Thursday, October 31, 2019

The professional is political Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The professional is political - Essay Example Learning occurs when on earth you take on new behaviour or adapt obtainable behaviour patterns in a method that has some power on future presentation or approach. Learning is so a form of activity that results in a long-lasting or lasting change in behaviour. Learning is incredible that we never discontinue responsibility. We start knowledge from the instant we are born and stay on learning waiting the day we die. Knowledge is the aptitude to understand new belongings and put into action the belongings we have learnt in daily life. Teachers who make warm and tolerant yet business-like atmospheres will endorse persistent attempt and favourable attitudes in the direction of learning. This plan will be successful in brood and in adults. Develop an surroundings in which it is most possible students will feel a intelligence of incentive to learn what is being trained rather than trying to pressurize students into knowledge. To do this requires in commission from a sympathetic of the student wants. Some individuals -- particularly children of sure ages and a number of adults -- have little ability for internal incentive and must be guide and reinforced continually. The use of inducement is base on the standard that learning occurs additional successfully when the scholar experience feelings of approval. Caution should be work out in using external rewards at what time they are not totally necessary. Their make use of may be followed by a refuse in interior incentive. People seek others by means of whom to contrast their abilities, opinions, and feeling. Affiliation cans also consequence in direct nervousness reduction by the communal receipt and the mere attendance of others. However, these motivators can too lead to traditional values, opposition, and other behaviors that may seem as unenthusiastic. However, it has to be borne in brain that there can be no set of courses growth without teacher growth. Staff and prospectus expansion must be intimately

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Role That Financial Intermediaries Play Essay

The Role That Financial Intermediaries Play - Essay Example The incentive in the form of their commission is earned in return for their intermediation services and at times providing support and help to both the parties. â€Å"Financial intermediaries, serve as the "go between" between lenders and borrowers. The difference between what they earn and pay is their reward for intermediation. A complex financial system comprises both financial markets and financial intermediaries. We distinguish financial intermediaries according to whether they issue complete contingent contracts or incomplete contracts. Intermediaries such as banks that issue incomplete contracts, demand deposits, are subject to runs, but this does not imply a market failure. With regard to the Central Bank, the central bank can easily regulate and delegate its duties to these financial intermediaries who are directly in touch with the final users of finances as well as the providers and suppliers of funds in the economy. If the circulation of currency notes is considered, the se intermediaries can act as consolidators of old notes and disburse the new notes to their customers and depositors. In this way, the central bank can do away with its duty to circulate them itself. Similarly, various policies and controls can be designed by the central banks which are to be put in practice by these intermediaries. The financial intermediaries play a vital role in regulating and managing financial resources of a financial system. The central banks and the reserve bank can put their policies into practice in a more efficient way.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Oil And Gas Industry

