Aims and objectives of the study Essays

Aims and objectives of the study Essays Aims and objectives of the study Essay Aims and objectives of the study Essay The primary research objective of this study is to determine and discuss the key success factors (KSFs) that would ensure the success of a Russian-foreign venture agreement. The study will in particular focus on the IJVs immersed in the oil and natural gas industry. To implement this research objective, the research study aims to examine the history and trends on international joint ventures (IJVs) in Russia, the problems they encounter, and the KSFs that will ensure the success of starting IJVs in Russia. The study will make use of a review of related literature and case study analysis. Even though the thesis will focus on IJVs involved in the oil and natural gas industry, it will cite various case studies of other companies in other industries as well, in order to get a more comprehensive understanding of effective strategies for successful IJVs in Russia. In answering the primary research objective of this research, the thesis will further explore the following secondary research objectives: To provide a background on joint ventures (JVs) and international joint ventures (IJVS) as a whole, particularly as to their advantages and disadvantages. To understand the role of IJVs in Russia’s gas and oil industry. To highlight the problems that IJVs encounter in Russia which contribute to the high failure rate of many of these business arrangements. To identify the key success factors (KSF) that determine the success of IJVs in Russia, through case study analysis of IJVs in Russia. To examine the importance of the identified key success factors and the contribution of each factor to the success of IJVs. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This research study is relevant because it will seek to improve the success rate of international joint ventures (IJVs) investing in the Russian oil and gas industry by identifying the key success factors (KSF) that will ensure such success. The Russian oil and gas sector generated total revenues of $123. 5 billion in 2005. In 2003, the country’s energy exports accounted for one-fourth of Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP), opening the floodgates to droves of foreign investors excited to cash in on this booming industry (Energy Information Administration, 2005). Russia has also overtaken Saudi Arabia as the world’s leading oil and fuel exporter (Datamonitor, 2006). A huge bulk of investments in the Russian oil and gas industry comes from IJVs arrangements where many organizations set up jointly-owned business entities while at the same time maintaining their independence from each other (Johnson Scholes, 1999). Major American, Japanese, Norwegian, and English petroleum organizations have set up IJVs with local organizations in Russia, but despite the numbers, the failure rate of IJVs have by far outnumbered their success rates (Katsioloudes Isichenko, 2007). The alarming rate of failure of numerous IJVs in Russia poses as a serious threat to the development of the Russian energy industry, and on the country’s economic growth as a whole (Katsioloudes Isichenko, 2007). As such, this thesis is significant in that it will seek to provide recommendations that may help in reversing the increasing failure rates for IJVs in Russia’s energy industry. The findings of this research study can serve as guidelines that will help to ensure the success of an IJV in Russia, which in turn will contribute to the further development of the country’s gas and oil industry, and ultimately, to the improvement of the Russian economy as a whole. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY A joint venture (JV) constitutes a separate legal entity which is jointly-owned and jointly-managed by the two or more parent organizations, or the â€Å"venturers. † As a general rule, a JV must have the following essential characteristics: 1) a separately identifiable joint venture entity; 2) an ownership interest in such entity by each joint venturer; and 3) an active management involvement, or deliberate abdication of the right to such involvement, by each joint venturer (Eco-Legal and Management Advisory Services Limited, 2003). There are two kinds of joint ventures: the equity joint venture and the contractual joint venture. Joint ventures involve a 50/50 participation of both venture partners, wherein each contributes 50 percent of the equity in return for 50 percent participating control. The degrees of ownership and control, as well as the expected returns, are results of negotiations between the two contracting parties. Problems may arise at this point when parties negotiate their expected valuations or returns, particularly if the joint venture happens to be in a country with a controlled economy or when one party is contributing land or goods and that party happens to be from a country where such land or goods may not have readily ascertainable free market values (Eco-Legal and Management Advisory Services Limited, 2003). There are certain advantages to this 50/50 arrangement, the most obvious is that both partners are equally at risk and have equal rights and obligations as to each other. The Eco-Legal and Management Advisory Services Limited (2003) further provides for the following advantages for organizations that enter into JV agreements: A company with insufficient resources may utilize the financial resources of another company with similar needs or interests, especially with regard to embarking on a particular project. In such a case, both companies will bear the share the potential risks involved in the new venture and reduce the burden of investment costs since all expenses are split into two between the two companies involved. The parties may extend their capabilities and business opportunities by pooling together their resources, technology, and expertise. Either one of the parties may expand its market power or even expand into a foreign market with which it has no familiarity. A JV agreement is especially helpful because the venturer who is located in the country or area where the other venturer wishes to expand is more familiar with local business customs and trends. The challenges in forming JVs are not limited to those challenges experienced for Russian JVs and international joint ventures (IJVs) alone. Studies show that a majority of large JVs encounter serious financial or managerial problems within the first two years of operation. Some common difficulties encountered by joint ventures in general are listed below (Hewitt Associates, 2008): The philosophy governing expectations and objectives of the joint venture agreement is unclear. There is an imbalance in the level of investment and expertise brought to the joint venture by the two parent organizations. The senior leadership and management teams for the joint venture receive inadequate identification, support, and compensation. The JV partners possess disparate, and usually conflicting, organizational cultures and operational styles. The JV’s size is modest compared to the two parent organizations. Thus, poor or unclear leadership, different corporate cultures, and a poor integration process contribute greatly to the failure of JVs, by analogy, of IJVs as well. Similar to the challenges outlined by Hewitt Associates (2008), the Eco-Legal and Management Advisory Services Limited (2003) provide for the following similar challenges that may lead to the failure of JV agreements: In sum, entering into a joint venture agreement is definitely not for the faint of heart. JVs offer a host of benefits to the parties involved, but both parties cannot simply enter into an agreement without carefully weighing out the risks involved and coming to terms with goals, expectations, and capabilities of each party. What makes it especially harder for JVs and IJVs in Russia is that in addition to the challenges that JVs in general have to deal with – whether or not they are located in Russia – they also have to deal with other problems that are unique to the Russian business industry and economic milieu.

