Does education always provide a means to better life? Essay

Education is believed to be a good bet for success. It is for this reason that governments invest huge amounts of resources with the aim of ensuring that its people acquire education. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) were a set of goals accepted by nations for the purpose of ensuring better lives for the people of the world. The second goal of the MDGs deals with the achievement of the universal primary education. It is no doubt that the importance of education cannot be underestimated. However, education that is learnt in class is based on books, facts and theories. This knowledge is does not exist in the hands of the bearer; thus, to succeed and have a better life depends on how one utilizes the knowledge as it will be discussed in this paper. A classroom is composed of people from different backgrounds. It is expected that the brains of the students are not homogenous. Some people have high IQ levels while as others have lower levels. It thus implies that there are people whose academic performances are better than others. Once it comes to the job market, the criteria of hiring and recruiting employees is based on the skills that individuals possess. There are high possibilities that those people who passed the exams with good degrees still struggle to have better lives while others who failed succeed very well as it is evident in everyday life. The truth is that success in life is based on the skills other than what people learn in schools. Life has proven to take a different dimension in how people succeed. There are people who drop out of school but they end up being millionaires while others study consistently and still continue to struggle for better lives. Not everything that is learnt in school is relevant in life. What is learnt in schools is the methods that one can apply in life based on skills and talents to lead a successful life. These skills are usually learnt out of class while others are inherited through heredity. It is one’s responsibility to realize these skills and talents so that he or she may apply them in daily life to succeed. This calls for someone to think out of the box. One who is able to think out the box has the chances to strategize things that need planning for the purpose of better life. It is for this reason that some people with professional degrees struggle to earn a better life since they over rely on what they learnt other than thinking out the box. A big gap exists between the educated people those who did not get an opportunity to go to school. Those people who did not get an opportunity to study find themselves struggling to survive. The uneducated people in the society know that they do not have a choice other than to work hard if they rely have to succeed. On the contrary, the educated people fail to work hard since they believe that they stand a better chance in life as there are many job opportunities available to them. The educated forget that there are few job opportunities available since many people are today educated thus making the job market competitive. In conclusion, education can be termed as tool that can lead one’s path to success but it is not a ticket for a better future. Education on the other hand will ensure that someone is well respected in the society. This respect can only be rewarded by the few job opportunities available in one’s locality. Securing such jobs does not mean that one will have a better life. As such, one is required to think out of the box and realize how he or she can apply the knowledge acquired in order to have a better future.

