Monday, September 30, 2019

Currency War Between China and Usa Essay

Currency War: Currency war, also known as competitive devaluation, is a condition in international affairs where countries compete against each other to achieve a relatively low exchange rate for their own currency. As the price to buy a particular currency falls so too does the real price of exports from the country. Imports become more expensive too, so domestic industry, and thus employment, receives a boost in demand both at home and abroad. However, the price increase in imports can harm citizens’ purchasing power. The policy can also trigger retaliatory action by other countries which in turn can lead to a general decline in international trade, harming all countries. Reasons of Currency War Between USA and China: Competitive devaluation has been rare through most of history as countries have generally preferred to maintain a high value for their currency,but it happens when devaluation occur. China keeps its dollar artificially low so that countries like the US will buy its goods. China is the US’s largest trading partner and if they didn’t sell their goods for super cheap, markets like India would be able to under cut the Chinese and then the US would buy goods from Indian instead of China. There is so much trade between China and the US that China profits immensely without needing it’s Yuan to appreciate. This of course hurts the average Chinese person in that their labour is devalued but it beneficial for the country as a whole as it has quickly become a super power economicaly. In 2008, a trader paid one Ghana Cedi for one U.S. dollar, but at the beginning of April 2012, the same trader travelling to Dubai paid GH ¢1.74 for one U.S. dollar. This means that year-on-year decline in the value of cedi against the US dollar was 74 per cent over a three-year period. A point to note is that during the global economic crises of 2008-2009, the cedi depreciated by 25 per cent against the dollar. Between 2010 and 2011, the cedi again depreciated 18.5 per cent against the US dollar. For last month, the cedi exchange rate depreciated 4.29 percent against the US dollar. So is the current downward slide in the cedi value as a result of the slowdown in the global economy or due to internal structural weaknesses? This question requires a detailed research work beyond the scope of this article but it is a very relevant question to ask at this time. In economics, depreciation is basically the symptoms of an underlying problem, specifically imbalances in the Balance of Payment (BOP), emanating from excess demand for dollars. So instead of discussing the depreciating cedi, I will rather focus my attention on the causes or factors that cause currency to depreciate and what the government can do to arrest this problem in special cases. Before then, I must let readers know the difference between currency fluctuation and depreciation. Fluctuations in currency value are a common event and are usually no cause for concern. The minor daily increases and decreases in value are generally due to â€Å"random walk† and not due to an economic event or fundamental problems. However, changes in currency value become significant when the decline in value of the currency is an ongoing trend. Technically, when currency depreciates, it loses value and purchasing power, with impact on the real sectors of the economy. Although, the economic effects of a lower cedi take time to happen, there are time lags between a change in the exchange rate and changes in commodity prices. Factors that determine the value of a currency include the current state of the overall economy, inflation, trade balance (the difference between the value of export and import), level of political stability, etc. Occasionally, external factors like currency speculations on the foreign exchange market can also contribute to depreciation of the local currency. Such being the case, a government can intervene into the foreign exchange market to support its national currency and suppress the process of depreciation. Currency depreciation can positively impact the overall economic development, though. It boosts competitiveness through lower export costs and secures more income from exported goods in a similar way devaluation does. On the contrary, depreciation makes imports more expensive and discourages purchases of imported goods stimulating demand for domestically manufactured goods. Globally, governments intentionally influence the value of their currency utilising the powerful tool of the base interest rates, which are usually set by the country’s central bank and this tool is often used to intentionally depreciate the currency rates to encourage exports. Factors that can cause a currency to depreciate are: Supply and Demand †¢ Just as with goods and services, the principles of supply and demand apply to the appreciation and depreciation of currency values. If a country injects new currency into its economy, it increases the money supply. When there is more money circulating in an economy, there is less demand. This depreciates the value of the currency. On the other hand, when there is a high domestic or foreign demand for a country’s currency, the currency appreciates in value. Inflation †¢ Inflation occurs when the general prices of goods and services in a country increase. Inflation causes the value of the cedi to depreciate, reducing purchasing power. If there is rampant inflation, then a currency will depreciate in value. What causes inflation? †¢ Printing Money. Note printing money does not always cause inflation. It will occur when the money supply is increased faster than the growth of real output. †¢ Note: the link between printing money and causing inflation is not straightforward. The money supply does not just depend on the amount the government prints. †¢ Large National Debt. To finance large national debts, governments often print money and this can cause inflation. Economic Outlook If a country’s economy is in a slow growth or recessionary phase, the value of their currency depreciates. The value of a country’s currency also depreciates if its major economic indicators like retail sales and Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, are declining. A high and/or rising unemployment rate can also depreciate currency value because it indicates an economic slowdown. If a country’s economy is in a strong growth period, the value of their currency appreciates. Trade Deficit A trade deficit occurs when the value of goods a country imports is more than the value of goods it exports. When the trade deficit of a country increases, the value of the domestic currency depreciates against the value of the currency of its trading partners. The demand for imports should fall as imports become more expensive. However, some imports are essential for production or cannot be made in the country and have an inelastic demand—we end up spending more on these when the exchange rate falls in value. This can cause the balance of payments to worsen in the short run (a process known as the J curve effect) Collapse of Confidence If there is a collapse of confidence in an economy or financial sector, this will lead to an outflow of currency as people do not want to risk losing their currency. Therefore, this causes an outflow of capital and depreciation in the exchange rate. Collapse in confidence can be due to political or economic factors. Price of Commodities if an economy depends on exports of raw materials, a fall in the price of this raw material can cause a fall in export revenue and depreciation in the exchange rate. For example, in 2011, a ton of cocoa sold for US4,000 per ton. Currently, it is going for US$2,300 per ton, translating into fewer inflows of dollars. Interest rate Differential I will use the International Fischer Effect to explain the relationship between the expected change in the current exchange rate between the cedi and the dollar, which is approximately equivalent to the difference between Ghana and US’ nominal interest rates for that time. For example, if the average interest rate in Ghana for 2011 was 24 per cent and for US was three per cent, then the dollar should appreciate roughly 21 per cent or the cedi must depreciate 21 per cent compared to the dollar to restore parity. The rationale for the IFE is that a country with a higher interest rate will also tend to have a higher inflation rate. This increased amount of inflation should cause the currency in the country with the high interest rate to depreciate against a country with lower interest rates. Market Speculations Market speculations can contribute to a process of spiraling depreciation after smaller market players decide to follow the example of the leading dealers, the so-called market makers, and after they lost confidence in a particular currency start to sell it in bulk amounts. Then only a quick reaction of the country’s central bank can restore the confidence of investors and stop the currency rates of the nation’s currency from continuous decline. When the currency depreciation is based on market speculations, in other words, not backed by fundamental economic factors, then the central bank comes to the rescue- intervene. A sterilised intervention against depreciation can only be effective in the medium term if the underlying cause behind the currency’s loss of value can be addressed. If the cause was a speculative attack based on political uncertainty this can potentially be resolved. Because after a sterilised intervention the money supply remains unchanged at its high level, the locally available interest rates can still be relatively low, so the carry trade continues and if it still wants to prevent depreciation the central bank has to intervene again. This can only go on so long before the bank runs out of foreign currency reserves. In conclusion, currency depreciation is the result of fundamental deficiencies with the domestic economy which must be corrected over a period of time to restore balance. However, where the depreciation is out of speculative attacks on the currency, then the central bank can intervene to correct the temporary anomalies, which, often is short term in nature. Lastly, intervention in the foreign exchange market by the central bank to correct fundamental weaknesses, just like the Ghanaian situation will not work, because, very soon, the central bank will run out of international reserves; hence, the cedi must therefore seek its equilibrium level. The writer is an economic consultant and former Assistant Professor of Finance and Economics at Alabama State University. Montgomery, Alabama. Currency War in the Great Depression During the Great Depression of the 1930s, most countries abandoned the gold standard, resulting in currencies that no longer had intrinsic value. With widespread high unemployment, devaluations became common. Effectively, nations were competing to export unemployment, a policy that has frequently been described as â€Å"beggar thy neighbour†.[30] However, because the effects of a devaluation would soon be counteracted by a corresponding devaluation by trading partners, few nations would gain an enduring advantage. On the other hand, the fluctuations in exchange rates were often harmful for international traders, and global trade declined sharply as a result, hurting all economies. The exact starting date of the 1930s currency war is open to debate.[23] The three principal parties were Great Britain, France, and the United States. For most of the 1920s the three generally had coinciding interests, both the US and France supported Britain’s efforts to raise Sterling’s value against market forces. Collaboration was aided by strong personal friendships among the nations’ central bankers, especially between Britain’s Montagu Norman and America’s Benjamin Strong until the latter’s early death in 1928. Soon after the Wall Street Crash of 1929, France lost faith in Sterling as a source of value and begun selling it heavily on the markets. From Britain’s perspective both France and the US were no longer playing by the rules of the gold standard. Instead of allowing gold inflows to increase their money supplies (which would have expanded those economies but reduced their trade surpluses) France and the US began sterilising the inflows, building up hoards of gold. These factors contributed to the Sterling crises of 1931; in September of that year Great Britain substantially devalued and took the pound off the gold standard. For several years after this global trade was disrupted by competitive devaluation. The currency war of the 1930s is generally considered to have ended with the Tripartite monetary agreement of 1936.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Cognitive Psychology Definition Paper Essay

Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes surrounding learning, memory, perception, and thought. Though it is still a relatively new formal branch of psychology, its roots extend back to Descartes who sought a way to explain how the mind worked, proposing the analogy of a â€Å"hydraulic system of nerve function† (Willingham, 2007, p. 26) after he observed animated statues in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It has been the restless pursuit of not only the idea of how the mind works but also what exactly constituted the mind that eventually led to the foundations of cognitive theory. As psychologists examined how mental processes produced behavior, it was evident a different approach would be needed. Cognitive psychology developed primarily from the inability of the behaviorist approach to fully explain every form of behavior. While there were many things that drove its development, there were four main milestones in the development of cognitive psychology: the inadequacies of behaviorism, the information processing model and computer metaphor, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience. Each of these four milestones contributed significantly to the search for a better model and the development of the cognitive approach, which we have today. Behaviorism had many shortfalls with its primary one being that it excluded the effect of genetics entirely. It only accounted for what had been learned through reward and punishment only. Questions were raised and answers were missing when examining the question through the lens of behaviorism only. One area where ethologists observed discrepancies were in fixed-action patterns and critical periods in animals. Fixed-action patterns were behaviors that received little to no reward or punishment in which the animals engaged in and critical period referred to a specific period of time in which if a behavior has not been learned, it may never be able to be learned. Another area in which behaviorism could not provide consistent answers was in language acquisition. Behaviorism posited that language was learned or imitated as modeled b y someone else. However, there were points that the behaviorist perspective did not address. First, learning cannot account for  the rapid rate children acquire language. Second, there are an infinite number of sentences and all cannot be learned by imitation. Next, children consistently make errors in things like verb tense. Since adults usually use correct form, this would not be learned by imitation. And last, children acquire their language skills even if adults do not correct their syntax (Language and Cognition, 2013). These points show there must be other explanations such as innate language skills to further explain the acquisition of language. These points seemed best explained by the cognitive perspective using theories, such as innate language centers. The second milestone, the information processing model, was very influential in moving closer to a cognitive approach through the computer metaphor. There were many attempts to find a way to explain how the mind worked, including a switchboard and solenoids but these did not fully explain how the mental processes (Willingham, 2007). In the computer analogy, the brain was likened to the hardware of a computer and thought processes were likened to computer software. The ‘mind is like a computer’ draws the connection between the input we receive from our environment to the mental processes that leads to the output of behavior. This analogy was revolutionary in the way psychologists studied the mine and led to the information processing model. With this model, psychologists began to ask questions about and use the scientific method to look at how the mind processed input resulting in behavior, instead of only the behavior itself. Artificial intelligence was the third milestone and is defined as â€Å"the ability of a computer or other machine to perform those activities that are normally thought to require intelligence† (Artificial intelligence, n.d.). In the 1950s, an artificial intelligence program was developed by Allen Newell and Herb Simon that proved theorems in formal logic using abstract constructs and representations. This A.I. program demonstrated sophisticated â€Å"behavior†, it solved problems similarly to h ow humans solved them, and it used abstract constructs (Willingham, 2007). Through the artificial intelligence, it became apparent to researchers that the human mind processed information much like a computer, using representations and processes and this approach could help give deeper insight into the processes of the mind and the resulting behavior. The last main milestone, neuroscience, is â€Å"a branch (as neurophysiology) of science that deals with the anatomy, physiology,  biochemistry, or molecular biology of nerves and nervous tissue and especially their relation to behavior and learning† (m-w.com, n.d.). The focus is on the brain and its impact on behavior as well as normal cognitive functions and the impact on the nervous system resulting from neurological, psychological, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuroscience began to show a clear connection between behavior and specific structures of the brain. This connection revealed the biological side of behavior that could not be ignored. Studying behavior from this aspect allows a clear p icture of a how disorders affect the brain itself initiating behavior and can be compared to normal behavior to gain greater perspective. Observation of an individual’s behavior is important as it is an indicator and reflective of what is transpiring within the mental processes. The whole of an individual’s behavior is found neither by observation only or an examination of one’s thoughts only, but a combination of the two. The observance of behavior affords cognitive psychologists the ability to test and evaluate theories about behaviors and the hypotheses developed from them. Self-reporting can present errors that can be confirmed or rejected through the use of behavioral observation tested using empirical means. Additionally, cognitive psychologists cannot personally observe and measure internal mental processes but in utilizing behavioral observation, the cognitive psychologist can arrive at logical conclusions of the existence of the behavior based on the observation of the behavior. In using the accepted standard of behavioral procedures, cognitive psychologists are able to examine the cogniti ve processes thought to be the source without inferring unproven causes (Zentall, 2002). This removes much of the subjectivity that initially made the cognitive perspective suspect. Cognitive psychology developed the framework to test theories and further explain behavior using behavioral observation. Using the scientific method, the theory predicts the behavior to be expected if the said theory is provable. There are several steps to take in order to this. First, develop alternative theories by having at least two possibilities to select from when testing the hypothesis. Second, derive specific predictions for each theory by providing a bridge between the observable and unobservable in order to accurately confirm or disprove. And lastly, the compilation of sufficient data by which to compare the theories to validate both the methods and the  results. Research methods that are employed using behavioral observation to test cognitive theories are descriptive research, relational research, and experimental research. Descriptive research consists of naturalistic observatio n, case studies, and self-reporting, all of which are describing a behavior as found in the world (Willingham, 2007, p. 43). Relational research is much like its name in that it is observing two or more behaviors and discerning how they are related. Experimental research is testing what has been observed and determining if the theory can be confirmed or disproved using the scientific method. Using verifiable research methods, for example, there are an â€Å"increasing number of cognitive models of anxiety disorders that seek to provide a complex integrative view of their underlying cognitive processes and structures† (Eysenk, 2004). The study of cognitive psychology has been a critical step toward understanding how behavior develops. It has opened the doors to increased research that is measureable and theories that could be empirically tested to confirm or disprove cognitive theories. This has granted us numerous insights into the connections between the brain and behavior and continues to be a source of learning. Additionally, it has had positive impacts on behavioral treatments as shown by Eysenk, â€Å"some of the theoretical and empirical contributions emerging from the cognitive approach have direct implications for therapeutic interventions† (Eysenk, 2004). In the end, the ability to form and research theories has brought these two fields of behaviorism and cognitive perspective together through an understanding of the connection between observable behavior and mental processes. It has paved the way for artificial intelligence, which is used in almost every discipline, and neuroscience and promises to continue to improve treatments and shed light on behavior.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Systematic Review Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Systematic Review - Article Example An ethical leader has to ensure that the employees in these organizations have clear policies documented clearly. The other problem is that an organization’s cultural environment can be challenging when it comes to ethical leadership. For examples, employees who notice serious problems might be afraid report ethical wrongs for fear of being noted as whistle blowers. Managers in such organizations need to be effective ethical leaders who can communicate well to employees to boost their willingness to speak up (Piccolo et al., 2010). Rousseau (2006) also notes this problem on page 261, when she argues that supervisors, who make too much use of their threats and punishment as a behavioral modification tool, do not make better leaders. Practicing ethical leadership requires consistency and being consistent with ethical rules. This is the other problem for most managers. Ethical leadership serves as an example to employees, because it shows their leaders stand by the set organizati onal values (Piccolo et al., 2010). According to Rousseau, it is only when managers gain an understanding of the principles that govern an organization, that they are able to repeat it over time and act as an example for their employees (2006, p. 261). In the problems presented above, practitioners are likely to have questions about them because they might have conflicting ideas. One of the questions that may arise would be: how can organizations formulate ethical policies? This question may give conflicting answers to different practitioners. How can managers promote consistency as ethical leaders? This is the other question. To promote consistency in managers, some may argue that managers need to illustrate a good example by following all rules. Others may argue that the consistency of a manager’s ethical standards is only possible when he or she following certain set rules while avoiding others. Piccolo, R., Greenbaum, R., Folger, R., & Hartog, D. A. (2010). The

Friday, September 27, 2019

Chapter Analysis Theistic Realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter Analysis Theistic Realism - Essay Example The term ‘theistic realism’ was defined by Gutek to describe this kind of approach (Hart, 2006: 56). Man is perceived as a rational being with free will exercised through choice and capable of acquiring knowledge of reality. Human conduct is thus guided by objective truth and values. Reality though is accepted as both material and spiritual. Having free will and conscience also means people are responsible for their own behaviour (Young et al., 2007: 84). Under theological realism, the teacher would likely employ a range of methods with an emphasis on helping to develop skills of observation and critical reasoning. The teacher would also provide copious facts and guide the student to becoming knowledgeable about the world around them as a route to self-realisation. The lecture method would therefore be common with skilful use of audio-visual aids, and teachers would encourage discussion among students. The teacher is very much sympathetic towards her students, and students in turn would be given choice in the activities they can engage in. As John Locke advocated, the children would not be pushed beyond their ability or natural inclinations. To assist students in their learning, the use of objects features prominently, which includes pictures and illustrations. This practice was promoted by the theologian and educator Comenius who also stressed on learning by doing (Gordon & Browne, 2010: 10). The overall objective is to perfect students’ natural abilities through training their senses. Also, rather than stressing on memorisation, students learn by understanding and applying knowledge. As Thorndike in the empiricist tradition believed, this higher level thinking ability in students develops from the aforementioned basic habits (Cox et al., 2009). The curriculum emphasis under theological realism is on subjects that are deemed practical and useful. In particular, the study of nature would be considered as very important,

