Monday, September 30, 2019

Afghan Women Revealed

In the year 2001 2002 the United States of America engaged in a political campaign for the war in Afghanistan. In her essay â€Å"To unveil the threat of terror†, Dana Cloud accuses the United States government to construct a hypocritical justification for the war in Afghanistan. The United States used the picture of veiled woman and children and presented them to the united citizens as oppressed and needing help. Dana Cloud argues that the real motif of the war was to obtain economical and geopolitical control of the territory of Afghanistan. In this essay we will analyze one of the photographs that played a big important role in the Afghanistan war campaign of the United States. Our goal here will not be to discuss the real reason of the war but to determine if the pictures really represented Afghan women and children as oppressed and needing help. We will then try to determine if the united states where in fact able to help this women. Based on our conclusion we will propose a more parsimonious property of these images: a property that all photographs possess and that Morris calls an express train to error. The afghan woman is a photograph of a young afghan girl taken by National Geographic photographs in a refugee camp in Afghanistan. The girl in the photograph is wearing a red torn burka and her piercing eyes are gazing at the viewer. Some say that she looks angry, others that she looks desperate and needs help. The truth is that we will never really know what she felt at that moment. But what we can be sure of in that picture is that if the United States had not gone to war in afghan we would not have been able to gaze at her photograph for the simple reason that in afghan culture, women are not allowed to show their faces. In an American perspective, the United States had helped this young afghan girl to be free and express her identity. Ironically although the picture promotes individuality and freedom, the picture also oppresses individuality and freedom as well. It possesses a dimension of individuated aggregate. They were no name in the photograph just â€Å"the afghan woman†. By naming the photograph the Afghan woman and publishing it in the United States Press, the photograph served as a representation of all the afghan women and thus ignored the specific individual represented in the photograph. An American citizen ignorant of afghan culture and proud of his own culture and belief will automatically perceive the girl in the photograph as freed and experience what Dana Could referred to as paternalism: a need to protect her. Thus we find that Dana could argument that the United States spread an image of savior during the 2001-2002 war campaign. Did they really save this girl, or the other afghan woman? The eyes of the Afghan girl had captivated the world so much that the National Geographic photograph that had taken her photograph was sent to search for her. Mc Curry says that he went first with his search team to the original place where the photograph was taken: the refugee camp of Nasir Bagh. A man who heard about the search told them he knew the girl in the picture. He claimed she was his childhood friend and that she had returned to Afghanistan near Tora Bora.. Mc curry was informed by the team that He told them that she was a childhood friend and that she went back to Afghanistan and in she had returned to Afghanistan years ago, he said, and now lived in the mountains near Tora Bora. When McCurry got to the place and saw her walk I the room he told himself: this is her. Thus â€Å"the girl with the piercing green eyes† or â€Å"the afghan girl† was identified. Her name was Sharbat Gula, and she was Pashtun, one of the most violent tribe of Afghanistan. Mc Curry took a new photograph of her and her eyes were still burning with ferocity. Her eyes were still sea green, big haunted and haunting green eyes. In them you could read the tragedy of a land drained by war not the relief and freedom that the United States should have brought with them. If the United States had helped this girl and the other women by going in war with the Taliban, this girl her eyes would have looked happier, less angry, or simply different. We would have noticed a change, but the only change we notice is the change of a girl into a woman. This change is not relevant to the United States going to war with afghan but to nature. When observing the afghan girl one should not make biased assumption. Although being unbiased is thorough, it is not impossible. While looking at the photo of the afghan girl a viewer should see all facets of the photograph or image being observed. While the photograph of the afghan woman portrays the oppression that afghan women experience, it also expresses the tragedy and struggled experienced by women in war. As Ell Morris described in his†¦. Photographs and images are an express train to error and believing is seeing. When one observes the photographs of the afghan women, one sees what he wants to see: a women that need help from the united states,a women that is angry, a women that is ravaged by a war ,a woman that is ashamed to show her face,a woman that is revolted. hey are so many interpretation that can be drawn from the afghan woman,but none of them can really grasp the reality that the photographs bring. it is just as ell morris said. While photograph reveals important some things, they hide or misrepresent others. Thus the photograph of the afghan woman has one very parsimonious property. a property that all photographs share: to represent a blurry reality. However although the photograph is not a real represe ntation of afghan woman, it remains true that they are oppressed and ravaged by the tragedy that is war.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Application of Critical Thinking to Business Analysis Essay

