A Sartrean Life

Sartre holds that â€Å"existence precedes essence. † A human being is simply what he or she wills to be. Sartre believes that we are defined by what we do. We are what we choose to do. Existentialism is not an easy concept to explain, and Sartre agreed. He summed up existentialism as existence precedes essence. What does that really mean? Sartre explained it using the analogy of the paper cutter. He said that an artisan whose inspiration came from a concept made the paper cutter. The artisan referred to the concept of what a paper cutter was and created it with a known method of production (part of the concept of the cutter) with a routine. The paper cutter was produced a certain way creating on certain use for it. Therefore, the essence (the pre-production intent and method of creation) came before the actual existence of the paper cutter, its intent and plan for production was already determined. Existentialism is the opposite of this. If it were existentialism, the cutter would have been created at random without anyone knowing the intent of it until the artisan determined an intent for the cutter after its production. Following this line of thought, I find myself in a situation where there would be no despair at all because all the hope lies in ones self. I define myself and my purpose in my life and I then take responsibility for my choice by living out my self-determined purpose. . The supreme virtue of existentialism is ultimate choice. This can only have been obtained if I am true to myself. I also have to take responsibility for my own actions because I choose my own actions and must live with the consequences. I can choose what I become and have to live with it, but I can change it to create a better fit if I thought my choice wasn't totally correct. Although Sartre’s philosophy has many advantages and it builds itself on the belief that we create our own choices and we are responsible for ourselves. I believe that many people will not take the challenge or back out in fear of the responsibility. This occurs because there is no way for the people to know for sure that the choice they make as their definition of themselves is correct. This creates a fear in many people, a fear of being wrong and a fear that being wrong could lead to their demise. Sartre admitted there was much anguish in taking the existential challenge because there was no way of knowing one was right. Sartre's advice to the leery was to be human, stick to ones self, and just hope for the best. This was the point where existentialism neared the thin line between philosophy in religion because to take this challenge, people had to have a belief in themselves in order to stick with their choices. Existentialism got much criticism not only because it was mainly atheistic, but also because of the morals it created. Actually, the morals were not created by existentialism, but by existentialists. They created their own morals and values to comply with choosing their own purposes in life. The meaning of their lives directly paralleled the values chosen, in fact Sartre thought that the values chosen is what ones meaning of life was based upon. This idea was strongly criticized by many people because they feared that this could create anarchy. If everyone created their own values, there would be no set laws in which to obey. Sartre stated that ones conscience would be able to determine between right and wrong; and that one could tell if their choice of action served an injustice to another person. Many were very skeptical of this, however; fearing that, for example, backing out of an agreement was acceptable to some, but would not be acceptable to others. In conclusion, despite the large amount of criticism, Sartre was widely followed and looked upon highly by many. He could support his ideas with reason and logic. These ideas appealed to large amounts of people because of the circumstances they were in. The timing of Sartre was part of what created such a large following. Throughout history, change and the following of new and sometimes radical ideas came right after a large disaster in which people were left in despair looking for hope. If there is one thing to remember about existentialism it is that existence precedes essence. If one is an existentialist or not: one gets out of life what one puts in; the meaning of our lives comes not from what happens in our lives, but what we do in them; and every one of us are actors on the stage of life. In closing, Sartre said it best when he commented, â€Å"Man is encompassed by his own existence and there is no exit. â€Å"

Fifth Element of Game Theory Essay

As each of the competing companies watchfully study the moves made by the others in the same industry they all belong to, they sometimes end up deciding to just do the best they can to win the biggest share in the market – without spending more time focusing of the others. This direction, when taken by the industry players, results to the occurrence of â€Å"Nash equilibrium. † (Economics 11th Edition by Richard G. Lipsey & Paul N. Courant, UK: HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996) The above graph illustrates the Nash equilibrium and the optimum result that it leads to (Osborne, An Introduction to Game Theory). As opposed to how badly things may end up for the competing players, Nash equilibrium brings in profitable results for everybody. As opposed to getting stuck with the â€Å"prisoner’s dilemma† or the â€Å"pride game†, companies in this scenario have individually opted to stick to the strategies that they believe will work and will hand them the market dominance that will secure their place as the industry leader. Effects of Equilibrium Equilibrium brings balance to the economy – whether long- or short-lived. As a temporary phase that may or may not be maintained, equilibrium occurs when there is no tendency for change in the decisions of the economic entities regarding their products and services, the price and volume that they will supply, and the demand segment that they will target. (Lipsey & Courant 510) Equilibrium comes in different forms as prevailing circumstances vary. â€Å"In the macroeconomic goods market, equilibrium occurs when planned aggregate expenditure is equal to aggregate output. † Thus, the volume that the suppliers has made available in the market is the same volume that buyers will actually buy. Meanwhile, equilibrium in the financial markets is attained when the supply of money is equal to the demand for money (Case & Fair 67). In this setting, qualified borrowers find that there are loans that they can avail. In the same setting, financial institutions are able to use in their operations the idle cash in their coffers – they issue loans to maximize their income from lending activities. Equilibrium has been thoroughly explored as a concept and has been attributed with all kinds of applications arising from distinct circumstances and conclusions. It is not surprising that there evolved a specialized branch of game theory called â€Å"General Equilibrium Theory† which is widely used in analyzing the public and private sectors of the economy. (David Levine website) Freddie Mac in the Game Theory Freddie Mac never had to ward off many competitors in the industry. As one of the two giants –the other one being Fannie Mae – serving the country’s secondary mortgage market, the gaming area has turned out to be definitely spacious. Indeed, there is the entire USA as the territory to be serviced and there come the banks to take care of dealing with them – then there come Freddie Mac, Fanny Mae and Ginny to pour in the needed financial resources. With Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae issuing or guaranteeing a total of $5. 4 trillion in outstanding mortgage debt, these two companies practically make up the entire mortgage industry. Furthermore, they are equipped with all the needed ammunition for winning: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have indisputable strong points. Due to the implied backing of the United States government, they enjoy virtually unlimited access to the capital markets at funding costs that are below market. They pay no local taxes, only national. Each has enjoyed tremendous growth and profitability. As the biggest issuers of mortgage-backed securities and corporate securities in the world, the biggest buyers and hedgers of the securities in the world, and, not least, the source of liquidity for more than 75% of conventional and conforming home mortgages extended in this country, it could be argued that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are about as central to the American capital markets as the Treasury Department. (Annaly webstie) (Source: World Socialist website) Indeed, with their coveted roles as providers of a continuing supply of money for the banking institutions engaged in retail lending to the multitudes, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae own the game. As competitors offering the same products and services, enjoying the same rare privileges and dealing with the same clients, Freddie Mac and Fannie May have consistently been like identical twins – though Fannie May turns out to be decades older than Freddie Mac. With each one of them keen on beating the other, the strategies and packages they resorted to turned out to work for both of them, at least during the booming growth years of the industry. Consistent with the Nash equilibrium concept, a report that came out in the Spring of 2002 showed that fully one-half of 2002’s 1. 2% gain in real GDP growth was brought on by the housing activities across the country. (Annaly website) Freddie Mac and Fannie May have been playing the Nash Equilibrium game. In such a game as theirs, â€Å"players play the best they can given their beliefs, and they have learned all there is to learn about their opponent’s play† (David Levine website). Works Cited Osborne, Martin. An Introduction to Game Theory. Oxford University Press, 2002. Lipsey, Richard & Courant, Paul. Economics 11th Edition. New York: HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996. Case, Karl & Fair, Ray. Principles of Economics 8th Edition. Prentice Hall, 2007. Levine, David. What is Game Theory? Department of Economic, UCLA. 29 October 2008 Annaly. com Website. FAQs on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, 29 October 2008 World Socialist Web Site. The Importance of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 29 October 2008

Discussion #3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion #3 - Assignment Example Natural resources of Africa are exploited due to the fact that it would allow industrialization in the European region to grow at an improved manner. Furthermore, human resource is exploited because of the cheap availability of labor services in Africa. Consequently, this has also lead to slavery, as the poor African people were forced to serve the Europeans at an extreme level output with minimum possible rewards. Accordingly, the European nations are facilitated with the opportunity of performing trade and other business operations with reduced cost of production, which resulted to the economic growth of the same. In addition, this has resulted to the infrastructure development of European nations. The process of exploiting the resources has also simultaneously assisted in the development of the roads and railways. Subsequently, the development of the economic conditions and infrastructure of the European nations has led to the creation of increased job opportunities for the people of Africa (Ohaegbulam 50-256; Inikori, n.d.). Political Motive. With gradual success in trade by exploiting the resources of Africa, the European nations tried to gain political advantage over the African nations. This was mainly because of inclining the political power balance towards the European nations. The need for the political power was extremely important for each and every nation in the 19th century because of frequent occurrence of wars amid the countries. With the beginning of the 20th century, there were several wars and most notably the two world wars. These have made an extreme need for armed force. Thus, the people of the African origin were used extensively for the purpose of defense. Furthermore, most of the countries are divided into several states and thus, there was a need of political advantage. It can also be noted that the need for proper administration or even strict administration of the labor forces in Africa had assisted European nations to

Google's market marketing & strategy in the UK Essay

Google's market marketing & strategy in the UK - Essay Example The concept of resource-based management is founded on the belief that competitive advantage is obtained if a firm can obtain and develop resources which enable it to learn faster and apply its learning more effectively than its rivals. Resource-based view was developed by Barney (1991) who states that firms' competitive advantage deepens upon resources and assets owned by the company. Following Barney (1991) resources are extended if they are: "Valuable (when they enable a firm to conceive or implement strategies that improve its efficiency or effectiveness) Rare (valuable firm resources possessed by large numbers of competing firms cannot be sources of either a competitive advantage or a sustainable competitive advantage) Imperfectly Imitable (because of {a combination of} three reasons: unique historical conditions, causally ambiguous, social complex). Non-Substitutable (there must not be strategically equivalent valuable resources that are themselves either not rare or imitable)" (Resource-Based View 2000). The case of Google UK shows that the company uses resource-based strategy which helps it to develop strategic capability (Fill 12). Similar to its parent company, valuable resources of Google UK allow the company to meet high demands of customers and deliver exceptional quality to end consumers. Google in particular seems to have already undertaken a number of major initiatives such as the indexing of PDF documents, or the purchase of the Deja newsgroup archive. But the reality is that individual search engines do not cover the whole of the visible web, let alone the invisible web. So the prospect of there being a single search engine which has complete coverage of the entire web is some way off. Another variable is dynamic databases (Google: case study 2006). These databases allow users to go directly onto that site in order to perform the search. These databases cover a wide range of different file formats such as free text databases, company directories, market research reports, numeric data or bibliographic information. Even the free text databases vary considerably in their formats. They may each contain a different set of fields or segments. Because the database formats vary so much, and also because of the fact that there are so many different databases, it is not possible to undertake a global search across the entire contents of all the databases available through Google. There are a number of file groups set up which allow cross file searching across a limited number of files, but a key factor in performing a successful and effective search on (Google: case study, 2006). Rare resources of Google are human resources and technological solutions. Also, Google propose customers unique services such as geographic monitoring and Google Video. Service quality is closely connected with Human Resource Management, technology and settings. So, the main "focus" is on service quality and skills of employees which ensure customers satisfaction. Managers must deal with new people issues because the changes brought about by technology definitely require a new kind of employee. The use of technology requires more problem solving skills and the ability to interpret data and is thus likely to lead to a

