Is globalization a net benefit or disadvantage to the international Essay

Is globalization a net benefit or disadvantage to the international system - Essay Example 23), which is a symbol of unifying entities using selected ideologies. However, so many debates concerning the issues of whether globalization is of any benefits to the world or if it has negative impacts on international systems. So many arguments relate structural violence to globalization. In developed countries, such a situation helps them in overcoming most economic barriers (Guehenno: pp. 28). This notion has brought â€Å"westernization† because such countries have overpowered the international markets. In this case, structural violence disrupts peace globally. In return, such violence gives birth to disparity a catalyst to major conflicts. This could be the reason as to why there is widespread social polarization in the current international system. Through globalization, there is an evidence of imbalance in power in the international systems. Such imbalances lead to suspicions among countries, which in turn increase foreign policy costs and creating new kinds of threats (Baylis, Smith S. & Owens: pp. 110). The assumptions on threats are due to the change in global security. Already, the internet, intercontinental airlines, most media houses and international companies are among the pace setters in globalization. These global landmarks have led to interdependence. For this reason, countries are less concerned with the provision of security to other countries unless where they feel threatened. Nations with a common interest seem to gang up together with the aim of maximizing on the global nature by influencing most security matters. This, according to the arguments made by the Neo-Marxists, leads to inequality. A combination of all these issues revolving around structural violence results to global instability. The status of a nation in an international system is greatly affected by globalization. Through centralization, most states are under threat of losing monopoly

Wal-Mart Current Market Conditions Essay Example for Free

Wal-Mart Current Market Conditions Essay Market trends in the retail market are not difficult to track. â€Å"Any major initiative Wal-Mart undertakes has enormous supply chain implications worldwide† (ThomasNet News, 2010). The analysis for this paper is to look at the approach of Wal-Mart in a very competitive industry and examine how Wal-Mart is so successful. Some of the areas that will be examined are the Market Structure, the impact of new companies entering the market, prices, productivity, and cost structure, price elasticity of demand, competitors, supply and demand analysis, and impact of government regulations. When locating new stores, Wal-Mart tends to first look at more rural areas where there is less population, a higher income and where consumers are less likely to travel to larger cities. This may be due to the economics of the region or the size of city in which they propose to occupy. The company’s market is the same market as Target and K-Mart. The company’s growth will in all likelihood cause other smaller retail businesses to fail. New firms entering the market will continue to drive Wal-Mart’s prices lower. The impact of new companies entering this market would affect pricing indifference between companies. â€Å"Wal-Mart is the worlds largest retailer and second largest corporation. It is the largest private employer in the United States and Mexico. Wal-Mart is the largest grocery retailer in the United States, with an estimated 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business, and the largest toy seller in the United States, with an estimated 45% of the retail toy business, having surpassed Toys R Us in the late 1990s. Wal-Mart has 1,929 stores which as of 2005 sales figures totaled about $155 bilion in sales. Wal-Mart’s revenue as of 2006 was an estimated $315 billion USD, net income $11. 231billion USD, and employs more than 1. 8 million employees† (Information Food Source, 2006). Wal-Mart’s major competitors in the grocery market are the Kroger co. #2 in annual sales, Albertsons Inc. #3, Safeway, Inc. #4, and Costco Wholesale Group #5. Now even though Wal-Mart is leading the way in total sales the #2 and #3 businesses lead the way with total # of stores. The Kroger Co. has 3,302 with Albertsons at 2,476 stores nationwide. Wal-Mart’s total sales for that year alone were beating its 2nd place competition alone by more than 80 billion dollars. Wal-Mart’s major competitors in low-end general merchandise department would include Sears Holding Corporation, the slowly diminishing K-Mart chain, and Target whose trying different approaches including building Super Target stores to compete with the Super Wal-Mart. With Wal-Mart moving into the grocery business it has put a strain on grocery retailers also including: H-E-B, Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Giant Eagle, Safeway, Winn Dixie, Food Lion and Save-A-Lot. Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott in 2005 embarked on an energetic campaign to revive the company’s image. He installed Eduardo Castro-Wright to overhaul operations in America. Who remodeled 1,300 shops, modified merchandise and cut prices. Wal-Mart has had a number of suits filed against if for unfairly paying the female employee’s, not promoting the female employee’s fairly, placing them into positions where they can not advance, and paying them less than their male counterparts. Wal-Mart, Wally World or what ever the public wants to call wants to call it does not change what it is: A corporate machine that has made a major and horrific impact on the global economy. Wal-Mart has been accused of denying benefits, working employees off the clock, and denying them rightly earned over time pay. They also have exploited suppliers and been associated with monopolies. These are reasons that Wal-Mart, the corporate machine, the menace to the global community, must be stopped. Wal-Mart capitalizes on the use of the good value strategy when pricing their products. If Wal-Mart were to increase the price of their products then the demand for them would likely decrease and the demand for the competitor’s merchandise would likely increase, where if the price of the products drops at Wal-Mart then the demand will likely increase at Wal-Mart and decrease at the competitor’s stores. If Wal-Mart increased to match the prices then the demand would be perfectly elastic. Competition for Wal-Mart encompasses many different areas such as retail, electronics, club stores, and gasoline sales to name a few. In the US, Wal-Mart’s main competitors are department stores such as Target, K-Mart, nd ShopKo. When considering Wal-Mart’s Club store competitors one must look at Costco and BJ’s Wholesale Club in the eastern part of the US. Wal-Mart’s main US retail competitor is Target and seems to be doing very well considering the current market conditions. With Wal-Mart’s push to add greater sustainability and eco-friendly techniques to its repertoire, it becomes that much more difficult for the competition to stay with the industry leader. In 2009 Target’s EBIT (Earnings before Interest and Taxes) were 4. 74 Billion with a net income of 2. 49 Billion (Daily Finance an AOL Money and Finance Site, 2010). Target Inc. operates in the United States exclusively which keeps the Wal-Mart competitor in a distant second place. Although economic conditions in recent months have been difficult overall, firms operating in the consumer staples sector, and especially the food and staples retailing industry, have enjoyed a certain amount of stability, and even growth, which exceeded performance in other sectors of the market. This is especially true for those firms that have diversified into international markets. Access to a range of markets stabilizes earnings by reducing risk across a range of differing economic cycles. Although demand in the United States, Wal-Mart’s primary market, has been modest, it has continued on a general growth trend over the years. There have been months where demand fell; however, the overall trend has continued to rise. There are two major economic conditions that have worked in concert to contribute to moderate, but continued growth. First, income has generally suffered in Wal-Mart’s home market. Stagnant and declining wages, combined with rising unemployment have reduced the buying power of retail consumers. The sales of many consumer goods declined, and have only recently begun to recover (U.  S. Census Bureau, 2009; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). This reduction in demand would cause a shift to the left in the demand curve for many of the products sold by Wal-Mart. On a global scale, Wal-Mart experienced a range of economic growth rates affecting demand in the markets where it has operations (United Nations Statistics Division, 2010). Overall, demand on a global scale was influenced by two primary mechanisms. Of greatest importance is an increasing customer base. As the firm reaches more consumers through new outlets and new markets, generally demand would increase across all products. Since many of Wal-Mart’s international markets are growth markets, incomes are increasing alongside the expanded consumer base. Although the company strives to bring value to all of its customers, since many of its products in growth markets are new to the market, income increases result in the reduction of demand for existing inferior goods in the market. In many ways, the items sold by Wal-Mart in growth markets are considered normal goods. Thus, increasing incomes actually increase for most of Wal-Mart’s products in these markets (Colander, 2008). Wal-Mart’s expansion into international growth markets may have helped the firm’s bottom line, but not without some upfront costs to overcome barriers to entry. At home, the firm must adhere to a range of labor, product safety, and reporting and audit requirements to do business. Similar regulations will likely be encountered in each of the markets where business is done. Some markets may actually have more rigid requirements than what the company has to deal with at home. The most important types of regulation the company will need to be responsive to deal with corruption and foreign direct investment. To combat corruption in both business dealings and interaction with governments, the United States requires its businesses to adhere to the Foreign Corruption Practices Act (FCPA). Along with other unscrupulous practices, the law aims to prevent bribery as a business practice while improving transparency in business dealings. There may be similar regulation in some of the markets where Wal-Mart does business. In terms of Foreign Direct Investment, Wal-Mart must deal with a complex patchwork of laws that differ from each of the other countries in which it has operations. Some countries, such as Canada and Mexico, allow Wal-Mart to directly operate its stores as long as it maintains certain capital and operational conditions. Other countries, however, require the company to undertake operations through or in collaboration with a native firm. Likewise, regulation may restrict the types of business operations a firm may undertake or the area of the market in which it may operate. Both China and India have restrictions along these lines, requiring Wal-Mart to partner with existing retailers to do business (U.  S. Commercial Service, 2008). Trends in the world’s retail markets may not be difficult to track, but due to the complexity of handling such a wide variety of goods and the wide range of competitors they can be difficult to understand and successfully do business in. To be successful in understanding the retail marketplace an entity must be dedicated to comprehensive research of the landscape. Additionally, an understanding of economic principles is critical to putting the extensive amount of available information into context.

A Very Warm Mountain Essay -- Ursula K. Le Guin A Very Warm Mountain E

A Very Warm Mountain Have you ever thought of something having human like emotions such as trees or animals? In the essay â€Å"A Very Warm Mountain,† Ursula K. Le Guin offers a whole new angle to look at mountains. Through the use of examples and detailed description Le Guin creates a new perspective on mountains giving then human like qualities. The author discusses the reactions that the person had to the eruption. She writes down journal entrees detailing the explosion day to day and uses some of the entrees in the essay. The author uses entrees as throughout the essay in an effort to give a more realistic view. The more real it seems the easier it is to convince you of her train of thought. She thinks that a mountain should be seen as a person with a personality. In giving examples of the how the mountain has characteristics of emotion. The author is trying to win you over by example after example of how the mountain could be looked at as having the qualities giving in the examples. â€Å"She [the volcano] put on hats of cloud and took them off again, and tried a different shape, and sent them all skimming off across the sky†(p.178). It is in this last statement the author puts the mountain in a view of being able to put on cloths. In doing that the mountain could be looked at in some kind of humanistic way. The author’s thesis is the idea that a mountain can be looked at as having emotions and feelings of its surroundings. The author uses many ways of proving this theory. â€Å"She [the volcano] lay and watched her forests being cut and her elk being hunted†¦ it was time to teach the White Man’s Children a lesson†(p.175). In the quote the author makes the volcano look to have some kind of way of dealing with the problem t... ...ted her life and how she did things. Relating the mountain to a human was the most logical way to say it. The author was able to see many ways that the mountain could have be compared to a person. In saying that the mountain really did start reacting to something that might never be explained to us. The only reassurance we get from some expert is to say that it could happen again or never happen again we can not tell, till it is about to happen. The author is able to relax about what happened with the answer she has given to herself and the reader. She is merely trying to help you see that a mountain can be looked at as a person and has characteristics of a person. Works Cited Le Guin, Ursula K. A Very Warm Mountain. In J. Ackerman, (Ed.), A Sense of Place: Physical, Natural, and Cultural Environment (pp.175-180) New York, NY: Forbes Custom Publishing.