Critical thinking is the basis of business analysis. It involves a force of habit, which determines the quality decision that the business analyst makes. Critical thinking is what enables businesspersons to think through challenges and situations. Because of this, critical thinking is vital element that should be refined, nurtured and actively implemented in every business analysis and decision making process. For the analysts to make decisions with the greatest outcome they should apply critical thinking since it involves rational reasoning and reflective thinking. It enables them to put every aspects of the decision into consideration in terms of the pros and cons of every option to be taken. Critical thinking initiates opportunities through exhaustive analysis thus leading to making well-informed decisions. It helps manager avoid the inconvenience of learning through experience. It assists in planning effectively while putting everything into consideration. It helps the administra tors save on costs by mitigating on mistakes that could cost the company to incur extra costs. Critical thinking is important in business analysis because it involves assessing, reflecting, planning and making right decisions while paying attention to details (Nosich, 2012). Critical Thinking in the Context of Business Analysis In order for the efficient implementation of business, it is important to understand the meaning of business analysis. Business analysis therefore refers to a set of techniques and tasks implemented by the various stakeholders. The main purpose of the implementation is to understand the operations, policies and structure of a particular business entity. It also involves the recommendation of various solutions in order for the organization to achieve various goals that it has set forth to achieve. Business analysis therefore entails the understanding of the ways in which various organizations carry out their operations. Production of products defines the capabilities of the organization. These products entail specific goods and services offered in the present market within which the organization is conducting its operations. External stakeholders also play a major role in the product distribution chain of a particular product. For a successful business to prosper, various key steps ne ed to be implemented for a. These strategies require a critical analysis, which will involve the applications of virus concepts of critical thinking (Smith, 2003). In any organization, it becomes very important to define the goals of the organization. The organizational goals relate to the specific objectives set forth. These goals help in the achievement of the goals designed. It also becomes necessary for the team in charge of making various policies and decisions to focus on the various actions that the organization is going to adopt so that it can achieve its set targets and objectives. Finally, it is important also to define how various external entities to the business will interact with each other. For instance, in this particular case, stakeholders and organizational units outside and within the organization will require definition and the mode of interaction defined. Business analysis aids in the understanding of an organization’s current state. It also provides a platform to identify future prospects of business needs that may arise. However, in most cases, the principle aim of conducting business analysis is to validate and pr ovide business solutions that conform to the objectives, goals and needs of a particular entity. The synthesis and analysis of information provided by numerous number of stakeholders tops the priority list. The various business analysts then analyze it. These particular stakeholders include customers, executives, IT professionals and staff. Critical thinking is therefore involved in various process of business analysis. A business analyst has the responsibility of obtaining actual needs from the various stakeholders. The particular process involves an actual distinction with the various desires expressed by particular stakeholders. The business analyst also facilitates the communication and interaction between various units in the business. It therefore means that through critical thinking, a business analyst is able to foster communication and interaction between various business units. It becomes possible through the alignment of various business unit needs. In the business process, the process lightens by the integration of information technology. It serves as an interpreter and a translator between the groups (Smith, 2003). The competitive nature of any business entity originates from the various policies that exist in order to counter competition from various companies. Competition arises due to various factors. Some of these factors include a company offering complementary and supplementary goods, similar to their rivals. In this particular scenario, there is always competition for the market share. Elimination of one firm in this competition may occur if there is no application of critical thinking to devise survival ways to counter such a move. Price becomes a determinant factor when it comes to competition between two rival industries competing for the same market share. Another reason as to why competition arises is the difference in pricing of similar commodities. A rational consumer is always attracted to a firm, which is selling cheaper than others are. Price is a significant determinant of product choice. Majority of the rational consumers exercise the power of choice when products occur in a wide range (Smith, 2003). Majority of the business operations operate based on the types of decisions made across all the levels of production. Critical thinking forms the baseline upon which various policies formed and implemented. The success of a business entity becomes relative to a number of factors that help it be at a competitive level with other businesses in the same industry of operation and service. Several elements exist that become fundamental when implementing critical thinking to help the organization. Critical thinking involves the analysis of the current business operations, procedures and policies. The mastery of this particular process makes it possible for the business analyst to be familiar with the operations that are taking place. It also involves the identification of errors that may have occurred which led to the company not achieving its dreams. Moreover, apart from analyzing the internal factors of the firm that affect its operation, business analysis also focuses on the external en vironment that may affect the operations of a certain business entity. Inward communication strategies, pricing policies, production processes, marketing and branding are internal factors that affect the business entity (Smith, 2003). An analysis of the external environment that includes the political environment, competitors, the economy of a particular country concerning inflation and budget allocation also play a very important role. These may influence the pricing strategy pf a particular company. The political environment also determines the way in which the company interacts with various other companies overseas in terms of the taxes charged on imports and exports. It therefore narrows down to the fact that critical thinking contributes towards the existence of majority of the industries and companies in the world. The study of the market structures to determine the appropriate time for trade is what distinguishes a successful company from a failing company. The ability to fore see a coming calamity and danger and be able to efficiently plan is what critical thinking entails. In the end, it saves the company many resources since evasion of eminent dangers occurs through future prediction. Critical thinking i s an attribute of various business analysts. The presence of these personnel in an organization is important. They constitute the think tank of any industry (Smith, 2003). The application of critical thinking in a business environment happens through all the levels of management. At the strategic level, critical thinking may focus on issues that affect the company in general. At the operational level, critical thinking entails the unique creativity that may exist if a company decides to adopt product differentiation or diversification to have a range of commodities in the market. By giving a rational consumer a wide pool to select from, the company is able to face out different companies, which are providing supplementary products. It is able to wholesome reap from the market all the customers who have great trust in the product that they offer. Critical thinking is always neglected because majority of the companies only react when faced with certain risks. For instance, if the profit margins of a company begin to decline considerably, the management of the company becomes alarmed. At this time, they invest in quick decisions that aim at the company re generating various incomes. It is always a very poor form of responding and managing o frisks. In an ideal situation, the company is supposed to preview their previous strategies and look for elements that contributed to the decline in the revenue gained. After the identification of the various stated problems, an in depth analysis is to be conducted to determine the facts. Critical thinking plays a major part when it comes to the redefinition of the various goals and objectives. These elements are important to ensure a competitive state of the organization (Nosich, 2012). The success of a company is, therefore, dependent on the various decisions made from all the levels of production to management. The careful analysis of various problems that a company faces undergoes analysis and various solutions proposed in an efficient way as opposed to a quick manner. Using this channel, a company is able to get maximum returns from the various activities that it conducts. There are increased chances of lack of fear when it comes to the anticipation of problems. Critical thinking is the center of an organization’s success. The ideas of inventions and product creation derived from a panel composed of individuals explain the importance of critical thinking. Those who think critically through particular scenarios provide a solution that earns the organization maximum massive profits. The strategies in all the organizational units implemented are a success because of the decisions made by the members of a particular panel. Marketing, sales and even production departments all require various skills in critical thinking to produce products that are highly profitable to the organizational entity as a whole. This document therefore recognizes the importance of critical thinking when it comes to the analysis of different business operations to achieve various goals and objectives (Smith, 2003). Application Business analysts use critical thinking to make effective and efficient long term and short term plans for the business organizations. In order for the business managers to make decisions and plans for the business they have to think critically in terms of their objectives and goals in relation to the resources a business firm has. Managers have to think critically so that they can predict the possible threats that the business might face and be able to formulate their respective solution in time. The managers have to ensure that the challenges find the firm adequately prepared. For this to happen there has to be a lot of thinking in the planning process. The administrators have to consider every aspect of their plans in order to come up with short term and long term plans. Critical thinking is what ensures that required measures have been put in place to make a firm prepared for the challenges. Critical thinking helps the administrators to come up with the time frames for the long t erm and short term plans. Critical thinking makes the plans achievable and it helps in the identification of plans and investments that are not viable (Smith, 2003). Business analysts in conforming valid requirements also apply critical thinking. It enables the business analysts and managers to pay attention to details and not the face value or what they hear. Critical thinking enables the administrators to weigh up the evidence produced by stakeholders with relation to the challenges and consequences before making decisions or recommendations. It enables the manager to be future oriented since they have to consider the impact of the decisions or options they take. They have to consider the deadline, available resources and the possible outcome of the requirement. Through critical thinking, administrators go for what the business entity really needs and not what they want. This aids in prevention of unnecessary costs that would have been caused by purchasing excess requirements. It also helps businesses in avoiding wastes (Nosich, 2012). Critical thinking is applied in risk prediction, prevention and mitigation. In planning for the likely risks and hazards that a firm might face the analysts and administrators have to think carefully. They have to think critically to identify possible risks and formulate respective measures and solutions, which can be used to prevent them. Critical thinking in such situation is aided by acquisition of information from other similar firms that have existed in the market for longer periods. Critical thinking enables administrators to implement safety measures in the firms such as emergency doors, exists, fire extinguishers, gloves and aprons. It also enables business firms to determine the right time to enroll in the markets and the right time to withdraw. It enables companies to avoid financial risks, as managers are able to plan and make the right decision (Smith, 2003). It is also applied by the busyness analysts in the seeking solutions of business challenges. Businesses face challenges from time to time. The challenges range from financial, human resource conflicts with other firms and so on. To overcome these tough times the business managers have to think critically and formulate long lasting solutions that will save the companies fate. Conflicts are normal in the Business administration but they require rational thinking and decisions so that they can be overcome. Even the internal conflicts in the firms require the administrator to think critically about the situation and make fair decision or advice to the conflicting parties. The administrators have to listen and think first before passing judgment. This will enable him to avoid prejudice or bias in the decision made (Nosich, 2012). The leaders at the same time have to think and come up with policies that may hinder external and internal conflicts in the firm. Critical thinking is applied in the shortening life cycles of businesses projects. Through it managers are able to determine the required time frame and ensure that the projects move as per the stipulated time. Managers are also able to avoid unnecessary events and occurrences, which have the possibility of delaying the business projects. Critical thinking ensures advance planning and as a result, there is order in the running of the firms. The advance planning ensures everything moves as per the scheduled time and this helps in saving time and shortening the life cycle of the projects as only, the necessary cycles are implemented (Smith, 2003). Critical thinking is also applied in beating competition from similar firms. In order for firms to have competitive advantages the administrators and analysts have to go an extra mile of being creative and innovative. They have to do the same things extra ordinarily right or they have to come up with new ideas and products that will give them an advantage over their competitors. To do this successful they need to brainstorm and think critically. Managers have to do research and be able to predict the future of the company. This will enable them come up with various ideas and policies that will boost their performance. They have to come up with new marketing strategies and new modes of operations. They have to target more customers and become inventors. To implement this, management has to use critical thinking. They have to consider the weaknesses of their competitors and take advantage of them (Smith, 2003). Profit maximization and loss minimization can also be enhanced by application of critical thinking. For profit maximization, the business administrators have to be inventors and innovators. They should come up with new ideas and policies that will make their products and services unique from their counterparts. This requires high level of thinking and that is when critical thinking comes in handy (Nosich, 2012). Critical thinking helps in making the right financial decisions hence the company is able to maintain its profits. Critical thinking enables managers to come up with plans that minimize losses and wastage. They help in shortening duration of projects and in the long run increase productivity. An increase in productivity in turn increases the profits. Business administrators also apply critical thinking in making decisions to do with employment. The management has to determine the required number of employees to be hired and define their specific roles and duties. Critical thinking helps in determining the required number of employees that will provide the most outcomes. Critical thinking assists the manager in employing the employees with the required skills for specific positions. The manager should also know when to scale down and when to add the number of employees. The manager has to think critically of the kind of skill required in the organization before employing a person. Critical thinking helps manager to form the right workforce required for optimum production (Smith, 2003). The business analysts apply critical thinking in the making of right investment policies and decisions. Before making the right decisions on where to invest, analysts have to think through the possible options and take the option that is most viable and profitable. Critical thinking in this case will help the administrators consider the pros and cons of every investment option. This enables them to make the most informed decision by taking the best option. Critical thinking also helps administrators in assessing and evaluating the progress and position of the firm. It is applied to help managers determine if they are on the right track. Managers are able to determine if they are operating on a loss or profit through critical thinking. They have to think through and determine if the projects are moving as per the stipulated plans and goals. Do determine right progress the managers have to carry out various research and consultation in comparison with data at hand (Nosich, 2012). Discussion and Conclusion Various scenarios in the business process have required an individual to apply critical thinking in various business processes. The result of the decisions made in the various panels has resulted into massive goals and targets achieved by the said industries. Companies have been able to rise from various falls while some have succumbed to defeat. New entrants have entered into the marked and dominated the events will the already established monopolistic firms faced out because of this. It is therefore important that a company recognizes the importance of such a key process and invests I it. The using of appropriate skilled experts also goes a long well in helping the industry achieve its goals and objectives. The existence and sustainability of a given organization in the market is highly influenced by the various policies they adopt. Companies have marred up to produce complementary and supplementary products while some faced out. It therefore becomes important that the company look into the various strategies with an in-depth eye with an aim to creating various opportunities and channels for growth and profitability (Nosich, 2012). Business analysis through critical thinking becomes an effective way of determining the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. The implementation of SWOT analysis in a business environment will be effective upon incorporation with critical thinking. The identification of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Time factors require a vision that is not velar by the other firms competing in the same market. In conclusion, this paper finds critical thinking a very important element in the existence of a company in the ever dynamic and competitive business environment. It also views the basis of competition resulting from the difference in the decisions that various companies tackle one particular problem effectively. When companies operate from this basis, they are able to achieve more revenue and expand on their sales. Critical thinking has a direct relationship with the performance of a business. Several aspects in business analysis require the massive application of critica l thinking to provide solutions (Nosich, 2012). References Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum, Boston, MA: Pearson Education. ISBN: 978-0-13-268359-3. Smith, G. F. (2003). Beyond critical thinking and decision making: Teaching business students how to think.  Journal of Management Education,  27(1), 24-51. Source document

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Comparison of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Views on Abortion

