Latino/Chicano/Hispanic Education Essay

In my research I discovered an abundant amount of information on educating Chicano’s or Latino’s in the United States, particulary California being that an extremely high population concentrations are in California. In this paper I will list some of the most important cultural diversity facts I’ve found regarding educational barriers, communication behaviors, cultural differences, teaching implications, learning styles and tools and insights. First, what is Chicano or Chicana? A Chicano or Chicana is a term used to indicate an identity held by some persons of Mexican descent living in the United States. Often times, it refers to a first or second generation Mexican American living in an urban, Mexican American immigrant community, where there exists the strong ethnic consciousness of being â€Å"Mexican American†. It is considered a term of ethnic pride, though not all Mexican Americans proud of their heritage necessarily consider themselves Chicano. A woman of this category is usually named by the feminine form Chicana, and, following the usual conventions for Spanish words, the masculine plural form Chicanos is used for groups that include both genders. Much attention has been directed to the Chicano or Latino youth in schools today. When looking at a chart provided by the 2000 census (Table 2. 1). It is obvious why Chicano or Latino have been recognized as a major player in schools, workforce and communities. Table 2. 1 Top Ten Countries of Birth and Ancestral Backgrounds of California Youth, Ages 13 to 24, 2000 Country of Birth Number Ancestry Number Foreign-Born U. S. -Born 1. Mexico 783,124 1. Mexican 1,228,338 2. Philippines 76,753 2. African American 310,810 3. El Salvador 59,612 3. German 279,195 4. Vietnam 58,701 4. Irish 210,186 5. Guatemala 42,795 5. English 178,050 6. Korea 28,228 6. Italian 161,383 7. Taiwan 25,859 7. American 158,956. 8. India 23,576 8. Filipino 107,742 9. Thailand 22,822 9. White 94,380 10. China 22,337 10. Chinese 82,943 SOURCE: Authors’ calculations from the 2000 Census. EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS AND TEACHING IMPLICATIONS I feel that educational barriers and teaching implications go hand in hand. I feel this is true since an educational barrier is a direct implication to teaching. Nearly half of all Californians today are first-generation or second-generation immigrants. As that share of the California population continues to grow, it is increasingly important to understand the nature of intergenerational progress for immigrant groups. ( Myers, Dowell, John Pitkin, and Julie Park) Recent research has called into question the intergenerational progress of immigrants, particularly educational progress between the second generation and the third generation. When the educational attainment of second and third generations is compared directly with that of their parents or their parents’ generation, the authors find strong intergenerational progress for all major immigrant groups. ( Myers, Dowell, John Pitkin, and Julie Park) However, even by the third generation, Mexican Americans in California have not attained the educational levels that whites have attained. In other words, there is some progress but even by the third generation only 11 percent of Mexican American adults have earned a bachelor’s degree. In contrast, among third-and-later generation whites, more than a third has a bachelor’s degree. Also, about 30 percent of California’s children are growing up in families where neither parent has completed high school. One consequence of this low educational attainment is that as many as 95 percent of these children might not earn a bachelor’s degree; the low educational attainment of parents makes it less likely that their children will attain high levels of education. Among these children at risk of low educational achievement, Mexican Americans make up a large percentage. More than half of all California youth ages 13 to 24 have a foreign born parent. Because a large number of these immigrant parents have a limited education, lack of improvement in educational attainment from one generation to the next would have serious implications for the state economically as well as socially. Education is an important determinant of social and economic well-being, such as income, health, home ownership, and civic participation. The concern for educational progress is particularly acute for Mexican Americans who, even by the third generation, have very low levels of educational attainment. It finds that intergenerational progress has not stalled but rather that second- and third-generation immigrants have made substantial educational progress when compared with their parents. Most of California’s Latino youth are of Mexican ancestry (84%) and over 60 percent of them were born in the United States. Overall, one in four youth is a first-generation immigrant (i. e. , born in a foreign country). About the same share are second-generation immigrants (i. e. , born in the United States with at least one foreign-born parent). Racial and ethnic differences in educational attainment are strongly influenced by immigration. Of the major racial and ethnic groups in California, young adults of Mexican descent have the lowest levels of education. Of those ages 25 to 29, only 51 percent have earned a high school diploma, compared to 93 percent of non-Hispanic whites. However, the rate for Mexican American youth born in the United States is substantially higher—76 percent. Mexican youth who come to the United States as teens often do not attend high school here. The older their age at arrival, the less likely Mexican youth are to attend school in California. Among those ages 16 to 18 and who recently arrived in the United States, less than half are enrolled in school. Among men, many are working; among women, substantial numbers are working, married, or raising children. In particular, although some research has suggested that educational progress stalls between the second and third generations for Mexican Americans, it has been found that college graduation rates of third-generation immigrants are more than twice those of their parents. Further, although over half of their parents did not graduate from high school, about eight in 10 third-generation Mexican Americans have graduated from high school. Even by the third generation, however, Mexican Americans in California have lower educational attainment than whites have. Despite strong intergenerational progress, less than 85 percent of third and-later-generation Mexican American adults, ages 25 to 34, have finished high school and only 11 percent have completed a bachelor’s degree. (â€Å"Third-and-later† generation includes youth with both parents born in the United States but the data do not identify whether their grandparents or great-grandparents were born in the United States. ) In comparison, among third-and-later-generation whites, 95 percent earned a high school diploma and over a third has a bachelor’s degree. Mexican immigrant youth who arrive at age 15 or older are among the least educated Californians. Improving their educational attainment is particularly challenging because many do not enroll in California schools but are working and raising families. Analysis suggests that about 30 percent of California’s children are growing up in families where neither parent has completed high school and that as many as 95 percent of these children might not achieve a bachelor’s degree. Among these children at risk of low educational achievement, Mexican Americans make up a large share (68%). The success of students in California’s community colleges is of particular importance for improving Latino postsecondary education because almost 80 percent of Latinos who enroll in public higher education enter through community colleges. Of great concern, however, is the low transfer rate to four-year institutions, and transfers are especially low among Latino students. In addition to preparing students for transfers, community colleges provide English language, remedial, and vocational courses. As the value of education and skills in the California economy continues to grow, these courses will become increasingly important to workforce training, especially for those who do not go on to complete a bachelor’s degree. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES. Because California has such large numbers of immigrants with limited education, a lack of improvement in educational attainment from one generation to the next would have serious implications for the state economically as well as socially. Educational progress is particularly important because education plays a role in determining racial and ethnic differences in other areas of social and economic well-being, such as poverty, health status, employment, home ownership, and civic participation (Reyes, 2001; Reed, 2003a). This information is important to understand why immigrant families rely so much on each other and not on education and opportunity. Hispanic-Americans are united by customs, language, religion, and values. There is, however, an extensive diversity of traits among Hispanic-Americans. One characteristic that is of paramount importance in most Hispanic cultures is family commitment, which involves loyalty, a strong support system, a belief that a child’s behavior reflects on the honor of the family, a hierarchical order among siblings, and a duty to care for family members. This strong sense of other-directedness conflicts with the United States’ mainstream emphasis on individualism (Vasquez, 1990). Stereotyped sex roles tend to exist among many Latinos: the male is perceived as dominant and strong, whereas the female is perceived as nurturing and self-sacrificing. Note, however, that in Latino cultures, the term â€Å"machismo† (used by Anglos to refer to male chauvinism) refers to a concept of chivalry that encompasses gallantry, courtesy, charity, and courage (Baron, 1991). Indeed, Hispanic culture’s emphasis on cooperation in the attainment of goals can result in Hispanic students’ discomfort with this nation’s conventional classroom competition. This cultural difference could play a negative role when the value of education in the California labor market has increased substantially in recent decades and projections suggest that workers without a college education will continue to see their earnings erode. Among youth in immigrant families, there is tremendous variation in family income and parental education. Among young immigrants ages 13 to 17, about one-third of those from Mexico are living in poor families and only 17 percent have a mother who finished high school (maternal education is measured only for those living with their mothers). These differences in family characteristics contribute to racial and ethnic differences in educational attainment for immigrant youth, which, in turn, contribute to education differences for their second-generation children. Differences in family characteristics explain most of the lower educational attainment of Mexican Americans. Among Mexican American youth, parental education, parental English language ability, and family income are substantially lower than among white youth. LEARNING STYLES An expanding body of research affirms that teaching and counseling students with interventions that are congruent with the students’ learning-style preferences result in their increased academic achievement and more positive attitudes toward learning. Research on the learning styles of Hispanic-Americans in particular, however, is limited. Within the Latino groups, the majority of studies have focused on the learning styles of Mexican-American elementary school children. Several investigations (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993) have compared various ethnic groups of students in elementary school through college levels using a measure that identifies 21 elements of learning style grouped into five categories. 1. ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING STYLE elements include sound, temperature, design, and light. A cool temperature and formal design were identified as important elements for Mexican-American elementary and middle school students (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993). 2. EMOTIONAL LEARNING STYLE elements include responsibility, structure, persistence, and motivation. Sims (1988) reported that Mexican-American third- and fourth-graders were the least conforming of three ethnic groups studied. Yong and Ewing (1992), however, found that Mexican-American middle-school adolescents were conforming. The disparities between these data may result from subjects’ age, lifestyle, and urban/rural differences in the two studies. Both of these studies reported that Mexican-Americans required a higher degree of structure than did other groups. 3. SOCIOLOGICAL LEARNING STYLE elements are concerned with the social patterns in which one learns. Learning alone (as opposed to in groups) was preferred more by Caucasian students than by Mexican-American children (Dunn & Dunn, 1992, 1993) and more by Mexican-Americans students than by African-American children (Sims, 1988). Mexican-American students required significantly more sociological variety than either African-Americans or Caucasians (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993). Mexican-American males were authority-oriented and Mexican-American females were strongly peer-oriented (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993). 4. PHYSIOLOGICAL LEARNING STYLE elements relate to time of day, food and drink intake, perception, and mobility. Puerto-Rican college students exhibit a strong preference for learning in the late morning, afternoon, and evening. The time-of-day preferences of Mexican-Americans are less clear. Sims (1988) found that Caucasians preferred drinking or eating snacks while learning significantly more than did Mexican-Americans. Yong and Ewing (1992) reported that Latinos’ strongest perceptual strength was kinesthetic. Both Caucasians and African-American were significantly more auditory and visual than Mexican-Americans (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993; Sims, 1988). The study by Sims (1988) indicated that Caucasian students exhibited a higher need for mobility than did Mexican-American students. Contrary to findings for the U. S. general population, Mexican-American females had a significantly higher need for mobility than their male counterparts (Dunn, Griggs, & Price, 1993). 5. PSYCHOLOGICAL LEARNING STYLE elements relate to global versus analytical processing. The construct of field dependence/independence is a component of this learning style. Field dependent individuals are more group-oriented and cooperative and less competitive than field independent individuals. Research generally has indicated that Mexican-American and other minority students are more field dependent than nonminority students. Hudgens (1993) found that Hispanic middle and secondary school students were more field dependent than Anglo students; Hispanic female (and African-American male) students had a greater internal locus of control than other groups; and Hispanic male (and African-American female) students had a greater external locus of control than other groups. INSIGHTS AND TOOLS There are a number of state and local programs designed to improve the lives of youth as well as to steer them in the direction of positive future outcomes. Youth ages 13 to 24 are of critical concern because during these ages youth are preparing for the transition to adulthood with its increased economic challenges and responsibilities and often with new marriage and parenting relationships. During these ages, many potentially life-changing decisions are often made, including the decisions to finish high school, to go to college, and perhaps to start a family. For these youth, adult education programs in school districts and community colleges can provide better schedules for part time, evening, and weekend coursework. In addition, as these youth become parents, programs that work with young children can assist parents with parental support and literacy improvement. For second and third generations, and for immigrants who do enter California schools, the quality of the K–12 public education system is clearly a key factor in success. Several recent and continuing reforms are improving California schools, particularly in the areas of student achievement, teacher quality, and quality of facilities. In addition, English language learning is of concern for the children of immigrants. For students whose own parents have limited educational experience, programs of educational counseling and tutoring are particularly helpful. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Baron, A. , Jr. , Counseling Chicano College Students. In C. Lee, and B. Richardson (Eds. ), MULTICULTURAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING: New Approaches to Diversity (p. 171-184). Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and Development. ED 329 861, 1991. 2. Dunn, R. , and K. Dunn. , TEACHING SECONDARY STUDENTS, 1993. 3. Dunn, R. , S. Griggs, and G. Price. , Learning Styles of Mexican-American and Anglo-American Elementary-School Students. JOURNAL OF MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT 21(4): 237-247. EJ 470 183. 1993. 4. Hudgens, B. , THE RELATIONSHIP OF COGNITIVE STYLE, 1993. 5. Myers, Dowell, John Pitkin, and Julie Park, California Demographic Futures: Projections to 2030, by Immigrant Generations, Nativity, and Time of Arrival in U. S. , School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 2005. 6. Neumark, David, California’s Economic Future and Infrastructure Challenges, Occasional Paper, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, California, 2005. 7. Reed, Deborah, â€Å"The Growing Importance of Education in California,† Occasional Paper, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, California, 2003a. 8. Reed, Deborah, Racial and Ethnic Wage Gaps in the California Labor Market, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, California, 2003b. 9. Reyes, Belinda I. , ed. , A Portrait of Race and Ethnicity in California: An Assessment of Social and Economic Well-Being, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, California, 2001. 10. Sims, J., Learning Styles of Black-American, Mexican-American, and White-American Third- and Fourth-Grade Students in Traditional Public Schools. Doctoral dissertation, University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 1988. 11. Vasquez, J. , Teaching to the Distinctive Traits of Minority Students. THE CLEARING HOUSE 63(7): 299-304,1990. 12. Yong, F. , and N. Ewing, A Comparative Study of the Learning-Style Preferences among Gifted African-American, Mexican-American and American Born Chinese Middle-Grade Students. ROEPER REVIEW 14(3): 120-123. EJ 447 200, 1992.

