International Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Finance - Case Study Example In 1993, ICI demerged its bioscience businesses to a publicly listed company, Zeneca Group PLC. 1997 saw ICI transforming from a regional manufacturer of bulk chemicals to a global specialty chemical and paints leader with the acquisition of Unilever's Speciality Chemicals businesses. Over the last decade, ICI has transformed its portfolio through a number of acquisitions and divestments worth more than 12 billion. Proceeds from divestments have helped ICI reduce its net debt and improve its balance sheet strength (ICI Annual Report, 2006). This paper evaluates the international operations of ICI and discusses how important international trade is for the ICI Group. Various analyses are conducted such as strategic, financial, SWOT, and risk to provide a deeper insight into the company's international operations. ICI Board comprises of the Chairman, Chief Executive, 3 directors, and five non-executive directors. Collectively, the Board is responsible for the success of the company. Through the Chief Executive, the Board delegates to management the overall performance of the company through the setting of clear objectives, building long-term management capability and ensuring that the business is managed in conformity with the business principles. Core businesses Core businesses of ICI comprise ICI Paints and the adhesives, specialty starches, specialty polymers and electronic materials operations of National Starch. These businesses serve diverse consumer and industrial markets through 40 strategic business units. These businesses are supported by Group functions that provide expertise in the disciplines of information technology, finance, human resources, operations, procurement, safety, security, and applied technology (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI Paints has some of the world's leading paint and decorative product brands. ICI makes products to prepare and care for many building materials, and provides coatings for cans and packages. It is headquartered in the UK and has operations in 25 countries (ICI Annual Report, 2006). National Starch markets a broad array of products to various sectors such as food, healthcare and construction. It has four divisions that are grouped around adhesives, specialty starches, specialty polymers and electronic materials. National Starch is headquartered in the United States, and has manufacturing and customer service centres in 39 countries (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI has a number of regional and industrial businesses, principal operations for which are located in Pakistan and Argentina. They include the manufacture of pure terephthalic acid, polyester, sulphur-related chemicals, wine chemicals and soda ash (ICI Annual Report, 2006). ICI is headquartered in the UK, with geographically diversified operations worldwide. Asia and Latin America account for 36% of sales, North America 33%, Europe 29%, and the rest of the world 2%. ICI's businesses have adopted a staffing policy whereby local nationals are typically hired. Total employee strength at ICI is 29, 130, of which 87% are located outside the UK. ICI Group has operations in more than 50 countries around the world. More than 60% of the Group's revenue comes from sectors which are believed to be non-cyclical in nature, such

Recognise the impact of prejudice Essay Example for Free

Recognise the impact of prejudice Essay Three of the examples of prejudice or stereotyping in Task 9 and describe what strategies/methods as a community interpreter would use to influence/educate agencies in overcoming these barriers. Write about what systems agencies already have in place to overcome these particular barriers. Example 1: The Iranian Interpreter, how would you deal with this situation in a professional manner? Strategy: Get to know a person on an individual basis before you decide if you dont like them. Youre not going to like everyone, but you do need to respect them as an individual and spend time with them before you make a judgment. You need to realize that your way isnt the only way. Example 2: People who came from an Arab background and who attended mosques were looked at differently. This means that people you passed every day on the street were given a discrimination.This is not fair treatment Strategy: Learn about different cultures and people to understand differences between yourself and others. As you learn more, you can relate to other people better even when differences exist. You need to go where you are in the minority and experience what it is like to be in that situation. Example 3:Many people have the view of a person with mental illness as someone who is violence-prone. Strategy: Be respectful of differences. You need to be able to agree to disagree. Even if you dont have eye contact with each other, you will feel and know that their attitudes and behavior.

History Of Kosovo Essay -- essays research papers

The Balance of Power Theory and It’s Application to Kosovo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ideas are the corner-stones of International Relations and Diplomacy. These ideas are often titled theories, a term that grants the ideas a certain degree of credibility in application, though they remain theories; they cannot be proved., only applied intelligently in hopes of arriving at the correct conclusion. One theory concerning the Balance of Power (BOP) falls under the Neo-Realist analysis of conflict within the International system. This Essay will attempt to apply this theory, somewhat retroactively to the situation in Bosnia and more specifically, to that in Kosovo. Retroactively, because the essay will principally examine how these theories can be applied to the history of the Kosovo conflict, dating to the present. Secondly, it will undertake to detail the current situation in that region in these same terms, providing an accurate description of the status quo. Finally, the Balance of Power Theory will be employed in a prospective manner, to offer a so lution to the situation in terms of actually creating a balance of power within the country of Bosnia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Outline: I. Definitions of Terms for the Purpose of this Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. Neo Realism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Balance of Power Theory (BOP)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  C. Power Transition (PT) II. Retroactive Application of Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. History of Kosovo Situation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. How BOP/PT Theory Explains Kosovo Conflict III. Immediate Application of Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. How Status Quo is Represented by BOP Theory IV. Prospective Application of Theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. What Actual Balance of Power may lead to Peace in the Region V. Conclusion I. A. Neo-Realism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neo-Realism is one of the schools of thought in International Relations theory. It is a sub-school of Realism, which originated in the aftermath of World War II. Realists tended to blame the Second World War on Liberals and their failure to deter the fascist powers that initiated that war. Some of their specific criticisms include these principles:   Ã‚  &n... ... sees the concurrence of Serbian longing for Kosovo, and their longtime friend Israel’s feeling for their Holy land.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Balance of Power theory, however, does not allow for emotional rationalization when discussing war and politics. The final peace will depend on the power held by each party as the war ends. Serbia had, in 1995 presented a plan for peace in a magazine which passed unnoticed by the rest of the world. In it, they proposed to have a buffer zone free of ethnic Albanians. The buffer zone would lie between Albania and Kosovo-Metohia, which would effectively end the mutual ethnic cleansing, and act as a sort of containment solution. The implementation of this plan however is far from realization, since the war continues to rage. V. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The situation in Kosovo, is a long and exciting study of the Theories on Balance of Power, and its role in peace keeping. Unfortunately, the theory has been more of a method for analyzing the patterns of war in the region. It will take some measure of inequality to end this war. It is currently too much an equality of military forces for either side to emerge victorious.

Class, Money, Pride and Happiness in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Auste

Happiness can be defined in a plethora of ways such as good fortune, a state of well being, or a pleasurable, satisfying experience. William Thackeray’s Rebecca Sharp stated in the novel Vanity Fair that she â€Å"could be a good woman if she had five thousand pounds† and she â€Å"could dawdle about in the nursery and count the apricots on the wall† (VF 414). Marianne Dashwood of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility says that she â€Å"cannot be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own† (SS 15). Most importantly, Elizabeth Bennet of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice states that she would be happy with someone who â€Å"has no improper pride† and â€Å"is perfectly amiable† (PP 364). While all of these novels give a glimpse into the opinions of happiness, Pride and Prejudice delves into the nuances of happiness, showing the conflicts that come with these intertwining ideas of class, money, and pride. Ultimately, we come across an important question: What constitutes happiness and how do the ideas of class, money and pride coincide, bringing about conflicting moods in Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice? Throughout Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, we see many instances of the aforementioned conflicts that ensue. The first example of conflict comes out of the fictional mouths of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Right out of the gate, Mrs. Bennet speaks of the fact that a wealthy individual by the name of Charles Bingley is to arrive at the vacant estate of Netherfeld. Mrs. Bennet states that, â€Å"Oh single, my dear to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!† (6). Edward Copeland writes in his article titled Class, â€Å"Incomes of 4,000 pounds a year and above leave behind... ...n while reading: â€Å"Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? Or having it satisfied?† (VF 680). Elizabeth Bennet exclaims, â€Å"I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but no one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh† (PP 369). Works Cited Austen, Jane. Sense and Sensibility. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2004. Print Copeland, Edward. The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Print Thackeray, William M. Vanity Fair. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2003. Print Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Ed. Carol H. Poston. W.W. Norton & Company; Second Edition. New York: Norton, 1975. Print Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 2003. Print

Globalization & world Essay

In general terms, globalization refers to the economical, cultural and societal changes, which are experienced in the whole world as a result of integrated and common trade, transport and communication network systems. The whole issue of globalization is complex with potential debates on its causes and effects ranging from technological to social- cultural and political factors. Although globalization has been associated with many positive impacts to the society and the world at large, the negative consequences cannot be ignored because of their far reaching effects to the people in the world. This paper seeks to discuss the health problems caused by globalization. It also gives some of the solutions to this problem. As the whole world is increasingly becoming interconnected, human health is becoming more complex. For instance, globalization has changed the lifestyle of people. It can be appreciated that modern behavioral changes such as the smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activities and increasingly high use of illegal drugs, which are factors attributed to globalization, are risking human health and hence increasing the chances of low lifespan (Guindon, & Pang, 2004). Globalization has also resulted to the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases. This is evidenced in the recent out break of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and its rapid spread in the modern world hence imposing a risk of global pandemic (Guindon, & Pang, 2004). Further to this, the enhanced global movements of goods and people have contributed amicably to the spread of diseases. For example, the advancement of canned food production, trade and increasingly high consumption has facilitated the spread of food born diseases. Behavioral changes associated with global worming such as sexual immoralities (increased sex tourism) in the modern society have contributed to the spread of HIV and AIDS which has been declared as a global epidemic (Huynen, et al 2005). In addition to this, modern society is experiencing high teenage pregnancies which results to health complications. One of the solutions to the negative impacts of globalization to health is by promoting health education in the society. Education will empower people to understand the effects of different lifestyles, which include foods consumed. (Wamala & Kawachi 2007). Further to this, the society should discourage unhealthy behaviors through appropriate legislation and public awareness. In conclusion therefore, globalization has far reaching effects to health which should be addressed at international levels for the common good of all people in the world. ? Bibliography Guindon, E, & Pang, T 2004, Globalization and risks to health, viewed 21 August 2010, Huynen, et al, 2005, Globalization and Health, viewed 21 August 2010, Wamala, S, & Kawachi, I 2007, Globalization and Health, Oxford University Press, New York.