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Democracy and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Democracy and Development - Essay Example This paper approves that U.S emerged as the winner of the war that was killing so many people and causing global disruptions. While Germany and Russia were causing havoc to other nations, the U.S went against its isolation policy to involve in the war. The incident marked a fundamental political development of the U.S at a time when it needed it most. Second, the decision enhanced the U.S economic development both locally and overseas. It could influence world affairs and partner with many countries for economic development. At times, leaders need to exercise non-democratic decisions to achieve development either economically or politically. This report makes a conclusion that democracy is a significant political tool that determine nature of governance. Critically, justice advocates for the participation of subjects in matters of political rule and decisions. Most democratic nations indicate a high level of development, but still evidence shows that strict adherence to democratic principles is not suitable for development. Some of the challenges that democratic societies face are the dominance of majority because even minority deserve fair representation. Without democratic leadership, societies witness tyranny of the majority. Some of the non-democratic nations that exhibited good developments include Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Egypt, and Libya. Democracy is necessary for development but only through a critical framework that manages conflicting interest of society members. Otherwise, focused autocratic governments can promote developments better than traditional ones due to the speed of decision-making process.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Financial Ratios Analysis and Comparison Paper Essay

Financial Ratios Analysis and Comparison Paper - Essay Example The financial ratios for Universal Health Services have been calculated for the last three years which helps to understand the performance trend of the health care organization. The current ratio and the quick ratio that has been calculated determine the liquidity of Universal Health Services. The return on assets and the return on equity determine the profitability of the organization. The debt equity ratio determines the level of debt incurred by the healthcare group as compared to the equity of the organization. The fixed asset turnover ratio determines the operating performance of the company. The level of liquidity of the group has decreased in a compounded fashion in the last three years and the level of inventory has also increased. The profitability of the healthcare group has increased in a compounded fashion in the last three years. Universal Health Services have been able to reduce the level of debt as compared to the level of equity (Yahoo finance, 2013). The operating performance of UHS has improved as the fixed assets of the organization have been able to generate more revenues. The financial ratios for Universal Health Services (UHS) have been compared with that of another health care organization namely Health Management Associates (HMA). The comparative ratio analysis for the two organizations has been provided for the last three years in order to compare the performance of the organization as compared to the national norms. UHS has maintained a steady level of liquidity over the last three years as compared to MHA. This is evident from the comparative figures of the current ratio. The quick ratio of the two organizations could be compared over the last three years to understand that UHS has been able to manage its inventory better than MHA. The quick ratio for MHA has declined over the years which mean that the inventory level has risen in the last three years. The

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Decline of the English and Humanities Departments of Universities Research Paper

The Decline of the English and Humanities Departments of Universities - Research Paper Example Regardless of this reduced interest in Humanities, it is important to note that Scientists and Economists alike rely on languages and Humanities in their researches, analyses and presentations (Howard 24). The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of such a decline and the proposal of possible solutions to reverse the situation. Different policymakers and educators have become more and more responsive of the significance of understanding the learning practices of other countries. This is done on the basis to evaluate the comparative standing of their education results as a sign of international financial competitiveness. In any given society or nation, education forms a point of reference from where economic development is achieved and the improvement of the living standards. Howard (34) notes that the great loss and disappearance of great works, the consistent devaluation of humanities against the sciences and the sluggish speed of humanities as compared to that of hi-tech nologies are all factors for the reduced interest in humanities. With this also comes the fact that parents and students alike desire a profitable return for their big investments in high education. Thus, more and more students turn to Science subjects and Economics. It is worth contemplating that English and humanities departments should be made in such a way that learners are assured of getting job once they leave their colleges. This will be the only way through which the decline of such subjects will be minimized in the end. As Chace (35) suggests, the major cause for this has been the failure of the English and Humanities’ departments on themselves to champion the material they teach. For instance, English departments have shifted their focus from once popular books and literature to arbitrary studies, such as identity, popular culture, sexuality and abstruse theory. The result is that the books, which ought to be studied independently, have become a secondary rather tha n a primary source, being used only to give information about these studies. The impact of this is that the departments â€Å"have distanced themselves from young people interested in good books† (Chace 36). This explains the reduction in enrollment into Humanities over the past few decades, whereby, even with an increased capacity of student enrollment into universities, there has been a significant reduction of the students enrolled in these departments. Besides, while English departments are responsible for teaching composition in the Universities- a central activity in higher education- its instructors are among the lowest paid, sometimes being considered as a liability rather than an asset (Chace 40). This has formed a point of reference from where many of the instructors have been forced to seek well paying jobs, in so doing resulting to the decline of certain departments. The fact that many higher education institutions have had to close their humanities and foreign la nguages departments so as to cut ion cost is in itself a daunting and frightening fact to the absolute future of humanities. Similarly, several studies show that the faculty jobs for humanities are diminishing while that of social sciences is increasing. For instance, one such study by Stanford University in 2006 shows that between 1915 and 1955, the faculty

Monday, September 23, 2019

Eco Bus Cultural Differences and Marketing Strategy Essay

Eco Bus Cultural Differences and Marketing Strategy - Essay Example †¢Ã‚  Company A is a US based Company, the culture usually followed there is â€Å"democratic management†. The opinions of all concerned parties are considered before the decision is taken unlike in the Taiwan management where dictatorial style is followed and it would not be considered proper if an employee intervenes in the management’s key decision. Therefore while operating there, the most important decision for the A company would be the hiring of the Manager. If a local manager is appointed, he shall have more knowledge of the local markets and will be able to communicate more properly. Company A has to focus its attention to create an environment where the employees will participate in the decision making process and the Manager has to learn to give importance to the ideas generated by the employees even in the lower chain of command. He has to learn to accept that he will gain respect with his abilities as a manager and not because.†¢Ã‚  Company A may also appoint a Manager who does not belong to that culture. For example, he may be transferred here because of his interactive managerial skills and analytical decision making. Such manager will already have an idea of the Company’s procedures but he may face difficulty in adjusting into the new culture. First is the communication barrier that will be a hindrance but it may be overcome by appointing a manager who knows the language. Secondly, he has to cultivate the concept of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"idea-sharing† .... armonious environment but they expect to be given directions by the senior team member, but when working with a Taiwanese team one has try to avoid incidents that may cast a member in bad light in front of other members of the group. 11. Language barrier is yet another obstacle. One has to understand Mandarin Chinese (the official language) or Taiwanese, a southern Fujian dialect to communicate with them. (World Business Culture) Impact of identified issues on the Company A approach: Company A is a US based Company, the culture usually followed there is â€Å"democratic management†. The opinions of all concerned parties are considered before the decision is taken unlike in the Taiwan management where dictatorial style is followed and it would not be considered proper if an employee intervenes in the management’s key decision. Therefore while operating there, the most important decision for the A company would be the hiring of the Manager. If a local manager is appointed , he shall have more knowledge of the local markets and will be able to communicate more properly. Company A has to focus its attention to create an environment where the employees will participate in the decision making process and the Manager has to learn to give importance to the ideas generated by the employees even in the lower chain of command. He has to learn to accept that he will gain respect with his abilities as a manager and not because of his position. Company A may also appoint a Manager who does not belong to that culture. For example, he may be transferred here because of his interactive managerial skills and analytical decision making. Such manager will already have an idea of the Company’s procedures but he may face difficulty in adjusting into the new culture. First is the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Management Accounting - bereaucracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Accounting - bereaucracy - Essay Example The same history acknowledges the fact that many businesses and organisation had been in bad postures in the early years of the 1970's. This, according to many business analysts, was mainly owing to improper performance analysis techniques which would reflect real business situation. Importantly, stakeholders, especially shareholders, were putting incessant pressure on management team to reach good end of year figures. If some theorists agree that this was mainly due to principle emphasis on external financial reporting and management accountant neglected the need for internal accounting and financial monitoring in management accounting basic functions; others argue that this effect was attributable to other contextual factors. Management accounting has always been seen as a vital activity which reflects the health of the business, and the efficient use of resources. This performance measuring technique is an important internally-based financial monitoring tool, which could guide corrective measures to be taken on many emerging departmental or process deviations. If many businesses have been part of the drastic changes involved in business process reengineering aiming at streamlining business processes at varied levels, the analysis and creation of management accounting data has also greatly evolved. The evolution of technology in the early years of the 1960's as well as changes in the mode of production have changed mindset to production-oriented management owing to the event of mass production. It has increasingly been recognised as from the second distinctive evolutionary stage of management accounting that, the need to appropriately use resources could influence the overall cost or production cost in many manufacturing companies, especially where machineries are concerned and that their fixed costs could influence greatly margins at year end. In this context, there have been drastic changes to scrutinise costs associated to each activity or process which is referred to as Activity-Based Costing. The main aim was to decrease the overall seemingly inaccurate overhead allocation based on standard American costing, especially cost of running machineries in period where large scale production and customisation was becoming popular as strategy. Management accounting at this particular stage inherently focus on data to facilitate control which was a vitally important function in conventional management approach. Line management laying emphasis on production had as main objective s to satisfy orders and the critical data required was to better control and monitor processes both in machineries and labour. The focus was to establish strategy mixes that support organisational objectives, and develop and maintain the organisational capabilities necessary for strategy realisation. Furthermore, enormous consideration on

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Louise Bourgeois Essay Example for Free