A Comparison of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Views on Abortion Abortion: Pro-Choice or Pro-Life â€Å"But oh, thrice guilty is he who drove her to desperation which impelled her to the crime [abortion]† (Susan B. Anthony, 1869). In the Scott, Foresman Advanced Dictionary, Thorndike and Barnhart defined abortion as the removal of a developing embryo or fetus from the uterus to terminate a pregnancy before birth resulting in death of the fetus (3). The abortion issue has become one of the world’s most controversial problems of today. This issue is divided into two sides, pro-life and pro-choice. They focus on different aspects of receiving an abortion. At one end we have the pro-choice advocate those who focus on women’s right. The pro-choice supporters have reason to believe the fetus is only a potential human being. It has no right whatsoever, because the right belongs to the woman carrying the fetus, and it is she who decides on the length of time of the pregnancy. On the other end we have the pro-life those who oppose abortion and focus on the fetus rights. They believe the fetus is a human being and has just as much legal right as the parents. The Bible states that everybody was created in the image of God. Therefore, taking the life of an innocent child is like killing the image of God. In the Bible, God said that thou shall not murder. Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus has defined murder as the unlawful and intentional killing of a human being (133). Is abortion moral or immoral? According to pro-life supporters, the unborn child is entrusted to the protection and care of the mother carrying it. Daniels 3 Time it is the mother herself who makes the choice of whether or not the child should be aborted. The decision to abort the child may have come from problems dealing with the health of the mother or standard or living for the family. However, these excuses never justify the intentional killing of an innocent person. Many people claim that an embryo is not considered human life. Supporters believe that human life starts at the fertilization of the ovum. Human life is sacred at every moment of existence. In the opinion of pro-choicer advocate, birth is not always the right choice, because it may be â€Å"socially disfunctional, morally irresponsible, or even cruel.† (Abortion, 24) Many women who knew that life would only bring pain for their children choose to have an abortion. They feel that it would be better if the child wasn’t born at all. Even though it kills human life, abortion is in fact, the moral choice to make when would be mothers are as certain that their present circumstances do not enable them to raise a would-be child responsibly. Contrary to popular accusations it is not the decision to abort, but the decision to have a child that is treated with the insufficient gravity in our society (Quinn, Abortion, 25). To many pro-life advocates, abortion is a form of holocaust. They have compared abortion to the Nazi’s termination of the Jews. The number of aborted babies is staggering: 4,000 on a daily basis, over 1.6million annually, and over 30 million in the 20 years after the United States Supreme court gave it proabortion decision in 1973. Daniels 4 Yearly basis from 50 to 60 million abortions have been performed worldwide. The Nazi’s killed at least six million Jews. The Nazi’s killed the Jews and, instead of burying them they put them in crematory ovens and huge ditches. Burning in hospital furnaces or city incinerators exposes of many of the aborted babies. Pro-life groups prefer that the bodies be disposed with dignity, a Christian burial. Pro-choicest Don Sloan believes that an embryo is not a baby because it can only exist inside a woman’s uterus. Some people think of abortion as a self-defense rather than a murder because the woman is defending her health, her way of life, and her piece of mind against something that is not wanted. Sloan, like other pro-choice supporters, believe that everyone have a right and a say-so in the abortion issue. School officials are not allowed to hand out aspirin to children without the permission of the parents, so why should they be able to have an abortion without consent? To pro-lifers, parents should be involved in abortion decision-making for teens because legally, they are responsible. The idea of notifying parents in advance when any of discussion goes on with regard to their children health and welfare and that includes abortion. As long as the parents are responsible for their sexuality laws are written to stipulate what is right and wrong. And when it comes to a law that affects parental rights, I think there is a responsibility to come out on the side of the parents (Gow, Abortion, 96). Daniels 5 Parental notification is one of these troubling topics that confound many. Many states such as Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, and Kansas require parental notification before a minor is required to obtain an abortion. States were parental consent is required include Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. Pro-choicers feel that these laws are unconstitutional and they are a violation of the pregnant child. They feel that this could harm the girls’ health and may drive the teen to have an illegal abortion to avoid telling their parents. Legislators who disagree with abortion believe that the parental-consent laws will scare teens into abstinence. However, in states with these laws, sexual intercourse rates don’t decrease, but their health risks, however, increases. Young people are frightened by these laws only when they have become impregnated and need help desperately. There is evidence that teenagers who do no involve their parents [in deciding about abortion] believe that involving their parents would not be their own best interests or try to protect their parents (Abortion, 98). V. Many people believe that rape justifies abortion. To them, pregnancies resulting from rape are bothersome and involuntary, and should be approached by providing suitable counseling. On the other hand, the pro-life advocates feel that rape doesn’t justify abortion. Opponents of abortion rights walk a fine line when they condone any abortion. Based on their own definition, they are guilty of being accessories to â€Å"murder† in certain circumstances by accepting rape and incest exceptions (Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, 135). Daniels 6 It is not moral to hate a person because of the way they were conceived. Rape is a violent act received by a woman. That makes her an innocent victim. Abortion, no matter the reason, is a violent act received by an unborn child from the woman carrying it. What does this makes the unborn child? With an average of 1.5 million abortions performed every year since its legalization in 1973, abortion is the most common surgical procedure for women. Most medical professionals agree that the earlier an abortion is performed, the safer it is for the woman. The pro-life advocates have shown studies that women who have had abortions have a 50 percent increased risk for breast cancer. This increased revealed by the studies means that women face a higher risk of dying from the effects of an abortion than of dying in childbirth. The first trimester of a normal pregnancy is marked by a surge of hormones from the mother’s ovaries, which makes her breast grow. The high estrogen levels of early pregnancy interact with hormones of late pregnancy and produces breast milk. If the pregnancy is terminated artificially, the growth-stimulating effects of the estrogen surge help primitive and abnormal cells to grow in possible cancers. However, the pro-choice supporters have found that many medical studies have shown that a woman’s reproductive history affects her risk of breast cancer. The risks associated with abortion are insignificant compared with other well-documented breast cancer risks, such as alcohol consumption and weight. Furthermore, studies on the link between breast cancer and abortion have reached contradictory conclusions. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that everyone has the freedom of speech, or of press. Daniels 7 Opinions. There are many questions people should consider about the issue of abortion. They are as follows: Is this process immoral; Should rights be restricted; Can abortion be justified; and is this a safe process.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Competition Law in the European Union and the United Kingdom Essay - 10

Competition Law in the European Union and the United Kingdom - Essay Example Kingdom laws that relate to the infringement of competition laws by some of the world’s biggest oil companies including BP Plc, Statoil ASA, and Royal Dutch Shell. More emphasis is conferred upon the relevant facts and legal principles regarding competition law. Â  The Competition law was formulated with the intention of safeguarding consumer and state interests from unfair business practices by firms in Great Britain. (Prosser; 2005) This was necessitated by the threat posed by unscrupulous collusions aimed at maximizing market shares and revenues by individual firms that may lead to boated price levels or supply of inferior quality goods and services. For instance, an increase in the price of crude oil by your company will directly lead to increased costs of production, transport, energy and consumer products and services in order to cater for additional overhead costs. Â  The United Kingdom had its maiden law against unfair Competition in 1998.It was subjected to further adjustments later on in Enterprise Act of 2002 to incorporate new ideas and discard contentious clauses. The formation of the European Commission, the present-day European Union, which sought to cater for interests of member countries also made immense contributions to the ongoing protective policy changes among member states. Under its social and economic pillar, it fashioned the Competition law which later on gained prominence becoming part of The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Â  Britain joined the European Union and consequently adopted the statute on Competition which as stated above was applicable to all the member states. This combined with the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002 governs the conduct of businesses within the United Kingdom. The articles 101 and 102 provide the policy guidelines for the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union whereas chapters I and II outline the provisions of the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Personal Values, Motivations, and Emotional Intelligence Essay

Personal Values, Motivations, and Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example From the results of the Disc Assessment, it was revealed that the highest Disc dimension which exemplifies one’s personality is dominance and the classical pattern is a results-oriented pattern (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013). These results are therefore aligned with personal values and motivational drives for achievement. As a result-oriented person, the strengths included: exuding self-confidence, quick thinking abilities, determined and persistent, direct, focused, and individualistic. The weaknesses allegedly include: impatience, fault-finders, could be perceived as blunt and uncaring (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013). Thus, emotional intelligence could be perceived as needing improvement due to the innate ability to achieve tasks and responsibilities individually and independently; rather than reliance on other people. All of these values, motivational drives, and emotional intelligence results were found to be exhibited in the work setting. For instance, one’s previous work in a healthcare institution has proven conformity to ethical, moral, and legal standards, as well as abiding with indicated values through adherence to the organization’s policies and procedures. As a healthcare institution, it was specifically guided by standards proposed by the Joint Commission, which focuses on providing a high quality of patient care (The Joint Commission, 2013). One’s personal values were most appreciated and applicable in the healthcare setting and aligned with motivational drives of being a high achiever. One was tasked to undertake assigned responsibilities and submit reportorial documents in prescribed time frames. Likewise, all endeavors were observed to be undertaken in conjunction with the need to satisfy the needs of the patients and of the people one gets to interact with.