Short Response to event Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short Response to event - Assignment Example For business communication seeking partners and collaboration in order to achieve some goal is priority. Audience was allowed to communicate in a dialog to members of software companies only before presentation speeches. I talked to some of them, asking questions, gathering information and trying to make contacts, but real interest and good questions logically appear after you’ve heard a presentation speech and understood the subject. But it was jury only allowed to ask speaker questions, so to another part of the audience the main part of the event was a monolog and we were listeners. I suppose that means audience wasn’t considered like a business partner on this event, so jury and App software companies were only interested in each other, and it makes sense according to the kind of event. But I think audience should be allowed to ask questions, because in business you need to think wider. A company can not win the prize pool, but there are potential partners in the au dience, maybe. As a rule audience in such kind of events is professional orientated and someone could be interested in your project, or your company may hear an interesting question and find a partner itself. So I think taking audience into account is important, so I will in my future career. The entire event was pretty much verbal: speakers from App software companies proclaimed speeches 10 minutes long and then answered jury’s questions, audience were listening and we all were wearing tag sticks on our chest with information we had put there etc. I was involved in nonverbal communication nodding as a response on verbal communication, shaking hands with members of software companies I talked before presentation, I was slapping hands etc. About the same did the rest of the audience and jury. Speakers used gestures, voice intonations and posed themselves differently to look confident and professional etc. But mostly I was interested in short videos that were shown as a part of

Cleaning tasks in home care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cleaning tasks in home care - Essay Example This essay describes the role of home health aide in maintaining a clean, safe and healthy environment. The essay further talks about principles of safe home environment and procedures for house hold tasks. It explains how to clean utensils, linen and personal items. Guidelines on organizing the household tasks are discussed in this paper. 2. Role of home health aide. Home health aide gives safety, cleanliness and health assistance by giving personalized care, checking for physical dangers and report to medical authority about the client. By helping in bathing, dressing and toileting they reduce the chances of discomfort and infections (Prieto, 2008, p. 184). Assistance in movement, taking medication and feeding reduces accidents. Purchasing, preparing, serving and feeding ensure the client remain healthy. In some cases the home health aide educates the client and family which facilitate their cooperation when it comes to maintaining a safe, clean and healthy environment. Home health aide gives support to client and family by ensuring the surrounding is comfortable and can allow safe mobility (Anene 2009, p. 46). 3. Principles of safe home environment. To maintain a safe home environment avoid objects that could cause stumbling. One can put hand rails or bars in the house for support. Cabinets with dangerous substances and tools should be locked. Allow temperature for water heater to be adjusted to prevent burns. Naked flames should not be left unattended. Moreover, ensure there is an equipped first aid kit and functional fire extinguisher ready and accessible. Communication should be encouraged. A safe environment will ensure that there is no risk of burns, drowning, chocking, cuts, falls, loud noise, falling objects, broken items, robes and naked electric wires. It may be necessary to implement a system of monitoring movement like a door alarm, bell or supervision. Ensure there is a working telephone in case of an emergency. The home health aide can practice appropriate body mechanics when moving, lifting and transferring client (Birchenall and Streight 2003, p. 4). In addition cover the mouth when coughing and wear a mask if the client is coughing frequently. Avoid sitting or standing too close to the patient when they cough or have flu. Ensure there is ventilation to allow flow of fresh air. Soiled cloths, linen and items should be kept away from the clean ones. They can be kept together in a room. The soiled linen can be wrapped so that the soiling is at the middle and does not spill. 4. Procedure, equipments and supplies for house hold tasks. Leahy et al (2008, p. 17) point out that, it is necessary to collect and get the right equipment and supplies to protect self and to avoid infection when cleaning. House hold equipments and supplies required include: broom, mop, dust pan, disinfectant, bleach, rag, scrub brush, vacuum and scrap. Infection control measures should be considered in every procedure. Wear gloves when performing task s and handling soiled linen, equipment or cloths. Clean hands regularly, preferably before and after completing tasks. Separate dirty and clean areas. The bathroom should be cleaned with cloth and the toilet wiped with a disposable cloth. When cleaning the kitchen start with the top to bottom, wipe spills and throw garbage daily. To clean the bathroom cleaning starts from top to bottom then clean sinks, shower and then the toilet. The floor and the water spills should be

The relation of the Gross Domestic Product to economic welfare Essay

The relation of the Gross Domestic Product to economic welfare - Essay Example The Gross Domestic Product is a specific measure of a country’s national output and provides a basic idea of how well-off a country is, compared with other countries. Moreover, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the most commonly used benchmark of national income. Introduction The GDP reports how much money was made in a given economy over a given period of time. The figures are "gross" because GDP does not allow for the depreciation of physical capital. In a sense, the GDP is a gross measure of market activity, of the volume of money changing hands. It does not take into account the desirable and the undesirable transactions in the economy. It does not take into consideration the total costs or gain. The major contributions of the household and volunteer sectors are not included in the computation of the GDP. The economists and policymakers state that raising the rate of growth of gross national product (GNP) and the GDP is the hallmark of economic development. This central dogma of development economics stems from the conviction that the way to economic progress in poor countries lies in increasing the rate at which the industries of that country progresses. The GDP is positively affected by the growth of local markets. The growth of local markets is achieved by changing the incentives for people to remain in long-term relationships. Long-term relationships are supported by social norms which includes reciprocity. Thus, the growth of markets in one set of goods and services can diminish the existing incentives for remaining in long-term relationships that cover transactions in other goods and services. When these incentives diminish, social norms are affected. (The New Statesman) However, if country A has a high GDP figure relative to country B, it does not necessarily mean that country is A is automatically better off. We have to look at their GDP figures closely. Some countries which have a high GDP are really high-performing economies. Take for example Luxembourgs. Luxembourg's GDP per head can be attributed to 90,000 citizens who go to certain parts of Europe such as Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands daily to work in the financial services sector. These workers were included in Luxembourg's population of 450,000. If they were added to this number, then the country's overall GDP per head would be smaller, but still among the top ranking countries in the OECD. China has also overtaken many European countries in terms of GDP figures. For example, China had overtaken Italy as the world's sixth-largest economy in 2004, and has overtaken France and the United Kingdom by the end of 2005. Growth rates in developed countries are just a fraction of thosed experienced in China: 3-4 percent for the US and 2-3 percent for Japan and Europe, against at least 8 percent for China. (Business Asia, March 2006). The effective marketing strategy of Chinese companies, private and public in China have added to their considerable profits and growth. (Lewis, et.al., 2006). However, in terms of quality of life and environmental safety levels, these European countries definitely have a higher quality of life and environmental levels compared to China. Thus, it is does not automatically mean that if a country has a high GDP then it is better off compared to another country with a lower GDP level. Niger has a GDP of 12.36 billion dollars in 2006. But upon close examination, it is just one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Human Development Index. In real figures, Niger's GDP looks huge. But upon closer examination, its economy is based on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Traditional subsistence farming, herding,

Networking Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Networking Plan - Essay Example A super connector is that person who makes vital connections or introductions that grow a network (Uzzi & Dunlap, 2005). Bill fits this definition well. He has made vital introductions as seen in the above table. Bill is a graduate from Sydney University and is currently a fashion and design professional that appreciates and shares the company’s vision as well as objective. I met Lucy Hassan in my search for quality art pieces that Dye & Dyer could use. In the process of our interaction, I introduced her to Bill whom I had met earlier on. Bill required someone of her expertise in printing some designs for his Art collections and Lucy Hassan was the perfect match. Bill had introduced me to Denis who was a fashion guru who run his own fashion blogs, and aided in the selection of fashion pieces for display. In turn I introduced Denis to another fashion guru: Patrick, who dealt in African art and fashion. Bill also introduced me to another fashion guru Martha, who just as Denis, r an her own fashion blogs, and aided in the selection of fashion pieces for display. Martha needed someone with fashion printing expertise. So, I introduced her to Lucy Hassan. ... Therefore, I introduced Dave to Bill. I needed expert opinion on my fashion pieces. Dave introduced me to Cynthia Carew to help me in this area. Cynthia is now a friend and she provides critique and objectivity to the fashion pieces that I select for Dye & Dyer. Indeed, her advice is invaluable in making fashion statements and presentations. It is her passion for fashion that made me introduce her to Martha, who in turn introduced her (Cynthia) into the world of blogs on high-end fashion and art. I needed help in filming as well as shoots. Bill introduced me to Robert. Robert is a film expert. This introduction enables me to access his innumerable knowledge on film and photography. I in turn introduced him to Phillip, who helped him branch his (Robert’s) company to neighboring counties. Morris is a financial consultant from my university who impressed me with his portfolio in management. Morris was a friend I had known from my university days. Bill, who enjoys risky investment s, needed expert advice on the issue of management. It is for this reason that I introduced him (Bill) to Morris. That is how my network grew within a short span of time with Bill acting as my super – connector. This network has exhibited tremendous growth in a short span of time and is expected to continue growing. Q 2 The networks we build determine the access and extent that our ideas will reach. Creating strong networks is therefore an essential part of the structure of any individual’s life, or the structure of any organization’s life (Sigmar et al. 2012). After reading Uzzi & Dunlop’s article (2005), I had to take a critical look at my network and its structure. Bill Nicholls introduced me to the fashion business and has since acted as my contact in matters concerning

My Dream Essay Example for Free

My Dream Essay Hello everybody, im Doan Phuong Ly and i have been studied at Saigontech since 2012. My main major is Business Management. And i will have 2 more semesters to finish this program. I do really enjoy the business so that after graduating from this college , i hope that i can afford myself to attend the higher business program like MBA or rather , i will attend some Advanced Diploma certification which is necessary to my business in the future. As a person who are interested in business, i need to know the essential needs and basics of business so when i joined this course i feel it seems very useful and necessary to achieve my goals in my work life now and in the future. Eventhough, this course is short but it includes alot of content about the business such as the business environment, how to creating financing marketing and managing a business. In my life now, i have quite a lot of problems when i want to open my own business, such as opening my fashion shop, ive met quite a lots of trouble to identify and find out the best way to reach to my purpose. Fortunately, when participating in this course, there are too many things in books and also my instructor support a lots of business knowledge. It helps me to apply to my business work now, and if i can go further, i can understand the economic situation so that i may manage my business more effectively and i will achieve much success in my future.