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (Book Report) Essay

Mark Twain is often thought of as the most cynical writer in American literature. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is perhaps one of greatest works. In this amusing story, Twain takes an American entrepreneur from his own day and age, and thrusts him back to the age of King Arthur. The novel is therefore about how a nineteenth-century American industrialist might act if he found himself in medieval England. Mark Twain sees the Industrial Age in which he lived as a rabid attempt to exploit everyone and everything. And, that’s exactly what Hank Morgan, also known as the â€Å"Boss†, does when he gets to Camelot. Hank uses science and technology to exploit Camelot. Threatened with execution, Hank remembers that an eclipse is supposed to occur in the near future, and he uses this knowledge to convince King Arthur and the rest of Camelot that Hank is a stronger magician than Merlin. Once Hank gains King Arthurs trust, he is able to do whatever he wants with Camelot and its people. Hank quickly goes about â€Å"improving† Camelot with industries and technologies that are common to nineteenth-century America. One of his schemes is to â€Å"invent† soap and making it available to all of the people of Camelot (since the people didn’t bathe as frequently in the third-century as they did in the nineteenth). Hank is appalled at how much power that the Established Church has over the people. So he decides that the people need to be educated, which will, naturally, weaken the church’s hold. Of course, being an entrepreneur at heart, Hank can’t help but look on Camelot as an opportunity for exploiting people with his superior knowledge. In a very memorable scene, Hank describes the religious devotions of many of the monks of the time as, a monk who expresses his devotion to God by bowing over and over again, all day long, without stopping. Rather than being impressed by the monk’s passionate display of faith, Hank notes the astounding amount of energy the monk puts out every day. Not to see this wasted, he hooks up a sewing machine to the monk, using his bowing motions to run the machine. In this manner Hank manufactures and sells garments as religious souvenirs, and tells the reader–with not a little satisfaction–about the wild success of these garments. Beyond Twain’s customary critiques on slavery and religion, the book also  offers a somewhat different brand of cynicism Twain’s critique of science and progress. When Hank Morgan arrives in Camelot, it is a fairy-tale city that has long represented both nobility and weaknesses. Then, in his quest to â€Å"improve† the city, he destroys it. Everything that defines the time from the smelly, unwashed people to their superstitions and religious fervor is exploited in the name of progress. Here, then, we see Hank Morgan as an expression of Twain’s dislike with the value of modern progress.

