No topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

No topic - Assignment Example In the 12 year period, the supply of cod continued falling. 7. The Canadian cod market between 1948 and 1958 cannot be rated to be perfect. It is worth noting that the population of cod remained relatively stable, but the demand and supply trend in the Canadian market fluctuated irregularly. Such a market is what may be referred to as an imperfect market. 8. It was in 1975 that Canadian government banned code fishing. However, regulation did not receive an optimal policy. The politics might have affected the implementation of the regulation s through lifting some of the restricting provisions. 9. The ban of cod fishing may be considered as an effective recovery strategy but it is slow. The explanation given is that the increase in the code production assumes an exponential series, which begins with a small increment, by larger and large population increments. It is expected that after some time, the population would be regenerated if the ban is held. Secondly, the eradication of cod from the ecosystem triggered an imbalance in the ecosystem food web and this will require sometime for recovery. 10. The fluctuation of the cod supply between 1968 and 1998 is expected to affect other fish markets. The fact that the cod supply went down implies that the pressure would be transferred to other fish species. This means that the demand for other fish species would increase. 11. Cod prey on other marine organisms including squid, lobsters, mollusks, mackerel, worms, whiting and haddocks, so on. The cod population has now responded to the changes in the food supply by adapting to other food types. 12. One way of reducing pressure on fish in the natural habitat is by resorting to the establishment of aquaculture. Aquaculture is expected to reduce the prizes of fish by catering for the demand and this can be explained based on the relationship depicted by the supply and demand curve. However, this rests upon the regulatory measures that are to be put in place.

Bauhaus History of Design Essay Example for Free

Bauhaus History of Design Essay The Bauhaus was the first model of the modern art school. The Bauhaus curriculum combined theoretic education and practical training in the educational workshops. It drew inspiration from the ideals of the revolutionary art movements and design experiments of the early 20th century. A woodcut (shown right) depicted the idealized vision of Walter Gropius, a cathedral of design. Bauhaus 1919-33 The Bauhaus began with an utopian definition: The building of the future was to combine all the arts in ideal unity. In order to reach this goal, the founder, Walter Gropius, saw the necessity to develop new teaching methods and was convinced that the base for any art was to be found in handcraft: the school will gradually turn into a workshop. artists and craftsmen directed classes and production together at the Bauhaus in Weimar. This was intended to remove any distinction between fine arts and applied arts. Of course, the educational and social claim to a new configuration of life and its environment could not always be achieved. And the Bauhaus was not alone with this goal, but the name became a near synonym for this trend. The Bauhaus occupies a place of its own in the history of 20th century culture, architecture, design, art and new media. One of the first schools of design, it brought together a number of the most outstanding contemporary architects and artists and was not only an innovative training centre but also a place of production and a focus of international debate. At a time when industrial society was in the grip of a crisis, the Bauhaus stood almost alone in asking how the modernisation process could be mastered by means of design. Founded in Weimar in 1919, the Bauhaus rallied masters and students who sought to reverse the split between art and production by returning to the crafts as the foundation of all artistic activity and developing exemplary designs for objects and spaces that were to form part of a more human future society. Following intense internal debate, in 1923 the Bauhaus turned its ttention to industry under its founder and first director Walter Gropius (1883–1969). The major exhibition which opened in 1923, reflecting the revised principle of art and technology as a new unity, showcased the full spectrum of Bauhaus work and prototypes. The Haus Am Horn provided a glimpse of a residential building of the future. In 1924 funding for the Bauhaus was cut so drastically at the instigation of conservative forces that it had to seek a new home. The Bauhaus moved to Dessau at a time of rising economic fortunes, becoming the municipally funded School of Design. Almost all masters moved with it. Former students became junior masters in charge of the workshops. Famous works of art and architecture and influential designs were produced in Dessau in the years from 1926 to 1932. Walter Gropius resigned as director on 1st April 1928 under the pressure of constant struggles for the Bauhaus survival, He was succeeded by the Swiss architect Hannes Meyer (1889–1954) whose work sought to shape a harmonious society. Cost-cutting industrial mass production was to make products affordable for the masses. Despite his successes, Hannes Meyer’s Marxist convictions became a problem for the city council amidst the political turbulence of Germany in 1929, and the following year he was removed from his post. Under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) the Bauhaus developed from 1930 into a technical school of architecture with subsidiary art and workshop departments. After the Nazis became the biggest party in Dessau at the elections, the Bauhaus was forced to move in September 1932. It moved to Berlin but only lasted for a short time longer. The Bauhaus dissolved itself under pressure from the Nazis in 1933. Architecture The building is the ultimate goal of all fine art,† the Bauhaus manifesto proclaimed back in 1919. Architecture training at the Bauhaus in Weimar was initially the prerogative of Walter Gropius private architectural practice and for a short time courses were run by his partner Adolf Meyer and in association with the Baugewerkschule (building trades school) in Weimar. The Bauhaus workshops were involved in these efforts through Gropius’s office. This collaboration produced the Haus Am Horn in 1923. Some new methods based on specific types and standardisation were employed not only to produce new architecture but to anticipate a new lifestyle through this architecture. In 1927 Walter Gropius offered Hannes Meyer a position in charge of architecture classes. That year Hannes Meyer began to put together a curriculum which included all relevant subjects such as planning, design, draftsmanship, construction, town planning. Architecture for Walter Gropius and Hannes Meyer alike mainly denoted the design of life’s processes. Hannes Meyer went far beyond Gropius’s study of essentials†, which focused too much on the object for his taste, turning his teaching programme into one where the concrete conditions in society and the factors determining architecture and its use formed the starting point for all planning and design. The habits of the future residents of an estate or a house were studied in scientific detail. From 1930 to 1933 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe carried on with much of what had been started under his predecessors. At the same time Mies van der Rohe streamlined the curriculum to produce something like a system of courses which left almost no room for utopian experiments. The majority of the new student intake at the Bauhaus had already completed a course of studies, and the Bauhaus became a postgraduate school. Mies van der Rohe’s teaching focused on the design of specific buildings whose appearance owed nothing to Gropius’s study of essentials† or to the collective satisfaction of â€Å"the people’s needs†, but which were to be the spatial implementation of intellectual decisions† (Mies van der Rohe) in an aesthetically consummate fashion.