Propaganda Maps

Propaganda Maps All maps are designed with a purpose; whether to aid in navigation, accompany a news article, or display data. Some maps, however, are designed to be particularly persuasive. Like other forms of propaganda, cartographic propaganda attempts to mobilize viewers for a purpose. Geopolitical maps are the most explicit examples of cartographic propaganda, and throughout history have been utilized to garner support for various causes. Propaganda Maps in Global Conflicts This map from the film depicts the Axis powers plan to conquer the world. In maps such as the aforementioned propaganda map, authors express specific feelings on a topic, creating maps that are meant not just to describe information, but also to interpret it. These maps are often not made with the same scientific or design procedures as other maps; labels, precise outlines of bodies of land and water, legends, and other formal map elements may be disregarded in favor of a map that speaks for itself. As the above image shows, these maps favor graphic symbols that are embedded with meaning. Propaganda maps gained momentum under Nazism and Fascism, as well. There are many examples of Nazi propaganda maps that were intended to glorify Germany, justify territorial expansion, and decrease support for the U.S., France, and Britain (see examples of Nazi propaganda maps at the German Propaganda Archive). During the Cold War, maps were produced in order to magnify the threat of the Soviet Union and communism. A recurrent trait in propaganda maps is the ability to portray certain regions as big and menacing, and other regions as small and threatened. Many Cold War maps enhanced the size of the Soviet Union, which magnified the threat of communisms influence. This occurred in a map titled Communist Contagion, which was published in a 1946 edition of Time Magazine. By coloring the Soviet Union in bright red, the map further enhanced the message that communism was spreading like a disease. Mapmakers utilized misleading map projections to their advantage in the Cold War as well. The Mercator Projection, which distorts land areas, exaggerated the size of the Soviet Union. (This map projection website shows different projections and their effect on the portrayal of the USSR and its allies). Propaganda Maps Today choropleth map maps The maps on this site show how political maps can mislead today. One map shows the results of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, with blue or red indicating if a state voted majority for the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, or the Republican candidate, John McCain. From this map there appears to be more red then blue, indicating that the popular vote went Republican. However, the Democrats decidedly won the popular vote and the election, because the population sizes of the blue states are much higher than those of the red states. To correct for this data issue, Mark Newman at the University of Michigan created a Cartogram; a map that scales the state size to its population size. While not preserving the actual size of each state, the map shows a more accurate blue-red ratio, and better portrays the 2008 election results. Propaganda maps have been prevalent in the 20th century in global conflicts when one side wants to mobilize support for its cause. It is not only in conflicts that political bodies utilize persuasive mapmaking however; there are many other situations in which it benefits a country to portray another country or region in a particular light. For example, it has benefited colonial powers to use maps to legitimize territorial conquest and social/economic imperialism. Maps are also powerful tools to garner nationalism in ones own country by graphically portraying a countrys values and ideals. Ultimately, these examples tell us that maps are not neutral images; they can be dynamic and persuasive, used for political gain. References: Boria, E. (2008). Geopolitical Maps: A Sketch History of a Neglected Trend in Cartography. Geopolitics, 13(2), 278-308. Monmonier, Mark. (1991). How to Lie with Maps. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart

Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart Kmart stores were characterized by various negative features before the arrival of Guy Russo as the new Chief Executive Officer. The stores had shabby change rooms, old carpets, less motivated staff, inadequate supply of products to customers and daunting product range which demoralized customers from making their purchases. The business model that employers were operating under had some broken hitches and broken processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Positive contributions The arrival of Guy Russo changed the company making it experience increased profits and, at the same time, enjoy top ranking on the retail map. The CEO changed the leadership structure through handpicking executive management team comprising of six people and, at the same time, considering issues of gender balance within Kmart’s leadership str ucture. Then he went ahead to moderate Kmart’s product range lines, as well as improving pricing mechanisms (Clawson, 2012). Additionally, Guy enriched the supply chain by reducing involvement of middlemen and wholesalers (John et al, 2006). Model where middlemen and wholesalers are used characterizes Australian retail model which does not practice direct sourcing model. Russo ensured that Kmart’s target market segments were clearly defined (McKee et al., 2013). At the same time, Russo assisted in positioning the store in the market as a place where all essential goods can be found, including home appliances and clothes, at affordable prices. This ensured reduction of company’s operational costs and at the same time maintained focus on Kmart’s real business processes (Lussier and Achua, 2010). Guy Russo also encouraged company development through application of the principle of less is more whereby Kmart replaced all expensive goods with less expensive on es. This was for the purposes of capturing considerable market share since majority within various market segments considered purchasing quality goods at affordable prices (Cravens and Piercy, 2009). Russo also removed spot discount imposed on products sold. This was contrary to tradition of most Australian retailers who applied pricing model involving offering percentage-off discount for the purpose of improving sales. He ensured that all new managers were taken through thorough training granting them new perspective in leadership and management of company affairs. Good example is when Guy took over hundred of store managers to Beijing for the purposes of giving them new perspective on looking at life (Lussier and Achua, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Negative contributions Such moves as change in management style had consequent results, Russo’s lea dership style within Kmart’s management prompted replacement of several company staff based on the fact that they could not commit to efforts of turnaround. This led to replacement of approximately 20% of chain store management officers. At the same time, application of direct model brought by Russo led to cases of unemployment since many people were pushed out of their jobs especially wholesalers and middlemen. Direct sourcing was applied in markets in low-cost countries and such strategy could only be adopted by large retailers rather than small players. Conclusion The CEO introduced intensive use of modern technology system for the purposes of managing its inventory. Such improvement ensures that the company achieves highest sales within every market segment compared to its competitors within the same market. Serving low-end consumers prompted Russo to encourage division of its products to fully satisfy their clients (Lussier and Achua, 2010). However, intensive use of tec hnology might not work well in low markets like Bangladesh since not all consumers are technologically literate to use services such as those provided on the Internet. However, Kmart’s application of the web pages on the Internet in retailing provides consumers with efficient means which they can utilize in selecting variety of goods available online, hence saving their time (McKee et al., 2013). References Clawson, J 2012, Level Three Leadership: Getting below the Surface, 5th Ed, Prentice Hall, USA Cravens, D Piercy, N 2009, ‘Strategic Marketing, ‘McGraw Hill, London John, S, Caroline, E, Godsell, J, Harrison, A 2006, ‘Supply chain Management: theory, practice and future challenges,’ International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 7, No. 26, pp 754-774.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lussier, R, N Achua, C, F 2010, Leadership: Theory, Application Skill Development, 4th Ed, South-Western Publishing, Australia McKee, A, Kemp, T Spence, G 2013, Management: A Focus on Leaders, Pearson Education, Australia

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440

Biography of Gilles de Rais 1404 - 1440 Gilles de Rais was a French noblemen and noted soldier of the fourteenth century who was tried and executed for the murder and torture of numerous children. He is now remembered chiefly as a historical serial killer, but may have been innocent. Gilles de Rais as Noble and Commander Gilles de Laval, Lord of Rais (thus known as Gilles de (of) Rais), was born in 1404 at Champtocà © castle, Anjou, France. His parents were heirs to wealthy land holdings: the lordship of Rais and part of the Laval family possessions on his father’s side and lands belonging to a branch of the Craon family through his mother’s side. He also married into a wealthy line in 1420, uniting with Catherine de Thouars. Consequently Gilles was once of the richest men in the whole of Europe by his teens. He has been described as keeping a more lavish court than even the French king, and he was a great patron of the arts. By 1420 Gilles was fighting in the wars over the succession rights to the Duchy of Brittany, before being involved in the Hundred Years War, fighting against the English in 1427. Having proved himself an able, if brutal and low level, commander, Gilles found himself alongside Joan of Arc, taking part in several battles with her, including the famed rescue of Orlà ©ans in 1429. Thanks to his success, and the crucial influence of Gilles’ cousin, Georges de Ka Trà ©moille, Gilles became a favorite of King Charles VII, who appointed Gilles Marshall of France in 1429; Gilles was only 24 years old. He spent more time with Jeanne’s forces until her capture. The scene was set for Gilles to go on and have a major career, after all, the French were beginning their victory in the Hundred Years War. Gilles de Rais as Serial Killer By 1432 Gilles de Rais had largely retreated to his estates, and we dont really know why. At some stage his interests turned to alchemy and the occult, perhaps after an order, sought by his family in 1435, barred him from selling or mortgaging anymore of his lands and he needed money to continue his lifestyle. He also, possibly, began the kidnap, torture, rape and murder of children, with the number of victims ranging from 30 to upwards of 150 given by different commentators. Some accounts claim this ended up costing GIlles more money as he invested in occult practices which didnt work but cost regardless. We have avoided giving too much detail on Gilles crimes here, but if youre interested a search on the web will bring up the accounts. With one eye on these infractions, and possibly another on seizing Gilles’ land and possessions, the Duke of Brittany and the Bishop of Nantes moved to arrest and prosecute him. He was seized in September 1440 and tried by both ecclesiastical and civil courts. At first he claimed to be not guilty, but â€Å"confessed† under threat of torture, which is no confession at all; the ecclesiastical court found him guilty of heresy, the civil court guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death and hanged on October 26th 1440, being held up as a model of penitence for recanting and apparently accepting his fate. There is an alternative school of thought, one which argues that Gilles de Rais was set-up by the authorities, who had an interest in taking what remained of his wealth, and was actually innocent. The fact his confession was extracted through threat of torture is cited as evidence of severe doubt. Gilles wouldnt be the first European who was set up so people could take wealth, and remove power, by jealous rivals, and the Knights Templar are a very famous example, while Countess Bathory is in much the same position as Gilles, only in her case it looks very likely she was set up instead of just possible. Bluebeard The character of Bluebeard, recorded in a seventeenth century collection of fairy tales called Contes de ma mà ¨re l’oye (Tales of Mother Goose), is believed to be partly based on Breton folk tales which are, in turn, partly based on Gilles de Rais, although the murders have become of wives rather than children.

SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES SCANDAL Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES SCANDAL - Term Paper Example This scandal had a negative implication in overall global information technology industry during the trying times of credit crunch as the company used to provide its services to more than 75% of the Fortune 500 companies (Timmons & Wassener, 2009). It was on January 2009, the Chairman of the company, Mr. B. Ramalinga Raju mailed a letter to the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as well as his Board Members confessing the fact that he had been forging the financial statements of the company. This resulted to the overstatement of the company revenues by $ 1 billion. He further mentioned that the balance sheet of the company incurred a liability of $253 million which was arranged by him personally. The revenues were overstated by 76% as well as profits by 97%. Therefore, the major offenders in the event were the Former Chairman Mr. B.Ramalinga Raju along with other several members of the board (Kripalani, 2009). Loss to Satyam During the period of such issues, the company lost its significant clients. It was noticed that immediately after the Satyam Computers was caught in fraud, the company was sold to Tech Mahindra which is based in Pune and deals with telecom-solution providers. He was successful at winning the auctions at $352 millions and bought 31% of Satyam. In order to acquire more of 20% of the Satyam shares Tech Mahindra made a public offer (Singh, 2009). The case was referred to be India’s Enron. Most of the financial houses across the world were disappointed by the fact that the biggest fraud in India was unnoticed by the authorities for quite long. This event resulted to be quite harmful in affecting the economy which if noticed in time could have been prevented. The event raised questions in relation to the level of corporate governance in India and has ruined the reputation of the Indian telecom industry among the overseas companies. The investors demonstrated their concern regarding the event and stated that the event took place at worst possible time. It was the time when market had begun recovering and the event made the market even worse (Vaswani, 2009). Mr. Raju had been trying to conceal the losses from the investors and as a result was caught up in the ferocious cycle of falsehood and debts. He stated that $1 billion of the cash in hand with company did not exist actually. However, according to various analysts Mr. Ramalinga Raju had been maneuvering the cash flows because of which the falsehood was not getting detected. It was also analyzed that the reason for such fudging of accounts at Satyam by Mr. Ramalinga Raju might have been for the chase for higher profits and the wish to keep pace with the growth rate of the outsourcing industry (Vaswani, 2009). Investigation on the Matter Soon after the event took place, the financial regulators started their invigilation on the matter. Bombay Stock Exchange, where it was listed had decided to remove Satyam Computers from its indices (Vaswani, 2009). Mr. Rama linga Raju was soon detained and put behind the bars for such scandal (McDougall, 2010). Reasons for Such Activities to Matter These kind of fraudulent activities not only hamper the existence of the organization but also affect the economic

Examine the new policies proposed to solve the financial and sovereign Essay

Examine the new policies proposed to solve the financial and sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Your report should include a brief - Essay Example Understanding complex economic relationship in layman’s view point will be the crux of this essay. In the third part, the study will analyze proposed solution for resolving sovereign debt crisis in terms of advantages and disadvantages for countries with high credit ratings. In the last section, the essay will summarize the personal view of the researcher on sovereign debt crisis. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Sovereign Debt Crisis 4 Banking System and Sovereign Debt Crisis 5 Analysis of Proposed Solution for Solving Sovereign Debt Crisis 9 Reference 11 Appendices 13 Introduction The essay will try to shed some light on new policies which are being proposed to solve the financial and sovereign debt crisis in Europe. The essay will try to analyze these policies in terms of their capability of resolving sovereign debt crisis. Aim of this report to analyze real underlying problems related to sovereign debt crisis. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2011) has reported that European banking sector failure and sovereign debt crisis is correlated; hence the study has the scope to analyze issues related to sovereign debt crisis on the ground of banking sector failure in Europe. Sovereign Debt Crisis Research scholars such as Barr (2010) have stated that sovereign debt crisis started during 2009 in Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain or PIIGS economies. Boyes (2009) and Gross (2009) have stated that fiscal deficit of PIIGS economies was increased during 2009 as a result of sovereign debt crisis. Papadimas and Graham (2010) have stated that sovereign debt crisis was triggered due to high borrowing costs for Euro zone countries. Lynn (2010) has defined sovereign debt crisis as financial crisis which created problems for some European countries to re-finance or repay government debt without taking support from third party. Generally, economic performance of European countries is determined by their ability to settle their external debt obligation, level of fiscal deficit of a country is determined by country’s sovereign debt default risk (Pescartori and Sy, 2004). In such situation, if a country fails to repay external borrowings from international market with the help of issuance of bonds then economic growth of that country is bound to get hampered. Banking System and Sovereign Debt Crisis Regulation Economists have stated that European banks underpriced the risks which have contributed significantly to sovereign debt crisis. Risk-weighted asset optimisation of banks nullified the significance of Tier 1 ratio which is amended by Basel rules. Prior to sovereign debt crisis, banks were allowed to use internal derivatives to decrease risk associated with assets but unfortunately majority of European banks failed control leverage risks which was associated with rise of funding problems. In Europe, many of the banks tried to form capital market banking system in order to decrease risk asso ciated with high leverage ratio (Mody (2009); Gerlach et al (2010); Goldman Sachs Global Economics, 2010; and CGFS-BIS,2011). For example, investors went for short and long credit in capital market which increased risk for banks. Lack of efficient regulatory framework not only increased risks for banks but leveraged risk for investors also. Multilayer Relation Mouchakkaa (2012), who is Executive Director of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, has pointed out that â€Å"

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 6

Marketing - Essay Example The various techniques used for the Nike shoe are then able to strategically position the shoes ahead of other competitors that are in the market to sell shoes. Background of Organization Nike was established in 1972 by business owner, Bill Bowerman. The idea began in 1964 with the desire to create an athletic shoe that could be used effectively for competitive sports. By 1971, Bowerman had established a shoe that would work and then created the Nike brand to develop the new mechanics and techniques for the shoe. Bowerman began by making a contract with the University of Oregon runner Phil Knight. The approach was to give running shoes that would help Knight to have ease o use while running without having some of the malfunctions that come with basic shoes that are used. The business quickly gained a strong reputation in footwear with a current stance of 160 countries which sell the footwear and the employment of over 1 million people. The approach is to use a set of diversity inclus ion within the organization while creating a strong reputation among those interested in the footwear (Nike, 2011). The success of Nike, with a revenue of $91.2 billion in 2010, is one which is based on a portfolio of products. There are now several affiliate businesses that work with Nike for the brand reputation. These include Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley International, Nike Golf and Umbro. The brand identity that is established all carries the overall features of the Nike logo. This is then divided into specific shoes used for sports, such as running shoes, basketball shoes and other specialized makes and models. There are also divisions for women, men and children to further the brand identity. Nike has incorporated sportswear as well as personal trainers with electronics to assist those that are looking for a different approach to their athletic regimen, creating a different set of brands within the Nike organization (Nike, 2011). Marketing Techniques and Strategies The marketin g techniques that are used by Nike involve several dimensions of finding what the best methods are to reach consumers. The first way in which this is done is by segmentation. The theory of segmentation is defined as creating a presence by noting different target markets which would be interested in a product. Meeting this need by establishing demographic relationships can then provide a stronger movement toward sales among those that are interested in the products (Alderson, Cox, 2006 pg. 137). The segmentation of the products isn’t done by developing the product first, then creating a market that will need the item. Instead, there is an established presence created by need first. Each of the shoes that are presented by Nike is segmented first, than established with the mechanics of the shoe to create a need within the segment. Basketball, soccer, football, running shoes and segments among women and men are some of the several ways that Nike has approached building its brand. This is done within the internal environment first, than leads to establishing a presence among those in need with the item. The concept of segmentation becomes essential by noting that there is a need among different groups of individuals, which Nike can then meet by building a reputation from the science used behind the makes and models of each of the shoes. The target

Operational framework for the DRNC Convention Research Paper

Operational framework for the DRNC Convention - Research Paper Example The direct participants in ensuring security and emergence response, and the community hosting the event should be prepared for any emergency situation. No room should be left for either infringement of security or avoidable suffering due to any unforeseen emergency situation. In such regard, this paper entails the operational framework for the DRNC Convention. A convention of the Democratic and Republican National Committees requires the exercise of stringent security measures. The threat of terrorism has increased greatly in the post 9/11 era, prompting the need for proper planning of events that may be targeted. Indeed, the September 11 attacks made the George Bush administration adopt a security focused emergency management at the national level, while also encouraging the adoption of the same at state and local levels of emergency management (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2014). Anti-terrorism efforts to protect American citizens in their homeland or abroad are undertaken through a collaboration of the military, the intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, the diplomatic community, and emergency management. Presently, the threat to American leaders arises from within, where there are some disgruntled groups such as anarchists as well as foreign based groups like al Qaeda. Therefore, for the sake of securing the DRNC Convention a nd ensuring that any damage caused by threats is minimized, the collaboration of the event planners with all the stakeholders is required. The operational framework should be designed in a way to cater for all emergency situations that may happen within the precincts of the venue. Though the main event may without a hitch, there is a risk of problems arising among the protestors who are expected to picket nearby.