Economy Oil and gas Essay

Qatar occupies a small peninsula that extends in to the gulf from the east side of the Arabian Penisula countries bordering it are Saudi Arabia to the west and the United Arab Emirates to the south it’s located in the Middle East and borders Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia. Its population is approximately 907,229 with a population growth of 2. 4 %. The birth rate is 15. 6/1000 and has an infant mortality of 17. 5/1000. The life expectancy is 74. 1 and the population density per square meter is 214. Males from 0-14 years and 15-64 years are more than females and generally males are more than females. The death rate is currently 4. 82/1000. The total fertility rate is 2. 75 children per woman. Life expectancy is 76 years for women and 71 years for men. The population is under threat as women are marrying later in life and the abortion rates are increasing The official language in Qatar is Arabic and English is the second common language. The highest percentage of its population is Arab that forms approximately 40% the Pakistan and Indians constitute each 18% of the total population while Iranian and other races form 24%. 95% of its citizens are Muslim. Qatar’s total area is 11,437 km2 all of which is on land. The climate is arid mild and has pleasant winters but very hot and humid summers. The terrain is mostly flat and barren desert that is covered with loose Island and gravel. The natural resources in this state are petroleum and natural gas. Qatar territories include a number of islands and the most renowned Island is Hawar Island. Halul is the export terminal for the offshore oil fields. (http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/world/A0840678. html) It consists of flat rocky surfaces but has some hills and sand dunes, which reach an altitude of 40m above the sea level, in the western and northern parts. It has a rainwater-draining basis in the North and Central areas. The climate is a desert one with hot summers and mild winter. Coral reefs along the ports and shallow waters make navigation difficult especially on those areas where channels have not been dredged. Long summers from June through September have intense heat and alternating dryness and humidity with temperatures exceeding 55 degrees centigrade. From November through May there are moderate temperatures. Winter temperatures can fall to 17 degrees centigrade. The country receives very little rainfall that fills small ravines and the dry wadis. Water is saline and hence unsuitable for drinking or for irrigation purposes due to the high mineral content. Desalination of seawater is a common practice in Qatar. Through desalination In the North West there are jagged limestone outcroppings that rise over 40 meters high. To the South, impressive sand dunes rise up to 60 meters. Other notable features include coastal salt pans that are elevated by limestone formations along the west coast where Durkhan Oil fields and massive sand dunes surrounding Khor al Udaid which is an inlet of the gulf in the South East known as inland sea. Halul, the most important island, lies about 90 kilometers east of Doha and it serves as a storage area and as a loading terminal for oil from surrounding offshore fields. Qatar is limestone and dolomite peninsula of both flat and rocky surfaces and extreme desert conditions. The coasts are generally low with marine terraces and Sabkhas in several places. The sand dunes have moved progressively southwards due to the effect of the prevailing winds. Major Sand dunes are situated in the south eastern parts while limestones are to the western and northern parts of the country. Most land is quiet, uncultivated and scenically beautiful. It contains geographical features that are peculiar to the western side of the Arabian Gulf. There are the rainwater draining basin to the north and central parts which are considered the most fertile and attract heavy agricultural investment. Khor al-Udaid is a deep inlet from the sea on the south east coast. It is a ‘water sanctuary’ and fishing for commercial purposes is banned. It is a sea bay that harbors sea animals like sea turtles, water fowls, and sea birds. It is also an important breeding ground for dolphins. Flamingos also gather there during winter. It also has ponds like the Umm-Said sewage pond and Salwa road ponds. Al-Aliyah Island is also an important feature. It is located 13kilometers to the north east of the capital, Doha. It consist weathered limestone rocks and has uneven patches of salt tolerant bushes. It is an abode of shore birds, gulls, and* Al-Dhakita mangrove located 7 km north Al Khor consist of a group salt water bays. With dense mangrove growth with broad mud flats and salt marshy vegetation. It has valuable fish and shrimp stocks and is important destination for wintering birds and water ducks and flamingoes. Sabkha refers to flat saline areas of sand or silt lying above the water table and often containing soft nodules and veins of gypsum and a hydrite that was deposited over a long time by the action of wind blown sand. They have a crust of halite and gypsum. Caves or dulus are also widespread in Qatar. Ground water and rainwater reaction with soft surface and subsurface dissolves in limestone and gypsum creating cavities and the ceilings may collapse exposing the interior. It contains ten substantial caves although most have collapsed to form depressions and dolines of the northern Qatar. Sand dunes are also prominent features in Qatar. They have a crescent shape as the wind ward face is ripped off by the wind action. The leeward side collapses under the driving wind. Qatar has an interesting plateau of tertiary limestone standing out in the desert about 20meters high. This is between Dukhan through Umm Bab towards the Saudi Arabian border. Low hills are mushroom shaped due to erosion of underlying softer rocks. Gypsum crystals are also common. They are found south of Umm Said and are formed when high tides bring sea water into Sabkha. As the water evaporates, it forms gypsum crystals that appear as low crystalline forms. To the western side Geodes are found. Natural hazards that are dominant here are haze dust storms and the common sand storms. Most of its population is literate and the illiteracy levels are very minimal. Political system The government type of Qatar is emirate. The capital city is Doha. There are 10 municipalities that include. Al Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumaliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan, Al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Said and Umm Salal. The 3rdSeptember is the national holiday when people commemorate their independence. The capita city Doha is located on the central East Coast and it’s major functions are administrative, commercial and it is a population center. It is located on a harbour. Other ports include Umm Said Al Khor and Al Wakrah, Umm Said and Doha handle commercial shipping . The legal system is based on Islamic and civil law codes and the Amir controls the discretionary system of law. However civil codes are being implemented. The Islamic law dominates family and personal matters. Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has been the chief of the state since 27th June 1995 after a bloodless coup. His father was not able to handle the country’s economic reforms. Since it is a monarchial government the father did not lose his title as much power was already in his sons. Crown prince Jassim did not want to be king and he abdicated in favor of his younger brother. He rose to power after outdoing his father Amir Khalifa. The government is constitutional monarchy and the president’s fourth son Tamin bin Hamad is the selected heir. Amir Hamad was the Armed forces commander and defense minister when he seized power from his father who was out of the country. He retains that title to date. He survived an attempted coup in 1996. He had also taken his father t court on alleged state fund misappropriation. However this matter was solved outside the court. Amir Hamad Khalifa father had deposed his cousin Emir Al-Thani family continued to hold power after independence in 1971. Government departments are responsible for ensuring economic and social progress. The emir’s leadership is influenced by consultation’s consensus and personal appeal. He is not accountable to anyone and he cannot violate the Islamic laws sharia. In per taking his functions he must seek the opinion of the leading notable and religious leaders. Expatriate and residents are excluded from elections. The role of municipal council is not executive but offering advice to the minister. . The prime minister is Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani since April 3rd 2007. His deputy is Abdullah bin Hamad al-Atiyah. He replaced Abdullah bin Khalifa who resigned April 2007. The cabinet comprises of council of ministers all of which are appointed by the monarchy. Elections are rarely done since the system of ruling is monarchial. However in April 2003 it held nationwide election for a 29-member central municipal council (CMC). The CMC has consultative powers geared to improving the efficiency in provision of municipal service. The advisory council or Maljis al-shura has 35 members who are appointed by the monarchy. Council members have their terms extended after every four years. However since the establishment of a new constitution in 2005, 10 more positions were to be introduced and the public had a chance to elect 2/3 of the seats while Amir the president appoints the other 1/3. Introduction of the first constitution would guarantee freedom expression assembly and religion and increment of parliament seats. Elections are to be conducted late this year. Amir appoints all judges based on recommendations of supreme judiciary council. The branches of the judiciary are courts of first instance appeal and cassation. Since it’s a monarchial government there are no political leaders or parties and political pressure groups. Women were allowed to vote for the first time in 1999 and municipal consisted of 29 members. Democracy is being incorporated ever since Amir brought liberal changes in to the economy. Economy Oil and gas are the dominant trade goods. They both account for more than 60% of the countries GDP. They also contribute to a tune of 85% of the country’s export earnings and 70% of the government’s revenue. They are the reasons the country is one of the world fastest growing countries. They have seen it’s per capital rise to equal that of European Union. Due to sustained high oil prices the country is able to build its budget trade surpluses and foreign reserves. The oil reserves in this country are more than 15 billion barrels and they can sustain continued surplus for more than 20 years. Natural gas reserves are also abundant. They exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, which is more than 5% of the word total and 3rd largest in the world. The country is undertaking measures to develop its gas field in ensuring that the country becomes the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter. Foreign investment is also being encouraged so that non- energy projects can be improved by liberalizing the economy further. The country’s GDP real growth rate in 2006 was 7. 1% and the per capita GDP was $29,800. Composition of the GDP is mainly industry, which is 75. 8%, and service sector, which is 24. 1%. The unemployment rate was 3. 2% in 2006 and the inflation rate was 11. 8%. The major trading partners with Qatar are Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, France, U. S, Saudi Arabia, united Arabs emirates, Germany and UK. Major imports are machinery and transport equipments manufactured goods, food and live animals. Japan receives the largest proportion of Qatar exports. Other important trading partners include South Korea and France. The service sector accounts for approximately a ? of the total GDP and creates employment for the Qatar people. The government is promoting the tourism sector in an effort to trying to make it match other industries in the economy. Qatar is the richest country in the Islam-dominated countries rising global demand for oil ensure increase prices of oil and this leads to increase economic growth. The economy of this country is not diversified it depends so much on oil and gas. Qatar’s industrial plants are located in Umm Said. There is a fertilizer plant for urea and ammonia a steel plant and a petrochemical plant. These industries use gas as their source of energy ands they are owned by state or European and Japanese firms. http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Qatar. html To control the influx of expatriate workers Qatar is tightening the administration of its foreign manpower programs. Foreign educated Qatar’s are returning back home to develop their home country. Development of other industries will enable the economy to withstand future possible negative oil shocks. Real economic growth had slowed down in 2002 after OPEC enforced oil output cuts. The gas industry was however not affected. Private investment is encouraged to ensure that the country’s economic growth does not decline with changes in the market. Steel industries have been making profits for the past 10 years, non-oil sectors in Qatar are building and construction, real estate communication, agriculture, fishing water and electricity and banking. The state provides incentives to foreign investors, which include security loans from Qatar Industrial bank QIB eliminates quantitative quotas on imports no income tax on salaries of expatriates no export duties and no taxes on corporate profit for pre determined periods. The country has a comparatively high public sector external debt. Debt has been incurred to finance LNG and other industrial products. The GDP is raising and thus the ratio of public external debt to GDP is declining. http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Qatar. html The economic challenge that the country faces is to maintain global competitiveness. There is need to improve on the macro-economic management and the public sector institutions. Absorption of new technologies ought to be done at a faster rate. This translates to more revenues being redirected in imports over reliance on one industry is an issue that needs to be addressed. Diversifying the economy is a safe approach of ensuring toast hock ups in oil industry will not adversely affect the countries economy. Investment in quality education will also be a wise approach of addressing the country’s issue. It will reduce the number of foreign employees in the country by substituting them with the locals. Leadership or quality of government also ought to be changed. Democracy will go along way in maintaining economic stability in the long run. The monarchial system needs to be reformed. Levels of unemployment ought to be completely eradicated investing heavily in human capita and education city project sponsored by the Qatar foundation has seen worlds top universities and research centers to the country. Qatar joined other emirates of the Tricia coast in forming the United Arab Emirates but together with Bahrain they disagreed about the merger but instead formed independent nations. (Crystal Jill,1995) A border dispute with Saudi Arabia was settled in 1992 although the dispute with Bahrain remains unsolved. It signed a defense pact with the US and it became the third country in the Gulf to do so. It is home of the immensely popular but controversial Arabic Satellite Television Network Al Jazeera. Contraversial because it is accused of not being free and fair in its broadcasts. Al Jazeera is not only popular in the Arab world but also globally. It was the only channel allowed to operate from Afghanistan and the first to air Osama bin Laden’s statement in October 2001. It favors those who are its allies and does not criticize or air anything negative about its own Government. (El-Nawawy et al, 2002) Pollution from oil and gas industries has negative impact on the diversity of species. It is an issue that ought to be addressed. Qatar is surrounded by sea on three sides and its territorial waters encompass 35,000 square kilometers. Marine life has to adapt to the harsh conditions of salty water and soaring temperatures.