Classic detective story Essay

      It had to be something a lot smaller because the only other opening in Julia’s room that communicated with somewhere outside of the room was the ventilation shaft in the ceiling which was directly connected to the ventilation shaft in the ceiling of Dr. Roylott’s room. Holmes also spotted the mysterious bell pull, which turned out to be a dummy. The strange thing about this bell pull was that it was hung from somewhere inside the ventilation shaft and it was positioned directly above the pillow on the bed. Holmes then goes in into a deep state of reverie putting everything that Helen Stoner told him happened together with all the clues that he had found in Stoke Moran. This matches my expectation of a classic detective story where the detective finds clues, analyses them and them puts them all together with all the information he has obtained from other sources such as the victim, people who knew the dead person, people who had some sort of relationship with both the person that died and the victim. In this deep state of meditation he solves the mystery but he has yet to solve the crime. So Holmes tells Helen Stoner to place a lamp outside of her window when Dr. Roylott retires to his chamber at night. Holmes also tells Helen to leave the shutters open in the room so that he and Watson can get in when she signals them. Holmes and Watson wait for the signal at the village inn. Later when Helen signals them with the lamp they head for Stoke Moran. They go into her room through the open shutter and wait for a number of hours before Holmes spots a snake coming through the ventilator. At this point in time Holmes knows who has committed the crime and how for sure. This then matches my next expectation that with all that is happening the detective then deduces what must have happened and if it was a murder who the villain was that committed the crime. He then immediately switches on the light and strikes at the snake causing it to return through the ventilator in a very angry mood. Then they all here the terrible screen of a man’s hoarse voice. They all immediately head for Dr. Roylott’s chamber and find him dead. He is killed by an Indian Swamp adder, which they find wrapped around his head. Holmes then explains how he solved the mystery and then the crime. This all matches my final expectation of a classic detective story, which is that the villain is either arrested or killed. The expectations of plot that are fulfilled in the Gatewood Caper The Gatewood Caper begins with a private detective being sent to help a man called Harvey Gatewood get his kidnapped daughter Audrey back. The detective is known only as the â€Å"the continental Op†. In this essay I will refer to him from now on as â€Å"the Op†. The Op is sent by the Continental Detective Agency to solve the kidnap of Harvey Gatewood’s daughter Audrey and to find out where she is being held then rescue her. In the Gatewood Caper the mystery surrounds the kidnap of Harvey Gatewood’s daughter Audrey, so my first expectation of a classic detective story’s plot and how it should involve some sort of mystery is fulfilled. In the Gatewood Caper it is the detective that comes to offer help to the victim and not the other way around like in the Speckled Band where the victim asks the detective to investigate something for them. So my next expectation that the victim approaches the detective to get his help is not fulfilled. No one has died and my expectation of a classic detective story that a there is a death and that it is either the result of a terrible crime or accidental is not fulfilled. This all makes the Gatewood Caper even less like a classic detective story. The only person that can solve the crime in this story is the Op and so that matches my next expectation of a classic detective story that the only person who can solve the crime is the detective. The Op then listens to Gatewood’s story and this fulfils my next expectation of a classic detective story where the detective listens to the victim’s story. Harvey Gatewood tells the Op what happened before he last saw Audrey. He tells to the Op about everything that he saw Audrey do before he last saw her. He tells the Op that the last time he saw Audrey was the day before at around seven in the evening. The next morning Gatewood receives a letter from the kidnappers demanding a ransom of $50,000 in $100 bills (American for notes) for her release. In the Gatewood Caper the detective doesn’t really ask many questions to Gatewood because he is so uncooperative. It’s more like the reverse of my expectation that the detective questions the victim is fulfilled. It’s almost like Gatewood has been described so much like a villain that it’s almost impossible to think of him as a victim. My next expectation that the detective investigates the scene of the death is not fulfilled because there is no scene of death in the Gatewood Caper as the crime is a kidnap. Instead in the Gatewood Caper the detective investigates Audrey’s rooms to find any clues or anything that will point to anyone who would want to kidnap Audrey. He finds nothing. Then the next day at 2:30 Harvey Gatewood gets a call from the kidnappers saying that they want him to the deliver the money straight away to someone he will spot when they signal him by holding a handkerchief to their face and then dropping it. They tell Gatewood that he will have to deliver the money to the person somewhere between his house and the waterfront along Clay Street. A woman signals Gatewood using the handkerchief he gives her the money and a couple of the other Ops follow the woman. They loose the woman in an alleyway where they find her clothes discarded all over the floor. They quickly realise that this must have been a woman disguised as a man. The trail of clothes leads to a backdoor of an apartment, which they find was occupied by a man called Leyton. The Op investigates this apartment and finds nothing but this fulfils are expectation that the detective investigates the scene to find any clues but again the Op finds nothing. The only clue that the Op has now has to work on is Leyton’s description. So he starts to investigate all the clothes shops in the Oakland area asking them whether or not they have seen anyone matching Leyton’s description buying woman’s clothes and if they have any records or names. The Op gets lucky with the first shop he investigates because they have a record of a man who bought woman’s clothes matching Leyton’s description. This mans name is Mr. Offord and the Op also gets the address. The Op goes to see Mr. Offord and then finds out that he is not living alone but with a young woman possibly Audrey. The Op recognises Mr. Offord as being a conman. The Op goes up to his room but is then shot at but the bullets miss. The Op then kicks the door down and finds Audrey. He then explains how he solved the mystery of Audrey’s kidnap to â€Å"penny† Quayle the conman and Audrey. This fulfils are expectation of a classic detective story’s plot whereby from all the information the detective gathers he puts it all together to deduce what really happened. The villain in the story actually turns out to be the victim and in the end does not get punished because she blackmails her father with the threat of going to the papers with incriminating information that she has about him about his previous illegal activities. My expectation that the villain is either arrested or killed is not fulfilled making this story even less like a classic detective story. The Speckled Band is a perfect example of what a classic detective story should be like because it matches all my expectations in every way. The Gatewood Caper is completely different and is nothing like a classic detective story. Although it does match some of my expectations of how the plot of a classic detective story should be like it is a very modern story with a very modern plot. The main difference between the plot in the Speckled Band which is a classic detective story and the plot in the Gatewood Caper which is a modern detective story is that in a classic detective story the plot goes along a straight line and everything that happens we might expect to happen, happens whereas in the plot of a modern detective story everything we might expect to happen doesn’t always happen. Expectations of character that are fulfilled We expect the character of the detective in any classic detective to be a man who is extremely clever, intuitive, observant, inquisitive, deductive and highly instinctive. The name of the detective in the Speckled Band is Sherlock Holmes. Holmes matches all of my expectations of how the character in a detective story should be and so too does the Op in the Gatewood Caper. The big difference is that the Op is a lot weaker in all of these aspects when you directly compare him to someone of the likes of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes probably the greatest detective of all time whereas the Op is just an ordinary policeman turned detective. We expect the character of a detective in any classic detective story to be something of a superhero but what we see in any modern detective story is the character of a detective has a big sense of realism associated with him which makes it all that little more believable so that we can relate to the detective more. We also expect the character of the detective in any classic detective story to be very strong (powerful), tough, very brave, a good soul and an expert in his field of work. Again Holmes is these things and personifies greatness whereas the Op is also has all these aspects but again is weaker in every department. This is again done on purpose to make it all more realistic and believable. Sherlock Holmes is the more classic detective whereas the Op is the more modern detective. We also expect the detective in any classic detective story to go into soliloquy and Holmes does this a lot whereas the Op never does this and we aren’t able to connect with his thoughts as much as we do with Holmes. We expect the character of the villain in any classic detective story to be man who is extremely clever, very strong (powerful) and tough but at the same time a man who is evil, devious, very greedy, and deceptive. We also expect the villain to be dangerous and psychotic. In the Speckled Band the villain Dr. Roylott matches all my expectations of how a villain should be like in any classic detective story whereas the surprise villain in the Gatewood Caper is nothing like my expectations of how the character of a villain should be in any detective story. Dr. Roylott is a huge giant of a man who bends pokers to scare people, whereas because Audrey is a woman she is portrayed as being weak in the Gatewood Caper but is still the villain. Audrey Gatewood has parts of the character of the victim mixed in with parts of the character from the villain. She is a woman and that is the main the difference between what a villain could never be in a classic detective story and could possibly be a modern detective story. Although she might be a woman she is certainly not the victim because she is not innocent, helpless, afraid, a good soul or someone who is grateful for anything. In fact she is the exact opposite a spoiled brat. Also although she is not the victim she is certainly the villain because she does in fact have all the qualities of being a villain except that she is not very strong, or tough. Dr. Grimesby Roylott is the more classic villain whereas Audrey Gatewood is the more modern victim. We expect the character of the victim in any classic detective story to be a woman who is weak, innocent, helpless, afraid, a good soul and someone who is extremely grateful to anyone who will help them. Firstly in the Speckled Band the victim Helen Stoner fulfils all of these expectations whereas in the modern detective story the Gatewood Caper the victim is Harvey Gatewood and he is nothing like the victim but everything the villain is in a classic detective story. He simply does not belong in the role of the victim so he does not fulfil any expectation of the character of the victim in a classic detective story. He has every quality of a villain in a classic detective story and the exact opposite of every quality the character of the victim has in a classic detective story. In fact the way he is described in the story he is almost identical to Dr. Roylott in the Speckled Band. Helen Stoner is the more classic victim whereas Harvey Gatewood is nothing like a classic victim and is the more modern victim. Setting The setting in the Speckled Band was very interesting because of how it was described in such high detail from every blade of grass to the huge mansion of Stoke Moran. The setting really did provide an excellent atmosphere because it was so complex and always changing. The story starts off and is set in one the biggest, most highly populated cities in the world, London. It is a bustling metropolis and you can imagine the atmosphere it creates and how strong it is over everything else. While this huge feeling of atmosphere is creating by the setting Helen Stoner is going to see Sherlock Holmes. Then the setting changes once Helen arrives to see Holmes, it suddenly changes from being an extremely busy and chaotic atmosphere to an extremely peaceful, quiet and relaxing environment whilst inside Holmes’s home. I enjoyed the setting when Holmes and Watson leave for Leatherhead from Waterloo station as I have always like trains so I can imagine exactly what it would have been like with all the steam trains and the huge atmosphere created by people getting on and off the trains to get off at London or travel to other places. Then when at Stoke Moran the setting changes to this mansion with a small village nearby. The setting here is a dark, scary and lonely place. You can feel the mystery and danger resonating from every wall, every corridor and every room. We don’t feel safe in this place because we know that it has a very mysterious past and a very mysterious owner. It is a very old building built in the 17th century and is almost crumbling to pieces because of decay in some parts. You can imagine the sense of fear that would be created from a setting like this just by walking through the long dark corridors. With each step moved you would here the echo through the whole building because of the dominating silence. The only light would be of that slipping through the small dirt sprayed windows adding to the feeling of loneliness and fear creating extreme suspense. The setting in the in the Gatewood Caper is my favourite personally. I enjoyed the very beginning of the story because of the deep sense of tension that is created by the description of Harvey Gatewood’s Lumber Corporation HQ. I can imagine a it as a huge building full of people working for this one Scrooge like tyrant of a businessman who absolutely loves to quash all opposition and dominate his industry. This setting provides a huge sense of excitement and liveliness. You rarely get a sense of fear or loneliness in the Gatewood Caper because of the setting and how there are always people wherever the Op goes and so there is always someone to talk to. This is another big difference between classic and modern detective story’s where in a classic detective story there are less characters but they are more detailed and you get to know them better whereas in a modern detective story there are more characters who are less detailed which often makes it very confusing. You can then imagine all the cars speeding through the city and past Gatewood’s empire, all the people coming in and out of the building, all the noises caused by the people and machinery creates an immense feeling of power and prosperity which makes me feel good as I can really relate to this kind of setting having being born and raised in modern day London. I loved the setting between Gatewood’s house and the waterfront walking along clay Street. I can just imagine the sense of excitement that I would get if a were just an innocent bystander walking along Clay Street and I saw the mysterious drop off of $50,000 and then saw someone dressed like a woman in black but with the figure of a being followed by so many private detectives. I also enjoyed the setting of the police station at the end with all the detectives in the station drinking coffee and eating donuts. Between the two stories I enjoyed the setting in the Gatewood Caper the most because it was more modern and a lot more like I was used to seeing in life. I definitely expected the setting in the Speckled Band to be old and lonely. I also expected the setting in the Gatewood Caper to be so modern and lively. Structure The structure in the Speckled Band is very different from the structure of the Gatewood Caper. In both stories at the very start of the story we find out what it’s all about and whom everyone is as is the case with the beginning of any detective story. What is very different about the beginning periods of both stories is that one is a complete mystery and it is uncertain what has happened whereas the other is not a mystery at all as the crime is known. In any classic detective story the crime is not known until somewhere in the middle or at the end of the story whereas in a modern detective story the crime is usually known and made clear right at the very beginning. This is a key difference in structure because in any classic detective story the mystery is of great importance because it draws suspense and tension into the reader whereas in a modern detective story the crime is usually more important than the mystery is because modern day readers generally have less patience and want what they read to get to the point quickly. In the Speckled Band the period of uncertainty is both in the beginning period and the middle period of the story whereas in the Gatewood Caper it is in the middle period and also the ending period. In both stories the mystery is solved and the crime explained in the end period. Style of writing When I read Speckled Band the style of writing created a very slow and dull mood within me but I couldn’t help being captivated by it even if it may have been dull or slow. The writer built up suspense using highly implicit and detailed language.