Max Weber the sociologist Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Max Weber the sociologist - Research Paper Example His theories broke new ground, proposing that interpretive, non-empirical evidence can be used to analyze and understand the intentions and actions of individuals within socio-economic groups. Weber’s works put into perspective the effect of culture and religion on economics. Placed within a historical perspective, Weber’s work was bold for the time in that it refutes the notion that there can be a quantifiable gauge for the study of social dynamics. Observation and analysis, skills that served Weber well during his esteemed career, were part of a legacy of academic achievement, passed on to him by his accomplished parents. Weber: A brief biography Born into an affluent family, Weber’s father was trained as an attorney, held a prominent position in the civil service and was a member of the National Liberal Party. Max Weber, Sr.’s involvement in public life exposed his son to a wealth of socio-political ideas, the family’s home being something of a g athering place for many leading intellectuals of the period. The younger Weber thrived in this atmosphere, which inspired him to take up Goethe, whom he read voraciously from a young age as well as many other volumes of classical works (Ringer, 2004). Law school and a brief stint in the military during World War I were followed by the beginnings of a legal career, which further whetted his appetite for research and theory. The early stages of his professional life were marked by social and economic studies inspired by a growing Max Weber 4 progressive movement, which Weber joined in 1888 as a member of the Verein fur Sozialpolitik, a professional association for economists. â€Å"What united the members of the Verein was a belief that reforms were urgently needed in Germany† (Swedberg & Agevall, 2005). The Verein proved to be a stepping stone for Weber, who earned notice for his report on the displacement of workers in East Prussia by Polish emigres (Kim, 2007). Appointments to Freiburg, then Heidelberg University followed. It was at Heidelberg that Weber’s brilliance attracted the attention of other intellectuals, writers and scholars in the charged academic atmosphere of the famous university town. Germany of the late-19th century was a brash new nation, one gripped by hubris and the aggressive policies of the Prussian political ascendancy. The nation’s burgeoning self-confidence gripped many in the intellectual class, including some of Weber’s contemporaries. Refusing to be swept up, Weber remained true to his progressive convictions, venting his feelings about Germany’s increasing predilection for saber rattling. â€Å"(Weber) also wrote passionate polemics in behalf of parliamentary reform and against the annexationist hysteria that seized many of his colleagues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ringer, 2004). After his father’s death in 1896, Weber’s unresolved, stormy relationship with his parent contributed to a nervous b reakdown, which so debilitated Weber that he was eventually forced to resign from his teaching post and to suspend all scholarly activities. Ironically, Weber’s condition, which led to an abrupt and radical change in his professional life, brought about an intellectual change of direction and priority that would round out his personal philosophy and make him a pioneer in the developing field of social science (Kim, 2007). The resultant study

Operational framework for the DRNC Convention Research Paper

Operational framework for the DRNC Convention - Research Paper Example The direct participants in ensuring security and emergence response, and the community hosting the event should be prepared for any emergency situation. No room should be left for either infringement of security or avoidable suffering due to any unforeseen emergency situation. In such regard, this paper entails the operational framework for the DRNC Convention. A convention of the Democratic and Republican National Committees requires the exercise of stringent security measures. The threat of terrorism has increased greatly in the post 9/11 era, prompting the need for proper planning of events that may be targeted. Indeed, the September 11 attacks made the George Bush administration adopt a security focused emergency management at the national level, while also encouraging the adoption of the same at state and local levels of emergency management (Haddow, Bullock & Coppola, 2014). Anti-terrorism efforts to protect American citizens in their homeland or abroad are undertaken through a collaboration of the military, the intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, the diplomatic community, and emergency management. Presently, the threat to American leaders arises from within, where there are some disgruntled groups such as anarchists as well as foreign based groups like al Qaeda. Therefore, for the sake of securing the DRNC Convention a nd ensuring that any damage caused by threats is minimized, the collaboration of the event planners with all the stakeholders is required. The operational framework should be designed in a way to cater for all emergency situations that may happen within the precincts of the venue. Though the main event may without a hitch, there is a risk of problems arising among the protestors who are expected to picket nearby.

Jesus as an Imperialist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jesus as an Imperialist - Essay Example While considering the principles of Christianity for which he lived, an imperialistic approach has been adorned by him since his birth. He was looked for as king to be born in the dynasty of David who would free the Jews from the imperialism of the foreign governance and would establish the reign of God. The Jews believed that the promised man would appear on a Maundy Thursday and would take over as their king. However the consideration of Jesus as the king of Kings, involves a varied concept on imperialism. It never goes along with the conventional approaches of the worldly governing systems, but had a holy view adorning the power of Jesus as a king and the manifest destiny allied with his life and times. Zechariah 9: 9 says, â€Å"Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.†

Of mice and men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men by John Steinbeck Essay Studying stage Drama enables us to see into a world that is very different from our own and to feel compassion for those who are unable to take control of their own lives Of mice and men By John Steinbeck is a very interesting and compelling text, and positions us as the reader to accept Lennie as the victim even though he killed someone, we as the reader are given many insights that some of the other characters do not get to experience, and therefore can get this message as the dominant reading. The earliest accounts of the life of Lennie and George tells us a tale about Lennie and his accidents involving mice, Lennie who gets presents of mice from his aunt, crushes there heads, because he doesnt know his own strength, he loves the mice, and cared for them, but because of his love for the mice they bite him and he crushes the mouses heads, Lennie is definitely mentally retarded, and as such he does things that regular people would not do it would seem that Lennies mentality was not designed for his body, if he was a thin weedy man then he would have no problems, he could pet animals AND make them stay alive, but things arent always as we like them Because the playwright is trying to establish Lennie as the good guy we are also positioned at the scene of their last job, Lennie feels a ladies dress, the woman screams, he holds on, she starts yelling to the police, he holds, and as a result, poor George has to spend a night in a ditch and what was the reason? I only did it to feel how soft it was says Lennie, even though this is still fairly strange, you as the reader can relate to him and say well, it really isnt his fault. Now I know you are wondering, Why did Lennie hold on even through the screams and the yelling police, why didnt he just let go? consider this story, a young child between the ages of 1 and 3 is found near his dead mother, holding on for dear life, and mentally Lennie was much the same way whenever he gets scared or frightened, he will hold on to it, you cannot blame the woman for her reaction, a big tall man grabbing onto her dress, she has every right to feel threatened, and as a result, Lennie gets George into trouble, and they have to spend the night in the ditch. On the farm, curly is picking fights; not only is he picking fights but he is picking fights that he cant win, apart from his height, what exactly did Lennie do? He laughed, oh no, dear God, how will he survive? George was going to teach him a lesson, but he wanted Lennie, this time he went too far, Lennie didnt want to fight curly, but he gave him no choice, he was scared and frightened, and once again, the mentality issue shines brightly, he grabs Curlys hand and he doesnt let go, he crushes every single bone in his hand, and again Lennie is portrayed as the good guy, what else could he do? The final matter is the matter of Curlys wifes death, this even if he is retarded, still classifies as murder, no matter how much they try to sugar coat it, it is still murder, and he pays for it with his own death, he gave George, his best friend, no other choice other than to kill him for his own good, his strength, has been the cause of all these problems right from the beginning, and although you can feel sorry for him, he should have had more common sense, he was retarded, and there is nothing you can do about that, but he should have learnt what was right and appropriate, and killing innocent people, even if it was manslaughter, is still bad. And so we are given an insight into the life of Lennie, we feel compassion for him and George, we have been positioned to draw this conclusion, well, youd be hard pressed to try and prove he wasnt wouldnt you? It seams there is two cases of murder (not counting the various animal deaths) George isnt the bad guy because he did what was best for Lennie, and Lennie wasnt the bad guy because he is retarded.

