be suggested for the performance to achieve goals. Continued by an immediate environment for resolving a problem can be suggested by some managers. Finally, for identifying the exact problem identification stage of decision making can be done by discussion and bargaining. Coalition forms to be the major part of organizational decision making process. Thus, the solution should be quick, simple and cost-effective. For example, we can consider fire security measures, which help to solve the problem initially by creating an environment suitable for solving the problem. They also get prepared with the pre-requisites needed to solve the problem satisfactorily. This method does not need a discussion or bargaining as the steps are taken immediately once the problem is been observed or indentified. These two models can be used to solve the problem of decision-making in an organization. But certain methodology has to be followed for making a decision successfully. The best method is Systems Intervention Strategy. 8.0 SYSTEMS INTERVENTION STRATEGY [SIS]: Its a family of ‘systems approaches based on systems ideas. To move from a completely unstructured problem situation to a situation in which viable options can be modeled and comprehensively evaluated before successful implementation, which can be done by SIS. We can integrate SIS into Systems thinking Personal mastery Knowledge of mental models Building shared vision Team leading There are three overlapping phases of SIS. They are: 8.1 DIAGNOSIS: Initially, the problem should be identified and analyzed. This can help to change problems, develop a perspective and spell out the purposes of change. The diagnosis process initially starts with ‘entry by recognizing the change. This is followed by description process that gives the structure and other views on the change. The objectives and the constraints are identified that helps to formulate measures for the objectives. 8.2 DESIGN: Different methods are suggested to solve the problems and new methods are explored. A range of options can be generated and the models can be selected accordingly. 8.3 IMPLEMENTATION: The change can be carried out by developing the tactics for bringing out the desired change. These options are evaluated against the measures by designing the implementation strategy by carrying through the planned changes. DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION DESIGN Fig. 2.0 represents the three overlapping phases of SIS. Source: For example, taking my organizational experience where we had the problem of completing the projects on time. Thus, our manager first recognized the root-cause for delayed project completion. Then the reason was analyzed by getting other employees point of view by arranging for some special meetings to resolve the issue. He also conducted some surveys to find proper measure for the problem. Logical thinking and rationalistic view can give a right solution for the problem solving in the organization which was done by our manager. Then, the proper measures like giving incentives, improved employee facilitation will be given to the employees who finish their job on-time, were been formulated by him. He also had different options like improving the pantry facilities, parking facilities and other dress-code were been suggested to us. Where we were allowed to choose the best option that can be exhibited completely. Then finally, the results were evaluated and they are implemented. This was then carried out successfully in our organization. 9.0 CONCLUSION: Any kind of organizational problems can be solved by rational thinking and strategical planning. This can also be supplemented with certain types of model or theory implementation. Analyzing and identifying the root-cause of the problem helps in clear decision-making. Thus, proper detection of the problem paves way for proper solution for that problem in an organization.