The Role of Language and Communication in National Transfromation

The relationship between language and communication in the business of information encoding and dissemination cannot be over looked. Despite the fact that the two concepts are different in meaning, the roles they play are complementary in many ways.Language is a process by which information can be carried out from one party to another, while communication refers to the chain of activities that make it possible for information, ideas, emotions and experiences to be conveyed from one party to the other. The process of communication starts with the source that first puts the message information in a code or language before it is sent to the receiver. The major focus of this work is to examine how language and communication agree in achieving effective information delivery for National Transformation. A documentary approach was applied.It was found out that the issue of language and communication is at the core of national transformation in Nigeria. Some variables that are relevant to th is work are examined. These findings led to the conclusion that for Nigeria to move forward in its transformational strides in the 21st century, language and communication must be strengthened at all cost. 1. 0: INTRODUCTION Language plays a very vital role in human society. The language of any human society tells a lot about that society. Therefore, it can be further emphasized that language and communication are inseparable.In any human society, language and communication occupy a very important seat, more than it appears to all. The functions of language and communication in any human community include the following; expression of thoughts, political, administration, education, social, religious, legislation and so on. It is imperative to note that of all the channels of communication, language is the most important. This is because all other means of communication like gestures and signs are only needful in the face-to-face circumstance.Language plays a vital role in this and st ill remains the most effective means of communication. Through language and communication, we can see the heart of a people. This implies that language makes it possible to express feelings, emotions, views, ideas, opinions, perceptions, as well as judgment about people, objects, places, things, information and situations, Obuh and Omenogor (2012). 2. 0: WHAT IS LANGUAGE? Language is a viable implement used by man for the purpose of communication. It is human-specific and this differentiates man from other creatures.Language has contributed enormously to the great transformation of our society politically, religiously, socially and economically. For the sake of this paper, we need a definition of language. There is a plethora of definitions of the concept of language. Sapir (1963) asserts that: â€Å"language is the key to the heart of a people† this means that language is a purely human and non-instinctive type of communication. Moreso, Moulton (1974), sees language as: â₠¬Å"a wonderful and rich vehicle of communication, which is: expression of ideas, wishes, commands, conveyance of truths and lies. He also said that only human beings have the attribute of sending and receiving an unlimited number of messages. This implies that language is a feature common to human beings. Haugen (1974) explains language as: â€Å"a man’s most distinctive and significant type of social behaviour†¦ learned anew by every child. † Language and communication are inseparably linked in the heart of a people. According to Allen and Corder (1973:27), â€Å"language is purely a human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols†.Hall (1980:16) defines language as: â€Å"the institutions where by humans communicate and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral auditory symbols†. Bolinger (1975:14), views language as: â€Å"a system of vocal-auditory communicati on interacting with the experiences of its users, employing conventional signs composed of arbitrarily patterned sound units and assembled according to set rules†. In another development, Essien (1998:2) sees language as: A system of structured arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which human beings make meaning nd communicate with each other in a given community†¦. These definitions recognize the communicative role of language which is specifically used by human beings for the purpose of interaction. By implication, language is in essence a perfect means of expression among every known people. It is important to note that language determines the world-view of a people. It is the connection between language and communication in information delivery for national transformation that is the fulcrum of this discourse.In as much as human beings use language, communication remains its primary target. 2. 1: FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE These can be seen as some speci al qualities and role that are common to a typical human language. Human language is used in a number of functions and topmost among which is communication. In the same vein, language is known with the following properties: LANGUAGE IS A LIVING PHENOMENON: This is attributed to a language because language just like other creatures can be ‘born’, ‘grow’, and ‘die’. Creating a language is like giving birth to a language.A language grows when it undergoes a kind of structural and semantic expansion. A language dies when it is no longer used or spoken by any group of people in any part of the world as a means of communication. IT IS ARBITRARY: This implies that there is no logic or reasonable resemblance between words and expressions of a given language and their basic meanings or what they stand for. Example, â€Å"the spoon is in the cup on the table† does not logically look like what it means because of the arbitrariness of each of its co nstituents parts.In the same vein, human language is conventional. This is closely related to the arbitrariness of language, because a language is conventional in the sense that its meaningful usage is based on general opinion, consent, knowledge or acceptability of its various speakers Oluga (2006) EVERY LANGUAGE IS RULE GOVERNED: This means that the acceptable and correct use of a giving language is usually guided at the various linguistic levels by set of an operating rules and principles called ‘Grammar’.Every language has its own grammar which may not be the same with those of other languages and any deviation from such grammatical rules will render language use ungrammatical. IT IS SYMBOLIC: This means that language also involves the use of various symbols which invariably aids comprehension of the meaning of language. However, symbols may or may not be physical. It is not physical if what is meant is the mental image already pictured in the language users’ mind which comes to mind whenever the signifier is mentioned.LANGUAGE IS PURELY HUMAN: The school of thought who advocates these characteristics are those who believe in the incomparability of the human language. To them, language is one of the main distinctive features by which human beings can be identified, hence, it is only the human means of communication that is highly complex and developed and which can explain virtually everything that they identify as language. LANGUAGE IS COMPLEX BUT FLEXIBLE: Language complexity means that language is made up of various, but logical related, constituent parts that can be properly combined to express unlimited ideals.While language flexibility means that language is not an unreasonably rigid source of communication but one that can be modified in various ways to express various ideas. One can even say something and mean the opposite of what one says and yet the intended meaning of one’s message would be understood. LANGUAGE IS EITH ER ACCQUIRED OR LEARNT: Here, human beings are not born with language though the ability to speak language is inherent in them; hence, no child starts to speak a language as soon as he/she is born.A language is either informally acquired from childhood through an unconscious process or formally learnt through a conscious learning process or in a formal learning setting like the language class. However, acquisition of language is peculiar to mother tongue while, learning proper is peculiar to other languages other than the mother tongue. It is also expedient to note that an already acquired language usually influences or impedes learning and competency in the second language usage. From the above, it is obvious that language is an essential part of human beings which they use for communication purpose.Therefore, every nation that wishes to have a meaningful transformation, must take the issue of its language very seriously. Nigeria is a typical example of a country that has not been taken the issue of language very seriously and this is part of the reasons for our backwardness in National Transformation. 2. 2: LANGUAGE AND NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION Transformation has to do with a complete change, usually into something with an improved appearance or usefulness. Transformation implies that there is an improvement of the well-being of the people.Transformation can be seen from two major angles, that is: from human and physical. For human, transformation should be seen in raising the levels of their living standard in terms of good income. Physical transformation is an aspect of transformation that does not necessarily change the living standard of the people like building skyscrapers, modern expressways and so on. Many people are poor because they cannot assume their citizens basic necessities of life. National Transformation is the growth of the nation in terms of unity, education and so on.It involves a coordinated and concentrated transformation of all aspects o f the society, Elugbe (1990) as quoted by Okoye and Okafor (2011). For National Transformation and social changes to take a positive stand, the government should share most of her favourable policies to her target audience through the accessible mediums with acceptable language. The economic transformation of any nation also helps to define its transformational processes. As it is, the process of industrialization entails a background study of the nature of the environment and its suitability for the industry.This cannot be achieved without the use of language to transmit the ideas to the people concerned Unegbu (2011). The unity of a nation has to do with the need for the various ethnic groups in that nation to see themselves as one. It is certain that Nigeria as a nation is a geographical entity that is made up of several different groups ordinarily unrelated. I stand to said that there cannot be real national unity and transformation without a strong and genuine linguistic policy that is geared towards uniting the country 3. 0: WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?Communication is the process of sharing ideas, feelings, thoughts and messages with others. The heart of communication is the dissemination of effective messages to the audience and this may involve writing, speaking, gestures, disposition and facial expressions, among others. Communication has been given several definitions by various scholars. For instance, Little (1965:4) defines communication as: â€Å"a process by which information is passed among individuals and organizations by means of previously agreed symbols†. Lyons (1965:32) views it as â€Å"an intentional transmission of information by means of some established signaling system†.Book, et al (1980:8) sees communication as â€Å"†¦ a transactional symbolic process which allows people to relate and manage their environment by establishing human contact, exchanging information, re-enforcing the attitudes and behaviours of others and changing the attitudes and behaviours of others. By these definitions, communication therefore is a means of touching others through sharing of information in agreed system. 