Different pricing objectives of company

Different pricing objectives of company Different pricing objectives of company Multi pricing objectives and strategies The task of the marketing manager is to decide the objectives of pricing before he determines the price itself. Pricing objectives provide guidance to decision makers in formulating price policies, planning pricing strategies and setting actual prices. The most important objective of the companies is to have maximum profits. Pricing objectives: Pricing objectives are goals that describe what a firm wants to achieve through pricing. Pricing objectives must be stated explicitly, and the statement should include the time frame for accomplishing them. There are six stages of setting prices. They are developing pricing objective, assessing the target markets evaluation of price, evaluating competitors prices, choosing a basis for pricing, selecting a pricing strategy, and determining a specific price. Cost-based pricing is adding a dollar amount or percentage to the cost of the product. Cost-plus pricing is adding a specified dollar amount or percentage to the sellers cost. Markup pricing is adding to the cost of the product a predetermined percentage of that cost. Demand-based pricing if pricing based on the level of demand for the product. Competition-based pricing is pricing influenced primarily by competitors prices. A pricing strategy is an approach of a course or action designed to achieve pricing and marketing objectives. Differential pricing is charging different prices to different buyers for the same quality and quantity of product. Negotiated pricing is establishing a final price through bargaining. Secondary-market pricing is setting one price for the primary target market and a different price for another market. Periodic discounting is temporary reduction of prices on a patterned or systematic basis. Random discounting is temporary reduction of prices on an unsystematic basis. Price skimming is charging the highest possible price that buyers who most desire the product will pay. Penetration pricing is setting prices below those of competing brands to penetrate a market and gain a significant market share quickly. Product-line pricing is establishing and adjusting prices of multiple products within a product line. Captive pricing is pricing the basic product in a product line low while pricing related items at a higher level. Premium pricing is pricing the highest-quality or most versatile products higher than other models in the product line. Bait pricing is pricing an item in the product line low with the intention of selling a higher-priced item in the line. Price lining is setting a limited number of prices for selected groups or lines of merchandise. Psychological pricing is pricing that attempts to influence a customers perception of price to make a products price more attractive. Reference pricing is pricing a product at a moderate level and positioning it next to a more expensive model or brand. Bundle pricing is packaging together two or more complementary products and selling them for a single price. Multiple-unit pricing is packaging together two or more identical products and selling them for a single price. Everyday low prices is setting a low price for products on a consistent basis. Odd-even pricing is ending the price with certain numbers to influence buyers perceptions of the price or product. Customary pricing if pricing on the basis of tradition. Prestige pricing is setting prices at an artificially high level to convey prestige or a quality image. Professional pricing are fees set by people with great skill or experience in a particular field. Price leaders are products priced below the usual mark up, near cost, or below cost. Special-event pricing is advertised sales or price cutting linked to a holiday, season, or event. Comparison discounting is setting a price at a specific level and comparing it with a higher price. It is necessary that the marketing manager decide the objective of pricing before actually setting price. According to experts, pricing objectives are the overall goals that describe the role of price in an organizations long-range plans. The objectives help the marketing manager as guidelines to develop marketing strategies. The following are the important pricing objectives. Market penetration Market skimming Target rate of return Price stabilization Meet of follow competition Market share Profits maximization Cash flow Product line promotion Survival Market penetration objective: In the initial stages of entering the market, the entrepreneurs may set a relatively low price. this is mainly to secure a large share of the market. in a highly price sensitive market, the businessman may continue to sell his products even without profit. he is interested in growth rather than in making a profit. in the market penetration objective, the unit cost of production and distribution will decrease when the volume of sales attain a particular target. in brief, market penetration objective is an attempt to secure a large share of the market by deliberately setting the low prices. Penetration pricingpursues the objective of quantity maximization by means of a low price. It is most appropriate when Demand is expected to be highly elastic; that is, customers are price sensitive and the quantity demanded will increase significantly as price declines. Large decreases in cost are expected as cumulative volume increases. The product is of the nature of something that can gain mass appeal fairly quickly. There is a threat of impending competition. As theproduct lifecycleprogresses, there likely will be changes in the demand curve and costs. As such, the pricing policy should be re-evaluated over time. The pricing objective depends on many factors including production cost, existence of economies of scale, barriers to entry, product differentiation, rate of product diffusion, the firms resources, and the products anticipatedprice elasticity of demand . Market skimming objective: Market skimming means utilizing the opportunities in the market to reap the benefits of high sales, increased profits and low unit costs. Some of the entrepreneurs study the buyers needs and try to provide the suitable goods, but charge them high prices. This objective is realized in those markets where the magnitude of competition is very low. The entrepreneurs, in this situation, make profits over a short period. The market-skimming objective would not be meaningful, when the consumer refuses to purchase the goods at the prices fixed by the producers. This pricing objective would be suitable in the markets where the consumers feel that costly goods are of the superior quality. Skimming is most appropriate when: Demand is expected to be relatively inelastic; that is, the customers are not highly price sensitive. Large cost savings are not expected at high volumes, or it is difficult to predict the cost savings that would be achieved at high volume. The company does not have the resources to finance the large capital expenditures necessary for high volume production with initially low profit margins. Target rate of return objective: Rate of return is normally measured in relation to investment and sales. The producers enjoying some protection may prefer to earn a target rate on investment. This would be possible where the entrepreneur enjoys a franchise or a monopolistic situation. But in the long run, every businessman attempts to secure an adequate return on investment through price setting. Mostly, middleman like wholesalers, retailers will price their merchandise to earn a particular rate of return on sales. Price stabilization objectives: Frequent changes in the prices of product will harm the long-term interests of the companies. Hence, they aim at stabilization of prices. They do not exploit a short supply position to earn the maximum. During the periods of good business, they try to keep prices from rising and during the periods of depression, they keep prices from falling too low. Thus, they take a long-term view in achieving price stability. Meet or follow competition objective: Pricing is often done to meet or even prevent competition. If a company is a price leader, it is better to follow it to ward off the possibility of competition. Market share objective: A company may either have the objective of maintaining the present market share or increase its share depending upon its stature. Particularly, big business houses adopt such pricing that it enables them to retain their market share. If they raise their market share, they may draw the attention of the government and if they shed their share, they may lose revenues. Contrary to this, small business houses are found interested in raising their share in the market so as to reap the benefit of large-scale production. In few cases, firms may sell the products even at a lower cost to capture the market. However, such practice may lead to financial crisis. As a matter of fact, this is an objective to be adopted by new firms cautiously. Profit maximization objective: Profit maximization does not mean profiteering. There is nothing wrong in this policy if practiced over the long run. As a matter of fact, many of the enterprises strive to maximize their profits. Maximization of profits should be on the total output and not on a single item. In such case, consumers do not get dissatisfied since a particular group is not called for paying a high price. While adopting this pricing objective, the marketers should attempt to project their image in the market through sales promotion techniques. The marketers should watch the reactions of the consumers. Profit maximization through price hikes should be sparingly used. Cash flow objective: One of the important objectives of pricing is to recover invested funds within a stipulated period. Most of the time you will find different prices for the cash and credit transactions. Generally, you find lower prices for the cash sales and high prices for the credit sales. But this pricing objective could be implemented with good results only when the firm has monopoly in the market. Product line promotion objective: Product line means a group of products that are related either because they satisfy similar needs of different market segments or because they satisfy different but related needs of a given market segment. While framing the product line, the marketer may also include such goods, which are not popular. The intention of the marketer is to push through all the goods without any discrimination. Thus, the ultimate objective is to increase the overall demand of the goods. In this pricing objective, equal prices are adopted for the entire product line. Survival objective: Perpetual existence of the business over a period is the indication of the sound financial position of the enterprise. All organizations will have to meet expected and unexpected, initial and external economic losses. These enterprises have to pool up the resources to meet all the contingencies through appropriate pricing strategies. Price is use to increase sale volume to level up the ups and downs that come to the organization. Profit Oriented: Target Return sometimes the vendor specifies a specific dollar amount or percentage amount that the price will be offered at in order to make a profit which has been calculated for a specific purpose. Usually this amount is part of a larger plan involving several product units in a product line Profit Oriented: Maximize Profits if the Competitive Market is not intense you may charge the highest price the market will bear because sometimes you may have an advantage for reasons based on your geographic advantage special features not available on other competitors products very very famous brand. etc.. Sales / Marketing Oriented: Increase Sales Volume Sales / Marketing Oriented: Increase Market Share Status Quo Goals: Just Meet the Competition if the customer has many choices, and you barely have the resources to stay in the market, then just charge the same price. You dont have the resources to survive a price war, and you dont have the ability to claim better quality to charge a higher price Prof. Allen says Volume objectives include sales maximization and market-share goals, which are specified as a percentage of certain markets. In sales maximization, management sets an acceptable level of profitability and then tries to maximize sales. This objective can lead to discounting or some other aggressive pricing strategy, such as rebates and sales. Skim the cream† pricing involves selling at a high price to those who are willing to pay before aiming at more price-sensitive consumers. This expression comes from the farming practice of milking cows the cream rises to the top and you skim it off. Skimming Pricing A Skimming policy is more attractive if demand is inelastic says the Shapiro text remember inelastic means there are no close substitutes products that people will pay a high price for because there is nothing else they can buy the is close to the item Prof. Allen says A skimming pricing policy involves setting prices of products relatively high compared to those of similar products and then gradually lowering prices. The skimming price is the highest price possible that buyers who most desire the product will pay (skim the cream off the top skim the innovators). This market segment is more interested in quality, status, uniqueness, etc. This policy is effective in situations where a firm has a substantial lead over competition with a new product. Example: A great example of Skimming is DVD players in the late 1990s and early 2000s in the late 1990s DVD players sold for $500 and $400 when they first came out, then the price dropped to less than $100 by 2001 by 2004 you can get them for $50 or $60 at many different types of stores. Penetration Pricing to make it too intimidating for competition to follow, or to make sure you enter the market in a competitive environment or as part of a brand building strategy Prof. Allen says A penetration pricing policy involves setting prices of products relatively low compared to those of similar products in the hope that they will secure wide market acceptance that will allow the company to later raise its prices. Such a policy is often used when the firm expects competition from similar products within a short time and when large-scale production and marketing will produce substantial reductions in overall costs. The low price must help keep out the competition, and the company must maintain its low price position. Discount Pricing can be seasonal can be based on volume or amount bought can be used to attract a form of payment e.g, CA$H Prof. Allen says Discount and allowance pricing has the effect of reducing prices to reward customer responses such as paying early or promoting the product. A recent pricing issue is that of everyday low pricing, where the retailer charges a constant, lower price at all times, with no temporary price discounts. Wal-Mart has led the trend toward everyday low pricing. Geographic Pricing F.O.B. basically, this is the price out the door at our factory you come and get it C.I.F. the cost at our factory + the insurance and freight to ship it to you ZONE if you live close, it is cheaper, if you live farther away, we add in shipping costs ZONE pricing used for everything from Pizza delivery to clothing to grain shipments Basing-point pricing means that all customers are charged freight from a specified billing location. Freight-absorption pricing, the seller pays all shipping costs to get the desired business. Prof. Allen says Price is influenced by geography, where the company decides on how to price to distant customers. Free On Board or FOB-origin pricing is a geographical pricing strategy in which goods are placed free on board a carrier; the customer pays the actual freight from the factory to the destination. Because the customer picks up its own cost, supporters believe that this method is the fairest way to assess freight charges. Some of the more pricing objectives are Maximize long run profit Maximize short run profit Increase sales volume Increase monetary sale Increase market share Obtain a target rate of return on investment Obtain a target rate of return on sale stabilize market or stabilize market price: an objective to stabilize price means that the marketing manager attempts to keep prices stable in the marketplace and to compete on non-price considerations. Stabilization of margin is basically a cost-plus approach in which the manager attempts to maintain the same margin regardless of changes in cost. company growth maintain price of leadership desensitize customers to price discourage new entrants into the industry match competitors prices encourage the exit of marginal firms from the industry survival avoid government investigation or intervention obtain or maintain the loyalty and enthusiasm of distributers and other sales personnel enhance the image of the firm, brand, and product be perceived as â€Å"fair† by customers and a potential customers create interest and excitement about a product discourage competitors from cutting prices use price to make the product â€Å"visible build store traffic help prepare for the sale of the business (harvesting) social, ethical, or ideological objectives get competitive advantage MARKETING MIX Themarketing mixis probably the most famous marketing term. Its elements are the basic, tactical components of a marketing plan. Also known as theFour Ps, the marketing mixelements areproduct, price, promotion, place. 4 PS OF MARKETING MIX PRODUCT A tangible object or an intangible service that ismass producedor manufactured on a large scale with a specific volume of units. Intangible products are often service based like thetourism industry thehotel industryor codes-based products like cellphone load and credits. Typical examples of a mass produced tangible object are themotor carand the disposablerazor. A less obvious but ubiquitous mass produced service is acomputer operating system. Company should produce product according to customers needs and want because the motive of pricing pricing objective is profit maximisation. PRICE The price is the amount a customer pays for the product. It is determined by a number of factors including market share, competition, material costs, product identity and the customers perceived value of the product. The business may increase or decrease the price of product if other stores have the same product. Company should set their price according to customers budget to earn more profit. One of the four major elements of the marketing mix is price. Pricing is an important strategic issue because it is related to product positioning. Furthermore, pricing affects other marketing mix elements such as product features, channel decisions, and promotion. PLACE THE Place represents the location where a distribution channel. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet. Companies set their price according to place if target place is rural and backward then they should reduse their prices and if the target place is modern urban then the company charge more price according to its brand image and get more profit. PROMOTION Represents all of the communications that a marketer may use in the marketplace. Promotion has four distinct elements -advertising,public relations,word of mouthandpoint of sale. A certain amount of crossover occurs when promotion uses the four principal elements together, which is common in film promotion. Advertising covers any communication that is paid for, from cinema commercials, radio and Internet adverts through print media and billboards. Public relations are where the communication is not directly paid for and includes press releases, sponsorship deals, exhibitions, conferences, seminars or trade fairs and events. Word of mouth is any apparently informal communication about the product by ordinary individuals, satisfied customers or people specifically engaged to create word of mouth momentum. Sales staff often plays an important role in word of mouth and Public Relations. Packaging also needs to be taken into consideration. Broadly defined, optimizing the marketing mix is the primary responsibility of marketing. By offering the product with the right combination of the four Ps marketers can improve their results and marketing effectiveness. Making small changes in the marketing mix is typically considered to be a tactical change.Parm Bains says Making large changes in any of the four Ps can be considered strategic. For example, a large change in the price, say from $19.00 to $39.00 would be considered a strategic change in the position of the product. However a change of $130 to $129.99 would be considered a tactical change, potentially related to a promotional offer. The term marketing mix however, does not imply that the 4P elements represent options. They are not trade-offs but are fundamental marketing issues that always need to be addressed. They are the fundamental actions that marketing requires whether determined explicitly or by default. The main objective is profit maximisation so company promote its brand and invest more money and get maximum profit. INFLUENCE THE MARKETING MIX Before the product is developed, the marketing strategy is formulated, including target market selection and product positioning. There usually is a tradeoff between product quality and price, so price is an important variable in positioning. Because of inherent tradeoffs betweenmarketing mixelements, pricing will depend on other product, distribution, and promotion decisions. ESTIMATE THE DEMAND CURVE Because there is a relationship between price and quantity demanded, it is important to understand the impact of pricing on sales by estimating thedemand curvefor the product. For existing products, experiments can be performed at prices above and below the current price in order to determine theprice elasticity of demand. Inelastic demand indicates that price increases might be feasible. CALCULATE THE COST If the firm has decided to launch the product, there likely is at least a basic understanding of the costs involved, otherwise, there might be no profit to be made. The unit cost of the product sets the lower limit of what the firm might charge, and determines the profit margin at higher prices. The total unit cost of a producing a product is composed of the variable cost of producing each additional unit and fixed costs that are incurred regardless of the quantity produced. The pricing policy should consider both types of costs. MARKET ENVIRONMENT Themarket environmentis amarketingterm and refers to all of the forces outside of marketing that affect marketing managements ability to build and maintain successful relationships with target customers. Themarket environmentconsists of both the macro environment and the microenvironment Micro environment The microenvironment refers to the forces that are close to the company and affect its ability to serve its customers. It includes the company itself, its suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets,competitors, and publics. The company aspect of microenvironment refers to the internal environment of the company. This includes alldepartments, such as management,finance,research and development,purchasing,operations andaccounting. Each of these departments has an impact on marketing decisions. For example, research and development have input as to the features a product can perform and accounting approves the financial side of marketing plans and budgets. Thesuppliersof a company are also an important aspect of the microenvironment because even the slightest delay in receiving supplies can result in customer dissatisfaction. Marketing managers must watch supply availability and other trends dealing with suppliers to ensure that product will be delivered to customers in the time frame required in order to maintain a strong customer relationship. Marketing intermediaries refers to resellers, physical distribution firms, marketing services agencies, andfinancial intermediaries. These are the people that help the company promote, sell, and distribute its products to final buyers. Resellers are those that hold and sell the companys product. They match the distribution to the customers and include places such asWal-Mart, Target, andBest Buy. Physical distribution firms are places such as warehouses that store and transport the companys product from its origin to its destination. Marketing services agencies are companies that offer services such as conductingmarketing research, advertising, and consulting. Financial intermediaries are institutions such as banks, credit companies andinsurance companies. Another aspect of microenvironment is the customers. There are different types of customer markets including consumer markets, business markets, government markets,international markets, and reseller markets. The consumer market is made up of individuals who buygoods and servicesfor their own personal use or use in their household. Business markets include those that buy goods and services for use in producing their own products to sell. This is different from the reseller market which includes businesses that purchase goods to resell as is for a profit. These are the same companies mentioned as market intermediaries. The government market consists of government agencies that buy goods to producepublic servicesor transfer goods to others who need them. International markets include buyers in other countries and includes customers from the previous categories. Competitors are also a factor in the microenvironment and include companies with similar offerings for goods and services. To remain competitive a company must consider who their biggest competitors are while considering its own size and position in the industry. The company should develop a strategic advantage over their competitors. The final aspect of the microenvironment is publics, which is any group that has an interest in or impact on the organizations ability to meet its goals. For example, financial publics can hinder a companys ability to obtain funds affecting the level of credit a company has. Media publics include newspapers and magazines that can publish articles of interest regarding the company and editorials that may influence customers opinions. Government publics can affect the company by passing legislation and laws that put restrictions on the companys actions. Citizen-action publics include environmental groups andminority groupsand can question the actions of a company and put them in the public spotlight. Local publics are neighborhood and community organizations and will also question a companys impact on the local area and the level of responsibility of their actions. The general public can greatly affect the company as any change in their attitude, whether positive or negative, can cause sales to go up or down because the general public is often the companyscustomer base. And finally, the internal publics include all those who are employed within the company and deal with the organization and construction of the companys product. Macro environment The macro environment refers to all forces that are part of the larger society and affect the microenvironment. It includes concepts such as demography, economy, natural forces, technology, politics, and culture. Demographyrefers to studying human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, gender, race, and occupation. This is a very important factor to study for marketers and helps to divide the population intomarket segmentsandtarget markets. An example of demography is classifying groups of people according to the year they were born. These classifications can be referred to asbaby boomers, who are born between 1946 and 1964,generation X, who are born between 1965 and 1976, andgeneration Y, who are born between 1977 and 1994. Each classification has different characteristics and causes they find important. This can be beneficial to a marketer as they can decide who their product would benefit most and tailor theirmarketing planto attract that segment. Demography covers many aspects that are important to marketers including family dynamics, geographic shifts, work force changes, and levels of diversity in any given area. Another aspect of the macro environment is the economic environment. This refers to thepurchasing powerof potential customers and the ways in which people spend their money. Within this area are two different economies, subsistence and industrialized. Subsistence economies are based more in agriculture and consume their own industrial output. Industrial economies have markets that are diverse and carry many different types of goods. Each is important to the marketer because each has a highly different spending pattern as well as differentdistribution of wealth. The natural environment is another important factor of the macro environment. This includes the natural resources that a company uses as inputs and affects their marketing activities. The concern in this area is the increased pollution, shortages of raw materials and increased governmental intervention. As raw materials become increasingly scarcer, the ability to create a companys product gets much harder. Also, pollution can go as far as negatively affecting a companys reputation if they are known for damaging the environment. The last concern,government interventioncan make it increasingly harder for a company to fulfill their goals as requirements get more stringent. The technological environment is perhaps one of the fastest changing factors in the macroenvironment. This includes all developments from antibiotics and surgery tonuclear missilesandchemical weaponsto automobiles andcredit cards. As these markets develop it can create new markets and new uses for products. It also requires a company to stay ahead of others and update their own technology as it becomes outdated. They must stay informed of trends so they can be part ofthe next big thing, rather