The Oil And Gas Industry Des Plc, one of the largest and world leading drilling companies in the oil and gas sector of Germany. The company was established by Engr. Joe and Mr. Onos in the year 2004 when the German government initiated the Integrated Energy and Climate Programme (IEKP) policy aimed at providing state-of-the-art, secure and climate compatible supply of energy in Germany in order to restrict dependency on imported oil and gas products. Driven by the need to expand, Des Plc has decided to embark on business operations in Nigeria. The aim of this report is to, as a researcher, advise the CEO of Des Plc as to whether DES Plc should export or go into foreign direct investment (FDI), as its approach in Nigeria. This feasibility study tends to explore and look into the analysis of the national business system and cultural conditions prevalent in Nigeria and Germany while assessing the pattern and trends of trade and investment in both countries within the Oil and gas sector with key emphasis on protection measures against imports and foreign investment in Nigerian oil and gas sector; advise on whether Des Plc should export or go into foreign direct investment, or combine the methods, considering the effect of the exchange rate regime for Germany and Nigeria. And, on the whole, it assesses the level of risk exposure and corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues Des Plc of Germany may encounter in Nigeria as a foreign counterpart in the Nigerian Oil and gas industry. By the end of this research, the best strategy will have been established for adoption taking into cognizance the recommended approach considered optimal 1.1 THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY The oil and gas industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world today. Oil and natural gas products touch our lives in countless ways every day. Together, they account for more than 60 percent of our nations energy. They fuel our cars, heat our homes and cook our food (EAPI, 2011). It may also be worthwhile to add that Nigeria is the 10th largest oil producer in the world, the third largest in Africa and the most prolific oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. And while the Nigerian economy is largely dependent on its oil sector which supplies 95% of its foreign exchange earnings, the German government is trying to lower the level of dependency on the importation of the product (MIS, 2011). 2.0 AN ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL BUSINESS SYSTEM AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS 2.1 NATIONAL BUSINESS SYSTEM The national business system approach explains international differences in firm organisation and firm behaviour. The focus is on the coordination of economic activities and on governance issues. National differences in the organisation of firms and markets are explained by differences in culture and in formal institutions. The business systems approach, while originally rooted in sociology, increasingly has become based on economic theory with slight emphasis on legal, political and educational frameworks (Lundvall 1999). Owing to the implication of the preceding analysis, an emphasis is placed on the following institutional arrangements in the Nigerian political, economic and legal system with the analysis of the national business system in Nigeria in connection with Des Plc of Germany as a prospective entrant to the Nigerian business space- as shown in the table below: DIMENSIONS BRIEF OVERVIEW POLITICAL SYSTEM IMPACT ON BUSINESS The Federal Republic of Nigeria is governed in accordance with the provisions of a Constitution. The most recent came into being in May 1999.The new Constitution is based essentially on the report of a Committee which had collated the views expressed by Nigerians in the 1995 constitution. Significantly, the Constitution affirms that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state, whose constituent units are bound together by a Federal arrangement. It provides for a presidential system of government in which there is an Executive, a Legislature and a Judiciary, with each acting as a check and balance on the powers of the other two arms. The Constitution further provides for the operation of three tiers of government, at the Federal, State and Local levels. These provisions are binding on all authorities and persons throughout the Federation. This akin to the German political structure in terms of power distribution (TBTIG 2011). However, this democratic system of government has made the business space so unstable for some years owing to election irregularities and political manoeuvres. TERRORISM AND NIGERIAS DEVELOPMENT THE GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS ACTORS IN THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR Terrorism has been on the increase since 2002 when a sect called Boko Haram started signalling disintegration of the Nigerian economy. Under past leadership, the group demanded that Nigeria become an Islamic state but it is now believed to be made up of several factions, with various demands which distort the political future of the nation (BBC Africa) The Nigerian government has embarked on robust policies to privatise its sectors in the recent years and as such, has boost efforts to attract foreign investment (TBTIG 2011). SHELL, TOTAL, CHEVRON are some of the key players in the oil and gas industry of Nigeria. They all have to thrive in the face of ethnic disparities because their major operations are in the remote areas of the notable Niger Delta region where militancy- oppositions are prominent. In 2004, Niger Delta activists demanding a greater share of oil income for locals began a campaign of violence against the oil infrastructure, threatening Nigerias most important economic lifeline (BBC Africa). DIMENSIONS BRIEF OVERVIEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM IMPACT ON BUSINESS Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with an ethnically and religiously diverse population of 140 million. Nigeria has the second-highest GDP in Africa (US$166.78 billion in 2007), reflecting the countrys substantial oil reserves. However, oil has proved a mixed blessing for the country (CIA 2011). Nigerias economy has much in common with those of China, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia and India; free enterprise is the norm. However, electricity and water continue to be partially government owned and controlled. Outside of transportation and, perhaps, a small section of the industrial sector, the petroleum economy has very little linkage with Nigerian production (Daudu) The Nigerian government has a policy which is to promote the commercialization, restructuring and privatization of certain government-owned enterprises. Privatization has also been accompanied by deregulation of various economic sectors to encourage private sector participation, notably in telecommunications, power, and downstream petroleum sectors. Most of Nigerias economic activity occurs in key metropolitan areas-Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Onitsha and Port Harcourt (online). Although petroleum continues to dominate the public finances and foreign exchange resources of Nigeria, the sector is, in reality, an enclave economy employing less than 100,000 Nigerians directly in production. The Nigerian government is restructuring and diversifying the economic base of the economy and reducing the dependence on oil, and as such will have bearing on the industry prominence and strategic posture. ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OVER 12 MONTHS FOREIGN RESERVE SIGNIFICANT RATES The strongest performance of Nigerias non-oil economy allowed the economy to avoid a substantial slowdown in 2009 and it expanded by 4.9%, compared to the growth rate seen in 2008. In April 2010, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted growth rate of 7% and 7.3% for Nigeria in 2010 and 2011 respectively and said that the economy was recovering faster than it had earlier anticipated. These forecasts are predicted on the belief that oil prices will remain relatively stable as the global economy recovers, and on the assumption that the truce with militants in the Niger Delta holds. Attacks by militants on oil infrastructure and kidnappings of oil workers cut exports sharply in previous years (CIA 2011). Nigerias foreign exchange reserves had fallen to US$40.67 billion at the end of March 2010, down from US$42.4 billion at the end of 2009, and from US$52.7 billion at the of 2008. Nigeria disbursed about US$3 billion from its oil windfall savings to the three tiers of government in February and March 2010, which contributed to the depletion of its foreign exchange reserves. Interest rate: 6% (Central bank, April 2010) GDP growth: 4.9% (official, 2009) Unemployment: 4.9% (2007 est.) FDI: US$71.59 billion (December 31, 2009, est) Nigerias economic decline, especially during the last 20 years is illustrated by the fact that per capita income, which was the US $1000 in 1965 had declined to the US $300 by 1998. Within some 18 years, Nigeria had declined from being a low middle-income country and amongst the fifty richest countries in the world to one of the 30 poorest (Daniel 2011). LEGAL SYSTEM Nigerias legal system is based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law 2.2CULTURAL CONDITIONS Business is an integral part of society and both influence each other. Social-cultural environment refers to the influence exercised by certain social and cultural factors which are beyond the control of the business unit. Such factors include: attitude to work, family system, religion, languages, habits, preferences, tradition, value system, business ethics etc. Any change in cultural factors like education affects the lifestyle and thinking of the people living in society and thereby bearing on business activities in such society (Jain et al 2009). Managing the problems created by cross -cultural differences increases the transaction costs of conducting international business activities. Consequently, if cultural differences between potential trading partners are large, the economic and/ or strategic benefits of engaging in business activities must be large enough to offset the extra costs of doing business with difference cultures (McDonald and Burton 2002). However, putting the importance of cultural implications in the business space into consideration, planning to do business in the Nigerian oil and gas industry will require a look into some cultural factors as follows: Traditions and family system: Oil and gas operations are prominent in the Niger-Delta region of the country as the major oil wells are found in such rural areas of the region. Chevron is the third-largest oil producer in Nigeria and one of its largest investors, spending more than $3 billion annually. Chevron as a core player in the industry enters into serious business negotiations with traditional institutions in host communities before the commencement of oil explorations (Chevron 2011) Religion: Nigeria has Christianity and Islam as major religions major religions. However, these religions have little or no effect on the consumption of oil and gas products in the country. Ethnic Groups: Nigeria as Africas most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% (CIA 2011). Language: English is the official language in Nigeria. The country is composed of diverse ethnic groups with several languages but three major languages (Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba) are spoken in a general sense. Although, the Pidgin English is prominently used across the nation because it remains the best way in which the uneducated ones communicate. This may constitute a major implication for Des Plc because German is the official language in Germany. So many stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas host communities do understand just the Pidgin English. 3.0 TRADE PATTERN BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES 3.1 TRADE PATTER IN GERMANY Germany is one of the constituents of the European Union (EU) and also a member of the WTO. The WTO has a single trade policy and tends to demonstrate the possibility of exploiting the Collective nature of the communitys membership in order to maximize the political pressures brought about by WTO approached sanctions exists and has been noticed the communities trading patterns. However, the ultimate Machiavellian approach might be to target precisely those members states that do not benefit from WTO-incompatible measure of the community and are in favour of removing or amending it (Borght 2007). Developments in Germanys trade patterns in recent years have generally been conducive to the international use of the Deutsche mark on several accounts. First, Germany has become the worlds largest supplier of exports to the world, surpassing the USA since 1986 and enhancing the potential role of the mark as an invoicing vehicle. The bulk of German imports were raw materials particularly oil and gas from Russia and the bulk of German export were manufactured goods. Second, between 1986 and 1989 the share of specialized manufactured goods (primarily machinery and transport goods) in relation to total exports rose from 38 to 47 percent (ECB 2011). 3.2 TRADE PATTERN IN NIGERIA Nigeria has always reinforced commitment to improving her business environment so as to integrate into the global economy. However, oil and gas have been Nigerias bulk of export (Iwela 2007). The United States is Nigerias largest trading partner after the United Kingdom. Nigeria supplies around 11% of US oil imports and 4.5% of German Imports. Crude Oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) account for 98% of exports and around 80% of government revenue (Qfinance 2011). 3.3 THE PATTERN OF TRADE BETWEEN GERMANY AND NIGERIA Nigeria and Germany have maintained a consistent trade relationship over the years. Meanwhile, recent trade statistics (2007) showed that Nigerias export to Germany amounted to 911,5 million Euro, a decrease of 35% compared to 2006. Imports to Germany have increased by 10% to 1083,3 million Euro. In 2006, the trade figure was in favour of Nigeria, with exports to Germany amounting to 1402,6 million Euro and imports from Germany worth 973,9 million Euro. The different trade figure is mainly due to lower oil exports to Germany and higher imports of semi-finished goods (Abah 2011). 3.4 TRADE IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY BETWEEN NIGERIA AND GERMANY Britain was the chief beneficiary of Nigerian oil in the early years of the colonys oil industry. After gaining independence, Nigeria expanded its export to destinations to include Western European nations, especially Germany and the United States (Levi 2004) However, the Germanys presence in the Nigerian oil and gas sector has declined over the years. Just as earlier stated that in 2006, the trade figure was in favour of Nigeria, with exports to Germany amounting to 1402.6 million Euro and imports from Germany worth 973.9 million Euro. The different trade figure for 2007 is mainly due to lower oil exports to Germany. 3.5 RESTRICTIONS AND PROTECTIONS ON TRADE IN NIGERIAN For two decades prior to economic reforms, Nigerias trade regime was viewed as complex, restrictive, and opaque (WTO, 2005). Following the structural adjustment programme (SAP) in 1988, a seven-year tariff schedule was adopted which significantly reduced tariff averages. However, further tariff revisions were made, often in response to pressures from domestic lobbies. Since 1978, the government had also introduced policies on import prohibitions which banned selected products that were viewed as strategic for the economy or which needed infant industry protection. However, prior to the recent economic reform, Nigeria maintained a complex tariff structure consist of about 19 bands and 5,146 lines (at the HS-8 digital level), with tariff ranging between 2.5 and 150 percent. Nigeria liberalized its import tariff regime by adopting the Common External Tariff (CET) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (Iwela 2007). 3.6 RESTRICTIONS IN THE NIGERIAN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY Oil and gas operations commenced in Nigeria effectively in 1956, with the first commercial find in that year by the then Shell DArcy. Before this time, that is, from November 1938, almost the entire country was covered by a concession granted to the company to explore for petroleum resources. This dominant role of Shell in the Nigerian oil industry continued for many years, until Nigerias membership of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1971, after which the country began to take a firmer control of its oil and gas resources, in line with the practice of the other members of OPEC. This period witnessed the emergence of National Oil Companies (NOCs) across OPEC member countries, with the sole objective of monitoring the stake of the oil-producing countries in the exploitation of the resource. Whereas in some OPEC member countries the NOCs took direct control of production operations, in Nigeria, the Multinational Oil Companies (MNOCs) were allowed to continue with such operations under Joint Operating Agreements (JOA) which clearly specified the respective stakes of the companies and the Government of Nigeria in the ventures (Iwela 2007). 4.0 EXCHANGE RATE REGIME IN GERMANY AND NIGERIA Numerous exchange rate regimes are practised globally, ranging from the extreme case of fixed exchange rate system, such as the currency boards and unions to a freely floating regime. In practice, countries tend to adopt an amalgam of regimes such as an adjustable peg, crawling peg, target zone/crawling bands, and managed float, whichever suit their peculiar economic conditions. (McDonald and Burton 2011). The exchange rate regime of Germany and Nigeria are considered as both countries use different currencies (naira and euro) respectively. 4.1 EXCHANGE RATE REGIME IN NIGERIA Nigeria has switched between exchange rate systems over the years. During the first phase (1970-1985), Nigeria operated a controlled exchange rate regime where exchange rate of the naira was pegged to the dollar. The second phase of exchange rate history in Nigeria began in 1986. Following the oil glut of the early 80s, it became clear that Nigerian economy which depends on oil was not able to sustain the fixed exchange regime because its foreign reserves not only depleted but foreign debt also mounted. As an integral part of the Structural Adjustment Programme introduced in 1986, the country adopted a flexible exchange rate through the Second tier Foreign Exchange Market (Iwela 2007). The Nigerian exchange rate. The most critical are the creation of a high propensity to import because an over-valued currency makes import cheaper and promotes a balance of payments deficits. In the quest for a realistic naira 9 exchange rate, the CBN employs the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) model as a guide to gauge movements in the nominal exchange rate and to determine deviations from the equilibrium exchange rate. Although the PPP as a relative price does not provide clear criteria for choosing a base period and is generally criticized for its insensitivity to short-term policy actions, it nonetheless, provides a reasonable framework for a comparative analysis of trading partners performances (Iwela 2007). 4.1 EXCHANGE RATE REGIME IN GERMANY Germany operates a floating exchange regime system. Germany is much more competitive than its southern counterparts and this biggest economy in the Eurozone relies heavily on net exports and fixed investments while private consumption takes only a second place (ECB 2011). Growth in the Eurozone will remain sluggish and is expected to underperform the US in 2011. The economy in the 16-nation region is expected to grow +1.7% in 2011, followed by +1.8% in 2012, almost half of the growth in the US (ECB 2011). 4.2 THE EXCHANGE RATE IMPLICATION ON NIGERIAN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY The peculiarity of the Nigerian foreign exchange market needs to be highlighted. The countrys foreign exchange earnings are more than 90 per cent dependent on crude oil export receipts. The result is that the volatility of the world oil market prices has a direct impact on the supply of foreign exchange. Moreover, the oil sector contributes more than 80 percent of government revenue (CIA 2011). 4.2 IMPLICATION FOR DES Plc Thus, when the world oil price is high, the revenue shared by the three tiers of government rise correspondingly and, as has been observed since the early 1970s, elicited comparable expenditure increases, which had been difficult to bring down when oil prices collapse and revenues fall concomitantly. Indeed, such unsustainable expenditure level had been at the root of high government deficit spending. DES performance could, to a large extent, be tied to this economic phenomenon. In addition, the removal of fuel subsidy signaled danger by the Nigerian masses as their standard of living is largely dependent on the oil and gas production and performance. 