Income and Wealth Equality Essay Example for Free

Income and Wealth Equality Essay Discuss whether the most effective way to have income and wealth equality is to tax income more progressively. Income is a stable flow of money, often a salary, which someone works for but this can also be made through interest on savings. This flow of money is often very unequal from person to person due to wage differentials, this then creates inequality. Wealth on the other hand is a stock of assets which have a market value, which may change over time e. g. houses or cars. These are often inherited but can be bought by someone through their income. Wealth and income often found together however someone who is wealthy doesn’t always have a large income. Their relationship with inequality is also very different with a lot more inequality found in wealth as a fifth of wealth is concentrated among the richest one per cent of households however there is still some in income. One way the government can stop this inequality is through a progressive taxation system that aims to tax the poorest people very little but make the money up by taxing the richer. This would work at several boundaries with someone income being taxed higher when it exceeds a certain limit. This then creates equality as the richer people have less money and the poorer have more from not paying tax and then the unemployed get benefits. This then reduces the budget deficit as the tax payers pay for people benefits, helping to reduce the class system. However one problem with this is that it may cause the highest earners to leave the country to avoid paying tax and companies moving their headquarters abroad where they will pay less tax. This happened in the 70s with the rolling stones but is also happening with corporations such Amazon and Costa and this something that may happen more if the richer are taxed too much. This is also taking money out of the economy as they spend their money abroad, out of the flow of income in the UK. Another problem with this system is that it creates ‘the poverty trap’. A type of government failure, this is when there is no incentive for people to get off benefits as they won’t make any more money. To stop this there may need to be a re-evaluation of the system as the replacement ratio is too high. This can also create poor attitudes, with generations of people not working. This is also found in the work place with some people refusing pay rises as they will have to pay more money in tax as they go through a tax boundary. However more recently this has happened with child benefits as these are being reduced depending on how much someone earns another reason why someone would refuse a pay rise. Wealth is often harder to tax however it is often caused by income so the tax system previously described may be used to reduce wealth and thus stopping inequality. This system can also be found in wealth though, with inheritance tax being used progressively. For example any money above 325,000 is taxed at 40%. This then creates a source of revenue for the government but also stops people inheriting huge sums of money, stopping inequality. However this system has its flaws as the tax has to be paid first, it could also be argued as unfair as someone who works for their money is entitled to leave it to who they want, especially as it was already taxed when it was earned. This system has also caused many pensioners to move abroad where what they leave is taxed less. The money inherited is also often used by entrepreneurs to fund businesses so the system may also reduce the possibility for future in income tax. This systems also sonly raises  £2.9bn a year, a mere 0.18% of GDP, which sometimes ends up being spent on court cases as people argue against the system. One alternative system for reducing inequality is by providing incentives for people to get into work. This could be done by changing the minimum wage as it would reduce the replacement ratio. This can also be achieved by reducing the unemployment benefits or making them harder to get. Reducing benefits would also lower the budget deficit as the government can save money. However this could be hard on people who genuinely can’t work due to long term illness or disability. Another way of increasing the work force is by increasing spending on training of workers but also in the education system. This will create better skilled and qualified workers, allowing them to make more money and giving them more job opportunities. This type of supply side policy can be expensive but there should be future benefits as their will be more money made from income tax. They would also create job opportunities for teachers or other people to teach skills. Other examples of this include apprenticeships and part time work schemes that together should create a job for everyone, reducing the tax bill. However they won’t work for everyone as there is always someone who will be left behind and It may also be hard to change the mind set of people who are used to not working. These types of policies would also all stop inequality as the poorer people would have employment opportunities giving them a higher source of income. However there are very little alternatives to redistribute wealth as it is impossible to give people items of value as those who are in poverty often don’t even have a house. The government may be able to provide schemes for people to work for their homes and other areas of wealth. It is also hard for them to find things of wealth at an affordable rate especially as it is normally found through work done by relatives. This is why it is unlikely to be done as it wouldn’t be very sustainable and effective however in theory the re distribution of wealth could be done. In conclusion the progressive tax system has its benefits as it provides a simple way of reducing inequality by taxing the rich and giving the poor money, bringing them closer financially. However in my opinion the system is the easy solution with short term benefits rather than long term gains that might happen through providing incentives rather than disincentives for people. However the problem with wealth is greater as it can’t be easily moved but through redistributing income wealth will consequently be redistributed as ultimately income is the main cause of wealth.

Impact of Climate Change on the Arctic Circle

Impact of Climate Change on the Arctic Circle Introduction Oil, as a globally valuable natural resource, remains the focus of major international disputes and economic challenges spanning over recent decades. As climate change begins to open up untapped areas rich for drilling, these economic conflicts are only exacerbated by the tenacity of geopolitical rights in certain areas. A prime example of this phenomenon is in the Arctic Circle, bordered by powerful Western nations. Since the majority of the Arctic is ocean covered in rapidly melting glacial sheets, an unseen sovereignty problem arises as nations vie for drilling rights to oil reservoirs. Governments and scientists are attempting to find methods to substantiate their claims to features in the Arctic Ocean, however, there is a lack of defined policy and legislation over the Arctic. This has led to considerable tensions between the two main powers in this region, Russia and the United States. Empirical evidence has been compiled over the last century to give an incredibly clear picture of how climate change is severely affecting the rate of glacial ice melt and permafrost thaw in the Arctic Circle. These climatically induced changes are occurring in both the North American Arctic and Eurasian Arctic. The Arctic circle is the global area above 66 ° N, with the North American Arctic comprised of the ocean and landmass between 0 °E and -150 ° W and the Eurasian Arctic between 0 ° and  °180 E.() Total land ice in the Arctic covers about 273,000 km2. Glacial ice melt is chronic in the Arctic, with causality directed at steadily increasing global temperatures. Historic meteorological observations in the North American Arctic display that the mean temperature rapidly rose a whopping   Ëœ 1 °C from 1900 through 2000. (Harriss 2016) This change represents a double augmentation of increasing global temperature trends. Various studies complied by the IPCC have likewise indicated that the Eurasian Arctic is warming at approximately at a Ëœ0.12 °C per year rate, noted as increasing at significantly quicker rate than the global temperature average. (IPCC 2014) Hence, glacial ice melt is exacerbated in the Arctic, as is permafrost thaw on continental land. The Eurasian and North American Arctic areas have lost several hundred kilometers of ice in the past 50 years alone. In turn, the rapidity of this ice melt is allowing for access to previously inaccessible oil and gas resources in the Arctic region. Its been approximated that the Arctic circle contains about 412.16 billion barrels of crude oil and liquid natural gas, with the majority, about 63.4%, located in the Eurasian Arctic. (EIA 2008) The majority of Arctic oil and gas reservoirs have already been discovered, with approximately 61 large oil and gas fields currently located by various geographic agencies. Oil is a crucial resource for almost every nation on earth, as it used for the majority of energy production.(EIA 2008) Western nations especially rely on oil for lifestyle comforts, economic dominance, and global trade power relations. The energetic conversion of oil, uncoincidentally, also drives the temperature trends occurring with modern climate change. (Hobbie, et. al 2017) Of course, with such a high demand for these valuable fossil fuels, several states geographically located in or near the Artic have begun staking claims in fields and shelves. Russia, the United States, Norway, Denmark, Canada, and Finland have al l made claims for various Arctic shelves and basins containing natural resources. This has produced some geopolitical tensions, as the question of which states have certain sovereign rights over Arctic underwater features remains pertinent.() In order to fully understand the scope of these international economic topics, one must understand the concept of sovereignty. Sovereignty, defined at a base level, is the possession of total authority within a geographic territory. There are two types of sovereignty in political theory-external and internal. External sovereignty concerns the relationship between a sovereign power and other states in the international community. (Lansing 1907) States with external sovereignty are recognized by other states as being a sovereign entity in the international system. Internal sovereignty, defined by law theorist Robert Lansing, is that which is inherent in a people of any state, or vested by its rulerin its fundamental laws.(Lansing 1907) Simply put, internal sovereignty is simply the right of is the right of a state to govern itself within its own defined borders. Now, when examining how this concept applies to the geopolitical disputes over Arctic oil sources, one can hone it down to a fundamental issue; how does one establish sovereignty in a borderless ocean, that, by UN law, is international? Various Arctic states are exacting claims over areas in the Arctic that arent geologically part of a claimed continental landmass. According to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a state may claim an exclusive economic zone up to only 200 nautical miles from their internationally recognized borders, unless the state can prove the continental shelf on which it sits extends beyond these 200 nautical miles, in which case the zone is extended to 350 miles. ( 2015) For the United States and Russia, geopolitical tensions have risen over the past decade due to the tenacity of sovereignty in international waters. For example, in a deep-sea dive in the early 2000s, Russia dropped a tiny titanium flag under the North Pole ice sheet, symbolically asserting their claim over an area containing over 10 billion tons of oil, as well as a wealth of other natural resources.(Than 2007) This action raised alarms for the Arctic United States. The international system will need to figure out to what extent sovereignty extends to undersea geologic features and oil reserves, and who gets to make those decisions. The Arctic is a huge wealth of resources, and will be a key feature in the future development of the global energy market. Problem Statement https://www.jstor.org/stable/2186165?seq=1#fndtn-page_scan_tab_contents http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.nau.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=632f5f89-fa62-4633-9c0e-34c659a0468f%40sessionmgr4007vid=0hid=4211bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=114927740db=a9h http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.libproxy.nau.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5sid=73ae1002-3040-45a6-ba70-8a33d8ed07a9%40sessionmgr104hid=104bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=120895930db=a9h http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.nau.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4sid=54d373a5-ab8d-4229-b295-4847b9bee2d9%40sessionmgr4006hid=4211bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=92014156db=a9h http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.nau.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=e5bcabc7-1a08-4e43-a460-7b6ac4db0737%40sessionmgr4010vid=0hid=4211bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=118931526db=a9h http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.nau.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3sid=aa525d5e-8761-4704-99b3-b84d594cffdf%40sessionmgr4009hid=4211

Thou Shall Not Kill :: essays research papers

) Capital punishment is the killing of a killer. The act of capital punishment is wrong and useless and I have few reasons why. When a murderer is executed or shot by lethal injection it costs almost twice as much as a criminal sitting in jail for 20 years. Another reason this is a very bad concept is because capital punishment encourages murder. Lastly no matter how sick and demented these wretched beasts are, they still don't deserve to be denied their right to live. Capital punishment is not a smart idea for the prisons who put it into effect. The execution of a prisoner too much money, which is unnecessary to spend. If we keep killing all of these felons, we'll quickly run out of money, simply because of this wasteful act. The money that is going towards the execution and the supplies are coming from your tax money. The more people the government continues to kill, the less money will go towards things we really want and need. The authorities are encouraging murders because of capital punishment. In just about every society world-wide murdering is wrong and should have strict punishment if done. Yet this law is clear to all Americans; capital punishment is contradicting it. The government says killing is only justified under certain circumstances, in which some convicted felons fall under. This is sending a message to the public that if it's under certain situations killing an individual is perfectly all right. In conclusion, capital punishment is overly expensive, encourages murder, and is simply wrong. This act of murder effects everyone for the worse. It should end, right now.