Economic Conditions of Japan :: Business Economics Globalization

Economic Conditions of Japan Japan is currently in an economic recession. We can see that the value of the yen is falling; unemployment is rising, and purchasing of durable goods is down. This unhealthy state of economy has progressively become bleaker over the years. Many believe that the start of the slump was due to the economic bubble in the late 1980’s when low rates encouraged an inordinately large amount of investment. When a country has an elevated investment rate, large amounts of capital stock are purchased. This means that an elevated rate of investment must be maintained in order to accommodate for the high levels of depreciation. In the early 1990’s when investment began to slip asset values imploded. As a result, banks were making bad loans. The Japanese government was not quick to react, and by 1998 many major banks were on the verge of collapse. To try to combat the trend of failing banks, the Bank of Japan Governor, Masaru Hayami, started a â€Å"zero interest rate policy† in 1999. This move built confidence in Japanese banks and the Japanese economy. However, this positive reform did not last. Banks were not using this recovery policy to write off their bad loans. They also did not get rid of very risky stock market shares. Hayami became fed up with the actions of the banks and raised interest rates in August of 2000. Then when the stock market began falling, those risky shares that the banks owned caused them to lose even more money. So now the country is a facing a major problem: what to do about the losses experienced the stock market and from default loans. In the worst-case scenario calculated by Merrill Lynch credit analyst Koyo Ozeki, banks would have to write off more than 70 trillion yen in loan losses. In order to do that, banks would have to pull the plug on thousands of deadbeat borrowers. This would be devastating to the unemployment rate. Japan’s unemployment rate is currently at 4.9%, which is a postwar high for the country. This is due in part to the number of workers losing their jobs. Another big part of the increase in unemployment is due to the increase in the labor force. Economic Conditions of Japan :: Business Economics Globalization Economic Conditions of Japan Japan is currently in an economic recession. We can see that the value of the yen is falling; unemployment is rising, and purchasing of durable goods is down. This unhealthy state of economy has progressively become bleaker over the years. Many believe that the start of the slump was due to the economic bubble in the late 1980’s when low rates encouraged an inordinately large amount of investment. When a country has an elevated investment rate, large amounts of capital stock are purchased. This means that an elevated rate of investment must be maintained in order to accommodate for the high levels of depreciation. In the early 1990’s when investment began to slip asset values imploded. As a result, banks were making bad loans. The Japanese government was not quick to react, and by 1998 many major banks were on the verge of collapse. To try to combat the trend of failing banks, the Bank of Japan Governor, Masaru Hayami, started a â€Å"zero interest rate policy† in 1999. This move built confidence in Japanese banks and the Japanese economy. However, this positive reform did not last. Banks were not using this recovery policy to write off their bad loans. They also did not get rid of very risky stock market shares. Hayami became fed up with the actions of the banks and raised interest rates in August of 2000. Then when the stock market began falling, those risky shares that the banks owned caused them to lose even more money. So now the country is a facing a major problem: what to do about the losses experienced the stock market and from default loans. In the worst-case scenario calculated by Merrill Lynch credit analyst Koyo Ozeki, banks would have to write off more than 70 trillion yen in loan losses. In order to do that, banks would have to pull the plug on thousands of deadbeat borrowers. This would be devastating to the unemployment rate. Japan’s unemployment rate is currently at 4.9%, which is a postwar high for the country. This is due in part to the number of workers losing their jobs. Another big part of the increase in unemployment is due to the increase in the labor force.