5.0 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ISSUES IN THE NIGERIAN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY With regard to driving forces for CSR implementation, philanthropy gets a high priority in Africa. This is due to the huge socio-economic needs which have resulted in philanthropy becoming an expected norm in society. According to the theoretical findings, the philanthropic motive has also the highest priority in Nigeria (Helg, 2007). DES Plc cannot over emphasize the issue of CSR in order to consider doing business in the oil sector of Nigeria as many players in the industry have had to put with this situation as much they can (Skjeraseth et al 2004). However, it can be said that CSR is viewed by host communities as ethical and moral obligation of investing companies and as such should not be undermined. CSR ISSUES IN THE INDUSTRY OVERVIEW RESPONSE MEASURE PLAYERS EXPERIENCES While ExxonMobil and TotalFinaElf see their responsibility primarily in terms of providing affordable and environmentally clean fuel and investments in the countries and regions in which they operate, BP aims to be a force for good (BP, 2001), and Shell will strive to build a better world (Shell, 1999) .Shell, Chevron and other players in the industry have suffered kidnap of expert rates over the years. Militancy has been on the increase in the Niger Delta region where exploration is prominent in Nigeria. The youth regard this approach as the only means to benefit from their natural endowment since there are no other ways. Provision of employment, construction of roads and employment may be some available measures to keep the potential situation in check for DES Plc. HUMAN RIGHTS In Nigeria, CSR is viewed as giving back to society and as such their ultimate right. In Nigeria, philanthropy is more than charitable giving. HIV/Aids is an example where the response by business is essentially philanthropic but clearly, in companies own economic interests. DES Plc can make provision to partner with human right organizations in order to effectively address potential issues EMPLOYEES RIGHT The Nigerian government has also through its NEEDS strategy (Nigerian National Planning Commission 2004) set the context by defining the private sector role as by stating that the private sector will be expected to become more proactive in creating productive jobs, enhancing productivity, and improving the quality of life. Nigerians maintain that companies have a responsibility to do more than maximize profits and returns to shareholders? If they do, how far does it extend? Does it include the provision of good wages and working conditions for employees; DES Plc already has a good reputation for job enhancement and upholding that corporate culture will position it against undue pressure in this regard. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Nigerian communities tend to maintain a level of ownership over natural resources and as such never want to part ways with what they consider as stake. There are Landlord groups formed to foster strong opposition against whatever they perceive as injustice in oil exploration Working on the CSR agenda in Nigeria in partnership with different stakeholders in the society. Involve community leaders in the determination of locations. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Maintenance of the highest environmental standards. Oil spillage and gas flaring have been major issues hosts communities emphasize while maintaining a strong opposition against the investors. The introduction of local agricultural schemes to appeal to the affected public. SUPPLIER RELATIONS Company relations with suppliers and contractors are always questionable and not viewed as a priority (TBTIG 2011). Multinational companies initiate co-operation with the SMEs in both the formal and informal sector for local supplies. To develop a joint corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda for Nigerian and non-Nigerian firms. This could be explored by DES Plc while sourcing materials for local use in the region 6.1 INVESTMENT METHOD However, Nigerias libralised business regime and proactive reform measures are making it easier to do business in the country (TBTIG: 2011). Owing to the preceding issues considered in this report, Foreign Direct investment will be recommended to DES Plc as a measure for expansion and penetrating into the Nigerian oil and gas sector. The Nigerian government has put incentives in place to attract foreign investors. Nigerias investment regime has been geared towards encouraging private sector involvement in the countrys economy. The corporate tax rate is 30% in all sectors except petroleum, which is taxed separately under the Petroleum Industry Bill. According to the World Investment Report 2011, prepared by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, FDI inflows into Nigeria fell from $8.65bn in 2009 to $6.09bn in 2011, with the blame placed on delays to the Petroleum Industry Bill (TBTIG: 2011). 6.2 MODE OF ENTRY However, The Nigerian government operates a deregulated society which could favour the brownfield approach. DES Plc can adopt this suitable means by merging and acquiring an asset of a firm in the industry owing to the market share core players like Shell, Total, Chevron etc already have in the industry. 7.0 CONCLUSION In spite of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues identified in the Niger Delta region in recent years, Nigerias huge wealth of oil makes it singularly attractive to the multinational majors, most of which are represented in Nigeria. More recently, multinational oil companies have been focusing their attention on exploration projects. They and their likes promise much for the future of oil industry investment since they allow the oil majors to diversify their investment in the country and bypass the troubles of the Niger Delta region (TBTIG: 2011). Nigerias liberalised business regime and proactive reform measures are making it easier to do business in the country. Germanys presence is scanty in the oil exploration space of Nigeria and as such that remains a quick and ample opportunity to be explored by DES Plc taking the aforementioned policies into consideration. However, owing to the issues discussed in this report it is obvious that the most suitable form of investment is Foreign Direct Investment FDI by merging or acquiring existing firm in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. REFERENCES Abah M. (2011). 50 German Firms Storm Nigeria for Investment. http://www.jangola.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=141:50-german-firms-storm-nigeria-for-investmentcatid=45:businessItemid=87 [Accessed 04/01/2012] BBC News, Africa, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13949550 [Accessed 26/12/2011]. Chevron (2011). Nigeria Highlights of Operations. http://www.chevron.com/countries/nigeria/ [Accessed 03/12/2012] Danial, B. J. ( 2011). The Nigerian Economy in the 21st Century. http://www.onlinenigeria.com/economics/?blurb=498 [Accessed 26/12/2012] Daudu http://www.dawodu.com/okigbopanel1b.pdf EAPI: Energy API (2011). About Oil and Natural Gas. http://www.api.org/aboutoilgas/ [Assessed 17/12/2011]. ECB: European Central Bank (2011). Key Interest Rates for the Euro Zone. http://www.ecb.int/stats/monetary/rates/html/index.en.html [Accessed 15/01/2012]. Helg, A. (2007), Corporate Social Responsibility from a Nigerian Perspective. http://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/4713/1/07-23.pdf [Accessed 10/01/2012] Iwela, O.U. (2007). Nigerias Economic Reform: Progress and Challenges. The Global and Development Programme. Brookings Institution, Washington DC http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2007/0323globaleconomics_okonjo%20iweala/20070323okonjo_iweala.pdf [Accessed 30/12/2011]. Jain T. R., Trehan M., Trehan R. (2009). Business Environment. FK Publications. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Y77EEOe6cTECpg=PA15dq=cultural+conditions+in+business+environmenthl=ensa=Xei=aG4DT4KEKciEOr-ovLMBsqi=2ved=0CF8Q6AEwBg#v=onepageq=cultural%20conditions%20in%20business%20environmentf=false [Accessed 27/12/2011]. Kim van der Borght (2007) WTO Obligations and Opportunities: Challenges of Implementation. Cameron May LTD. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rMRbKGyEp_gCpg=PA263dq=germany+and+wtohl=ensa=Xei=ZoMDT5rqBYfI8gPUsZ3HAQved=0CEIQ6AEwAg#v=onepageq=germany%20and%20wtof=false [Accessed 04/01.2012]. Lundvall, B. (1999). National Business System and National Systems of Innovation.[Online] International Studies of Management Organization, Vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 20-21. Available at http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5001824019 [Accessed 20/12/2011]. MIS: Mbendi Information Services (2011). Oil and Gas in Nigeria- Overview http://www.mbendi.com/indy/oilg/af/ng/p0005.htm [Accessed 20/12/2012]. Mcdonald F., Burton F. (2002). International Business, G. Canale C. Italy. Patricia Levi (2004). Cultures of the World: Nigeria. 2004http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Q_lCFcabj0MCpg=PA40dq=nigeria+oil+export+to+germanyhl=ensa=Xei=b7UDT5nlE82r8AOx3tHSBwsqi=2ved=0CFUQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=nigeria%20oil%20export%20to%20germanyf=false [Assessed 28/12/2011]. Qfinance (2011). The Nigerian Economy. http://www.qfinance.com/country-profiles/nigeria [Accessed 01/01/2012] Skjà ¦rseth, J. B. Skodvin, T. (2003). Climate Change and the Oil Industry: Common problem, varying strategies. Manchester: Manchester University Press. http://www.fni.no/docpdf/FNI-R0704.pdf [Accessed 15/01/2011]. Shell (1999). People, Planet and Profits. An Act of Commitment. Report. London. TBTIG: The Business, Trade and Investment Guide (2011). Corporate Nigeria: Incentives for Investors http://www.corporate-nigeria.com/index/fdi/incentives_for_investors.html [Accessed 3/01/2012]. WTO: World Trade Organization (2005), Trade Policy Review of Nigeria, Geneva: World Trade Organization. The oil and gas industry The oil and gas industry INTRODUCTION The oil and gas industry is essential to survival of the economy for different purposes. The industry provides energy and chemicals to the economy vital for transport, companies and household in U.K. Through the industry the government earn valuable and substantial tax and export revenue to support the economy. The figure below tells it own tale: v Three quarters of the UKs primary energy. v Employment for more than 380,000 people. v Has invested  £ 150 billion over the last 25 years. v Has paid  £ 150 billion in taxes since the 1970s. v Adds  £4 billion a year to balance of payments. v Accounts for one-fifth of UK annual investment. (oilcareers.com) This primary aim of this report is to consider key environmental factors that are currently affecting the industry. This will be done through PEST (Political, Environmental, Social and Technological) analysis. This report will also take into consideration rationale of industry and companies chosen for this project, in addition a number of financial ratios will be considered to determine the performance of the companies in the industry. This will help in establishing where each company stands in relation to their competitors; as well allowing the strongest and weakest companies to be determined. RATIONALE FOR INDUSTRY This Oil and Gas industry contribute significantly to the economy. The rationale based on this industry choice is to gain an insight to how prepared companies are regarding the risk posed by climate change. According to a report by Palma (200*) she explored increasing pressure in the Oil and Gas industry face from climate change. She indentified such risk as: Damage to corporate reputation: As the understanding and awareness of the damages posed by climate changes increases and develops, failure to observe and account for the impact of climate change on social and environmental resources is progressively likely to damage companys status and reputation. Increasing pressure on water resources: There are growing concerns regarding changes in rainfall patterns. This has led to water shortages, poor water quality and drought and flooding has significantly increased the demand for water. For companies that rely heavily on water, increase competition for available resources could create operational problems for companies. Drop in value of financial assets: In order to meet the economy increasing demand for energy, oil and gas companies need to secure further investment for exploration, production, and manufacturing. Shareholders are placing more and more importance on the business impacts of the change, as risk impact cost and revenue drivers. It is probable that insurance cost could rise due to greater chance of physical plant damage because of weather events. Dealing with such risk is not as easy as it may sound, some companies profit may decline due to the necessary changes in order to combat climate change. It will take a collective effort as well as individual effort for the industry to maintain its status as one of Britains strongest industry. RATIONALE FOR COMPANY CHOICES The diagram below shows that the companies are similar in size, employees employed and turnover. This makes is easier for comparability purposes in finding out how each company are performing. In addition all companies chosen are in the FTSE 350. JKX Oil and Gas JKX Oil and Gas plc principle activity is developing and producing oil and gas reserve, which is conducted through there subsidiary undertakings. JKX main principle interests are located in Ukraine and in Russia, with further interest in Georgia, Bulgaria and United States. As of December 31, 2008, the Company drilled two exploration wells. As of December 31, 2008, the Company acquired 25% interest in the Svidnik, Medzilaborce and Snina from Aurelian Oil Gas plc. Cairn Energy Cairn energy Company is an independent public oil and gas exploration and production company. Together with its subsidiaries, the company engages development and the production of oil and gas largely in countries such Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. The company also operates in Tunisia, Australia, Spain and Papua New Guinea. The companys headquarter is based in the United Kingdom at Edinburgh Tullow Oil Plc Tullow Oil plc operates as an independent oil and gas exploration company. The company has over 100 licences in more than 20 countries. The group accomplished a 77% exploration success rate with 17 out of 22 successful wells in 2008. Currently in 2009, Tullow has drilled 12 successful wells out of a total of 14. FINANCIAL RATIOS Financial ratios are calculated to provide a quick and relatively easy means of measuring the financial wellbeing of a business. Ratios assist to highlight the financial strength and weakness of a business. PEST ANALYSIS In order to understand factors that affect the industry, the PEST analysis could offer some help. PEST analysis helps is the analysis of external factors which are beyond the control of the companies and these factors sometimes could be a potential treat. Moreover these factors can lead to new opportunities being created for companies to explore. Political Factor Political decisions made by the government will definitely affect the oil and gas industry in one shape or another (more (directly or indirectly)). One of the main political talking points is the effect the industry has on climate change. According to Chapman (2009), companies do not really recognize the effect the industry and company has on climate change. Steps have and are been taking to ensure that companies recognize changes in climate. The U.K government not long ago, update the Petroleum Act, tightening the law on decommissioning, making it adamant and compulsory that companies take into account the impact of climate change. The government realizes that actions and policies are needed in order for the industry to continuing providing energy for the economy while the industry reduces the amount of emission they produce and also providing new powerful energy option. In 2000, the royal commission proposed that U.K would need to reduce it emission of CO2 by 2050 and if possible t o reduce it by 80% by 2100. This was an international agreement proposed in other to prevent concentration of carbon dioxide from rising above 550 parts per million in volume. At 2000 it stood at 380 and rising, moreover in it would be safe to assume that it has risen significantly. The political factor takes into consideration political stability, pricing regulations, industrial safety regulations, tax rates and incentives and many more. An effective way in which government believe would encourage the industry to limit the amount of pollution they create is the carbon tax charge. The purpose of this is to lower greenhouse gas emission produced by the industry. Similar to this charge is the climate change levy (referred to as tax on energy). This was put in place on the 1st of April 2001. The importance of the tax is to encourage change in the industry. This has persuaded the industry to start looking new renewable energy source or risk having to pay additional cost of the levy on their energy bill. The levy applies to electricity, oil and gas industry, if a company produces the energy the use from renewable energy source they will be exempt from this levy. Furthermore companies that agree to the governments emission target will be given an 80% discount. Economical Factors The economical factor takes in consideration of such issues as exchange rates, economic growth rate, unemployment rate, inflation rate and price in oil and gas. The Oil and Gas industry is one that holds a stronghold in the world and the U.K economy and it provided 450,000 jobs in UK in 2009. It diagram below an increase in employment from 2007 and to 2008. Unfortunately the increase from 2008 to 2009 could not be shown has it had not been inputted. But from the diagram, it shows signs of improvement since 2004 to 2008. The economy in U.K receives a massive boost when there are increase of activity drill in respect to Oil and Gas. As by (========) Oil and gas production contributes massively to the government through tax revenues with a report  £271 billion being paid over the last 40 years (2008 money). Unfortunately high price for oil in the modern day is major problem for economies around the world (both rich and poor). The reality is that in many countries including UK, oil is becoming unaffordable for more and more people. In the fiscal last year (2008-2009)  £12.9 billion was contributed by the industry in terms of tax revenue, this was likely due to high oil and gas prices. If oil and gas price continue to increase this could change the balance of trade between countries and exchange rate. This increase would cause a decline in the balance payment of net oil-importing countries thereby putting downward pressure on exchange rate therefore import become more expensive and export less valuab le which leads to a drop in national income. Social Factors There different social factor affect the industry such as customer buying patterns, ethical issues and the environment. Due to very nature of the industry, the environment in real danger from drilling and transportation process. The chemical used in drilling can be harmful to the environment. The burning of oil as fuel creates destruction, whereby it contributes to such problems as global warming and acid rain. In addition, forest are now at major risk as there are increase pressure applied by the oil and gas industry leaders pushing for new drilling in sensitive and regions which were once protected Two main factors affect the industry are major event and consumer attitudes and opinion. Consumer attitude and opinion are changing in the modern day environment. More and more people are moving to solar energies instead of using fuel or gas, this is called the GREEN CULTURE. There are more concern for the environment now than ever, prompting the search for alternatives. The government intend to have in place coal and gas fired and nuclear power in place by mid 2020 as alternatives. Furthermore, employees health and safety is another political talking point. Due to the volatile conditions in which employees have to work in and also sub standard physical asset could potential have a negative impact on the health and safety of the employees which would therefore compromise the employer and public liability insurance cover. Technological Factor Technologies are essential to oil and gas industry, due to the harsh and demanding environment we currently live in; the industry leads in technological innovation in order to overcome challenges of recovering oil and gas from difficult reservoirs and deeper waters. For the industry, the need of need technology is need in order to discover new ways of reducing production cost, improving performance and making marginal fields economic to develop. The effort put in by the industry to develop new technologies for locating and producing oil and gas has led to various inventions and technical advances that have been used elsewhere. An area in which the government and the industry highlight as potential growth area is in the field of Carbon Capture and Storage. European Union alongside with other countries has recognised this potential and legislation have been put in place and funding made available in order to finance demonstration plant in Britain and other countries. The industrys knowledge of undersea geology, reservoir management and pipeline transport will undoubtedly play an important role in making this fledgling technology work effectively Advantages of PEST Easy to do The analysis provides a deeper understanding of the wider business environment in which they operate. Provides an understanding of the wider business environment. Raises potential threats to a project Through this analysis organisation can foresee future difficulties and take a course of action in order to minimise their effect It could help a company realise opportunities and utilise them Disadvantages of PEST Could take considerable time to do Variable pace of change could make it difficult to predict development which may affect a company in the future The analysis might be based on unfounded hypothesis