Health promotion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health promotion - Assignment Example These expansive effects of poor and unhygienic conditions in which the homeless live have continually emphasized to health professionals such as the advanced practice nurse the essentiality of embracing a managerial or a leadership role in advocating for and addressing the health needs of the homeless. Consequently, there is a need to strategize through various health programs that would help maintain the health of the homeless (National Institute of Health, 1997). For instance, affordable and clean housing could effectively alleviate the health-related suffering of the homeless. There are several definitions of homelessness that health providers should be acquainted with so that they effectively address the many health challenges faced by the homeless. For instance, homelessness could be defined as a state in which an individual sleeps or lives outside using public or private shelters. This type of homelessness, referred to as absolute homelessness, is quite unlike concealed homeles sness in which a person provisionally lodges with friends, families, or relatives. However, the common characteristics of the homeless include the risks their struggles to meet basic human needs such as housing and food during which they encounter problems related to service suitability, affordability, cleanliness, and adequacy. This paper explores the health issues faced by the homeless, discussing specific types of health issues encountered, the best possible interventions and strategies, and the possible role of advanced practice nurse in such situations. Health Issues for the Homeless Scores of literatures highlight the health issues faced by the homeless. Generally, there is an increased rate of infectious and chronic medical conditions such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, community-acquired pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive lung disease among the homeless. Prevalence rates for cancers are also higher in the homeless compared to the general population due to several risk factors such as cigarette smoking, alcoholism, and sun exposure. In fact, about 40% of homeless people reportedly have one type of chronic health problem or the other (Schanzer et al., 2007). Another 10% to 13% are reported to have psychotic disorders while between 20% and 40% are reported to have affective disorders (Schanzer et al., 2007). It has also been reported that about 20% to 30% of all adult emergency department visits are made by the homeless while homeless patients are reportedly being admitted five times more often and have longer stays at health facilities than the general population have (Schanzer et al., 2007). There is a rather direct correlation between homelessness and the accessibility and affordability of health services. What is more, the homeless are often found to be at a higher risk of contracting chronic and fatal conditions such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer, and pneumonia among other such conditions. Nursing, nursing students, and other health providers have consequently been called upon every other time to initiate and implement programs and strategies by which the health issues facing the homeless could be addressed. Hence, nursing and nurses have quite crucial a role and responsibility in alleviating the suffering of the homeless with regards to health care inequalities and deprivation (Culhane et al., 2001). However, nursing and the provision of

Western vision and American values. Western notions of freedom and Essay

Western vision and American values. Western notions of freedom and democracy - Essay Example This question requires the discussion of the notion of the Rule of law and how it has developed within and through the Western Notions of freedom and democracy. My discussion explores the position vis a vis the two great democratic nations which have led the world in their quest for human rights and whose legal and political systems are deemed to be the envy of the world.It has often been said that the modern American Constitution along with the Declaration of Independence is a result of Lockean Ideals of Liberalism(that is John Locke’s Concepts based on liberty, freedom, instituting government, and the right to alter that government.).However proponents of the heavy influence of British/European ideals (Gary Wills for example) have argued that a much more important role in this regard has been played by Scottish philosophers ,the Dutch and more importantly Britain.(Kavka 1986:45).Thomas G. West (2003:95) has summarized the position with regards to John Locke’s ideals t hus by way of stating,According to Sheldon the Declaration of Rights reflects â€Å"three dominant ideologies present during the American revolution and the founding of the American republic. These political philosophies were British liberalism†¦Classical Republicanism†¦and Christianity,† It can be seen that the Western Ideals of Government and Democracy are directly a result of the way ancient Roman and European philosophers sought to understand the human nature by the concept of the â€Å"state of nature.† "state of nature." (Kavka 1986:87).This theory sought to look at human beings after stripping them of all their societal attributes, in the hope of uncovering their common characteristics.(Jean 1986:46) Through this theory they hoped to discover an effective theory of Government.For Hobbes man is purely motivated by self interest and in his notion of the state of nature all humans are competing with each other .(Jean 1986:58).For Locke of the state of nature reveals the obligations of humans to each other in terms of natural rights to life, liberty and property. In contrast for Rousseau in line with the tradition of the modern natural law there was a need to answer the "challenge of scepticism" and this would require a step by step approach to human nature based on self interest. (Jean 1986:69).For Hobbes men are politically obligated to each other based on their own selfish interests which is their state of nature. The notion of the state of nature assumes that it is each man for hi mself out there and every man is vulnerable. This he shows is not a desirable "state" to be in at all and therefore there is a need of an invisible assurance of security.For him this state of " perpetual and unavoidable war", will cause anarchy and will not benefit anyone.(Kavka 1986:87).Here he brings in his notions of the social contract which will help this society to restore stability and create a civil society. The first and most important law of nature commands that each man be willing to pursue peace when others are willing to do the same, all the while retaining the right to continue to pursue war when others do not pursue peace. The enforcement of the social contract thus involves the establishment of a society and the imbuement of one or many individuals with a sovereign status in order to "enforce and maintain" this contract. For Rousseau's the idea of the State of Nature takes a historic approach to this idea and mankind's progression into the civil society. He goes back to the historic state of nature for men and terms it as a peaceful time with a simple life for human kind. There was no competition as there was little population and plenty of resources. Armed conflict was barely there and people had little interaction with each other.For him human nature has corrupted into

Abraham Lincoln' Political Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Abraham Lincoln' Political Religion - Essay Example Even though Lincoln never proved himself to be an ardent abolitionist he strongly protested against the extension of slavery to other territories. He emphasized the concept of self-government and strongly believed that the Founders of the Constitution foresaw the abolition of slavery in America in the long run. Lincoln makes it clear that even though the Declaration of Independence was formed by the representatives of thirteen States of the confederacy out of which twelve were slaveholding communities they made provisions in the Constitution to the abolition of slave trade in the long run. However, unlike the abolitionists Lincoln sought to address the issue of slavery within the limits of the Constitution and later his speeches and presidential debates explicitly reinforce his anti-slavery sentiments. This paper seeks to explore Guelzo’s argument that the Declaration of Independence formed the Scripture of Lincoln’s political religion and in doing so the paper also sho ws how Lincoln has accommodated his political ideologies with the Constitution that binds the Union together. In his 1854 campaign one can find Lincoln upholding the constitution, the Union and the good will of the Founders. He makes it clear that the Founders were always against slavery and they took special efforts to stop the spread of slavery into the Old Northwest Territory. For him, the Founders â€Å"could not avoid the unpleasant fact that slavery already existed in the Southern states of the Union, but they had regarded its existence as an anomaly and they tolerated its continuation there as an â€Å"argument of necessity† for establishing the national Union† (Guelzo 185-86). Lincoln also goes on to purport that even Missouri winning the administration as a slave state in 1820 and its slave status was only a concession aimed at further spreading slavery into the West. One can also find Lincoln repudiating Douglas’s arguments in favor of the doctrine of self-government and popular sovereignty. While Douglas justified the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 that allowed settlers in the territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty whether they would allow slavery within each territory, Lincoln was well aware of the dangers of Kansas-Nebraska. Douglas was of the opinion that â€Å"slavery had to be given its chance in the territories because it was the right of free settlers to exercise their popular sovereignty in choosing their own kind of government† (Guelzo 186) whereas Lincoln argued that popular sovereignty would subvert the principle of self-government as this would offer a choice for slavery. During his 1859 campaign speeches in the Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin Lincoln repeatedly asserted that the even though the Founders sought to restrain the spread of slavery in the territories Douglas and Kansas-Nebraska had wrecked that bargain by trying to extend slavery across the nation. While Douglas argued that popular sovereignty would enable territories to refuse slavery Lincoln held that slavery could never cease to exist unless and until it is prohibited by law. He also observed that in such territories and states where â€Å"slavery was not prohibited, it was established† and the Northerners were kept free due to the â€Å"explicit congressional legislation embodied in the Northwest Ordinance, banning the extension of slavery† rather than by the logic of popular sovereignty (Guelzo 230). Similarly, Lincoln regarded slavery as a total destruction of self-government. For him, the white man not only governs himself in self-government but also displays despotism by governing the blacks. Thus, Lincoln made

Houston Baptist University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Houston Baptist University - Essay Example The concept of organizational development is informed by the awareness of the impact of macro-economic forces on the performance, stability, and sustainability of the organization’s core processes (Anderson, 2012). The phenomena of globalization and the liberalization of the market economies have increased the necessity of organizations to undertake measures necessary to shield their internal systems and core processes from the disruptive nature of unregulated markets and adverse global economic forces. Organizational development is controlled by a range of factors that include the changing of the structures of the organization and the adoption of applications that effectively shield the organization from the negative consequences of the external environment (Kondalkar, 2009). In essence, it is possible to understand organizational development from the perspective of strategy and planning. The awareness of external threats requires the engaging of multiple strategies that minimize the impact of such forces on the stability and performance of the organization. Comparative analyses have shown that firms that embrace the concept of organizational development are more resilient in the wake of external challenges as compared to those that are less focused on the same (Kondalkar, 2009). Changes in technology have made it necessary for corporations and businesses to adopt policies of organizational development in order for them to prevail against the various forms of pressure and challenges emanating from the fluid nature of the markets. Executives use organizational development as a tool for harnessing the synergies within the work force and for establishing suitable environments for nurturing positive corporate values (Cheung-Judge & Holbeche, 2011). Usually, the approaches used in organizational development are consistent with various theories of organizational improvement such as total quality management.

Business Plan for BSN Restaurant PowerPoint Presentation

Business Plan for BSN Restaurant - PowerPoint Presentation Example At times, customers have visited restaurants only to find that the kind of food they are served that not have the value for their money, perhaps because it is of low quality, it does not match their interest, or because it is completely not what they could have imagined getting. What’s more, customers have been forced to keep shifting from one restaurant to another because they cannot get staff that can respect them and understands their interest. Yet still, many customers have complained that the price of the foods they are sold is too high, yet the food its self is of low quality. These among many other customer frustrations have seen the need to establish BSN restaurant, which will plug these gaps, to give the customers an experience that is hard to get any other restaurant. BSN restaurant strives to be the leading restaurant in the provision and adaptable and customizable customer experience, in the local market. We strive to ensure our patrons receive outstandingly high-q uality meals and hospitable customer care whenever they visit our restaurant. Not only will our patrons receive high-quality meals, but they will also be provided with an atmosphere full of excitement and relaxation. Customer satisfaction will be our overriding principle. In pursuant of this principle, we shall have our motto reading, â€Å"Our customers first, other things second!† Generally, our services will appeal to a broad population, including singles and families, male or female, and young and old. The welfare of our employee will also take a center stage. All will be treated fairly and with the utmost respect so they can be able to give the customers the best of their services.