Louise Bourgeois Essay Much can be learned from the environment within which we live. What we see tells a lot about the society in which we live: belief system; politics; economic undertakings; kinship and material culture among others. Through material culture, we can get insight into the world that existed long before us. Culture can be defined as the way of life of people depicting their shared experiences, political and religious beliefs, technology, insights, attitudes, and material objects. (Li Karakowsky) The sublime can be defined as the priced greatness or vast intensity in terms of biological, moral, mental, metaphysical, beauty, art or religion. Sublime is experienced over and over. It is embedded in our history, being, values, thoughts, concepts, world views, beliefs, and is responsible for our personalities (Bernadac 2007 p20) Main Body One of America’s renowned artist and sculptor, Louise Bourgeois, managed to capture the American Sublime through her artistic undertaking. She was born in Paris, France in December 25, 1911 but traveled to America in 1938 to perfect her artistic endeavor. She studied mathematics at the Sorbonne, and painting and sculpture in Ecole du Louvre, Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and Art Students League of New York. She worked as an assistant to Fernand Henri Leger- a French sculptor, painter, and film maker. She is popular for her work that depicts spiders, sculptures, drawings and literary work (National Gallery of Canada 2005 p16). As a way of depicting the society in which she was living, Bourgeois work is full of inanimate images of horrifying fear, ghosts, darkness, tortured people, and disabling mental illness to attempt to get at the source of these emotions and to uphold normality even in times of chaos. Her works helped depict the intellectual climate, social and historical conditions that existed then. (Gorovoy et al 2006 pp 27 -28) She captured the effects of the First World War through carving limbless sculptures and detached limbs and had most of his paintings and sculptures painted black to depict death and mourning, (Gorovoy et al 2006 p 24) e. g. the two headless fabric bodies attempting to make love shown below. She depicts the revolution of the western politics, largely constructivism, through posters that expressed sympathy towards the Russian regime which she displayed in Moscow. The Tate Modern exhibition catalogue indicates her inclination towards Communism. Bourgeois made abstract art pieces that reflected on her childhood experiences showing how relationships within the family were entwined together thus bringing in the aspect of kinship, socialization and acculturation. This depicts how her art gives us insight to how children were brought up back then. (Lippard 2003 pp 9-10) Her Femme Maison and Fallen woman series introduced the aspect of liberation of women. They depicted a female struggling to outgrow some house like structures within which she is trapped – that is attempting to outgrow the masculinity into which the women were entrapped. She depicts a rebellion against the negative masculinity through her work, The Destruction of a Father, in which rock figures surround a sacrificial slab full of butchered body parts. Thus: It has been suggested that her sculpture, The Blind Leading the Blind, has a religious connotation. According to Desmond Michael and Lloyd Michael (1870-1970) Bourgeois, inspired by the Cold War, made this sculpture and that the title was picked from the New Testament verse (Matthew 15:14) that describes how a blind man leading another blind man would end up in a ditch. The structure is shown below (Bernadac 2007) Bourgeois contribution to the American Sublime is best captured in New Yorks Guggenheim Museum, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and Londons Tate Modern with their massive collection of her art work. In conclusion, the American Sublime has been captured through art in poetry, carvings, paintings, songs, books, and which take us back to the origins of the cultures of past American societies. Just like the origins of the American sublime can be traced through studying works of art, similarly, so can we understand much about its revolution from the contemporary art works. Louise Bourgeois has managed to get this through her sculptures, drawings and works of art – reflecting abstract as well as tangible aspects of living that relate to feelings, political standing, material culture, religious inclination, beliefs and kinship. References Bernadac, M (2007) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois† Rizzoli International North America pp 18 24 Gorovoy, J. , Carver R. Read C. (2006) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois† Bellport Press University of Michigan pp 21-35 Lippard R (2003) â€Å"Overlay: contemporary art and the art of prehistory† Pantheon Books NY pp 7-16 National Gallery of Canada (2005) â€Å"Louise Bourgeois Maman† National Gallery Canada press pp 14-17

Friday, September 20, 2019

Nespresso Club In China And Eastern Europe Marketing Essay

Nespresso Club In China And Eastern Europe Marketing Essay Nespresso is the worldwide pioneer and market leader in premium-portioned coffee. It launched the first system of extracting coffee from capsules to the domestic household market. They currently operate more than 200 boutiques in key cities around the world. The Nespresso Club concept has been successful in Western Europe. The concept is simple: when a machine is bought, the customer joins Nespresso Club on Internet to purchase capsules. This case study investigates on the expansion of Nespresso Club in China and Eastern Europe and that may affect Nespressos entry of these markets. Discuss the key environmental factors that may affect Nespressos entry of these markets, and comment their business implications. Coffee tastes and perceptions are changing fast. Both Western and Eastern European countries have seen an explosion of trendy coffee shops over the past decade. Coffee has become a fashionable lifestyle drink and consumers across Europe are demanding products that allow them to replicate the coffee shop experience at home. (Mintel 2010) On the other hand, the key environmental factors that may affect Nespressos entry in the market of Eastern Europe and China are grouped into five factors: Social-Cultural: The Chinese have the habit of drinking tea. About coffee, they know only freeze-dried coffee. China is the worlds first country to have planted, prepared and drank tea. A culture related to tea made its appearance in a long history. Tea is indispensable in the life of Chinese. It is not only seen as a beverage, but it has also become a cultural art that expresses the philosophy, the aesthetic vision and the lifestyle of Chinese. According to the secretary of the European Coffee Association, Eastern Europe could be the biggest potential developing market of coffee. Moreover, the consumption could develop radically in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic (Mooradian Swan 2006). He also added that for coffee consumption grows in Eastern Europe, it would be necessary to stop for consumers to consider it as a luxury product, but as an everyday consumer product. Tea is truly present in Russian society and it is inseparable from the Samovar Ceremony. Today, tea drinking around the samovar is to perform a warm and friendly gesture. (Healthy Tea Magazine 2008) It is a moment of sharing within the community in which everyone benefits from home and the presence of each. However, coffee market is expanding in recent years in this country. Legal: There are several barriers in China to establish itself in this country. There is a lot of paperwork to enter in the country. Nespresso sells the machines under license. Their concept, the machine and capsules are protected by 70 patents (School Project 2010). Nevertheless, the China market is risky because after few months the product is counterfeit. No legislation is truly effective in China for the counterfeiting. Under the legislation in force in Russia, over 60% of the products to be sold in the country require compulsory certification or license. That is to say, they must be approved by relevant Russian authorities to verify compliance national standards (Malchik 2010). Economic: China is the second largest economy after the United States. The country had a particularly strong economic growth since the 1980s. However, the population remains relatively poor. There are large disparities between regions and individuals. (BBC News 2009) Eastern Europe consists of a poor population, but its emerging economies have improved their purchasing power in recent years. Nevertheless, machines and capsules are expensive in spite of everything. Political: China has introduced a new tax for foreign companies (Proexport 2008). It would be for maintenance and construction of cities and educational support from foreign companies and foreign persons with business interests in the country. To control imports, the Chinese authorities have introduced restrictive measures applied to many products: the requirement to obtain an import license, the application of quotas and the application of tariff measures. (Thompson 2009) In Russia, there is a lot of bribery for companies. Approximately 80% of companies operating in Russia are forced to pay bribes. Further, the average amounts have increased in recent years. In 2000, a company had to pay on average  £6500 to have no trouble. Now, they must give  £85 000. It is the equivalent of the price of a small apartment in Moscow. Écouter Lire phonà ©tiquement Technological: Consumers must join online the Nespresso Club to purchase capsules from Nespresso Boutiques but only 45% of the population in China have Internet. Over 80% of households have Internet access in countries of Northern Europe. Eastern Europe is trying to gradually catch up delay Internet access, but it is very long to implement. Question 2: Consider opportunities and challenges for Nespresso in these markets in managing customer relationship and sales through the Internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach? On Nespressos website, the Nespresso club can give access to a full range of services tailor-made for customers. This concept has been successful in Western Europe. Opportunities for Nespresso are to have consumers on Internet to control the different information. The advantages for Nespresso in these markets in managing customer relationships and sales through the Internet are the ability to know the expectations of customers and to read the consumer reviews on products. Nespresso Club allows a direct customer contact thanks to emails or discussion boards. On Internet, this is the best way to promote products and introduce the company. It creates a close relationship with consumers and forms a special connection. It hopes to turn them into brand advocates. In addition, it updates the database marketing and it can adapt sales strategies. Furthermore, if it does not sell in supermarkets but only in Nespresso Boutiques and Nespresso Club, the branding is positive and reflects a luxury product. By having the main service exchange online, Nespresso retain control of supply channels. Thus, it can assure high quality standards that build a brand identity. (New Media 2009) Challenges for Nespresso are to convince consumers to drink coffee in these markets, to buy a Nespresso machine and to join Nespresso Club to purchase capsules. The disadvantages with such an approach are that the consumers dislike purchasing online, especially Chinese people. Moreover, in China, only 45% has Internet and boutiques are in big cities. There is a large part of the country, which is not covered by Nespresso boutiques because major cities are in Eastern China on the coast (Alvarez Wilding 2008). Such an approach is risky for several reasons. Consumers do not necessarily want to join in the club online, especially to purchase coffee capsules. Further, some consumers prefer to have someone to talk in face-to-face and not on the Internet through emails or discussion boards. In Eastern Europe and China, a portion of population has low incomes. They do not want to waste time so they buy products they find at the supermarket. In addition, they have not all used to order online because this is not in their manners. Question 3: Given that the Eastern Europe and China are emerging markets, would you consider that Nespresso could successfully apply the Nespresso Club concept developed for the Western markets, or should the marketing strategy be adapted to reflect the markets specifics? Support your view on this with examples. Nespresso has not adapted its concept in these markets. However, some companies have chosen the adaptation strategy: Carrefour is a French international chain hypermarket. In 2009, Carrefour is the third in the world biggest to make profit behind Wal-Mart and Tesco. The adaptation of Carrefour consumption patterns for Chinese people is evident in the stores: the fish are alive in aquariums, customers choose their own pieces of meat and fresh products are extremely varied more than in Western Europe. Likewise, McDonalds in China has adapted its menu to meet the Chinese taste. There are a lot of fried chicken instead of meat in the hamburger because more Chinese people like it. Unlike Western Europe people, they like meat more than fried chicken in their hamburger. Further, it is very important to most Chinese consumers to have coupon deals so McDonalds offers several coupon deals to compete the KFC fast food. Nevertheless, McDonalds has standardized the concept in Europe and USA with identical hamburgers and restaurants. Nespresso is not the only one to have standardized its own concept. Several companies have preferred standardization: Like IKEA, it offers home products that meet the needs of people worldwide. For people with needs, tastes and budgets which are very varied. IKEA has the same structure and offers the same furniture catalogs in the world. IKEA stores around the world have the same range of products. It sells a similar lifestyle worldwide. The catalog contains from 2000 to 3000 products and it is the same furniture everywhere in the world. The concept is a success in Russia. It worked very well. Then, Starbucks Coffee has established in China with the same concept as in USA and Europe. Coffee shop has a friendly atmosphere thanks to its decoration, comfort (chairs, sofas), the music played and the ability to take his time in the shop (Wi-Fi connections). This place has attracted the Chinese despite their taste for the tea. Nespresso chose to apply the same concept in Eastern Europe and China. It is a good strategy because it achieves economies of scale in research and development. Thanks to standardization, Nespresso has a consistent brand image across markets. Further, a standardization strategy is much less complex to implement and it is quickly operational (Chernev 2007). Standardization can lead to failure despite the economies of scale that it generates because people do not want to change or abandon their culture.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Anne Sexton :: essays papers