Friday, October 25, 2019

Tender is the Night Book Response Essay -- Literary Analysis, Fitzgera

Fitzgerald accommodates various central themes throughout his novel Tender is the Night. In the novel we witness one of the main characters, Dick, regress from being a man of great social stature who is portrayed as an exalted person whom we idolize as a reader, to a man who loses everything and has his life decimated by the end of the novel. This constructs one of the foremost themes of the novel, Dick’s transformation over the course of time. Additionally we see many people for the duration of the novel who have thoughts of affairs, actually carry out affairs, and those who just have abounding thoughts of affection for members of the opposite sex. Rosemary acquires fondness for many different men. Dick actually has an affair with Rosemary, and Nicole has an affair with Tommy Barban. This initiates the prevalent theme of affairs throughout the novel. In addition, the way Dick epitomizes a father figure to many women in the novel is a theme as well. The central character in Tender is the Night, Dick Diver, starts out as someone whom we admire as a reader until his world falls apart in the end of the novel. Rosemary is infatuated with Dick in the beginning of the novel. Rosemary feels as if â€Å"Against his hard, neat brightness everything faded into the surety that he knew everything† (31). The characters in this novel are captivated by Dick’s mesmerizing personality; â€Å"to be included in Dick Diver’s world for a while was a remarkable experience† (27), â€Å"He won everyone quickly with an exquisite consideration and a politeness that moved so fast and intuitively that it could be examined only in its affect† (27-28). It is also expressed that â€Å"Dick’s attention seemed to paralyze† (33) McKisco while engaging in a conversation ... ... she has never had a palpable father. Dick acts as that father when they are married and provides her with the same type of affection that a father would have for his daughter. Dick’s transfiguration over time, affairs, and Dick’s embodiment of a father figure to women are all considerable themes of the novel. These themes help present to us the different aspects of this time period. Obviously during this time affairs were rampant among married individuals. Along with that we see how women of this time depended on men to some extent because of the way Dick is a father figure to many women. Furthermore, they help us see how Dick is affected by his job and we see how dealing with mental patients takes its toll on him over the course of time. Each of these distinct themes contributes to the understanding of the novel as a whole and greatly assists the reader.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Mike Rose’s “I Just Wanna Be Average”