The Theory of Leisure Class Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Theory of Leisure Class - Research Paper Example The present inquiry is not concerned with the beginning of indolence, nor with the beginning of the appropriation of useful articles to individual consumption (Hinkrl and Fotos, 2002). The point in question is the origin and nature of a conventional leisure class on the one hand and the beginnings of individual ownership as a conventional right or equitable claim on the other hand. The early differentiation out of which the distinction between leisure and a working class arises is a division maintained between men and women's work in the lower stages of barbarism (Hodgson, 2004). Likewise, the earliest form of ownership is an ownership of the women by the able-bodied men of the community. The facts may be expressed in more general terms, and truer to the import of the barbarian theory of life, by saying that it is an owner of the woman by the man. There was undoubtedly some appropriation of useful articles before the custom of appropriating women arose (Michelman, 1969). The usages of existing archaic communities in which there is no ownership of women is warranted for such a view. In all communities, the members, both male and female, habitually appropriate to their individual use a variety of useful things; but these useful things are not thought of as owned by the person who appropriates and consumes them (Mitchell, 1936). The habitual appropriation and consumption of certain slight personal effects go on without raising the question of ownership; that is to say, the question of a conventional, equitable claim to extraneous things. The ownership of women begins in the lower barbarian stages of culture, apparently with the seizure of female captives (Rosenberg, 1936). The original reason for the seizure and appropriation of women seems to have been their usefulness as trophies.

Critical Analysis of Best Source (Bullying) Essay

Critical Analysis of Best Source (Bullying) - Essay Example As a news organization, ABC News and its correspondents are trusted sources of accurate and up-to-date issues in America and elsewhere. As a national media organization, it is a given for the organization to maintain standards of journalistic excellence, in addition to mechanisms that ensure ethics in news reporting. Reputation and track record are the two crucial elements that give a mantle of authority to any news published or broadcasted in all of its media platforms. Take the case of the article. It satisfies the elements of complete and professional news writing by answering the questions, who, what, where, when, why and how. This barometer in reportage may be obviously simple but it remains to be the fundamental basis of professional news writing. The facts were presented credibly by citing authoritative sources or when a point is being raised, it is backed by concrete evidence and not hear says. For instance, the authors wrote that bullying has spun out of control. They suppor ted this claim by citing a statement from the U.S. Department of Education declaring that the problem is becoming an epidemic, causing "160,000 children a day to stay home from school because they are afraid of being  bullied." Finally, the authors ensured that the whole article was comprehensive, detailing numerous background information, corroborative evidences and as many sources as possible. The website also provided mechanisms wherein readers and concerned individuals could contact the editorial department for issues such as accuracy or for information contribution, in addition to the comment functionality where the readers could express their own opinion on the article. Objectivity in article writing can only be achieved by making the story as balanced as possible. This means that all attempts should be made to get and present both sides of the issue. This is what happened in the case of the article. A great deal of space was devoted to chronicling the victims side

Power Line Communication Essay Example for Free

Power Line Communication Essay The objective any mining company like TATA STEEL is to reduce the amount of energy used in mining through the increase in employee productivity and safety. Mining operations consist of several tasks. The highest efficiency can only be achieved with full coordination among the persons carrying out these tasks and if the locations of vehicles and people are known by those who coordinate the activities. In addition, the large number of risks of explosion has the potential to cause a major accident. Therefore, the establishment of a better communication system for the mine underground is very important and significant to modernize the mine management, increase the labour productivity, and strengthen the security to protect the lives and property of the mines. Present Scenario At present, cable telephone communication, power line communication, sensor communication, telecommunication, leakage communication, and radio communication are the main forms of communication in a mine. Our study shows that, a variety of mobile communication methods have their limitary application under coal mine. Some mines still use hardwired wall-mounted telephones. The disadvantage of this technology is the obvious necessity that the user cannot be mobile. To reach this person, the caller must page the person who must then go to a wall-mounted telephone that may be a long distance away and in the case of an accident the telephone may be inaccessible to the injured person. Another popular technology , Leaky Feeder technology requires a relatively stiff,hard-to-install cable, about 5/8† in diameter, to be installed everywhere where communication is desired. To communicate the user must be in line-of-sight of the cable and not more than thirty or eighty feet away from the cable. According to a survey conducted on how well current systems meet the needs for mining communication, 62 percent of Respondents replied negatively. None of them thought that mining communication needs were being met extremely well. Some of their replies- â€Å"Overall we cannot communicate well with miners.† â€Å"There is the issue of battery, phone and wiring maintenance.† â€Å"Safety in an emergency is still an issue.† As the power lines in an underground mine cover a broad area, if we can make full use of power lines to communicate, then we can completely solve the problem underground communication. The use of power lines saves the cost of additional cable and the labour cost for system installation. Furthermore, power lines are built and installed in a rugged manner. Any underground wire or cable, when fed an RF signal, tends to distribute that signal throughout its length. Carrier current systems utilize this fact to establish communication paths using existing mine wiring. Carrier current devices are basically FM radio transceivers that transmit and receive over existing mine wiring instead of using an antenna system. The LF (low-frequency) and MF (medium frequency)KP ranges propagate best in carrier current systems. A common example of a carrier current system is the trolley carrier phone systems presently used in many mines. Another example is the shaft communication systems that utilize the hoist rope itself to establish communications to and from the cage. The most modern system, based on MF, promises to be the most effective of a l l . But there are lots of complex interference noises in power line communication under mine. More recently, the maturity of wireless as an accepted medium has increased the demand for instant, reliable, portable communication. Underground mines, however, have proved resistant to wireless communication due to environmental conditions that limit the transmission of radio waves. â€Å"Mines are looking to find such a system. It would become universal over time due to safety, a decrease in down time and an increase in productivity.† This system may be further enhanced to A GPS-like (Global Positioning System) for underground mines which would serve an extremely useful function in saving energy in mining operations. Autonomous (i.e. unmanned) machinery has been a long-standing objective of the mining. This would move miners from underground mines to the surface from where they would remotely control mining operations. Extremely important is to note that such a move would allow shutting off the energy-guzzling fans, which would result in large amounts of energy savings. Economics PLC is viewed as especially attractive because of several characteristics. Electricity services in most developing countries have higher reach than telephony. In addition, PLC can provide an elegant solution for in-home access and networking, since the signal can reach virtually any outlet in the home. However, there are several important technical issues in this simple scheme. The signal attenuates as it goes over the line, with higher losses at higher frequencies. Given emission limits that restrict boosting the transmission signal, the only solution is the use of repeaters en-route, increasing the cost. Secondly, the LV transformers act as a low-pass filter, allowing electricity through with low losses but not higher frequencies. This is why most solutions rely on bypassing the distribution transformer. While an opportunity in terms of sharing capital equipment costs across users, shared infrastructures also lead to congestion, multiplexing, interference, and security concerns. To overcome these issues, PLC solutions rely on sophisticated signal processing and encoding. For PLC to be successful, it must not only operate successfully from a technology point of view, but also present a viable business case. The market space consists of not only well-entrenched alternatives like DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and cable, but also alternatives such as Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH), Fiber-To-The-Curb (FTTC), and broadband wireless. Issues of telecom, regulation and competition play a vital role in deciding the future of PLC. Depending on the number of feeders emanating from the substation, different MV couplers are needed. At every distribution transformer, a concentrator cum transformer bypass is required. This device transfers the signals to the medium-voltage line, bypassing the transformer. In addition, depending on the distances involved, repeaters might be needed to extend the signal. In addition to the one-time costs, which are amortized over specific periods, there are also explicit calculations of monthly operating costs. After thorough estimation from various sources (web and consulting some industry people) the monthly costs of PLC is found to be around US$35 per month per user. Most of the values chosen are plausible, if not optimistic. In some hazardous locations, where specialized personnel are required, installation costs have been estimated at US$200–300. On the other hand, in normal cases, the installation would be somewhat over US$100 per user . The total capital costs per consumer (excluding Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)) average about US$85 , assuming an average of 6 homes passed per LV transformer. One result that is robust across most assumption ranges is that operating expenditures are about 45% of the total costs. The most important variable, under the assumptions is the time period for paying off of the equipment. Given the fast changing nature of the telecom industry, the median value for economic purposes is assumed to be 5 years. In addition, within a region, the competitive pressures might be much lower, allowing for higher market share and greater sharing of equipment, marketing, and maintenance costs amongst subscribers. Given the estimated monthly costs of PLC it is almost clear that there is a gripping business case for PLC in the near term based on price for the end-user. Of course, economics is not the only factor in determining the success of PLC or any other broadband technology. User satisfaction, customer loyalty, branding, and competition (alternatives) are all important factors as well.