The eNotes Blog Ten Summer Reading Picks Whats On YOURList

Ten Summer Reading Picks Whats On YOURList We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate.   ~Henry Miller Ahhh†¦ summer. I do a lot of heavy reading during the year and I love it. But when summer comes and I spend hours and hours in the Texas heat at the local pools, I often want something lighter to read.   I still demand good writing, no matter what the topic, however.   Here are some of my favorite choices and a few from friends for you to stick in your beach bag. 10. Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte I found this wry and touching book at a used bookstore a few years ago, and have bought it again for at least four people. Tarte’s true tale of moving from the city to the country and acquiring more and more animals is unforgettable, especially if you are an animal lover or have ever dreamed of living a quieter life.   Publisher’s Weekly says: â€Å"With dead-on character portraits, Tarte keeps readers laughing about unreliable pet store proprietors, a duck named Hector who doesn’t like water, an amorous dove named Howard, a foster-mother goose, patient veterinarians and increasingly bewildered friends. Tarte has an ordinary-Joe voice that makes each chapter a true pleasure, while revealing a sophisticated vision of animals and their relationship to humans.† 9.   Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris At first, I was disappointed that Sedaris’s new book would not be a collection of essays from his real life and family.   But the humor works here in this anthropomorphized series of human foibles and vanities. Remember, however, that despite the adorable illustration, this is in no way a children’s book. Some of the animal stories include a dying lab rat, a cat who goes to AA meetings, cheating dogs, and a mouse with a pet snake. Christopher Muther of the Boston Globe says Sedaris is a â€Å"connoisseur of human nature at its worst.† Enjoy! 8. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell Going on a road trip? Take along Sarah Vowell’s delightfully funny and informative look at the places, people, and situations involved in the assassinations of three American presidents: Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Bruce Handy of the New York Times aptly notes that Vowell â€Å"made the commercially courageous decision to avoid the catnip that is the Kennedy name† and says Assassination Vacation is â€Å"a learned, engagingly discursive, funny, sometimes even jolly ramble - literally - through the landscape of American presidential assassinations.† 7.   Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs This is a recommendation from a friend who says, â€Å"The book series inspired the television series ‘Bones† but the books are different. The protagonist (like the author) is a forensic anthropologist who works between Montreal and North Carolina. I get murder, travel and fun filled macabre facts. 6.   American Gods by Neil Gaiman Another recommendation from a friend, who says, â€Å"I have read it several times, but the first time I read it I finished it on a trip to Orlando. Anything Gaiman is an excellent read.†Ã‚   Laura Miller of Salon.com praises American Gods, saying it   â€Å"is a juicily original melding of archaic myth with the slangy, gritty, melancholy voice of one of America’s great cultural inventions - the hard-boiled detective; call it Wagnerian noir. The melting pot has produced stranger cocktails, but few that are as tasty.† 5.   Life by Keith Richards Lots of rock musicians have gone on to that Great Gig in the Sky, many of them Richard’s contemporaries: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and dozens of others. Betting people probably thought the odds of Richards being among their numbers a good pay off. But Richards has survived, and his tales of writing and working with the other members of the Rolling Stones is fascinating. Listen to his interview about the book with NPR’s Terry Gross on Fresh Air here.   Particularly interesting is the story of how both the music and lyrics to the classic song â€Å"Satisfaction† came to him in a dream. 4.   The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt Another recommendation from a friend who finds this novel engrossing. Michael Christy  reviewed the novel in his â€Å"Afterword† column in the National Post. He writes: This novel follows two brothers, Eli and Charlie Sisters, infamous assassins sent on an errand to kill Hermann Kermit Warm, an ingenious (and, as it turns out, extremely likable) man, who is accused of stealing from their boss, a fearsome figure named the Commodore. Luckily for us, the genre permits deWitt to turn his considerable powers loose, allowing him to rummage the treasure chest of English with much less constraint than a story staged in the contemporary world†¦ There is a delightful irony generated between this over-formal, old-timey way in which the characters speak, and the horrific subject matter they are often aiming to relate. 3.   The Silent Twins by Marjorie Wallace I read this book years and years ago (on a beach, in Jamaica†¦don’t hate).   The tale of these two twins who never spoke to anyone as children, not even their parents, but developed their own language, intelligible only to themselves, fascinated me as did their joint arson attacks in their later years. Library Journal says: This true story focuses on the young adult years of identical twin girls. June and Jennifer isolate themselves from family and society, sinking into a world of interdependency, fantasy, and obsessive game-playing, until an arson spree lands them in a hospital for the criminally insane. The fascination of this tale lies in the discrepancy between the twins’ silent, emotionless facade and the rich creativity and passion that spills out endlessly in their writing. The author has reconstructed their story from their extensive diaries, in which they compulsively explore their lives and the condition of the world as they perceive it. Again and again, they express both their love and hatred for each other and their desire yet inability to become separate individuals. This book is written by a sympathetic journalist for a general audience. 2.   The Colour of Magic (The First Discworld Novel) by Terry Pratchett Want to really lose yourself to a completely different world this summer? Get hooked on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. If you are totally unfamiliar with the 26 novels, here is a brief overview and review of the first book from Fantasy Book Review: The Colour Of Magic is set on a world sitting on the backs of four elephants hurtling through space. Rincewind, the wizard and Twoflower, the Discworld’s first tourist encounter DEATH and Hrun the Barbarian on their journey through the Discworld. †¦ This novel is very different from most fantasy novels and a is breath of fresh air. A beautifully imagined world and wonderfully described characters, when added to the mix, make this a must read novel. This book can stop you from taking life too seriously. 1.   Bossypants by Tina Fey I don’t often recommend books by comedians. Too often, they are just re-hashed versions of their stage shows, television bits, or information you’ve heard in interviews a million times. You probably have heard the accolades about Fey’s book and they are deserved. Fey is funny and revealing, recounting stories about her life (yes, she tells about how she got that scar, something she is very reluctant to do) and her career (much harder and longer than most people think) and is honest about her relationships with fellow actors like Amy Poehler and Alec Baldwin and her former boss at Saturday Night Live, Loren Michaels. If you have been looking for something to read this summer, I hope these suggestions help. Please do leave your own suggestions for others to enjoy. Happy reading!