Anne Sexton The third decade of the twentieth century brought on more explicit writers than ever before, but none were as expressive as Anne Sexton. Her style of writing, her works, the image that she created, and the crazy life that she led are all prime examples of this. Known as one of the most â€Å"confessional† poets of her time, Anne Sexton was also one of the most criticized. She was known to use images of incest, adultery, and madness to reveal the depths of her deeply troubled life, which often brought on much controversy. Despite this, Anne went on to win many awards and go down as one of the best poets of all time. Anne Sexton was born Anne Gray Harvey on November 9, 1928 in Newton, Massachusetts to Ralph Churchill and Mary Gray Staples Harvey (Discovering Biographies 1). From then on, Sexton spent most of her life in the affluent, upper-middle class suburbs of Boston (Discovering Biographies 2). According to many of the experiences described in her poems, she led a very unhappy childhood that’s horrifying memories affected her throughout her life. To overcome her troubles, she married at age nineteen and attempted to settle into the role of housewife and mother (Discovering Biographies 2). Shortly after her marriage, Anne enrolled in a modeling course at the Hart Agency and lived in San Francisco and Baltimore (Academy of American Poets 1). During this time Anne was also educated at Earland Junior College from 1947- 1948 (Twentieth Century American Literature 2). Through out her early twenties, Sexton began to experience bouts of depression that eventually led to hospitalization (Discovering Biographies 2). In 1955, after the birth of her second daughter, Sexton attempted suicide (Discovering Biographies 2). She was then placed under the care of Dr. Martin Orne, who encouraged her to write poems as a form of therapy (Discovering Biographies 1). â€Å"Poetry gave me a rebirth at age twenty-nine† (American Literature 3591), Anne quoted many times during her career. Anne deeply admired and attempted to emulate the confessional poem â€Å"Heart’s Needle† by Shodgrass (Discovering Biographies 2). Sexton decided to enroll in Robert Lowell’s graduate writing seminar at the Boston Center for Adult Education (Discovering Biographies 2). She then went on to be a scholar at the Radcliffe Institute for Independent Study from 1961- 1963 (American Literature 3596).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Eleutherodactylus (Greenhouse Frogs) :: essays research papers

Eleutherodactylus p. planirostris, or more commonly the Greenhouse frog, is from the Leptodactylidae family. They were unintentionally introduced to Florida around 1875. Their numbers have continued to grow and they are now very common among South Florida with increasing inhabitants around the panhandle. Greenhouse frogs have a reddish-brown appearance with either dark blotches or 2 dark stripes down their backs. They are relatively small in size usually growing to about an inch to and inch and a half in length. Often, the greenhouse frog is confused with cricket frogs (genus Acris). However, this type of frog has webbing between their toes which the greenhouse frog lacks. As their name describes, the greenhouse frog lives in greenhouses or lawns. They prefer a moist environment with a relatively high humidity rate which may be why they have flourished in Florida. Greenhouse frogs are a terrestrial species as well as being nocturnal. They feed on other small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and snails. Naturally occurring in certain Caribbean Islands such as Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas these frogs may have been brought to Florida by importing tropical plants from these areas. They dwell underneath leaf litter and can go undetected. A common trait that distinguishes this type of frog from others is that they lay their eggs on land rather than in water. This is due to the fact that the greenhouse frog does not go through the tadpole stage. The infant frog is merely a smaller version on it’s parents. Some major problems that this species of frog has caused in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem include: uncontrollable density, over-consumption of prey, and a negative effect on native birds and snakes. Greenhouse frogs consume approximately 45,000 prey items per acre per night (16 million per year). This over-consumption of prey is having detrimental effects of the small invertebrate population. Spiders, snakes, and snails are being consumed far faster than they are being reproduced causing a gradual extinction of these species. This also has an effect on native birds and snakes. If the greenhouse frogs consume all of the small invertebrates in a specific area they will slowly starve other animals that feed on the same prey. Eleutherodactylus (Greenhouse Frogs) :: essays research papers Eleutherodactylus p. planirostris, or more commonly the Greenhouse frog, is from the Leptodactylidae family. They were unintentionally introduced to Florida around 1875. Their numbers have continued to grow and they are now very common among South Florida with increasing inhabitants around the panhandle. Greenhouse frogs have a reddish-brown appearance with either dark blotches or 2 dark stripes down their backs. They are relatively small in size usually growing to about an inch to and inch and a half in length. Often, the greenhouse frog is confused with cricket frogs (genus Acris). However, this type of frog has webbing between their toes which the greenhouse frog lacks. As their name describes, the greenhouse frog lives in greenhouses or lawns. They prefer a moist environment with a relatively high humidity rate which may be why they have flourished in Florida. Greenhouse frogs are a terrestrial species as well as being nocturnal. They feed on other small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and snails. Naturally occurring in certain Caribbean Islands such as Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas these frogs may have been brought to Florida by importing tropical plants from these areas. They dwell underneath leaf litter and can go undetected. A common trait that distinguishes this type of frog from others is that they lay their eggs on land rather than in water. This is due to the fact that the greenhouse frog does not go through the tadpole stage. The infant frog is merely a smaller version on it’s parents. Some major problems that this species of frog has caused in the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem include: uncontrollable density, over-consumption of prey, and a negative effect on native birds and snakes. Greenhouse frogs consume approximately 45,000 prey items per acre per night (16 million per year). This over-consumption of prey is having detrimental effects of the small invertebrate population. Spiders, snakes, and snails are being consumed far faster than they are being reproduced causing a gradual extinction of these species. This also has an effect on native birds and snakes. If the greenhouse frogs consume all of the small invertebrates in a specific area they will slowly starve other animals that feed on the same prey.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Women in the Developing World Essay example -- Female Females Women Es

Women in the Developing World Studies of political and economic change in the developing worlds usually say little or nothing about women’s issues. In the past two decades, two factors have contributed to the new understanding of women in developing nations: the emergence of feminist or gender-related social science research and the growing awareness by policy planners that women play an important role in the modernization process. Third world women, just as woman in industrialized nations, are largely represented in particular occupations. The majority work in agricultural employment or jobs that are unregulated by the state, such as street vendors and small businesses. Similarly, as in industrialized nations, Third World professional women are over-represented in such professions as nursing and teaching. Divisions between women’s and men’s work have obvious economic and political implications. Evidence of gender inequality and exploitation of women exist in most societies, yet some of the worst cases are found in the developing world. The murder of some five thousand woman annually in India by dissatisfied husbands; the enslavement of women working in Pakistan’s brick-making industry; wife beatings in Zambia and the Andes; and the sale of child brides are only a few of the many instances of women’s subservient status in many Third World countries. Less dramatic examples of gender inequality include divorce laws that favor husbands; the restricted opportunities for women’s employment in universities, the professions, and higher-paid blue collar jobs; and the double clay that woman must frequently face (coming home from a long day’s work and having to do all the housework and child care). After years of neglect, man... ...dership positions. The Third World is surely no exception. During the mid-1980’s, women constituted only six percent of the national legislators in Africa and only two percent of all cabinet members. Throughout the developing world, United Nations surveys repeatedly show that even in countries where women are active professionally, their level of responsibility as policy-makers and planners is low. Analysis reveals that the political and economic status of Third World women is anything but uniform. Their position varies considerably from region to region and country to country. Within individual countries, the condition of women differs according to their social classes or ethnicity. Three factors seem most relevant in this regard: the prevailing cultural values, a region or nation’s level of socioeconomic modernization, and the type of political regime in place.