3. 1: FORMS OF COMMUNICATION Forms of communication have been derived for the sake of convenience to simplify the process of communication.Communication is very vital to keep the environment healthy and peaceful. Imagine a world where no one understands one another. Wouldn't it be chaotic? Think about it. Communication of information, messages, opinions, speech and thoughts can be done through different forms of modern communication media, like Internet, Telephone and Mobile. Some of the basic ways of communication are by speaking, singing, sign language, body language, touch and eye contact. These basic ways of communication are used to transfer information and for the sake of this paper it shall be narrowed down into four: ?First is verbal communication, it is essentially the type of communication which uses words. It uses sounds in addition to the language, gestures and body language, while communicating. Verbal communication helps in expressing thoughts, emotions and sentiments. A phone conversation, chat with a friend, an announcement made or a speech delivered are all verbal forms of communication. For most of us, it comes with ease. As children, we learned verbal communication through the sounds around us. We soon develop and start understanding the language which helps us to communicate verbally as we grow older. Another is non-verbal communication. It is a process of communication without using words or sounds. Non-verbal communication uses gestures, body language, facial expressions, eye contact, clothing, hairstyles and every part of the body to communicate with the audience. Dances or a gesture made by a mother to a child, are the perfect examples of non-verbal communication. ?Written communication is another form. This is where you write the words which you want to communicat e. Good written communication is essential for business purposes. Written communication is practiced in many different languages.E-mails, reports, articles and memos are some of the ways of using written communication in business. The written communication can be edited and amended many times before it is communicated to the second party to whom the communication is intended. This is one of the main advantages of using writing as the major means of communication in business activity. Written communication is used not only in business but also for informal communication purposes. Mobile SMS is an example of informal written communication see Daramola (2003). ?Fourthly is oral communication. This is the communication process conducted through spoken words.Oral communication is defined as the effective interpretation, composition, and presentation of information, ideas, and values to a specific audience. In today's world, the emergences of different forms of media have led to the commu nication process through different channels like telephones, tele-conferences, video conferences and what have you. Earlier, face-to-face meetings and speeches were the only forms of communication see also Daramola (2003). 3. 2: CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATION According to Daramola (2003), the characteristics of communication are as follows: oCommunication is dynamic, not static. It is continuous since there is no beginning and end to it in person’ life oIt is a complete process as it occurs at many levels and reflects many influences. oIt is irreversible. Once any message is sent and received, it produces effect on later messages. oIt is non sequential in that the elements are not rigidly patterned in a linear or circular manner. 3. 3: COMMUNICATION AND NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION National Transformation in Nigeria is a phenomenon that has so many meanings to different people though, all gear towards enhancing the living standard of the masses.Society as a whole cannot survive if the people are not properly informed of the way forward. And communication constitutes one of the instruments that precedes the education and re-education of the people providing changes in the society. Communication is a way of relaying a lot of information to a large segment of people. In communicating with the people, there is the communicator, the message, channel and the audience. As an ingredient for the advancement of the society, communication maintains a constant link between the people and National Transformation.The main purpose of communication is to create awareness to the public. Communication is the live wire for growth and transformation. It does not only eradicate ignorance and apathy, it aids to create awareness about happenings in the society. Lack of communication can lead to a total breakdown of activities in a society. Communication brings about freedom of speech and ideas. It gives everyone the privilege to participate in the formation of public matters. It keeps one abreast about transformational agenda and widens ones wealth of knowledge Unegbu (2011).Nigerian government need to use communication to help socio-economic and political advancement of the country and this will assist to mobilize the people towards the attainment of National Transformation of the country. With the use of communication and language, the government will be able to reach out to her numerous audiences in her policies and programmes. The aim at improving the standard of living of the masses, raising their consciousness towards protection and the defense of the nation for national interest cannot be achieved without proper communication. . 0: RECOMMENDATION The following recommendations may serve in improving the role language and communication plays in National Transformation. 1. Effort should be doubled at the teaching and learning of language and communication to meet international standards. 2. Education policy makers should make language and communication a compulsory course for all disciplines at the high education level in Nigeria. This will assist every graduate (no matter his/her area of specialization) to acquire standard language and communication skills. . The teaching of language and communication should be more intensive. This implies that more hours should be allocated to language and communication class in our schools. 4. Teachers of language and communication should be trained and re-trained to enable them cope with the complexities involved in the teaching of the course. 5. 0: CONCLUSION Communication involves the use of language to pass information, transact, and exchange ideas and expressions of thought. This implies that, language is a fundamental symbol to communication.Language is not a natural instinct; it is acquired or learnt through the effective social stages like the family, peer-group and ethnic group. Man as a social and communicative animal must live, associate and interact with people in the society to ac hieve personal aspirations. All these is greatly enhanced and facilitated by effective communication. This paper has looked at language and communication in Nigerian environment as one of the ways of enhancing National Transformation. The point is that Nigeria as a country should develop language and communication to a level that every user can effectively and adequately handle it.This is in view of the fact that the Nigerians must be prepared for the challenges of international environment since transformation is not just something that is limited to within the boundaries of a given nation-state or country. The life of a nation will be short-circuited and meaningless without language and communication. Sustained communication is therefore made possible through language.

Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment 2 - Essay Example There are different types of e-business methods. The most famous ones are Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Mobile or m-Commerce and Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) business. The B2B model is the most famous amongst all the e-business models (Rahulshams, 2011). Effects of E-Business on Project Management Business to Business or B2B has changed the entire project management strategies. Earlier a company has to manufacture products and sell them. They have to come up with efficient marketing plans to sell their products and a detailed project management report. But, e-business eliminated such needs completely. Websites providing B2B and B2C services like the Elance.com and Ebay.com influenced the way business was done like never before. The importance of project management got reduced greatly because of e-business. Positive effects: E-business reduced the dependability on project management saving billions of dollars spent on planning and executing a core plan. Negativ e effects: E-business paved way for any person to become a master with some software. Those who just preferred e-commerce without giving importance to core e-business strategies failed drastically leading to the burst of the dotcom bubble very soon. Huge companies like Ebay.com and Amazon succeeded mainly because they were able to integrate all core process related to their business starting from inventory to customer details and the products stock details together in a secure way using various e-business features. Small companies which failed to provide such e-infrastructure failed mainly because of information mismanagement and the inability to gain customer satisfaction. Effects of E-Business on Supply Chain Management Traditional way of doing business involved purchasing goods from suppliers, storing them in a warehouse, transporting them to the shops where it will be sold to the customers. E-business eliminated the need to maintain separate warehouses. Huge companies like Wal-M art switched to e-business many years before they established a website for themselves and entered e-commerce. They started by automating the inventory and supply chain process. The suppliers bought in packed products directly to the stores, eliminating the need for a separate warehouse and the transporting necessities. Their supply chain management underwent major changes under the influence of the IT sector. Positive effects: Changes made by Wal-Mart in their supply chain management influenced many other industries to follow the same. The traditional way of storing goods in warehouses started to dwindle slowly. Many industries like healthcare started to invest millions in training their suppliers to follow a uniform standard. More value was given to adding value to the goods rather than labelling it or sticking to the process. For example, consider the logistics industry. Earlier companies like Blue Dart and Fed Ex used to transport goods directly with their label. Nowadays they u se the services of various freight forwarding agencies to transport goods as fast as possible. Speed is the added value here and importance given to transport goods under a particular label is reduced. The supply chain management process is changed using advanced technologies to make the procedure much easier to manage and provide a better service to the customer. IBM conducted a detailed research on how