What Is The New Economic Model Economics Essay

What Is The New Economic Model Economics Essay Earlier of 2010, Malaysia government introduces the four pillars of national transformation which the aim is to achieve Vision 2020. The New Economic Model (NEM) is part of the four pillars of national transformation. The figure above showed the pillars of NEM. NEM consists of several plans and strategies such as Government Transformation Plan (GTP), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), 10th 11th Malaysia Plan, and Principle of 1 Malaysia. Combination of these plans can form the NEM which plays the role of shelter to our country. From the bottom, there are 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans. These plans will act as the supported foundation for the NEM. With the aids of GTP and ETP, NEM can be implemented more comprehensive. However, if without the 1 Malaysia concepts, our shelter cannot complete. Therefore, concept of 1 Malaysia will act as the roof to cover all the plans and strategies. The NEM is an economic plan in Malaysia which is unveiled on 30 March, 2010 by Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razaks. NEM will generate benefits for all Malaysians. This economic plan is proposed to gain double income per capital Malaysia by 2020. Besides that, one of the NEMs propose is to reduce income disparity between the rich and poor in Malaysia, improve the system of affirmative action to becoming more competitive market and investor friendly, and improving workers productivity. Figure 1.2: Goals of New Economic ModelThe focus of the NEM is to transform the Malaysian into a developed and competitive economy whose people enjoy a high quality of life and high level of income from growth that is both of inclusive and sustainable by 2020. The keys to the plan as described unveiling are high income, sustainability and inclusiveness, which together will translate into a high quality of life for the rakyat. The first goal of NEM is high income. NEM aims to bring Malaysia to high income country with per capita income US$15,000 until US$20,000 by 2020. Currently, per capita annual income in Malaysia only worth at $7,000 in US currency; under NEM plan the figure would be double to US$15,000. When achieve this target, Malaysia would be able to escape from the middle income trap. Inclusiveness is second goal of NEM. Under inclusiveness, all Malaysian include Sabah and Sarawak enables to fully benefit and share the nation wealth. In additional, inclusiveness which can ensure that every citizen right could be preserved and no group could be ignored in the nation. Discrimination and bias will fully prohibited. The last goal of NEM is sustainability, which its refers to current generations meets present needs without compromising the future generations. Because of that, government will safeguard the natural resources that we have now from miss-spent. Furthermore, sustainability of the quality life will be pursuing and government takes action in order to reform the sector so that it achieves efficiency and equity. To achieve the goals of New Economic Model, there are eight Strategic Reform Initiatives (SRIs) those recommendations by NEAC. First SRI is re-energising the private sector. That because private sector play an important role in enhancing economic growth in the country. So, private sectors are encouraged to involve themselves in investment especially in high value added products and services so that sustained economy growth and high income country can be generated. Second SRI is developing quality workforce and reducing dependency on foreign labour. Under this policy, government will focus on labour markets and ensure that to work well. Efforts will put on such as workers must work efficiently to increase productivity and wages. Under the adjustment of labour market must be smooth, government need to ensure that workers are doing in the correct jobs which match with their knowledge and skill. Brain-drain problem needs to be solved to attract our skilled labour so that they can contribute in Malaysia economy. Besides that, government also focuses to generating a talented workforce to meet the needs of a high-value knowledge economy. Therefore, wage-restraining labour market distortions, such as excessive and indiscriminate use of foreign labour, will be removed. Creating a competitive domestic economy is a third SRI in NEM. To create the competitive domestic economy, many distortions such as subsidies, price controls and a myriad of distortion-creating incentives will be removed. Additionally, government also will build entrepreneurship to achieve this policy. Therefore, the ETP will help the vulnerable groups with an enhanced social safety net such as health care, education and etc, and a special transformation fund for them. The fourth of SRI is strengthening of the public sector. Public sector must be re-engineered. The reform programmes will continue to improve and speed up decision making processes using the whole-of-government approach and others. Government also focuses to improve the service delivery to rakyat. One main point in this policy is government want to reduce the friction costs. That means government wants to zero tolerance for the corruption. SRI 5 is transparent and market friendly affirmative action. Government will encourage equal and fair economic opportunities, and ensure that affirmative action programmes will continue in order to achieve the objectives, rent-seeking and market distorting features which have limited their effectiveness of the programme should be eliminate. Furthermore, this policy also emphasize in narrowed the gap between rich and poor. The real intention to reduce the income disparity is because in Malaysia still have the bottom 40 percent of households earn an average lower than RM1,500 per month. Besides that, government want make sure that all Malaysian get equitable and fair opportunities through the transparent process. The sixth SRI is building the knowledge base infrastructure. The key focus here is to promote an economic transformation in the industrial, agricultural and services sectors for innovation by strengthening the delivery of high quality education that nurtures innovation and technology. The aims of this policy are to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurship, promote an environment for innovation and lastly establish stronger enabling institutions. SRI 6 is enhancing the sources of growth. Malaysia will control its natural resource endowment and made sectors of comparative advantages as the main sources of high value added growth. From that, government can maximize spillover effects into new areas of activities. The aims from this policy are to create value from first mover and other comparative advantages, develop greater integration between the product and etc. Lastly, SRI 8 is ensuring sustainability of growth. Our country is rich in natural resources. So the purpose of this policy is to preserving our natural resources from the wasting. At the same time, government focuses to safeguarding the interest of future generations. The safeguarding interest of future generations will be complemented by sustainable public finances through stringent fiscal discipline. 2.0 Why we need NEM? Figure 2.1: GNI Per Capita (1990-2008; USD Thousand) Source: The World Bank The figure had shown the gross net income (GNI) per capita for nine selected countries which are Korea, Czech Republic, Slovakia Poland, Poland, Chile, Argentina, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia that at the middle income boundary in 1990. This figure reveals the position of the Malaysia had reached a middle income boundary since 1990. Malaysia had performance well in the early 1990 and able achieved 9 percent growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) in the mid 1990. However, Malaysia stood at middle-income position for three decades and unable to break up the middle-income trap and achieve to high income nation despite its achievement in the past few decades (Abdullah, 2010). The figure show that Korea, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Chile had cross over middle-income trap and achieved as a high income nation especially Korea with the GNI per capita USD 19,830 in 2009 which is high than the goal of NEM that USD 15,000 targeted for Malaysia. NEM report states that economic engine is slowing due to the absence of the private investment, difficulties of doing business, low value added industries, low-skilled jobs and low wages, stagnating productivity growth, insufficient innovation and creativity and lack of appropriately skilled human capital. Malaysia trapped in a low-cost, low-value economic structure; persistent low wages too are not attracting and retaining domestic and foreign talents, making it more difficult to move up the value chain (Teoh, 2010). The figures 2.2 have shown the private and public investment conditions in Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore: Figure 2.2: Private and public investment as share of GDP (1989-2008; %) Source: BNM, CEIC, Bank of Thailand The GNI per capita of Malaysia was seriously affected by Asian financial crisis 1997 when Malaysia had a good performance in the investment in mid 1990 which occupied 40 percent of GDP in Malaysia. However, the investment in Malaysia had fallen to 20 percent of GDP in 2008 (NEAC, 2010). This was implied that Malaysia was facing difficulties in recovery from the economic recession after 1997. Besides that, the foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) were the main reasons that Malaysia suffers in capital flight due to the financial crisis. This had supported with the figure above which Malaysia had experienced rigorous declined in private investment due to the government and Government Linked Company (GLC) presence has discouraged the private investment and the barriers of the regulation for foreign company entries Malaysia domestic market (NEAC, 2010). Importantly, Thailand was recovered from the economic recession quickly compare to Malaysia that stagna ted in private investment. Moreover, Malaysias competitiveness in term of attracting foreign direct investment also show a declining trend which Malaysia global competitiveness index has dropped to 26th in the 2011 show that Malaysia was less attractive compared to other countries such as Singapore are closely related with Malaysia (World Bank, 2011). In public investment context, Malaysia had more reliance on the public investment rather than private investment which the private and public investment share are occupied almost same percentages of share in GDP in recent year even high than private investment after the economic recession. The averages annual growth of three components contributed to Malaysias economic growth from 1991 until 2006 was shown as below. The figure 2.3 implies that Malaysia more focus on the public investment which government expenditure relatively increase compared to other two components. In contrary, the contribution of investment toward economic growth was declined from 14 has dropped to 3 implied that Malaysia is reliance on the consumption to driving economic growth rather than investment after post-crisis. Figure 2.3: Average annual growth from 1991 to 2006 of Malaysia Whilst NEM emphasize on pushing Malaysia toward a high income nation, the inclusiveness also highlight in this model to reduce the income disparities of Malaysia. According NEM reports, there are only top 20 percent of Malaysian income earners shown the strong of income growth as presented in the figure 2.4. The bottom 40 percent of households have experienced the slowest growth of average income, earning an average of RM1,222 in 2008 (NEAC,2010). This one of the factor needed to concern in Malaysia in order to assist Malaysia achieves the Vision 2020. Figure 2.4: National household income (Average by segment, 1980-2008;RM) Source: MDI Thus, the NEM is needed as bold approach that provided policy measures derived from the SRIs in order to pushing Malaysia economic cross over the middle-income trap and provide the equitable and fair opportunities to Malaysian in order to reduced the gap between poorer and richer widening. However, the success of the NEM is significantly reliance on the steadfast commitment by government to implement NEM, the preparedness of the rakyat to comprise the difficult changes and a big push of strategic policy measures but not incremental changes (NEAC, 2010). 3.0 Conflict between first part and second part of NEM The affirmative action policy had been implemented for a long period in Malaysia which granting special status and privileges schemes to Malays aims to reduce bumiputera poverty and special scheme were adopted to reallocate corporate assets in Malaysia from Chinese-Malaysians and Indian-Malaysians to the benefit of bumiputeras (Lee, 2011). This is because bumiputera only occupied 2.6 percent of ownership in the corporate sector in 1971 which relatively lower than other community. This policy also focuses on bumiputeras contribution toward national wealth and 30 percent equity of company reserve to the bumiputera in the certain selected sectors that rise up the government expenditure which the total government debt is 41.5 percent of GDP is relatively high for a regime that provide few social services (Lee, 2011). Importantly, these schemes had encouraged the rent seeking bumiputera elites dependent on government assistance and requested the continuation of affirmation action. In this context, the NEM incorporates a new approach which can be summarized as inclusive growth. Inclusive growth is pro-poor growth and is concerned not only with the level but also the effect of persistent inequality on economic growth and poverty alleviation (NEAC, 2010). A key challenge for inclusive growth is to attain a balance between the special position of Malays, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and legitimate interests of other group (Abdullah, 2010). Hence NEMs market-friendly affirmative action programmes in line with the principle of inclusiveness had revised from the past affirmative action will discontinue past practices that gave rise to unhealthy and pervasive rent-seeking and patronage activities; ensure equitable and fair opportunities through transparent processes; provided the assistance to the bottom 40 percent of households which 77.2 percent are bumiputeras and many are located in Sabah and Sarawak; allow right to use to resources on the basis of needs and m erit to enables improvement in capacity, income and well-being; have sound institutional frameworks for better monitoring and effective implementation(The Star Online, 2010). In SRI 5, NEM proposed that the revised affirmative action policy should be based on the bottom 40% of households. An affirmative action policy based on the low income group such as giving preferential treatment to the relatively disadvantages group proposed in NEM would be in the interest of distributive justice. Affirmative action will reflect on all ethnic groups equally as long as they qualify for access to resources under affirmative action. Moreover, an Equal Opportunity Commission (EEC) is proposed with the responsibility of monitoring and considering cases of discrimination and unfair treatment in the economy to cover both the public and private sectors (NEAC, 2010). Interestingly, in the NEM concluding part, targeted programmes for the bumiputera Commerce and Industry Community (BCIC) is one of policy measures for income disparities which contradict with the market-friendly policy. In the targeted programmes, market friendly, transparent and granted on the basis of needs and merit was emphasized on the special programmes in order to allow beneficiaries to adapt with the impetuosity competitive business environment to become self sufficient although weaning them away from prolonged dependence on such special programmes (NEAC, 2010). The NEAC recommends that Government and GLC procurement reservation for BCIC should continue but be targeted for bumiputera SMEs only. This was obviously implied that there is conflict between the reservations for BCIC with the market-friendly affirmative action that purposed in the first part of the NEM. According Asia Views, 34 years after implement New Economic Policy (NEP), official statistic states that bumiputera held equity in Malaysia stood at 18.7 percent or close to 11 percent below the target (Teoh, 2011). Moreover, there are a small layer of people (and it is a multi-ethnic group) have used the policy of affirmative action for the bumiputera to improve themselves through rent seeking, over-priced contracts and naked corruption. The majority of the bumiputera have only received a minor portion of the economic assistance that they were supposed to have received, and a large number of them are still stuck in poverty (Devaraj, 2010). However, NEM does not advocate the removal of the special position of bumiputera and the legitimate interests of the other communities (Abdullah, 2010). There are some arguments that support the retention of 30 percent bumiputera equity. In the targeted programmes for BCIC, open tenders for government and GLC procurements which are reserved for bumiputera small-medium enterprises will foster greater inter-racial unity (Khoo, 2010). 