History of Marijuana :: American History Weed Medicine Essays

History of Marijuana Marijuana has been used both recreationally and medicinally for centuries. There are numerous accounts of its medicinal qualities in multiple historical artifacts. Its use dates back to 2737 B.C. when the Chinese emperor, Shen Nung, used it for medicinal purposes including malaria, gout, poor memory, rheumatism, and analgesia (Carter et. al., 2003). Eastern Indian documents, in the Atharvaveda, dating back to 2000 B.C. also refer to its medicinal use. The Jamestown settlers cultivated hemp produced by the marijuana plant. They used these fibers to make clothing, rope, and canvas because of its quality and durability. Physicians in the 19th century were prescribing cannabis as a pain reliever, an anticonvulsant, and for migraine headaches (Doweiko, 2002). Following his work in India in the 1840's William O'Shaughnessy introduced medicinal marijuana to the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria used marijuana for dysmenorrhoea during the same time period (Carter et. al., 2003). Smoking marijuana recreationally began to spread in the United States in the 1920's. It began to spread from Mexico and New Orleans up the Mississippi river. Jazz musicians, labor workers, and river boatmen were quickly taking to its euphoric effects (Gettman, 1995). Smoking marijuana also became more popular during Prohibition when more people began cultivation of the plant and importing it into the U.S. to replace alcohol (Doweiko, 2002). In 1942, marijuana was removed from the United States Pharacopoeia and the Federal Government began to criminalize non-medicinal marijuana possession and use (Carter et al., 2003). Marijuana became extremely popular in the 1960's and, today, is considered the most widely used illicit drug in the world, Canada, and the United States (Gettman, 1995). Pharmacology and Chemistry of Marijuana Cannabis is known to contain over 400 chemicals in which about 70 are classified as plant cannabinoids. The human body produces naturally occurring cannabinoids. The cannabinoids are lipophilic. Delta-8 and Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been found to produce most of the psychoactive effects of marijuana (Carter et al., 2003). Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol appears to be the most abundant cannabinoid and the main source of cannabis' impact. Cannabidiol is the second most predominantly active ingredient. It becomes Tetrahydrocannabinol as the cannabis plant matures and the T etrahydrocannabinol then breaks down into cannabinol Approximately 40 percent of the plant's resin in some strains of cannabis are cannabidiol. Each cannabis strain differs in

Why do people committ crime

The three classifications I believe then can be placed into are biological, psychological and sociological. I personally think people commit crimes for a variety of reasons: peer pressure, opportunity, greed, poor moral Judgment and character; They fail to see the benefits of adhering to the law conventional social values; The opinion that everyone commits some type of crime; The more that society perceive a particular criminal behavior as reasonable or acceptable, the less likely that It will be considered evil two prime examples are the legalization of marijuana. r prohibition. Is it biological, hereditary is it in our genes? Is it psychological or due to traits in our personality? Is it due to solicitation – do we learn it, from other people? Is it explained by our bonds to society? Is it because of where you were raised; or is it because of imbalances In our society? Does a lack of religious morals have anything to do with It? I have always been fascinated with why people commit crime in our society we can answer who, what, when and where but the last question why usually goes unanswered and drives us mad!The first category Is biological I know most- illogical theories have faded as society becomes more enlightened. I am saying brain damage, bad genetics, poor diet, and gender. Males are the predominate class of criminal offenders due to aggressive behavior that is encouraged in our society. While I believe some crimes are caused by biological imbalances, I believe there has to be a tipping point from society. The opportunity the victim the time and place and an imbalance in the odds which favor success. Like most detectives, I find the study of psychology of criminal behavior fascinating and the most-dangerous kind of rimming.This leads us to the second part of my theory. The second category I will put forward Is psychological. I think this class or reason to commit a crime Is the worst and most dangerous. I place psychopath and sociopaths in this c ategory. I put people who are Impulsive enjoy the power of controlling others these criminals get a rush of adrenaline high. Serial killers and rapist fall Into this category. Most of these people are loners whether it is due to the nature or nurture. I become criminals. The last category on the list is sociological.I think where you grow p and your socioeconomic status, peer pressure and education make a great deal of difference in whether an individual will become a criminal. Gang fall into this category, petty crime I personally think our prison system makes this worse because all it does is make better criminals. I think most criminals start in this class. This leads me to my theory. My theory after a lifetime in criminal Justice and my education in college is very simple old Caesar Baccarat had it right people weigh the good against the bad, in other words, is a crime worth the time. It all boils down to personal choice.

Economic Growth Essay

In any nation, the government policies, institutions, and laws collaborate to create a growth infrastructure which coordinates, enables, and encourages the economic behavior that results in the accumulation of human capital, physical capital, natural resources, and technology. These resources have a role in generating sustained long-run economic growth. Physical capital refers to the tools that are used to leverage the productive ability of an average worker. Physical capital includes transportation equipments, computers, machinery, and factories which facilitate the production of goods and services. They expand the capacity of an economy to produce goods in the future, thereby promoting economic growth. (Jones, 2002) Human capital refers to the numerous abilities that enable an average worker to apply and understand new, productive knowledge. An increase in the stock of human capital is achieved through education and on the job training. This equips workers with the appropriate skills to increase production, and, therefore, increasing economic growth. Natural resources provide the raw materials that are used in the production of goods and services. A nation that is endowed with adequate natural resources and has tools to extract them, can acquire the necessary raw materials for production and improve its economic growth in the long-run. Technological knowledge is used to bring scarce resources together to produce the required services and goods. Technology facilitates the production of better and more output from a given quantity of scarce economic resources, and this is what sustains the economic well-being, and drives economic growth of a nation. (Jones, 2002) The government through its policies and institutions can discourage or contribute to long-run growth. The government can encourage growth by developing power, transport, and other utilities. Growth can also be encouraged by using policies that will result in stable and low inflation. Heavy taxation by the government will discourage economic growth as it will reduce investments in the economy. Reference Jones, I. C. (2002). Introduction to economic growth. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Learning Team Industry Averages and Financial Ratios Essay