The Problem of Evil through the eyes of Moral Theory

Deliberating on the ‘problem’ of evil involves discussing its theodicy, the aim of which may be characterized in the celebrated writer John Milton’s words as the attempt to â€Å"justify the ways of God to men.† That is, a theodicy endeavors to vindicate the justice or goodness of God in the face of the existence of evil found in the world, through reasonable explanation(s) of why God allows evil to exist among his creation (Griffin 1976). For it to qualify as reasonable, such explanation must conform to (a) a commonsensical world view, e.g. there exists other people in the world; (b) widely accepted scientific and historical views, e.g. Plate Tectonics theory and the theory of evolution; and (c) plausible moral principles, e.g. punishment in general needs to be significantly proportional to the offense committed (Griffin, 1976). For Richard Swinburne (1987, 143) in his contribution to theodicy, ‘an omnipotent being can prevent any evil he chooses, but I deny that a perfectly good being will always try to do so.’ That is, a perfectly good being such as a God who is claimed to be both omnipotent and omniscient, has the right to allow evil to occur as such action brings about some greater good. He expounds on several moral views, such as the most basic good of all – the satisfaction of desire, and above all, pleasure, which he considers ‘a good thing’ (Swinburne, 1987).   However, for Swinburne (1987), the satisfaction of certain desires is not good if this is done for things which are bad in themselves, as pleasure no longer becomes good where the belief needed to sustain it is false. His reasoning follows that God has reason to bring forth into existence creatures with desires for good states of affairs which are satisfied, as desires in themselves are good, except when they are desires for what is bad. If God wants to make creatures sensitive to what is good He will allow them to have desires which are permanently frustrated. It follows that God will not give man endless pain, failure and loss in order to allow one to show proper compassion and grief, but he ‘may well give us some pain, failure†¦ in order to allow us to be involved with each other in ways and levels we could not otherwise have’ (Swinburne, 1987, 145). Good action derives its goodness not merely from intention but from its effects. Conversely, an unsuccessful action aimed at something good is also good for the agent, which is better if done freely or not being fully caused. Thus, it is good for the agent to have free choice as an autonomous ‘mini-creator’ (Swinburne 1987) not totally beholden to the mercy of forces in the universe. The choice of ‘forwarding the good’ becomes a lot better if the agent has free choice between good and evil, and not merely between alternate goods. Free choice of action only comes in choosing between two actions the agent regards as equally good, or between two actions which he desires to do equally, or between one he desires to do more and one he believes is better to do (Swinburne, 1998). God cannot give us the great good of the possibility of intentional, efficacious, free action involving a choice between good and evil without at the same time providing the natural probability of evil which he will not prevent so that the freedom he grants us may truly be efficacious freedom. Thus, the â€Å"free will defense† remains a central core theory of theodicy. In addition, a world where agents can only benefit but not harm each other is one wherein they have only a limited responsibility for each other, and in this sense God would not have given much because he would have then refused to share that responsibility with us. Even more so, it is a blessing for a person if his suffering makes possible the good for others of having the free choice of hurting or harming him, and if the actual suffering would make possible the good for others of feeling compassion for him and choosing to show or not show sympathy, or through providing knowledge for others, i.e. ‘blessed is the man or woman whose life is of use’ (Swinburne, 1998). Various evils and the possibility of their existence, including both moral (the harm we do to each other or negligently allow to occur) and natural evils (animal and human suffering) are thus deemed logically necessary for the attainment of good states. In general, the claim is that we need a similar amount of evil if we are to have the similar amount of good by way of satisfaction of desire, significant choice and serious beneficiary action. Furthermore, God does not inflict endless suffering for there is a limit in time and intensity to the suffering of any individual, i.e. the length of human life. From the perspective of eternity, the evils of the world occur narrowly in terms of number and duration, and more importantly, God allows them to occur for the sake of the great goods they make possible (Swinburne, 1998). Getting the evils of this world into the right perspective involves lengthy long-term and long-distance reflection – things outside of life, e.g. cause and effects, makes a greater difference to the value of that life if one does not arbitrarily confine those things near to life in space and time. Given all these, is such a theodicy adequate to account for the existence of evil in this world? Swinburne (1978, 1987, 1991, and 1998) does raise some valid points and offer convincing arguments yet the researcher is of the opinion that in its entirety, traditional moral theory and this particular theodicy by their lonesome cannot stand alone and fully account for the problem of evil. Various objections could still be raised against this theodicy, such as questioning the intelligibility/empirical adequacy of the argument’s underlying notions – i.e. of free will. Others such as Tooley (1980) and Rowe (1996) propose that just as we have a duty to curtail another’s exercise of free will when one is aware of its use to inflict suffering on innocents, God as well has a duty of a similar nature. Furthermore, it provides brilliant insights but still an inadequate account for the existence of natural evil and its ensuing logical arguments and evidential problem, i.e. the problem of determining whether and (if so) to what extent the existence of evil would constitute evidence against the existence of God. References Chrzan, Keith. 1994. â€Å"Necessary Gratuitous Evil: An Oxymoron Revisited,† Faith and Philosophy 11: 134-37. Griffin, David Ray. 1991. Evil Revisited: Responses and Reconsiderations. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Hasker, William. 2004. Providence, Evil and the Openness of God. London: Routledge. Hick, John. 1966. Evil and the God of Love, first edition. London: Macmillan. Hick, John. 1981. â€Å"An Irenaean Theodicy† and â€Å"Response to Critiques,† in Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Encountering Evil: Live Options in Theodicy, first edition. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, pp.39-52, 63-68. Hick, John. 1990. Philosophy of Religion, fourth edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. McNaughton, David. 1994. â€Å"The Problem of Evil: A Deontological Perspective,† in Alan G. Padgett (ed.), Reason and the Christian Religion: Essays in Honour of Richard Swinburne. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp.329-51. Rowe, William L. 1996. â€Å"The Evidential Argument from Evil: A Second Look,† in Daniel Howard-Snyder (ed.), The Evidential Argument from Evil, pp.262-85. Swinburne, Richard. 1977. The Coherence of Theism. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Swinburne, Richard. 1978. â€Å"Natural Evil,† American Philosophical Quarterly 15: 295-301. Swinburne, Richard. 1987. â€Å"Knowledge from Experience, and the Problem of Evil,† in William J. Abraham and Steven W. Holtzer (eds), The Rationality of Religious Belief: Essays in Honour of Basil Mitchell. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp.141-67. Swinburne, Richard. 1991. The Existence of God, revised edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Swinburne, Richard. 1998. Providence and the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Tooley, Michael. 1980. â€Å"Alvin Plantinga and the Argument from Evil,† Australasian Journal of Philosophy 58: 360-76.            

Comparing The Powerful Images of the Tyger and the War photographer Essay

William Blake and Carol Ann Duffy both utilize powerful imagery to describe the â€Å"War Photographer† and â€Å"The Tyger†, making similar statements about them. In addition, both poems use vivid imagery associated with the theme of religion and war. The use of imagery by both poets emphasizes the parallelism between the â€Å"The Tyger† and the â€Å"War Photographer† as it suggests that both these characters prey on death. For example, William Blake describes the Tyger to have a â€Å"fearful symmetry† and â€Å"fire† in its eyes. The words â€Å"fearful† and â€Å"fire†, create a semantic field of ferocity and danger associated with the Tyger. Furthermore, this highlights the savage and formidable side of the Tyger, making the predatory nature of such an animal prominent. The use of the word â€Å"symmetry â€Å" not only indicates the Tiger’s symmetrical appearance but also, on a deeper level may imply the ordered and mechanical manner in which it kills its prey. This is because the fact that its appearance remains symmetrical suggests how emotionless and insensitive it is when using the death of other animals to fuel its own ruthless mind and body. Although the â€Å"War Photographer† isn’t portrayed to this extent of barbarity, the fact that he uses death and suffering as a source of income is certainly similar to the Tyger’s situation. This is exemplified when Carol Ann Duffy says that the War Photographer â€Å"stares impassively at where he earns a living.† The use of the adverb â€Å"impassively† conjures up images showing how the War Photographer is so unemotional and machinelike in the way he takes pictures of the death and suffering of War just to â€Å"earn a living.† Therefore, in this way, the mental images formed in reader’s mind from each poem illustrate that the War Photographer is synonymous with the Tyger as they both cold-heartedly use the medium of death to improve their own lives. However, on other hand, the dichotomy of both the Tyger and the War Photographer is also made clear with the use of imagery. For example, William Blake also depicts the Tyger to be â€Å"burning bright.† This emphasizes the magnificence of the Tyger in a much more â€Å"bright† and positive manner, juxtaposing its deadly and dangerous side. The use of bilabial plosives in the ‘b’ sounds in â€Å"burning† and â€Å"bright† creates an explosive and energetic sound, creating images of an animated and vibrant animal, contrasting to the alternative dull and spiritless perception of the Tyger. Moreover, the depiction that the Tyger is a thing of beauty rather than terror is accentuated when the Tyger, which is â€Å"burning bright†, comes from â€Å"the forests of the night.† This paints a picture of the Tyger being something good coming out of evil as the words â€Å"forest† and â€Å"night† have connotations of something dark and sinister, contrasting to the magnificence of the Tyger’s brightness. William Blake also goes on to ask the question â€Å"Did he who made the Lamb make thee?† This is referring to God as the Lamb is depicted as the ‘Lamb of God’. This question reinforces the idea that there must be something good coming out of this seemingly deadly creature if God is its creator. The reason for this is that God is often pictured an omnipotent, benevolent figure and the fact that he created the â€Å"Lamb†, a symbol of complete innocence and purity, reinforces this. Therefore if he created the Tyger, there must be a positive outcome to its invention. Perhaps Blake is conveying the image to the reader that the valuable purpose of the Tyger is to create a natural order of balance in the world. Although on the surface its predatory nature seems only to have negative impacts, it is required to ensure the survival of not only its own species but also to prevent the overpopulation of prey species like the Lamb. This imagery implies that the Tyger needs to prey on animals such as the lamb in order to keep balance in the world, and to allow the circle of life to happen, a concept that is reinforced by the cyclic structure of the poem. Similarly, in War Photographer Carol Ann Duffy mentions how the War photographer â€Å"sought approval without words to do what someone must.† This adds a sense of morality to his job and the purpose of it, just like the creation of Tyger benefits the world in a much larger sense; he doesn’t do it just to earn money. This produces a contrasting image on the War Photographer as it suggests he is doing something right and â€Å"what someone must† as making people aware of the death and suffering in the world, is a step closer to resolving this problem of war. Furthermore, powerful imagery used by both C. A. Duffy and William Blake, emphasizes the duality of the Tyger and War Photographer. On the surface, both the Tyger and the War photographer seem to be emotionless and insensitive in the way they prey on death but the larger, meaningful purpose of each character is also portrayed. Powerful imagery is also presented in both poems via the theme of religion. For example, in War Photographer, strong religious imagery is created with use of the Bible quote â€Å"All flesh is grass.† This implies that all life is as temporary as grass and just like grass life will shine for its season but then wither, fade and die. Alternatively the â€Å"flesh† could be a metaphor for death, suggesting that death in war is as common and in huge numbers as blades of grass. Nevertheless, both these interpretations highlight the ephemeral nature of life in war. Perhaps Carol Ann Duffy uses the fact that quote stems from the Bible to almost blame Christianity or religion for allowing or creating War, which makes life so fragile and transient. Furthermore, maybe, C. A. Duffy conveys these religious images to the reader, to highlight the doubt she has in the supposed altruism of God for creating war. William Blake uses religious imagery similarly in the Tyger. â€Å"What immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?† This questions the nerve of the â€Å"immortal† God to create such a â€Å"fearful†, dangerous creature. Perhaps Blake uses the terror of Tyger to represent the suffering and death in the world and in this way, he creates striking images to question whether God is truly beneficent. This image of an uncompassionate God is reinforced when God is questioned to have â€Å"dread hand† and â€Å"dread feet† for creating this creature. The use of the adjective of â€Å"dread† to describe God produces powerful images that oppose the assumed kindness of God, implying that this all-powerful figure may also harbour malicious intent. Perhaps Blake is alluding to the fearful Jehovah like image from the Old Testament, questioning whether in fact he is a benevolent figure for creating the death and suffering that the Tyger embodies. Therefore, the religious imagery in both the War Photographer and the Tyger question whether God’s good will for creating suffering in the world emphasized through the creation of the Tyger and War. An apparent difference in the portrayal of images between the 2 poems is that the War Photographer is closely related to humanity, whereas The Tyger focuses on images beyond human. In War photographer, C.A. Duffy emphasizes the effect of War on humans such as the â€Å"War Photographer† and the †readers† of his pictures. For example the War photographer’s hand is described to â€Å"tremble† when he is forming the pictures of â€Å"agonies.† The words â€Å"agonies† and â€Å"tremble† paint a vivid image of the hardships of his job and the amount of fear he has when witnessing the horrors of war. Therefore, the plight of the War Photographer evokes the base instincts of empathy from the reader. Carol Ann Duffy also goes on to mention, â€Å"The reader’s eyeballs prick with tears† when seeing the â€Å"agonies† in the pictures that the War Photographer takes. The use of the verb â€Å"prick† to depict how the readers weep when seeing theses pictures, illustrates how superficial and apathetic this response is, the photos just â€Å"prick† the surface of their â€Å"eyeballs†, it is not heart-felt or deep. Perhaps this displays that these readers forge even this feeble gesture of respect, as they have to go the extent of pricking their eyeballs to make themselves cry, as it does not come naturally. This is to â€Å"prick† is quite an abrasive or forceful verb may imply that they are forcing themselves to artificially show that they care, when truly â€Å"they do not care.† This gives the impression that the readers suffer from compassion fatigue, they are desensitized by the sheer number of horrific photos of War that are presented to them and subconsciously, they realise this lack of compassion but they do not want to display it. In this way C.A Duffy, brings this insensitivity that masked by artificial a cts of kindness of the viewers (of pictures of War), to the forefront of the reader’s mind. Furthermore this imagery is quite because it questions whether the reader (of this poem) deep inside, have this same indifference to the pictures of War, many readers would relate to the way they are often dismissive of these images (like the readers in the poem), making them almost feel guilty. However the visualization in the Tyger creates very different effects on the reader. The lexical patterning of the words â€Å"immortal†, â€Å"distant†, †wings† and â€Å"heaven† creates a strong impression that the only 2 figures in this poem (The Tyger and its creator) are superhuman and celestial, creating a very mystical tone to the poem. This is reinforced with auditory imagery through the incessant trochaic metre of the poem and the repetition of the word Tyger, very much chant or hymn like, re-iterating the supernatural theme to the poem as hymns are sung to emphasise the magnificence of God. Therefore, this leaves the reader is awe and amazement of the power of these 2 figures that belong to a world much beyond the one of a human. Thus, the imagery in the Tyger and the War photographer also has very different effects on the reader, one leaving you with emotions of empathy and guilt and the other with a sense of wonder. In conclusion, Carol Ann Duffy and William Blake both present powerful images of the figures of the War Photographer and the Tyger that make them very alike.