Ethics on Immanuel Kants Categorical Imperative Essay

Abstract : . Kant’s ideas or his take on ethics was based upon autonomy (self-governance), and reason. He believed that unless a person freely and willingly makes a choice, then their action has no meaning much less any moral value. Kant also thought that every man when using reason when analyzing moral dilemmas would in fact agree with what he called the Categorical Imperative. In accordance with the good will aspects Kant’s claims on good will is the only thing that can be considered good without limitation. In this paper I will discuss several situations that I have been involved in where both the Categorical Imperative and a good will have applied to my personal experiences. Before I get started I would like to shed a little more light on the Categorical Imperative that Kant and others viewed as very valuable and vital if trying to understand the complexity of ethics and his moral philosophy. It is also important that one must clearly interpret exactly what the Categorical Imperative consist of before trying to administer or apply its formula to anyone. As human beings we tend to always have to have a logical answer based on reasoning from one source or another. Kant as a philosopher probably conceived ethics as the study of how it would be most rational to act, which is pretty straight forward indeed, but a few of the core aspects of Kant’s Categorical Imperative have many arguments posed against them especially from a Utilitarian perspective. I have done a lot of things that can merit a superior conclusion, and I have also committed acts that result in me being rewarded. Now as far as the inferior side of the coin goes, did I enjoy the rewards or gratitude given to me due to my actions that were viewed as moral or the right thing to do? Yes I enjoyed them and I will probably sub-consciously commit those same acts again. Now in accordance with the superior side of things I also have helped others I never even met just because I felt that it was a good will and I stand by those which make them a principle. Therefore I am superior in those particular cases. I do not believe that it is hard to find an individual that acts out of mere principle and expects no reward, I believe that it is just a lot of dishonest and naive people that are not willing to be honest about their true reason or rationalizing. The philosophical views from one of the greatest German philosophers to ever live continue to interest and influence scholarly opinions all around the world. Immanuel Kant was one of those brilliant thinkers or philosophers that were able to give valuable insight that surround many different ethical values of morality. Kant’s ideas or his take on ethics was based upon autonomy (self-governance), and reason. He believed that unless a person freely and willingly makes a choice, then their action has no meaning much less any moral value. Kant also thought that every man when using reason when analyzing moral dilemmas would in fact agree with what he called the Categorical Imperative. In accordance with the good will aspects Kant’s claims on good will is the only thing that can be considered good without limitation. In this paper I will discuss several situations that I have been involved in where both the Categorical Imperative and a good will have applied to my personal experiences. Before I get started I would like to shed a little more light on the Categorical Imperative that Kant and others viewed as very valuable and vital if trying to understand the complexity of ethics and his moral philosophy. It is also important that one must clearly interpret exactly what the Categorical Imperative consist of before trying to administer or apply its formula to anyone. As human beings we tend to always have to have a logical answer based on reasoning from one source or another. Kant as a philosopher probably conceived ethics as the study of how it would be most rational to act, which is pretty straight forward indeed, but a few of the core aspects of Kant’s Categorical Imperative have many arguments posed against them especially from a Utilitarian perspective. I have done a lot of things that can merit a superior conclusion, and I have also committed acts that result in me being rewarded. Now as far as the inferior side of the coin goes, did I enjoy the rewards or gratitude given to me due to my actions that were viewed as moral or the right thing to do? Yes I enjoyed them and I will probably sub-consciously commit those same acts again. Now in accordance with the superior side of things I also have helped others I never even met just because I felt that it was a good will and I stand by those which make them a principle. Therefore I am superior in those particular cases. I do not believe that it is hard to find an individual that acts out of mere principle and expects no reward, I believe that it is just a lot of dishonest and naive people that are not willing to be honest about their true reason or rationalizing. Just because one person may will a certain thing does not mean that the majority of people will follow suit. For example a key element of Kant’s theory is the concept of intentions or intent. To him the actual outcome or the consequences of a particular action doesn’t matter at all, it’s the intentional aspects he is concerned with. Imagine that you are a serial killer just walking down the street and you see a defenseless elderly woman walking in front of you. It’s no one else around and it’s very dark on the streets. You also have a knife to ensure a silent job and a very easy kill. Now let’s say you decide not to kill this elderly woman and spare her life, but not because you are worried about acting immorally but you did not want to risk her screaming and alerting anyone else that she was being attacked. In the end u decided not to act on your will then according to Kant you have not acted ethically. That’s where I find flaw in his analysis and theory. So our actions according to Kant’s philosophy doesn’t make us a better person because when you acted or (chose not to act), you weren’t considering action in terms of its morality. You actually abandoned the ideas of moral choice, and merely acted out of a sense of self preservation. However if you did chose not to kill the elderly woman because you suddenly realized that it was wrong to do so, then you would have acted morally according to Kant’s theory on Categorical Imperative. Can the Categorical Imperative even accurate enough and practical to be applied into a personal real life ethical dilemma? I do not believe that it could. My interpretation of Kant’s theory was the he thought that if everyone just used reason when trying to figure out their ethical duties, then everyone would come up with the same rules to follow. This may be true but I would say that it is very unlikely that humans will ever be unbiased enough to do this, and the Categorical Imperative fails to take into account the complexity of human beings and their relationships to one another. The formula that Kant used was the concepts surrounding universal law. By this universal law formula he was able to capture the concept that a maxim will work for everyone who it is applied too. The next formula Kant used was the end in itself which occurs when people try to use maxims, (rules that suit themselves) this formulation states that we must not treat others as if they do not have their own life, and respect their acts regardless of ethical belief. It may be my duty to give a small contribution of my earnings to charity, church, or to the homeless indeed, but a homeless man cannot demand that I do so for him because I am not a means to his end, and he has to respect that concept. The key thing to keep in mind here is that you can’t use people just as a means to an end because people are ends in themselves. For example you couldn’t kill a baby Hitler just because that will save a thousand Jews, according to Kantain perspectives. With the baby Hitler example the maxim would be â€Å"killing babies that will commit genocide when they grow up†. On the contrary what if that was a moral rule; like you must kill any babies that will grow up and commit genocide. If the maxim could function as a rule, then actions based on it will be morally right. These maxims also serve as a way to better understand the rigidly parameters that surround ethical issues. Now as I said earlier on I have a foot-hole in both aspects of this topic. I have done things to receive rewards especially when beautiful women are around. And I have also just given a pure stranger a ride home in the rain after seeing them struggle with groceries. And I never told a soul it was just a mere act of kindness and the ethical thing to do as far as good will goes. That is what makes Kant’s theory in my eyes as secondary to my individuality. I do not agree with him on some aspects of his analysis and some I can relate too. We all are presented with these scenarios and many of us as typical human beings tend to neglect the infrastructure behind morality of ethical issues. I would say that ethical theory must have examples attached to them; otherwise it wouldn’t be a very good ethical theory. These theories can never be applied practically if one could not imagine using them in different circumstances. The Categorical Imperative does sort of show any rational thinking person both how to tell the difference between right and wrong, and the moral necessity to choose to act in accordance with what’s right. Personally I fall right in between when it comes to this as I said I have done a little of both sides, being superior( acting out of principles), and I have acted to gain reward but not as much as I have been considered superior. I try my best to act accordingly with morality, and being a dedicated Christian this isn’t that hard. My main source of morality stems from the Bible. I use the Bibles principles as a guideline to how to act morally. I believe that this is the only true source of ethical acts, and that there is no man made doctrines or philosophies that can properly address this complex issue. As long as I understood Gods Laws and follow a righteous path, morality or acting morally comes like second nature. So to sum it all up about Kant’s perspectives I believe he was a little more concerned with a person’s intentions than a consequentialist with utilitarian views, but Kant did feel that if you didn’t act according to the Categorical Imperative you could be accused of acting unethically. It was clear that Kant like me was not content with the popular moral philosophy of his day. According to Kant, when we act upon a maxim that can’t be universalized or (willed by everyone else) we are contradicting ourselves. Meaning that without a will that everyone else views as objective then any action taken can potentially contradict one’s self. To further understand Kant’s philosophy I will walk you through a series of scenarios that I have experienced in my life. I can recall several occasions where the categorical Imperative aspect of Kant’s philosophy has shed light on my ethical or morally based actions. One afternoon I was riding down the street and I noticed a few guys struggling with groceries trying to get back to their school. I could have kept going and actually I did, but I decided to turn around and offer them a ride to their destination. Now according to Kant’s good will I acted on a matter of principle, and not to gain reward. There was nothing I expected to gain from my actions. Now if I had asked them for gas money or maybe some sort of payment for the ride then at that point I become inferior according to Kant’s Categorical Imperative. There was another instance when I acted morally and ethically in Kant’s eyes and that was the time I acknowledged an older woman attempting to put air in her tire at Kroger grocery store. Actually at the time I was in need of air for my tire too and the clerk had turned on the machine but before I got there to it she came and was experiencing trouble getting the air in her tire. I politely offered her assistance and she was very grateful and she insisted that I take five dollars for my actions. Now I in fact was not expecting to get paid for this, but she insisted that I take it. I made it very clear that I felt that this was a universal duty of mine to assist at a time when my assistance was clearly needed. She was older and having trouble with the air pump so I felt an obligation to assist her so I did so. Now did I act morally according to Kant’s Categorical Imperative and the good will? Was I superior or inferior? Yes I acted morally because Kant was not concerned with outcome or consequences he only focused on the intent of that particular action. Kant also emphasizes the absolute necessity of separating genuine morality from all empirical considerations. I find Kant’s formula to be a valuable tool but it neglects to define moral law as God-given.