Watch the Industry Averages and Financial Ratios video and use the industry classification from the financial services website to locate the company’s SIC code on the U.S. Department of Labor’s website. Find the industry ratios for the company using the Dun &  Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios link in the Week 2 Electronic Reserve Readings. If your company’s SIC code does not appear in the dropdown menu, choose another company. Assume the inventory ratio is based on a traditional inventory system, but globalized markets and the supply chain make it critical to adopt lean principles to create a more efficient system. Calculate the 14 ratios (show your calculations) for the company using the two most recent annual financial statements found on the financial information website you used earlier. Be careful not to use quarterly information, and include ratios for both years. Note. You can access a downloadable Ratio Guide PDF by clicking the Help Guide link in the upper-right of the Dun & Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios window. Compare the ratios for the company you selected with the appropriate industry ratios including profitability, solvency, and efficiency ratios shown on the Dun & Bradstreet ® report. Write a 350-word response about how the company you selected performed compared with the industry. Instructor Notes: Also upload the following: Formula and calculations of your company’s financial ratios for most recent two years (Excel) Dun & Bradstreet financial ratios for your company’s SIC code (exported to Excel) (Please delete the text in yellow-highlight above) Industry Averages and Financial Ratios Paper The purpose of this analysis is for our team to analyze how Amazon.com Inc. performed compared with the industry based on financial ratios. In Attachment 1, our team provides the industry ratios for the company using the Dun & Bradstreet Key Business Ratios. In Attachment 2, we provide the Balance Sheet and Income Statement information for the company’s most recent two years. In Attachment 3, our team calculates the company’s 14 financial ratios. In Attachment 4, we compare the financial ratios with appropriate industry ratios including profitability, solvency, and efficiency ratios. Analysis of Company’s Financial Ratios Compared to Industry’s Financial Ratios Xxxx Provide an analysis of the selected company’s 14 financial ratios compared to the industry’s financial ratios. Compare the most recent two years from D&B industry average to the same two years from your calculated financial ratios. Use the â€Å"Median† from the D&B industry average Remember to select financial ratios related to profitability, solvency, and  efficiency ratios. Note: the analysis includes interpreting the importance of the company’s vs. the industry’s financial ratios. 3 points out of 3 possible points (please do not delete these lines with point scoring) Conclusion References [Insert references here.] Attachment 1 Industry’s ratios from Dun & Bradstreet ® Key Business Ratios Solvency Ratios Solvency ratios measure the financial soundness of a business and how well a company can satisfy its short- and long-term obligations. D&B uses six key financial business ratios to measure a company’s solvency: †¢ Quick Ratio, also called â€Å"acid test† or â€Å"liquid† ratio, considers only cash, marketable securities and accounts receivable because they are considered to be the most liquids forms of current assets. A Quick Ratio less that 1.0 implies â€Å"dependency† on inventory and other current assets to liquidate short-term debt. Cash + Accounts Receivable à · Current Liabilities †¢ Current Ratio is a comparison of current assets to current liabilities, commonly used as a measure of short-run solvency, i.e., the immediate ability of a business to pay its current debts as they come due. Potential creditors use this ratio to measure a company’s liquidity or ability to pay off short-term debts. Current Assets à · Cu rrent Liabilities †¢ Current Liabilities to Net Worth Ratio indicates the amount due creditors within a year as a percentage of the owners or stockholders investment. The smaller the net worth and the larger the liabilities, the less security for creditors. Normally a business starts to have trouble when this relationship exceeds 80%. Current Liabilities à · Net Worth †¢ Current Liabilities to Inventory Ratio shows, as a percentage, the reliance on available inventory for payment of debt (how much a company relies on funds from disposal of unsold inventories to meet its current debt). Current Liabilities à · Inventory †¢ Total Liabilities to New Worth Ratio shows how all of a company’s debt relates to the equity of the owners or stockholders.  The higher this ratio, the less protection there is for the creditors of the business. Total Liabilities à · Net Worth †¢ Fixed Assets to Newt Worth Ratio shows the percentage of assts centered in fixed assets compared to total equity. Generally the higher this percentage is over 75%, the more vulnerable a business becomes to unexpected hazards and climate changes. Fixed Assets à · Net Worth Efficiency Ratios Efficiency ratios measure the quality of a business’ receivables and how efficiently it uses and controls its assets, how effectively the firm is paying suppliers and whether the business is overtrading or undertrading on its equity. D&B uses five key financial business ratios to measure a company’s efficiency: †¢ Collection Period Ratio is helpful in analyzing the collectability of accounts receivable or how fast a business can increase its cash supply. Accounts Receivable à · Sales x 365 Days †¢ Sales to Inventory Ratio provides a yardstick for comparing stock-to-sales ratios of a business with others in the same industry. A high ratio may indicate that sales are being lost because of low inventory and/or customers are buying elsewhere. A low ratio may indicate that inventories are obsolete or stagnant. Annual Net Sale à · Inventory †¢ Assets to Sales Ratio shows how efficiently a business is usingits assets to generate revenue. A high ratio may indicate the business is not aggressive or that its assts are not fully used. A low ratio may indicate a company is selling more than can safely fulfilled by its assets. Total Assets à · Net Sales †¢ Sales to Net Working Capital Ratio shows the number of times working capital turns over annually in relation to net sales. A high turnover rate may indicate that the business relies heavily on credit. Sales à · Net Working Capital †¢ Accounts Payable to Sales Ratio shows how a company pays its suppliers in relation to the sales volume being transacted. A low percentage may indicate a healthy ratio. A high percentage may indicate that the business may be using suppliers to help finance its operation. Accounts Payable à · Net Sales Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios measure how well a company is performing by analyzing how profit was earned relative to sales, total assets and net worth. D&B uses three key financial business ratios to measure a company’s efficiency: †¢ Return on Sales (Profit Margin) Ratio measures the profits after taxes on the year’s sales. The higher the ratio, the better prepared the business is to handle downtrends brought on by adverse conditions. Net Profit After  Taxes à · Net Sales †¢ Return on Assets (ROA) Ratio shows the after tax earnings of assets and is an indicator of how profitable a company is. Return on assets ratio is the key indicator of the profitability of a company. It matches net profits after taxes with the assets used to earn such profits. A high percentage rated indicates the company is well run and has a healthy return on assets. Net Profit After Taxes à · Total Assets †¢ Return on Net Worth Ratio measure the ability of a company’s management to realize an adequate return on the capital invested by the owners in the company. Net Profit After Taxes à · Net Worth Median Median is the value from the midpoint that falls halfway between the Upper and Lower Quartiles. Industry Quartiles Industry Quartiles are static values taken directly from the KBR database tables. The value from the midpoint that falls halfway to the top of the list is selected as the Upper Quartile. The value that is halfway between the median and the bottom of the list is selected as the Lower Quartile.

Reaction of Natives to the Japanese Occupation of Sea

The Japanese occupation of Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaya impacted and hence triggered a response in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaya in the form of various nationalist groups. Some groups were formed and sponsored by the Japanese, yet others were formed to oppose the harshness of Japanese rule. Economic: The economic drain on the colonies in South East Asia resulted in the opposition of the natives towards the Japanese. In Malaya, the devastation and collapse of the economy caused a nightmare for the people of Malaya. However, many nationalist groups were formed within racial groups. The Chinese formed the Malayan Peoples’ Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA). However they were not able to unite the society because membership was limited to Chinese only and they practiced excessive revenge against collaborators, causing the Chinese community to regard them with fear and wariness and the other racial communities could not join, hence fragmenting the effort. The Japanese sponsored the formation of the Indian National Army (INA) led by Chandra Bose, however the independence struggle lacked unity and ultimately failed. They also sponsored the formation of the Union of the Peninsular Indonesia (KRIS), however there was not much support from both the ethnic Malays and Japanese and also failed in the end. In Vietnam, the rampant inflation and the scarcity of basic necessities caused the nationalism in Vietnam to flourish. When the famine in Tonkin broke out in 1944, the Viet Minh took over granaries belonging to the Japanese and rich landlords and distributed the rice to the peasants. This contributed to the rise of the Viet Minh as they were viewed as heroes. Hence, in both cases, the harsh conditions caused by the Japanese occupation led to the rise of nationalist groups in Malaya and Vietnam. Social: The Japanese Occupation changed the society of Vietnam and Indonesia. It gave the people of Vietnam an obvious nationalist cause, to expel both the Japanese and the French. This allowed to Viet Minh, who promoted the struggle for independence, to flourish. The negative effects of Japanese policies roused the nationalist feelings of the people, making them more united in their fight for independence. In Dutch East Indies, the Japanese pursued active policies which affected the development of nationalist groups. The Muslim teachers were given better treatment and respect in contrast to the Dutch who generally ignored them. The Japanese also sponsored the formation of the Consultative Council of Indonesian Muslims, also known as Masjuni, for the Muslims as a channel to voice their views directly to the top Japanese administration. They also imposed a uniform legal and education system, making Indonesian society more united and hence making it easier to cultivate nationalist feelings. The social changes caused by the Japanese to these two South-East Asian countries contributed to the rise of nationalism, which in turn served as the backbone of the natives’ struggle for independence after the Japanese occupation. Political: The political changes in Indonesia and Vietnam aided the rise of nationalism in these two countries. In Indonesia, the Japanese released several notable pre-war leaders from prison, allowing the released leaders to lead the nationalists. They also promoted the formation of the Pemuda Movement, which together with PETA helped to mobilize many youths and exposed them to nationalist ideas. Hizbullah, an organization for youth who opposed colonialism, was also formed. Furthermore, Soekarno, one of the released leaders, gave numerous nationalist speeches to active youths. These youths formed a significant base for the nationalist opposition to the re-imposition of Dutch colonial rule. In Vietnam, the rise of nationalism led by the Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh, is seen when the harsh conditions caused by the Japanese resulted in the solidification of the struggle by the Vietnamese for independence from the French and Vietnamese. Furthermore, the Japanese also actively strengthened religious groups like the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao to counter the influence of the communists and nationalists. However, these groups would later become major nationalists groups after the Japanese Occupation. The Japanese directly caused the rise of nationalism in these two South-East Asian countries due to the effects of their policies, effectively aiding the nationalists in their struggle for independence from not only the Japanese but also their former colonial masters at the end of the war. In conclusion, the groups that mushroomed as a result of the Japanese occupation served as the main backbone of anti-colonial struggles for independence both during and after the Japanese occupation. Though the rule of the Japanese varied in different countries in the region, the end result was the same in all, nationalist groups ready to lead the struggle for independence with or without Japanese support. The reaction of the people in response to the Japanese forever changed the history of South-East Asia.

Best Case Questions

It can point out significant matters of the financial statements but does not provide assurance of their accuracy. Because reviews are generally not as rigorous as audits, considerably less evidence is typically collected in a review than in a comparable audit engagement. The issue with ZZZZ Best case is that the auditors review was not sufficient enough to review any material misstatements on the financial statements. 3. SAS 106 (AU 326), Audit Evidence, specifically identifies the principal management assertions that underlie financial statements.The existence/occurrence assertion was particularly critical for ZZZZ Best’s insurance restoration contracts. ZZZZ Best’s auditors obtained third-party confirmations to support the contracts, reviewed available documentation, performed analytical procedures to evaluate the reasonableness of the revenues recorded on the contracts, and visited selected restoration sites. * What were the limitations of the evidence that these procedures provided with regard to the management assertion of existence/occurrence? 8 points) The limitations of the evidence that these procedures provided with regard to the management assertion of existence/occurrence was that Minkow insisted on Ernst Whinney to sign a standard confidentiality agreement where it stated that Ernst Whinney will not be able to make any follow-up telephone calls to any contractors, insurance companies, the building owner, or other individuals involved in the restoration contract. This restriction effectively prohibited the auditors from corroborating the insurance restoration contracts with independent third parties. 4. George Greenspan testified before Congress that one method he used to audit the insurance restoration contracts was to verify that his client actually received payment on those jobs. * How can such apparently reliable evidence lead an auditor to an improper conclusion? (6 points) In Greenspan’s situation, his apparently reliable evidence was not from independent third party.When Greenspan confirmed the existence of ZZZZ’s insurance restoration contracts, he contacted Tom Padgett who at the time was an active and willing participant in Minkow’s fraudulent schemes. 5. Re: Predecessor-successor auditors: * What is the purpose of predecessor-successor auditor communications? * Which party, the predecessor or successor auditor, has the responsibility for initiating these communications?The successor auditor should obtain information from the predecessor auditor that will assist the successor auditor in determining whether to accept the engagement. Matters subject to the inquiry should include information that might bear on the integrity of management, disagreements with management as to accounting principles, auditing procedures, or similarly significant manners, communications to those charged with governance regarding fraud and illegal acts by clients, communications to management and those charged with governance regarding signi?