Ethical Issues During Louis XIV Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Issues During Louis XIV - Research Paper Example Spitting or scratching oneself at a table especially during meals is strongly discouraged but if at all one has to then he or she should do it politely and unnoticed. The above-mentioned laws are not immutable, they can be changed. For example in ancient times one could yawn, provided he or she did not speak in the process but nowadays it could be shocking to a person of rank. Spitting frequently is very much disagreeable but when there is need one should conceal it as much. When one spits he has to cover the saliva with the foot. When in the house a handkerchief should be used instead while turning aside. Care should be taken especially when spitting so as not to spit on one's clothes or those of others (Corey 78). One should not only spit in a handkerchief while in the house but also when in church and in places where cleanliness reigns. It is an inexcusable habit for children to spit in their playmates’ faces. Too it is a bad habit to spit out of windows, on furniture and o n walls. A series of quotations on spitting clearly shows that there has been a change in behavior towards a particular direction since the Middle Ages. Frequent spitting is still being viewed as unpleasant behavior and lack of â€Å"cleanliness† unlike it was seen almost four centuries ago. This clearly demonstrates how the civilization process has taken place (Hernandez 89). Taboos and restrictions of different kinds view ejection of saliva not as any other natural process but as a â€Å"primitive† and â€Å"uncivilized†. The distinguishing fact between the former and the latter is that the former views this as an external constraint while the latter sees it as an internal constraint (Lama 89). Elias asserts that even Louis xiv, who mostly is seen as the supreme among the omnipotent absolute monarch, proofs when scrutinized as a person whose rank as a king was in a certain network of interdependencies (Barrat 101). He preserved his power by a carefully calcula ted strategy which was under a peculiar structure of court society and by the society at large. Elias understood Louis xiv in the sense of light-recentre-thinking on the nature and structure of the French absolute monarchy. The personal rule of Louis xiv started in 1661, a time of great weakness when all the opposition was crushed. Louis xiv seemed to use the old Roman adage as the simplest strategy for his rule but he did not. From the experienced of the Fronde, the king knew that his ruler was under pressure of threats from below. Barrat asserts that to maintain his rule and avoid the unification of the court society against him, Louis had to exert more pressure (100). His genius, from Elias, was that he rose to perfection as a result of the careful assessment of the relationship of power at the court and the balancing of tension that was within it. He, therefore, succeeded by creating organizations which not only maintained the tension and the differences but also facilitated sup ervision. Louis xiv calculated strategy was implemented during his close to fifty-five years of personal reign. During the period he succeeded in maintaining his rank as a king and instilling the need for it in the French nobility. The king had to use all means at his disposal to maintain and enhance his power. The court and the etiquette as understood by the king were the most important instruments for his reign and power distribution.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Testing Weak-Form Efficiency of Chinese Stock Market Literature review

Testing Weak-Form Efficiency of Chinese Stock Market - Literature review Example A specific concern of this review involves the weak-form of market efficiency. Ho and Lee (2004) provided deep insights in this aspect, outlining background information as well as an outline of empirical evidences that defined, explained and determined weak-form efficiencies in stock market such as those in the United States. Chandra (2008, pp.423) also explained relevant hypotheses such as how current price of a stock reflects all information found in the record of past prices and volumes, which is translated to the argument that past and future price movements are not related. A very important aspect in the existing literature on stock market efficiency is the testing process and methodology. This makes sense because in order to determine the performance and output of a specific stock market, it must be assessed or tested for efficiency. In this regard, numerous studies were undertaken. For instance, the works of Campbell, Lo and MacKinlay (1997) as well as Barber and Lyon (1997) a nd Loughran and Ritter (2000) demonstrated and examined the conventional strategies for testing performance under normal economic conditions. The information provided by Preston and Collins (1966) is quite helpful for this study. The researchers outlined the criteria by which stock market efficiency could be appraised. ... A review of the corpus of literature demonstrate high amount of work done on weak market efficiency. One of the earliest to have investigated this theme is Fama (1965), who found a serial correlation from among the top stocks listed in the American stock market by evaluating time-dependence that occur in the current and past returns. Further studies have argued in favor of adding additional variables such as when Campbell and Shiller (1988) and Harvey (1995) found the need to include financial and macroeconomic variables in the outcome and distribution of return rate. Review of empirical evidence on weak-form efficiency from developed Market The general consensus, at least from the perspective of most researchers such as Fama (1970), Bhatti, Campbell et al., Al-Shanfari and Hossain (2006), Lim (2008), is that market efficiency is not realistic. Groh (2009, pp.5) explained that as a result of such condition, there must exist adequate opportunities for profit, which are the same as ine fficiencies, compensating investors in the process for the cost incurred in the trading and other market activities. Abramowicz, Maciaszek and Wecel (2011, pp.113) echoed this, as they reported that although possible – though only demonstrated in its higher probability in developed markets – market efficiency is not realistic. These claims were validated by the work of Moyer et al. (2012, pp.48) who reported in their investigation that the US markets are efficient in the weak-form context. Another study that supports this position is that one undertaken by Dow and Gorton (1997). In this study, it was found that economic efficiency has insignificant an impact on stock market efficiency. What this means is that wealthy

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Prostitution in the United States Research Paper

Prostitution in the United States - Research Paper Example By identifying the most important factors surrounding the problem of prostitution, further research can be done to address each issue in more detail. This study will use the definition of prostitution provided by Murphy: â€Å"the exchange of sexual services for economic compensation† (775). To better understand the historical context and contemporary situation of prostitution in the U.S., a general review of the literature was conducted. Who becomes a prostitute? Anyone could become a prostitute, and yet the women that do tend to have some common traits. Their childhoods are often as problematic as their adulthoods, and women who choose prostitution have often suffered from specific and predictable childhood experiences. Valera et al. report that almost half of a sample of prostitutes reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact on the part of an adult during their childhood. In the same sample, 39% of women also reported having been abused by a guardian to the point of inju ry (Valera et al.). Edwards, Halpern, and Wechsberg describe both a history of child abuse and the presence of psychological distress as predictors of prostitution. In another study by Farley and Barkan, 57% of prostitutes reported suffering sexual assault during childhood and 49% reported having been physically assaulted. Clearly, the childhood experiences of these women have a staggering impact on them that is long-lasting. Unfortunately, childhood abuse is not the only abuse prostitutes experience, even if it is the first. Many prostitutes have suffered abuse and exploitation from men their entire lives, first through family members and later from pimps and clients (Carter and Dalla). These and the previously described factors seem to point toward a connection between childhood abuse and adult prostitution, so that some intervening response process to the earlier abuse puts these women at a greater risk for prostitution. There are several identifiable socioeconomic factors at wor k in the histories of women who become prostitutes (Burnette et al.). Women who become prostitutes have lower rates of education and higher rates of homelessness when compared to non-prostitutes (Burnette, Schneider, Ilgen, and Timko). Of course, without economic necessity or a drug habit, these women would not be motivated to engage in prostitution (Murphy). Given other resources for economic support, these women would not need to turn to prostitution. Socioeconomic conditions that may contribute to a woman’s continuing engagement in prostitution include a poor economy with a job shortage. Women interested in leaving prostitution and pursuing mainstream employment may be hindered by the contemporary economic climate and its shortage of new jobs. There are other attributes that can predict whether or not a woman is likely to become a prostitute. For example, women who are addicted to drugs are much more likely to become prostitutes than women without substance abuse problems (Burnette et al.). As they sink deeper into drug abuse, their ability to gain or maintain traditional employment is hindered. Through prostitution, they can continue the cycle of their addiction and make money to continue buying more drugs. They may even meet a drug dealer who is also a pimp, and get involved with prostitution through his design. Drug addicts are more

Monday, September 23, 2019

Research Proposal (How effective is the use of fluoroscopy in the

(How effective is the use of fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of cancer in the upper (GIT) gastrointestinal tract in comparison to CT and MRI) - Research Proposal Example ntion of establishing the appropriateness of fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of different types of cancer, when compared to other applicable medical technologies. The major aim and objective of this research project is to establish the effectiveness of applying fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of cancer in the upper (GIT) gastrointestinal tract, when the effectiveness of the diagnosis technology is compared to CT and MRI. Fluoroscopy is a health technology whose application has enabled physicians to undertake the diagnosis of major health problems with greater ease. This is owing to the fact that this method enables the physicians to observe and assess the body’s inner system, when the body is actually functioning (Becker, 2010). Nevertheless, while this health technology is so crucial for the health fraternity, fluoroscopy is associated with the exposure of radiation ions to the patients, which may in turn cause negative health implications. On the other hand, CT and MRI are other health technologies that act as alternatives to fluoroscopy in the assessment of different forms of cancer inpatients. Therefore, this research project seeks to establish the most effective technology between fluoroscopy on the one hand, and CT and MRI on the other hand. Further, the effectiveness of the treatment of cancer rests in the ability of the cancer to be detected at a very early stage, so that the patients can be enrolled to a treatment program early enough before the cancerous cells spread to the rest of the body (Belafsky & Kuhn, 2014). Therefore, the proposed research project also seeks to evaluate how effective fluoroscopy is in detecting cancer at an early stage. The effectiveness of fluoroscopy will also be compared to the effectiveness of early detection for both CT and MRI. The research project will entail the assessment of records from different specialized cancer treatment hospitals, where patients undergo the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the upper (GIT)

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Whistle Blowing Essay Example for Free