Organizational Structure and Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Structure and Performance - Essay Example For any organizational structure to  succeed  towards  performance, it needs to  have  outstanding  leadership skills and strategies such as those depicted by Rossetti’s organizational leadership in the agency (Rainey and Thompson, 2006). Through exemplary leadership techniques, performance can be improved within an  agency  but  again  the  employment  of such techniques requires the  application  of appropriate organizational structures that are in accordance with the nature and missions of the agency. In his time at the IRS Rossetti applied various  leadership  techniques in implementing reforms and a new organizational structure to change the  face  of the  agency  and improve performance.  In this  paper  I  relate  how Rossetti integrated  the use  of his outstanding leadership strategies in implementation of the new organizational structure.  The manner of functioning of this new organizational structure and the  difference  from the  past  organizational structures and Rossetti’s strategies in ensuring the success of this organizational structure in the  agency  and improvement of performance in customer services  delivery  and dealing with complaints. ... He further enhanced communication within the structural levels of the  organization  upon taking the leadership role. He depicted  leadership  through being the first to leave his office door open throughout as a symbol of openness in communication. This  effective  communication strengthened the relationship among the different department of the organization and in the overall improving the performance. He  further  embraced participation and  partnership  both within the organization and with outsiders. He ensured this through the buildup of  activity  teams and groups within the employees to facilitate  aid  and decision making among the employees. He also made the decision to  bring  professional outsiders within the  organization  to  aid  in the running of the organization in  completion  of its mission. Throughout and after his employment period Rossetti became a legend in the IRS for his ability to  depict  keen  intellect and analytical abilities within the organizational structure. Through this, he became a staunch analyst in the management and running processes of the  organization  and later became referred to as â€Å"a  genius† and â€Å"management  genius† by his colleagues in the IRS. Upon the employment of Rossetti in the IRS, various structural and reforms changes authorized with his innovation and commitment to make the n  succeed  in spite many people’s  criticism  of his plans and  ability  to  ensue  change within the IRS.  Before his employment, the IRS was incorporating the use of a fragmented organizational structure. On his emergence into the IRS, Rossetti regarded this  use  of fragmented organizational structure as a

Purposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Purposal - Essay Example care profession grew I came to the realization that there was a significant lack of the application of leadership thinking and development of employee skill. This aspect combined with my thirst for learning new principles and theories which would be applicable to my organization and update my knowledge in leadership. Based on these goals to enhance my leadership skills I have chosen to do a master program in HR and Change Leadership as a strategic move which would allow me to improve the health service and explore ways that would aid health care employees perform superiorly. How this leadership doctoral program helps to meet my needs is in the way it’s not just a distinctive degree program but also it focuses on the application of theory to real life situations. This would facilitate my leadership and educational goals in the way I can tackle various challenges at work with solutions based on an understanding of leadership and organizational theory. Furthermore the course fulf ills my need in the way it enables me to maintain a reasonable work-life balance and thoroughly examine various aspects of the healthcare industry and how leadership can be used as a strategic tool to bring about accelerated social, cultural, administrative and technological change in the field. There are numerous learning aspects as far as this course goes, that contribute to my healthcare profession. Firstly due to the process of preparing for the numerous assigned HR readings and interacting with my peers and learning from their work experiences in diverse backgrounds has been a great help. From the basic elements which have molded my perception towards the critical role that Human Resource plays in the success and future of an organization. This field has facilitated not just my ability to be innovative and creative professionally but also helped me gain more experience and insight into the health care field. Through active participation in group discussions I have learnt how various

Dead Sea scrolls exhitbit at The Royal Ontario Museum Essay

Dead Sea scrolls exhitbit at The Royal Ontario Museum - Essay Example The scrolls were preserved in cylindrical pottery jars and they were sealed with a lid of material that was not known. The jars stood approximately 50cm high and they were 25cm around. The Essenes who lived in the area were a "separatist" Jewish sect and they created an "ascetic monastic community" (Duckeck). They saved the scrolls and put them into the caves to hide them and to protect them from harm. Unfortunately an earthquake made the Essenes leave their homes and they never came back to the area so people forgot about the caves. The parchment that the scrolls were written on was very fragile and this is why many of them became fragments instead of the entire scroll (Duckeck). An interesting note is that scholars have had many things to say about the caves and there were many rumors. Some suggest that there may have been something very important in the scrolls because they were hidden and this usually means that something contains information that some would not want known to eve ryone. As Duckeck, states, "The rumors were things like God was an extraterrestrial making genetic experiments with mankind 3000 years ago" (Duckeck). Whether this information is true or not it brings another fascinating opinion to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. The scrolls span a very long time in history. Marilena Berardinelli reported that the scrolls were possibly written between 250 B.C.E. and 68 C.E. by the Essenes were a Jewish sect that lived near Qumran where the scrolls were found. The scrolls only talk about the Old Testament. Most of the ones they found were written in Hebrew but there are several that were written in Aramaic or Greek (Berardinelli). The scrolls were first discovered by Bedouin tribesmen and sold to a cobbler for about $100 at that time. The cobbler took four of the scrolls to the Syriac Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and sold them to Archbishop Athanasius Yeshue Samuel. Today, the archbishop credited with discovering the scrolls. In 1947

Competitiveness in the International Electronics Industry Essay

Competitiveness in the International Electronics Industry - Essay Example The author Morri tells us that though the electronic industry is fairly small in the Dominican Republic by global standards, it employs however about 10,000 workers and contributes to about 5 percent of total Dominican exports (8). He further states that the electronic industry is by far the most important industry for a small economy (8). But in order to increase the competition in the electronic industry, the manufacturers in the electronic industry must learn to work together with the public sector to increase the competition position of the industry (Morri 9). The Dominican Republic has to meet the challenges of the public demands in order to ensure their competition in the electronics industry. The number of workers employed tells us how much is going into the export part of the trade. In order to accomplish competitiveness in the electronic industry, certain factors must be adhered to such as the "improvement in the quality and the cost of the electricity supply. Assistance with both local and international supply sourcing issues including possible common import purchasing and horizontal integration for inputs such as fabricated metals and moldings. In addition, the encouragement of domestic and foreign investment in critical local suppliers in such areas such as sheet metal fabrication, printed circuit boards, transformers, and general electronic component distribution (Morri 9)." In Latin America, there is extensive foreign investment in the sector by companies such as Verizon, Tricom, Centennial and Cable and Wireless and the cost of a T1 which is a high speed internet is the lowest priced in the whole of Latin America (Morri 16). On the other hand, "Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua have competitively low labor rates per hour, but they are not currently considered a competitive threat to the Dominican Republic because all three countries lack a secure environment (Morri 24)." In the above scenario, foreign investment in the Latin American companies makes it possible to guarantee low prices on certain commodities and labor being cheap makes it not a very feasible environment and so lacks the basis for a competitive environment. Another country that is ideal to examine would be the Chinese and Mexican market in relations to the US market. These two countries supply a lot of their goods to the US markets. According to Morri (9), China and Mexico supply a lot of their electronics to the US markets. In doing so, the global supply chain from the US to Asia threatens competition including low levels of linkages existing between the electronic manufacturers and the lack of industry expertise in the policy making and FDI promotion framework (Morri 10). The US markets are highly dependent on countries such as Mexico and China to provide a steady supply of electronic goods. Another important factor in increasing competition in the electronic industry is to : "create a one-stop-shop to streamline red tape. Increase image of electronics and the electrical industry locally. Also, employ or train electronic industry experts in policy and FDI promotion. In addition, build electronic industry support infrastructure for industry investors including offering investors full pre-, during- and post investment services and support. It would also help to decrease exit as well as entry barriers to increase investor confidence (Morri

ECON Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ECON - Assignment Example Among other things, the report admits the influence of high interest rates on other economic determinants such as inflation and foreign direct investment. It therefore sees the ambition of the European Central Bank to keep its interest rate at record low values as an attempt to redeeming the European region from further financial crisis, admitting that as it stands now, â€Å"the eurozone lurches out of recession amid high unemployment and low growth† (Steen, 2013). In this analysis paper, the economic implications of the decision taken by the European Central Bank are further analyzed in relation to key arguments made in the report. Influence of reduced interest rate on inflation rate There are some key indicators within the article to suggest that the lowered interest rates within the eurozone over the years have not necessarily sent inflation levels to the target of the European Central Bank. The writer however generally, opines that using inflation rates in August and Sept ember, which were 1.3 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively, the intended intervention by the European Central Bank could become a one-stop strategy to achieve low inflation. Clearly, there is an enthusiasm with inflation coming down because once they do it would mean that prices can be expected to be relatively stable, ensuring that consumers have sufficient reserves in their purchasing power. However, the analogy presented in the report cannot be wholly true that reduced interest rates will forever stabilize or reduce inflation. This is because from the theory of rational expectations, the current hypothesis may only be short lived as investors are likely to start switching to the use of real interest rates in the determination of prices as begin to project inflation in the future (Bernanke, 2006). External determinants of growth In the article, there is the admission that the eurozone is not independent of itself in the determination of factors that will bring general economic r elief to its populace and for that matter, investors. This is because reference is made to the US budget shutdown with the assertion that â€Å"US budget shutdown would represent a risk to the world economy if it were protracted† (Steen, 2013). The implication of this admission is that no single trade and economic region is independent of its self in the regulation of its monetary policies. As much as possible, it is always important to have an eye for what is happening in other sectors and regions of trade and economic activities. This is because the world is now put in a position where the global economic market is more vibrant in the determination of growth for individual markets than individual markets can determine for the global economic market (Bernanke, 2006). Even within the eurozone alone, the graph below shows that even though different member states have different interest rates, it is the collection of the differences that constitute a holistic rate determinant f or the larger region. Steen (2013) Impact of excess liquidity on financial fragmentation The issue of real interest rates that was raised earlier is trumpeted in latter parts of the report as the president of the European Central Bank admits that bank liquidity is a challenge for the use of lowered interest rate to being about economic revamping. This is because in his opinion, bank liquidity cannot be predicted perfectly on its impact on â€Å"