Logistics - FedEx Distribution Systems Coursework

Logistics - FedEx Distribution Systems - Coursework Example The company is observed to use a distribution system of its own known as the ‘FedEx International DirectDistribution’ which is said to be an easy and cost-effective process, resulting in the distribution of various shipments in proper time along with decreasing its operational cost. This mechanism thereby facilitates to ensure that low cost is charged from the customers. This, in turn, plays a vital role in ascertaining the preference of FedEx amid consumers. With reference to the above graphical representation i.e. ‘FedEx International DirectDistribution’, it can be viewed that the distribution system of FedEx comprises three steps that include packaging of the shipment received from different sources, making transportation of goods with the help of different means, as well as the concluding step is to deliver the shipment to the final customers or retailers. The different steps have been elaborated below: The packaging of the shipment received: In the first step of the distribution process of the company, the shipments received are packed according to their requirements. The packaging process is considered to be a vital part of the distribution process of the company as the shipment of the goods in proper order or quality is reliant on the way in which the packaging is done. FedEx does have different packaging policies for diverse forms of products. The different packaging policies comprise stacking the shipment received in order to have a proper estimation of the width, length, and breadth of the boxes that would be needed to pack the product. The next step is the process of cushioning and bracing, resulting in the proper handling of the products while transporting the shipments from one location to another. And, the last step is banding and wider packaging so that no damages occur owing to an inadequate stacking of the products (FedEx, 2013).

Rational in Buying Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rational in Buying - Research Proposal Example Harrison-Walker (1995) states that it appears that age demographics receive 'scant' attention in the marketing communications literature. Figure 11 shows a general outline of the overall research process as well as a guideline on the structure of the project itself. Due to the rapidly changing environment that is the industry of clothing and grocery, any company needs a clearer understanding of the nature of purchasing varying by age category. This would enable a successful and efficient segmentation and differentiation of its products to the different age groups. With this mind, here is a list of objectives to be accomplished during the process of the research as well a general guideline and outline throughout the research: - Review the findings on the basis of comparison and contrasting and analysis of the results for the different groups, tracing and identifying the differences and similarities and make the final conclusions and recommendations. The brand name of any product has always been considered essential and vital as it was something, which once attached to an ordinary product, made it extraordinary or special. A key function of brands is quality certification. Brand reputation has considerable value more so where consumers find it difficult to judge quality for themselves. Often connected by the price, Premium Branding has enabled producers to establish consumer loyalty, increase consumer and customer awareness and develop and establish extensions of the brand. This makes branding a paramount element of the Marketing Strategy. Although, it was always demanding 'a great deal of long-term investment, especially for advertising, promotion and packaging' (Phillip Cotter 2003). The Image of a Brand, in the eyes of the consumer, may also act as a so called filter or perception of 'good or bad' products. This is easily influenced by marketing variables and/or other social influences over which the commercial marketer has limited control. Although commercial marketers tend to say they have ultimate and very strong control, the reality is slightly more fickle combined with the changing environment and ultimately customers' tastes, wants and needs. However, Marketers anticipating this turbulent environment learned to segment markets, so to focus their time, effort and energy toward a particular

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE ONLINE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE AND PROCEDURE ONLINE WRITTEN - Assignment Example Hymon identified himself as a police officer and ordered the suspect to stop. The young man crouched at the fence ignored the officer's command and attempted to over the fence. While the suspect was going over the fence, the police officer fired at the suspect hitting him in the head. The burglary suspect was a fifteen-year-old named Edward Garner who consequently died as a result of the shooting. The officer who shot Garner was acting pursuant to the law of Tennessee and the Memphis police department policy. The Memphis police policy authorizes a police officer to use deadly force to apprehend a fleeing suspect. It provides that where all other means to apprehend that suspect have been exhausted. The police are taught to shoot to kill and not trained to shoot to wound, therefore, it is apparent that Garner's death was not accidental. Thereafter the suspect’s father brought a civil rights action against the Director of Police, the Memphis Police Department, the City, the mayor and officer Hymon. Legal point of issue The action was founded on the claim that when Hymon shot and killed Garners he violated his constitutional rights as under the fourth, eighth and fourteenth amendments. The other defendants in the case were enjoined in the suit on the basis that they failed to exercise due care in the employment, training, and supervision of officer Hymon and, therefore, they were equally responsible for Garners death. Decision of the court The court decided that the using deadly force to seize a fleeing and unarmed felon is unconstitutional as indicated by the mandates of fourth, eighth and fourteenth amendments. Additionally the court found that the rule of the fleeing felon does not violate the provisions of either the fourth or the eighth amendments. Reasoning of the court In arriving at its decision, the court reasoned that a police officer could arrest an individual if there is the probable reason that the individual has committed a crime. The fourth am endment does not make any provisions concerning how the seizure is made. The seizure should have a balance of the extent of intrusion as against the reasonableness of the manner the arrest is made. To determine the reasonability of an arrest, there must be a balance of both nature and the quality of the intrusion on the individuals interests as provided for by the fourth amendment against the importance of the interests of the government to justify the seizure. The court referred to the case of Michigan v summers where it was held that the key principles of the fourth amendment are balancing competing interests. Furthermore, the court found that reasonableness depends on when the arrest is made and how it is executed. In view of this and in light of the current case, the court found that irrespective of the probable cause to apprehend a suspect the officer apprehending the suspect must not always do so by killing him. The use of such deadly force by an officer in conducting an arres t is unmatched (Kevin, Rick, & Betsy 2007). The fundamental interest of the suspect is his life and the use of lethal force in effecting an arrest frustrates the interest of the individual (Gino 2003). The use of lethal force also frustrates the interest of the society in judicially determining the guilt of the suspect and

Persian Gulf Wars of 1991 & 2003 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persian Gulf Wars of 1991 & 2003 - Essay Example The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq was the first incident in history whereby two member nations of the United Nations were involved in an armed conflict (Carlisle and Bowman, 2003). This brutal takeover unfolded a series of tragic events that engulfed the two nations as well as the rest of the world and disrupted the peaceful world order. It divided the nations of the world into two groups, each trying to defend their respective allies in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation and uphold their political ideologies. Comparison between Gulf and Persian Wars of 1991 and 2003 The primary purpose of the first Gulf War (which took place in the year 1991) was to defend the sovereignty of a member nation (Kuwait) against the unwarranted invasion by Iraqi forces. The first war (of 1991) marked the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq while the second war marked the invasion of Iraq by a coalition of forces led by the United States, UK, Australia and Poland. The invasion of Kuwait was executed by the Iraqi armed forces at the behest of the then President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. Such invasion would prove to be catastrophic for the rest of the world since Kuwait, similar to Iraq, was an oil-rich country and the invasion would greatly benefit Iraq, resulting in the country being in possession and control of over 40 per cent of the world’s oil reserves. This fact alarmed the rest of the world and under the leadership of United States along with its closest ally - UK many other countries including and as varied as France, Japan, and Pakistan formed a coalition of forces and supported Kuwait in defending its sovereignty (Finlan, 2008). The key objective of the first Gulf war was hence to prevent the tilting of balance of power in favor of the oil-rich Iraq by defending the political territory of Kuwait, and restore the world order. The second Persian Gulf War (of 2003) also known as the Iraq War, was Post the defeat of Iraq by the coalition forces and the subsequent cease fire which ended in 1991; Iraq was obligated to allow inspections of its military units and research facilities for suspected development, use and possession of weapons of mass destruction. The refusal of Iraqi dictator to submit to such demands triggered the 2003 War on Iraq which served as a basis for political unrest within and without the borders of the Arab world. There were several efforts to disarm Iraq of its nuclear weapons through diplomatic pressure. However the failure to do so compelled the United Nations to allow United States led forces to use military power to achieve the political objective (Sidlow and Henschen, 2008: 373). The Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process: An Evaluation The Palestinian-Israeli peace process also known as the Oslo peace process refers to the decade old diplomatic efforts to restore peace and end the animosity between the two warring nations. The fundamental bone of contention between Palestine and Israel was the refusal of the Arab world to acknowl edge the existence of the Jewish state. The need for peace process arose from the rebellious behavior of Palestinians under the Israeli occupation, and their reluctance to cooperate with the Israeli government. There was widespread unrest among the Palestinians against the Israelis which began from the boycott of Israeli goods by the Palestinians, and eventually increased in scope and magnitude to burning, lynching,

Co-operative entreprises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Co-operative entreprises - Essay Example Different Expectations One of the common and the most disastrous problems of working in a co-operative is that different members may come together in the team having different expectations. I will present here the simple example of doing an assignment together. Some group members may be satisfied with nothing but an A whereas others may settle with just a passing grade. Different expectations can lead to different attitude, work ethics and priorities (Barton, 2011). Thus it is very important in a co-operative to have a common goal and shared values. Each member should identify with that goal. It may even be necessary to scale down the expectations of some of the members and scale up the expectations of others in order to arrive at a goal which is expectable to all the members. Lack of Communication A co-operative is formed when one member cannot fulfil all the roles himself. Thus a co-operative entails division of work. Some members may be made in charge of marketing, others will hav e to handle the finance and some others are tasked to handle operations of the co-operative. The biggest challenge here is the lack of communication among members responsible for different tasks. A marketing guy may make a very ambitious sales plan but may not be aware that there are no finances to support his plan. Lack of communication causes numerous problems but is relatively easy to handle. The problem can be handled b having regular meetings with different group members (Nilsson & Ollila, 2013). These meetings might seem like a drag but they help everyone to come up to speed and also remain misunderstanding that may crop up. Regular communications among different teams is the most important means of solving problems in a co-operative working environment and ensure positive interdependence among the team members. Ego/Personality clashes In my personal experience of working on a co-operative project ego clash is the biggest challenge which is very difficult to solve. The operati onal and logistic problems can be solved easily if all team members put their minds to it but ego clashes not only demoralize other team members but may even ruin the whole project (Cooperatives UK, 1965). These clashes may not be even related to the project that we are undertaking but members may have brought them in to the team from their past history. The best way to avoid these clashes is to ensure that each member of the co-operative is allowed to speak his or her mind. No one should be given more weight age as compared to others. However this does not usually happens and team members end up taking sides which is disastrous for the co-operative. I have personally seen that secret voting on topics of contention is a good way to prevent these clashes and help the group move forward. Cultural Differences Each one of us has a different way of working even if we have the same goals. Some members of the group like to work alone, some like to work under pressure whereas others like to plan ahead. I call these problems as cultural differences among the members of the team. These differences