Whistle Blowing Essay Write a report explaining the importance of ensuring children and young peoples safety and protection in the work setting. The report needs to cover the following sections:Section 1: InductionExplain why it is important to ensure children and young people are protected from harm in the work setting. As part of the Working Together to Safeguard children, organisations and individuals have a responsibility to work together to safeguard the well-being and welfare of all children and young people in their care. This of course, includes looking after the health, well-being and welfare while they are in the school environment. Everyone who works within a setting and cares for children and young people have clear responsibilities to; Protect children and young people from harm.  Help children to build tools to protect, understand and have the knowledge to some extent safeguard themselves and others. Promote the welfare of all children and young people they work with. The policies and procedures that are in place help train, guide and allow everyone who works with children and young people to help ensure that they are not put at risk from things such as neglect, abuse or bullying. Policies and procedures are also in place to protect the health and safety of everyone in a school setting, this can be for example staff carrying out risk assessments for activities in school. Every member of staff working in a setting can help children and young people to gain knowledge and achieve some level of understanding in how to protect themselves. This can be done through daily teaching, assemblies and play and break times. Section 2: Describe the policies and procedures that are in place to protect children and young people and the adults who work with them. There are many policies and procedures in place to protect children and young people and also the adults who work with them. Here are some examples; Safeguarding The Childrens Act 2004 is in place to make the UK a safer and better place for children and young people. Everyone who works within a setting  should know what to do if a child or young person makes a disclosure or they have a suspicion about the behaviour/general well being of someone in their care. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was introduced to make sure that staff in working environments know and understand the requirements and responsibilities in making sure that the working environment is a safe place to be. This Act covers things such as; Teaching children how to use sports and play equipment correctly. Ensuring that the children know, for example, what the correct clothing is when using apparatus. Explaining and practising a Fire Drill. Teaching children and young people to move through the school in a safe manner, e.g. to run and not to run. This Act also covers areas such as COSSH, Manual Handling Regulations And Workplace Safety. Risk Assessments It would be impossible to make every area of the school completely safe and never expect anything to happen. Risk assessing activities and experiences in school is incredibly important and all school settings will carry out risk assessments on activities in school, equipment used in school, for example PE Equipment, Art and Craft tools and even on trips outside of the school environment. Anti-bullying Every school will have an anti-bullying policy in place. Children maybe involved in things such as school council or drawing and putting up anti-bullying posters around the school. Children can be rewarded for offering friendship to others and some settings have a friendship bench or area for children or young people to go to if they feel lonely or upset. Food and Hygiene Teaching and reminding children and young people to wash their hands after using the toilet. This will help to reduce chance of illnesses and  infections being passed on. Washing hands before being included in cookery lessons. Having a policy in place for how soon a child or adult can return to school after a bout of sickness and diarrhoea. Having a dental nurse or dentist visit the school to teach the children about cleaning teeth properly. The school, headteacher and governing board are legally responsible for making sure all of the policies and procedures are in place and followed by staff, visitors and volunteers. For example, all Risk Assessments are signed by the Headteacher and also by the Governors. Annual Reports and Audits are carried out by the Headteacher and passed to the governing board and the Local Authority. The Local Authority will also carry out their own reports, visits and audits annually. Section 3:Explain how practitioners can take steps to protect themselves within their everyday practice in the work setting during both on-site and off-site visits.When working in a school setting it is an important part of any employee’s job to read and be familiar with the policies and procedures in place to protect themselves and the children and young people in their care. Adequate training should also be provided by the Headteacher, Governing Board and Local Authority to ensure the messages from these policies and procedures are clear and followed. When working at school, you can help to protect yourself by following theses steps; Read, understand and always follow your schools policies and procedures. If you do not understand any of them in place, ask your direct line manager or Headteacher for advice.   Always sign into school on arrival and again on departure. At Barnham Primary, sign in and sign out books are stored by reception and must be filled in every time staff or visitors enter or leave the building. All children and young people at school should have their registers arrival and departure times recorded in the class registers. Always wear a clear name badge and ensure all visitors, volunteers also do the same.   Always avoid, if you can being alone in a classroom with one child. Sometimes in school, you may find yourself working one to one with a child. It is important to consider how to work safely whilst carrying out this work. You should try and keep yourself in a visible position, for example in the corner of the classroom or in view of a witness. If you are working in an empty classroom, chose a space near an open door and in view of anyone walking past. Keep an eye on your body language, position and closeness to the child. If a child or young person is late at school and delayed in going home, two members of staff must remain at school and with them until their parent or carer collects them. If an incident or accident occurs at school they should be written up on the appropriate paperwork and stored in the correct folder. At Barnham Primary the paperwork for accidents is kept in the staff room and must be filled in by the person who witnessed the accident and then signed by the class teacher. A detachable part of the form is then sent home with the child and this is especially important for any head injuries. Any behaviour incidents that require writing up and recording need to be seen by the class teacher and the headteacher.   If you are ever involved in an off-site visit you need to protect yourself by; Always follow the policies and procedures for off site visits set up by your school. The class teacher will have completed a risk assessment for the trip so make sure that you are familiar with key points and anything that you may need to be extra vigilant about. An off site trip may include, using seatbelts on a coach, planning for toilet stops, dealing with a sick child and walking with large groups of children outside. All of these will be included on the risk assessment. Always ensure that the off site trip has been agreed with the Headteacher. Over night stays will need to have the approval of the governing board also.  Parental consent must also be given by parents and carers for all school trips. Any children who are not permitted on off site trips have to remain in school and adequate cover must be provided in school to ensure that they are looked after. It will be the job of the Headteacher to ensure that any off site trip is covered by adequate insurance. There is no legal requirement for staff to pupil ratio on off site trips. However it is important to stay within the guidance of Ofsted. They recommend a ratio of 1 adult to every 15 primary school age children. Often on off site trips, parent helpers and volunteers are encouraged and with this help this ratio is greatly reduced and therefore helps increase the safety of the trip. When the trip is taking place, ensure that a fully stocked first aid kit is taken. At Barnham Primary a First Aid bum-bag is provided and carried on all trips. A current and up to date list of all children and their emergency contacts and any medical issues is also taken on every trip. This must be taken in case of any injury, accident or illness so parents and carers can be contacted quickly. Section 4:Research, evaluate and explain ways in which concerns about poor practice can be reported, including protective measures for whistle blowers and those whose practice or behaviour is being questioned. At every school or setting there should be policies and procedures for everyone to follow on whistle-blowing. A whistle blower can be defined as a person who tells the public or someone in authority about an alleged incident or illegal activity. Whistle-blowing policies and procedures are in place to provide some level of protection for the person in the work place who raises the concern. They aim to protect the person from victimisation or any form of other punishment  when they have only raised their genuine concerns. Once a whistle-blower has raised their concerns and from that do suffer from Victimisation, then that person maybe able to take their case further and go to an Employment Tribunal. However this is only in more serious cases. At Barnham Primary school if there are any concerns about an alleged incident, misconduct or malpractice then it should in he first instance, it should be reported to the persons line manager or supervisor. It is important to remember that anything reported under these circumstances will be treated with confidentiality. To be protected as a whistle-blower they need to make a ‘qualifying disclosure’ about an alleged incident, misconduct or malpractice. For example this could be; Criminal offences Failure to comply with a legal obligation Miscarriages of justice Threats to an individual’s health and safety Damage to the environment A deliberate attempt to cover up any of the above. A qualifying whistle-blower will be protected only if they report their concern to the appropriate person and in the correct way. If an employee or whistle-blower wishes to raise a genuine concern, this is the procedure that must be followed; Staff need to act in good faith when they suspect any level of misconduct or malpractice. The whistle-blower needs to really think through what their concern and think through why the issue is worrying them and why. It is a serious procedure to follow so it should not be taken lightly. Their concerns will in the first instance, report their concerns to their line manager or supervisor. This could be a teacher, senior teacher, head of year or Headteacher. It is important to pick a time of day where time can be given to discuss the issue, so it is a good idea to chose a time carefully.   Before talking to a senior member of staff, the whistle-blower should take the time to write their concerns down. Ti could for example include a detailed report or diary of events. It should include as much detail as possible, for example; background details history names dates and times witnesses places and locations. If the concerns raised are deemed as genuine and there is cause for concern, then an investigation into the alleged incident will begin.   During an investigation period, both the whistle-blower and the accused will be continually supported and informed of the any progress that has been made. The investigation, depending on its level of severity may be carried out by a senior member of staff or someone from the local authority. A Barnham Primary, the SDP (Senior Designated Person) and the Headteacher will be the main contacts to go to if any allegations against a staff member are made.   A time-scale should always be put in place and shard with both the whistle-blower and the accused should have a full understanding of how long the process will be.   During the time of the investigation, both parties should be offered support and opportunity to discuss confidentiality any issues that may have arisen since the incident was disclosed and the investigation began. This would be time for either party to discuss if they have been treated any  differently or unfairly since it began. It is also important to make both parties aware that they have the right to be accompanied at any interview by a trade union representative or work colleague. As well as the whistle-blower being able to give their version of events, it is only fair that the accused can also defend any complaints and give a detailed version of their version of events. Under the Data Protection Act, all information given by both parties involved must be kept confidentially and the investigation must be reflect this and be carried out discreetly.   If a whistle-blower feels as if nothing happens about their concerns then they have the right to contact further services for help. This could be the local school authority of Ofsted.   If the accused is found guilty of the misconduct, incident or malpractice, plans would need to be put in place. In some more serious case the person maybe dismissed from their job, but in other cases support maybe put in place to improve areas of concern. For example, this could be retraining in the area of concern or providing more support in their job role. On the other hand if there is no substance to the allegation, support will also need to be given. This maybe dealing with the emotional stress of being accused of something they did not do, being socially excluded again for something they didn’t do. It may be necessary to offer counselling or mediation between the whistle-blower and the accused to try and re-build the working relationship after the investigation has finished. As serious as this process is, it is very important that whistle-blowers are protected. To be able to provide a safe, healthy environment for education, any malpractice, incidents or misconduct must be taken seriously and people must feel the need to speak out and raise their concerns.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Examining The Flooding Effects In Gambia Environmental Sciences Essay