Mike Rose†s â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average† essay sheds light on troubled youth within the public school system. It makes you long for the days of American pride and service. Students placed in â€Å"tracks† to utilize overcrowded and faulty test systems. Identity lost due to poor instruction and lack of motivation. The influx of shattered images brought forth by the â€Å"Report of the French Commission on American Education, 1879† reminds us of a time long ago when education was for every child, not select few. Stoic instructors molding young minds in the quest to advance America as a whole. Civic pride and duty were influencing every aspect of American education. Both essays draw from the influence of education into the societal path into American mainstream society. Each school system is influenced by thoughts of bettering youth, but in much opposite ends of the spectrum. The French commission stated that the youth of America were offered the same curriculum in the hopes to form a united, equal society. America, as seen by the French, was a land of golden opportunities available to every child regardless of social standing. It was the basis for our country to survive. It safeguarded our standing in the world. Mike Rose†s school offered quite the opposite. It was a haven for long standing views on school being selective as to whom actually deserved the education. The only hope of the present school system is a few dedicated professionals. They could see the errors of the future and grasp to what made the system work in the past. Focusing on actual knowledge to better society at the basic level. The present day of education still draws from the past in the aspect that a school is only as good as a system will allow. The emphasis is on education regardless of pre-set notions. Society today wants citizens to play an integral part of their children†s education. Students today bring the hopes and failures of their family into the curriculum that is driven by teachers that are uninspired. This current thought allows the system to overlook the student who yearns to get out of the lower track and excel at the same equal pace as the higher student. The days of being created equal in the school system are long gone. The society that allows children to enter as equals often has them placed in a track before actual classroom time. The French commission saw American educators as the forefathers for society. It is a much different world. Mike Rose†s essay points out specific flaws of uninterested instructors and flawed systems of placement. Thus creating boundaries the average student can never surpass. Students today are far different than those of the French commission. In 1879, America was growing to keep up with the world. Education is the basis for any society to succeed. The thought of education today in America is to succeed for an individual basis. The overwhelming feeling of pride for America has diminished. Educational and family pride still drive America, but the school systems cater to individuals not to society. Students are marked upon entering school as to who will succeed and who will only become menial citizens. There are many classifications. Many factors of race, creed, and financial status influence education. There are no equal grounds for a student to stand on. American pride has gone the way side of personal enrichment. Students now are faced with the feeling of being inadequate upon entering the system. In 1879, everyone wanted to succeed. The only pre-requisite was to achieve an education. In this day and age education barely opens doors for the â€Å"average† person. The emphasis should be based on equal opportunities for every student. In this day and age educators are faced with financial constraints and overcrowding. Constant one-up manship of school systems place these perimeter†s on both educator†s and students. The equal school system of 1879 is no longer valid. Monetary issues factor into everything a school becomes. A quality education is place upon those who have money and not on the unfortunate who do not. Equality is a nice concept, but not one of reality. Instructors are underpaid and under appreciated. Both factors influence the degree of drive that is to be passed onto the students. America in 1879 admired the educator, and some odd 100 years later, scorn the very notion. Dedicated educators in this day and age are few and hard to find. The â€Å"average† educator is a direct result of America†s flawed school system. Both essays draw on the point of American education. Both have distinct classification. Both consider the student a part of society. The problem is that neither of them addresses the actual individual. Individuality is the cornerstone of American society. Cookie cutter molds are what the education systems of both are driven to achieve. The similarity of each essay states that education is something for America. Education should not be for the purpose of individuality, but to keep everyone in the designated place assigned to him or her.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

George Orwell and William Golding Essay

Orwell and Golding use vastly different writing styles, but their message is the same – that mankind is hopeless. Discuss this statement with reference to both â€Å"Animal Farm† and â€Å"Lord of the Flies†. Since the beginning of time man has struggled to comprehend the difference between good and evil. Our ancestors spent their lives looking for truth, yet none could be found. Is there indeed a good of all goods and an evil of all evils? The two are so similar, and yet so different. The truth is, no one being is perfect, nor were we created to be. No one thing can be the source of all evil, or the source of all good. Yet man battles with himself, to determine what is right. But what, then, is truly right? If there is an evil, then Humans should be deemed to be the most evil of all creatures. We are manipulative, egotistic and dominating. We have the urge to be the dominating force in the universe. We strive for superiority and aim for domination. Yet are such feelings to be considered wrong? Cannot they just be classified as instincts, which many other animals have? No, for we are indeed intelligent creatures and instead of exercising our superiority we should be learning of others greatness. We, as indeed intelligent beings should stray from the common selfishness and anger. Yet, they seem to be much easier to arouse, harder to abolish. In his novel â€Å"Animal Farm†, George Orwell portrays the animals with human-like feelings and emotions. He uses satire to demonstrate the full extent of human emotion. Though the story is about animals, there are very few who think it is just that. The satire gives the story enough appeal to readers, but the message rings as solemn as ever. George Orwell uses little dialogue, but describes the characters and situations with great detail, paying attention to their characters and emotions. It is easier to understand all the happenings, because the characters are animals. At the same time, when one compares them to humans, a striking similarity can be found. The book makes one think, and it hurts when one realizes that the story in the book is not far from our reality. It is a sad reality; however, it is necessary to acknowledge this for one to be able to  overcome it. George Orwell’s message is that humankind is hopeless. Perhaps we are, but a lost cause, we are not. For it is books like these, which help one to understand our faults so that one can correct them as best as one can. We were not created to be perfect, but we were also not created to be dominating and superior. All beings on this planet are created to be equals. Humans have forgotten such principles of nature. Humans battle to overcome cruelty. However, while we believe we have done so, the cruel, dominating and never ending cycle begins again. The truth is we are prisoners of our own characters, and perhaps that can never change. William Golding, the author of â€Å"Lord of the Flies† uses fictional portrayal of human emotional conflict to reach the reader. He takes a situation, which could quite realistically occur in life, and elaborates upon it. He uses complex vocabulary and original sentence structure to show the complexity and variation of human emotions. He uses the little boys as characters in the story to prove a very valid point. The fact that such small children can turn on each other so rapidly is a sobering thought. Golding shows, that no matter how good the intentions are at first, our inner feelings of selfishness can overcome us very easily, especially in a critical situation The book makes the reader contemplate their own actions in such a situation. Whereas as no one can be brutally honest with themselves, it is possible to relate to others. That is what Golding is trying to create. Regardless of whether they planned to do so or not, they will think, and perhaps that may bring us one step closer to understanding a very important character – ourselves. Although their writing styles are prominently different, both George Orwell and William Golding show similar views on the human character. Their honest portrayal of humans as we are by nature leaves the reader thoughtful. So, are we then indeed bound for eternal struggle? Are we indeed as hopeless are the authors suggest? That is one question, which will not be answered with the advance in technology or by new scientific discoveries. We are our own  judges, but can we trust ourselves?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Marxs theory of alienation Essays