4.0 Issues facing by NEM In NEM, it is an economic model where it promises to bring Malaysia escape from the middle income trap and promote to high income level. The targeted income level will be USD 15,000 to 20,000 per capital in year 2020. Inclusiveness and sustaining are the considered factors in making policy. There are three important issues will be highlighted through NEM. There are: Education Entrepreneurial Skills Institutional Reform First issue that will discuss is education. Why education will be an issue in NEM? The most probably answer is that education is a persistent factor and it was also the root to Malaysia economy problems. Besides that, it is also the one of the factor that cause Malaysias investment growth one step behind if compares to our neighbour countries such as Singapore and even Thailand. Another significant reason is because NEM highly depends on technology upgrading, creation of a knowledge-economy and the development of a highly skilled workforce. In these three perspectives, high quality of human capital, innovation and effective RD is needed. To fulfill the requirements of NEM, education system plays an important role. The problems behind of education are education reform and brain-drain problems. First of all, education reform is an effort to change the present education system. When people talk about the education reforming, tertiary education will be the focus. University will be the root of blame because graduates unable to performing in their workplace. However, the blame should not only go to university. This is because students only spent three to four year time in university according to their course taken. Primary school and secondary school were occupied most of their time. Interest, intellectual curiosity, and creativity should be cultivated from younger period. Besides that, basic knowledge should be instilled from young to promise for the future understanding. When students are weak in the basic knowledge, they may find difficulty in their future study. Cannot be denied, universities have responsibility too. The most probably problem is graduates cannot speak and write proper English. Lectures and professors in university should teach in proper English. Foreign student exchange programme can encourage students speak and write better English. Not only the quality of the teachers in primary school and secondary school should be improves, however, the quality of lectures and professors need to be improved too. Another problem related with education in Malaysia is Brain-drain problem. Brain-drain problems can be defined as the loss of skilled intellectual and technical labour through the movement of such labour to more favourable geographic, economic, or professional environments. In Malaysia, brain-drain problems reach a critical stage where within the past nine years; only less than one percent of Malaysian who work overseas are willing to return to their mother land (Chua, 2011). The questions come out with why the professional are not willing to return to their mother land? Is that they will achieved greatness in performing their speciality, social status even prosperity if they develop their talent and skill overseas? Certainly, there must be several reasons why this happened. The first and the most, attractive wages in overseas encourage local professionals not dong their speciality in their mother land. For example, in United Kingdom, a fresh graduates from a degree of law can average earn  £36,500 a year in a law firm whereas in Malaysia fresh entrance only pay RM 21,600 a year. Second reason for brain drain in Malaysia will be the job opportunity. Especially for those job are unavailable in Malaysia, they are force to move to overseas to found the place where they have chances to performing. For example, in the political field, Penny Wong, who born in Kota Kinabalu, is a first openly gay and at the same time she is one of the members in Australian Commonwealth cabinet. Besides that, she is also the Australian Minister for Finance and Deregulation. In Malaysia, she might not have chance to step in political field just because of she has unique preferences. The other example will be the famous shoes designer Jimmy Choo who is expert in fashion line. He is also a Malaysian but contribute lots in London through fashion line. If he remains his expertise in Malaysia, he might not that successful because Malaysia has less market and demand in fashion line. In science and technology sector, although Malaysia has motif to join in this sector, however, resistance is still especially in the technology that we have might loss behind. Pua Khien Seng, who born in Selangor, was the first in the world who invented the USB pendrive that we widely use today. He is now currently own a listed company worth RM4.3 billion in Taiwan. Among the example, they are not return to Malaysia maybe is because they cannot perform their expertise in Malaysia, but not because of they are not willing to return to their mother land. The second issue that been emphasize is the entrepreneurial skill. Entrepreneurship can be defined as the recognition and pursuit of opportunity without regard to the resources you currently control with the confidence that you can succeed, with the flexibility to change course as necessary, and with the will to rebound from setbacks according to Bob Reiss, in his book Low-Risk, High-Reward: Starting and Growing Your Small Business With Minimal Risk (Hupalo, 2004). The reason why entrepreneurial skill is highlighted is because of it is close concern with SRI1 in NEM where its core has the re-energisation of the private sector as its goal. When the private sector as the targeted sector to growth, entrepreneur will be the focus because small and middle enterprise are highly depends entrepreneurship. However, the issue behind is that bumiputera entrepreneurs are less representation is nation wealth. Since the New Economic Policy, bumiputera entrepreneurs are given special treatment where there are 30% of the equity ownership are been given. According to a journal article, bumiputera entrepreneurs are less successful is due to several factors. The factors include inability to compete, lack of competency and capital, customer-related problems, employee-related problems, unfavourable economic conditions, bureaucracy, supplier discrimination, and negative community attitudes were found to be crucial (Abdullah, Hamali, Deen, Saban, Abdurahman, 2009). This meaning that among the bumiputera entrepreneurs, they must sharpen their skills to flourish without any dependence on government handouts. Of course, if NEM want to achieve successful, the equity ownership issue should be adequately address. The third issue will be discuss is the institutional reform. Institution reform can be defined as the changes to transportation organizations policies and practices to support government implementation. Institution reform should in term of norm, habits and convention in society must support efficiency and competitiveness of a country. Civil liberties and more liberal political do helps in promote economic development. Therefore, the issue behind is that how much of our government do given the liberty? It is suppose to have institution reform to gain fully freedom of speech, freedom assembly and demonstration. Unluckily, in NEM, it is lack emphasis on the state capture. State capture can be defined as the efforts of firms to shape the laws, policies, and regulations of the state to their own advantage by providing illicit private gains to public officials. It is always referring to corruption. Although there are zero-tolerance for corruption been mention in NEM, however, it just a list of it. There are no proper and effective strategies being introduce to reduce the corruption problems in our country. According to Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Malaysia corruption score is getting lower from year 2008 to 2010. This ranking is based on data from independent institution such as World Bank, Economist Intelligence Unit and World Economic Forum. The score of CPI have the scale from zero to ten. The lowest score zero show it is high corruption and low transparency. When the score is ten, it is high transparency and lowest corruption. Malaysia corruption scores as follow show that corruption problem is getting serious from year to year. Table 3.1 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Malaysia from 2008 to 2010. 2008 2009 2010 Malaysias CPI 5.1 4.5 4.4 Source: (Rogers, 2009) Therefore, more and more effective policy and strategies should be draw up to cure this problem in our country. 5.0 Challenges in NEM NEM is about to change Malaysias current economic condition to the better economic in 2020 through the NEM goals. Change is the buzzword in order to reach the goals. However, in order to change, Malaysia faces challenges in terms of: Mindset Political will Labor force Satisfying all quarters? Sustaining the change Mindset is refers to the way of how people thinking. The people mindset as well as the politicians mindset must be ready to the changing in Malaysian economy through the NEM policy. Most of people in Malaysia are not aware that Malaysian economies are lagging behind some of the countries that now experience the emerging economies such as China and India. This mindset changing is the biggest challenge for the NEM to achieve its goals, because the operationalization of NEM is requiring the whole nations contribution. If they are not willing to change their mindset, then there is a big potential for the NEM policy to not work smoothly or it might fail in achieving its goal. As the Malaysian Prime Minister speech on March 30, 2010, he said that the process of changing the nations mindset is not easy and while the process, there will be a painful moments. This is because in the short term, there will be entrenched opposition and some of economic sectors may experience adverse effects. But in the long term, the mindset changing will bring lots of benefit to the nations. Political will is one of the key and important enabling factors for the NEM in supporting changes in this new policy. Without the political will, it is hard for the government to achieve the goal in NEM. In NEM report, it has mentioned that the political will and leadership needed to break the log-jam of resistance and preparing the peoples. In other words, the government must have the determination to break the log-jam of vested interest and beneficiaries of rent-seeking. If the log-jam of vested interest and beneficiaries of rent-seeking is still exists during the operationalization of NEM, it will cause to only some party gained the benefit of NEM and this result to inequality and lead to the failure in achieving the NEM goals which is inclusiveness. To achieve the NEM goals, political together with the intellectual leadership must demonstrate the necessary commitment to the NEM besides the political will and leadership need an emphasis on a coherent explanation of the vision and agenda of the NEM and transformation process (The Star, March 301, 2010). Furthermore, after the government spending about RM40 billion to came out with the policy, it is a big loss if the political will is not willing to operationalize this new policy. There must be a mindset changing and political willingness in order to successfully transforming to the NEM and achieved its goal while facing these challenges ( November 12, 2010, Dato Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin, Institute and International Studies, Malaysia): Getting the needed in investment but this will require restoring investors confidence via accommodating business environment. Undertake restructuring prices for goods and services will improve economic efficiency but may initially raise consumer prices and costs of doing business. Transforming the education system as a medium and long term task but requires policy consistency. Reduced dependence on foreign labor encourages firms to move up the value chain or embrace automation while those cannot, will exit and this also costing some local jobs. Moving towards green economy and promoting energy efficiency but this will require expensive initial investment and may erode price competitiveness. Reducing inequality between income levels and between rural and urban areas while striving for high economic growth. Addressing problem of urban poverty and improving infrastructure while maintaining a balance with achieving high investments in urban areas. One of the NEM intentions is making Malaysia entering the new phase in the industrialization process, moving away from a low-cost, export-oriented strategy to a higher value-added capital intensive and high technology-based industrialization where it is requiring a highly-skilled labor force. Comparing a knowledge-based economy or k-economy, NEM is an advance economic structure which requires a huge number of knowledgeable and high-skilled labors in new and emerging fields such as robotic engineering, information and communication technology and bio-technology and this development requires a high percentage of knowledge workers which would become the backbone of the Malaysian economy (February 18, 2011, Blog Rasmi Jabatan peguam Negara). High-skilled workforce not only needed in industrial sector but in service sector as well. Without the existing of high-skilled labor, it is impossible to entering the new phase besides high-skilled labor also one of the factors that attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to invest in Malaysia. But then, Malaysia is now facing the brain-drain problem where most of the talented, knowledgeable and high-skilled labor force moves to the more developed country such as Singapore. This matter becomes one of the challenges in NEM because in order to fulfill the requirement of high-skilled labor force, they have to attract back those Malaysian who work outside from Malaysia to work back at their motherland. Not only to attract them back but also find a way on how to eliminate the brain-drain problem and to reduce the number of high-skilled labor force that move away from Malaysia. They have to recognize what the factors that make all the high-skilled labor work out from Malaysia and develop some policy or law to prevent them work out from Malaysia. Since Malaysian people is consist of various races and religion, when making a policy it must satisfying