SheksPEARE essays

SheksPEARE essays In Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the mortal teenage characters fall in love foolishly, and the character Bottom states, "O what fools these mortals be". They are foolish because they act like children. Although Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena appear grown-up, when they are in love they act foolishly. The four teenage lovers are fools. Demetrius is a fool because he is unaware that his love changes through out the play. At the start of the play Demetrius does not love Helena. (II ii,line 188) Demetrius says, "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." (II ii,line 194) "Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more." In III ii, Demetrius after being juiced begins to love Helena. (III ii,line 169-173) Demetrius says, "Lysander, keep thy Hermia; I will none. If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart to her but as guest- wise sojourned, And now to Helen is it home returned, There to remain." This proves he is a fool, because he is not aware of his changing love for Helena. Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her but she still persists in chasing him. Demetrius shows no love for Helena. (II i,line 227-228) Demetrius says, "I'll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts." (II i,line 199-201) "Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or rather do I not in plainest truth Tell you I do not, nor I cannot love you?" Demetrius clearly illustrates to Helena that he has no interest, but Helena persists. (II i,line 202-204) Helena says, "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you." (II i,line 220-222) "Your virtue is my privilege. For that It is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night;" This proves that Helena is a fool because Demetrius does not love her, but she still persists. Lysander is a fool because he persuades Hermia to avoid death and run away wit...

The Beach 19th Century Essays

The Beach 19th Century Essays The Beach 19th Century Essay The Beach 19th Century Essay ‘The seaside was never a place of escape – it has always been a place with its own strict codes of behaviour. ’ Do you agree? What is meant by a code of behaviour? This is a question that can be applied to the way we act and present ourselves in every environment and situation that we find ourselves in daily. What may be socially acceptable to one group may well be frowned upon or even vilified by others. Our behaviour within society has almost certainly changed from generation to generation and a good indicator for this has been the perceived behaviour and appearance when on holiday by the seaside. The way the British and European populace has dress for the beach has been dictated by two main factors, our class back ground and generation timelines. When trips to the beach for recreation reasons were first undertaken it was very much only the middle and upper classes within society who could afford to do so. It was therefore the elite members of the populace that set the standards of behaviour and bearing that were to be expected. As we will see later, it was only when the working and lowers classes began to undertake trips to seaside resorts, that these standards were to be compromised. Class has also been a good indicator of the attire that one wears. During the late 19th century all classes of society used the way they presented at the beach to achieve two main aims: to feel special and also to impress their friends and strangers (Place and Leisure p. 133). People would certainly use their class status and therefore dress to impress. Upper and middle classes appeared too overdressed and they could afford to do so. The working or lower classes could afford to be less choosey and often wore their best working or Sunday clothes. It was therefore possible to see many forms of dress on the main promenade and the beach itself. William Porters 1965 guide to Blackpool points out that all walks of life can be seen walking, sitting, reclining and riding ‘in every variety of costume along the sands and parade above’ (Place and Leisure p133). We clearly then have firm evidence that in the later stages of the 19th century that there was an expected form of dress, set by the higher classes within society, that all visitors were expected to conform to. This can be almost compared to as a form of uniform as uniformity was the least xpected. We can clearly see evidence of the formal types of dress codes in the several of the paintings and pictures contained in the resources Illustration Booklet provide for the course. Let’s first of all look at the painting by Edouard Manet (Plate 4. 4. 16 p. 113). The image that he has created perfectly displays the attitude of late 19th beach wear. The females in the painting are almost dressed for a formal occasion. The children are in no way less dressed and give the impression that their attire is more akin to Sunday school than a day of fun at the beach. There is an obvious lack of flesh on display which is in line with the prudish nature of adults during that era. They have in no way compromised what they wear to accommodate the weather conditions. There is no thought of removing clothes to cool down but an obvious use of paroles by both male and females to keep the heat of the sun at bay. If we then move on to the black and white photographs taken by an unknown photographer of the crowds at Margate beach (Plate 4. 4. 23 p. 120) and the picture taken by Rischgitz of the donkeys and crowds on Blackpool beach (Plate 4. . 24 p. 121) we seen no compromise in their clothing in the 30 years beyond Manet painting. There are some signs that there is a degree of cultural divergence in the two pictures, what we assume as the north/south divide today. There is a more middle class feel to the Margate picture, the cut of their clothes is better and the activity, watching a band perform, is more formal than the activities a Blackpool. Both pictur es have also been taken at the height of the industrial revolution, a time when the north of England was filled with â€Å"dark satanic mills† nd the working classes were actively encourage to â€Å"escape the clogs, smoke and grime† (Figure 4. 17 p. 152) of the industrial towns and cities and spend their new found wealth in resorts such as Blackpool. Working class families now had money to spend and the means to travel around the country. During the inter and post Second World War periods there was a clear shift towards a more informal dress code at the beach. The seaside was still a place to dress to impress but there was much more flesh now on show as can be clearly seen by the 3 generations of a working class family (Figure 4. p. 135, Place and Leisure) posing on the beach. There was still a degree of formality with many who took to the beach and as with the grandfather figure in the picture; some habits are hard to break. Why was there this shift in the way we dr essed, especially post war? The social standing of woman in society could very well have a direct influence on this. Women over the age of 30 got the right to vote in 1918 and they went on to received equal voting rights to men in 1928 (Dalal, 2010, p. 95 and p. 98). Roles under taken by women during the war (Drifte, 2011) gave them a degree of liberation and their own voice. We can see clear evidence of the new culture of women’s beach wear in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight in 1926 (Figure 4. 12 p. 141) during the inter war period and the beach models in 1955 (Figure 4. 14 p. 143) post Second World War. The exposed expanses of flesh are in stark contrast to what people had seen before but it is obvious that the women present are merely conforming to the beach dress code of the time. Music has often influenced our view of the seaside. The Beach Boys certainly gave the impression that a fun time could be had and the Who are often associated with blood and violence. How then have two differing styles of music have an influence on our perceived behaviour of what it is like to go to the beach? The Beach boys While we have seen how music creates an idyllic atmosphere, behaviour at the beach cannot just be judged by the way in which we dress and present ourselves. The period during the 1960’s saw seaside resorts not just a place to get away from it all, but as weekend and bank holiday battlegrounds. Influenced by differing musical cultures, Mods and Rockers would descend, mainly into southern seaside resorts, to dispel the idea that holiday destinations were solely for fun and relaxation. Fashion, social standing and drugs were all part of the tribalism mix that â€Å"smeared the traditional postcard scene with violence and blood† (Daily Express, 19th May 1964) on the beaches of Margate and Brighton. The impact of the violent clashes had a deep a far reaching impact on British society. Who wanted to sit enjoying the sun and ice-cream only to be disturbed by rampaging young British men whose main disagreement was whether the Who or Elvis produced the better rock music? Mods and Rockers had no respect for the traditions of the seaside and the government of the time came down hard on the offenders (On this Day 18th May BBC News Website) with many receiving lengthy prison sentences. The question remains how two different factions could be driven to violence over there choice of music and clothes and whether this violent turn of events would be the new standard of behaviour that was to be expected on our visits to the seaside. In conclusion then we can see that the seaside was a place to escape your normal daily routine and an opportunity that was afforded only to middle and upper classes. They abided by a code of conduct that dictated both dress and behaviour. Over the years and with the ability of the lowers class to experience the joy the seaside resorts, this code of conduct has been eroded to the standards that we see today.