Fdrs Influence As President Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Fdr's Influence As President Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Fdr's Influence As President Some have called him the best president yet. Others have even claimed that he was the world's most influential and successful leader of the twentieth century. Those claims can be backed up by the overwhelming support that he received from his citizens throughout his four terms in office. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a new era in American history by ending the Great Depression that the country had fallen into in 1929. His social reforms gave people a new perspective on government. Government was not only expected to protect the people from foreign invaders, but to protect against poverty and joblessness. Roosevelt had shown his military and diplomatic skill as the Commander in Chief during World War II. This wartime leadership and international relations policy won him an award in the hearts of many Americans. Roosevelt threw his hat in the ring in 1931 in order to prepare for the election of 1932. Democratic Party chairman James A Farley directed his campaign. He started a nationwide radio address, outlining a program to meet the economic problems of the nation. He coined the term forgotten man to mean all of those who had been hard hit by the evils of the depression. These radio addresses were the start to what he called the fireside chats. Overall, Roosevelt was the most energetic and dynamic candidate, and he was nominated by the party on the fourth ballot. Although he displayed excellent characteristics, his competition was fairly tough. He was up against John Nance Garner of Texas (who would be his Vice Presidential running mate); Newton D. Baker of Ohio, who was former Secretary of War; and former Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York. For three ballots, Roosevelt held a large lead, but lacked the two- thirds margin necessary for victory. Farley then promised John Garner the vice presidential nomination, which he accepted grudgingly. Then FDR took the presidential nomination on the fourth ballot. One of the purposes of the national convention is to bring the party together in a movement of support behind the nominated candidate. Although there was rough competition during the choosing process, most party leaders were happy with the Roosevelt choice. It would help pull votes from the urban-Eastern region of the country. Also, Roosevelt made a dashing introduction at the Chicago convention by being the first nominee to ever write an acceptance speech. In this speech, he brought emotions from the audience in his last line, I pledge to you, I pledge to myself, to a new deal for the American people. During the November campaign against Hoover, Roosevelt suggested a few parts of the so called New Deal. He spoke of relief and public works money. He wanted to develop a plan to cut agricultural overproduction. He was for public power, conservation and unemployment insurance. The repeal of prohibition and stock exchange regulation were also big items on his platform. However, other than the aforementioned items, Roosevelt was quite vague about other plans. He mentioned little about his plans for industrial recovery or labor laws. As much foreign policy experience as he had, he talked very little of it during the campaign. Many believe that he was simply trying to home in on the problems that the American public saw most prominent at the time. When it came to election day, Roosevelt was the only viable alternative to Hoover, who many blamed for the Great Depression, although critics argue that it was the presidents preceding the Hoover Administration. The outcome reflected this thinking: Roosevelt won 22,821,857 votes compared to Hoover's 15, 761,841. Roosevelt also won the electoral 472 to 59. The voters had sent large majorities of Democrats to both houses as well, which would enable Roosevelt to accomplish more by pushing through more bills. Roosevelt's second election was in 1936. The Democratic National Convention re-nominated him by acclamation no vote was even taken. Vice President Garner was also nominated. The Republican opponents were Governor Alfred M. Landon of Kansas and Frank Knox, a newspaper publisher. Republicans, seeing Roosevelt's overwhelming popularity, were reaching for a tomato to throw. They claimed that he had not kept his promise to the people to balance the budget. Roosevelt replied by pointing to the actions of fighting the depression and

Germanys Capital Moves from Bonn to Berlin

Germany's Capital Moves from Bonn to Berlin Following the fall of the Berlin Wall  in 1989, the two independent countries on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain⠁  - East Germany and West Germany⠁  - worked toward unifying after more than 40 years as separate entities. With that unification came the question, What city should be the capital of a newly united Germany⠁  - Berlin or Bonn? A Vote to Decide the Capital With the raising of the German flag on October 3, 1990, the two former countries (the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany) merged to become one unified Germany. With that merger, a decision had to be made about what would be the new capital. The capital of pre-World War II Germany had been Berlin, and the capital of East Germany had been East Berlin. West Germany moved the capital city to Bonn following the split into two countries. Following unification, Germanys parliament, the Bundestag, initially began meeting in Bonn. However, under the initial conditions of the Unification Treaty between the two countries, the city of Berlin was also reunified and became, at least in name, the capital of reunified Germany.   A narrow vote of the Bundestag on June 20, 1991, of  337 votes for Berlin and 320 votes for Bonn, decided that the Bundestag and many government offices would ultimately and officially relocate from Bonn to Berlin. The vote was narrowly split, and most members of parliament voted along geographic lines. From Berlin to Bonn, Then Bonn to Berlin Prior to the division of Germany following World War II, Berlin was the capital of the country.  With the division into East Germany and West Germany, the city of Berlin (completely surrounded by East Germany) was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin, divided by the Berlin Wall. Since West Berlin could not serve as a practical capital city for West Germany, Bonn was chosen as an alternative. The process to build Bonn as a capital city took about eight years and more than $10 billion.   The 370-mile (595-kilometer) move from Bonn to Berlin in the northeast was often delayed by construction problems, plan changes, and bureaucratic immobilization. More than 150 national embassies had to be constructed or developed in order to serve as the foreign representation in the new capital city.   Finally, on  April 19, 1999, the German Bundestag met in the Reichstag building in Berlin, signaling the transfer of the capital of  Germany  from Bonn to Berlin. Prior to 1999, the German parliament had not met in the Reichstag since the Reichstag Fire of 1933. The newly renovated Reichstag included a glass dome, symbolizing a new Germany and a new capital. Bonn Now the Federal City A 1994 act in Germany established that Bonn would retain the status as the second official capital of Germany and as the second official home of the Chancellor and of the President of Germany. In addition, six governmental ministries (including defense) were to maintain their headquarters in Bonn. Bonn is called the Federal City for its role as the second capital of Germany. According to the New York Times, as of 2011, Of the 18,000 officials employed in the federal bureaucracy, more than 8,000 are still in Bonn. Bonn has a fairly small population (over 318,000) for its significance as the Federal City or second capital city of Germany, a country of more than 80 million (Berlin is home to nearly 3.4 million). Bonn has been  jokingly referred to in German as Bundeshauptstadt ohne nennenswertes Nachtleben (Federal capital without noteworthy nightlife). Despite its small size, many (as evidenced by the close vote of the  Bundestag) had hoped that the quaint university city of Bonn would become the modern home of reunified Germanys capital city.   Problems With Having Two Capital Cities Some Germans today question the inefficiencies of having more than one capital city. The cost to fly people and documents between Bonn and Berlin on an ongoing basis costs millions of euros each year. Germanys government could become much more efficient if time and money were not wasted on transportation time, transportation costs, and redundancies due to retaining Bonn as the second capital. At least for the foreseeable  future, Germany will retain Berlin as its capital and Bonn as a mini-capital city. Resources and Further Reading Cowell, Alan. â€Å"In Germanys Capitals, Cold War Memories and Imperial Ghosts.† The New York Times, 23 June 2011.

Advance Accounting Exploration for and Evaluation for Mineral Resource

(a) partial developments to current accounting performs for examination and assessment expenses (b) discoveries that recognize and clarify the sums in the entity’s commercial statements rising from the examination for and assessment of mineral resources and also it helps the individuals to know about the future cash flow. Compliance includes all businesses involved within the examination for and assessment of mineral assets, such as extracting companies, mining companies, which also includes the Governments and the not so profit companies or entities. The assists which are explored should be actually measured at cost. Expenses which relates to the growth of mineral properties shall not be recognised as examination and assessment assets. The e evaluation of the mineral resources   would actually be then classified in to the tangible or intangible assests accordingly (Australian accounting standard board, 2017). Conceptual frameork  is an diagnostic tool with several differences and backgrounds It is existing to develop ideas. Financial statemets are prepared according to the conceptual framework Where a framework document has been corrected and a accumulated form has been prepared. This amassed Framework applies to yearly reporting periods commencement on or after 1 July 2014. Framework is not a   standard and it does not define standards for any particular type of issue. We also see that the Framework can be revised from time to time accordingly and it also deals with the dimension of the basics from which financial statements are built (Australian Government, 2017). The AASB distinguishes that in a limited number of cases there may be a clash between the Framework and an Australian Accounting Standard. In the cases of conflict, the necessities of the Australian Accounting Standard succeed over those of the Framework. AASb will therefore will be directed by the Agenda or the Framework. Compiled accounting standard (2017).Exploration for and evaluation for mineral resources [online] Available at: https://www.amec.org.au/download/0710LetterTreasuryExplorationdeductions_plusAppendices.pdf [Accessed   9 th April. 2017].[1] Australian accounting standard board (2017).Framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements [online] Available athttps://membershandbook.charteredaccountants.com.au/static/icamh/images/141/COMM.AAAS~Framework_11_09.pdf [Accessed   9 th April. 2017].[2] Australian accounting standard board(2017).Conceptual framework. [online] Available at: https://www.aasb.gov.au/pronouncements/conceptual-framework.aspx [Accessed   9 th April. 2017].[3] Australian Government(2017).Conceptual framework for financial reporting [online] Available at: https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/ACCED264_06-15.pdf [Accessed   9 th April. 2017].[4]

Thchnology as a route to immortality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thchnology as a route to immortality - Essay Example Consequently, replication of human thought process brought about immortality of the mind transparently and comprehensibly, since reasoning could not just be replicated but also manipulated (148). Besides thinking without the body, technological advancements promote immortality through promotion of bodies that are impermeable to damage and aging given technology’s ability to health current diseases like cancer; mind uploading that permits existence in virtual reality, alternate bodies or robots, and deep space; and correcting global warming. Based on Cartesian arguments, technological advancements of as thinking machine aimed at relieving human’s immortal mind from its mortal captivity thus lending it a permanent existence both on earth and in heaven (148). Consequently, technology or machine represented secondary individuals with additional perfectionism that will be enhanced through improvements in transhumanism and nanotechnology. The search to imitate the human mind through inventions concluded that machines are thinking, imitate better than human interrogators implying that machines could also learn (151) and function autonomous of human intelligence to make decisions within military context where rational intelligence of artificial intelligence displaces human insanity and limitations (154). Minsky, a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence insinuated that the human interior could be depersonalized and independently replaced by thinking machines (156). Minsky also prophesied the symbiosis of man and machines where AI would accelerate human cognitive process hence promoting high performance machines (157) like voice actuated computers through advancements like ARPANET (158). Like the previous technology enthusiasts, human fascinations with computers incline to spirituality unlike utilitarianism with the brain freeing from the body making it immortal within the cyberspace (160).