Cross Cultural Perspectives Essay Example for Free

Cross Cultural Perspectives Essay Introduction: The world is an ever changing place. What is taboo today may become a norm tomorrow. There are vast numbers of countries with various languages, religions and their cultural ethnicity. India has been referred to as a country which is a living example of unity in diversity. In today’s age of capitalism and free trade, borders are soon getting irrelevant and people are migrating, more than ever before, to achieve their personal and organisational goals. It becomes all the more important to understand cross cultural dynamics and its implications on international businesses looking to expand in new markets. Why understand Culture? Today we see companies looking towards new markets and industries to expand their businesses. Growth in the west is almost at its saturation peak and developed industries are looking to foray into Asian markets to promote their growth and take advantage of developing economies. There are a lot of constraints in entering new markets, businesses have to understand regional aspects and the environment which govern these markets. There are various aspects of the environment which are Political, Legal, Economic and Cultural. Economic, Legal and Political environment differ in different regions and are sometimes governed by their local culture. Culture in many ways influences and has a major role to define these policies. When businesses are entering new markets they can study economic limitations, political and legal environment. But â€Å"Culture is a man made part of the environment†(Herskovits, 1948, p.17). Geert Hofstede in 1980 explained that Culture consists of shared mental programs that control individual’s response to their environment. It has been very easy to understand culture in terms of Hofstede’s dimensions and compare countries based on these studies. These are Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism-Collectivism, Femininity and Masculinity. I once came across an advertisement from HSBC, where in a polish company selling washing machines wanted to know why their sales are highest in a part of India. When their representative visits the vendor he realises that the machine is used to prepare a delicacy rather than washing clothes. The punch line of the advert was â€Å"if you’re going to do business internationally you should be  with a bank that knows about International business† During the 3rd session of Cross-Cultural Perspective we came across a task of negotiation. My key learning’s during this task were that communication style and sharing of information was vital in successful negotiation beneficial for all. We started aggressively trying to force our opinion and make the other party aware about our concern and make them sensitive to our objective. But we soon realised that the key to a successful negotiation was dealing with the other party with co-operation and being sensitive to their needs. This realisation made us reach an amicable solution towards solving the â€Å"ugly orange case†. Hence we learned that a good negotiator should possess good negotiating skills, communication, multiple solutions and also should understand the emphasis of BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). We also learned about Leaders and their qualities. There is an argument by some that leaders are born, others believe that leaders can be made. I am of the view that leaders are not born but made. I do have certain leanings in terms of charismatic leaders and their family tree, e.g. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, but to larger extent leaders can be made and groomed provided they have the necessary qualities and attributes to lead and motivate people. During my work assignment I spent a considerable amount of time in United States of America. I was spearheading a transition project which involved training, coaching and transitioning work from United States to India. My colleagues from America were straight forward and direct in their communication. The instructions and information provided by them was straight to the point and often construed by me as rude. I had a confrontation with my co-worker where I asked him to put in some extra hour of work. He was quite direct i n refusing and also went ahead in telling me that this is not the way Americans work. I was influenced by the work culture in India and assumed that it is alright to ask a colleague to stay back a couple of hours after work. In the US, there was a lot of emphasis on work-life balance. Conclusion: Now after getting acquainted with cross-culture perspectives and various theories I have better understanding between the cultural differences of  America and India. I think that using the dimensions provided by Hofstede and theories based on these dimensions we can analyse and understand culture and their dynamics. These will be helpful to organisations entering new markets and regions.

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay

Difficult Obstacle In Learning English English Language Essay Vocabulary is the most difficult obstacle in learning English. However, English word formation is an effective way to learn English, because it can help us to correctly identify the word form, part of speech, and to understand the meaning of the word, and to rapidly expand our vocabulary. Among them, affixation is the strongest one, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Besides, compounding, conversion, blending, clipping, acronymy, back-formation are also the efficient ways of learning English. In the paper, the ways and characteristics of word formation are analyzed in affixation, compounding and conversion. Keywords: English word formation, affixation, compounding, conversion 1. Introduction Learning a language must to learn the speech, grammar and vocabulary. In these three elements, vocabulary occupies a pivotal position. Well-known scholar Wilkins said, without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed. Vocabulary scientist McCarthy said more simply, no matter how well the student learns grammar, no matter how successfully he masters the sounds of a L2, without words to express a wide range of meanings, communication in that language cannot happen in any meaningful way. So many teachers and students pay a lot attention to the vocabulary learning. And the expansion of vocabulary in modern English depends chiefly on word formation. There is a variety of means being at work now. The most productive are affixation, compounding and conversion. Talking about word-forming patterns means dealing with rules. But not all words which are produced by applying the rule are acceptable. The acceptability is gained only when the words have gain ed an institutional currency in the language. Therefore, rules only provide a constant set of models from which new words are created from day to day. Rules themselves are not fixed but undergo changes to a certain extent. For instance, affixes and compounding processes may become productive at one time or lose their productivity. By word formation processes, we concentrate on productive or on productive rules. While applying the rules, we should keep in mind that there are always exceptions. Then I will analyze the ways and characteristics of word formation in affixation, compounding and conversion. 2. Affixation Affixation is generally defined as the formation of words by adding word-forming or derivational affixes to bases. This process is also known as derivation, by which new words are derived from old or base forms. The words that are created in this way are called derivatives. According to the positions affixes occupy in words, affixation falls into two subcategories: prefixation and suffixation. Prefixation is a way of forming new words by adding prefixes to stems. Usually, prefixes do not change the word-class of the stem but only modify its meaning. Prefixes can be divided, based on their meanings, into: negative prefixes, reversative prefixes, pejorative prefixes, prefixes of degree or size, prefixes of orientation and attitude, locative prefixes, prefixes of time and order, number prefixes, conversion prefixes, miscellaneous prefixes. For instance, negative prefixes include: 1) a-, apolitical, asexual, atypical; 2) dis-, disobey, discredit, disloyal; 3) in-, il-, ir-, im-, inaudible, illegitimate, irresistible, improbable; 4) non-, non-classical, non-smoker, non-violence; 5) un-, undemocratic, unwillingly, unbuilt. Suffixation is the process of forming new words by adding suffixes to the end of stems. Suffixes have primary function being to change the word class with a slight modification of meaning. Suffixes can be divided into noun suffixes, adjective suffixes, adverb suffixes and verb suffixes. For instance, noun suffixes include: 1) denominal nouns, -eer, -er, -age, profiteer, teenager, mileage; 2) deverbal nouns, -ant, -ent, -ing, assistant, respondent, christening; 3) de-adjective nouns, -ity, -ness, productivity, youthfulness; 4) noun and adjective suffixes, -ese, -an, -ist, Chinese, Australian, Methodist. Affixation is the strongest word formation, and it forms the largest number of words, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to learn English. Linguist David Crystal said, no matter how big your vocabulary is, only you know the range of prefixes and suffixes, and you know the main limitation of using them, your vocabulary will sharp increase soon. Famous author Lord Chesterfield said, the shortest and best way of learning a language is to know the roots of it, that is, those original primitive words of which other words are formed. Etymology scientists John Kennedy said, the stem and its value are the basis of the English language. 3. Compounding Compounding or composition is a process of word formation by which two or more stems are put together to make a new word. Words formed in this way are called compounds. So a compound is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"lexical unit consisting of more than one base and functioning both grammatically and semantically as a single wordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Quirk et al said that. Compounds can be divided into noun compounds, adjective compounds and verb compounds. For instance, noun compounds include: 1) noun+ noun: moon cake, end product; 2) noun+ verb: toothache, frostbite; 3) verb+ noun: crybaby, tell-tale; 4) adjective+ noun: deadline, blueprint; 5) noun+ verb-ing: brainwashing, air-conditioning; 6) verb-ing+ noun: cleaning lady, wading bird; 7) noun+ verb-er: stockholder, crime reporter; 8) adverb+ verb: outbreak, downfall; 9) verb+ adverb: sit-in, have-not; 10)verb-ing+ adverb: going-over, carryings-on; 11) adverb+ verb-ing: up-bringing. And compounds have noticeable characteristics, such as phonolog ical features, semantic features, grammatical features and orthographical features. 4. Conversion Conversion is the formation of new words by converting words of one class to another class, without changes in morphological structures. New words are new only in a grammatical sense. For instance, the word paper as a noun has four senses: 1) material in thin sheets made from wood or cloth, 2) a newspaper, 3) a piece of writing for specialists, and 4) wallpaper. When turned into a transitive verb, it is related only to 4) as in à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"She papered the room greenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. 5. Conclusion English words are difficult to learn and hard to remember, but there are internal rules can be found. If we start from word formation, we can make vocabulary learning become simple and efficient, and make it possible for the rapid expansion of vocabulary. Word formation is an efficient way and powerful weapon for English study. We should grasp the three main ways, affixation, compounding and conversion, especially for our English major students.

The Enduring Legacy of Malcolm X Essay -- The Life of Malcolm X

If there was any one man who demonstrated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was Malcolm X. The African American cultural movement of the 1920s lost momentum in the 1930s because of worldwide economic depression. The Great Depression helped to divert attention from cultural to economic matters. Even before the stock market crash of 1929, unemployment and poverty among blacks was exceptionally high. It was under these difficult conditions that Malcolm X experienced his youth in the South. Malcolm X was a very controversial character in his time. He grew up in a very large family. His father hunted rabbits to sell to the white people for money, and his mother stayed home to take care of all the children. Several times when he was young, his family was forced to relocate due to the racist groups that would burn or run them out of their home like the Ku Klux Klan. One of these groups called the Black Legion killed his father by tying him to the railroad tracks. Malcolm’s father had life insurance but was not given to his family because they said that Earl Little had committed suicide. This was quite impossible because his head was bashed in and he tied himself to the railroad. Without his father’s income, Malcolm's family was forced to get government help and food. Applying for this type of assistance brought many white Social Workers into their home. They asked questions and interrogated the entire family. Malcolm’s mother always refused to talk or let them in. This did not stop them and they came in anyway. Malcolm, without family discipline and restrictions, often could be found wandering the streets of Roxbury. Without parental or adult guidance of any kind and due to the poor conditions in his home, Malcolm began to steal food. Finally, he was caught. The police did not make a big deal about it, because it was his first offense. The Social Workers however, began investigating his family even more intensely. They used this incident against the family. They reported that Malcolm’s mother could not take proper care of her children and recommended that they be split up and placed in different foster homes. Malcolm did not realize he was getting government help. He also did not realize that the nice Social Workers who would sometimes slip him treats were really out to put him in a foster home. As a boy Ma... ...g’s preaching to further their shared cause. Without this very important person in our history, things may be very different. He helped the blacks find the path to long sought freedom, and helped the whites see their awful mistakes in the way in which they had conducted their society. Works Cited Breitman, George. By Any Means Necessary: Speeches and Interviews. New York: Pathfinder, 1970. Curtis, Richard. The Life of Malcolm X. Philadelphia: Macrae Smith Company, 1971 Goldman, Peter. The Death and Life of Malcolm X. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1979. Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: Ballantine, 1964. Myers, Walter Dean. Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary. New York: Polaris, 1993 Shirley, David. Malcolm X: Minister of Justice. Langhorne: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994 "Malcolm X." Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1996. The Official Website of Malcolm X. Web. 11 April 2015 http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/home.php Malcolm. 1999-2004. http://www.brothermalcolm.net "Biography." Malcolm X Official Website. Web. 11 April 2015 http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/about/bio.html.