Conjugating the Regular French Verb Choisir (to Choose)

Conjugating the Regular French Verb 'Choisir' ('to Choose') Choisir, to choose, pick, decide, is conjugated as a regular French  -ir  verb. Regular verbs share conjugation patterns in person, number, tense and mood. Verbs with infinitives that end in  -ir  are the second largest category of regular French verbs, after French verbs ending in  -er. Generally speaking, there are five main kinds of  verbs in French: regular  -ir, -er, -re,  stem-changing and  irregular. Once youve learned the rules of conjugation for regular verbs, you should have no problem conjugating them, and this holds true for the regular  -ir  verb  choisir. Conjugating Regular French -ir Verbs To conjugate choisir and all other regular  -ir  verbs, remove the infinitive ending (-ir)  to find the stem (also called the radical), then add the appropriate simple conjugation ending/s shown in the table below. Note that the conjugation table below does not include  the  compound tenses, which consist of  a form of the auxiliary verb  and  the past participle.  Choisir  normally requires the auxiliary verb  avoir  in  compound tenses and moods. For example:  Jai choisi deux là ©gumes verts. I picked two green vegetables.   Other Regular French -ir Verbs Here are just a few of the most common regular  -ir  verbs. Remember, they all have regular conjugations, meaning they all follow the same conjugation patterns, which are those shown in the table. Simply take off the infinitives  -ir  ending and add the appropriate conjugated ending to the stem  in each instance. abolir   to abolishagir  Ã‚  to actavertir  Ã‚  to warnbà ¢tir  Ã‚  to buildbà ©nir  Ã‚  to blesschoisir  Ã‚  to chooseà ©tablir  Ã‚  to establishà ©tourdir  Ã‚  to stun, deafen, make dizzyfinir  Ã‚  to finishgrossir  Ã‚  to gain weight, get fatguà ©rir  Ã‚  to cure, heal, recovermaigrir  Ã‚  to lose weight, get thinnourrir  Ã‚  to feed, nourishobà ©ir  Ã‚  to obeypunir  Ã‚  to punishrà ©flà ©chir  Ã‚  to reflect, thinkremplir  Ã‚  to to fillrà ©ussir   to succeedrougir  Ã‚  to blush, turn redvieillir  Ã‚  to grow old Choisir: Uses and Expressions Choisis ce que tu veux.  Ã‚  Take your pick.Choisis lun ou lautre.   Choose one or the other.Tu as choisi ton moment  ! You picked a swell time!bien / mal choisir   to choose carefully / badlyElle a choisi de rester. She decided to stay.Je nai pas choisi.  Cest arrivà © comme à §a. It wasnt my decision; it just happened.  Il a toujours choisi la solution de facilità ©. He always chose the easy way / solution. Simple Conjugations of the French Regular -ir Verb Choisir Present Future Imperfect Present participle je choisis choisirai choisissais choisissant tu choisis choisiras choisissais il choisit choisira choisissait nous choisissons choisirons choisissions vous choisissez choisirez choisissiez ils choisissent choisiront choisissaient Pass compos Auxiliary verb avoir Past participle choisi Subjunctive Conditional Pass simple Imperfect subjunctive je choisisse choisirais choisis choisisse tu choisisses choisirais choisis choisisses il choisisse choisirait choisit choist nous choisissions choisirions choismes choisissions vous choisissiez choisiriez choistes choisissiez ils choisissent choisiraient choisirent choisissent Imperative (tu) choisis (nous) choisissons (vous) choisissez

Virtual Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Virtual Teams - Essay Example And within this culture it is necessary for each individual to take his won developmental path, which is actually the core of the functioning of virtual organizations. Virtual Teams have become an integral part of many organizations because of all increase in corporate restructuring, competition, and globalization. A virtual team is also defined as one that conducts its work almost entirely through electronic technology. Virtual team members, who are normally isolated both geologically and organizationally, hardly ever meet face to face while relying on technology for task-related communication (Matthews-Joy & Gladstone, 2000). Because communication is often seen as the most important factor in coordinating work among team members, effective communication is vital for virtual teams. However, "in virtual teams, separated by geographical distance, the process of developing a shared understanding is more challenging" (Ancona & Caldwell, 1992). In particular, such teams must address three challenges to accomplish their goals. The first challenge is compensating for the lack of face-to-face interaction. When meeting in person, team members can depend upon voice levels, smiles, and raised eyebrows to determine whether they are being understood; however, virtual teams do not have these nonverbal cues and can fail without communication strategies to manage the lack of face-to-face communication or silence. Because research continues to support the findings of Mehrabian that communication is predominately nonverbal, virtual team members lack one of the primary elements for generating shared understanding. Even in the best videoconferencing, facial expressions can be difficult to pick up if the transmission is poor, if someone is off camera, or when the mute button is pressed. Therefore, it is essential for individuals who are about to become part of a virtual teaming experience to be sensitized to the importance of this barrier and how it may be addressed. Second Challenge A second communication challenge for virtual teams is building relationships. Successful teams are founded on a relationship of trust, and relationships are easier to build face to face. Virtual teams are confronted with the challenge of establishing trusting working relationships through technological interaction alone. Virtual team leaders need to pay close attention to the first interactions team members have with each other to support the creation of positive interpersonal relationships. People who are being prepared for participation in virtual teams need to be taught methods of increasing the likelihood of getting off on the right foot with each other. Third Challenge A third challenge is accessing and leveraging the unique knowledge of each member to successfully achieve the team's goal. While a team is working on a project, usually the project is like a puzzle, and each team member is responsible to work on an assigned piece of the project. The team must develop a system for sharing information so that nothing relevant to solving the problem is lost. What some team members may consider the most insignificant piece of information may prove to be critical to the final solution. Whereas

E-commerce as a Business-to-Consumer International Market Entry Essay

E-commerce as a Business-to-Consumer International Market Entry Strategy - Essay Example In the following paper I will be examining e-commerce in terms of marketing entry strategy and business-to-consumer operations. Marketing mix and strategies for effective product distribution through the channel of e-commerce is reviewed to cover the topic. Ultimately, conclusions and recommendations end up the paper. As illustrated in Figure 1, business to consumer (B2C) refers to the selling of goods and/or services directly to consumers by businesses. The classic example is Amazon (www.amazon.com) which offers in excess of 1.5 million book titles online and has extended its sales into other products, including music CDs, videos and games. Business to business (B2B) refers to the selling of goods and/or services by one company to another as part of their supply chain, and is likely to contribute to at least 80 per cent of the growth of e-Commerce in the next five years. An example is Marshalls (www.marshalls.com). There are significant overlaps between Internet strategy and Internet marketing, particularly if a company adopts a broad perspective of marketing by engendering customer focus throughout the business, as described above. Indeed, the two terms can be regarded as synonymous. Chaffey (2002) regards Internet marketing as a subset of Internet strategy that he calls 'sell-side e-commerce', meaning that it focuses on building relationships with customers, in parallel with 'buy-side e-commerce' that focuses on supply chain management. Chen (2001) regards Internet marketing as dealing with operational rather than strategic issues, but includes customer relationship management in the 'operational' category. In this book, we use the term 'Internet marketing' in a broad sense, while still distinguishing strategic aspects and operational aspects. Usually, when speaking of B2C operations, the business of e-retail is implied in the term. The business of e-retail has been defined as the sale of goods and services via Internet or other electronic channels, for personal or household use by consumers (Harris and Dennis, 2002). This definition includes all e-commerce activities that result in transactions with end consumers (rather than business customers), i.e. B2C rather than B2B. Some e-marketing activities that do not directly involve transactions, such as providing (free) information or promoting brands and image, are considered to be part of B2C but are not normally considered as being within the scope of e-retail. Despite the dot.com crash of 2000, e-retailing has been growing, particularly for the 'top eight' categories that account for three-quarters of all European sales. These major growth areas comprise: books, music and DVD movies, groceries, sex products, games and software, electronic and computer equipment, travel, and clothes. Disadvantages of E-Commerce as an international marketing entry strategy Over perceived benefits of E-Commerce as an international market entry strategy that will be discussed later in this paper, this kind of product or service distribution has its disadvantages. Retailers, for example, may lack the technical know-how, the substantial investment required or

Resisting Disability Epithets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Resisting Disability Epithets - Assignment Example The analysis of the case would be presented by providing a brief introduction to present the issues in the case; an analysis of the issues by evaluating the communication climate at the organization and by identifying Stacey’s alternative courses of action; and a concluding portion that stipulates recommendations and the justifications for these. Given the letter that Stacey wrote, from the alternative courses of action, it is proposed that Stacey should send the letter she composed through the official publication News and Notes, and specifically outline transforming the communication culture of the organization to reflect a more professional and respectful environment that adheres to ethical, moral, and legal standards. Introduction The organization, Hermit Life and Auto, could be deduced to offer insurance services (both life and automobiles) to various clients across the United States. Its communication culture manifests an abundance of expressing disability slur or disability epithet, defined as â€Å"an abusive or contemptuous word or phrase†¦commonly used as a simple synonym for term of abuse or slur† (The Free Dictionary, 2012, p. 1), with frequent references to words such as â€Å"spazzos† and â€Å"retards† (Mills, 2010, p. 257) within their communication patterns. The main party involved in Stacey, who is disturbed by the communication culture, particularly due to her being â€Å"the mother of a child with an intellectual disability† (Mills, 2010, p. 257). She felt that by being tolerant of other personnel’s constant disregard for respectful and irresponsible use of disability epithet, the communication culture would be construed as an unprofessional representati on of the high quality of services they are expected to offer to diverse clients â€Å"regardless of race, religion, political or cultural differences, sexual orientation, or mental and /or physical disability† (Mills, 2010, p. 257). In this regard, a letter was drafted and written by Stacey with the aim of presenting the issues to her colleagues to ultimately put a stop to the use of disability epithet within the communication culture in the organization. Analysis of the Issues The case facts revealed that although the disability epithets were not particular directed to Stacey or were reportedly said in â€Å"a joking manner, the statements are direct and derogatory, references to people with disabilities† (Mills, 2010, p. 257) and therefore potentially cause grounds that could violate the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). According to the Affirm Able Action Associates (2012), the â€Å"ADA makes it illegal to discriminate against anyone who has a mental or physical disability in the area of employment, public services, transportation, public accomodations and telecommunications. Not complying with the ADA may result in time-consuming complaints and possible penalties issued by the government† (par. 1). If the Hermit Life and Auto’s personnel would not be made aware of their unconcious and irresponsible language and use of disability epithet, these people could unknowingly extend the same language to various stakeholders and jeopardize the professional image that the organization is expected to manifest. Likewise, as revealed in â€Å"Things Employers Wish They Never Had Said†, there are disability discrimination never-says language and instances that were enumerated to endanger the employer and could potentially invite legal suits: â€Å" disability-related jokes; making fun of various disabilities; disability-related slurs; frequently calling attention to someone's limitations; and "Now he'll probably go and file a workers' comp claim!"† (Texas Workforce Commission, 2011, par. 8). As evident, Hermit Life and

Minimum Wage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minimum Wage - Essay Example Minimum wage increases as only a short-term benefit to the poor. Prices will quickly adjust for this increase as companies raise prices to make up for the increased wages they must pay. They need to keep profits the same or raise them...so a rise in employee wages will equate to a rise in prices. Supporters of living wage laws say that the current minimum wage simply does not keep up with the cost of living. Allowing employers to pay less than a living wage is just cost-shifting to the public at large, forcing the government and private charities to fill in the gap between low pay and survival. Many economists supports that the minimum wage is a matter of social justice which helps reduce exploitation and ensures that workers can afford basic necessities of living. Supporters deny claims of causal links between the minimum wage and adverse impacts upon employment, and suggest that in any event, greater social benefit derives from the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wages of employees increases the economic efficiency of the economy where labor markets exhibit a high degree of market power on the part of employers. As Kash explains, (Montag 51) "The minimum wage goes up in one place, but doesn't change right next door.

