Case study: Issues in alignment of organizational strategies

Case study: Issues in alignment of organizational strategies and HER strategies Table of Contents Introduction Questions and answers Page# 3 A Shaky bridge (An uncertain plan) 4 Conclusions References 5 6 The advent of globalization has diversified the work force and increased its cultural differences in many companies across the globe. Publication of information on these trends has led to calls for effective management of diversity in organizations, and observers have advised that unless corporation start managing diversity, they will find themselves at a competitive disadvantage (Copeland 1988; Nelson 1988; Schmidt, 1988).Moreover, invoking what might be termed the â€Å"Value-in- diversity hypothesis,† some writers have stated that, when properly used, cultural diversity in the work forces bring value to the organization and ultimately improves their performance. They have emphasized that managing diversity is an economic issue as well as legal & social concern. (Copeland, 1988; Cox& Blake, 1991; Est., 1988; Soda & Bailer, 1983) The case is about SAA pharmacy Limited, a Malaysian company started by Mr.. Uruguayan an Indo-Malaysian in 1991.The SAA Pharmacy limited worked on the alliance and merchandise with Stop and shop which is an existing apartment store in various cities in Malaysia in the earlier days. Mr.. Uruguayan strategically recruited HER from Australia, New Zealand, India, Philippines and Malaysia based on cost of employees and skills available. Employees from Australia and New Zealand are at strategic positions, Indians in second level of hierarchy, Philippines are appointed as pharmacist and branch managers, and finally Malaysian in equal positions of Philippines.The company provides salaries incentives etc. Based on hierarchy and national expatriate basis. Despite of modern HER techniques applied by the CEO, employees room different nationalities felt discriminated. So, a work force with diversified nationalities and a level of cultural differences resulting in issues is the case about. Questions and answers: 1) What is the misalignment among company strategies, HER strategies and cultural issues? A) Mr.. Uruguayan strategically employed people from various countries based on cost of employees and skills available from various countries.It is also mentioned in the case study that Mr.. Uruguayan adapts most modern techniques of Human resource management. When the employees feels like there is a discrimination on ultra and nationality, management should have the potential to bring out the best from the employees and end discrimination and be ethical. When the work is almost Company policy is to pay employees on their designation as mentioned in the case study, so according to the skill set and experience all the nationality employees should be given opportunity to take responsibility.This will also reduce the cost since employees from other nations can be replaced by local employees with same skill set and experience . 2) Can you identify any problem in sourcing the employees from different countries? A) The company provides salaries incentives etc. N hierarchy and national expatriate basis. This led to a feeling of discrimination among the employees from Malaysia and Philippines The employees of Malaysia, particularly pharmacists, feel that they r discriminated and paid less even though they do the same Job like the pharmacists from Philippines.On the other hand, Philippines have a strong feeling that they are also discriminated against Indian employees. They contribute the lions' share of profit to the company as pharmacists. While all the other employees believe that salaries are not based on the nationality of the employees, but based on the significance of duties. Mr.. Arranging despite of the modern HER techniques that he uses, couldn't have this problem solved. 3) What would be the possible measure to solve the problem of the company? A) The following measures can be taken to solve the pr oblem: Mr..Arranging should make the employees understand that all the departments and functions of the organization are equally important. SSP should hire more local employees with required skill sets in better designations. Care should be taken regarding employee motivation with some awards and rewards for the employees with best performances. Promotions and hikes should be considered with respect to the experience of the employees. Shaky bridge: Mr.. Arranging started the company in 1991 implies that he has very good experience in recruiting human resource.There is no need for him to cross any shaky bridges and can handle the alignment issue in the work force. Motivating the employees to be more focused on their Job is an option but the fact remains the same that cultural differences will exists. Moreover, increasing incentives, hikes in salaries etc will increase the cost for the company. Considering the ability of MR.. Arranging to recruit, SAA pharmacy can play a gamble with t he employees which might work in their favor to solve the issue. Case study mentions that the employees are concerned about the differences in their nationality and salaries of other employees.This is a clear indication that the employees are not completely focused. Every employee should work under common interest of the organization. Salary differences should not be a problem for the employees as they have to understand it increases the attractiveness of the company to recruit globally. So, from he given situation, the following questions arise: 1) Is SAA Pharmacy limited paying to international employees more when they can have local employees with same skill set for a lower expense? 2) Promotions, hikes etc. Used for next quarter? 3) Can SAA Pharmacy take an advantage of the differences in the work force?In the work force, Mr.. Arranging will have employees that are creating the issue and employees that get influences by such employees. Depending on the performance of the employe es Mr.. Arranging can lay off a few employees and increase the responsibilities of the other employees. This will make the employees more focused on their Jobs and stop poking their noses in other employees' affairs. Employees complaining that the company is not reaching their expectation, the company can turn the tables by increasing the expectations on the employees. As Mr..Arranging has good communication with the employees he can clearly mention this an opportunity to prove their skills and worth to get more benefits. If possible, company can mix and match the responsibilities of the employees and can conduct training programs to improve the skill set. Training programs for the employees to handle different responsibilities will not only improve the skill set of the employees but as he employees get to know the other employees Job, they will understand that lions and deer are equally important in a food chain. Applying this change can