Response Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Response - Article Example There are quite a number of benefits that can be derived from online dating sites such as aspects related to privacy and security. Geographically dispersed people can date each other and the choice of the desired match is wide. There are likely chances that if you search patiently, you will get your match. More interestingly, online dating removes unfavorable elements such as fear and confidentiality is guaranteed. However, there are also certain disadvantages of online dating. It exposes other people to cyber bullies and the victims may live under constant fear which can eventually lead to psychological distress. Online dating can also promote multiple sexual activities which in turn exposes the people involved to health risks. In my own opinion, I think community dating sites are essential during the contemporary period. They help people to get perfect matches and the other benefit is that these sites are easy to use and maintain. During the contemporary period, it can be seen that organizations are operating in environments that are characterised by stiff competition. Likewise, advertising is also gaining prominence since it can be observed that companies use this communication strategy to attract customers to buy their products. However, some companies are manipulating advertising through creation of weasel images that are far from the truth. As such, I concur with Lutz who suggests that some advertising messages are manipulative and they are meant to deceive the customers into buying the products offered. For instance, the sincerity of advertisements used in marketing alcoholic beverages in particular is questionable. From my own perspective, alcohol is not good to our health. No matter how much effort is put to portray alcohol consumption in a positive light, I think this beverage remains detrimental to our health. It is just a marketing gimmick by marketers of brands like Heineken and Tusker to present their brands

Organizing and Staffing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizing and Staffing - Essay Example Due to the privacy environment of healthcare workers have to be able to make decisions without the need of having an immediate supervision question their judgment. Patients have to be able to trust the healthcare professional that is providing them with care. In the emergency room doctors and nurses are faced with tough situations and health cases that require the worker to make quick decisions that can have serious consequences in the lives of patients. The use of delegation gives the healthcare worker the ability to work faster. Due to the responsibilities associated with delegation of work in the healthcare industry health care professionals require many years of training and education. The use of delegation can save hospitals and other healthcare institutions money due to lower costs supervisory costs. Delegation enables workers to be able perform job related task without the need of a supervisor watching over the work of the employees. Delegation and empowerment are two closely related concepts. Delegation occurs when a manager gives a worker more responsibility by allowing them to make perform a particular job related task. Empowerment is the actual power the employee gains from delegation. Employees that are given empowerment are more motivated because they feel a greater sense of worth from their jobs. The use of empowerment can improve the efficiency of a business operation. Workers that are empowered are able to work faster because they have the ability to make their own decisions. Empowerment can also help improve the organization within a company. Organization refers to activities to collect and configure resources in order to implement plans in a highly effective and efficient manner (Managementhelp, 2010). When manager are able to correctly implement delegation the worke rs of a firm become more productive. It is

Instructional design Essay Example for Free

Instructional design Essay 1 â€Å"Well begun is half done†. So goes a saying. Action plans are like roadmaps for a meaningful journey toward a specific destination. Hence they are essential in any developmental work, including education and training. ADDIE is one of the most widely used action plan models used by instructional designers. It is an acronym for five terms â€Å"Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation† that constitute the five phases of the process. Analysis, the first phase, is a process of studying something by taking into account the characteristics of individual parts and their inter-relationship. The instructional designer curriculum content developers and teachers evaluate the cognitive â€Å"entry† behavior (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that his students possess before they are introduced to the prospective module, for instance a set of virtual laboratory experiments for use in a Grade 12 physics classroom. The team seeks answers to questions like â€Å"Are all students familiar with the theoretical concepts? †, â€Å"How much do they differ individually? † etc. It also considers the cognitive behavior that is expected from the learners at the end of the module (â€Å"What knowledge, skills and attitudes are they expected to have acquired after being taught in the virtual laboratory module? †) and the logistic aspects (â€Å"How best should the module be delivered? † â€Å"What is the time factor involved? †). The team considers all the pedagogic and logistic aspects of the issue in order to get a complete picture of any discrepancies between the â€Å"current† and â€Å"desired† levels of resources and processes used in the system. In effect, this is the phase in which measurable instructional aims and objectives are stated. In the design phase, the instructional designer and the design team develop a sequence of strategies that are most appropriate to realize the stated aims and objectives. Here the ID team creates comprehensive storyboards (Number and sequence of animations and interactivities, GUI, Voice over etc), uses wide range of strategies such as brainstorming, concept mapping, group discussions to collect information and implement Critical Path Networking etc.to monitor time and resources management. This phase answers â€Å"Why? †, â€Å"What? † and â€Å"How†? of the whole process. In the development phase, the ID works with the development team (consisting of content developers, animators and action script writers) to develop the virtual laboratory experiments as a pilot product, ready to be tested. This phase is usually more complex than the previous ones, as there is a higher probability of bottlenecks, such as lack of proper communication, unrealistic expectations, lack of convergence and inappropriate multimedia system configurations. This phase is mainly concerned with authoring and production and hence the most crucial. In the implementation phase, in practice the last phase of the model, the instructional designer and the team decide on the logistical aspects of implementation and the strategies for training the teachers, multimedia coordinators and learners. The team ensures that the process is smooth. The phase also includes delivery of the prototype. The most important phase in the model is â€Å"Evaluation† and it is carried out from beginning to end of the ADDIE process. Both types of evaluation, viz. formative and summative, are used in the process. The former is used to trouble shoot problems and apply alternative strategies when needed. The latter is used to assess the learner outcomes by providing evaluation tools such as criterion-based tests to the end users (learners). The feedback from them helps in bringing about modifications in the product, until all the stated aims and objectives are met. Thus ADDIE model serves as a wonderful canvas on which the concerned professionals can work on so that the instructional aims and objectives are realized in a smooth, efficient and effective manner. Thus, â€Å"Well begun, promptly followed by ADDIE, is almost perfectly done†. References Carliner Saul (2002) , DESIGNING E-Learning, American Society for Training and Development. http://alpha. nsula. edu/~gillan/08id. htm http://www. itrc. wvu. edu/coursedev/preproduction/addie. html.