Operations management-report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Operations management-report - Essay Example Additionally, key focus is on managing people in an effective manner where skill sets are analysed and accordingly responsibilities are offered in a systematic and planned manner. It was also found that Just in Time concept has helped the organisation in eliminating chances of huge wastage along with responding to the changes in the business and social environment. Overall, it was concluded that Total Quality Management (TQM is also practiced by the organisation helping in maintaining high quality standards. All these initiatives have helped the company to strengthen its operational framework along with being successful. Slack, et al (2010) stated that operations management is concerned with designing, controlling, and overseeing production processes along with redesigning business processes for better production of goods and services. Hill and Hill (2011) added that operations management ensures that business operations are efficient enough to use little but impactful and robust resources exceeding customers’ expectations in a meaningful manner. Simon (2010) added that operations management is concerned with the conversion of inputs in the form of raw material and energy into the output offering value and benefits to a number of customers. Slack, et al (2010) further added that operations management has a close relationship with business operations and the success of the later can only define the success of the former. In this regard, it is important to analyse the business operations and processes in a critical manner. Heizer and Render (2010) added that the senior management needs to develop business strategies and line officers need to take tactical decisions in order to make business operations successful. Simon (2010) stated that the success of operations management is dependent on formulating robust business objectives along with aligning

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING - Essay Example â€Å"The terms depreciation and amortization have various meanings in finance and investing. For example, depreciation can refer to the devaluation of a currency, and amortization can be used to describe the payment structure in a common type of loan† (What is the difference between Depreciation and Amortization? 2003). Depreciation is charged to tangible assets, whereas amortization is charged to intangible assets. Fixed or tangible assets are those assets of the organization, which last more than one year, for example: furniture, buildings and machinery. Intangible assets are invisible assets that incur cost to the company, in terms of brand recognition, intellectual property and goodwill. Both amortization and depreciation are non cash cost of the industry and they cause reduction in the earning, whereas, on the other hand, they lead to an increase in the cash flow. The reason for recording depreciation as a cost is to increase the early purchase cost of the fixed asset mo re than its useful life. Whenever an industry makes its financial statements, it records a cost of depreciation to assign the loss in price of equipment, machines and other fixed assets it has purchased. On the other hand, unlike other costs, depreciation is a non-cash charge. This means that no money is actually paid at the period in which the expenditure is incurred. The function of depreciation is to match the price of a creative asset to the incomes earned from using the asset. Since it is difficult to observe a direct relation to revenues, the asset’s price is usually assigned to the years in which the property is used. â€Å"Depreciation systematically allocates or moves the asset’s cost from the balance sheet to expense on the income statement over the asset’s useful life. In other words, depreciation is an allocation process in order to achieve the matching principle; it is not a technique for determining the fair market value of the asset† (What is the Purpose of Depreciation, 2004). The International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) states that it is appropriate for plant and machinery to be depreciated and intangible assets to be amortized by employing a revenue-based amortization or depreciation method. A revenue based amortization or depreciation process is one that is derived from the transaction between price and units, and this considers the possible future fluctuations in price as the basis of depreciation distribute the quantity of an asset that is to be amortized or depreciated. Tax benefits are also likely to arise along with depreciation. While depreciation stands for non-cash payments in the income statement, it does decrease the industry’s net income. Lesser net income will result in a lesser tax liability. To expand this benefit, industries frequently utilize an accelerated depreciation process. According to the International Accounting Standards Committee, depreciation is the part of the depreciable p rice of an asset more than its expected useful life. â€Å"Depreciation for the accounting period is charged to income either directly or indirectly. Thus, it is clear from the above definition that depreciation is a loss arising on account of circumstances, some of which are known whereas others are not† (Need Help with Accounting Assignment? 2002). The Internal Revenue Service provides organizations with an

Operations management-report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Operations management-report - Essay Example Additionally, key focus is on managing people in an effective manner where skill sets are analysed and accordingly responsibilities are offered in a systematic and planned manner. It was also found that Just in Time concept has helped the organisation in eliminating chances of huge wastage along with responding to the changes in the business and social environment. Overall, it was concluded that Total Quality Management (TQM is also practiced by the organisation helping in maintaining high quality standards. All these initiatives have helped the company to strengthen its operational framework along with being successful. Slack, et al (2010) stated that operations management is concerned with designing, controlling, and overseeing production processes along with redesigning business processes for better production of goods and services. Hill and Hill (2011) added that operations management ensures that business operations are efficient enough to use little but impactful and robust resources exceeding customers’ expectations in a meaningful manner. Simon (2010) added that operations management is concerned with the conversion of inputs in the form of raw material and energy into the output offering value and benefits to a number of customers. Slack, et al (2010) further added that operations management has a close relationship with business operations and the success of the later can only define the success of the former. In this regard, it is important to analyse the business operations and processes in a critical manner. Heizer and Render (2010) added that the senior management needs to develop business strategies and line officers need to take tactical decisions in order to make business operations successful. Simon (2010) stated that the success of operations management is dependent on formulating robust business objectives along with aligning

Human bioscience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human bioscience - Essay Example pH has a direct effect on the structure of proteins in the human body as pH aberrations lead to either excess protonation or deprotonation of the proteins. This has a direct effect on the protein structures making them less functional. Proteins form the major component of bodily structures, enzymes and chemical components, and their chemical sensitivity to pH leads to an increased demand for regulator mechanisms so that pH can be maintained within the required ranges. pH maintainence is important mainly in the blood or the extracellular compartment, however, several cells of the body and even the brain require a proper maintainence of intracellular pH levels. Intracellular compartments are mainly more acidic than the extracellular compartments because of the negative charges on the inside of the cells. Cells also contain hydrogen pumps such as H-ATPase and Na/H exchanger pumps which are crucial in maintaining the pH inside the cells and keep in metabollicaly active (Seifter, et al., 2005 pg.392). pH of the blood is susceptible to changes in response to several physiological as well as pathological processes and body mechanisms work in conjunction regulate the ranges. pH ranges are subjected to alterations after increased acid or basic food intake, excessive exercise or in conditions such as alcoholism, salicylate poisoning, diabetes or hyperventilation. These are only some of the examples which alter the pH levels and require prompt compensations. Body responds by its chemical buffering system, respiratory mechanisms and renal compensations mainly to keep the pH withing the normal ranges. The acid base homeostasis of the body is maintained by body buffers, chemosensors present in the brain as well as the circulation, the kidneys and the lungs. These components form the basic acid-base apparatus of the human body. The buffers present in the body include bicarbonate, proteins, phosphate and other

Political Parties Essay Example for Free

Political Parties Essay Political parties are an essential component within a democratic society. By competing in elections and encouraging citizens with certain different views of society, parties also offer citizens a wide variety of choices in governmental representation, opportunities for political contribution, and chances to form their country’s future. Although political parties play such an influential role on a country, often the concerns of the people fall on deaf ears, breaking down the trust that the public had within the parties. When public assurance in political parties is diminished, the whole democratic system falls victim to it. In all democratic systems, the party system must be deeply and strongly rooted in the make up of society. Political parties are the main framework of any democratic society. They are the means by which the public come together freely to drive for the presidency, express their ideas, and define their ambitions for their civilization. There may be political parties without democracy being apparent, but there can be no democracy without political parties. Parties in many countries, including our own South African parties, may be faulty, but they are also crucial in democratic authority. When political parties function effectively, they succeed in developing a few common ideas between a large group of people, and in doing this, they place pressure on the ruling party. Thus, they help put citizens’ small concerns into a national context. Citizens may be separated over leaders, or policies but political parties can organize these differences by compromising certain things and helping societies to unite. In addition, political parties train and nominate political leaders who will accept a role in ruling society. Through their efforts to control and influence public policy, political parties play an in-between role, connecting the organisations of government to economic, ethnic, cultural, religious and other general groups. They can convey support behind law, improving the public wellbeing, and develop citizens’ interests. Their participation in elections allows citizens to hold them responsible for their policies and actions. In multi-party systems, and based on the countries they represent, political parties often express contradictory views on public plans. These just differences of ideas are not only an important part of the democratic course, but the exchanges they generate can also help to create a better understanding of the issues and possible solutions, possibly leading to new insights. Further, when parties in competition present themselves as an alternative, all parties always try to obtain the best plan in public interest, therefore the winner in the end is society.

Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay

Governments On Preventing Air Pollution In Colombo Environmental Sciences Essay Air pollution is the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke, or vapour in quantities and of characteristics and duration such as to be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or to property, or to interfere unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property. 1. Air is the very basic need of every living organism. Air is essential to life on earth. All organisms require moderately pure air, and they cannot survive without it. Air is considered safe when it contains no harmful dust and gases. Air pollution effects global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and various respiratory illnesses. 2. The air pollution has worsened in most large cities in the developing world. In Sri Lanka, Colombo city is facing this problem due to the highly increased vehicle emission and few other environmental issues. The high density of population and industrialization is the other most important environmental issues that have drawn the attention of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Most countries in the world are trying to give a solution to air pollution in their countries by revising their policies, rules and regulations. However Sri Lanka is still not taken firm action to revise the environmental policies, rules and regulations to prevent air Pollution. 3. Colombo is the main commercial and business hub of Sri Lanka and as a result, many people are arrived into the city daily. The central district, which comprises of Fort and Pettah, provides more than 100,000 jobs and is estimated to have a daytime population of more than 650,000. The greater Colombo area contains more than 4 million people or 26% of the countrys population, but covers only 5.6% of the entire land area. Outside the city, Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport and the Free Trade Zone further increase traffic congestion in Colombo. As the most important commercial and administrative center, Colombo attracts the maximum number of vehicles and individuals. Therefore it is highly vulnerable to health hazards due to vehicle emissions. 4. Clean, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen by volume and 20.94% oxygen. The remaining 0.97% is composed of a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide, helium, argon, krypton, nitrous oxide and xenon, as well as very small amounts of some other organic and inorganic gases whose amount in the atmosphere vary with time and place. Various amounts of contaminants continuously enter the atmosphere through both natural and man-made processes that exist upon the earth. Man as a pollutant has labelled that portion of these substances which interacts with the environment to cause toxicity, disease, aesthetic distress, physiological effects or environmental decay. 5. The human activities are the primary cause of pollution and as the population increases, the attendant pollution problems also raise proportionately. The first significant change in humans effect of nature came with his discovery of fire. Prehistoric human built a fire in his cave for cooking, heating and to supply light. The problem of air pollution came into existence at this time. OBJECTIVES 5. General Objective. To analyze the responsibility of the Government and its authorities towards the reducing of air pollution in Colombo City and give recommendations to prevent Air pollution in Colombo City. 6. Specific Objectives. The specific objectives of the research are as follows. a. To examine the various Air pollutants. b. To examine the impact of the air pollution. c. To examine the actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent Air Pollution in Colombo City. d. To analyze and suggest the recommendations for implementations based on the findings of the study. CHAPTER 02 METHODOLOGY STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 1. The air pollution in main cities in developing countries is one of the leading critical environment problems. The health impact of the air pollution looks likely to be greater in the capital of Sri Lanka. Therefore the responsibility of the government and its authorities is to protect air and minimize the air pollution in the country. 2. However, the actions taken on air protection in Colombo are inadequate and not suit the present day context. Therefore, this paper will identify the effects of air pollution in Colombo and analyze the impact of air pollution in Colombo City. Further this paper will analyse the effectiveness of existing legal remedies in preventing air pollution. HYPOTHESIS 3. Actions taken by the Government and its authorities to prevent air pollution in Colombo City are inadequate. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 4. This study will explore the air pollution in Colombo city and the responsibility of the Government and its authorities and how air pollution can undermine the goals of development. 5. Furthermore, policies that are necessary on economic basis can deliver significant environmental benefits. However, these policies are not enough to ensure urban air protection. Therefore the strong public organizations and policies for urban air protection are very essential. The policies adapted by the Sri Lankan government over the past two decades to rely more on development. However, natural air protection is an area which government must uphold a central role. 6. Examine the effects of air pollution in Colombo and validity and practicability of the existing environmental policies and regulations in Sri Lanka. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION 7. The primary study shows that the Colombo city would be the area where the air pollution can be seen predominantly. The both primary and secondary data will collect regarding the subject of air pollution in Colombo City from the available resources like publications, books and internet web sites. 8. The main decisive factor is to look at this problem in government and citizens perspectives. Thus, the views of government authorities and citizens will seek to get their expectations of the desired strategies and policies. Scholars on the subject and professionals on this subject will be interviewed through discussions. A predetermined questionnaire will be distributed among the selected citizens in Colombo city to absorb their views. LIMITATIONS 9. This research study was done within three months of period and with limited time. Hence it was difficult to cover all the pollution proven areas in Colombo area. Therefore the calculation might be showed slight difference if compare with another research. It also faced the difficulty of getting genuine answers from the community. CHAPTER 03 AIR POLLUTION ATMOSPHERE 1. The atmosphere surrounds the earth. It is composed of gas molecules held close to the earths surface by gravitation. It consists of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (20%), Carbon dioxide (0.03%) and small amounts of inert gases such as argon, neon, and krypton. It also consist changing amounts of water. Dust participles called as particulates are also consist with varying amounts. 2. The earths current atmosphere consists of several layers as Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. The average composition of the atmosphere varies little from place to place, except for its moisture contents. The variation of moisture condition is a very important natural condition affecting plant growth. Air temperature is another important environmental condition that profoundly affects both plant and animal life. Air is in constant motion and its movement is creates wind. 3. Some of the atmospheric gases have the capacity to absorb heat. These are called Green House Gasses. Carbon Dioxide, Water vapour and Ozone are three of the naturally make green house gasses in the atmosphere. Green house gasses are liable for maintaining the level of temperature of the earth. If the quantity of these gasses increases in the atmosphere then additional heat will be trapped and the earths atmosphere will get warmer. These gasses have been increasing in the atmosphere in recent years in the earth. 4. In the normal condition the atmosphere contains a layer of ozone in the atmosphere. This layer traps a part of Ultra violet rays and X-Rays, reducing the amount of these deleterious rays reach to the earth. However, the introduction of Chlorofluoro carbon (CFC) in to the atmosphere has been shown to damage the ozone layer. CFC is chemical that have been used for many years in aerosol, air conditioning and in refrigeration. AIR POLLUTION 5. Air Pollution is the presence in the atmosphere of one or more foreign materials such as dust, fumes, gases, mist or smoke in quantities and in durations which are harmful to human, plant or animal life or to properties. A gas like CO2 which is a normal element of the atmosphere can in certain conditions, become a pollutant, when its concentrations increase to levels that threaten the well-being of living things or disrupt physical or biological processes. 6. Air pollution is as old as civilization itself. The first air pollution incident took place, when early humans made fire in poorly ventilated or set fire to a dry forest. But it was the growth of industries after the industrial revolution that became the largest engine of air pollution first in Britain, Europe, North America and then spread to the other places of the World. 7. Damage to the clean air has three possible costs to present and future human welfare. The Health of Human may be harmed. Also the economic productivity may be reduced. In addition, the pleasure or satisfaction obtained from an unspoiled natural air may be lost. Since spoiled urban air problem vary across countries and with the stage of industrialization, each country required to assess its own priorities carefully. Emissions from transport industry and population growth impose serious costs for health condition and productivity in Sri Lanka. AIR POLLUTANTS TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 8. Basically air pollution can be classified as primary and secondary types. Primary pollutants get into atmosphere directly by various processes. Major part of this is added to the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels in transport vehicles and by industries. Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur oxide and Hydrocarbons are some examples for primary air pollutants. Secondary air pollutants are those formed in the air through various chemical reactions. Some of the primary pollutants undergo chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere and produce secondary pollutants. For an example Sulphur oxides will react with atmospheric water vapour and produce acids. This way acid rain is produced and it leads to disruption of various eco-systems. Another example is the smog produced by the action of sunlight on automobile exhaust emitted in to the atmosphere. 9. Air pollutants can be either in the form of gases or in the form of particles. Some of the common pollutants are Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, methane and ozone. Particulate pollutants include dust, fume, mist, smoke and sprays. 10. Dust particles get in to the air when materials are being handled or processed. Dust from cement, coal, and bricks and saw dust from wood working are few examples of such particulate pollutants. Fumes and mist are not many solid particles, formed in the atmosphere due to condensation of vapours by sublimation or chemical reaction processes. Smoke particle are formed as a result of incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. Liquid particles referred to as spray are formed by the atomization of a parent liquid. SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTANTS 11. Some pollutants are formed and emitted by natural processes. Pollen grains from flowers, smoke particles from forest fires, volcanic eruptions and wind blown dust are examples of particulates of natural origin. There are also naturally occurring gasses such as nitrogen oxide and methane. 12. Man made sources of pollutants can be considered under stationary combustion processes transportation, industrial and the agricultural processes. 13. When fuel such as oil or coal used in power plants, gasses and particulate pollutants are emitted in to air. These pollutants consist of a mixture of particles such as fly ash and smoke and gasses such as the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are also produced in combustion process. 14. In transportation, particularly from vehicles, the pollutants are emitted in to the air. These pollutants comprise particulates such as smoke, lead and gasses like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons. These pollutants are high in concentration around traffic light junctions in the cities such as Colombo. 15. In industrial processes, depending on the type of energy used, a wide range of pollutants are emitted. If the industry burns oil as its energy source, smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides will be emitted to the air. 16. In Sri Lanka a large percentage of the energy consumed comes from fuel wood. Burning of fuel wood, used for industrial purposes or domestic use, also produces pollutants. Some agricultural activities such as crop dusting add particulate pollutants to the atmosphere. Further, the burning of forests for chena cultivation can be grouped in to this category. 17. Vehicle Emission: Increased vehicle emission in Sri Lanka mainly Colombo is the most significant environmental issue that has drawn the concentration of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Various studies undertaken by regulatory agencies and researchers clearly indicate that inefficient combustion of petroleum in motor vehicles is the primary cause of growing air pollution in Colombo city. Lack of information on economic and environmental costs of vehicle emission and its improvement and prevention have inhibited public response and enforcement, and impeded the implementation of existing laws, and the development of further regulations. The worst prevalent air pollutants emitted from vehicles comprise particulate matter (PM), lead (Pb), non-methane volatile organic components (NMVOC), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Of these, particulate matter and lead are the most detrimental components of vehicle exhaus t that affect the environment and human beings. 18. Apart from pollutants emitted by petrol-driven vehicles, the amount of exhaust from diesel-driven vehicles is large and therefore a matter of major public concern due to its undesirable environmental effects. However diesel-engine exhaust contains less toxic gases, it has a much higher particulate matter consideration than petrol-engine exhaust. In Sri Lanka, the observed levels of TSP, SO2, O3, and lead are significantly higher than air quality standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in Sri Lanka. This clearly reveals the special nature of the vehicle emission problem in the country which is directly linked with a wide range of factors such as composition and increase in number of vehicles, price structure of fuel, lack of traffic management, use of low-quality fuel, and lack of alternative fuels. 20. Combustion Engine Exhaust: Cars, busses, trucks, jet airplanes and other combustion engine vehicles cause air pollution. The exhaust from these contains carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and gaseous oxide. This type of air pollution creates smog which causes respiratory health problems and holes in the ozone layer, which increases the exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. 