Monday, September 16, 2019

An Essay on “The Micromanager”

The case study entitled â€Å"The Micromanager† was written by Bronwyn Fryer, Jim Goodnight, Mark Goulston, Craig Chappelow and Michael Lawrie for the Harvard Business Review journal last September 2004.The fictional story was about a CEO of Retronics Corporation, George Latour. George believes that he is an exceptional leader and has a command to increase the company’s profits with a goal of excellence towards the software-engineering firm. Instructed by the board chairman, George hired a new marketing director, Shelley Stern, who, according to the chairman, only needs a bit of training in the software-engineering business. He does his best to bring Shelly up to date.George has her sit in on developer meetings, forced her to do client calls, and even has the finance office explain the company's financial affairs on her. George has tendencies to be meticulous, interfering with Shelly’s work, suppressing her creativity and suggesting his own â€Å"better† i deas. George also gives blind comments like when he said â€Å"Thanks, Shel. You're the best† although Shelly felt down that time when George repelled her creativity. Doing all this made Shelley unhappy and never seems to show interest. In truth, she sees George's management style as oppressive, making her awfully depressed. In the end, Shelly rebelled and accused George as a â€Å"micromanager†, while leaving George taken aback and could never believe what he heard.Both parties, George and Shelly, have some problems in terms of belief and character. As CEO of the company, George carries a lot of pressure on his shoulders that is why he tries his best to excel the demands of the firm since the company is not in a good shape. He overexerts himself by interfering with the work of his subordinates. Clearly, he lacks some sensitivity and trust to his underlings and makes the work done by doing it himself. George is uncomfortable with his job and thinks that the blame could only point at him that’s why he is afraid to accept radical ideas from his underlings.Shelly, on the other hand, is quite new to the business. Although she has the qualifications for the job, she still needs a lot to learn and needs to adjust spontaneously according to the demands of the firm and her boss. Shelly believes that she has good qualities and gives overconfidence on her work. She also thinks that her ideas are excellent and needs to be praised not criticized, as done casually by George. As a newly hired employee, she is pressured to show her good qualities to her co-workers and leave a good impression as a marketing director. Shelly trusts herself and believes that she can stand on her own without the help or intervention of her superiors.According to the U.S. Army Handbook of 1973, there are three general types of leadership. They are: (1) Authoritarian or autocratic style; (2) Participative or democratic style, and; (3) Delegative or free reign style. Authoritar ian or autocratic style is basically used when the boss tells his subordinates what he wants done and how he wants the job done without getting the advice or opinion of his subordinates. An appropriate condition to use this style is when all the information to solve the problem is provided, there is time pressure, and the subordinates are well motivated to accept hasty commands.Some narrow minded people think of this style as an excuse for yelling, using humiliating language, leading to threats and abuse of power. This is not the authoritarian style but rather an abusive, unethical style called â€Å"bossing people around†. Authoritarian style is normally used on rare situations when necessary. Participative or democratic style of leadership is preferred if time is more available and the leader wants to gain more commitment and motivation from the subordinates. This style includes the employees in on the decision making processes. However, knowledgeable and skillful employees should take part in the process and the leader affirms the final decision as a sign of authority.Using this style does not show weakness of the leader but rather a sign of strength and trust that the employees will respect. In delegative or free reign style, the boss allows the employees to make their own decision. This style is used when employees are able fully capable of analyzing the situation and can determine what needs to be done to solve a certain problem. Although the employees had the power to make decisions, the responsibility and final decision always lie on the leader himself.For a good leader to become more effective he should be able to use all three styles depending on the situation and the forces involved between him and his subordinates. The leader should know when and how to adjust to meet the demands of the firm as well as to maintain a good image to his employees. As for George Latour, he should improve on becoming a leader by listening more to develop more pro ductive ideas and to have a mutual relationship to his followers. He should not concentrate himself on how his employee sees him but focus on maximizing the available resources to have better and productive planning.The biggest problem for Shelly and George would be the lack of efficient communication. Most of the problems and conflicts that occur in a firm or organization are the direct result failure to communicate and misunderstanding. Faulty communication leads to confusion and can cause good plans to be unsuccessful. Communication is said to be the exchange of information or ideas from a sender to a receiver. (Communication and Leadership) Efficient communication happens if the receiver comprehends the information that the sender wanted to address. Open mindedness also plays a big part in communication. It sharpens the ability of the receiver to understand what the sender is saying thus making the communication process more efficient.Good communication is also hard to attain es pecially when there are some barriers that prevent the sender and receiver to understand each other. Some of these said barriers of communication are: culture, beliefs, noise, physical and mental stresses, past experiences, and environmental factors such as bright lights, unnatural sights, unattractive person or any stimuli that can cause distraction. (Communication and Leadership)For a good communication process to happen, both parties should overcome these barriers to have a more productive relationship with each other. In the case of George and Shelly, they must relieve themselves of the stresses that they carry so that they can communicate effectively. Shelly should exert herself on listening to suggestions and combining it with her creative ideas while George must also try to become more sensitive and to give more trust to his employees.References:Bronwyn Fryer, J. G. (Sep 2004). The Micromanager. Harvard Business Review 8p, 2c, 4bw , p31-40, 8p, 2c, 4bw.Communication and Leade rship. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from The Skagit Watershed Council Website: http://www.skagitwatershed.org/~donclark/leader/leadcom.htmlLeadership Styles. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from The Skagit Watershed Council Website : http://www.skagitwatershed.org/~donclark/leader/leadstl.htmlUnited States Army Handbook. (1973).

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Leadership and Nursing

Leadership and NurseProductivity Leadership and Nurse ProductivityThis paper will review an article by Elizabeth Curtis and Rhona O’Connell in Nurse Management-UK. â€Å"Essential leadership skills for motivating and developing staff† reviews the importance of leadership skill and empowering staff (Curtis & O'Connell, 2011). This article discusses the effect manager has on the staff they supervise, and how a negative attitude can produce negative results; whereby a positive and supportive environment can produce staff Nursing Leadership and Developing Staff Productivity. In the article, Curtis and O’Connell discuss the difference between transactional and transformational leadership. Transactional leadership is based on working on an agreed level of performance for a reward. Managers only intervene when something goes wrong. It is a reactionary type of managing. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, is supportive of the employee. Transformational leadership results in higher employee performance, positive relationships and greater employee satisfaction. When employees have job satisfaction is leads to increased productivity and retention. Data Analysis In reviewing and analyzing this article, the transformational leader has four main elements. These elements are charismatic leadership, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration (Curtis ; O'Connell, 2011). This leadership style is important in today’s healthcare. With all the increasing demands and changes being placed on nursing staff, nurses need a supportive and inspiring leader A charismatic leader is admired and respected by the staff. The leader can affect their staff by being a positive role model. Skilled communication is a strong key in to promote self-confidence and respect in their staff. Inspirational motivation shows a team spirit and enthusiasm for the position. This can affect the staff’s development and potential. The staff is very knowledgeable about the role they play. When problems arise, asking the staff for solution encourages participation and motivation. This also shows the staff they are a valuable part of the team. Intellectual stimulation demonstrates the aptitude for creativity and advancing knowledge base. These leaders encourage their staff to continue their knowledge of the field. They provided mentorship encourage nurses to become certified or get advanced degrees. Individual consideration is where leaders are supportive to their staff’s needs. In this article, Curtis and O’Connell determined that staff will leave a position because the manager did not show concern for the staff. Managers must realize that staff needs social contact and friendship and should be treated with dignity and fairness. Through these leadership skills a manager can create an environment that encourages staff to behave in a mature way, express creativity and enable participation in decision making processes. This will increase job satisfaction, staff retention and productivity. Importance of This Article This article discusses skills for motivating and developing staff. This article also discusses transformational leadership verses transactional leadership. Transformational leadership is important because it provides not only direction but it also creates opportunities for professional development (O'Brien et al. , 2008). Through the information here on encouraging staff to participate, to be creative and to continue gaining self- confidence, a manager can excel in leadership. It is important to have excellent leadership skill a manager should strive for the best unit possible. This will include motivated enthusiastic staff and maintain the staff. This will also have an added benefit of decreasing the financial expenses through reduced turnover and improved job satisfaction. Strong Nursing Leadership In society there are always leaders and followers. It is important to know how to lead to have successful followers. Once a leaders has the skills necessary to assure satisfied followers or staff members then the process of job satisfaction will be a natural progression. Followers do not simply follow. Leaders in community nursing should be aware that successful leadership is the result of a cooperative process involving leaders and followers. They argue that leaders who ignore followers and their contribution to leadership do so at the peril of their organizations (Kean ; Haycock-Stuart, 2011). Therefore, it is important to have skills and guidance how to nurture and develop the followers (staff members) to be productive and satisfied. Conclusion In this review, it was discussed the importance of transformational leadership. With transformational leadership the manager can lead the staff (followers) toward job satisfaction. When a staff member has job satisfaction, productivity increased and staff turnover decreases. Job satisfaction is accomplished through charismatic leader, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration. The transformation leader that understands and nurtures the staff will have a productive effective team. References Curtis E O'Connell R 2011 Essential leadership skills for motivating and developing staff. Curtis, E. , & O'Connell, R. (2011). Essential leadership skills for motivating and developing staff. Nursing Management – UK, 18(5), 32-35. Kean S Haycock-Stuart E 2011 Understanding the relationship between followers and leaders. Kean, S. , ; Haycock-Stuart, E. (2011). Understanding the relationship between followers and leaders. Nursing Management-UK, 18(8), 31-35. O'Brien J Martin D Heyworth J Meyer N 2008 Negotiating transformational leadership: a key to effective collaboration [Abstract]. O'Brien, J. , Martin, D. , Heyworth, J. , ; Meyer, N. (2008). Negotiating transformational leadership: a key to effective collaboration [Abstract]. Nursing ; Health Sciences, 10(2), 137-143.