Examining The Flooding Effects In Gambia Environmental Sciences Essay Floods have been a major natural disaster, affecting the Gambia over the last decade. It effects has been a cause for concern, because the Gambia is situated in the low lying coast and it has a low capacity in resolving the problems on floods. As a result of the rising sea levels, along with excess rainfall and high tides, the Gambias river reaches its flood stage, causing flooding and inundation. According to UNFCCC (2007), the Gambia is part of the worlds most vulnerable countries, that are prone to the effects of sea level rise and the countrys has a few resources to reduce the risks, it poses for the future. The aim of this report is to understand the impacts of sea level rise on river flood and also, to understand its consequences for the flood risk management in Gambia. Geography and Demography The Gambia, being the smallest country in the African continent, has an area of 11,000 km (NEA, 2010). Studies from the UNEP(no date) claim that, about one third of its surface area is covered by the Gambias river with marsh lands along its banks. Its river originates from the Futa Djallon highlands in Guinea, bisecting the country into a narrow strip of land, approximately 400 km long and 30 km wide on both sides of Gambia (see Figure 1). Gambia is bordered on all sides, by the Republic of Senegal and on the west, by the Atlantic Ocean (GOTG, 2008). Figure 1: Map of the Gambia ( Jaiteh and Saho, 2006) Climate and population The Gambias climate is known to be subtropical, with dry seasons from November to May, and wet seasons from June to October. Rainfalls and tides are known to be the key factors that influence the rivers flows, as the rainfall ranges from 850-1,200 mm per annum (NEA,2010). However, over the past decades, there has been massive outbreaks of drought due to low rainfall patterns. As a result, relatively little vegetation cover, has increased the vulnerability of severe floods, because of inadequate permeable surfaces. During the wet seasons, the excess rainfalls, is the period when the overflow of the river banks and into the floodplains, reaches its peak (GOTG, 2008). The Gambias population is now estimated at 1.36 million (Jaiteh and Saho, 2006) with a density of over 130 persons/km2 (UNDP, 2000). A study by Columbia University(2007) claim that almost 62% of the population, residing outside the 10 meter elevation of the coastal areas, are at risk of coastal flooding, and they are susceptible to the effects from sea level rise(see Figure 2). Also 14% of the population, living in the upper river division and the 13% of the population living in the Central river division are those, under greatest threat of river flooding. Figure 2: Population density map(Columbia Univeristy,2007) The countrys geomorphology is made up of its river, which divides the country into two separate forms of a plateau. The lower valley is up to a total land area of 39 percent and its swamps are prone to floods, thus it is only 2 km away from the river ( Jaiteh, 2008). Jaiteh (2008) states that, the countrys highest land heights are in the east of the country, although they are not above 60 meters. The areas shaded in green are those that are more prone to river floods, hence it is less than ten meters above mean sea level (see Figure 3). Correspondingly, the river flow is up to 30 percent below 10 meters above mean sea level and up to 20 percent during flood seasons (NEA, 2010) Figure 3: Elevation Map of The Gambia (Jaiteh, 2003) Flooding in The Gambia Flooding has been the most common hazard, which affected people throughout the world. Annually, 75million people are affected by flood related disasters (Coppola,2011). In Gambia, the national disaster management agency (2008-2011) reported that between 2002 and 2006, there have been 65 flood events. Human activities add to the vulnerability of flood prone areas, especially in the north bank division, deforestation and poor farming tends to reduce the soils ability to hold the flood waters, and this causes more runoffs and erosion (NEA, 2010). Floods can be considered as natural occurrence, rather than pinning it on the effects from climate change. Knuckman (2011) states that, as the catchment reaches its excess water levels, its loses its ability to restore this excess water and then flooding arises. In addition to that, Cooper and Pilkey (2004) believe that other factor listed below also contributes to the factors that trigger floods. There are three main factors that influence river floods are: Sea level Forcing: Due to the high rations between the width and length of the river estuary, Jaiteh and Sarr (2011) have claimed that, sea level rise will increase towards the inner part of the river estuary and this applies to the river Gambia due to it land along the river is flat. Wind forcing: The wind pressure has a huge impact on the water level. Reports from the Gambias meteorology office reveal that, during the last 10 years, there has been a 25cm difference in the water levels between the rainy and the dry season, due to shifts of wind speed. During the rainy season, the forces of the wind has a higher load over the rivers surface Tributary forcing: The rivers mean discharge ranges from 460-90 m3 (Leseck et al, 1980)and the impacts of the severe stream flows affects the rivers tributaries, increasing pressure on the rivers pressure.. Surface evaporation is expected to increase, and this can place additional constraints on management rules of an upstream reservoir in the country. Also, integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) institutions faces problems associated with the water floods from sea level rise, as drainage congestion increases the height of flood levels. During wet seasons, when excess precipitation triggers the river to reach its flood stage, causing the flooded water to flow to the flood plains and unto the land (GOTG, 2008). In1999 and 2003, there was a serious flood event that occurred in Upper River and Central River Regions, affecting 13.1% of the countrys population (National disaster management agency2008-2011). The Gambias has developed a national disaster management agency in 1996, as a response strategy, to provide emergency assistance; rescue, relief and precautionary operations, for all the disasters in the country. Under this agency, there has been a framework called the strategic action plan, which provides a pathway on what actions and mechanisms to be undertaken for an effective disaster management for the Gambia. For instance, in terms of precautionary strategies of floods, this management agency provides sand bags, as flood proofing against the flood water levels during the rainy seasons. Although this process has not been effective, because during the recent floods (1999 and 2003), the forces of the flood waters has exceeded the capacity of those existing sand bags over the recent years (GOTG, 2008). A case study event: July 2010 floodings (Jaiteh and sarr 2011) In September 2010, there was an extreme flood event from heavy rainfalls; affecting 1,000 and 790 people were displaced. The National Red Cross provided financial support on those affected, whilst Red Crescent societies, were responsible for the emergency rescue and rehabilitation aid (DREF, 2010) Jallow et al(1996) carried out a research of a one meter sea level rise scenario on the coastal zone. He concluded that, 1m rise in sea level due to flooding would lead to a total land loss of 92 km ² in Banjul, because its elevation , and Banjul is built on a low lying sand spit (see Figure 4). An estimated total cost of 217 million US Dollars, worth of land could be lost, including the mangroves on St. Marys Island, and along the river banks in the north bank divisions (National Climate Committee Banjul, 2003). Figure 4: Areas susceptible of flooding with a 1 meter sea level rise (GOTG, 2007) The Gambia government has also formulated a national adaptation program of action on (NAPA) on climate change, which is under the administration of the UNFCCC. This framework was signed by the Gambia in June 2001, as a means of developing adaptations to climate change and also, to attain preventive schemes for natural disasters such as floods (Jaiteh and Sarr, 2011). Currently, there have been no existing engineering flood defenses in place, against the prevention of floods in the Gambia. According to executive director of the National disaster management agency, claimed that inadequate resources and low funding has been the countrys main stumbling block, in generating effective flood protection structures such as embankments and dykes. Mr Khan, further went on to say that, there has been ten contingency action plans, funded by the World Bank in 1998 to enhance sustainable actions for their flood risk management strategy. Effects of sea level rising in Gambia The sea level is rising due to an increased temperature from the atmosphere; which causes thermal expansions in the oceans and the melting of the ice caps( Gehrels and Long, 2008). This outcome increases the water level of the sea to rise. Reports from IPCCC(2007) claimed, that global sea level is likely to increase by 18 cm to 59 cm by 2100. In Gambia, it is believed that the sea levels could rise by 15cm to 95 cm by 2100 (UNFCCC,2007). This means that, if global warming is not monitored , the challenges of coping with extreme flood will perpetuate, which will cause future constraints to the Gambias disaster management agency. This outcome of global warming, threatens the risk of potential rivers flooding at an alarming rate in the future if there is not reduction in greenhouse gases. Rising sea levels, inundates the coastal zone, due to its low lying feature the Capital city Banjul is vulnerable to flooding it is less than one meter above mean sea level (see figure 3). It is believed that the relationship between the effects of sea level rise, is caused by the changing climate conditions and the natural occurrence of the river (Hunt,2000). For instance, at the rivers estuary, the rising water level from the sea, with heavy precipitation during the wet season increase the risks of flooding in the rivers floodplains (National Disaster Management Agency, 2008-2011). On the other hand, Jallow et al (1996) reveals that, high tides on the river estuaries, influenced by the westerly winds has also been a major factor why the river Gambia floods. Unfortunately, the tide record recorder has not been in function over the past years, for further analysis (see Table 1) Table 1: Tidal recorder table: Water levels from tide records taken in Banjul, from 1979 to 1993(Jallow et al 1996) The tide recorder above shows that, the water level has remained constant about two meters between 1979-1984, and towards the late 1980s due to low tides, there has been drastic shift between 1988 till 1993. Evidence of the high water levels can be seen in 1980, when huge river floods occurred in the central river division, accompany with heavy storm surges (Jallow et al, 1996). Conversely the NEA (2000) claimed that the tidal currents mostly influences floods in the river estuary than the coastline, thus are weaker by the coastline; Banjul, and higher up to1m/s in the rivers estuary. Figure 3: Current Elevation of Banjul (Jallow et al, 1999) Response strategies The Disaster agency mainly undertakes a disaster response and risk reduction system, than a disaster prevention scheme. In 2007, the agency formulated a risk reduction policy, called a hazards Profile of the Gambia and its Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment Report, to identify the hazards, and the potential threats it poses to the country to the country (National Disaster Management Agency 2008-2011). In 2008 the Gambia government developed a National Disaster Management Act which stressed, that the all adaptation and precautionary measures undertaken for flood preventions must be effective and capable to serve long-term purposes. Thus in the event of the 2003 flooding in Central River Division (CRD), the practical early warnings has not been efficient in alerting people before floods occurs. In the 2003 event, it was unreliable because it did not reach the entire region. Therefore, a change in its the response strategy of the monitoring systems. Post 2003 the government proposes to produce a more resourceful flood risk management plan that consists of geospatial informations to improve the monitoring services to produce positive effective warning systems. There has been a proposal to develop a mapping program to manage the rivers floodplains along central river division (NEA, 2010). Currently the UNDP in the collaboration of a National disaster management program provides project guidelines on, 1. How to review of early warning systems, 2. How to analyze management systems, in precautionary measures and 3. The provision of regular feedbacks to those responsible stakeholders (NEA, 2010). International response The United nations has recommended to the local government to develop artificial channels such as canals and build dams as mechanisms against flood. More over, the government has been has been reluctant, on these developments, especially dams, as they can cause the changes in the course of the river and its establishment, has not been financially viable. The UNDP support to the Gambia on floods, encourages a capacity building approach, in which grassroots development, enhances the local community with skills on planting mangroves around there neighborhood, as preparation plans to deal with the flood waters before flood occurrence (UNDP,2000). Recently, the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) provided technical support to the Gambias assessment of the national institutional framework for the national program of Action. This was not been supportive because it has not clearly indicate areas prone to river flooding, induced sea level rise, to provide accurate analysis on research to cope with the risks from both sea level and flooding. Furthermore, the nonexistence of physical flood defenses against flood preventions, and this has been the why vulnerability increases of the countrys liability to floods (NEA, 2010). LONG-TERM plans and Recommendations Construction of physical defenses It is significant to build a low cost seawall or a bulkhead to cope with the effects of sea level and floods along the coastline. The seawall has a 1:2 slope, a 2-metre beam and a height above water of 1.2 times sea level rise scenario. This would protect the coastline where there land is less than one meter above mean sea level, along Banjul area, by the mangrove systems. It is adequate to use dikes made up of about 1.5 to 2 meter to control the water levels (NEA, 2010) Wetland preservation and mitigation The estuary of the Gambia River contains economically important wetlands and mangrove systems. The mangrove systems on the Kombo St. Mary Island and Kombo Peninsular are regarded as vital breeding grounds for various aquatic species. Efforts should be made to protect these areas by declaring them as protected wetlands. This would discourage exploitation of the resources in these wetlands. This can examine the impacts of upstream dams on the Gambia River in terms of reduced sediment supply. Effects of sea level rise on flood risk management The constraints that the rising sea level has on flood risk management affects the Gambias land use planning and the water resource management. There is the need to increase the use of floodplains against floods, and also development the rivers basin. Water resource management In producing a better river basin, flood management need to identify the connection of the rivers flowing patters. The Gambias integrated water resource management ensures that the water quality is being preserved, and dams and wells are protected against contamination of the flood waters. When river flooding occurs, the major problems arises from drainage congestion and these are regarded as the significant effects of raising water levels on flood risk management Land use planning The Gambia needs to map out the most vulnerable locations of flood risks, to enable accurate impact assessments, between land-use planning and the protection of the infrastructures. Also, the contingency plan should include flood scenarios that are beyond the projected situation, in order to increase its management capacities.The lands office and physical planning should avoid the allocation of lands that are susceptible of flooding. For instance dried up streams in kombo peninsular, consists of new settlements, and has recently flooded during the rainy seasons. People residing at areas prone to flooding should be advice to raise their gate above the mean flood levels. Conclusion It can be concluded that, the impacts of rising sea levels will continue to increase the risk of flooding across the country, if the preventive systems are not enhanced productively in the future. This is because, the Gambia focus all their attention on the response systems, than prevention systems of floods and the effects of sea level rise, rather than tackling the root causes of the problems, and then finding means of preventing its occurrence. Lack of appropriate data has been a stumbling block in producing the accurate findings, for effective risk management systems. Although, Gambia has been classified as a net sink country, the amount of greenhouse gases eliminate from the atmosphere is more than those produced (NEA, 2010). Yet it is been severely affected by the global climate change effects over the last decade. Its management systems undertake an integrated approach, such as policy formulations and contingency plans, rather than establishing of physical defenses. To sum it up, the most important method to manage the effects of sea level rise on floods is to reconstruct those groynes(trunks of rhun palm inserted into the sea) in Banjul to capture those sediments transported during erosion (see Figure 5). The construction dikes, can possible be, one of the most efficient form of flood defences. Also, catchment flood management strategy can be an essential tool in providing a sustainable protection on managing flood risks. The facilitation of a catchment flood management plan will enable the Gambia, to benefit from the understanding flood risks of the river Gambia, in order to tackle its consequences efficiently. In this way, the national disaster management and the rest of the stakeholders will undertake a more technical style towards their flood management plan. In addition to that, there has been poor records to verify flood magnitudes and its frequency and if this was available, there will be allocation, there will be accurate analysis that can provide inappropriate technique to manage future flood risk managements for the Gambia.A corporation that brings together the efforts of the local government, UN agencies, NGOs, civil Society and local communities is the most effective form of a achieving a sustainable flood management strategy would create an inclusive disaster management framework in the country and to improve governments capacities to manage and counter to floods effectively. Received feed back: supervisor wants me to provide a picture of a dikes, as I have written in my conclusion that, it cal be the most effective form of flood risk of management. Please run this thru your plagiarism website for me. I am in Uni working on my powerpoint slides