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay Example for Free

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay The automobiles that we travel in everyday play a vital role in our lives. They get us around from one place to another on a daily basis. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA 2010) many studies show that exhaust emissions from these vehicles are the number one air pollutant in the United States. Air pollution causes many different issues that affect personal health as well as environmental factors. Over the years many different studies have been done by different people and agencies showing how reducing air pollution from automobiles can only benefit the earth. The government has been one of the largest advocates of lowering emissions from automobiles. Because excessive exhaust emissions created by automobiles is a major factor in air pollution, the government has enacted many laws and regulations limiting the amount of emissions vehicles may produce. Automobiles are a major cause of air pollution around the world. As the number of vehicles on the road increases, the amount of emissions from these vehicles increases. As of 2003 Leslie Miller shows that the (World Almanac 2003) reported that there were more than 107 million households throughout the United States (U.S. ) Leslie reported that the Bureau of Transportation statistics show that there are roughly 204,000,000 vehicles registered in the U. S. That produces a ratio of 1. 9 cars to 1. 8 people per household in the U. S. The number of vehicles registered in the U. S. has been doubling every five years. If this trend continues as it has over the past 30 years, by the year 2030 there will be approximately 1,200,000,000 (1. 2 Billion) vehicles producing some type of toxic emission into our earth’s atmosphere. The vehicles that we drive produce many different toxic gasses affecting our earth negatively. These emissions affect our environment and damage the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the process in which infrared rays are emitted from the sun into the earth’s atmosphere trapping heat that keeps the earth’s temperature in a habitable range. Toxic gasses from our automobiles released into the atmosphere do much damage to this natural process. As the gasses release, the atmosphere will deteriorate which allows the earth’s core temperature to rise. This process causes difficulty in farming as well as the melting of the polar ice caps virtually flooding the earth slowly. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the most emitted gas into the atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Agency (2010) shows that cars release 76% of the CO2 that is present in the earth’s atmosphere. For every gallon of gas used by an automobile there is approximately 20 pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere. CO2 is a heat-trapping gas released by the combustion process by our vehicles. (Cakmak 2006), Shows that CO2 is the largest contributing factor to the smog in highly congested areas around the U. S. The following is an emissions chart breaking down the source of the seven most common air pollutants. As you can see highway vehicles are the largest source of air pollution in the geographic area of The United States. The major pollutants abbreviations are shown below and correlate with the graph that follows. Geographic Area: United States Pollutant: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (Nox), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Sulfur Dioxide SO2, Particulate (size 2. 5 micrometers) (PM 2. 5), Particulate (size 10 micrometers) (PM 10), or Ammonia (NH3) [pic] Emissions by Category Chart (Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). The exhaust systems on our vehicles also produce another pollutant known as hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are produced by our vehicles when fuel molecules in these vehicles do not fully burn and then travel through the exhaust system. In addition to these deadly hydrocarbons, Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) is another large contributor of air pollution in the U. S. today. The EPA’s (2010) studies links approximately 30% of the NOx in the atmosphere to the vehicles on the road in the U. S. today. NOx has been linked by studies to the formation of acid rain in our in our environment. Simply said the reduction of vehicle emissions will cause the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere to lower creating less negative effects on our earth’s environment and our health. Cakmak, Dales and Jedek (2006) says that air pollution has many negative effects on the environment as well as our personal health. Many respiratory issues come from breathing in the gasses released from automobiles. CO2 affects us by lowering the amount of oxygen our blood can carry throughout our bodies causing death in some cases. Air pollution is linked to lung cancer as well as lower birth rates that are common among people in cities that record higher vehicle registrations. The EPA has shown that these cities are at a higher risk for many health issues. Children residing in areas with higher concentrations of air pollution are three to four times more likely to develop asthmatic conditions. Automobiles are a major cause of vehicle deaths in the form of vehicular accidents. EPA (2010) statistics show that approximately 120 people are killed by a vehicular accident with each day that goes by. Many environmental issues caused by automobile emissions are overlooked by the average person. The acid rain produced from vehicle emissions has caused many bad health problems for humans. Acid rain is has been shown to cause eye irritation as well as coughing as well as asthma in more extreme cases. Urban smog in addition to global warming are the most common factors in air pollution. Smog is a product of different greenhouse gasses mixing together which produces a visible layer very close to the earth’s surface known as the ground ozone layer. The smog acts like a blanket around the earth trapping the harmful emissions allowing us to breathe them in each day. Over the years the effects of air pollution have been noticed by many from politicians to auto manufacturers. Many within these agencies have worked to reduce the emissions that our automobiles produce. One of the major changes in our society that created focus on the issues of air pollution caused by automobiles was the Clean Air Act of 1963. This bill was introduced to allow the government limited enforcement power over interstate pollution issues. In 1965 a Motor Vehicle Act was introduced. Melosi(2004) explains that this act allowed auto manufacturers the ability to practice stricter emission standards for new vehicles with government funding such as grants. In 1970 the acting president of the U. S. Richard Nixon, signed an amendment to the Clean Air act enforcing stricter fuel regulations on auto manufacturers. This Act was the most stringent air pollution law ever passed in the U. S. The Clean Air Act has been revised throughout the years to conform to stricter guidelines as air pollution becomes more of an issue throughout the U. S. The Clean Air Act was not originally designed to prohibit pollution; rather it was enacted to define an acceptable amount of pollution allowed to be emitted from vehicles. Despite the fact that the Clean Air Act was passed there are still major issues that emissions from vehicles create including health and environmental issues. Crabb and Johnson (2010) wrote an article in The Energy Journal showing the main issue that does contribute to the amount of emissions from automobiles is the fuel economy that is attained by each vehicle. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act established guidelines known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE. ) During President Nixon’s time in office the 1975 CAFE regulations were written to require manufacturers to obtain a corporate average of 18 miles per gallon (MPG) or higher starting with 1978 model year vehicles. Between 1985 and 1992 multiple adjustments were made to make the cafe regulations stricter. By the mid 1990’s the government increased the MPG requirement to be raised to 27. 5 MPG corporate average. As we move forward in time the regulations have only become stricter for auto manufacturers. The year 2009 brought on many new accomplishments for the U. S. in that auto manufacturers began making newer models that will take us into the next decade. An article written by Tarlow (2009) shows that President Obama fought hard for his place in the White House, one of his main concerns being air pollution and the amount of emissions caused by automobiles. After being elected President Obama revealed a proposal for new CAFE regulations that will reduce emissions and further reduce the U. S. dependency on imported oil. The regulation that President Obama has proposed will require auto manufacturers to meet the strictest guidelines for fuel economy ever. Obama’s proposal will require auto manufacturers to meet a strict 35. 5 MPG by the model year 2016. The following graphs show the minimum combined miles per gallon that manufacturers are required to meet and post on the vehicles. The graphs break down different types of fuel as well as the amount of CO2 released per mile driven. Chart 1 shows the requirements prior to the EPA changing the way they figure a vehicles MPG. With model year 2009 and newer the EPA became stricter when figuring MPG for different fuel types. Chart 2 reflects the new criteria with the stricter guidelines enforced. As you can see, the Greenhouse gas (GHG) score is higher as a vehicle produces less CO2 per mile. [pic] Chart 1 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) [pic] Chart 2 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) Meeting the strict guidelines does not come at zero cost. Meeting the guidelines will cost auto manufacturers no matter how it is broken down. The research and development in meeting stricter regulations does have a cost attached to it. On the other end if auto manufacturers do not meet the CAFE guideline the government has allowed civil liabilities to be charged. The liabilities allowed by the government may cost manufactures approximately $5. 50 for each tenth of a mile that they are under the minimum requirement set forth. The EPA (2010), reports that between the year 1993 and 2004, various manufacturers paid approximately $618 million in penalties. This report also included the fact that in the same period no Asian or U. S. manufacturers have ever been charged any penalties. Many have argued that the cost of meeting increasingly difficult fuel emissions has added cost to the bottom line value of a vehicle as well as slowing sales and potentially putting smaller car dealers out of business. Much research has been done in the area of estimating costs of incorporating better emissions equipment on newer automobiles. Initially, when emission regulation were introduced in the U. S. around 1970, many manufacturers were concerned that to meet the guidelines there would need to be costly research done to find the most cost effective practices to lower emissions. Crabb and Johnson (2010) show that many manufacturers estimated initial costs for catalytic systems designed to reduce emissions would cost approximately $3,000. The government challenged the manufacturers and discounted these findings proving that with some changes to the processes the cost can be cut down by two thirds the initial cost that was estimated. The government was able to show that the systems could be incorporated on motor vehicles for about $1,300. , which is significantly less than estimated. The EPA (2010), reports that many other agencies have conducted research regarding any issues caused by stricter guidelines from the government as well as the cost factor included. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) has not been able to document any negative sales because of the Clean Air Act or stricter guidelines. On the contrary, they have been able to show that the sales of new vehicles have fluctuated between 13 and 17 million new vehicles each year for the past 20 years and never declining below these numbers. Much of the fluctuation has been attributed to the changing economical times throughout the history of the U. S. over the last 20 years. Many believe that because diesel engines typically produce a higher rate of exhaust emission than gasoline engines, which may make it more difficult to purchase diesel vehicles in Clean Air States. Diesel engines are most commonly used on vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 8500. The CAFE regulations do not affect the sales or use of these diesel vehicles. The more common everyday on-road use vehicles such as the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 series as well as the popular Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 series vehicles are the vehicles that will feel the greatest impact on emission regulations. Passenger vehicles such as the Volkswagen Golf TDI are not currently certified under the California Air Resources Board (CARB. ) CARB is a set of standards that the state of California has enacted to control the amount of emissions vehicles registered in the state may emit. Many states followed California in adopting these strict standards that go above and beyond the government requirements. Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Vermont are some of the states that have adopted CARB standards for vehicles sold in those states. As more states adopt their own standards that are stricter than government guidelines, auto manufacturers have difficulty selling certain new vehicles in certain states. Many of the diesel engines used in vehicle applications do not meet the strict EPA and state regulations. In 2010 most new trucks with diesel engines will utilize Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to lower the NOx released by diesel engines by injecting a urea compound that breaks down the NOx. Cummins, the world’s second largest diesel engine manufacturer has met all emission guidelines that went into effect for all 2010 and newer model year vehicles since the model year 2007. This is helped to benefit sales for the companies that use the Cummins Diesel engine. One such company is Chrysler Corporation that uses the Cummins Diesel in their Dodge Ram Heavy Duty line up. Hirata shows that by using this engine Chrysler has been able to stay at the forefront in technology. As others struggle to find ways to meet regulations, Chrysler will benefit from the technology because their vehicles meet all regulations. The only change Cummins made was adding an inexpensive technology called Selective Catalytic Reduction to further reduce NOx emissions into the earth’s atmosphere. Other manufacturers utilizing diesel engines will be developing systems that require the addition of urea at an additional cost to the customer driving consumer cost through the roof. Cummins has the advantage that the prices for their system will not fluctuate as other diesel engine manufacturers prices will increase because of the cost associated with their new technologies. To reduce the emissions throughout the U. S., not only are the government and auto manufacturers responsible, we are each individually responsible to do our part in reducing the greenhouse gasses we contribute. The manufacturer changing the design of automobile systems is a key part in the reduction. The way we personally use our vehicles will also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Things that can be done on our part may include reducing the allowable amount of vehicles in an area by issuing quotas and permits for different areas. Many people have looked into the use of hybrid vehicles as alternatives to fully gas or diesel powered vehicles. Lowering the personal use of our vehicles as well as participating in car pools will fully reduce the amount of green house gasses that we individually release into the atmosphere. In doing the things necessary to lower emission we must be proactive and take an interest in the positive things that will benefit us by reducing the amount of emissions. Although the government has worked with auto manufacturers to reduce vehicle emissions, our cars still produce toxic emissions into the air. With the increasing regulations on fuel economy we will only benefit from less emissions being released into the air. Many things may be done on a consumer level as well. We have access to alternative fuels such as E-85 (ethanol) which comes from corn as well as compressed natural gas which releases very little emissions if any. The government and auto manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce emission further. As time goes on unless we completely stop using automobiles we will still be faced with the release of toxic emissions from automobile exhaust systems. The available resources will always become better as time goes on and companies create the next best thing to reduce the amount of emissions released by their vehicles. The only way to ensure that our children have a cleaner environment is by educating them with the necessary information that will allow a greener environment over the years to come. References Cakmak, S. , Dales, R E, Judek, S. (Jan-Feb 2006). Respiratory health effects of air pollution gases: modification by education and income. (Author abstract). Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, 61, 1. p. 5(6). Retrieved January 22, 2010, from General OneFile via Gale: http://find. galegroup. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/gps/start. do? prodId=IPSuserGrou pName=uphoenix Crabb, J. , Johnson, D.. (2010). Fueling Innovation: The Impact of Oil Prices and CAFE Standards on Energy-Efficient Automotive Technology. The Energy Journal, 31(1), 199- 216. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1942210741). Environmental Protection Agency. (2010) [Graphs that show Greenhouse Gas Score Criteria that vehicles must meet as per the EPA regulations on emissions. ] Greenhouse Gas Scores. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/greenvehicles/Aboutratings. do Environmental Protection Agency. (2002) [This is a picture of a chart breaking down the sources of the 7 major air pollutants in the United States] Air Data. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/cgi- bin/broker? _service=airdata_program=progs. webprogs. emcatbar. scl_debug=2 geotype=usgeocode=usageoname=United+Statesepol=CO+NOX+VOC+SO2+PM 25+PM10+NH3years=2002mapsize=zscreqtype=viewmap Hirata, K. , Masaki, N. , Yano, M. , Akagawa, H. , Takada, K. , Kusaka, J. , Mori, T.. (2009). Development of an improved urea-selective catalytic reduction-diesel particulate filter system for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. International Journal of Engine Research: SPECIAL ISSUE ON EXHAUST AFTER-TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR DIESELS, 10(5), 337-348. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1873528061). Melosi, M. (2004). The Automobile and the Enviornment in American History. Retrieved from http://www. autolife. umd. umich. edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview1. htm Tarlow, S. (2009). President Obama’s CAFE Standards Will Reduce Auto Emissions. Retrieved from http://personalmoneystore. com/moneyblog/2009/05/19/cafe-standards-car- emissions/ U. S. Enviornmental Protection Agency. (2010). Air Pollution Effects. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/ebtpages/airairpollutioneffects. html.