Health Care Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Care Finance - Essay Example This act aims at punishing all those who: give false certifications or false information, pretend to be in need of medical necessity or self referrals which allow a physician to gain money through referring a patient to a facility in which he has a monetary interest. All matters like these are presented to the False Claims Act who intervenes through several ways: acting as a plaintiff, allowing the realtor to prosecute on behalf of the US government or dismissing the complaint if it is against government policy. An instance like this date back to 1998 when the Assistant Secretary of Legislation was asked to review the healthcare department as incorrect billing had led to a loss of $6 billion. (Morris) Instances like these can also be presented and placed under the False Claims Act. In 2005 the dramatic deficits made by the government forced the Deficit Reduction Act to allow the Congress to decide that the Centers of Medicaid and its services(CMS) were to establish the Medicaid Integrity Plan. This plan was created to suit two purposes: to use contractors who would identify overpayments and audit claims and to provide support to combat fraud and abuse (HHS.gov). The most efficient manner for eradicating frauds is to deploy precautionary measures to avoid even its initiation.

Introduction to Biometric Identification Database Essay

Introduction to Biometric Identification Database - Essay Example But the evolution of biometrics in the form of automated identification of finger prints, geometry of hand, iris construction, facial structure, genetic makeup etc. is a relatively new phenomenon. Portuguese explorer Joao de Barros also points out1 the existence of Biometrics in China in the 14th century. Barros narrates that Chinese merchants used to stamp their children's palm prints and footprints on a piece of paper with ink. This way the Chinese merchants used to distinguish the young children from one another. This can be termed as the beginning of the modern biometrics. The recent advances in Information Technology and computing have provided newer dimension to this emerging field. During the last couple of decades biometrics has established itself as a comprehensive tool for establishing Identities and Verification. In 1890, Alphonse Bertillon, a Parisian police desk, studied body length to identify criminals. Subsequently the method came to be known as Bertillonage method, which relied heavily on measuring the body length. But the method did not last long as there were many false alarms as a result of false identifications. Thereafter, finger printing became the reliable method of identifying the criminals. There are human rights groups and civil liberties advocates argue that increasing use of biometrics has resulted in trespassing into the privacy of all human beings, but the rise in terrorist activities in recent years has forced the defense and security experts to rely heavily on the biometrics for identifying the mischief makers. Types of Biometrics and their usage A biometric system is designed to test one out of the two possible hypotheses (Wayman et al., 2005): (1) That the submitted samples are from an individual known to the system; or (2) That the submitted samples are from an individual not known to the system. Applications to test the first hypothesis are called "positive identification" systems (verifying a positive claim of enrollment), while applications testing the latter are "negative identification" systems (verifying a claim of no enrollment). Biometrics, in general can be divided into two main groups, physiological and behavioral i. Physiological factors: These factors depend upon the physical structure and appearance of the individual. Iris Scan: The Iris of an individual is scanned to match it with the stored image. Quite often the iris scan may not come out with actual on if the person is putting on dark glasses, or is suffering from some eye disease. Fingerprint: This is one of the oldest tried and tested methods of biometrics. In fact the nail is also included for identification in fingerprinting. Hand: This includes the structure of knuckles, palm and the vascular networking of hand. Face, Earlobe, Lips: The camera scans the facial structure or the fleshy pendulous part of the external ear or lips of the individual. Voice: The voice is also one of the most distinguishing features to identify an individual. Therefore the voice patterns form one of the most dependable biometric measures. Retina: like iris, the retinal structure too provides an insight into the nature and character of the person. DNA: This method too is quite frequently used in a number of cases to establish the identity of the individual. Body Odor and Sweat Pores: There are biometric techniques which can sense the

Answer question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Answer question - Assignment Example Expected Costs: Sarah handles payroll functions, travelling to both offices once per week,70 miles round-trip to Sedona,190 miles round-trip to Prescott. Her SUV gets 17 mpg, the cost of gas on average is $ 3.40 per gallon. Expected cost per week therefore is: $ 3.40 multiplied by 17 mpg of her SUV= $57.8. Incase Sarah maintains her job, DSS will reduce her approximately 5 hours per payroll period, reducing her daycare cost to $ 200 monthly thus, (200 * 12) = $ 2400 annually to be subtracted from $ 1430044. Therefore TOTAL EXPECTED COST WILL BE $ 1,427,644. It will increase the time needed to run the clinic efficiently and provide a proper database that will enable Collins to keep track of the clinic’s financial transactions. This translates into an increase into the net-worth of his business. 6) That Collins facilitate the implementation of the DSS payroll software immediately. In addition, for him to up-grade his knowledge of working with the software for effective management, and if need be, to retain his wife in her position due to her experience with managing payroll system which will prove useful. Because she is technically savvy, it eliminates the need to have to incur cost in training a new

International Business--FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS KNOWLEADGE EDGE Essay

International Business--FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS KNOWLEADGE EDGE - Essay Example There are even times when self-assessment examinations and tests reveal personality traits that surprise one as being eminent as a self-image or concept. In this regard, the objective of the report is to indicate an assessment of oneself using several indicators such as The Big Five Locator (Emotional Stability, Extroversion, and Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness), Visual/Nonverbal Learning Style, and the Hemisphere Dominance Test, and Interactive Styles, among others, to give a clearer understanding of one’s assessment, as an individual, to be used for future endeavors. According to Dr. Joachim de Posada (2003), the Big Five Locator Personality Test aims in assisting an individual to â€Å"define issues that may be important to (one’s) effectiveness in a leadership capacity† (1). The focal areas upon answering well designed questions would determine an individual’s preponderance to the following: emotional stability, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. After taking the examination, the results reveal the following: emotional stability (14) with a norm score of 48 indicating responsiveness or practically a balanced emotional stability rating; extroversion (19) with a norm score of 57 which clearly manifests traits of extroversion as assertive, sociable, warm, optimistic, and even talkative, to some extent; openness to experience (11) and a norm score of 40 indicating the traits of a preserver, or someone with low openness to experience – one who is conservative, efficient with a great depth of knowledge, among others; agreeableness (20) with a 55 norm score which clearly manifests traits of being a negotiator – someone who is balanced in argumentation and in conflict resolution skills; and finally, conscientiousness scored 17 with a norm score of 50, which

Introduction to Biometric Identification Database Essay

Introduction to Biometric Identification Database - Essay Example But the evolution of biometrics in the form of automated identification of finger prints, geometry of hand, iris construction, facial structure, genetic makeup etc. is a relatively new phenomenon. Portuguese explorer Joao de Barros also points out1 the existence of Biometrics in China in the 14th century. Barros narrates that Chinese merchants used to stamp their children's palm prints and footprints on a piece of paper with ink. This way the Chinese merchants used to distinguish the young children from one another. This can be termed as the beginning of the modern biometrics. The recent advances in Information Technology and computing have provided newer dimension to this emerging field. During the last couple of decades biometrics has established itself as a comprehensive tool for establishing Identities and Verification. In 1890, Alphonse Bertillon, a Parisian police desk, studied body length to identify criminals. Subsequently the method came to be known as Bertillonage method, which relied heavily on measuring the body length. But the method did not last long as there were many false alarms as a result of false identifications. Thereafter, finger printing became the reliable method of identifying the criminals. There are human rights groups and civil liberties advocates argue that increasing use of biometrics has resulted in trespassing into the privacy of all human beings, but the rise in terrorist activities in recent years has forced the defense and security experts to rely heavily on the biometrics for identifying the mischief makers. Types of Biometrics and their usage A biometric system is designed to test one out of the two possible hypotheses (Wayman et al., 2005): (1) That the submitted samples are from an individual known to the system; or (2) That the submitted samples are from an individual not known to the system. Applications to test the first hypothesis are called "positive identification" systems (verifying a positive claim of enrollment), while applications testing the latter are "negative identification" systems (verifying a claim of no enrollment). Biometrics, in general can be divided into two main groups, physiological and behavioral i. Physiological factors: These factors depend upon the physical structure and appearance of the individual. Iris Scan: The Iris of an individual is scanned to match it with the stored image. Quite often the iris scan may not come out with actual on if the person is putting on dark glasses, or is suffering from some eye disease. Fingerprint: This is one of the oldest tried and tested methods of biometrics. In fact the nail is also included for identification in fingerprinting. Hand: This includes the structure of knuckles, palm and the vascular networking of hand. Face, Earlobe, Lips: The camera scans the facial structure or the fleshy pendulous part of the external ear or lips of the individual. Voice: The voice is also one of the most distinguishing features to identify an individual. Therefore the voice patterns form one of the most dependable biometric measures. Retina: like iris, the retinal structure too provides an insight into the nature and character of the person. DNA: This method too is quite frequently used in a number of cases to establish the identity of the individual. Body Odor and Sweat Pores: There are biometric techniques which can sense the

International Business--FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS KNOWLEADGE EDGE Essay