Marxs theory of alienation Essays Marxs theory of alienation Paper Marxs theory of alienation Paper Essay Topic: Sociology The main focal point of Karl Marxs work was the way society works and how the institutions in society work together or rather how they do not. Marxism is based on conflict theories and ideas, Marx looks into many aspects of society and I will be focusing on the aspect that is capitalism and the relation with alienation. He developed this concept from Hegals work which he was much influenced by. Hegal then described the term alienation as we now know it as estrangement referring to the same ideas that Marx had. I will attempt to critically analyse the relation between the two concepts. I will try to analyse how and where alienation derived from and whether it exist (ed) I will first concentrate on the concept of alienation and all the branches within and then capitalist society in Marxs view. I will distinguish how both alienation and capitalism is interconnected and whether it has any relevance to society as we see it today, namely Briton. Marxs main theories derive from a capitalist society he held the belief that capitalism was born through the relations that the bourgeoisie had with their means of production and the relation that labourers have with their products that they made, this capitalist ideology developed from the feudal societies when free labour existed, as in, a labourer was not emotionally forced to work but worked as an exchange of system such as living on the riches land and worked for them in return. Marx proposed a term primitive accumulation which he used to describe official change from the feudal societies to a capitalist one. The development process of this change begins when the owner is interested in surplus value and then oppression occurs, where the worker produces more however the wages remain the same and so the owner only benefits. The surplus value was discovered by the owners of the production, where the upper class decided that a commodity needed to be produced and would cost less, to buy the raw materials and to make as well but could turn a good profit, just like any business. The working class were gathered as if they themselves were a product to purchase, however Marx viewed this as the worker had his labour to give and to earn a wage in return so it was an equal exchange to begin with. The bourgeoisie were in full swing making profit and opposite to this the worker became resentful and tired of his job as it was not leading to a positive outcome. This then developed in to alienation Marxs notion was that waking up and making a piece of furniture was a controlling factor to the labourer, he cannot quit as he does not have a choice but to labour. I will emphasize on this later). As capitalism developed all the aspects of it were interconnected such as the work place, the worker and the owner, these relationships were intertwined as one needed the other, even though we can argue that one group benefits more. Marx believed that capitalism existed and needed to exist in order for society to work, there had to be a hierarchical system, in terms of working for the owners. (Slavery was not involved). But the workers had the power to sell their labour and maybe have a little control of who they worked for, unless choice of workplace was limited and so mentally directed to certain areas of work i. e factory manual jobs or craftsmen. From this alienation emerges, as mentioned above the property owners or bourgeoisie see an opportunity for surplus value, therefore the worker produces more of this product as instructed, and this product is an useful item for consumption by humans in general so this product has a worth value, hence the more produced the better the value. In spite of this the worker has his product that he manufactured both increase in value and produce, this then reduces the labour value, he continues to produce as this entity is earning him a living. The worker then descends to emotional and physical stress as hes unhappy at work as there is no progress and no way of working up in to a position which will earn him a better living or status. There is no incentive to do better to get somewhere, thus the worker stays at the basic level of manufacturing just to get by. He does not have the choice to leave his job as the risks are great. Then this level of feeling and thinking advances to the notion that the product that is being manufactured is determining his well being and choices in life. The worker has no connection with the end product so the worker cannot feel proud of a whole object that he produced but a part of it. This is described as alienation by Marx. Further to this notion Marx points out that this external factor is taking over the worker, leaving the worker helpless and weak ( Morrison. K, 1998) formations of modern thought) So to sum it up the labourer is alienated in his work, which Marx takes it further and suggests that if the worker is alienating himself from the product in his hands, then the whole process or activity of the product becomes alienated to him as well. For example going to work and making a piece of clothing, the clothes is the product which makes the worker feel alienated and is controlling his welfare, so this means that the going into work turns into alienation of activity (Marx, Morrison, pg93). Making the piece of cloth, sewing it and so on is then external and a controller to the worker. So this complete feeling of alienation: the emotional stress and dislike of the job which does not lead him (worker) anywhere such as a promotion or pay rise. One of the common and simple ways to describe alienation is money man creates this object and gives it a name this object called money ends up controlling the same man that produced it and gave it life. We has humans wake up every day for money go to work to make money, go to university to get a good job which gives us good money. This object money controls our future and the way we make it to the future as well, so it becomes external to us. Feuerbach described the alienation of religion, which he received much criticism for, similar to the money example he believed that humans created a faith and all things surrounding this idea he goes on to say that humans put all their energy into creating this great thing called religion and God, but really it turns out that God and religion controls you and creates you not the other way round. So faith tells you how to live eat and dress tells you what to do, the thing that you humans once created. As well as being influenced Feuerbachs writings he also criticised some of his work. Morrison . K 1998) Marx had many aspects of alienation, he talks about alienation from another man/human/worker he explains this: the worker produces to earn money which means the more produced the more wage. Therefore this idea of thinking develops into a competitive activity, the worker wants to do better then his fellow employees which then leads the competitor to be individual and with a feeling of needing to survive; and the other workers are then external to him which in the end means that the worker is alienated from his fellow workers, he is individualised. From alienation of activity Marx proposes the term objectification, referring to self efficacy. The workers being able to actualise their existence in both a negative and positive way. The realisation of alienation also the way they can and should be in terms of being in control and internalising in society and having a meaning to life through goals and ambitions. (Livingstone Benton. 1992) In terms of criticising Marxs work in alienation the main question arises: is his theory relevant to post modern society or just to the 18th century? Well, several people will agree completely with Marx as many are likely to dislike their jobs then not as most of the times it is a means to an end. For example factory work is viewed as a low status job and could be taken on during tough times for a short period as it unskilled manual work. These types of labour are monotonous with no real promotions or opportunities to further ones self in the workplace. These jobs are tiring, boring and holds no future for the workers which makes them dislike work but they cannot quit as they do not have the choice because they need to survive. This type of attitude can be more associated with the lower or underclass people in todays society as they do not already have the money or the freedom of choosing were they work. Similar to the people in Marxs time. Another problem of not being able to work where someone wants to, because of their race, ethnicity and faith which minimises their choices. On the other hand we can argue against the above point because as society has developed more, there is a more interest in the employees and their well being in the work place. People have more choices and opportunities in were to work and also numerous opportunities are available to improve and make a career out of a once part time job. Many employers offer training to become bigger and better. This is compared to 50 or more years ago where a teenage boy did not have a choice of where to work but his fathers farm when he was older because he would have been bound by tradition or lack of choice available to him. Society today cares about the future and the people who are going to be there are invested in such as children, education standards are always revised and improved, there is countless help and advice available to people who go into employment. Society and the government care more then they did when Marx proposed his ideas, alienation is not so relevant because the concept of job satisfaction has been introduced to employers. Companies are always trying to improve the lifestyle at work and take on the workers ideas to continue improving. In addition to this employees have the prospect of going into managerial positions. Productivity is improved through incentives for example meeting set targets gives the worker a bonus so people are more motivated to do better. Most sectors of work recognises individual input in to a project and are rewarded for their work and encouraged to do more good work wherever they may work. In terms of theoretical criticisms, Weber points out that Marx highlights too much on society and how society is illogical and irrational with relevance to class and power. Weber did not completely agree with capitalism, he believed there was little conflict which contributed to the class struggle and class difference, but shared the view that the conflict was due to the owners of production. Weber argues that Marxs ideas are all related he speaks of materialism production and economic gain as one but should be treated as separate feature in his writings. fails to distinguish between what is strictly economic, what is economically determined and what is economically relevant (Gerth Wright Mills from Max Weber -47). Weber suggests that Marx simplifies the conflicts which exist between classes but are more complex in Webers view. Weber moves on to alienation and he implies that the feeling of alienation is one of normalcy and which is or maybe should be common amongst workers in all types of work, the modern soldier is equally separated from the means of violence (Gerth Wright Mills pg 50). Again Weber suggests that Marx makes a point but emphasises on the issue too much as if it were a crisis. In general Weber believed that Marxs work and some features of his work were given too much thought when not necessary. Weber believed more on bureaucracy and how government and law controlled actions and behaviours in society. From a feminist perspective, Marx did not mention women and whether they felt alienated in domestic labour or child rearing, however during his time women were seen as second class citizens in the background. Marx may have felt that the concept of alienation was of much importance because a person and his future was determined by his job. The question of whether alienation exists or is relevant is still debatable and depends on many factors i. e type of job.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Dolphin Facts

Dolphin Facts Dolphins (Odontoceti) are a group of 44 species of toothed whales or cetaceans. There are dolphins in every ocean on Earth, and there are freshwater species of dolphins that inhabit rivers in South Asian and South American. The largest dolphin species (the orca) grows to more than 30 feet long while the smallest, Hectors dolphin, is just 4.5 feet in length. Dolphins are well known for their intellect, their gregarious nature, and their acrobatic abilities. But there are many lesser-known qualities that make a dolphin a dolphin. Fast Facts: Dolphins Scientific Name: Odontoceti  Common Name: Dolphin (Note: This name refers to the group of 44 species classified as Odontoceti; each has its own scientific and common name.)Basic Animal Group:  MammalSize: 5 feet long to over 30 feet long, depending on the speciesWeight: Up to 6 tonsLifespan: Up to 60 years depending on the speciesDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  All oceans and some riversPopulation:  Varies per speciesConservation  Status:  Bottlenose dolphins are considered to be of Least Concern, while about 10 species of dolphins are listed as Severely Threatened.   Description Dolphins are small-toothed Cetaceans, a group of marine mammals that evolved from land mammals. They have developed numerous adaptations that make them well suited for life in water including a streamlined body, flippers, blowholes and a layer of blubber for insulation. Dolphins have curved beaks which means they appear to have permanent smiles. Dolphins evolved from land mammals whose legs were underneath their bodies. As a result, dolphins tails move up and down as they swim, whereas a fish’s tail moves from side to side. Dolphins, like all toothed whales, lack olfactory lobes and nerves. Because dolphins do not possess these anatomical features, they most likely have a poorly developed sense of smell. The snout of some oceanic dolphins is long and slender due to their elongated, prominent jaw bones. Within the dolphins elongated jaw bone sits numerous conical teeth (some species have as many as 130 teeth in each jaw). Species that have prominent beaks include, for example, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin, Tucuxi, Long-Snouted Spinner Dolphin, and numerous others. The forelimbs of a dolphin are anatomically equivalent to the forelimbs of other mammals (for example, they are analogous to arms in humans). But the bones within the forelimbs of dolphins have been shortened and made more rigid by supporting connective tissue. Pectoral flippers enable dolphins to steer and modulate their speed. The dorsal fin of a dolphin (located on the back of the dolphin) acts as a keel when the animal swims, giving the animal directional control and stability within the water. But not all dolphins have a dorsal fin. For example, the Northern Rightwhale Dolphins and the Southern Rightwhale Dolphins lack dorsal fins. Dolphins do not have prominent external ear openings. Their ear openings are small slits (located behind their eyes) which do not connect to the middle ear. Instead, scientists suggest that sound is conducted to the inner and middle ear by fat-lobes located within the lower jaw and by various bones within the skull. Tunatura/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Dolphins live in all of the world’s seas and oceans; many inhabit coastal areas or areas with shallower water. While most dolphins prefer warmer tropical or temperate waters one species, the orca (sometimes called killer whale) lives in both the Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic Southern Ocean. Five dolphin species prefer fresh to salt water; these species inhabit rivers in South America and South Asia. Diet and Behavior Dolphins are carnivorous predators. They use their strong teeth to hold their prey, but then either swallow their prey whole tear it into small pieces. They are relatively light eaters; the bottlenose dolphin, for example, eats about 5 percent of its weight each day. Many species of dolphins migrate to find food. They consume a wide range of animals including fish, squid, crustaceans, shrimp, and octopus. The very large Orca dolphin may also eat marine mammals such as seals or marine birds such as penguins. Many dolphin species work as a group to herd or coral fish. They may also follow fishing vessels to enjoy the waste thrown overboard. Some species will also use their flukes to beat and stun their prey. Reproduction and Offspring Most dolphins become sexually mature at between 5 and 8 years old. Dolphins give birth to a single calf once every one to six years and then feed their babies milk through their nipples. Dolphin pregnancies range in length from 11 to 17 months. Location can make an impact on the gestation period. When a pregnant female is ready to deliver, she separates herself from the rest of the pod to a location near the waters surface. Dolphin calves are usually born tail first; at birth, calves are about 35–40 inches long and weigh between 23 and 65 pounds. The mother immediately brings her infant to the surface so it can breathe. Newborn calves look a bit different from their parents; they typically have dark skin with lighter bands which fade over time. Their fins are quite soft but harden very quickly. They can swim almost immediately, but do require the protection of the pod; in fact, young dolphins are typically nursed for the first two to three years of life and may stay with their mothers for up to eight years. Georgette Douwma/Getty Images   Species Dolphins are members of the order Cetacea, Suborder Odontoceti, Families Delphinidae, Iniidae, and Lipotidae. Within those families, there are 21 genera, 44 species, and several subspecies. The species of dolphins include: Genus: Delphinus Delphinus capensis (Long-beaked common dolphin)Delphinus delphis (Short-beaked common dolphin)Delphinus tropicalis. (Arabian common dolphin) Genus: Tursiops Tursiops truncatus (Common bottlenose dolphin)Tursiops aduncus (Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin)Tursiops australis (Burrunan dolphin) Genus: Lissodelphis Lisodelphis borealis (Northern right whale dolphin)Lssodelphis peronii (Southern right whale dolphin) Genus: Sotalia Sotalia fluviatilis (Tucuxi)Sotalia guianensis (Guiana dolphin) Genus: Sousa Sousa chinensis (Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin)Subspecies:Sousa chinensis chinensis (Chinese white dolphin)Sousa chinensis plumbea (Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin)Sousa teuszii (Atlantic Humpback Dolphin)Sousa plumbea (Indian Humpback dolphin) Genus: Stenella Stenella frontalis (Atlantic spotted dolphin)Stenella clymene (Clymene dolphin)Stenella attenuata (Pantropical spotted dolphin)Stenella longirostris (Spinner dolphin)Stenella coeruleoalba (Striped dolphin) Genus: Steno Steno bredanensis (Rough-toothed dolphin) Genus: Cephalorhynchus Cephalorhynchus eutropia (Chilean dolphin)Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Commerson’s dolphin)Cephalorhynchus heavisidii (Heaviside’s Dolphin)Cephalorhynchus hectori (Hector’s dolphin) Genus: Grampus Grampus griseus (Risso’s dolphin) Genus: Lagenodelphis Lagenodelphis hosei (Fraser’s dolphin) Genus: Lagenorhynchus Lagenorhynchus acutus (Atlantic white-sided dolphin)Lagenorhynchus obscurus (Dusky dolphin)Lagenorhynchus cruciger (Hourglass dolphin)Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (Pacific white-sided dolphin)Lagenorhynchus australis (Peale’s dolphin)Lagenorhynchus albirostris (White-beaked dolphin) Genus: Peponocephala Peponocephala electra (Melon-headed whale) Genus: Orcaella Orcaella heinsohni (Australian snubfin dolphin)Orcaella brevirostris (Irrawaddy dolphin) Genus: Orcinus Orcinus orca (Orca- Killer Whale) Genus: Feresa Feresa attenuata (Pygmy killer whale) Genus: Pseudorca Pseudorca crassidens (False Killer whale) Genus: Globicephala Globicephala melas (Long-finned pilot whale)Globicephala macrorhynchus (Short-finned pilot whale) Superfamily: Platanistoidea Genus Inia, Family: Iniidae Inia geoffrensis. (Amazon river dolphin).Inia araguaiaensis (Araguaian river dolphin). Genus Lipotes, Family: Lipotidae Lipotes vexillifer (Baiji) Genus Pontoporia, Family: Pontoporiidae Pontoporia blainvillei (La Plata dolphin) Genus Platanista, family: Platanistidae Platanista gangetica (South Asian river dolphin)Subspecies:Platanista gangetica gangetica (Ganges river dolphin)Platanista gangetica minor (Indus river dolphin) Conservation Status The Baiji has suffered dramatic population declines over recent decades due to pollution and heavy industrial use of the Yangtze River. In 2006, a scientific expedition set out to locate any remaining Baiji but failed to find a single individual in the Yangtze. The species was declared functionally extinct. Dolphins and Humans Humans have long been fascinated with dolphins, but the relationship between humans and dolphins has been complex. Dolphins are the subject of stories, myths, and legends as well as great works of art. Because of their great intelligence, dolphins have been used for military exercises and therapeutic support. They are also often kept in captivity and trained to perform; in most cases, this practice is now considered to be cruel. Sources Dolphin Facts and Information, www.dolphins-world.com/.â€Å"Dolphins.†Ã‚  Dolphin Facts, 4 Apr. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/dolphins/.NOAA. Dolphins Porpoises.†Ã‚  NOAA Fisheries, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/dolphins-porpoises.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Case Study of KFC Malaysia Holding