Factors Affecting Academic Interest Essay Example for Free

Factors Affecting Academic Interest Essay A NOAA (AOML) in situ pCO2 sensor (SAMI-CO2), attached to a Coral Reef Early Warning System station in Discovery Bay, Jamaica, utilized in conducting ocean acidification studies near coral reef areas Australia Main article: Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef system.[46][47][48][49] The reef is located in the Coral Sea. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Particular environmental pressures include runoff, salinity fluctuations, climate change, cyclic crown-of-thorns outbreaks, overfishing, and spills or improper ballast discharge. Southeast Asia See also: Southeast Asia coral reefs Southeast Asian coral reefs are at risk from damaging fishing practices (such as cyanide and blast fishing), overfishing, sedimentation, pollution and bleaching. Activities including education, regulation and the establishment of marine protected areas help protect these reefs. Indonesia Indonesia is home to one third of the worlds corals covering nearly 85,000 square kilometres (33,000 sq mi) and one quarter of its fish species. Indonesias coral reefs are located in the heart of the Coral Triangle and have fallen victim to destructive fishing, tourism and bleaching. Data from 414 reef monitoring stations in 2000 found that only 6% are in excellent condition, while 24% are in good condition, and approximately 70% are in poor to fair condition.[50] Philippines In 2007, Reef Check, the worlds largest reef conservation organization, stated that only 5% of Philippines 27,000 square kilometres (10,000 sq mi) of coral reef are in excellent condition: Tubbataha Reef, Marine Park in Palawan, Apo Island in Negros Oriental, Apo Reef in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, andVerde Island Passage off Batangas. Philippine coral reefs is Asias second largest.[51] Taiwan Coral reefs in Taiwan are being threatened by human population growth. Many corals are affected by untreated sewage and souvenir-hunting tourists, not knowing that this practice destroys habitat and causes disease. Many corals have turned black from disease off Taiwans southeast coast.[52]- Indonesia Indonesia has 2,915,000 square kilometers of marine area. The reef area is 51,020 square kilometers. Of that amount, 82% of it is at risk. Indonesia holds 17% of the worlds total coral reef areas. Blast fishing, which has been illegal since 1985 still goes on today, along with cyanide fishing (1995). Another factor that is hurting the coral reefs in Indonesia is the amount of coral that they export. They are the worlds largest exporter of corals, exporting about 500 tons of coral per year.[16] COREMAP is helping Indonesia with their destruction of corals by working in 9 of the 32 provinces. They want to: 1. Heighten law enforcement to protect coral reefs; 2. Establish coral reef monitoring and information systems, in order to conduct research on the status of coral reefs and more effectively disseminate that information to stakeholder groups; 3. Develop community-based management systems and increase public participation in coral reef resource management; 4. Increase institutional capacity and strengthen inter-institutional coordination in planning and implementing policy that affects coral reef management, and; 5. Enhance public knowledge of the importance of coral reef and motivate people to actively participate in the management and sustainable use of coral reefs. Philippines The Philippines, with more than 7,000 islands and warm ocean waters, surround about 26,000 square kilometers of coral reef. [3] These coral reefs have recently brought the attention of beneficial economic uses to the Philippines government.[4] Benefits of Coral Reefs in Philippines 1. Coral reefs break the waves from the chance of eroding the coastline of the islands; [5] 2. Protection of Communities: â€Å"the reefs act as buffer zones† meaning they decrease the power of typhoons and hurricanes as they approach the Philippine Islands; [6] 3. Economic Benefits: Fishing off the coral reefs, profits from tourism, for example, Diving tours and snorkeling areas on the shallow reefs. These economic benefits create many new jobs and profitable opportunities to the country. State For the past 50 years, the proportion of degraded reefs in Indonesia increased from 10 to 50%. From 1989 to 2000 reefs with over 50% live coral cover declined from 36 to 29%. Western Indonesia, which is more developed and holds the majority of the nations population, faces the greatest threats to its coral reefs. Surveys concluded that reef condition improves from west to east. The percentage of reefs in good or excellent condition (live coral cover of 50% or more) is 23% in western Indonesia versus 45% in eastern Indonesia. 65% of surveys taken from the Maluku islands had evidence of bomb damage. In addition, reefs affected by land-based pollution (i.e. sediment discharge into reefs by deforestation, industry, sewage, and fertilizer) show 30-50% less diversity at depths of three meters and 40-60% less diversity at 10 meters in comparison to pristine reefs. The 1997-1998 el Nino event triggered widespread bleaching in Indonesia, with western and west-central Indonesia most affected. Bleaching was recorded in East Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lombok. In the Seribu Islands northwest of Jakarta, 90-95% of coral reef from the reef flat down to 25 meters died. Two years later, the Seribu Islands significantly recovered, with live coral cover of 20-30% (2000). Coral reefs in Indonesia are located near Java (Batavia), Nusa Dua, Jakarta and Saribu. [8] 30% of the Philippines coral reefs are dead while 39% are dying. The news isnt all bad: Establishment of the Sumilon Island marine reserve has resulted in a marked comeback of fish in adjacent areas. Along with the establishment of the Sumilon Island marine reserve, there is hope for the Philippines via boosts in ecotourism. In recent years, local Filipino governments have discovered that fishing is not the only economic benefit the reefs can provide. They are confident that with a spread of ecotourism, even local fishermen will reap the financial benefits of this economic sector. A surge in coral reef conservation education is helping the tourism sector provide information to tourists on how to preserve the coral reefs while they enjoy the beauty and serenity of the reefs.[17]The Philippines ecotourism sector is unfortunately stifled at this time due to a limited budget and there are approximately 7,000 islands to patrol for destructive fishing techniques.[8] [9]. Destructive fishing techniques are thought to be the largest contributor to reef degradation in the Philippines. The first ever mass-bleaching event in the Philippines was reported in 1998-99. It began at Batangas, off Luzon, in June 1998 and then proceeded nearly clockwise around the Philippines, correlating with anomalous sea-surface temperatures. Most reefs of northern Luzon, west Palawan, the Visayas, and parts of Mindanao were affected. Subsequent mortalities were highly variable, with decreases in live coral cover ranging from 0.7 to 46 percent and up to 80 percent in Bolinao. Recent surveys in 1997 found a low percentage of reefs to be in excellent condition. They found only 4 percent of Philippine reefs in excellent condition (i.e., over 75 percent hard or soft coral cover), 28 percent in good condition (50-75 percent coral cover), 42 percent in fair condition (25-50 percent coral cover), and 27 percent in poor condition (less than 25 percent coral cover). The Visayas have experienced the most significant decline in coral cover, exhibiting an average of only 11 percent hard coral cover. [10] A study in the early 90s revealed that coral reefs are damaged by a variety of human activities such as household sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural chemicals from land that are washed to the sea. [11] This was a new finding for the time period in which it was widely believed that the main damage to coral reefs was causes by oil spills or from pollution dumped by ships. This survey was concentrated on SE Asia mainly because it was believed that coral reefs in this region were at great threat of extinction if continued to be unmanaged. In the last thirty years climate change has had the most harmful effect on corals. (Hughes) Currently one of the major issues the Indonesian government is dealing with is climate change. (CIA Worldfactbook) When the ocean warms such as in El Nino, coral bleaching occurs, which kills the coral. (Hughes) The reefs are incredibly important to the economy and people of Southeast Asia. The reefs bring in $1.6 billion a year through fishing, employment, and the tourist industry. (Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia Key Findings 2002) Today, the coral reefs located in the Philippines and Indonesia are in great danger. Fishermen are constantly practising dangerous methods such as blast fishing and dynamite fishing. These practices prove to be detrimental to the coral reefs as well as the marine life in the surrounding areas. Because of the dangerous methods, fish that are usually near the coral reefs are no longer there any more. Two of these fish are Groupers and snappers. According to David Nockels it was only seven years ago that 30% of the reefs were dead in this region and many more were dying Marine protected areas Amongst the many proposed solutions to the problems plaguing coral reefs in Southeast Asia is the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs). Currently marine protected areas make up around 8% of the area of Southeast Asian coral reefs.[26] The World Commission on Protected Areas [12], amongst other groups, has been active in establishing MPAs in Southeast Asia. However, the success rate of MPAs in Southeast Asia is low, with an estimated 14% of MPAs rated effectively managed.[30] [13] This rate reflects the difficulty of implementing MPAs. Moreover, it shows that much work is still needed to make MPAs successful in Southeast Asia. IUCN has defined an MPA as â€Å"any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment†.[31] In other words, an MPA is a marine area in which the water column and all the life that exists in it are protected through laws. These laws restrict certain practices within the MPA, which can differ per MPA. Marine protected areas, in sum, provide a marine sanctuary which can foster an increase in marine biodiversity.[32] (See also: [14]). This increased biodiversity is though to be able to carry over to the non-protected surrounding areas in which fishing can take place. This is important for a number of reasons. In the Southeast Asian context, especially amongst the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, the sea and people are very much interconnected. As mentioned, the sea provides both a source of income and source of food for the people. In the Philippines, for example, 67% of protein food consumption comes from fish and fish products. Additionally, roughly one million people in the Philippines are employed in the fishing industry.[33] Increased fish stocks resulting from marine protected areas only add to the solutions needed to revitalize Southeast Asian economies, life systems, and coral reefs. In addition, the LMMA (Locally-Managed Marine Area) Network is another organization that takes part in the Southeast Asia marine conservation. Similar to the MPA, the LMMA also provides protection areas in the sea. However, according to the definition above, an LMMA is an example of an MPA because an MPA includes a large space within and close by the area. The LMMA involves members from around the world, and the communities within the managed areas. The goal of LMMA is to allow members and local communities to learn the uses of protected resources.[15] Due to the massive destruction of coral reefs in Southeast Asia, the LMMA has established two areas in Eastern Indonesia: Padaido Islands, Biak, West Papua, and Southern Ambon Island and the Moluccas Islands; and various areas in the Philippines. With the help of the LMMAs, the local communities would learn to preserve their marine goods, and be able to maintain for longer years. Gradually, the communities will accommodate bigger and healthier fish. [16] There are an estimated 400 MPAs in the Philippines. Of the 400 only 16% have yielded an increase in bio-diversity. The high failure rate is due to poor management and a lack of regulation.[34]Despite the numerous failures there have been successes. One of the best known areas is Apo island where a small community has effectively managed an MPA since the mid 1980s. The Apo MPA includes a ban on detrimental fishing practices and a no-take zone covering 10% of their reef. Apos reef has thrived giving hope to Philippine reefs.[35] Contributions for management The state of the coral reefs in the Philippines and Indonesia are depleting with every blink of an eye. It is to no one’s surprise that the Philippines have lost more than 80% since the 1920s. In Indonesia it is a little better due to the some drastic actions made by the government. On December 6, 2002 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a US$33 million loan in order to save what is the rest of these important organisms. Over fishing, illegal fishing methods, and overpopulation have all contributed to the decline of the coral reefs both in the Philippines and Indonesia. Along with the loan the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Project (Phase II), the second part of a three phase plan has given us all hope in restoring coral reefs in this part of the region. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries will oversee the whole entire project with a due date of June 30, 2009. If it all goes according to plan the fishing industry will be the benefited the most. However, government action is not always necessary to manage reefs. When the community dependent on the resources provided by coral works together to save and restore the fish population, the results can be very good. The community managed reefs of Apo Island, located in the southern Philippines, known worldwide for its success. The waters around Apo Island are home to about 650 species of fish and 400 species of corals. The waters of Apo Island were not always this full of life. Fishing is the major occupation on the island, and even those who do not fish, rely on the catch for their protein. So when a fishermans catch began shortening, after years of unregulated fishing, it was very easy for them to resort to destructive methods of fishing,such as blast fishing and cyanide fishing, to get by. These methods almost led to the end of the already dwindling fish stocks. The community began, through education and widespread involvement, the process of making these practices socially unacceptable.[36] People began patrolling the waters in a small area with the intention of allowing fish to flourish and repopulate and then spill over into areas that had been fished out. This informal establishment of a sanctuary was first met with a lot of resistance, eventually though, after seeing the obvious improvements, the island community and local council were able to formalize the sanctuary in 1985, three years after it started. This formalization extended the sanctuary to water surrounding the island up to 500 meters from the shore and declaring a portion a no-take fish sanctuary.[37] To manage the coral reefs effectively to preserve what is left of the beautiful natural resource, individual people must unite. If the marine ornamentals trade is to successfully turn around and begin to sustain more live fish, certain people must perform their jobs to the fullest. Firstly, there if lobbyists are responsible about the issue, they will provide healthy animals, maintain healthy reefs, sustain reef animal populations, and adequately compensate fishing communities for their efforts. Also, responsible industry operators must minimize animal mortality and habitat impacts and focus on animal health and quality collection practices. The problem with this method, though, is that merely trust and word of mouth arent enough. If we are to legitimately depleting the coral reefs in Southeast Asia, we must set international standards.