Australopithecus Afarensis :: essays papers

Australopithecus Afarensis The species A. afarensis is one of the better known australopithecines, with regards to the number of samples attributed to the species. From speculations about their close relatives, the gorilla and chimpanzee, A. afarensis’ probable social structure can be presumed. The species was named by Johanson and Taieb in 1973. This discovery of a skeleton lead to a heated debate over the validity of the species. The species eventually was accepted by most researchers as a new species of australopithecine and a likely candidate for a human ancestor. Australopithecus afarensis existed between 3.9 and 3.0 million years ago. The distinctive characteristics of A. afarensis were: a low forehead, a bony ridge over the eyes, a flat nose, no chin, more humanlike teeth, pelvis and leg bones resembled those of modern man. Females were smaller than males. Their sexual dimorphism was males:females; 1.5. A. afarensis was not as sexually dimorphic as gorillas, but more sexually dimorphic than humans or chimpanzees. A lot of scientists think that Australopithecus afarensis was partially adapted to climbing the trees, because the fingers and toe bones of the species were curved and longer than the ones of the modern human. A. afarensis is classified as an ape, not a human. It is a Hominid, which is an ape closely related to human beings. The first fossils of a skeleton were found at Hadar; a site in northeastern Ethiopia. The team named the skeleton â€Å"Lucy† after the Beatles song, â€Å"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.† In terms of overall body size, brain size and skull shape, "Lucy" resembles a chimpanzee. However, A. afarensis has some surprisingly human characteristics. For example, the way the hip joint and pelvis articulate indicates that "Lucy" walked upright like a human, not like a chimp. This means that upright posture and bi-pedalism preceded the development of what we would recognize as human beings and human intelligence. All non-human primates sleep in the trees at night. So, it would seem to be that A. afarensis slept in trees also. Their skeletal structure agrees with their arboreal lifestyle. â€Å"The large premolars of A. afarensis suggests they were frugivores, and the thick enamel on the teeth suggests they may have eaten nuts, grains, or hard fruit pies† (Boyd and Silk, p.

Intelligence Definition and Measurements Essay -- Intelligence

Psychologists have differed on the definition for intelligence and how to measure intelligence. In this paper the definition of intelligence and how it is measured will be discussed by comparing and contrasting the two intelligence tests and two achievement tests chosen from the Mental Measurement Yearbook. The intelligence tests chosen were the Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (PTONI) and the Test of Memory and Learning, 2nd ed., (TOMAL-2) and the achievement tests chosen were the Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI) and the Differential Ability Scales, 2nd ed. (DAS-II). The measures of the intelligence tests will be evaluated for reliability, validity, normative procedure, and bias, and then compared with the achievement tests. Definition of Intelligence According to Cohen and Swerdlik, (2010), â€Å"Intelligence is a multifaceted capacity that manifests itself in different ways across the life span but in general included the abilities and capacities to acquire and apply knowledge to reason effectively and logically, to exhibit sound judgment, to be perceptive, intuitive, mentally alert, and able to find the right words and thoughts with facility, and to be able to cope with and adjust to new situations and new types of problems† (p. 277). This definition is very broad but inclusive. Professionals in psychology have different definitions and personal biases that make a standard definition difficult. Some professionals believe intelligence is observable but others believe life experiences influence and develop intelligence and form information to deal with future situations. Various psychologists, behavioral specialists and lay people have different definitions or ideas of what intelligence is. A widely accepted defini... ...ogy.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/p/intelligence.htm Cohen, R.J., Swerdlik, M.E. (2010). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (7th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Ehrler, D. J., & McGhee, R. (2008). Primary Test of Nonverbal Intelligence. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Elliott, C. (2007). Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Gredler, G. R. (1999). The twelfth mental measurements yearbook/The thirteenth mental measurements yearbook (Book). Psychology in the Schools, 36(1), 79. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Net Industries and its Licensors. (2011). Racial Difference-Standarized Tests and Race. Retrieved from http://social.jrank.org/pages/529/Racial-Differences-Standardized-Tests-Race.html Reynolds, C. R., & Voress, J. (2007). Test of Memory and Learning, Second Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Love You Forever Analysis