International Business--FOUNDATIONS OF BUSINESS KNOWLEADGE EDGE - Essay Example There are even times when self-assessment examinations and tests reveal personality traits that surprise one as being eminent as a self-image or concept. In this regard, the objective of the report is to indicate an assessment of oneself using several indicators such as The Big Five Locator (Emotional Stability, Extroversion, and Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness), Visual/Nonverbal Learning Style, and the Hemisphere Dominance Test, and Interactive Styles, among others, to give a clearer understanding of one’s assessment, as an individual, to be used for future endeavors. According to Dr. Joachim de Posada (2003), the Big Five Locator Personality Test aims in assisting an individual to â€Å"define issues that may be important to (one’s) effectiveness in a leadership capacity† (1). The focal areas upon answering well designed questions would determine an individual’s preponderance to the following: emotional stability, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. After taking the examination, the results reveal the following: emotional stability (14) with a norm score of 48 indicating responsiveness or practically a balanced emotional stability rating; extroversion (19) with a norm score of 57 which clearly manifests traits of extroversion as assertive, sociable, warm, optimistic, and even talkative, to some extent; openness to experience (11) and a norm score of 40 indicating the traits of a preserver, or someone with low openness to experience – one who is conservative, efficient with a great depth of knowledge, among others; agreeableness (20) with a 55 norm score which clearly manifests traits of being a negotiator – someone who is balanced in argumentation and in conflict resolution skills; and finally, conscientiousness scored 17 with a norm score of 50, which

Culture diversity Essay Example for Free

Culture diversity Essay Increasingly today, people come into regular contact with individuals from different cultures and its important to learn to talk with people who may not share a common language, background, and/or worldview. Each of us participates in at least one culture, and most of us are products of several cultures Being aware of our own culture and background is really important as it helps us understand how we are shaped by what we have experienced. Even within cultures, we all have different attitudes and beliefs based on our experiences and this will impact on the way we relate to people both professionally and in our personal life. Learning to value diversity, to become conscious of our ways of relating to each other and their ways of relating to us, does not come easily to most of us nor is it something that can be imposed from the outside. In Valuing Relationship (1995), Lewis Brown Griggs sums the interrelationship of knowing ourselves and building relationship with others as follows: Knowing myself is what allows me to know, understand, and value the diversity of others so that I can build trust with them. With more trust comes the ability to communicate more clearly, to problem solve and network more effectively, and to realize the value of synergistic relationships and productive interdependency. Together, investing in my relationship with myself and enhancing my relationship with others are important insurance policies against lost opportunities. (page 210) Griggs, L. B. (1995). Valuing Relationship: The Heart of Valuing Diversity. In L. B. Griggs L. L. Louw (Eds.), Valuing Diversity: New Tools for a New Reality. McGraw Hill, Inc: New York.