Various Interpretations of the Progressive Era Essays -- Progressive M

â€Å"What was the Progressive Movement?†[1] Historian Peter G. Filene presents this question in his article, â€Å"An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’†, in order to introduce the reality that for decades scholars struggled to propose an answer to this question. They have and still do struggle because there are many ways to consider this question and qualify the Progressive Era: such as its definition, time frame, significant turning points and important people, goals, successes, and failures. Given these ways of explaining the Progressive Era expressing its ideas appears to be a daunting task. However, the first historian to successfully define and explain the Progressive Movement was historian Richard Hofstadter. With his 1954 book Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Age of Reform, Hofstadter links the major reform movements before and after the turn of the twentieth century. Instead of citing specific reforms or leaders, Hofstadter deals with the ideas connecting Populism, Progressivism and the New Deal, while examining the differences and similarities between them. Other historians subsequently conduct their own research and formulate their own opinions in response to Hofstadter’s book. Peter G. Filene writes in 1970, â€Å"An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’†, which proposes the Progressive Movement cannot be considered a movement at all because of its disunity and lack of identity. Richard L. McCormick writes â€Å"The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics: A Reappraisal of the Origins of Progressivism† in 1980 to offer the corruption of business was the driving force behind Progressivism. Finally, Paula Baker argues in the Progressive era government adopted the domestication role and social policies previously hel... ... [26] Paula Baker, 640. [27] Ibid. [28] Paula Baker, 641-642. Works Cited Peter G. Filene, â€Å"An Obituary for the Progressive Movement,† American Quarterly 22 Spring 1970. Web. 2 June 2015. http://bhsecprogressivism2.omeka.net/items/show/267 Richard Hofstadter, The Age of Reform (New York: Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, 1955. Web. 1 June 2015. http://www2.fiu.edu/~lichtens/syllabi/brinkley.pdf Richard L. McCormick. â€Å"The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics: A Reappraisal of the Origins of Progressivism,† American Historical Review, 86. April 1981. Web. 4 June 2015. http://www.nyu.edu/classes/gmoran/MCCORMICK.pdf Paula Baker, â€Å"The Domestication of Politics: Women and American Political Society, 1780-1920,† American Historical Review, 89 (June 1984). Web. 26 May 2015. https://bhsecamericas2.omeka.net/items/show/15

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Oedipus Complex in Oedipus Rex Essay -- Sophocles Psychology Paper

The Oedipus Complex in Oedipus Rex Thousands of years after Sophocles wrote the story of Oedipus Rex; psychologists named a complex after the behavioral characteristics of Oedipus. For many years psychologists have called a son having a sexual attraction toward his mother the Oedipus Complex. It is common belief that Oedipus Rex did not actually suffer from the Oedipus Complex. The basic support for this theory can be found through Oedipus' inherent fear of the prophecy placed upon him, by the Oracle, actually coming true. Oedipus is told, by a member of the royal court, of the prophecy of the Oracle. The love for his mother and father, and the mere thought of the prophecy drives Oedipus into retreat. He fears that if he stays in Corinth, that the prophecy may come true. This is clearly one sign that Oedipus did not suffer from the Oedipus complex. The thought alone of doing such a thing as having sexual relations with his own mother drives Oedipus from Corinth, away from royalty, and the only life he has ever known. If Oedipus really did suffer from the complex, he w...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Hopi Indians :: American America History