Workforce Diversity And Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay

Workforce Diversity And Competitive Advantage Commerce Essay The purpose of this paper is to study the trend of leadership style over the relationship between organizations workforce diversity and its competitive advantage with mission and vision statements as intervening variable which shows the concern of organization leadership towards the diversity management. Most organizations are adopting diversity into their policies and procedures to embrace its benefits and there is a growing recognition that it makes business sense to take diversity seriously. The demographics of working population has changed in last two decades with more mature workforce remaining in the workplace and at the same time more female employees are seen in higher positions while having variation in their cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it seems beneficial for organizations to hire diverse workforce to meet the demands of customer expectations. Organizations that are flexible and responsive to a demanding marketplace require the service of multi-skilled and adaptable w orkforce. One clear competitive advantage for organizations having diverse workforce is that it provides an environment that values differences among employees and encourages them for different ways of thinking and behaving during work to fully contribute to organizational aims and objectives. Employers providing such an environment get the support of their employees and develop a positive public image. It must be understood that each member of diverse workforce holds his differences and similarities; hence, valuing and managing diversity is about recognizing the unique contribution each employee can make to the organization. It is about creating an environment in which everyone feels valued, welcomed, and able to make an important contribution toward the attainment of corporate objectives. Additionally, companies facing challenges in competing global marketplace for market share can use diversity as competitive advantage in a multicultural environment with a diverse pool of talente d and experienced individuals who can bring innovation and creativity to the organization. (U. Yozgat and F. Oben, 2009) studied the effects of leadership style on creativity which leads to the competitive advantage in organizations. This paper is to identify the organizational attitude towards the workforce diversity globally and comparing to Pakistan based organizations. The results showed the great concern of US and UK based organizations towards diversity management and no concern in Pakistan based organizations. Literature Review In this section, literature of workforce diversity is reviewed in correspondence with competitive advantage. Further, different types of leadership are discussed from the literature and then the role of leadership to achieve competitive advantage is reviewed. Workforce Diversity Diversity is not only associated to limited attributes that can be observed but also to those invisible characteristics such as differences in educational background, creativity, understanding, learning style, and problem-solving ability (Nafukho et al., 2011).So organizational performances and processes can be influenced by an individual or a group representing different categories of diversity within a workplace. (van Knippenberg and Schippers, 2007). Diversity is defined as any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another (Giovannini, 2004, p. 22). Hence, diversity affects the organizations effectiveness and performance in terms of competitive advantage. (Joshi and Roh, 2009; Klein et al., 2011). This presumes that performance has a relation with organizations ability to achieve goals with respect to its mission or vision (Devine and Philips, 2001). In other words, performance is deemed as an outcome which is a result of some purposeful activity t o achieve competitive advantage as mentioned in mission or vision statements of an organization (Swanson and Holton, 2009). As the organization strives to achieve its goals or objectives, conflict may arise within the diverse groups to cope up the challenges of differences among them which keep them from achieving organizational performance (Østergaard et al., 2011). Since, Human Resource Department (HRD) deals primarily with performance of individuals, groups and organization at large to achieve competitive advantage, so diverse workforce demands the attention of HRD scholars and practitioners on the issues that arise in organization basing on the differences. It can be observed in modern trends for companies to use diverse workforce for completing special tasks which help achieve competitive advantage (Garrison et al., 2010) and there is always potential for the occurrence of conflict among such diverse groups which can derail the organization from achieving effectiveness. Henc e, it becomes the responsibility of HRD to address such conflicts in advance and use the knowledge of how to build the high performing and productive teams of diverse workforce who can to the overall competitive advantage of organization (Klein et al., 2011). In the past two decades several academic researchers have conducted research on various issues relating diversity. Richard (2000) examined the impact of diversity on organization and its productivity while Jackson (1993) found the positive relationship between diversity and creativity. Diversity research has also addressed the factors involved in assimilating new employees into an organizations culture (Berry and Sam, 1997). However, some argue that by its fundamental nature, assimilating new employees to obtain greater fit between the person and organization is achieved at the expense of diversity (Powell, 1998). In other research, Tsui et al. (1992) showed that race and gender has negative relationship with diversity as compared to age. Other studies have also consistently found that observable attributes have negative effects on outcomes such as identification with the group and job satisfaction at both the individual and group level of analysis (Milliken and Martins, 1996). Furth er, Milliken and Martins (1996) supported the argument of Tsui et al. (1992) that racial and gender diversity can have negative influence on individual and team outcomes in some cases regardless of age. As an example, they referred to those groups members who differ from the larger group tend to show less commitment, more turnover and absenteeism while at the same time this results in additional costs, such as, group coordination cost, communication cost and training and development cost. So, according to them, diversity results in increase in coordination and control costs. Workforce Diversity and Competitive Advantage: Most companies find diversity as a way to gain competitive advantage by increasing business competency, improving net income, building the effectiveness to compete in global markets, improving business performance, achieving higher employee satisfaction, enhancing corporate governance, attracting diverse talents and skills and retaining the workforce that maintains the customer base (McCuiston et al., 2004). Moreover, culturally diverse workforce brings benefits to business economy (Ferley et al., 2003) and leads to better performance of the business (Richard, 2000). According to Adler (1997), a company with a diverse workforce has greater chances for building an innovative working environment. This statement is beautifully expressed in the words of White (1999), who states that creativity thrives on diversity. These benefits can be derived from the proper implementation of diversity-promoting policies (Jamrog, 2002). Many firms today seem to be increasingly embracing racial, ethnic and gender workforce balance, not for legal or ethical obligations, but as a matter of taking a progressive perspective on economic self-interest (Coil and Rice, 1993). It has been recognized recently that increasing diverse workforce has presented both opportunities and challenges for organizations which are striving for efficiency, innovativeness and global competitive advantage (Barak, 1999). As the global markets are getting more complex, utilization of organizations knowledge, skills and abilities is getting even more crucial in this rapidly increasing competition where organizations want to be more creative and innovative (Ng and Tung, 1998). In order to manage the growing diversity of the work force, organizations need to implement such systems and practices so that the potential advantages of diversity are maximized and the potential disadvantages are minimized (Cox, 1994). Managers in the organizations prove to be ineffective when dealing with a diverse workforce and language is reported as main hurdle when communication fails between the different nationals in employment Dadfar and Gustavsson (1992). However this negativity of the diverse workforce can be handled successfully by taking effective and rational decisions Watson et al. (1993). Those who decide to have diversity as a source of creativity and innovation, this proves to be much challenging to manage a diversified workforce. Many businesses experience failure when attempt to employ the diversity in its full picture to see its results on operations of the organizations (Farrer, 2004), as it demands the much energy and attention to manage the diversity. Effective diversity management have to cope with many of challenges like work ethics, authority, work relations, culture and ethical standards (McCuiston et al., 2004). Leadership In the literature, many authors which have interest in studying topic of leadership, offered definitions of leadership and defined this concept as a complex process by which a person influences others, applying his/her leadership attributes like belief, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills, to accomplish a mission, task or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent (Greenberg Baron, 2000). In addition to, it is seen that there are differences in connection with the types of leadership. Burns (1978) was one of the firsts to identify two types of leadership styles, transformational and transactional. Leadership remained the single most important issue in annual surveys for identifying top management issues during all times (HRI, 2002a). To manage a diverse workforce, organizations need visionary leaders but availability of them is scarce. According to the study by Diversity Inc. (2002), it is forecasted that many top management of several leading companies will lose one in five top managers due to retirement. Let alone, US companies will lose 40 percent or more of their top executives till 2015 (Wellins and Byham, 2001). One solution offered to this scarcity is to develop leaders at every level and in every function in an organization (Hesselbein, 2002). For this solution, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society (2002) advised the most effective leadership components to manage diversity, which are: Sensitivity and awareness about diverse workforce. Resources to strengthen and improve the quality of diverse individuals Inter-communication skills to solve mutual differences Strategies to maximize the effectiveness of diverse workforce. The goal should be to develop cross-cultural leaders and generate a new crop of multicultural professionals (Yukl, 2002). These leaders are provided with the required resources and authorities to manage workforce. The focus should be to enhance their listening, learning, networking, communication, and experimenting skills to manage a diverse workforce (Melymuka, 2001). Finally an effective strategy must be developed to include diversity at all levels of management, and there must be commitment to diversity at senior levels where it is strategically more important (Conklin, 2001). This strategy must be evident in organizations mission and vision statement and should involve a systemic, results-oriented, business-based approach (Fitzpatrick, 1997). Yet companies do not seek diversity unless this business competency results in increased profit and metrics that substantiate the necessity to expand the emphasis on diversity (Diversity Inc., 2002). Irrefutable measurable benefits can be de rived from properly implemented policies to promote diversity (Jamrog, 2002). The most evident measurable benefits are improved bottom line, competitive advantage, superior business performance, employee satisfaction and loyalty, strengthened relationship with multicultural communities, and attracting the best and the brightest candidates. Competitive advantage defined in diversity as, Recruiting and retaining people of diverse backgrounds who can share a common set of values. . .and approach to business is a priority for todays competitive organization (McCormack, 2002, p. 1). Jamrog (2002) suggested three-point approach to enhance effectiveness of leadership to manage diverse workforce: premise, guidelines and actions. There are three premises that leaders need to value diversity: (1) One size doesnt fit all leaders need to use different approaches for solving problems and developing workers as all situations and individuals are not the same, (2) Not everyone can be a leader organizational should focus only on individuals who have the ingredients of becoming a good leader, and (3) Leaders can be at any level or function anyone who can inspire, influence and guide others in the organization is a leader regardless of position. The five guidelines that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Communicate, communicate, and communicate share freely your ideas, suggestions, opinions; listen to ideas of others with interest, (2) Build contact into your daily actions and duties Plan your actions, meetings, and duties so as to maximize contact with multiple p eople in the organization. (3) Manage and lead by walking around Be outside the office frequently and interact informally with others of different levels, functions, backgrounds and experience, (4) Champion diversity Bring in the contribution of everyone to increase commitment, innovation and creativity, and (5) Sponsor diversity Defend the decisions, actions and interactions while supporting everyone in the organization. Lastly, the five actions that leaders need to value diversity are: (1) Assessment of leadership potential within the organizations, (2) Provision of training and tools, (3) Inclusion of diversity at all levels, (4) measuring and rewarding efforts, and (5) encouraging the organization to be patient. (Daniel Goleman, 2000) explored different leadership styles to affect the organizations in successful manner. (Malini Janakiraman,2011) identified the concern of the business leaders in treating the diversity management as a source of attaining and sustaining the comp etitive advantage. Organizational vision and mission is strongly related with leadership styles (John J. Sandi L., 2007), which includes the mentioning of competitive advantage explicitly. (John A. Pearce II Fred David, 1987) identified the competitive advantage as a major component in the organizations mission statement. Conceptual Framework: The literature reviewed thus far indicates that there is a positive relationship between workforce diversity and the benefits derived by organizations in the form of competitive advantage (McCuiston et al., 2004). Mission statement should mention the competitive advantages ( John A. Pearce II, Fred David, 1987) so that the goals and objectives can be aligned to attain or sustain the competitive advantage of the organization. Organizations using the diversity management as a competitive advantage or basis for then the organization are to mention the diversity in their mission statement. This study goes around finding the different country based organizations dealing the diversity management as a competitive advantage and the countries not taking it as strength to capitalize for competitive advantages. Data Collection: The data in this paper is based on top 100 companies of Forbes Global 2000 (2012). The mission, vision and strategy statements of these 100 companies are studied carefully. The website links of these statements are provided at the end of this paper in Appendix I. During the study, two of these companies are omitted from the list because both were in Portuguese language and further two are added to complete the list. Moreover, 50 companies of Pakistan from KSE-100 Index (2012) are also studied. The website links of the mission, vision and strategy statements reviewed are also provided in Appendix II of this paper. During the data collection, it was made sure that a company from every sector with revenue over Rs.1 billion is included. Those multinational companies that are working in Pakistan and listed at KSE-100 index were omitted to avoid double entry. The date is shown in following table. Region Diversity No Diversity America 30 8 Europe 25 12 Asia 10 15 Pakistan 1 49 Overall 66 84 Source: http://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/ The criterion set to study these statements is to find the exact word diversity in the mission, vision or strategy statements of these companies. The data collected is shown in following graph. The American region comprising North and West Continents seems to have more awareness about workforce diversity, as shown in the table. While there is no surprise that only one company (KAPCO) in Pakistan mentions diversity in its vision statement. Findings and Conclusion: The results depict that those companies which are multinational require a clear vision and strategy about workforce diversity. North and South American countries including USA, Canada, Brazil, and Chile have more awareness of workforce diversity while European countries are also inclined towards it. Findings also indicate that Asian companies are not as diverse as rest of global players because most of these are located in China, Japan and South Korea. Moreover, companies leadership plays a considerable role in inclusion of diversity because usually the top brass establishes the vision, mission and strategy of the company. So, the role of top leadership may not be ignored here. This paper began with the review of diversity and its role in achieving competitive advantage. Further going through the literature it linked to leadership because to include diversity for achieving competitive advantage, managerial leadership needs to have better vision. This evidence in literature was also shown that leadership moderates the affect of diversity to achieve competitive advantage. The requirements of becoming a visionary leader are further discussed which can influence the mission, vision and strategy of the organization. The limitation in this study was the time-frame due to which the exact leadership style could not be established. In future research, a leadership survey can be conducted to determine the style of leadership which can be beneficial for diversity inclusion.