Love You Forever Book Analysis By: Matthew Strong Love You Forever is a classic heart-warming story by Robert Munsch built around a simple, but eternally meaningful commitment from a mother to a child to love him forever. Robert Munsch has become a world-renowned author of children’s books for his unique use of exaggerated expressions that produce sounds that are very appealing and fun for children. In Love You Forever Munsch uses words like â€Å"crazy† and â€Å"zoo† to add the effect of comedy but the overall theme of the story strikes chords that are much deeper than exaggerated expressions (Munsch np).Robert Munsch started Love you Forever as a song: â€Å"I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be† after he and his wife had two stillborn babies (Munsch, â€Å"The Books: Love You Forever†). However, the story surrounding the song was not developed until sometime later. Un derstanding where Munsch is coming from while writing Love You Forever really emphasizes the meaning of unconditional love that is so prevalent within the story, as well as, highlights the underling theme of gender stereotypes. The love that a parent has for their child is an unrestricted love that never wavers.Love You Forever presents the unconditional love that parents are expected to have for their children, despite all the mistakes they may make. In the story, when the boy pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and flushed his mothers watch down the toilet Munsch displays the mothers frustration with â€Å"this kid is driving me crazy† (Munsch np). Yet, despite the mothers obvious irritation she continually crawls into the boys room every night to pick him up and rock him back and forth while she sings â€Å" I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be† (Munsch np).In many cases this unc onditional parental love is the first and most important love a person will ever receive in their lifetime. In the future when developing relationships a person is able to recognize and respond to the love shown by others because of the understanding of love that was first introduced by their parents. As a person progresses from a child into an adult the understanding of the meaning of love helps them comprehend the importance of reciprocating love and compassion towards others.Munsch does a wonderful job of displaying the young boys progression through the different stages in life. And even though there is no initial indication that the boy reciprocates the love given to him by his mother when he was young. It becomes very clear that as an adult he understands the importance of reciprocating love when his mother becomes elderly and sick, and he returns the love she has unconditionally shown him by picking her up and rocking her back and forth while singing their song (Munsch np).Mu nsch shows how the reciprocation of love is crucial in allowing love to continue to exist when the man returns home to his newborn daughter and sings the same song that his mother sang to him (Munsch np). The original relationship developed by Munsch in Love You Forever is between the mother and son. Coincidently this relationship closely follows the stereotype predominately set in place by society. Society often sees women as more affectionate and nurturing than their counterpart gender, which widely leads to the assumption that women are naturally better suited for the process of raising a child.This stereotype is made obvious essentially through the entire story as neither Munsch nor the illustrator, Sheila McGraw; make any indication that the father of the boy is playing a substantial role with the mother in his upbringing. However, at the end of the story this stereotype is completely contrasted following the passing of the mother. When the boy, who is now a grown man and fathe r, returns home to his newborn daughter it is he who displays a nurturing and affectionate relationship between a father and his daughter.This role reversal developed by Munsch effectively casts aside the stereotype that women are better suited to raise a child, and demonstrates that affection and the ability to nurture are not qualities that are able to be defined by a persons gender. Munsch instead shows how these qualities are learned by a person and are displayed as they mature with age. Munsch effectively represents this progression though maturity when showing, the love the boy has for his mother is not absent during his childhood, but simply something he does not display as well as he does when he becomes an adult.Love You Forever is a wonderfully constructed story that can be enjoyed by adults and children of all ages. Although the comprehension of all the concepts within the story may not be extracted by the majority of the children, the tuneless song of â€Å" I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be† is fun for young children to sing along to (Munsch, â€Å"The Books: Love You Forever†). Munsch uses Love You Forever to address some very basic yet very powerful concepts.Love You Forever shows the existence of unconditional love and how important of a role the reciprocation of love plays in the development of future relationships. Furthermore, Munsch addresses the underling theme of stereotypes towards gender roles in the upbringing of a child by completely contrasting the stereotype, effectively displaying how irrelevant of a role gender plays in the ability to show affection and nurture a child. Instead it is shown that these qualities are learned by a person and are displayed as they mature with age.Love You Forever is known to raise a lot of emotion in its readers, but it is Love You Forever’s ability to connect readers to powerful heartfelt concepts t hat has ultimately made it a children’s book classic. Works Cited Munsch, Robert. Illus. Sheila McGraw. Love You Forever. Willowdale. Firefly Books Ltd. 1986. Print Munsch, Robert. The Books: Love You Forever. Official Robert Munsch Website. Barking Dogs Studios. n. d. n. d. 2012. Web. 12 October 2012

Hate Crimes: Matthew Shepard Essay

Wyoming, October 7th 1998. Aaron Kriefels is cycling in a remote rural area when he sees what at first he believes to be a scarecrow tied to a fence. He looks closer and sees not a scarecrow, but a young man badly beaten and close to death. The victims name was Matthew Shepard. On Dec. 1st 1976, Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming. He attended elementary school in the states, but after his first year in high school his family moved to Saudi Arabia. He then attended the American School in Switzerland where he was elected as a peer mediator. His friends and peers felt comfortable talking to him and he was someone you came to when you needed advice. He was described by his father as â€Å"an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone. He was the type of person who was very approachable and always looked to new challenges. Matthew had a great passion for equality and always stood up for the acceptance of people’s differences. â€Å"[1] In February 1995, during a high school trip to Morocco, Matthew was beaten, robbed, and raped, causing him to withdraw from school. According to his mother, from then on he was prone to experiencing panic attacks and depression. Although this time in his life was extremely difficult, Shepard still graduated in May then attended Catawba College in North Carolina and Casper College in Wyoming, before settling in Denver. Shepard became a first-year political science major at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and was chosen as the student representative for the Wyoming Environmental Council. Shortly after midnight, on October 7th, 1998 Shepard met two men (Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson) at the Fireside Lounge. He was offered a ride home, but shortly after leaving they robbed, pistol-whipped and tortured him, tying him to a fence leaving him to die. Matthew was left in the freezing cold suffering from his injuries before slipping into a coma. In total, it took 18 hours before he was found and rushed to the hospital. Upon arrival it became apparent that his injuries were too severe and the doctors couldn’t operate. On October 12th, Matthew Shepard died of his injuries, never having woken up from his coma. During the trial, McKinney tried to justify his actions by originally pleading that he and Henderson were driven to temporary insanity by alleged sexual advances by Shepard. I believe this is one of the key factors in understanding why people do what they do when it comes to homosexually based hate crimes. When men ‘check out’ or ‘hit on’ women they believe it is there right. The right to gaze upon a woman’s body is something they genuinely believe is a man’s right. There is no female equivalent to a man’s gaze. It is something that is seen as powerful and socially intimidating, and when the two men in the bar noticed Shepard looking at them it made them believe they were being hit on as if they were women. Both Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson felt they needed to defend not only their masculinity but their heterosexuality. This is very important because, later on in the trial when McKinney states that while in the car Matthew made an apparent sexual advance toward him, instead of backing away McKinney begins hitting Shepard. After feeling like he had been emasculated back at the bar, I bet he was just looking for an excuse to exert power over Matt. Whether he had in fact made sexual advances toward Aaron isn’t the point, the point is that McKinney chose to defend his heterosexuality by literally beating the life out of him and showing him that he had the power. Both McKinney and Henderson were of slight build, but with Matthew being even smaller and only reaching 5’1 it only solidified in the minds of the two men their power of the homosexual man. What happens next is what changed this from a triggered â€Å"Gay Panic Defense† (which is, in my opinion a completely bogus and ridiculous excuse for those who can’t control their fists) to a hate crime and a murder. After severely beating Shepard in the moving truck, Henderson tied him to the fence. Their decision to tie his body up for everyone to see is part of their intensions to make it a public display of what they believe should be private. In an interview for the Laramie Project (a play based on the events of Matthew’s death), McKinney’s girlfriend tells writers about why the two men really decided to invite Matt into their car. After being disgusted at the thought of being hit on by a gay man they go to the bathroom where they plan to put on a gay pretense in order to lead Shepard into their vehicle and rob him. They wanted him to be punished for â€Å"coming onto straight people. † By lifting his body in midair and tethering him to the fence they were aware that someone would find him that way. They didn’t hide or trash or burry the body, they made it a spectacle. But in doing this, you can deduce that this murder wasn’t fully about Matthew Shepard. He was a trigger, he was someone they could take advantage of. They used his body to show not only to Matthew himself, but to Laramie and the surrounding community that they were defending their ‘manhood. ’ And in one of the most brutal ways you can imagine. Hate crimes towards people who are a different sexual orientation then others are more common than people think. There are a lot of organizations that try to help stop these hate crimes but I think that these situations should be in the news more often. People need to be more aware about what they say and what they do because you never know who could be listening. It could be your children who will take what you say as the truth. It could be someone walking near you or even in the same room and be deeply offended by what you say. You never know who you could offend, be it a friend, a co-worker or even a family member. People need to watch what they say because you never know who will be listening. Hate crimes must be stopped and it will take people to take action against it in order to make the world a better place.

What are the dansgers of stereotyping people Essay

What are the dansgers of stereotyping people - Essay Example Stereotyping infers a considerable amount of information about individuals beyond their apparent superficial qualities and generates expectations about their expected behavior in various situations. Stereotypes are frequently based around common aspects of a particular group including profession and occupation, sex, religious beliefs and practices, age, race and ethnicity, dressing, speech and body shape (Macrae, Stangor & Hewstone 8). There are dangers associated with stereotyping such as promoting discrimination and bias because stereotypes lack accuracy, applying stereotypes broadly such that individual characteristics are overlooked, making serious misjudgments about people and distorting the view of a particular group and consequently damaging relationships. One danger of stereotyping is that it takes on universal meaning, being applied to all members of a particular group. If this occurs with lack of accuracy, stereotyping not only becomes damaging, but also affects the way those who are thought to belong to the particular group being stereotyped are talked about and treated. It is apparent that how a group of people is seen influences in part how they are treated. Stereotypes may come to be the accepted way of thinking about members of a particular group, with no acknowledgement of diverse individual characteristics. Stereotyping can result in misunderstandings, which, if not challenged, can severely damage relationships among different groups. An example of this is the race riots and violence of 1980s (Brunsch 9).Stereotyping results in discrimination and persecution of the oppressed groups. For instance, the stereotyping of Asian Americans has led to denial of their civil rights and even homicide such as the killing of Chinese American Vincent Chin by individuals who thought he was a Japanese American (Brunsch 10). Moreover,