The Hopi Indians In the southwestern United States, above northern Arizona, are three mesas. The mesas create the home for the Hopi Indians. The Hopi have a deeply religious, isolated, tribal culture with a unique history. The Hopi stress group cooperation. The tribe is organized around a clan system. In a clan system, all the members consider themselves relatives. The clans form a social glue that has held the Hopi villages together. Clan membership provides a singular Hopi identity. The Hopi have a highly developed belief system which contains many gods and spirits. Ceremonies, rituals, dances, songs, and prayers are celebrated in year-round. The Hopi believed they were led to the arid southwestern region of America by their creator, because he knew they had the power to evoke rain with power and prayer. Consequently, the Hopi are connected to their land, its agricultural cycles and the constant quest for rainfall, in a religious way. The religious center of the community is the kiva, which is an underground room with a ladder protruding above the roof. The kiva is very important for several reasons. From the kiva, a connection is made with the center of the earth. Also, the kiva is symbolic for the emergence to this world. The room would represent the underworld and the ladder would represent the way to the upper world. In fact, a room is kept in the house to store ceremonial objects. A sacred ear of corn protects the room and symbolizes the ancestry of the fam ily members. Kachinas are also a focal point of the religion. For a Hopi, they signify spirits of ancestors, dieties of the natural world, or intermediaries between man and gods. The Hopi believe that they are the earth's caretakers, and with the successful performance of their ceremonial cycle, the world will remain in balance, the gods will be happy and rain will come. Because they think of their crops as gifts, the Hopi Indians live in harmony with the environment. Art is also used for ritualistic purposes. Men's loincloths were painted and decorated with tassels to symbolize falling rain. Men also wore elaborate costumes that include special headdresses, masks, and body paints during ritual ceremonies and dances. The Hopi follow a seasonal sense of time. Depending on the season, different preparations were used for collecting the rain. Droughts required the Hopis to adopt new farming methods that are still in use today.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Insider Trading and Martha Stewart Essay

Martha Stewart, homemaker turned media mogul, spent time in 2004 and 2005 in jail for illegal insider trading. While insider trading is not necessarily illegal if reported properly, more often insider trading is done in a fraudulent manner. This paper will examine insider trading and discuss the Martha Stewart case in regards to fraudulent insider trading. Insider trading is when corporate insiders such as officers, directors, or holders trade more than 10% of the corporations stocks or securities (wikipedia, 2006). Insider trading is legal as long as the transaction is reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and not based on material non-public information. Insider trading is illegal when a corporate ‘insider’ is misappropriating private information, and trading on it or secretly relaying the information (wikipedia, 2006). Illegal insider trading is considered a violation of trust to the shareholders and destroys the level playing field for all investors to make decisions based on the same information. In the Martha Stewart case, Stewart received information from her friend Sam Waksal that his company, ImClone’s cancer drug had been rejected by the FDA before the information was made public (Rasmussen, 2006). The rejection by the FDA caused ImClone’s stock to drop sharply. Before this news was made public, Martha Stewart had her stockbroker sell her 4000 shares of ImClone. The ‘inside’ information saved Stewart a lot of money when she sold her shares premature of the bad news going public for ImClone. The Martha Stewart verdict was justified because Martha was not forthcoming with the information she knew and her motives to sell the stock. Martha and especially her stockbroker knew they were taking advantage of what seemed like ‘lucky’ information. Although Martha felt like a scapegoat, there are many others that have probably committed the same crime of insider trading and hopefully this case has helped deter further violations of the law in the future.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Economics Essay

1. What did Keynes think some of the chief benefits and defects of capitalism were? Keynesian theory which was developed by Keynes advocates for a mixed economy where the government and private sector are important. In Keynesian model economy is assumed to be below full employment.   Keynesian argues that the aggregate demand for good which seek to increase employment of resources in the country is the driving force of an economy.   According to Keynes, the government’s role is to reduced unemployment rate and deflation level to enhance increased output in an economy (Baqliano and Bertola, 2003). Capitalism developed by Max argues that the poor in capitalistic society are so because of exploitation by the merchants who own the means of production and distribution.   The merchants are said to exploit the poor through low wages.   Marx argued that the value of any economic good should be determined by the labor used to manufacture.   Any cost that is higher than the cost of labor represents the surplus which is the profits the capitalists realize from exploitation of their laborers.   Marx believes that all means of production should be owned by the government or should control by the government.   Marx advocated for socialist government that owns the means of production or democratic administration that control them. Economists who include Keynes deny the claims of Marx that labor is the only measure for surplus.   According to Keynes who support capitalism, employers and employees are guided by the prevailing market wages hence employers offer employment to willing workers. John Keynes believes in capitalistic economy and called on the government to stimulate it but not eliminate it.   However, Keynes site defect in capitalism where he argues that capitalism does not promote full employment, wealth and incomes which the model seeks to achieve in the long run. Keynesian ideologies have been employed by politician but both abuse of the model, inflation has resulted.   This is evident with government manipulating policies to make economic conditions favorable during election which has led to high inflation in most state.   Action by government leads to reduce real wages and real incomes which do comply with Keynes model.   Capitalism has led to segregation of the society into strata according to income and wealth owned.   Most politician use Keynes ideologies by making promises that will earn them votes.   Implementations of the promises require higher taxation which reduces income of individuals (Baqliano and Bertola, 2003). Keynesian advocate for full employment which should be accompanied buy steady controlled inflation level as an effective means of guiding the economy in he interests of capital.   Keynes argue that real wages can be allowed to fall, government expenditure on schools, hospitals and infrastructure can be reduced as anti-inflationary measures and this inflationary measure should be continued until employment level desired is achieved. According to Keynes denied that unemployment is contributed by capitalism. However Keynes argued that unemployment in capitalism is brought by inadequate demand of personal articles of consumption and productive articles of consumption.   Keynes argue that inadequate demand is as a result of the workers tending to accumulate part of their incomes through savings and the inadequate demand   for productive consumption is brought by failure of people to invest their capital profitability which would lead to increase in output and hence reduced unemployment. Keynes advocates that employment can be increased by lowering real wages through inflation introduction and decreasing rate of interest.   Increased rate of interest will encourage investment of capital which will increase aggregate demand.   The government should then expand its budget to allow mass investment. Consumptive demand can be increased through increased extravagance of the ruling class; investing in war prone areas and increased non-productive expenses by the state.   The increased non-productive expenses to attain full employment of the population will actually lead to diminished living standards of laborers. Keynes in his support for capitalism argued that the workers should not be assisted to rise above the capitalists because capitalists who consist of intellectuals are the quality of life and they carry seed of achievement.   Keynes argued against socialism where the government owns the production. Keynes in support of capitalism advocates the governments to support monopoly.   The wage freezing policy by the federal government in Middle East helped increase the profits of the monopolies while lowering the living standards of the workers. Keynes argue that inflation bring about equilibrium position I n capitalism.   In Capitalism â€Å"Boomâ€Å" lead to increased profits and hence increased prices.   Production expands up to overproduction point where equilibrium is achieved through â€Å"boom bursting. 2. What is the `identification problem` in using econometric analysis? Identification problem in ecometrics involves solving unique values of the parameters of the structural model from the values of the parameters of the reduced form of the model.   Reduced form of a model presents a model where endogenous variables are expressed functions of exogenous variables. For example prices in a marker are determined by supply and demand, hence must establish the demand and supply functions.   However, the equation obtained by regressing quantity on market price cannot be identified specifically as either supply or demand function.   In special cases, we use regression to get demand function.   While holding supply function constant or vice versa, but cannot obtain regression while accommodating fluctuation changes in both (Baqliano and Bertola, 2003). Economics Essay The three areas of economics affect an individual both positively and negatively. First, in making decisions, a person often has to decide on tradeoffs because he/she just cannot afford to buy everything that he/she needs. In other words, sacrifices must be made. Economics, after all, is about allocating the resources available to a person – which happens to be scarce most of the time. This would mean, for instance, that if one has set aside $10 dollars for chocolates and he/she wants to buy some oranges, the decision would often entail buying less chocolates to enable him/her to buy some oranges. This effect is often interpreted as a negative one because a person has to let go of one want in order to satisfy another desire. This illustration clearly shows that budget constraint plays a major role in decision-making. (Mankiw, 2004) The second area of economics, interaction with others, affects members of society positively because in a free market economy, prices could not just be dictated by producers and sellers without the involvement or say of the consumers. In other words, if the price of a certain commodity proves too expensive, consumers would usually look for cheaper alternatives, thereby causing the demand for the more expensive version to fall. If the 21† colored television set produced by Sony Corporation, for instance, has been priced much higher than the 21† colored television of Philips, chances are that consumers would opt for the television set being sold by Philips because of the lower price. In this case, preference for Sony, which might prove to have a higher quality, could only be expressed by those who have the money, therefore feeling no budgetary constraints. Finally, the workings of the economy could affect an individual both positively and negatively. One instant is when government decides to print and circulate an abnormally high volume of money. This situation forces money to depreciate in value, thereby resulting to inflation. A high level of inflation causes prices to increase because of the additional costs being shouldered by manufacturers owing to the lower value of money. An upside of this situation, however, could be a temporary increase in employment. Because of the availability of money, employers can afford to hire additional workers. (Mankiw, 2004)