China :: essays research papers

During its brief time under British rule, Hong Kong has witnessed war, the rise and fall of empires, and has played a role in intrigues, big deals and diplomacy of global proportions. After 156 years of British rule, Hong Kong is again ruled by China. The change took place at midnight on June 30, 1997. Hong Kong is made up of a peninsula on the mainland of China and more than 230 islands. The main island is called Hong Kong Island and lies south of the peninsula. Hong Kong Island became a British colony when it was ceded from China in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking. The British used the ports on Hong Kong to export tea, silk, and porcelain to England. The Chinese Emperor did not like the British. He called them guailo, which means foreign devil, and attempted to keep the British separate from the Chinese. During this period, China accepted only silver bullion as payment for goods. At the start of the 19th century, the British realized that they could purchase silks and teas in exchange for opium. China outlawed the drug, but many people were already addicted, which caused the economy of China to suffer. The Opium Wars began when China publicly destroyed a British ship that carried chests of opium. In January 1841, the British navy claimed Hong Kong Island. The Opium Wars finally ended in 1898, when Britain executed a 99-year lease of the New Territories. Kowloon Peninsula was acquired by the convention of Peking (now called Beijing) in 1860. China has guaranteed to permit the existing capitalist economy and lifestyle to exist for 50 years. Hong Kong will retain a high degree of autonomy except for defense and foreign affairs. Regaining control of Hong Kong serves two purposes. First, it will erase what the Chinese have viewed as a period of disgrace. The Chinese have always considered the Treaty of Nanking, which passed control of Hong Kong over to Britain as unfair. Second, they felt it would greatly benefit China's economy. A communist government rules China. The British, however, have ruled Hong Kong as a democracy. Many people are wondering how the differences between these two forms of government will affect the people and economy of Hong Kong. Even though Hong Kong is a part of China, it is a special region. For a time, at least, the people of Hong Kong have rights that people throughout the rest of China do not have.

Issues Responsible for Failure of Doha Talks and Possible Solutions.