Understanding What Is The Sustainable Development Politics Essay

Understanding What Is The Sustainable Development Politics Essay Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report:[1] Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environments ability to meet present and future needs. All definitions of sustainable development require that we see the world as a system-a system that connects space; and a system that connects time. When you think of the world as a system over space, you grow to understand that air pollution from North America affects air quality in Asia, and that pesticides sprayed in Argentina could harm fish stocks off the coast of Australia. And when you think of the world as a system over time, you start to realize that the decisions our grandparents made about how to farm the land continue to affect agricultural practice today; and the economic policies we endorse today will have an impact on urban poverty when our children are adults. We also understand that quality of life is a system, too. Its good to be physically healthy, but what if you are poor and dont have access to education? Its good to have a secure income, but what if the air in your part of the world is unclean? And its good to have freedom of religious expression, but what if you cant feed your family? The concept of sustainable development is rooted is this sort of systems thinking. It helps us understand ourselves and our world. The problems we face are complex and serious-and we cant address them in the same way we created them. But we can address them. This paper introduces two axioms that capture the idea of sustainable development, and characterizes the welfare criterion that they imply. The axioms require that neither the present nor the future should play a dictatorial role in societys choices over time. At the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, sustainable development emerged as one of the most urgent subjects for international policy. One hundred and fifty participating nations endorsed UN Agenda 21, proposing as part of its policy agenda sustainable development based on the satisfaction of basic needs in developing countries Brundtland Commission proposed that sustainable development is development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. Brundtland (1987) The experimental evidence indicates that the present and the future are treated more even-handedly. Typically we do discount the future, but the trade-off between today and tomorrow blurs as we move into the future. Tomorrow acquires increasing relative importance as time progresses. It is as if we viewed the future through a curved lens. The relative weight given to two subsequent periods in the future is inversely related to their distance from today. (P.468) The two following axioms are non-dictatorship properties. Axiom 1 requires that the present should not dictate the outcome in disregard for the future: it requires sensitivity to the welfare of generations in the distant future. Axiom 2 requires that the welfare criterion should not be dictated by the long-run future, and thus requires sensitivity to the present. (P.469) Handbook of Sustainable Development Planning Studies in Modelling and Decision Support Edited by M.A. Quaddus M.A.B. Siddique The concept of sustainable development gained its currency with the publication of Our Common Future by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WECD) in 1987. It emerged from recognition of the need to maintain a balance between economic development and environmental protection and to ensure intra- and intergenerational equity. Before the 1980s, a mono-disciplinary approach was applied to define economic development. Economic development basically meant sustained increase in per capita income. For example, in 1957, Meier and Baldwin defined economic development as a process whereby an economys real national income increases over a long period of time (Meier and Baldwin, 1957, p. 2). This notion of development was prevalent among many of the third world countries until the end of the 1960s. However, during the last quarter of the twentieth century, a multi-dimensional concept of economic development was developed. One of the shortcomings of defining economic development i n terms of sustained increase in per capita income is that it fails to accommodate the question of distribution of income. It was believed that the distributional aspect would be taken care of by the trickle-down effect of growth. However, by the end of the 1960s, it became clear that economic development over a long period of time in many of the developing countries failed to bring about the trickle-down effect. A new environmental and social dimension of development, referred to as sustainable development, emerged in the 1980s. The first formal definition of sustainable development is found in Our Common Future, where it is defined as a process that fulfils present human needs without endangering the opportunities of future generations to fulfil their needs (WECD, 1987, p. 43). (P. 3) However, since the publication of Our Common Future, the concept of sustainable development was further modified and extended by development economists. In Caring for the Earth (IUCN/UNEP/WWF, 1991) sustainable development is defined as an improvement in the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. It should be noted here that improvement in the quality of human life subject to environmental or ecological constraint is the main focus of this definition. Although the seminal definition of sustainable development by the WECD has been widely quoted by many, the precise meaning of sustainable development and the ways to achieve it have always been matters of intense debate among researchers and policy-makers. The main criticism directed against the notion of sustainable development perceived by both the WECD and the UNCED (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) is that it is very broad and general. The lack of a universa lly acceptable definition makes the task for sustainable development planners difficult. Moreover, very often the objective of sustainable development is not clear. The implication of this is that the gap between theories (that is, the definition of sustainable development) and the actual application of sustainability to reality becomes particularly significant. This further results in many difficulties in the formulation of policies to plan sustainable development. As a result there is a demand for more precision in order to make sustainable development planning more consistent and efficient. Sustainable Development in Tribal and Backward Areas Kohli, Anju, Shah, Farida Chowdhary, A.P. (Eds)., 1997 : New Delhi, Indus Publishing Company Sustainable development is a development process that only generates economic growth but distributes its benefits equitably, that regenerates the environment rather than destroying it, that empowers people rather than materializing them. It is a matter of distributional equity between present and the future. It is intrinsically inexact concept which cannot be measured but can be a general guide to policies that which cannot be measured but can be a general guide to policies that have be with investment, conservation and resource use. In short, sustainability is an injunction not to satisfy ourselves by improvising our successors. It is an obligation to conduct ourselves so that we leave to the future the option or the capacity to be as well off as we are. P. 14 ============= In the developing world at least a billion people live in abject poverty for which no justification can be made. They have not received the benefit of growth. Unfortunately, they have no real choice except to burn their forest and to overuse their land and their resources just to secure a livelihood. P.194 The only important point to consider is the polluters must pay principle. It should be obeyed within the rules of the game. Putting this responsibility on government is both time-consuming and economically a costly preposition. P. 195. It is true that the developed world has contributed out of proportion in this game of destruction. The stage started in the colonial era when vast amount of timber wood and mineral resources were tapped. But the story of development after 1950 is even more hilarious. When large dams are erected or industrialization takes place, apparently it is an indicator of economic growth. But in the long run these efforts require a closer scrutiny. The economics of large scale dam construction is in vogue and even the World Bank clan has withdrawn its hands on ecological grounds. Even the much lauded Green Revolution has degraded the quality of soil. Thus in fifties every new invention or investment was an indicator of development. The end of twentieth century will like to rewrite the whole gamut of development economics. In todays economic thinking the propelling nature of economic activity is not profit maximization but creation of utility. P. 196 The economics of conservation should be a part of the development process. Sustainable development has defined in the World Conservation Strategy (1980) as : The management of the human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable development to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations. P. 228 In order to ensure long-term sustainability it is essential to ensure that the national social and economic policy framework is consistent with, and supportive of, the development objectives and implementation methods of social sector projects and programmes P. 228 The problem of tribal development cannot be seen in isolation from mainstream development, yet, the preservation and sensitivity towards their socio-cultural identity also cannot be overlooked. The challenge, at present, is to be able to recognize and understand the priorities and anxieties of the tribal communities. These arise from their shrinking economic base due to massive felling of trees caused by commercial exploitation of forest wealth. More and more tribals are becoming alien in their own area. Our economic modernization through construction of big power projects, opening of mines and construction of large dams is leading to displacement and impoverishment of tribals. There is a need for having a critical look at all the ongoing tribal development programmes. The areas of concern will have to go beyond the conception and implementation of development programmes and projects to focus on getting sustained long-term benefits from investment. It is being seriously felt that while there has been emphasis on tribal development by both government and voluntary sectors, yet, it has rested only on project formulation and timely cost effective implementation of the development projects. The sustainability aspect of the projects has not received sufficient attention. P.229 Productivity of land in tribal areas is poor and the agricultural output not sufficient. So they depend on cheap daily wage labour and collection and sale of firewood from the forest to see them through the year until the next harvest. It is important to highlight that the problems of poverty, population and environmental degradation are linked and the stark reality is that weaker sections of our Indian society still inhibit the areas of environmental degradation. The issue of sustainable development assumes alarming significance for the tribal areas because the human resources base of these regions is very weak to shoulder the development responsibilities. Literacy level among the tribal social groups of Rajastan is still around 20%. The tribal Sub-Plan Areas concept has, of course, implanted some visible infrastructural masts over the whole TSP area during the last two decades. But the traditional socio-cultural fabric of tribal society perpetuates and still conditions the development parameters of the region spread over the 5 districts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Tribal economy continues to be governed by fragile agricultural and animal husbandry activities. The economy of this region is groaning under the increasing pressures of human and animal population. Land holding size and forest covered area is dwindling, droughts and famines continue to reoccur frequently and the land productivity is yet to surge up to a perceptible level. Governmental initi atives in promoting the use of modern farm technology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.do not seem to have established the roots in the tribal landscape. Even the poverty eradication programmes executed under the IRDP scheme are yet to show their glow on the faces of poverty stricken tribal masses. This region has rich mineral resource base but the industrial activities have not developed on a large scale. P.236 Mineral and industrial development responsibilities are primarily shouldered by the outside non-tribal entrepreneurial talents and the local masses are being engaged as wage laborers. Looking to the geophysical setup and the growing population pressures, the secondary sector is expected to galvanize the tribal economy through the creation of larger and sustainable economic activities. However, as the situation exists today, no perceptible indicators are visible on the horizon of tribal region. To be precise, the development experiences of last four decades lead us to surmise if the prevailing policy parameters are sustainable for the next century. What should be the thrust areas of development ? How could the tribals be roped in the development process for promoting a participative development model ? What strategic components of tribal development planning could prove viable in eradicating the problem of poverty on a sustainable basis ? These issues crave for the indulgency of acade mic world including the galaxy of economists as well as social scientists à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ P. 237 The panorama of unspent funds and under-exploited schemes persists because of the poor responses from the target groups. Geographical isolation has perpetuated tribals fear psychosis and as such, this society has yet to become vocal for claiming its active participation in the development process. The society has remained mute spectator to the manoeuvrability of outsider plunderers of the natural wealth of the region. P. 237 The term sustainable development holds together two principles : the first, development component concentrating on meeting the needs of the present generation; the other, sustainable component limiting harmful effects of human activities on natural environment so that the ability of future generations to meet their own needs is not compromised. Environmental degradation and health hazards are the by-products of economic and industrial activities due to mindless and ruthless exploitation of natural resources. Poor planning and perverted process of development for short-term gains has destroyed the physical environment. If poverty existed before the pre-planning era, it was the result of under-utilization of resources, but if poverty, unemployment and inequalities persist today, it can be regarded as the consequence of ruthless over-exploitation of natural resources which left the physical environment degraded. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland Report, which defines sustainable development as development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers to the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development as economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Indigenous peoples have argued, through various international forums such as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Convention on Biological Diversity, that there are four pillars of sustainable development, the fourth being cultural. The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001) further elaborates the concept by stating that cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature; it becomes one of the roots of development understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. In this vision, cultural diversity is the fourth policy area of sustainable development. Economic Sustainability: Agenda 21 clearly identified information, integration, and participation as key building blocks to help countries achieve development that recognises these interdependent pillars. It emphasises that in sustainable development everyone is a user and provider of information. It stresses the need to change from old sector-centred ways of doing business to new approaches that involve cross-sectoral co-ordination and the integration of environmental and social concerns into all development processes. Furthermore, Agenda 21 emphasises that broad public participation in decision making is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving sustainable development. An unsustainable situation occurs when natural capital (the sum total of natures resources) is used up faster than it can be replenished. Sustainability requires that human activity only uses natures resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally. Inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with the concept of carrying capacity. Theoretically, the long-term result of environmental degradation is the inability to sustain human life. Such degradation on a global scale could imply extinction for humanity. Consumption of Renewable resources State of environment Sustainability More than natures ability to replenish Environmental degradation Not sustainable Equal to natures ability to replenish Environmental equilibrium Steady state economy Less than natures ability to replenish Environmental renewal Environmentally sustainable The sustainable development debate is based on the assumption that societies need to manage three types of capital (economic, social, and natural), which may be non-substitutable and whose consumption might be irreversible. The business case for sustainable development : The most broadly accepted criterion for corporate sustainability constitutes a firms efficient use of natural capital. This eco-efficiency is usually calculated as the economic value added by a firm in relation to its aggregated ecological impact.[19] This idea has been popularised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) under the following definition: Eco-efficiency is achieved by the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life-cycle to a level at least in line with the earths carrying capacity. (DeSimone and Popoff, 1997: 47) Similar to the eco-efficiency concept but so far less explored is the second criterion for corporate sustainability. Socio-efficiency[21] describes the relation between a firms value added and its social impact. Whereas, it can be assumed that most corporate impacts on the environment are negative (apart from rare exceptions such as the planting of trees) this is not true for social impacts. These can be either positive (e.g. corporate giving, creation of employment) or negative (e.g. work accidents, mobbing of employees, human rights abuses). Depending on the type of impact socio-efficiency thus either tries to minimize negative social impacts (i.e. accidents per value added) or maximise positive social impacts (i.e. donations per value added) in relation to the value added. Both eco-efficiency and socio-efficiency are concerned primarily with increasing economic sustainability. In this process they instrumentalize both natural and social capital aiming to benefit from win-win situations. However, as Dyllick and Hockerts[21] point out the business case alone will not be sufficient to realise sustainable development. They point towards eco-effectiveness, socio-effectiveness, sufficiency, and eco-equity as four criteria that need to be met if sustainable development is to be reached.. What is needed now is a new era of economic growth growth that is forceful and at the same time socially and environmentally sustainable. The concept of sustainable development calls for a constant re-evaluation of the relationship between man and nature, and solidarity between generations, as the only viable option for long-term development. Sustainable development is a bridge concept connecting economics, ecology and ethics, Environment degradation is a result of the dynamic interplay of socio-economic, institutional and technological activities. Possible intervention strategies 1972, Stockholm : UN Conference on the Human Environment that the international community met for the first time to consider global environment and development needs together. 1992, 3 to 14 June Rio de Janerio, Brazil: The Earth Summit United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Agreed to Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration. 1992, December : The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created. 1997, New York, Towards Earth Summit +5 2002, 26 August to 4 September Johannesburg, South Africa: World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). 2012, 14 16 May Rio de Janeiro: UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) or Rio+20. Also referred to as the Rio+20 Earth Summit, Agenda21 Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment. Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992. The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of UNCED, to monitor and report on implementation of the agreements at the local, national, regional and international levels. It was agreed that a five year review of Earth Summit progress would be made in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly meeting in special session. The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Commitments to the Rio principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002. P.K. Rao, Sustainable Development Economics and Policy, New Delhi : Blackwell Publishers, 2001 The history of human civilization has been strongly interwoven with the history of climate and environment. Until recently, the climate and environment were seen as major determinants of the growth and stability of civilizations, and this was perceived as a one-way effect. However, the impact of civilization or human influences on the climate and the environment is now seen to constitute a serious problem. This is because, in the emerging new scenarios, two-way interactions seem to exist between climate-environment, and human activities. We are entering the 21st century amid such potential for combined interactive effects. There is a significant need for an analysis of the underlying factors and their potential mitigatory alternatives. This analysis could lead to improved and pragmatic policy framework. P. 3 Dresner, Simon. 2005. The Principles of Sustainability. London : Earthscan Publications Ltd.. Book Review At a time of increasingly rapid environmental deterioration, sustainability is one of the most important issues facing the world. Can we create a sustainable society? What would that mean? How should we set about doing it? How can we bring about such a profound change in the way things are organized? This text tackles these questions directly. It goes beyond rhetoric to explain the deeper issues of sustainable development in a way that seeks to be accessible and interesting to the non-specialist reader. It covers historical development of the concept of sustainability; contemporary debates about how to achieve it; and obstacles and the prospects for overcoming them. The work should be useful to students, academics and activists concerned with sustainable development. It assumes no previous knowledge of the subject. We should live sustainably has become central to environmental discussions. P.1 The concept of sustainability in something like its modern form was first used by the World Council of Churches in 1974. It was proposed by Western environmentalists in response to developing world objections to worrying about eh environment when human beings in many parts of the world suffer from poverty and deprivation. The concept of sustainable development was put forward by International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 1980. Sustainability and sustainable development finally came to prominence in 1987, when the United Nations World Commission on Environment and development, chaired by former and later Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, published its report Our Common Future. The central recommendation of this document, usually known as the Brundtland report, was that the way to square the circle of competing demands of environmental development. They defined it as development that meets . their needs. They wrote that sustainable development was about both equity between generations and equity within generations. P.1 Different people use the term in different ways, some emphasizing development through economic growth, and others emphasizing sustainability through environmental protection. Some environmentalists have claimed that sustainable development is a contradiction in terms, can be used merely a cover for continuing to destroy the natural world. On the other side of the debate, some economists have argued that sustainable development is too cautious about the future, potentially leading to sacrifices of economic growth for the sake of excessive concern about depletion of natural resources. Defenders of the concept argue that disagreement about sustainable development does not show that it is meaningless. Rather, it is a contestable concept like liberty or justice. P.2 The sustainability debate is not just about environment and growth. Although sustainability is often presented that you should not destroy the basis of your own existence it is more a question of equity. Concern about sustainability must be based on moral obligations towards future generations not just personal self-interest. Brundtland Commissions conception of sustainable development brought together equity between generations and equity within generations. P.2 The dispute between environmentalists and economists over sustainability is not just about the capacity of technological progress to substitute for natural resources. In the absence of sufficient understanding of the natural environment and of the capacities of future science and technology to deal with any problems, it involves disputes about how to deal with indeterminate risks. Economists tend to average out such risks in their calculations, burying worst-case possibilities in the average, or often even ignoring the possibility that things might turn out worse than they expect, so tending to advocate risky approaches to environmental futures. Environmentalists instead highlight worst-case outcomes and suggest that extra efforts should be taken to avoid them. There are parallels between the risky approach that economists take with the future and their lack of support for egalitarianism in the present. Both are a result of the assumptions of the utilitarian philosophy underlying mainstream economics, which is indifferent to the risk of very bad outcomes for some individuals in the present or everyone in some alternative futures. Most contemporary environmentalists are more left-wing, and it turns out that there is a real philosophical parallel between their interest in equity to future generations and equity within generations. Drawing on the theories of the philosopher John Rawls, I will suggest that there are very sever tensions between the utilitarianism basis of mainstream economic and sustainabilitys concern for equity within and between generations. P. 4. Malthus on Population Malthus argued that the tendency of population towards geometric growth meant that it would always outstrip the growth in food supply. The population was controlled by misery and vice. The standard of living of the labouring classes always hovered around the minimum necessary for subsistence. The World Summit on Sustainable Development took place in Johannesburg in 2002 as a sequel UNCED, ten years on. It was supposed to be more about development than environment, as Southern countries had felt that UNCED was more about environment than development. On both counts, though, it was a disappointment. The lack of substantial progress at the World Summit showed that global political efforts to bring about sustainable development had run out of steam, even as the environment continues to deteriorate. P.59 Sustainable development is a meeting point for environmentalists and developers. the term sustainable development lay in the way that it could be used both by environmentalists, emphasizing the sustainable part, and by developers, emphasizing the development part. The definition given by Brundtland Commission, is often criticized as hopelessly vague or non-operationalizable. In his essay, ORiordan expressed the concern that the vagueness of the definition would allow people to claim almost anything as part of sustainable development, reducing the term meaningless. P.64 The identification of sustainable development with the growth agenda has made radical environmentalists deeply suspicious of it. P.65 Sustainable development is a contestable concept one that affords variety of competing interpretations or conceptions. These concepts have basic meanings and almost everyone is in favour of them, but deep conflicts remain about how they should be understood and what they imply for polity. That something is a contestable concept does not mean that it has no meaning at all. Brundtland seems to be identifying the crucial elements of sustainable development as meeting basic needs, recognizing environmental limits, and the principles of intergenerational and intragenerational equity. P.67 The goal of development was first formally enunciated by President Truman in 1949. The objective was generally seen in terms o