Information Freedom: the Ethical Implications of Sopa

James Eckert Professor Reed PHIL 2306 2 December 2011 Information Freedom: The Ethical Implications of SOPA The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a U. S. House of Representatives bill with the stated purpose, â€Å"To promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U. S. property, and for other purposes. † (1) SOPA proposes to accomplish those goals by allowing the U. S. Department of Justice and copyright owners to take action against websites thought to be facilitating copyright infringement.What brought SOPA into the limelight is the criteria it uses to determine what a copyright-infringing site is, and the methods it allows to punish those websites. It was drafted with the intention of combating websites that host U. S. copyrighted content, many of which are hosted offshore and outside of U. S. legal jurisdiction; and subsequently focuses on attacking U. S. based internet services that could benefit such ‘rogue sites. â€℠¢ The sites it targets are defined as being â€Å"dedicated to the theft of U. S. property. † The qualifications for such a site? It must be directed toward the U. S. , and either * â€Å"engage in, enable, or facilitate† infringement; or * take or have taken steps to â€Å"avoid confirming a high probability† of infringement These defining attributes are for any portion of a site, even a single page containing infringing material can qualify a site as ‘rogue. ’ SOPA then allows a copyright holder who believes their works are being infringed by such a ‘rogue site,’ to send a notice to facilitating services of the site, such as payment processors (e. g. PayPal, Visa), ad networks, and hosting providers. These services must then deliver the notice to the site, and suspend their services; unless the site provides a counter-notice explaining how it is not violating copyright, to be delivered within five days of the original notice. If a cou nter-notice is supplied by the site, or if the supporting services do not end their service, the rights-holder is able to take them to court. One of the most troubling notions that SOPA introduces is the disconnect between judicial process and a real-world response.The extraordinarily broad definitions for a ‘rogue site’ would allow copyright holders (or anyone presenting themselves as one) to strangle services that support a site, without ever setting foot in court; or even requiring to verify that they do, in fact, own the copyright to the material they claim as infringing. SOPA also provides the previously mentioned supporting services with immunity from liability, if they comply with copyright violation notices, regardless of the validity of the claim itself.SOPA does provide one important clause concerning a right-holder’s request for takedown; if a copyright holder knowingly misrepresents a site as being a haven for copyright infringement, they are liable t o damages. Unfortunately, this has little effect in practice, because the breadth of definition in what constitutes a ‘rogue site’ would make virtually all of the internet services we are accustomed to into an illegality.For example, YouTube – a streaming video service that allows its users to upload media content, would no longer be protected from claims on material that is provided by their users; a state of affairs that it has enjoyed due to the ‘safe harbor’ provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), stating that sites are shielded from the liabilities of their users, provided the site follows DMCA’s notice-and-takedown policy for copyrighted content.If sites that allow user-provided content were required to actively police all user content for potentially copyright-infringing material, even social media services such as Facebook or Twitter would be under attack as facilitating copyright infringement. SOPA’s provisio ns even ban linking to sites deemed infringing, including results from a search engine, or comments on a blog.The implications of this lead to a decidedly unjust outcome: service providers would have no reason to defend their customers from invalid claims, supposed copyright holders would have free reign to cripple even a law-abiding site, and even websites that make a good-faith effort to remove copyrighted content would be unable to meet the draconian standards set forth in SOPA. SOPA has still more provisions, of a substantially more troubling nature.While the process previously described is only related to the abilities granted to copyright holders, SOPA also has far-reaching implications for copyright infringements that do make it into a courtroom. It allows the U. S. Department of Justice to obtain a court order against sites accused of infringing, or facilitating infringement of copyrighted material. Once the U. S. attorney general is furnished with such an order, they have t he power to force U. S. ased Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to censor the website through the Domain Name Service (DNS), as well as forcing supporting services such as ad networks and payment processors to suspend their service to the site, and finally to force search engines from linking to an infringing site. This provision of SOPA is by far the most contentious, with dramatic technical ramifications that critics have compared to the internet censorship of countries such as China and Iran. 2) While the technical details are too deep to explore in this work, leaders in the fields of technology, business, and law have denounced it as being infeasible, insecure, unstable, easily defeated, and as setting a poor example for other nations if America were to adopt such a system of censorship. (3) (4) (5) (6) In conclusion, SOPA represents an appalling direction in U. S. copyright law. While it attempts to tackle the very real and present issue of online copyright infringement, the pow ers it grants are far-reaching and almost completely disconnected from judicial due process.If it were adopted and implemented, not only would it become an obstacle to the use of the internet for collaborative work, fair use content, and free speech; but it would undermine the very notion of justice in the attempt. It imposes an impossible state of constant vigilance on law-abiding sites, and proposes a dramatically imbalanced system where the burden of proof is on a website to prove that its content is legal, rather than the copyright-holder who believes their work is being infringed. Works Cited 1. U. S. House of Representatives.Stop Online Piracy Act. 2011. 2. Basulto, Dominic. SOPA’s ugly message to the world about America and internet Innovation. 2011. 3. Lemley, Mark A. , Levine, David S. and Post, David. Open letter to the House of Representatives. November 15, 2011. 4. McCullagh, Declan. OpenDNS: SOPA will be ‘extremely disruptive' to the Internet. November 17, 2011. 5. Mozilla, Google, Yahoo! , Facebook, Twitter, Zynga, LinkedIn, eBay, AOL. Joint letter to Congressional leaders. November 15, 2011. 6. Downes, Larry. Statement on Stop Online Piracy Act. 2011.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

English Commentary †James Thurber Essay

James Thurber’s â€Å"Footnote on the future† is a first person limited narrative written as an account of the author on the topic of science and the future. The piece is written with the aim of entertaining the reader; many elements in it – comedy, colloquial and conversatonal language, irony, personification and unusual imagery – reflect this unified effect. It is important to remember that although the author criticises scientists, himself and the human race in general, he does so weakly and in an amicable and comical way. The theme of the piece is humour and this is achieved in several ways. One method used by Thurber is to include deliberately implicitly sadistic ideas into the piece. Thurber writes as if he were disappointed when he finds out that â€Å"neither the sun nor the mind of man is, after all, going out. † This achieves humour because it seems as though Thurber is in opposition to mankind and its future even though he is a human himself. In addition, amusing and ridiculous personification is included in the text: the universe is said to have â€Å"quit shrinking†; Thurber wishes that Halley’s Comet â€Å"deals California a glancing backhand blow before it goes careening off†; the sun-spots spread as said to have been â€Å"spreading as rapidly as ulcerative gingivitis†. Humour is also accomplished by Thurber when he ridicules himself in the opening paragraph of the piece. Whilst attempting to make himself seem important and chiefly intelligent, he implies that information is delievered to him rather than searched by him as shown in the quote: â€Å"word is brought to me†. However, following on from this forementioned quote, Thurber reveals that it is his â€Å"pageboys† that deliver information to him. The fact that page boys do not normally deliver â€Å"information†, but instead deliver wedding rings to a priest, implies that Thurber may have mistaken the function of page boys and has therefore ridiculed himself in an attempt to seem intelligent. In terms of content, eccentric imagery is also used to simply achieve the reader’s attention. Thurber makes the reader to imagine Earth as a â€Å"flimsy globe† and then later to imagine it being knocked â€Å"far into the oblivious Darkness, the incomprehensible Cold†. This produces shock to the reader and in fact could be considered as ironic as it implies that Thurber does not believe in a religion; instead believes that the existence of the universe can be explained through science – something that he criticises throughout the piece. Thurber directs some attention to scientists and takes care to use the image of â€Å"bearded watchers of the skies† as a stereotype to describe them. Throughout the passage manages to portray scientists negatively through successfully (in his opinion) disproving Dr. Tilney’s theory, describing his frustration in the lack of certaintiy scientists have when predicting where and when a comet may hit Earth and commenting seemingly ironically that Time magazine is â€Å"always infallible† and. The use of irony is common throughout the piece. He comments that scientists are â€Å"quite naturally cheerful† even though â€Å"billions of unused brain cells have been detected in the cortex of man†. Thurber however gives no explanation for why the scientists are joyful. Thurber further incorporates irony into the text when he states â€Å"we were given only a few paltry aeons to prepare our species for the end†. As an aeon is considered a period of a billion years, it would be reasonable to think that there would in fact be enough time to be prepared for such a catastrophe; Thurber does this purposefully to criticise scientists’ perception of time. The reader’s attention is retained through a consistently colloquial and conversational use of language. Thurber refers and converses to the reader in second person when he says â€Å"the rest of you may go†, â€Å"you may all file out now† and â€Å"don’t ask me why, it just has†. The author also informally refers to the theory that man has many unused brain cells as a â€Å"little menace† and chooses to describe his age in 1910 as when he was â€Å"a stripling of sixteen going on seventeen†.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Hermeneutics in Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hermeneutics in Leadership - Essay Example The approach will make the leaders resemble expressive acts. They will emphasize on manifestations of meanings. According to various studies, the leaders will become conceptually driven. In the long run, there will be a close relationship between the leaders and the employees. Additionally, the approach would make the leaders become context influenced. They will understand their roles and responsibilities (OGorman, 2011). The approach will make the leaders experience deeply their actions. They will become more responsible because they will draw their actions through reflective thoughts. Experts have identified the importance of hermeneutical approach in improving self-understanding. It will help in building the understanding of the personal meaning and personal expressions. The approach is the best means of improving a leader’s inter-subjective dialogic discourse. They will not operate in a top-down less active expository exchange (Woodward J., 2011). The approach will add more logic to the leaders’ theoretical foundations. A leader is a person that has to have interest in communication. Communication is a tool that connects individuals in an organization. It will ensure there are efficiency and transparency within an organization. A hermeneutical approach would encourage leaders to reflect on their human interest in communication. The approach emphasizes on communications through conversations. It lays down the conceptual framework for developing the leaders’ communication means. For example, a media consultant in any country would use this approach to deal well with the clients (Yong, 2013). The approach pays more attention to experience. The experience will be a tool for analyzing external events, business ideas, and internal ideas. Additionally, with good experience, a person may be able to trigger questioning and any reflective perspective that may not happen at any moment.  Ã‚  