Title: Issues responsible for failure of Doha talks and possible solutions. Name: Course: Sunderland ID: EThames Students ID: Intake: Introduction: Current Doha round has been one of the most eventful round but its irony that members couldn’t reach to condenses. This research paper concentrates on reasons that caused friction among the nations and possible solutions that can be used to resolve these issues or reasons. Agricultural issues and industrial goods market issues, talks has been suspended without any further notice of next round. At the end all the hard work after years of negotiation wasn’t successful ad differences among the participating nations proved insurmountable. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO, tried really hard for the success of these talks but all the sides didn’t show the flexibility that was required for the success of these talks. Failure of Doha round talks also highlight the lack of global leadership at least in some quarters, and this fact is pretty difficult to perceive and there are various reasons for that. Only bright thing emerged from this summit is the talk only need one final push as finishing line is insight. Lot has been already achieved but critical issues need consensus. Success to these talks can bring much needed global stimulus for global economy of hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Both developed and developing countries can gain something out of it, in fact it is a great opportunity for developed nations to address complaints of developing nations where they feel that economic linearization is highly tilted in favor of developed nations. But failure of these talks can bring some serious consequences; it will seriously damage the reputation of WTO and more importantly multilateralism for which everyone is working hard for will be damaged permanently. Most of the representatives were worried about what could be perceived from their stance i. e. compromising on their stance might appear as compromising on national interest. (Deardorff, 2008) Reasons for failure of Doha round: Failure of Doha round talks have put temporary pause on further negotiations, this is not the first time that talks has been failed and further discussion has been suspended. This has happened before also ministerial talks in Seattle in 1997 and in Cancun in 2003 also have met the dead end though there were different reasons and different out come for each of the failure. Exception in case of Doha round is for the first time talks has been suspended officially. Official announcement of suspension of talks came after 14 hour long last meeting for overcoming farm subsidies and tariff cut of G6 members yielded no result. Members of G6 group came together to come to consensus on support for domestic farms, agricultural market access and non agricultural market access were the core points of the discussion. Agricultural issues and Outcome of G6 meeting: Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO called this meeting as a last attempt for consensus. This meeting had ministers from India, Japan, Australia, Brazil, unites states and 25 members from European Union. Main aim of this meeting was to reduce or remove hurdles in the way of free trade in the agricultural sector and goods manufacturing. There were many other factors that were needed to be addressed but entire discussion revolved round these issues. Each side remained firm on it stance and more emphasis was put on precondition before further negations. (Bhagwati & Sutherland, 2011) It was necessary for all the participating nations to meet the deadlines and to achieve that it was necessary to agree on figures and formulae for the tariff cut and subsidy cut in context of industrial goods and agriculture modalities but talk couldn’t move forward in positive direction because irreconcilable differences between participating ministers representing their nations. Failure in the talks was more unfortunate on the background of fresh hopes which were raised in G8 meeting of worlds most powerful and industry oriented nations. Then president of United States and European commission president assured flexibility. Even heads of developing countries like India and Brazil participating in G8 meeting showed their interest in pushing for the breakthrough. (Bhagwati & Sutherland, 2011) G6 minister headed for Geneva after St. Petersburg meeting where they were prepared to transform their promises of flexibility into concrete deals. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO convinced these nations to discuss these issues. Lamy was pushing for USA to reduce domestic farm support and European Union for increasing access for domestic agricultural market and at the same time developing nations like India and Brazil will be convince for reducing their industrial tariffs. Problem here was each group was expecting other group to give in first. In these triangle of issues main hurdle in the talks were issues in agricultural sector which has been mentioned above. The third issue of convincing of India and Brazil for reducing their industrial tariffs didn’t even make it to the discussion because there wasn’t any result from the discussion of first two issues. In the negotiations USA and European Union were expected to cut the subsidy they were providing to domestic farms at the same time developed nations were expecting India and Brazil, to open their domestic market for agriculture and agricultural goods. Negotiations had the first jolt when far from removing subsidy to agricultural sector USA proposed to increase it. With this development Lamy realized that there wont be any consensus and gap was widening and thus before situation deteriorates any further he suspended the talks. He didn’t give any indications when next round of negotiation will begin he hinted that instead of deadlocking on same issues again participating countries should carry out their respective work internally regarding these issues and then participate in the discussion. (Chimni, Chantal, Thomas & Trachtman, 2009) Major reasons From above information it is pretty clear that agricultural issues are the main reason for breaking down of talk. Members had heated discussion on this issue and USA offered to cut farm subsidies which proved trade distorting by 53% that is USA proposed to slash the subsidy amount from $48. 2 billion to $22. 5 billion but issue here was this amount of $22. 5 billion was much higher than their last year subsidy, which was $19. 7 billion thus by proposing slash of 53% they were indirectly trying to increase the subsidy on their agricultural sector where all the nations were gathered together to discuss subsidy cut on the agricultural sector by developed nations. This offer from United States didn’t satisfy any of the G6 members as well as any of the diplomatic delegations from other nations. (Bhagwati & Sutherland, 2011) To add to it in the exchange United States expected tariff cut from European nations up to 66% where European Union offered 51% increasing from original proposed position of 39% this offer of 51% was quite close to demand of developing nations where they expected tariff cut from European nations up to 51%. But on the contrary USA stated that European nations only were willing for 48% of tariff cut and they were expecting at least of 54%. Both India and Brazil appreciated this movement from European Nations their representatives also suggested that it was approach from united status which blocked the progress of talk and that resulted in suspension of the talks. Other reasons behind failure of talks: Some issues other than agricultural issues also played their part in the failure of the talks in Doha round. The president’s administration in USA was under severe pressure from congress and it had to give in because of pressure of protecting domestic interests. Delegates from Special interest groups such as National Association of Manufacturers and American Farm Bureau from United States were present at the summit they monitored as well as instructed representatives of United States. Pressure applied by these groups reduced space of negotiation for United States delegation. There was deep rooted North South tension it combined with many other adverse factors to undermine success of the talks. (Chimni, Chantal, Thomas & Trachtman, 2009) Many scholars and commentator stated that current situation in major negotiating parties like United States, India and European Union wasn’t quite in the favor of trade concessions; political leadership everywhere was not willing to concede much. Key elections were due in United Status and it was expected that administration won’t go for any risky compromise on their position which might appear as compromise on national interest. To add fuel to the fire economic crisis emerged from Wall Street had huge repercussions and it got converted in global slow down. (Deardorff, 2008) There were oppositions for European Union offer of 51% tariff cut from European nations from European Union according to French president Nicolas Sarcozy 51% tariff cut would result in destruction of European agriculture and would reduce more than 100000 jobs. Absence of fast track authority (trade promotion authority) also didn’t go to well with other delegations. Without passing of trade promotion authority it wouldn’t have been possible to get passing of congress even if participating nations would have managed to reach some kind of consensus. After effects of talk failure: India, Brazil, Japan, Australia, USA and European were involved in 14 hours long meeting to make consensus but unfortunately the meeting ended without any results on lowering tariff and slashing farm subsidies. This failure in talks gave birth to inhibited blame game in the participating countries. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said that â€Å"What they’re saying is that for every dollar that they strip out of their trade-distorting farm subsidies, they want to be given a dollar’s worth of market access in developing country markets. That is not acceptable to developing countries and it’s a principle that I, on Europe’s behalf, certainly couldn’t sign up to either. This is not my definition of leadership† In reply to this statement from EU Trade Commissioner, Susan Schwab from USTR alleged that statement by the EU alleging that the US failed to show flexibility and attempting to divert the blame for the stalemate is false and misleading. The countries that have tended to be finger-pointing at this point are the ones that are reluctant to act in terms of market access. We are deeply disappointed that the EU failed to exhibit similar restraint and hope this will not jeopardize the few chances we have left to save the Doha round. † EU and US kept pointing fingers at each other after suspension of Doha round each party blaming other party for failure of Doha round. As usual India also blamed developed nations for not removing subsidies those were proved a trade distorting. India’s industry and commerce minister Kamal Nath said that â€Å"It is best we tell the world that the talks have failed, and the negotiating process is suspended. Now, there is no roadmap for the future,† according to him United State’s approach of refusing to cut subsidy regarding agricultural sector has been solely responsible for failure of talks at Doha summit. European Union also openly blamed Unites status for suspension of negotiation. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson stated that it was disappointing to see lack of flexibility in USA’s approach after promising the same in G8 summit. To take the blame game further US officials blamed other trading partners for failure of process to bridge the differences on other important issues such as import duties on tariff related to agricultural sector. US officials further alleged that they were prepared to remove subsidies related to agricultural sector those were proved a trade distorting but they could not do so because India and European Union did not present any substantial proposal on global agricultural market access. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO preferred to stay away from the blame game; he was more intended on how to resume talks. Lamy urged all the participating nations to avoid megaphone diplomacy and do some introspection in order to avoid such situation in the future. Lamy also requested all participating nations to think positively to arrive at any acceptable solution. Chances of resolving the differences: Doha round has been disappointing and talks has been moved to deep freezing state since then. There is very little positivity around these talks very few people are still in belief of revival, though Brazil and United States have promised to work hard in positive direction for revival f the talks chances are looking really thin about it. Most experts believed that there are little hopes for revival of talks ahead of Doha round. Breakdown at that juncture meant that there is very little hope for revival of talk before end of presidency tenure of then president of United States. As mentioned above, fast track authority or trade promotion authority thinks that congress must show green or red signal otherwise opponent might take advantage of such situation. Political climate in United States during that time was not very conducive for any compromise because of mid term elections current trade deficit in US economy also played negative role extension of fast track authority and even if it would have happened, in case of opposition win in the election would lead to weakening of fast track authority. Hoekman, 2003) It is believed that France who is strongly opposing for 51% tariff cut in agricultural sector has forced Lamy to suspend the talks indefinitely. In fact many say that France made it sure that talks get suspended that if discussion is highly concentrated on agricultural issues. Wall street journal quotes French agricultural minister saying that â€Å"I would prefer the negotiations fail rather than raise questions about agriculture†. Because of t his situation promises by USA and Brazil of reviving talks appear unrealistic. Successful round and preconditions: Political capitals should be mobilized in order to have any hope for success in breaking the deadlock this has to be done domestically as well as internationally. This will require monumental leadership globally. With new president United State certainly has position to do this. Morally also United State has to take responsibility because they are the most influential and powerful nation in the world to add to it they are responsible for current economic crisis. Other major trading nations like Canada, Japan and European nations also should join United States in these initiatives of bold economic reforms and liberalization. Meaning of economic liberalization itself is to save public money and removing of wasteful economic programs. It is true that current financial status of United Status might complicate things for that country still United States can afford to act little proactively. Road ahead: There is growing concern about global economic recession and it’s after effects and because of mounting fear world leaders are requesting businesses to consult their respective governments, to think successful solution regarding failure of talks in Doha because if that doesn’t happen there is constant risk of developing other barriers in world trade. Peter Mandelson feels that it better to act quickly and it consensus are not reached immediately, chances are pretty slim that it will be done in future. Trade talks were working on stop start basis from last six years but after Doha talks are on halt. A constructive seminar was held at Davos where subject was â€Å"Threats to the Global Trading System† some progress was registered on some technical issues in this summit but no party still is close enough for any sort of formal agreement because of high degree of skepticism. Developing countries are concerned about interests of their farmers; they feel that lowering the tariff might expose farmers especially poor farmers to global competition for which they might not be prepared for, and this situation will have its adverse effects on growth and will result in slowdown of entire economy. Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Kamal Nath insisted that India, Africa and Asia pacific are the most productive markets for developed nations and if they want to take advantage of these markets it has to be made sure that India, Africa and Asia pacific have healthy economy. Deardorff, 2008) At the same time financial scholars feel that cost of failure of Doha talks is already taking its toll on participating nations and if solution is not obtained in near future most of the countries might opt for protectionism and this will be bad news for free trade as it will be the roll back what ever progress that has bee made in the direction of free global trade. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the WTO has mentioned his concern may time according to him effects of global economic slow down might be having their exaggerated side effects on global economy due to Doha failure. Minister of foreign affairs in Brazil Celso Amorim is also worried about current situation he feels that though all the negotiating parties are adamant on their position they all have to face the consequences in near future for their stance. (Das, 2009) Because of increasing delay companies are loosing their faith in negotiators and voters though they have lot more o gain from what ever negotiations carried out at Doha though lot more still left to be achieved and because of this companies and powerful and influential corporate houses all over the world should consider the fact that stalling of talks will result in loss of opportunities for them thus as mentioned above they should use their might to convince their respective government and if they succeed to do so, it will be a terrific achievement. Conclusion: The longest trade round ever was held in Doha. It could have been termed as constitutional moment for trading systems across the world. Structure of trade between the member nations is largely dependent on future of Doha talks how it ends and what shape does it take. Having said this, this round will exist without any positive response or developmental challenges. For Doha to succeed and for better future for WTO in the context of its credibility it is important that focus of the talks shifts from mere commercial bargain that is controlled by major negotiating parties to a process of public interests who’s success will be beneficial for all. Commercial bargains of the member nations of WTO have been primarily responsible for jeopardizing of the talks. Although some members think for alternative way for controversial points they won’t be as productive as successful Doha round nor do they will be able to survey larger public good. For dispassionate involvement in the negotiations highlights lack of leadership from USA. It is responsibility of trading partners of United States be its developing or developed nation to prevent that nation from becoming a stumbling block in the talks. At the end of the day it must be remembered that world in which every one has enough food to eat and good enough work to do; only such world can derive peace and security for global citizens which can be provided by successful trade. References: Deardorff, A. , 2008 â€Å"International Provision of Trade Services, Trade and Fragmentation. † Review of International Economics, Vol 9 No. 2. pp. 233-48. The Economist, 2003 â€Å"The WTO Under Fire. † September 18 Available on the Internet at http://www. economist. com. /PrinterFriendly. cfm? Story_ID=2071855 Hoekman, B. 2003. Cancun: Crisis or Catharsis†. Paper presented at the joint roundtable of the Brookings Institution and George Washington University held on 20 September, in Washington DC. Pr Jagdish Bhagwati and Peter Sutherland KCMG, (January 2011) THE DOHA ROUND: SETTING A DEADLINE, DEFINING A FINAL DEAL Interim report B. S. Chimni, Chantal Thomas & Joel P. Trachtman eds. , (2009 ) Some Reflections on the Idea of Free Trade and Doha Round Trade Negotiations, in DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE WTO LEGAL SYSTEM 21, at 27–28 A key year ahead for Doha trade talks, available at: http://www. weforum. rg/node/65945 Accessed on: 9-7-11 DAS, supra note 151, at 105. There is also a collective benefit from trade liberalization: developing countries should open their markets among one another to fully achieve â€Å"export-market diversification. † Id. at 106. Dilip K. Das. 2009a. ,Financial Globalization and the Emerging Market Economies. Routledge, London and New York. 2009. Lamy, P. , 2003 â€Å"Can the Doha Development Agenda Live up to its Name? † Available on the Internet at http://europa. eu. int/comm/commissioners/lamy/speeches_articles/spla188_en. htm September 10, 2008