Do Ethical Theories Help Journalists do Their Job Essay

Do Ethical Theories Help Journalists do Their Job - Essay Example 101). In the conduct of their profession, journalists are practically confronted with various ethical dilemmas that it would be better for them to be armed with ethical theories than not. Furthermore, ethical theory becomes more important to journalists given the impact they can create to their readership (public opinion) and the society (public values) as a whole – which according to Iggers (1998, p. 15) makes journalism ethics unique – especially in this era of corporate journalism wherein the interest of capital often clashes with that of the public, putting in jeopardy journalism’s long-held principles as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists (1973): â€Å"Seek truth and report it; minimize harm; act independently; and be accountable† (Friend & Singer 2007, p. xix; Boeyink & Sandra 2010, p. 17; Black & Roberts 2011, p. 51). Hanlin (1992, p. 28) is perfectly understandable to say that â€Å"many critics might agree with the suggestion that any man rich enough to buy a newspaper should not be allowed to own one.† This statement simply illustrates how the situation and the organisation in which journalists perform their profession today make journalism ethically challenging. It is easy to criticise journalists in fulfilling their profession. But the very condition in which journalists perform their profession oftentimes puts them in situations that test their ethical principles. For example, while journalists are committed to reporting the truth – which is believed to be the core of journalism – finding the truth, especially the dangerous ones, is actually something not easy to achieve in legal and even ethical ways. So, what course of action should journalists take if the only way to find the truth is either by stealing the information or by using deceptive strategies? (Jackson 1992, p. 69) Would it be unethical to go into stealing, lying and deceiving in the name of truth? But what would happen wi th journalism if it defaults in finding out and reporting the truth? The answer to this question will surely vary depending on the ethical theory that journalists hold onto. For example, one may find the task to bring out the truth by any means more important than observing the law. Anyway, it is often argued that not all that is legal is ethical and not all that is ethical may be legal. It may also be argued that the end justify the means. Added to this ethical dilemma is the issue of confidentiality in journalism. The News Manual defines the centrality of confidentiality of sources in the ethics of journalism on the basis of trust. Meaning, journalists may divulge information given in confidence, but must protect the identity of their sources not unless the sources permit journalists to name them. Any breach on this agreement might jeopardize the whole profession, because in the future sources may no longer give sensitive information in confidence. (Ingram & Henshall, 2008) In rel ation to acquiring information through illegal means, journalists can deny it by opting to invoke this confidentiality clause. But to resort to such trick only worsens the ethical dilemma because aside from lying, this clause that is meant to protect sources is maliciously used. Though the confidentiality clause can be misused by journalists to get away with the law, this same clause can also put journalists into an extremely difficult situation. In

A key historical development such as the development of the tripartite Essay

A key historical development such as the development of the tripartite system or the introduction of comprehensive education - Essay Example The British transition provides an excellent way for the study of the effect of a comprehensive system as compared to selective schooling system on the student's achievement. In the traditional British school system, scholars would attend an academically selective grammar college at age 11, or they would attend a secondary modern school, which used to be academically less hard. The tripartite system had its disadvantages and also its advantages but the criticisms made it necessary to development of comprehensive education, which was friendlier to the students and all the scholars involved. Starting within the Nineteen Fifties, there was once dissatisfaction with choices on the local level, and a few native authorities began to experiment with comprehensive colleges. In 1965, the local authorities requested the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to make plans to convert to a comprehensive education system. The implementation went on slowly, with sooner growing, more Labour leaning LEA s moving to comprehensive colleges more quickly while Conservative leaning Authorities implemented the amendment extra slowly. Presently there are still few conservatives offering grammar schools as an option INTRODUCTION National school programs range extensively within the quantity of skill tracking of scholars they provide in secondary school. Some education systems are based on comprehensive systems, where students of all abilities go to similar schools, although there is typically some tracking within the schools. Other systems channel students at an early age into different school types based on academic standards (tripartite system). The British idea is appealing since it involved a significant and a well defined change in terms of the ability of secondary school scholars, thus offering a potential way to assess the importance of comprehensive education system on student achievement. Comprehensive education is an education system where selection is not based on academic found ation or competency. A tripartite education system was created by the 1944 Education act and provided the basis of a state funded secondary school sector. The structure was to have three schools, which were grammar school, secondary technical school and secondary modern school (Education Act 1944). In the essay, we are going to discuss why Britain switched to the comprehensive system from tripartite system and the setbacks and advantages of the comprehensive system. We are also going to look at the key areas in the development of the comprehensive education system and the factors which lead to its implementation. Comprehensive education can be looked at as an improvement of the tripartite system, but it also has its own disadvantages. Historical development of Comprehensive Education from the Tripartite System in Britain The 1944 Education Act or the Butler Act brought about the tripartite education system which was found on the belief that at eleven years of age it was possible to measure intelligence of a child, the basis of this is to make a choice on the  activity, or career the child  might be suited to. Children sat the 11+ exam which was made up of English, Math and IQ tests. Those who passed were deemed to be more academic and would then proceed to secondary grammar school while the other would go to lower level grammar school. By the early 1960s, many LEAs were devising and reorganizing plans to end the traditional

Marine General Brute Krulak Essay Example for Free

Marine General Brute Krulak Essay In writing the book First in Fight, the legendry Marine General Brute Krulak has submitted an unparalleled assessment of the US Marines. The book gives details of the fighting on the battlefield as also a detail of the Marine’s life when not at war. He has skillfully blended autobiography with history, analysis with action and separated facts from legend. General Krulak has touched upon the core qualities of the Corps in narrating the implications of being a Marine and the reasons for its outstanding and consistent performance. The general has also addressed the most pertinent and challenging issues regarding the Corps. A thorough analysis has been made about how the Corps manages to survive and to prosper despite the awesome political hurdles and the adversities it has to face in a routine manner. In explaining the unique characteristics of the Corps, General Krulak has delved into the core structure on which it has been built. What emerges is a system that is intensely loyal to God, the country and to other colleagues. A close look has been taken at the war practices of the Marines whereby stimulating details of their actions and experiences have been outlined in regard to World War II and the wars in Vietnam and Korea. Additionally, he has also described the relationship that the Corps enjoys with other services by giving special reference to the battles of unification that were fought in the aftermath of World War II. New insights have been offered in regard to the processes of decision making during times of emergency. First in Fight is a book that makes for appealing reading. It covers details of General Krulack’s personal experiences while he was engaged in the battle for the union of the armed forces. The book also explains very effectively how the entire chain of command of the US Military is set up and managed (Victor H. Krulak, 1999). References Victor H. Krulak, First to Fight: An Inside View of the U. S. Marine Corps, 1999, US Naval Institute Press

Monetarism Emerged In The 1950s Economics Essay

Monetarism Emerged In The 1950s Economics Essay Keynes, who theorized economic panic to stem from an insufficient national money supply leading the nation toward an alternate currency followed by eventual economic collapse, his theories focus on the value of currency stability to maintain national economic health. Milton Friedman, in contrast, focused on price stability to ensure economic health and looking for stable equilibrium between the supply of and the demand for money to bring about such well-being. Friedman argued that inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenonà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  and advocated a central bank policy aimed at keeping the supply and demand for money at an economic equilibrium, as measured by a balanced growth in productivity and demand. Friedman originally proposed a fixed monetary rule, where the money supply would be calculated by known macroeconomic and financial factors and would target a specific level or range of inflation. There will be no flexibility for central bank reserves, and businesses can expect all monetary policy decisions. Friedman restated the quantity theory of money, and argued that the demand for money depended predictably on several major economic variables. He claimed that if the money supply were to be expanded, consumers would not seek to hold the extra money in idle money balances. This argument follows that consumers, assumed to be in equilibrium before the money supply increase, already held money balances that suited their requirements. With the increase, consumers would have a surplus of money balances that exceeded their requirements. These excess money balances would therefore be spent and cause an increase in aggregate demand levels. Similarly, if the money supply experienced a reduction, consumers would aim to replenish their holdings of money by reducing their spending levels. In this argument, Friedman challenged the claim that Keynesian money supply is not effective in analyzing the level of aggregate consumption. Instead, Friedman argued that indeed the money supply affect total sp ending in the economy, in doing so the term monetarist was coined. The popularity of monetarism increased as Keynesian economics seemed unable to explain or cure the problems that seem to contradict rising unemployment and price inflation which erupted after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system gold standard in 1972 and the 1973 oil crisis shock. Although higher levels of unemployment seemed to call for Keynesian policies on inflation, the rising level of inflation seemed to call for Keynesian deflation. The result is a significant disappointment with Keynesian demand management. In response, the Volcker sought as main objective to reduce inflation, and consequently restricted the money supply to tame inflation the economy. The result was the worst recession of the post-war period, but also the accomplishment of the desired price stability. Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz argued that the Great Depression of the 1930 was caused by the large contraction of the money supply and not by a lack of investment as argued by Keynes. They also maintained that post-war inflation caused by an over-expansion of the money supply. For many the perception that the economy has been shaped by the ideas of Keynes, it seemed that the Keynesian-Monetarism debate was merely about whether fiscal or monetary policy was the more effective tool of demand management. By the mid-1970s, however, the debate had moved on to things more deeply, as monetarists presented a more fundamental challenged to Keynesian orthodoxy in looking to recover the pre-Keynesian idea that the economy was of an inherently self-regulating nature. Many Monetarists raised former view that the market economies prove stable in the absence of major not expected fluctuations in the money supply. This belief in the stability of free market economies also asserted that active demand management, especially fiscal policy, it is not necessary and in fact tend to be dangerous economy. The basis of this argument centered around an equilibrium was established between stimulus fiscal spending and future interest rates. In fact, Friedman argues that the model of fiscal spending creats as much of a drag on the economy by raising interest rates as it does to create consumption. According to monetarists, fiscal policy was shown to have no real effect on total demand, but merely shifted demand from the investment sector to the consumer sector. Monetarism became less credible when once-stable velocity of money defied monetarist prediction and began to move erratically in the United States the early 1980s. Monetarist methods of a single-equation model and non-statistical analysis of plotted data also lost out to the simultaneous-equation modeling favored by Keynesian. Policies and analysis of monetarism lost influence among academics and central bankers, but its core tenets of long-run neutrality of money (increase in money supply can not have long-term effects on real variables, such as output) and use of monetary policy for stabilization to be part of the macroeconomic mainstream even among Keynes.