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Philosophy The concept of the person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy The concept of the person - Essay Example St Thomas connects the concepts of legal rights, "complete individual intellectual nature" (Clarke, 26-7) and adds the importance of 'acts of existence', to create an ideal of the person as self-possessing. It is important to note that the Christian concept of the person, as described by St Thomas, includes that of 'rights': the idea of personhood as dependant upon legal rights. Later concepts of the human involved the ideas of St Thomas to some degree: suggestions of Locke include consciousness "Whereby it becomes concerned and accountable"; that is, awareness of self which stirs a sense of responsibility. Rawls's idea of personhood is made problematic by the issue of insanity: "When we declare a man insane we cease treating him as accountablebut still our interactions with him are virtually indistinguishable from normal personal interactions unless he is very far gone in madness" (Dennett). Rawls brings up a complex subject, which goes to the very heart of the philosophy of personhood: the insane, their ability to be people, and how this affects their rights.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Impact of Operations Decisions on Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Impact of Operations Decisions on Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example The operations of the business need to be inline with the goal of CSR in order to achieve greater efficiency and productivity (Frederick, 2006). In operations, CSR effects from the input to the output processes; Input to process, for example, is when the organizations uses solar panel energy for their factory like sun chips. OR may be they are using an eco friendly form of transportation (bio diesel trucks). Outputs to the process are achieved by reducing emission or carbon footprint. A company which is changing into an environmental friendly raw materials support action against child labor is also fulfilling its social responsibility. A company emphasizing on green marketing and recycling is also looking towards fulfilling its environmental responsibilities. Decisions made in the operations, thus highly affect the way a company fulfills its social and environmental responsibilities (Slack, 2006). 1. The integration of global supply chains has created more reputation risks than business or financial risk for the suppliers. In order to cater to the global environment and maintain efficient supply chains, there is now a need for the supply chain to fulfill the corporate, social and environmental responsibility by keeping the suppliers well-informed, assuring that the customers are getting the right product quality, ensure proper working conditions throughout the supply chain and not exploiting the labor working conditions. 2. Life cycle analysis is a key operation that supports CSR efforts. Through life cycle analysis, organizations can assess what amount of energy and resources are used and also the emissions and waste generated can be estimated and continuous improvements in the environmental management system and pollution prevention programs can be made. 3. Similarly, establishing precise and clear codes of conduct related to the environmental and social responsibility of the company and employees assist in closely achieving the goal of fulfilling CSR. Codes of labor unions and working conditions should also be designed. There are a number of organizations that are working towards fulfilling their social and environmental responsibility through devising certain strategies and customizing their operations and including the aspect of CSR in their operations. There are organizations that produce separate CSR reports like the annual financial reports to demonstrate their efforts towards CSR. Shell has been discovering the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide to alleviate the effect of greenhouse gas emissions. Shell has also continued education and development plans with various institutions. Abbot Laboratories has always worked towards CSR by providing quality health care, investing in education programs, health and safety programs and environment improving initiatives. Whirlpool with the combine efforts of Habitat for Humanity, donated a refrigerator and a range to every Habitat home. Basically, Whirlpool emphasized their dedication, loyalty, philanthropy and sustainability on its website and they also highlighted their membership to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. Instead of making their own sustainability report, Whirlpool

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Information Systems Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Information Systems Plan - Essay Example The Information management system of Fitness center automates the above functionalities and allows the users to choose their daily schedules and exercises, with pre-calculated measures and to - do lists. The Sophisticated system offers alerts on regular tests and cholesterol levels giving clarity on health progress. The users can also enter complete laboratory test results, inoculations and medications, which can be kept as their personal digital health record. The combination of weight readings, meals, exercise, supplement or medication, test results, personal notes and detailed one-step charts and graphs for grams of nutrients, calories consumed and burned, exercises, any measurement or test, medications or supplements taken and more. The IS can also be configured with more user-friendly features like alerts on upcoming tests, doctor appointments, tutor schedulers, due dates for payments and balances in accounts. Such type of IS offers integrated member information on a common plat form through a real time integration of data resources. The potential areas for ... Purpose: The purpose of the Fitness Center Management module is to address the needs of health and fitness management institutes in tracking their visitors, fitness center members' information, payment, and equipment inventory and maintenance. Systems development Systems development is the activity of creating new systems or modifying existing ones. It refers to all aspects of the process from identifying problems to be solved or opportunities to be exploited to the implementation and refinement of the chosen solution. The information system to be established in an organization is considered as Project Management in development terms. The system development project is responsible for determining the objectives of the information system and delivering a system that meets these objectives. Many system development teams use a project manager to head the systems development effort and the project management approach to help coordinate the systems development process. A project is a planned collection of activities that achieves a goal, such as promoting the activities of fitness plant or developing a new decision support system. Besides completing the project on time and within the specified budget, the project manager is usually responsible for controlling a project's quality, training personnel, easing communications, managing risks, and acquiring any necessary equipment, including office supplies and sophisticated computer systems. The roles involved in IS of a Fitness center: Setting priorities and selecting projects typically requires the involvement and approval of senior management. When objectives are set, planners consider the resources necessary to complete the projects, including employees (systems analysts, programmers, and

Monday, September 9, 2019

Concept Identification and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concept Identification and Analysis - Essay Example He is very wary of rulers who give a lot of power to the citizens as these citizens may turn against him at any time if their interests are not being fulfilled. He views men as â€Å"ungrateful, fickle, deceptive, deceiving, eager to gain, and avoiders of danger† (392). Such people cannot be trusted thus it is better to instil fear in them so that they may remain loyal. The concept of fear is what dominates Machiavelli’s thinking. He believes that a capable ruler is the one feared by his subjects but this does not mean he should be hated as one can be feared and not hated (392). Bearing in mind the human nature, men hate those who steal other people’s property thus he advises princes to stay off other people’s property. Creating fear among citizens is a way of justifying and legitimizing use of power such that the state can win at all cost. In his view, states are most effective when they are able to justify the use of force. This is why he advices rulers to use cultural traditions and religion if need be as justification for attacking an enemy (Grisby, 87). He also advises them that if they want to colonize a territory they must occupy it and confiscate their land so as to assert their power and make them obedient through fear of consequences. The main aim is to keep the population in fear so that they don’t think of overthrowing the state thus state can maintain power. Use of cruelty and unethical means to justify the state’s ends is thus desirable as fear is the optimum basis for ruling (87). Locke: State of Nature On the second Treatise on civilised government, Locke articulates his ideas on the ideal type of government and refutes the idea that men in their natural state (before establishment of government) are not civilised. He calls the period before establishment of government as the state of nature and believes that in this state, men are guided by reason or the law of nature (Chaurasia, 320). In the state of n ature, men have inalienable rights of life, liberty and property are free to dispose of their possessions as they deem fit. They live happily as peace and order is enhanced through cooperation. However, in this state the society lacks organisation and a social being he is bound at some time to want to be in a group where some people are unjust thus need for a governing body (Chaurasia, 296). As such, a government is established whose sole purpose is to protect the rights of citizens thus it draws its power from the consent of the governed (294). The state of nature concept tries to explain the political philosophy of Locke. With natural rights comes the need to protect these rights hence individuals give up part of their rights through a social contract with the state in return for protection of their rights. Popular sovereignty is thus with the citizens. Should the government break the contract by violating people’s rights, then they have the power to dismiss it (Chaurasia, 324). The government is thus the servant of the society whereas political power rests with the people. He thus advocates liberal or laissez-faire form of government which has minimal state intervention being to maintain peace and order through protection of rights. In this form of government, the use of reason or natural laws dictates that no one ought to harm one another and in case that happens, one is liable to punishment (Chaurasia, 320). The