Why ANZAC day should never be forgotten :: Australia Australian History

Anzac day is part of Australia, its history, its nationhood and its people. From the day the 1st AIF (Australian Imperial Force) was created in WW1 to now in 2008 with the war in Iraq. Australia has proved herself time and time again to the world by showing the true bravery of her people. Australia is a young nation and only underwent federation in 1901 and 14 years later faced a major crisis. The July Crisis of 1914 where a 19 year old terrorist, a member of the â€Å"black hand† a Serbian terrorist organisation, shot at point blank range Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife while they were on a visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. This ignited the fuse of one of the deadliest wars that the earth has ever seen. The Austro-Hungarian Empire took this as a chance to declare war on Serbia. Germany backed up the Austro-Hungarian’s decision and almost forced them to declare war quickly on Serbia, which Austro- Hungary did. Russia began to mobilise her army’s to aid in Serbia’s defence. Germany in fear of encirclement by allied forces began to activate â€Å"the Schiliffen Plan† in which Germany forced its way around France through Belgium. When Germany attacked Belgium, England which had a treaty signed with Belgium began to mobilis e her ships. This is when Australia received the call of duty from Europe. People began to rejoice and enlistment started immediately with a vast number of people signing up within days the 1st AIF was raised and equipment was bought. Australia gave control of the unit and its Navy over to England and it was decided after the troops were trained that they were to be deployed to Cairo where they underwent more training for harsher climates. Looking at the diary entries of these young men in the AIF you can understand that they were eager to look out for one another and ready for the attack and all were in high spirits and happy the night before the tragic landing. Some people say that here is where Australia underwent its â€Å"baptism by fire† and learnt through the harshness and hell of war about being a nation and a united people. Many were killed in the tragic landing but besides this A.N.Z.A.C troops were harsh, quick and brutal as soon as they scrambled up the beach head began to make a bold and courageous charge at the enemy bayonets sharpened and at the ready.

Inside The League by Scott Anderson, and Jon Lee Anderson :: Inside The League Scott Anderson

Inside The League by Scott Anderson, and Jon Lee Anderson   Ã‚  Ã‚   For over ten years progressive researchers in this country and in Europe have been uncovering evidence linking certain American conservatives and rightists to racist and fascist movements around the globe through a shadowy organization called the World Anti-Communist League. Now the book "Inside the League" exposes the hidden nature of the League and documents in devastating detail a parade of League-affiliated authoritarian ideologues marching from the death camps of Nazi Germany into the parlors of Reagan's White House. The idea for the book came when Jon Lee Anderson was researching a series of columns on Latin American death squads for Jack Anderson, (Jon Lee's employer but not his relative). Enlisting the aid of his brother Scott, the two first began tracing the connections between the death squads but soon were unravelling networks and alliances that involved terrorists, Nazi collaborators, racists, assassins, anti-Jewish bigots, and right- wing anti-communist American politicians. The one factor all had in common was their involvement with the World Anti-Communist League.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Latin American death squads, for instance, were found to be linked through an umbrella group of Central and South American rightists called the Latin American Anti-Communist Confederation (CAL). CAL in turn was affiliated with the World Anti-Communist League (WACL), lead by a retired U.S. Major General, John Singlaub.   Singlaub boasts WACL is the coordinating body for raising private aid for the Contras, a task support ed explicitly by the Reagan White House which has sent government officials and glowing letters of support to WACL meetings in recent years.   Ã‚  Ã‚   WACL also serves as an umbrella for several Eastern European emigre groups founded and lead by Nazi collaborators, and there is far more. As the Anderson brothers write:   Ã‚  Ã‚   "We have examined the World Anti-Communist League...because it is the one organization in which representatives of virtually every right-wing extremist movement that has practiced unconventional warfare are to be found. The League is the one constant in this netherworld; whether looking at Croation terrorists, Norwegian neo-Nazis, Japanese war criminals, or American ultra-rightists...." (p. x, Author's Note).   Ã‚  Ã‚   WACL is more than a club for aging facists and their modern- day

Barbie Doll

Barbie Topic: Barbie General Function: To inform Specific purpose: To inform my audience of the history of the Barbie Doll. Organization Design: Topical Introduction Attention-Arousing and Orienting Material: When you think long hair, perfect skin, trendy clothes, and a rockin’ body, what comes to every little girls mind? Barbie of course! Credibility: As a child I had a Barbie or two, or twenty. When the day was rainy and no friends could come over and play I always knew my dear friends Tara and Tonya would be there for me.They were my favorite Barbie. They were twins, only because one Christmas I received the same doll from two different sides of the family. Both with long brown hair like me. In a way I felt like we were triplets. Hey! Every girl can dream. Thesis statement: Barbie was known to be every little girls friend and best secret keeper. Preview of the Main Points: First I will inform you a little about who had the brilliant idea of Barbie. Secondly I will give you the history of the very first Barbie. Lastly I will describe the changes of Barbie from then until now. Transition: Let me start off by telling you who the master mind behind Barbie was) Body I: The Barbie doll was invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler, whom referred to herself as â€Å"Barbie’s Mom† A: Ruth (co-founder of Mattel) invented and anatomically improbable molded plastic statuette named Barbie. 1. Ruth was born November 4, 1916 in Colorado. 2. She lived 84 long years before kicking the bucket on April 27, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. 3. Ruth was the first to invent, first to patent, the doll we call Barbie.B: After watching her daughter spend long hours making paper dolls, she knew there had to be a better way 1. Ruth wanted every little girl to have the chance to be who she dreamed of 2. With Barbie it was possible for every girl to escape from life’s busy times. 3. She could grab her Barbie and BOMB†¦ she was all the sudden imagining roles as college st udents, cheerleaders, and adults with any desirable career. 4. She wanted to better facilitate the way young girls were playing with their dolls. (Transition: Who is Barbie? II: Barbie, invented in 1959 is the icon for both a steady outlet for girls dreams and a ever changing reflection of the American society. A. Unlike the baby dolls, Barbie had an adult bod 1. Barbie represents a woman of choice 2. Barbie can be a doctor today, and live off her dads money tomorrow. 3. Even in the early years of Barbie she didn’t have to settle for only being Kens Girlfriend. B. The first Barbie was sold for $3 1. Her additional clothing, based on latest runway fashion was sold for $1-5 . In the first years, 300,000 Barbie’s were sold. C. There’s not just one type of Barbie 1. In 1965, Barbie had bendable legs and eyes that opened and closed 2. In 1967, Barbie’s waist could now twist and turn 3. The best seller was released in 1992, the â€Å"totally Hair Barbie† (Transition: Barbie has underwent a couple â€Å"surgeries† over the years) III: Barbie has changed a lot over the past 54 years A. Barbie now days are a bite different 1. From the first Barbie to the ones now day a lot has changed 2.Some of these changes are a. Arched back b. Underwear are now flesh colored c. Her ribcage is more deflated d. She gained a butt B. Barbie’s clothes have become more reveling 1. Her first outfit (the 1 piece black and white swimsuit) is now a string bikini 2. Skirts have become shorter 3. Dresses are a lot tighter C. The first Barbie’s didn’t really branch out as far as hair colors and skin tones. 1. Today Barbie’s come in every hair color 2. Her skin is darker in some than others 3. The first black Barbie was introduced in 1980Conclusion Signal of end: In Conclusion Summary statement: You didn’t know there was that much to know about our miniature us did you? Neither did I. The fact that Ruth got such a brilli ant idea from just watching her daughter play, or how much history was in such a small thing. And all the changes a plastic doll can make on young girls life. Concluding Remarks: I just want to leave you with some words form Ruth herself. â€Å"Every little girl needed a doll through which to project herself into her dream of her future.If she was going to do role play of what she would be like when she was 16 or 17 is was a little stupid to play with a doll that had a flat chest. So I gave it beautiful breasts. Work Cited http://ic. galegroup. com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow? failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA225073904 ttp://ic. galegroup. com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow? failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&window state=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA215000037 Barbie Doll Barbie Topic: Barbie General Function: To inform Specific purpose: To inform my audience of the history of the Barbie Doll. Organization Design: Topical Introduction Attention-Arousing and Orienting Material: When you think long hair, perfect skin, trendy clothes, and a rockin’ body, what comes to every little girls mind? Barbie of course! Credibility: As a child I had a Barbie or two, or twenty. When the day was rainy and no friends could come over and play I always knew my dear friends Tara and Tonya would be there for me.They were my favorite Barbie. They were twins, only because one Christmas I received the same doll from two different sides of the family. Both with long brown hair like me. In a way I felt like we were triplets. Hey! Every girl can dream. Thesis statement: Barbie was known to be every little girls friend and best secret keeper. Preview of the Main Points: First I will inform you a little about who had the brilliant idea of Barbie. Secondly I will give you the history of the very first Barbie. Lastly I will describe the changes of Barbie from then until now. Transition: Let me start off by telling you who the master mind behind Barbie was) Body I: The Barbie doll was invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler, whom referred to herself as â€Å"Barbie’s Mom† A: Ruth (co-founder of Mattel) invented and anatomically improbable molded plastic statuette named Barbie. 1. Ruth was born November 4, 1916 in Colorado. 2. She lived 84 long years before kicking the bucket on April 27, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. 3. Ruth was the first to invent, first to patent, the doll we call Barbie.B: After watching her daughter spend long hours making paper dolls, she knew there had to be a better way 1. Ruth wanted every little girl to have the chance to be who she dreamed of 2. With Barbie it was possible for every girl to escape from life’s busy times. 3. She could grab her Barbie and BOMB†¦ she was all the sudden imagining roles as college st udents, cheerleaders, and adults with any desirable career. 4. She wanted to better facilitate the way young girls were playing with their dolls. (Transition: Who is Barbie? II: Barbie, invented in 1959 is the icon for both a steady outlet for girls dreams and a ever changing reflection of the American society. A. Unlike the baby dolls, Barbie had an adult bod 1. Barbie represents a woman of choice 2. Barbie can be a doctor today, and live off her dads money tomorrow. 3. Even in the early years of Barbie she didn’t have to settle for only being Kens Girlfriend. B. The first Barbie was sold for $3 1. Her additional clothing, based on latest runway fashion was sold for $1-5 . In the first years, 300,000 Barbie’s were sold. C. There’s not just one type of Barbie 1. In 1965, Barbie had bendable legs and eyes that opened and closed 2. In 1967, Barbie’s waist could now twist and turn 3. The best seller was released in 1992, the â€Å"totally Hair Barbie† (Transition: Barbie has underwent a couple â€Å"surgeries† over the years) III: Barbie has changed a lot over the past 54 years A. Barbie now days are a bite different 1. From the first Barbie to the ones now day a lot has changed 2.Some of these changes are a. Arched back b. Underwear are now flesh colored c. Her ribcage is more deflated d. She gained a butt B. Barbie’s clothes have become more reveling 1. Her first outfit (the 1 piece black and white swimsuit) is now a string bikini 2. Skirts have become shorter 3. Dresses are a lot tighter C. The first Barbie’s didn’t really branch out as far as hair colors and skin tones. 1. Today Barbie’s come in every hair color 2. Her skin is darker in some than others 3. The first black Barbie was introduced in 1980Conclusion Signal of end: In Conclusion Summary statement: You didn’t know there was that much to know about our miniature us did you? Neither did I. The fact that Ruth got such a brilli ant idea from just watching her daughter play, or how much history was in such a small thing. And all the changes a plastic doll can make on young girls life. Concluding Remarks: I just want to leave you with some words form Ruth herself. â€Å"Every little girl needed a doll through which to project herself into her dream of her future.If she was going to do role play of what she would be like when she was 16 or 17 is was a little stupid to play with a doll that had a flat chest. So I gave it beautiful breasts. Work Cited http://ic. galegroup. com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow? failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA225073904 ttp://ic. galegroup. com/ic/ovic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow? failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&window state=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA215000037