25. Mills and plants: Mills and plants, such as paper mills, power plants, chemical plants, iron mills, steel mills, cement plants and asphalt plants, release emissions into the atmosphere causing air pollution 21. Factories: Factories, homes and power stations burn fossil fuels, which cause air pollution. The burning of oil and coal also contributes to smog. This air pollution destroys plants, damages buildings and creates oxidation on iron. 22. Petroleum: Petroleum refineries such as Sapugaskanda release hydrocarbons and various particulates that pollute the atmosphere. 23. Pesticides: Pesticides used to destroy indoor and outdoor pests, insecticides used to destroy insects and herbicides use to kill weeds all cause air pollution. 26. Indoor Air Pollution: This happens when there is insufficient ventilation to disburse the toxic fumes from new carpet, paint and/or cleaning chemicals that are used indoors. CHAPTER 04 IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION 1. Several studies conducted in Sri Lankan cities show that air pollution leads to reduced health and quality of life, damage to property, and economic losses. PM10-related health damage in the City of Colombo is about Rs. 26.0 billion per annum; and in the case of PM2.5 it is about Rs. 774 million per annum. This is according to a study by Chandrasiri,S. et. al. (2004) which quantified the health effects of PM2.5 from auto-diesel emissions. Based on the above estimates, the researchers calculated the cost per ton of auto diesel emissions in Colombo. These estimates of the health damage values for PM10 in Colombo come quite close to previous estimates in these studies: 2. Another study on the Exposure to Aerosol Pollution and Reported Respiratory Symptoms Among City Dwellers by Perera, G.B.S., Emmanuel, R., Premasiri, H.D.S., (2006) shows that urban dwellers report higher prevalence of respiratory illnesses since they spend more on the roadsides, have higher exposure and also have all the common respiratory symptoms. Comparison of most common causes of mortality and morbidity data shows that although non-air pollution-related causes remain the primary cause for mortality, air pollution is a significant contributor to morbidity. 3. The average property damage due to urban air pollution in Colombo is estimated at Rs. 12677 (US$ 126) per household per year. The average willingness to pay to avoid property damage from urban air pollution is at Rs. 520 (US$ 5.20) per household per year. If an Air Quality Improvement Fund were to be established, the public would be willing to pay Rs.15460 (US$ 154) per household per year. THE HEALTH IMPACT OF THE AIR POLLUTION 4. Air pollution is increasingly recognized as a threat to the health of people in mainly developing countries. The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die every year from causes directly attributable to air pollution. A study by the University of Birmingham has found a strong co-relation between pneumonia related deaths and air pollution from motor vehicles. More Worldwide deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to road traffic accidents. The causes of air pollution related deaths include aggravated asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, lung diseases and respiratory problems. 5. The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty in breathing, coughing, wheezing, and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. 6. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospitalizing and premature deaths. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the bodys respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individuals health status and genetics. . RESPIRATORY HEALTH 7. The effects of air pollution on health of residents in an industrial areas in Colombo city using a cross-sectional design and reported that the adult population living in the industrial area was more likely to have unexplained episodic cough and a significant reduction in expiratory flow as compared to the adult population living in a non-industrial area. The younger population (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 12 years) living in the industrial area were times more likely to have rhinitis as compared to the younger population living in the non-industrial area. 8. School children are another group exposed to high levels of pollutants exaggerated by overcrowding of major schools in cities, especially in Colombo. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among school children attending a school in Colombo situated close to a busy main road was significantly higher than that of children attending a school situated in a rural area. 9. Based on data of the Colombo Fort monitoring station, episodes of bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases had a strong association with PM10 levels. Nearly 20% of asthma patients who visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo in 2005 could be attributed to exposure to PM10 in Colombo based on the health impact assessment software developed by WHO. Although the location of the Colombo Fort monitoring station may not represent the entire area of study population, this study provides evidence for implementation of early mitigation strategies. 10. Air pollutants were measured using passive samplers in Mount Lavinia, a metropolitan area bordering Colombo, to measure the 24-hour average levels among city dwellers engaged in different occupation. Bus drivers were exposed to more NO2 and SO2 as compared to three-wheeler drivers, shop keepers and outdoor vendors. The highest prevalence of respiratory symptoms was reported among bus drivers. BLOOD LEAD LEVELS 11. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline, atmospheric lead levels reduced by 81.5%, 82% and 84% in three locations in Colombo measured blood lead levels of a sample of children living near a traffic congested junction in Colombo in 1998 and then one year after the introduction of unleaded gasoline. In 1998, 6% of children had blood lead levels above 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dL; in 2003, not a single child had a blood lead level >10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl (range 1.67 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl to 9.7 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl). 12. The mean blood lead levels in traffic and non-traffic policemen were 7.47 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl and 7.06 ÃŽÂ ¼g/dl, respectively. Abdominal discomfort, tremor and hypertension were higher in traffic policemen as compared to non-traffic policemen, although the differences were not significant. There may be exposure misclassification as non-traffic policemen are duty bound to control traffic during busy hours. ASTHMA 13. Low air quality, from traffic pollution or high ozone levels, has been repeatedly associated with increased asthma morbidity. Recent studies show a relationship between exposure to air pollutants (e.g. from traffic) and childhood asthma. This research finds that both the occurrence of the disease and exacerbation of childhood asthma are affected by outdoor air pollutants. LUNG CANCER 14. Studies of the American Cancer Society cohort directly link the exposure to particulate matter with lung cancer. For example, if the concentration of particles in the air increases by only 1%, the risk of developing a lung cancer increases by 14%. Further, it has been established that particle size matters, as ultrafine particles penetrate further into the lungs. 15. The majority of the population (more than 50%) was between the ages of 41-50 years and male; the majority of the cases were directly exposed to tobacco smoke (48%). There was an association between smoking and lung cancer but not with biomass fuels use. THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS AUTHORITIES TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION IN COLOMBO CITY 16. Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers: One of the main accomplishments in improving air quality in Sri Lanka is Banning of importation of two-stroke engine three- wheelers since 2006. The Government banned the importation of two-stroke petrol three-wheelers from 1 January 2008 and prohibited the import of full engine, engine blocks and cylinder heads after 2011 in order to avoid the local assembly of two-stroke engines. 17. Implementation of vehicle emission testing program: Sri Lanka is in the process of implementing the Vehicle Emission Testing program. The Program was launched on 15 July 2008. Several agencies play an important part in its implementation. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources developed the emission standards; the Department of Motor Traffic is the nominated implementing agency of the program. This program is designed as a public-private partnership and is a centralized System with two large private sector companies contracted to conduct the vehicle emission tests. Two private sector companies have been selected to set up testing centers in all the main cities of Sri Lanka. The testing centers in the main cities are already in place. 18. Under the Program, vehicle owners must secure an emission certificate because it is a necessity to obtain the annual revenue license in Sri Lanka. After the vehicle is tested, the owner of the vehicle gets an emission certificate which states the emission levels of the vehicle. If the vehicle meets the standards, the owner of the vehicle gets a pass certificate; if he fails, he has to repair the vehicle and go back to the testing center for a re-test. 19. Amendment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Considering the latest revised WHO guideline values, Sri Lankan authorities reviewed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and incorporated PM10 and PM2.5. Sri Lanka set the interim targets 2 as given in the Global update of WHO Air Quality Guideline in 2005. 20. Preparation of National Action Plan for Air Quality Management (Clean Air 2015): Clean Air Sri Lanka and the Air Resource Management Center of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Development have prepared the Clean Air 2015 action plan to manage the air pollution in Sri Lanka. The main areas under the action plan have been identified as priorities, action plans prepared and work started for each: Monitoring Emissions of Power Plants and High Polluting Industries, Monitoring and Reducing Vehicle Emissions, Provisions of Cleaner Fuels for Motor Vehicles, Prepare and Maintain Emissions Inventory, Monitoring Ambient Air Quality, Enhance Public Awareness and carry out health impact assessments and Providing an Indoor Air Pollution Management Programme. 21. Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area (2008-2010): The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered the preparation and implementation of the Strategic Plan for Traffic Management in Greater Colombo Area. Therefore, the National Transport Commission of the Ministry of Transport has conducted wider discussion with stakeholders and prepared an action plan. This action plan includes several interventions such as the formulation of an urban transport policy, set up of an urban traffic coordinating mechanism, operation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), operation of at least two new multimodal terminals and introduction of the advance traffic control system etc., for completion by 2010. CHAPTER 05 ANALYSIS ACTS, RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. In the past in Sri Lanka there were a number of statues with scattered provisions pertaining to Environmental protection and Pollution control. Following are the Acts and regulations published in Sri Lanka in order to prevent air pollution. ACTS National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 56 of 1988 National Environmental (Amendment) Act, No. 53 of 2000 REGULATIONS PUBLISHED UNDER THE NEA Motor Traffic (emission control) Regulation Number 817/6 dated 3rd May 1994. Ozone Depleting substances and Natural Environmental (Ambient Air Quality) Regulations 1994. Gazette Notification Number 850/4 dated 20th December 1994. Amendment to National Environment (ambient air quality) Regulation 1994. Gazette Notification Number 1562/22 dated 15th August 2008. Amendment to Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003.Gazette Notification Number 1557/14 dated 19th July 2008. Amended Regulations (Air Emission, Fuel and Vehicle Importation standards) Gazette Notification Number 1137/35 dated 23rd June 2000. National Environmental (Air Emissions, Fuel HYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdfHYPERLINK http://www.cea.lk/pdf/reg1295-11.pdf Vehicle Importation standards) Amended Regulations. Gazette Notification Number 1295/11 dated 30th June 2003. 2. When compare with many other South Asian countries, Sri Lanka has the best environmental protection regulations. However the enforcement is very unsatisfactory. Sri Lanka has a good National Environmental Act and Environmental Impact Assessment process. However its implementation is rather weak. 3. As an example we can take the vehicle emission test of Sri Lanka. As per the questionnaire distributed among the vehicle drivers in Colombo city it is found that the emission test certificate can be obtain without required standard of the vehicle. The drivers confirmed that they have experience for such incidents. 4. Further, during the research it was found that the only one monitoring site in Colombo is not in a position to check the every pollutant due to the system failure since April 2010. CEA hasnt taken any action to reactivate the system up to now. This shows the least priority given by the government towards the air pollution WEAKNESSES OF ACTIONS TAKEN FOR AIR PROTECTION IN COLOMBO BY THE GOVERNMENT 5. . The National environmental act of Sri Lanka approved in 1980 and it was again amended in 1988 and 2000. For the last 30 years amendments were not in a considerable frame and there are many lapses in the amendments. This shows the least priority given by the ruled governments at that time towards the air pollution. The citizens who were participated in this research also clearly indicated this in the questionnaires. 2. When considering the countries, which achieved less air pollution percentage, there were the separate air pollution act and activating it in a proper manner. A separate authority was established to facilitate in administrational functions. Sri Lanka is still relying on the common environmental act. Due to the prevailing situation in Sri Lanka, it is very essential to have a separate act with special laws to reduce the air pollution in the country as well as the Colombo city. 3. The hierarchy of the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka are appointed by HE the president in consultation with the environmental minister of the ruling government. Therefore, a question emerged regarding the impartiality of the members of Central Environmental Authority. All the decisions made by the government may be approved by the CEA in this nature. 4. Authority of issuing licence and approving projects had been granted to the minister of environment by the amendment to the NEA in year 2000. As a result of this amendment the minister has sole authority to activate any harmful project to the environment if the government required it. Further this amendment has increased the validity time of the licence for the projects from one year to three years. The suspension and cancellation the licence, given to the minister from this amendment. If the minister insist it, the owner can continue his project without any interference. 5. The prior way of urban air pollution is the use of motor vehicles.