Juvenile System Essay

Something is wrong in society if more and more teenagers commit delinquent crimes. Focusing on what spawns delinquency in juveniles today, parenting is essential. During my visit to family court with fellow classmates I was honored to observe real live cases involving teenagers, and their parents. It was obvious that one main issue in the U. S. Juvenile Delinquency system is the lack of family structure. Family and delinquent relationships interconnect, ultimately, resulting to the core of delinquency. The articles â€Å"Juvenile Delinquency and Family Structure†, by Anika Doggett, and â€Å"Family Influences on Delinquency, written by David P. Farrington, both attempt to explain the effects of family structure on juvenile delinquents. The least amount of communication and structure provided by family only ensures a closer path to delinquent activities a child will engage in. Eventually, a solution or at least an attempt to solve family structure, and parental influence, will need to be instituted in the U. S. juvenile system. Attending family court was an experience in itself because it will forever be memorable. One case in particular that held significant value to me was the one involving a fourteen year old boy who stabbed a delivery worker in the chest with a knife. As the troubled teen entered the court room, all eyes were focusing on him as court officers began to remove him from handcuffs. This proved prior detainment in a detention facility. He approached his seat slow and slouchy, and sat in between his mother and his lawyer. He shared no words, or looks with either of the two as he continued to be seated. I expected a much more intimate greeting once he united with his mother, but to my surprise, neither of them seems interested in such. The young delinquent glanced around the room as he identified everyone present with his low, angry eyes. His hair was uncombed, and he slouched in his chair as if having no interest in the events about to take place. His face was brutally bruised and beaten from what seemed to be fist fights he had back in the detention facility he came from. As the descriptions of the case continued, it was proven that the victim of the stabbing was an innocent, immigrant man who spoke no English. He is from Mexico, and works to support his family being a delivery boy. The victim is only nineteen years old meaning only four years older than his offender. When the victim was mentioned, the juvenile represented was not remorseful. He showed no signs of sympathy for the victim, or his family. He continued to slouch, and be detached from everyone in the court room. As the judge continued to plead his case, he continued to stare forward with a blank stare. Ultimately, the case was postponed to be decided at a later date. The juvenile’s lawyer mentioned the teenager having a consultation with a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist saw symptoms of an antisocial disorder that the teenager processed. He described the teen as feeling emotionally disconnected and detached from things having sentimental value, which would explain his lack of emotion during the case. In the end, the teen was issued back to the detention facility in which he came from. As the case was dismissed, the boy stood up from the bench and was placed back in handcuffs. Once again, he did not look at his mother, speak to her, or acknowledge her even in the slightest way. Somehow, his mother was able to crack a smile when she looked at him, but somehow, it didn’t seem fulfilling to me. Furthermore, I analyzed the underlying cause of this case; lack of family structure. According to Anika Doggett, in the text â€Å"Juvenile Delinquency, and Family Structure†, â€Å"families are one of the strongest socializing forces in life†. (1) Providing stability, unity, and control, families are essentially the foundation of a person. However, it is clear that family factors predict offending. Some strong predictors are criminal or antisocial parents. Other predictors are large family sizes, poor parental supervision, parental conflict, and disrupted families. Children who are rejected by families, who also grow up in unstable homes with large amounts of conflict, or who are unsupervised most of the time, are at greater risk of becoming delinquent. (Doggett 1) In even more specific terms, positive parenting practices during early years of childhood and adolescence appear to act as safety helmets; simply because they add to the structure and foundation of what a child believes, values, and understands as right from wrong. This exact idea is evident in the case. From what I concurred as I watched the court case, the mother and son relationship was troublesome based on the lack of communication they shared. In the text â€Å"Family Influences on Delinquency†, author David Farrington says â€Å"mother love in infancy and childhood was just as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins for physical health†. (211) It is essential that a child experiences a warm, loving, encouraging, continuous relationship with a mother figure from a very young age. If they experience a maternal detriment, as early as the first five years of life, it will have negative effects on the development of their character. This includes becoming an â€Å"affectionless†, and â€Å"cold† person, also a delinquent. This explains the very distant relationship displayed between the mother and son in court. In addition, the fact that the boy’s father was not present is also an important facet in my observation. Farrington states that it is generally common for the loss or absence of a father, rather than a mother. However, this too impacts the future of the juvenile. Children from broken homes are more likely to offend than ones from â€Å"intact families†. (Farrington 211) To further verify this idea, a study was carried out by researcher, Joan McCord, in which she studied the relationship between homes broken by loss of the biological fathers and boys who later commit serious offenses. She found that the prevalence of offending was high for boys from broken homes without affectionate mothers (62 percent) and for those from unbroken homes characterized by parental conflict (52 percent), irrespective of whether they had affectionate mothers.