Beyond Gdp Paper

Special attention is devoted to recent developments in the analysis of sustainability, in the study of happiness, in the theory of social choice and fair allocation, and in the capability approach. It is suggested in the conclusion that, although convergence toward a consensual approach is not impossible, for the moment not one but three alternatives to GDP are worth developing. ( JEL I31, E23, E01) 1. Introduction GDP is recurrently criticized for being a poor indicator of social welfare and, therefore, leading governments astray in their assessment of economic policies. As is well known, GDP statistics measure current economic aactivity but ignore wealth variation, international income flows, household production of services, destruction of the natural environment, and many determinants of well-being such as the quality of social relations, economic security and personal safety, health, and longevity.Even worse, GDP increases when convivial reciprocity is replaced by anonymous mark et relations and when rising crime, pollution, catastrophes, or health hazards trigger * Fleurbaey: CNRS, University Paris Descartes, CORE (Universite de Louvain) and IDEP. Comments, suggestions and advice by S. Alkire, G. Asheim, A. Atkinson, A. Deaton, E. Diewert, R. Guesnerie, D. Kahneman, A. Krueger, I. Robeyns, P. Schreyer, three referees and Roger Gordon (the Editor) are gratefully acknowledged. defensive or repair expenditures.Not surprisingly, the construction of better indicators of social welfare is also, recurrently, a hot issue in public debate and a concern for politicians and governments. The last two decades have witnessed an explosion in the number of alternative indicators and a surge of initiatives from important institutions such as the OECD, the UNDP, the European Union—more recently the French government has appointed a committee, chaired by Joseph E. Stiglitz and including four other Nobel Prize winners, to propose new indicators of â€Å"economic perfo rmance and social progress. In the meantime, welfare economics1 has burgeoned in various directions, involving the theory of social choice, the theory of 1 The expression â€Å"welfare economics† is used here in a very broad sense, including all branches of economics that bear on the definition of criteria for the evaluation of social states and public policies. It is not restricted to the narrow confines of Old and New (or New New) Welfare Economics. 1029 1030 Journal of Economic Literature, Vol.XLVII (December 2009) is much less supported by economic theory than is commonly assumed. The extension of this approach to intertemporal welfare as attempted in â€Å"green† accounting adds even more complications. In view of recent developments in the theory of social choice and fairness, it will be argued that the idea of a â€Å"corrected GDP† is still defendable but implies different accounting methods than usually thought. Second, there is the idea of â€Å"Gross National Happiness,† which has been revived by the burgeoning happiness studies.It will be argued here that the happiness revolution might, instead of bringing about the return of â€Å"utility,† ultimately condemn this concept for being simplistic, and reveal that subjective well-being cannot serve as a metric for social evaluation without serious precautions. Third, there is the â€Å"capability approach † proposed by Amartya Sen, primarily as a framework for thinking rather than a precise method of measurement. This approach has now inspired a vvariety of applications, but most of its premoters are reluctant to seek a synthetic index, a famous exception being the Human Development Index (HDI).It will be argued here that a key aspect of this problem is whether individual valuations of the relevant dimensions of capability can and should be taken into account— an issue over which a dialogue with the two previous approaches might prove very useful. Fourth , there is the growing number of â€Å"synthetic indicators† that, following the lead of the HDI, are constructed as weighted averages of summary measures of social performance in various domains.It will be argued here that, if the three other approaches were fully exploited, there would be little reason to keep this fourth approach alive because it is ill-equipped to take account of the distribution of well-being and advantage among the members of society. The paper is structured as follows. Sections 2–4 deal with monetary measures that are linked to the project of a corrected fair allocation, the capability approach, the study of happiness and its determinants, in conjunction with new developments in the philosophy of social justice and the psychology of well-being.These conceptual developments provide new analytical tools that may be directly useful for concrete measurements. About a decade ago, Daniel T. Slesnick (1998) made the following observation: â€Å"While centrally important to many problems of economic analysis, confusion persists concerning the relationship between commonly used welfare indicators and well-established theoretical formulations† (p. 2108). It is probably safe to say that much the same now holds about the relationship between concrete measures of welfare—old, new, and potential—and upto-date theories.It appears timely to ask what the existing academic literature has to say about alternatives to GDP. The practical importance of a measure of social welfare can hardly be overstated. Ppolicy decisions, cost–benefit analyses, international comparisons, measures of growth, and inequality studies constantly refer to evaluations of individual and collective wellbeing. The fact that monetary measures still predominate in all such contexts is usually interpreted as imposed by the lack of a better index rather than reflecting a positive consensus.The purpose of this paper is, in the light of state-of-t he-art welfare economics, to examine the pros and cons of the main alternative approaches to the measurement of social welfare from the perspective of ppolicy evaluation as well as international and intertemporal comparisons. Four approaches are discussed here. First, there is the idea of a â€Å"corrected GDP † that would take account, in particular, of nonmarket aspects of well-being and of sustainability concerns. As will be explained here, a basic problem for this approach is that its starting point, national income, as a candidate for a measure of social welfare,Fleurbaey: Beyond GDP: The Quest for a Measure of Social Welfare GDP. Section 2 revisits the classical results involving the value of total consumption and usually invoked in justification of GDP-like measures. This appears important because some of these results are often exaggerated, while others are little known or even susceptible of developments in future research. Section 3 is devoted to the intertemporal e xtension of this approach, as featured in the Net National Product (NNP) and â€Å"green† accounting.Section 4 turns to measures based on willingness-to-pay and moneymetric utilities, highlighting the connection with recent developments in the theory of social choice and fairness. This section also briefly discusses cost–benefit analysis, which is an important tool for ppolicy evaluation. Sections 5–7 are devoted to the nonmonetary approaches, namely, synthetic indicators such as the HDI (section 5), happiness studies and the various possible indexes of subjective well-being (section 6), and the capability approach (section 7).Section 8 makes concluding remarks about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches analyzed in the paper and the prospects for future developments and applications. 2. Monetary Aggregates Revisited The project of correcting GDP has been often understood, after William D. Nordhaus and James Tobin’s (1973) semina l work, as adding or subtracting terms that have the same structure as GDP, i. e. , monetary aggregates computed as quantities valued at market prices or at imputed prices in case market prices are not available. As we will see in this section, economic theory is much less supportive of this approach than usually 2 Nordhaus and Tobin (1973) set out to compute â€Å"a comprehensive measure of the annual real consumption of households. Consumption is intended to include all goods and services, marketed or not, valued at market prices or at their equivalent in oopportunity costs to consumers† (p. 24). 1031 thought by most users of national accounts. Many official reports swiftly gloss over the fact that economic theory has established total income as a good index of social welfare under some assumptions (which are usually left unspecified).To be sure, there is a venerable tradition of economic theory that seeks to relate social welfare to the value of total income or total consu mption. 3 Most of that theory, however, deals with the limited issue of determining the sign of the welfare change rather than its magnitude, not to mention the level of welfare itself. In this perspective, the widespread use of GDP per capita, corrected or uncorrected, as a cardinal measure allowing ppercentage scaling of differences and variations appears problematic. 4 In this section, I review the old and recent arguments for and against monetary aggregates as social welfare indicators. . 1 A Revealed Preference Argument Start from the revealed preference argument that, assuming local nonsatiation, if a consumer chooses a commodity bundle x (with ? different commodities) in a budget set defined by the price vector p, then x is revealed preferred to all bundles y such that py < px. If x is interior and assuming differentiability, for an infinitesimal change dx, x + dx is strictly preferred to x by the consumer if and only if pdx > 0. Note the importance of the interiority assumpt ion here.