Case Study of KFC Malaysia Holding â€Å"A Case Study of KFC Malaysia Holding: Channel used by KFC to solve communication crisis† Abstract On 6th February 2013,the kitchen staff of KFC I- City outlet at Shah Alam, has gone violent towardone of the customers due to miscommunication. The customer was then put on the floor after a heated argument between the staffs and the customer.This problem then solve by KFC Malaysia Holding with a proper alternatives. One of the alternatives used by the company is to use the right channel in solving the issue. Basically, the main aim of this research is to examine the channel used by KFC Malaysia Holding to solve the communication issue specifically the incident of staff and customer caught into a fighting. This research is tries to answer the question of the effectiveness of the channel used by the company to solve the problem or issue. The survey method will be employed in this research for data collection. As this method fall under quantitative method, SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software will be used to analyze the data. The finding of this research will help the future researchers to understand the effectiveness of channel used by the Food & BeveragesCompany in solving their problem or issue. Besides, this research will help to add more literature on the same topic. Keywords: Channel, problem, Food & Beverages, Effectiveness Literature Review Definition of Crisis In Effective Crisis Communication (2011), crises can best define as unique moments in the history of an organization. Nowadays, the word â€Å"crisis† has been used widely in a daily conversation. People used this word to describe their problem. For example, they refer to this word if they forgot about their appointments with their clients, having a bad hair days or even quarrel with the family members. All of these are awful experiences do not portray or describe the crisis. When it comes to the company, most of the company refers crisis as something that rel ated to the problem. For example low sales or short of manpower are assume as the crisis to the company. All of the situations are not crisis. But, usually the company will consider all the situations as crisis. Crisis is defined as any situation that is threatening or could even threaten to harm people or property, seriously interrupt business, damage reputation and/or negatively impact stock value (Jonathan Bernstein,2006). According to Hermann (1963), he identified three characteristics of separating crises that are surprise, threat and short response time. An event will not achieve the level of crisis without coming as a surprise, posing a critical level of threat and forcing a short response period. Robert, Timothy & Matthew(2011) mentioned in their study that crises can be divided into two categories which are intentional crises andunintentional crises. â€Å"Intentional crises are those international acts which is designed to harm an organization such as terrorism, sabotage, workplace violence and poor risk management whereas unintentional crises are the crises caused by natural and some uncontrollable factors such as natural disasters or product failure† (Robert, Timothy & Matthew, 2011). As for the incident case happened in KFC Malaysia I-City outlet, the incident are category under the unintentional case of crisis. The incident happened due to some misunderstanding between the worker and a customer who has been waiting for the food for some times and did not get the food.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Newark (Create one thats suitable) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Newark (Create one thats suitable) - Essay Example Notable contributors of the slow but steady recovery of Newark include the establishment of the New Jersey Performing Centre (NJPAC) in the 1990’s and the recent renovations of the Hahne and Company building in downtown Newark. In the late 1920s, many skyscrapers were built in Newark illustrating how the city was growing at a high rate. The city’s population increased rapidly with most people inhabiting most parts of the city and the neighbourhoods. In 1938, the city’s budgets fell from $57.8 million to $45 million in 1944 indicating a small and slow recovery from the 1930’s Great depression. Newarks’ decline was attributed to the wave that drove people to build massive housing and commercial projects. As a result, a lot of money was eliminated in circulation particularly in Newark’s activities. The Great Depression is believed to have caused manufacturers to leave the city with the jobs. Statistics show in the 1950’s the white population declined with high margins while the black population increased rapidly until 1967. It has been found out the white investors left the city’s commercial buildings and left the African Americans struggling with the substandard housing conditions, unemployment and poverty. The sharp decrease in industrial jobs caused the increased poverty rates in 1940s and 1950s. Crime and violence increased in downtown Newark where murder, homicide, theft and rape cases were consistently reported to the Newark Police Department. The good Newark’s image was destroyed with most curio shops, cafà © and art collectives being closed down during the post-World War II era. The Newark riots of 1967 caused significant decline in recovery of the Newark City in terms of economic growth, controlling crime and violence, as well as, the City’s image. In July 1967, a white police officer beat an African American citizen

Philip Morris Co Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Philip Morris Co - Case Study Example Production of a good quality product, testing it properly, marketing it in a proper way ensuring that no unethical means are used are some of the aspects of business ethics. In short, business ethics are the rules to ensure that the business causes no harm to other businesses, people and society in any way, be it morals and values or any other way. Being such a big international organization, Philip Morris holds great social responsibility. Adding to it the fact that it is a tobacco company, this social responsibility is even doubled. Many ethical issues are posed on it every day and the way it tackles these issues and makes its decisions accordingly, is one of the main factors that make it the leader of the tobacco market. Corporate social responsibility is defined by many people in many ways. Some define it as carrying out the business responsibly and properly giving the society economic benefits, while other define it as striving to solve world's different problems. In either case, corporate social responsibility refers to the act of an organization acting as a responsible part of the society and helping it in one way or the other. When talking about Philip Morris's Corporate Social Responsibility, the main issue is the question that w... Looking at these facts and statistics, it is not surprising if Philip Morris cannot be classified as a socially responsible company no matter how philanthropic campaigns they lead and how many worthy causes they serve to. In cases like Philip Morris, where the corporate goals and interests of the society go in totally different directions, it is very important for the company to incorporate corporate social responsibility in its corporate strategy in a much more integrated way as compared to any other organization. This is extremely important for companies like Philip Morris, the leader of a market that literally kills people. This issue, if not handled properly, can become so serious for the organization that it can become an issue for its survival in the market, since the society would always tend to reprimand any such business that poses such hazards to it and is totally incongruent to its values and interests. Ethical Issues associated with Marketing Practices Although ethical issues are frequent in almost all areas of the business for a tobacco company like Philip Morris, but the major issues are posed in the arena of marketing of its product. In 1998, after the conflicts of four years, the US government and Tobacco Market Leaders settled on an agreement. It tackled with the two most important and growing issues in the society; public health and underage access to the tobacco products. The settlement also required the industry to take necessary steps to ensure the reduction in underage access and underage consumption of the tobacco products. It created a National Foundation and a Public Education fund to make people aware of the hazards attached to tobacco consumption and educating them accordingly.