Looking At Different Aspects Of Foster Care Social Work Essay

Looking At Different Aspects Of Foster Care Social Work Essay A kinship care arrangement is an agreement that is commonly made between the parent of the child, the local authority and a close relative such as a grandparent or aunt on a short or long term basis, the kinship carer must be approved by Warwickshire Fostering Panel. Where the child is accommodated by the local authority that is often subject to an Interim Care Order the kinship agreement is reviewed under the Child in Need procedure s (Warwickshire County Council 2009). There is a six week timescale to complete the kinship assessment. The fostering team has the responsibility for completing this within the timescale set out in line with the Fostering Regulations 2002. A Viability Assessment which is Schedule 3 of the fostering regulation 2002 requires that there is a detailed report complete with references be submitted to the Fostering Panel for approval (Warwickshire Fostering Services 2002). As part of this assessment I had to complete a two part Health Safety Checklist Part One during initial visit and Part Two during the actual assessment, which is updated annually as part of the Foster Carer review. I was required to complete the initial 6 week Kinship Assessment on Arthur and Joan to be submitted to Warwickshire Fostering Panel approval, followed by submission to a Finding of Fact meeting in court. Jane is a 6 year old dual heritage female who lived close to Nuneaton centre with mother, Ruth 28 white female unemployed recovering heroin addict and her current partner Jason 35 year old unemployed white male with offending history for violence. The local authority have been involved with Ruth and her child since 2008 the police contacting social services to advise them that Ruths partner had been arrested for having indecent images of children on his computer and serious abuse of babies. Ruth was advised of this but did not appear to recognise the risk he presented to Jane. The courts ordered that Ruth should only have supervised contact due to this. Warwickshire Council convened a child protection conference which concluded that Jane be made subject of a child protection plan. Whilst the investigation into the neglect was ongoing, Jane stayed with her maternal grandfather Arthur and Joan his partner. Arthur is 58 year old football coach and Joan is a 62 year old retired book keeper and they live in a 3 bedroom house close to Ruth. A kinship referral was received by the Fostering Team to complete a viability assess Arthur and Joans ability to meet Janes needs as temporary carers. Jane is still subject of a child protection plan, as well as Looked After Child procedures and is subject of an Interim Care Order made in December 2009. The responsibility for completing the kinship assessment was given to the fostering team that I am on placement with and I was then asked to complete the assessment under supervision. This is the type of assessment that is completed when a child is looked after and placed on a statutory order. Jane is currently experiencing problems at school with bullying because of her skin colour and is in a minority. Jane is being teased because her hair is not the same as other children. I feel that Jane has not recognized that her mother is white and her father black. Arthur has stated that although she is not white she is his granddaughter and he doubts whether Jane even recognises her skin colour as significant. It is important for the Fostering Social Worker to have access to all case files relating to the child when completing the viability assessment so that the assessment demonstrates the level of commitment the grandfather and his partner have and have had to the child (BAAF, 2009). Farmer and Moyers (2005) suggest: Kinship care occupies an uneasy position on the boundary between the public and private spheres of caring and this leads to a situation where some kin carers struggle to care for needy children with low levels of support and financial help. Janes maternal grandfather has shown incredible commitment including being willing to give up his fulltime job to be able to meet Janes needs. This is causing tension in the relationship between Arthur and Joan as this will significantly reduce their income. She has also expressed concerns at not always being able to cope with the high demands of Jane and how this has brought her relationship with Arthur to breaking point at times. When childs behaviour is causing a disruption, kinship carers (as opposed to foster carers) tend to be more willing to persevere with the difficulties faced by the child (Broad and Skinner, 2005, Colton et al, 2008: 38). It is important that when examining Kinship Care that the outcome for the child is measurable, this could be in terms of regular contact with the birth parent with less supervision. Legislation has a propensity towards securing long term placements, children who were placed with their grandparents were the least likely to experience disruption when compared with other family or friends (Hunt et al, 2008). Some placements continued with little monitoring or supervision from the social worker. In other instances social workers had allowed professional standards to fall well below what would have been acceptable to another child. This can cause the child rights to be compromised as they will not receive a service that they are entitled to (Farmer Moyers, 2005). An assessment involves assembling full and accurate facts about a service users circumstances and it is essential during the assessment process that person being assessed is fully engaged with the assessment and as the assessor I am in continuous consultation with my supervisor. The information collected must be recorded in a systematic way to give a clear and accurate understanding of needs and a possible plan of action (Smale Tuson, 1993). The viability assessment must pay close attention to the circumstances around the reason why the kinship arrangement is needed. Arthur and Joan realise that if they do not take on the role of carers then Jane is likely to be placed with unrelated foster carers. The assessment includes the family to look at creating a kinship arrangement that will at best be acceptable to the child, the local authority should consider the childs extended family as an alternative to the mainstream fostering system when completing the assessment. The Childrens Act 1989 directs that where the child is looked after by the local authority the child should be placed with a relative, friend or significant other (www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk accessed 16/01/2011) if this is a viable option. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 directs that relatives must be considered in care proceedings and in line with Public Law Outline which emphasizes the importance of robust judicial case management. The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 has led to developments that promote the childs welfare and are likely to increase the use of placements with family members. Over a 15 year period from 1989 to 2005 there has been a gradual increase in the numbers of children in care that are fostered with family and significant others, from 6 per cent to 12 per cent of looked after children in England (Department of Health, 2006; DfES, 2004). If a child is looked after by the Local Authority and is placed with a family member or significant other for a p eriod exceeding 6 weeks then the carer should be approved as a foster carer by the Local Authorities Fostering Panel (Warwickshire Council 2009). The Local Authority must have a clearly defined role in enabling the parent of the child to have some input in the care arrangements of their child in accordance with section 20 of the Childrens Act 1989. Where the local authority places children in kinship care arrangements they also must assess the kinship carer(s) in line with existing legislation that applies to unrelated foster carers therefore have responsibilities to ensure that the kinship carers receive financial support in line with boarding out regulations (Warren-Adamson, 2009). The Munby judgement in 2002 set a precedent that local authorities must treat kinship carers in the same way as non related foster carers. This means that Warwickshire County Council must assess Arthur and Joan as kinship carers even though they may well already be looking after the child at the point the assessment starts. The difficulties I experienced as the Fostering Social Worker completing the assessment was mainly around the support, training and payment of Kinship Carers. The research also found that Kinship Carers are unlikely to challenge parents legally for the kinship of the child because it can have a negative impact on the parents relationship with the Kinship Carers. One of the implications highlighted by the research document was that Kinship Carers are unlikely to go for Special Guardianship Orders due to the reduced payments and support. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) research found that kinship carers may resent the intrusion the assessment process will entail into their lives by statutory services and feel they are being monitored and placed under surveillance (JRF, 2002). The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that unsatisfactory placements with family and friend lasted significantly longer than with unrelated carers (Farmer Moyers, 2008). Local Authorities are required under the Childrens Act 1989 to operate a policy of less intrusive intervention when intervening with families. Argent (2009) draws attention to the assumption that social workers from non ethnic backgrounds tend to assume that families from Black Minority and Ethnic groups would rather manage the kinship without outside help or they do not understand the process. Argent highlights that some minority groups have a strong sense of kinship without any legal or statutory intervention. There are four types of kinship care these are determined by the legal status of the child that is being accommodated Fostered with a family or friend; Residence Order; Living with family and friends and a Special guardianship order. The viability assessment I undertook was to assess whether Arthur and Joan were suitable to go on to the next stage of the assessment, the Special Guardianship Order. Special Guardianship Orders were introduced in the Adoption and Children Act 2002 to encourage flexibility with regards to the length of the placement. This order recognizes that long term fostering or adoption might not be an option and that this type of order gives parental responsibility until the child is 18. At present there is not a legal requirement for Warwickshire Council to explore Kinship but the legal framework implies that it is a preferred option to private fostering. A family group conference is called with a view to exploring the potential of a family member becoming a kinsh ip carer (Hunt et al, 2008). The aim of the Viability Assessment is to make certain that Janes needs remain central to the assessment (Hunt et al, 2008). Milner and OByrne (2002) suggest that assessments can be divided into a number of stages: Preparation: I gathered information from case notes and other reports that have previously been written, in consultation with the Janes social worker we agreed on who to interview with regards to people that are a part of the extended family or wider support network and would be in contact with Jane. Preparing for the interview I ensured that I had the essential questions and an explanation of the interview purpose along with timescales for the viability process. Collecting data: I checked on sources of written information for factual accuracy. Weighing the data: I identified gaps, consulted colleagues and began to identify any key facts or themes. Analysing the data: I considered relevant research evidence and theory. Using the data: I analysed the data and formed an opinion as to whether Janes needs would be met by Arthur and Joan. The outcome of the above process was to make a recommendation to the court. Along with the viability assessment was the health and safety of the property that the child will be living in also had to be assessed. . I had to think about how the separate pieces of information interlink and about their impact on the grandfather. It has been suggested it is important to avoid subjectivity and not to dismiss information that does not fit with preconceived assumptions: Taking information for granted and not checking. Getting stuck with one perspective, and failing to recognise alternative explanations. Stereotyping situations and solutions to them. Making assumptions about age, culture, disability or any aspect of a service users life. The way its done here approach fitting service users into the routine response of the agency instead of focusing on the client. Using the assessment process to ration resources or disguising their absence, in other words, assessment becomes resource-led rather than needs-led (Milner and OByrne, 2002). Smale and Tuson (1993) propose three models of assessment: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The questioning model: where the worker is seen as expert and follows a set format of questions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The procedural model: in which the worker gathers information in order to see if agency criteria are met à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The exchange model: in which the service user is seen as expert in his or her own situation and the worker helps to provide resources and seeks to maximise potential. In conclusion, I realise that people change and as a social worker I need to be aware that new information may emerge that causes situations change, so I have to consider the impact it has on the assessment. Although the assessment is often viewed as a separate stage to the intervention, it is also a continuous process and there is a need to constantly re-assess throughout the intervention (Milner and OByrne, 2002). I used a Task Centered Model for completing the Viability Assessment as it was a short term (6 weeks) problem solving approach with a clear beginning, middle and end, and has a specific timeframe to complete the assessesment and submit it to the court. I adopted a Solution Focused approach in my intervention as it worked with Arthur and Joan to help them to look at their strengths and to find their own solutions to challenges they may face. A Solution Focused approach enables people to see better futures, it can be used to focus on the positives whilst also accepting that their strengths which are Arthur and Joans commitment to meeting Janes needs for as long as she needs them and fact that this can be used as a platform for future long term planning. In practice I found it difficult to choose a single model as I realized I would be using all three in this case. Firstly, the Viability Assessment for kinship involved me in the role of expert with a set format of questions, and secondly, I was conscious of the criteria for kinship to enable me to ask appropriate supplementary questions but lastly, I feel that the exchange model reflects the values of anti-oppressive practice in that Arthur is placed in a position of control and so that the process meets his expectations as well as mine as the assessing social worker. However, as social workers operating within a statutory setting we must recognize that there are pressures to conform to questioning or procedural models. To work in an anti-oppressive manner is to incorporate necessary questioning, schedules and scales into an assessment that respects Arthurs expertise in caring for Jane (Smale and Tuson, 1993).