Sport Utility Vehicles Use for Other Purposes :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

Sport Utility Vehicles Use for Other Purposes Sport Utility Vehicles have grown very quickly in popularity in recent years. Originally, they were coveted for their ability to go off-road by hunters and boaters. Now, they are used as alternatives to minivans or station wagons by soccer moms and businessmen. Unfortunately, these vehicles are not appropriate for everyday use, and most of the drivers are ill equipped to handle them properly. SUVs need to be taken out of general use and put in a category where only people who really need the utility can drive them. With all the controversy that these vehicles have caused recently, it is difficult to believe that they existed in relative obscurity for over sixty years. The Chevrolet Suburban, which is still around today, was introduced in 1935. It was mainly used as a work vehicle, however. Jeeps were the first SUVs to break into the personal vehicle market. In a move that nobody understood, Jeep began marketing their vehicles to people in affluent, urban areas in the 70s. High gas prices kept the sales low, however. In 1981 gas prices plummeted and the public’s appetite for large cars returned. Jeep Cherokee was introduced in 1984 and was gobbled up. The origin of the SUV’s problems comes out of the lack of regulations. Today, as it has always been, cars face very stiff regulations on things such as safety and the environment. Lawmakers control everything about cars, from bumper height to fuel efficiency. These regulations are the reason that cars have seatbelts, safety glass, and catalytic converters. Because of a convergence of historical oversights, trucks are curiously exempt from many of these strict car standards. The first thing that happened was that the automakers lobbied to have SUVs classified as light trucks so that they could take advantage of these lighter standards. At the time, nobody really raised much of a fuss because there was not much to make a fuss over. Trucks made up less than 1/5 of the vehicles on the road. There were simply not enough of them to do much damage if they were left out of the regulations. Plus, most of the people who owned these trucks, and eventually SUVs, used them for the ir businesses.

Cormac McCarthy The Crossing Essay -- Essays Papers

Cormac McCarthy The Crossing This story contains an almost equal balance of good and evil, though it also raises questions of what is truly good. It blurs the line between good and selfish or thoughtless. Characters’ actions sometimes appear impure, but in the long run, are good. In this story Billy is faced with a wide range of undeserved punishments, but shows good through all of them with his strong will and determination. He accepts the things that happen to him in a levelheaded manner, which works to keep the story from becoming a tragedy. The first instance of undeserved punishment is the death of Billy’s family. Not only was he unable to help them in any way, there was no good reason for it to happen. While Billy could lose all hope, become depressed, and angry at the world or at God for this injustice, he instead sets out to right the wrong. To begin his venture to right the wrong, Billy goes to get Boyd, who’s been staying at another home after his family’s death. Before they leave, Billy takes a shotgun, blanket, money, and other supplies from the house. Boyd comments, â€Å"Even a outlaw don’t rob them that’s took him in and befriended him.† In this instance it could be said that Billy’s actions are morally wrong. In this case however, the ends justify the means. Billy is committing a small wrong to serve the greater good, which reflects a higher prompting on Billy’s behalf. Billy’s patience is also tried when he learns of his heart murmur. He is attempti...