Sexual harassment Essays

Sexual harassment Essays Sexual harassment Essay Sexual harassment Essay Essay Topic: The Second Sex There are several reasons why there must be some sort of a line drawn between what does and does not constitute sexual harassment in the workplace.   The first is to provide a secure workplace environment for all employees.   The second is to protect both victims and potential victims from harassment. And the third is to protect those accused of sexual harassment.   When there is not an acknowledgment of the potential of employees to be sexually harassed, all employees are vulnerable.Imagine a case in which two employees, a male and female, work a few feet from one another. They inevitably get to talking to one another and one day go to lunch together.   The man takes this as her showing romantic interest in him and proceeds to write her long love letters, leave notes on her desk, call her during work hours to flirt, and even goes so far as to come up behind her from time to time and massage her back.   At this point she tells him to stop but he does not.   Is this man guilty of sexual harassment?The problem that presents itself can be known as the â€Å"demarcation problem.†Ã‚   In other words, where does an employer draw the line to claim that one instance is harassment and another, perhaps similar instance, is not?   This distinction should rest on the notion of consent.   By not listening to the woman’s demands to stop, the man is guilty of sexual harassment.   Had the woman consented to everything the man was doing, and let him know her feelings, then to claim that she was being sexually harassed would be wrong. (Soble 2002)Resting a rule of sexual harassment on the notion of consent would protect all employees of the company. The company would be required to let present and future employees know the rule as a condition of employment and once the line was drawn, cases of workplace harassment could be easily decided and hopefully avoided.

Word Choice Allusion vs. Illusion

Word Choice Allusion vs. Illusion Word Choice: Allusion vs. Illusion â€Å"Allusion† and â€Å"illusion† are both fairly rare words. They also sound similar, making it is easy to confuse them if you’ve never seen them written down. But these terms have very different meanings, so make sure your work is error free by checking out our guide to how they should be used. Allusion (Indirect Reference) An â€Å"allusion† is an indirect reference to something. For example, the title of David Foster Wallace’s novel Infinite Jest is taken from a line in Hamlet. This is an â€Å"allusion† to Shakespeare – rather than a direct reference – because Wallace does not mention Shakespeare or Hamlet in the novel. And while â€Å"allusion† is a noun, the verb form of this word is â€Å"allude†: The title of the novel alludes to Act 5, Scene 1 of Hamlet. Again, the key here is the idea of referencing something indirectly. Illusion (Mistaken Perception or Belief) The word â€Å"illusion† usually refers to a mistaken sense perception, such as a mirage. As such, we could say something like: He saw the hazy outline of an oasis, but he knew it was an illusion. This idea of seeing or sensing something that isn’t really there is also why we say magic tricks are â€Å"illusions,† as well as why we call trick images optical illusions. But we can also use â€Å"illusion† to describe a false belief: I was laboring under an illusion to think I could run a marathon. Here, â€Å"laboring under an illusion† means acting on a mistaken belief. Summary: Allusion or Illusion These words have many letters in common, but they differ in meaning: An allusion is an indirect reference to something. An illusion is a mistaken sense perception or belief. One trick to remembering this difference is the phrase â€Å"Optical illusions will make you ill.† This can remind you that â€Å"illusion† starts will an â€Å"i,† like the word â€Å"ill.† But if you’d like to make extra sure your writing is always error free, you can always ask a proofreader.

The oppression of women in KINDREDand Identity crises Essay

The oppression of women in KINDREDand Identity crises - Essay Example Although Dana is wise, independent and young, yet she is only recognized by her race by other characters in the novel. That is the fundamental reason why her fate leads her to servitude in the plantation. There, she happens to meet Carrie who makes her realize that she can not change her skin’s color by rubbing Dana’s cheek. Dana has to live with it. Kindred is one of the most bloodiest novels in that there are frequent events of rape, whippings, dog attacks, hangings and similar acts of brutalities. It is noteworthy that most of these forms of brutality are offered to the women in the novel. The novel perfectly conveys how the African American women were threatened and oppressed in the 19th century. Decisions of the women characters in the novel and their personalities are fundamentally influenced by the oppression there are offered by the white men. Quite often, there are events of rape. The white males feel that they own a right as well as a duty to inflict physical abuse upon the women. On the other hand, the black women are quite well aware of the fact that their attempts to escape the plantation would be rewarded with whipping on the least.

Critical Reflections Paper Examining Social Justice and Equality Essay

Critical Reflections Paper Examining Social Justice and Equality - Essay Example This system punishes the poor by keeping them continually dependent on the system and not encouraging them to become independent. According to Hick (2002), "Income security programs are at the center of the welfare state in Canada. These programs do much more than protect the poor from destitution; income security programs are used by all sectors of society" (pp. 1-2). In Roman times, according to Myers-Lipton (2006), "with the increase in poverty in the early republic, elite society began to argue that outdoor relief was financially inefficient at best and inhumane at worst, since poor people were shuffled around from community to community" (pp. 35). Instead of shuffling the poor around, some suggestions include making the poor an integrated part of the community, giving them work through a WPA-style program that would focus on giving the homeless jobs. This would be one way of promoting a healthier and happier community. It is in this paradigm that one realizes that something must be done to arrive at a more socially just society. ... The homeless themselves feel powerless and as though they do not have choices in life. It is in this paradigm that one realizes that something must be done to arrive at a more socially just society. This includes taxing the rich at 90% as used to be the case, and requiring less from those who cannot afford to pay. Most welfare systems nowadays depend on the dependency of the person receiving welfare in order to keep afloat as a program. When welfare programs stop preying on people, there will be more just societies. Until that day of welfare reform comes to all nations, one whose focus is achieving social justice for all cannot rest. After all, how can the economically well-off person sleep at night knowing there are others out in the world who have nothing or next to nothing The simple fact is that they cannot. Once people realize their greed and heartlessness is causing them lack of sleep, they will realize they have to get out in the world and give back. Charities and other goodwill foundations need to capitalize on the fact that there are many guilty people out there. People who feel guilty about having more should feel badly about the fact that society is unjust to the poor and this should serve as a motivator to help urge people to give more to charitable programs. 3. What is the relationship between social justice, equality and human rights Social justice is the assurance that everyone in a society is receiving fair treatment. Equality is the assurance that everyone is being treated with the same measure of justice as everyone else. Human rights are those inalienable rights guaranteed to persons of governments that are based upon the British system. The relation between these three