Segregation in the 21st Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Segregation in the 21st Century - Essay Example The media perpetrates segregation or white supremacy at every turn.   Social stereotypes also prevail in the American media.   Even though these themes are subtle, they are strong.   Even in cartoon movies, these stereotypes exist.   For example, â€Å"Dumbo (1941), the crows that teach Dumbo how to fly â€Å"are too obviously Negro caricatures† (Avila 132).   The portrayal of black crows as crude, ignorant, and with a bad southern accent is ridiculous.   White people from the south can be crude and ignorant.   Most Southerners have southern accents, whether they are black, white, red, or yellow.   Disney movies seem to have bad representations of ethnic people.   Pocahontas and Mulan are feeble attempts to be politically correct, but manage to portray them very stereotypical.   Most of the heroes are white, Prince Charming, John Smith, and numerous others.   The media perpetrates segregation or white supremacy at every turn.   Social stereotypes also prevail in the American media.   Even though these themes are subtle, they are strong.   Even in cartoon movies, these stereotypes exist.   For example, â€Å"Dumbo (1941), the crows that teach Dumbo how to fly â€Å"are too obviously Negro caricatures† (Avila 132).   White people from the south can be crude and ignorant.   Most Southerners have southern accents, whether they are black, white, red, or yellow.   Disney movies seem to have bad representations of ethnic people.  

Thursday, October 17, 2019

VG Jones e-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

VG Jones e-commerce - Essay Example While this method of doing business seems au courant, e-commerce relies on time-tested methods of smart, ethical business practises to realise profits. VG Jones can leverage its existing business experience as it expands into this new arena. Two of the biggest and most successful retailers online are Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Amazon.com is the world’s largest online retailer, offering everything from the latest bestselling novels to garden gadgetry. It â€Å"exists† only online and as such is known as a â€Å"pure play† operation. Barnes & Noble is the largest bookseller in the United States, with many large high street shops known as â€Å"superstores† as well as a significant online operation, though none in the UK. Both companies have simply found new channels through which to earn profits and offer significant lessons for VG Jones as it seeks to expand its presence onto the web. Both websites are examined in detail for lessons that VG Jones can use in its web planning process. As the company ventures into an expanded web presence, the following recommendations can help provide guidance: 1. Make sure the existing business model is a good one. 2. Create a distinctive presence as a UK retailer. 3. Make the online experience enjoyable and informative. 4. Take advantage of â€Å"buzzworthy† events. 5. Make the website work for the high street shops and vice versa.

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic Research Paper

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic - Research Paper Example Apart from the usual fingerprint analysis, the use of DNA evidence is employed in other relatable areas such as footwear evidence, accounting crimes, vein matching, glove-print analysis and body identification, among others. This means that the use of DNA evidence plays a pivotal role in crime scene investigations, analyzing trace evidence and skid marks. Nevertheless, despite the magnanimity that comes with the use of DNA evidence, the backlog epidemic that is constantly accosting it is undermining its usefulness. Several factors underpin the DNA evidence backlog, as shall be seen forthwith. The seriousness of the matter concerning DNA evidence backlog is compounded by the fact that cases are considered backlogged if 90 days elapse without the DNA evidence having been analyzed, or when the DNA evidence has not been subjected to analysis and the final report tabled before the agency that submitted the DNA evidence. Because of this, the DNA backlog can be split into: arrestee; casewor k; and convicted offender DNA backlog. The main cause of the buildup in coursework DNA backlog is the very nature of coursework DNA gathering exercise. Given that forensic evidence is herein gathered from crime scene, suspects and victims of crime before being taken to laboratory, processing this kind of evidence consumes time. This is because the evidence must be screened to establish the presence of biological materials. After the detecting the presence of biological material, the nature of the biological material must then be determined. Subsequently, the DNA testing begins. In the event that further complications are brought about by degrading and fragmenting of the DNA evidence from multiple victims or suspects, then more time will be required to solve the complication, and thereby making the process more protracted (Nelson, 2010). The foregoing is not the case with the arrestee and the convicted offender DNA which is less amenable to backlogs. This is because, in the arrestee and convicted offender DNA, there are identical media such as paper products which help in analyzing samples. At the same time, standardized collection methods are available to facilitate forensic laboratories to subject different samples to automated analysis at one go. Similarly, arrestee and convicted offender DNA evidence can be subjected to robotic platforms to process several score of samples in a 96-sample format. Additionally, unlike the case of casework DNA sample, the laboratory analyst needs not find the DNA sample amidst the evidence obtained. This means that the DNA evidence backlog

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Working budget of $ 2 billion Methods research Coursework

Working budget of $ 2 billion Methods research - Coursework Example Using the three electronic resources, compile the required data for the 48 countries in an Excel spreadsheet (each row should represent a country and each column should contain the data for one variable). Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is very important in the calculation of the national income of any country. The GDP is calculated by adding the market value of all the final goods or services produced within a country in a given financial year. to be more specific no intermediate goods but only the final products or services because if intermediate goods are also taken into consideration then there would be the error of double calculation in the national income of the country. The GDP of a country is arrived at by adding the sum involved in the consumption activities, the investment activities, the spending by the government of the country and also the net exports (which is derived by deducting the gross imports from the gross exports). GDP = Cn + It + Gs + E(e-i) Where Cn = consumptio n, It = investment, Gs= Government spending, E= net exports, i= imports, e= exports. The exogenous model is also called as the most suitable model which is needed to understand and frame the long term economic growth of a country. Excel sheet attached. 2. Read the compiled data into Stata, and estimate the empirical model. Test the following null and alternative hypotheses: gen Lypc 2005 =log( ypc2005) gen Lypc1990 =log( ypc1990) gen diferrence lypc=log(ypc2005)-log(ypc1990) gen lseced = log(seced) gen infl= log( cpi1990)-log( cpi1985) inflation regress dlypc Lypc1990 lseced govgdp open infl credit (i) H0:?2=?3=?4=?5=?6=?7=0 against H1:?j?0 for at least one j?(2...7), using a significance level of 0.05. = = = 1.81 The Decision rule is that we can : Accept H0 if F0.05 Reject H0 if ?>F0.05 where F0.05 is the 5% critical value from F(k–1, n–k): in this case F(7–1,48–7), or F(6,41). F0.05 = 2.34 Decision is accept H0: F plays a significant role as F is the de termining factor of arriving at conclusions. The use of the independent variables has not assisted in predicting the dependent variable (dlypc). (ii) H0:?2=0 against H0:?2?0 using a significance level of 0.05. ii) H0:?2=0 against H1:?2?0 at a significance level of 0.05 ? = = = -2.68 Decision rule: Accept H0 if -t0.025 ? ? ? t0.025 Reject H0 if ? t0.025 ?t0.025 from t(41) is ?2.04 Decision is reject H0.: it means the variable (lypc90) has a significance impact in the depended variable (dlypc). We can see that there is a contradiction between the test in (i) and (ii). In (i) we accept that: ?2=?3=?4=?5=?6=?7=0 where in (ii) we reject that :?2=0 . Also, we can check by compare the p-value of the coefficient (0.011)

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic Research Paper

Making Sense of DNA Backlogs. Evidence Backlog Epidemic - Research Paper Example Apart from the usual fingerprint analysis, the use of DNA evidence is employed in other relatable areas such as footwear evidence, accounting crimes, vein matching, glove-print analysis and body identification, among others. This means that the use of DNA evidence plays a pivotal role in crime scene investigations, analyzing trace evidence and skid marks. Nevertheless, despite the magnanimity that comes with the use of DNA evidence, the backlog epidemic that is constantly accosting it is undermining its usefulness. Several factors underpin the DNA evidence backlog, as shall be seen forthwith. The seriousness of the matter concerning DNA evidence backlog is compounded by the fact that cases are considered backlogged if 90 days elapse without the DNA evidence having been analyzed, or when the DNA evidence has not been subjected to analysis and the final report tabled before the agency that submitted the DNA evidence. Because of this, the DNA backlog can be split into: arrestee; casewor k; and convicted offender DNA backlog. The main cause of the buildup in coursework DNA backlog is the very nature of coursework DNA gathering exercise. Given that forensic evidence is herein gathered from crime scene, suspects and victims of crime before being taken to laboratory, processing this kind of evidence consumes time. This is because the evidence must be screened to establish the presence of biological materials. After the detecting the presence of biological material, the nature of the biological material must then be determined. Subsequently, the DNA testing begins. In the event that further complications are brought about by degrading and fragmenting of the DNA evidence from multiple victims or suspects, then more time will be required to solve the complication, and thereby making the process more protracted (Nelson, 2010). The foregoing is not the case with the arrestee and the convicted offender DNA which is less amenable to backlogs. This is because, in the arrestee and convicted offender DNA, there are identical media such as paper products which help in analyzing samples. At the same time, standardized collection methods are available to facilitate forensic laboratories to subject different samples to automated analysis at one go. Similarly, arrestee and convicted offender DNA evidence can be subjected to robotic platforms to process several score of samples in a 96-sample format. Additionally, unlike the case of casework DNA sample, the laboratory analyst needs not find the DNA sample amidst the evidence obtained. This means that the DNA evidence backlog