be a success or a failure depending on the s kill of Mr..Arranging and the level of commitment and efforts of the employees. Mr.. Arranging should lead them with an example by increasing his interaction with the employees and show that he is working as hard as all the other employees are. If the change is a success and the employees manage to reach the expectations then the company can give the promised benefits which can be compensated by other international employees as he company has local employees with the skill set and no longer need services of the international employees. If the change applied is a failure, at the very first alarm, Mr..Arranging should line up employees to balance the work force. In this case, it will be practically proven that the employees are not as worthy as they claim to be. Getting back the former employees will also increase the good will of the company. This is an unguarded change that can solve the issue and the company can choose not to take the risk. But crossing a shaking bridge is always u ncertain and its completely Mr.. Remonstrant's call since a person don't know what lies ahead of the bridge. Conclusion: In the workplace, and from a business perspective, having a diverse workforce is no longer a question.The world is interconnected and due to the huge advances in international travel and communication, people easily move and work across borders. Humans and the potential they possess drive an organization. The advantages of a diversified work force like Innovation, talent pools etc will be effective when issues like conflicts, disunity, bureaucracy etc are handle effectively. This can be assured by considering the following points: 1 . Recognize & welcome cultural differences 2. Adapt to new hires instead of enforcing the traditional corporate culture on them 3. Communicate and understand differences 4.Be attentive to verbal and nonverbal cues that might indicate or create tension 5. And customers gained or lost. We should always question and test the purpose of th ings and see if indeed the diversity policy or programmer is creating the results that is expected. Perhaps the diversity initiative is compromising the business performance. That doesn't mean to scrap diversity altogether but it might mean to go back to the drawing board and re-think the approach. References: Copeland, L. 1988. Valuing diversity: Making the most of cultural differences at the workplace.

Adidas Sustainable Development Strategy Essay

The textile and the apparel industries face nowadays a lot of evolution due, first to macroeconomic consequences and then because of the growing eco-friendly influence. To understand the key challenges of the sustainable development in the textile and the apparel industries, we, first, need to get the whole picture of the situation. The global textile industry is getting through a struggling time for the global economy due to crisis. This situation increases the price volatility of raw materials and energy resources. We can also add-up to this trend, the rising labor cost that contributes to amplify the negative effects on the industry. This uncertainty in the marketplace leads to lack of projection for years to come. At a worldwide stage, the textile market knows different situations. Europe is facing a recession while North American market is struggling. This current trends leads to reduced worldwide sale perspective. In Asia, the situation is more complex. China is the major actor in the market. More and more, price rises in China due to a higher domestic demand and higher wages. See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay This economic trend creates opportunities for other Asian countries to become new sourcing targets (Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia). However, new countries doesn’t have necessary quality and quantity requirement, which put companies in a huge dilemma in 2012 and for years to come†¦ Concerning sustainable development in the textile and apparel industries, many challenges are expected. For years and years, consumers have wanted cheap and trendy clothes, no matter where they came, who produced it and the material composition of the purchase. Now, they have changed their mind in many aspects. Consumers expect more and more socially acceptable workplaces to employees in production. They want companies to focus on improving human being, which includes better work conditions and better salary. However, this desire is problematic and contradictory for the industry. Indeed, this change will imply higher price that only a minority of consumers are up to pay. Key actors on this market need also to be responsible and active in the society and towards communities. Apart from this, consumers also require that companies produce in environmentally friendly way, which represent the main key challenge. Consumers care more and more to let enough raw materials for future generations and avoid global over consumption. The Chemistry industry brings solution to replace these raw materials. However, it can’t replace every material: water, which is an essential factor for production of textile, energy (it concerns mainly non-sustainable sources, except solar and other sustainable energies) and raw materials (real organic cultivations are insignificant in the industry). However, instead of raw materials, regenerative raw materials are more and more used. There is line and hemp that are resistant and doesn’t need pesticides. However, it can be only use for particular textiles. Besides, we can find chemical fibers, which represent 60% of the current market. They are better than natural fibers but are dependent on petroleum. This problem is a bit compensated by the fact it can be recyclable in PET bottle for instance. Cotton represents only 38% of the market in volume and wool, 2%. For dyestuffing, Chemistry has also played a huge role. Now the synthetic process replace natural because it turns out to be more ecological and with a better quality. Moreover, we can also save resources like energy and chemicals by using sustainable development energies like solar, wind or hydroelectric energies. We have to consider fossil energy and try to replace them by renewable energies to avoid price pressure and volatility. Companies want also to develop environment-friendly production technologies for textile industry. Most of the time, Chemistry helps to save resources because they are less demanding in water for finishing and dyestuffs and in energy for washing. They clean fibers better, reduce amount of defective goods and preserve machines. However, huge tests and controls are required to avoid toxic and harmful component to spread into our daily life through our clothes Another key challenge for the industry is to develop the recycling economy. A model called 3R illustrates this targeted economy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It follows this chain: â€Å"resources-products-consumer-renewable resources† to implement the closed-cycle logistics. Moreover, this cycle allows controlling the process of contamination in this cycle. The second-hand purchases can optimize purchases and sustainability by creating a new business out of the current one. Besides, improving quality of final can be seen as a key challenge. It prolongs life cycle and also improve reuse value. Eco-tax on new materials could be set up to allow development of material re-use technology and business. After seeing the global situation of the current market, actors that want to play a major role in the future have to turn these challenges and strains into opportunities to differentiate and bring new standards in the textile and apparel industries. What are the stakeholders’ expectations? Employees of the Group  The employees of Adidas have the expectation that we can expect from different workers. They expect to have good working conditions to properly conduct they everyday job. Thus, some flexible hours, good working environment, ergonomic machinery are some expectations that Adidas employees might have. Of course, the salaries needs to be fair and the possibility of career evolution should be interesting too. They would prefer a merit-based rewarding system and a fair policy. Then, working in an ethical company can make them proud to work for Adidas and avoid internal conflict of interest. Also, they expect to have the freedom of joining a work council or any other unions. Finally, having the guaranty to have their health and safety assured during their working hours, with proper social protection. All these aspects are employee’s expectations that can be encountered worldwide. Authorizes government, trade associations, shareholders, Board of Directors All those stakeholders have different expectations. The government aims to see their citizen rights preserved, the legislation respected and the economy supported. A government needs to be objective and act for the benefits of â€Å"its people†. Thus they can on one side wants to impose restrictions on companies to prevent abuses but also want to support them financially or administratively to attract them and push them to invest in their country, and supporting the economy. The trade associations expect Adidas to respect international treaties on trade and to act in respect of the International regulations. On the other side, board of directors wants to see Adidas following the strategy they established to be sustainable. They want the company to be profitable but in a sustainable way. The board of directors wants the company have a better image and increase its sustainable development reputation. Finally Shareholders expect the company to be profitable and to have a direct result from its sustainable development strategy. They want Adidas to be sustainably profitable. Business partners unions, suppliers, service providers Business partners unions wants Adidas to respect the labor rights for the workers. They want working conditions to be assured and health & safety policy respected. They expect Adidas to secure the job of employees and avoid economic firing. The suppliers expect Adidas to respect their contract and fulfill their contractual obligations toward sustainable development. Also, they want Adidas to have fair practices and have equitable deals with them. On their own sides, service providers also wants Adidas to have fair practices and to involve them in their sustainable strategy by training them and providing them the means to be real partners. Workers in our suppliers’ factories These stakeholders are those who have the highest expectations toward Adidas. They expect Adidas to treat them equitably and to have fair practices with them. They want to have the same working conditions and the same rights than the Adidas employees. They want to have a decent wages, without child labor, with the acceptable health and safety benefits. They want Adidas to train them and to help them to evolve without remaining simple second-hand workers. They want to be fully integrated in the sustainable strategy of Adidas and in the future of the company. Opinion-formers journalists, community members, special interest groups Opinion formers such as journalists, expect Adidas to respect its engagement toward sustainable development. They want to be assured that the sustainable strategy of the company is a real commitment and not a simple â€Å"faire-valoir†. Community members on their own side, expect Adidas to respect their community and its environment but also to serve its interest. They want Adidas to offer them employment, to support education and to help the community to benefit from Adidas activities. Special interest group will push Adidas to respect their own interest. For instance, Greenpeace will push Adidas to respect environment, â€Å"SOS racisme† will expect Adidas to have non-discriminatory human resource policy, etc. Customers: Professional sports people, distributors, retailers, consumer Customers are the final people to satisfy. They are lat but not least. Customers expect Adidas to have fair prices, to respect their engagement in terms of sustainable development while maintaining the quality of their product. They also expect that the new sustainable development strategy will not impact their buying power by tremendously increase the price of Adidas products. Sports people want to be sure that the various Adidas products are ethical, with low impact on the environment and that are made by factories that respect sustainable working conditions. Distributors and retailers want Adidas to respect its positioning and identity but expect that Adidas will continuously improve its sustainable development policy. How does the company meet the challenges of the industry? Being a global business: This involves a strong and worldwide suppliers network. To be sure that suppliers rules are respectful of Adidas engagement, Adidas is fully transparent on its activities.  « We seek to be open about our operations, for example, by disclosing our global factory list to the public or submitting our global supplier compliance programme to evaluation and accreditation by the fair Labor Association. (Adidas,5) Beyond all contractual regulations that we will see below, transparency is an essential way to enable external organizations, such as the Fair Labor Association, to check the working conditions in Adidas suppliers. However, there is always information’s that kept secrets and not disclosed. It is important to keep a strong control on it. Being competitive: According to Adidas, the response to this challenge is: not at any price. â€Å"The adidas group Workplace Standards are fundamental to our relationships with our suppliers and are contractual obligations. While we have our own team that assesses how well our suppliers are complying with our supply chain code, we also work with external monitors to complement our measures. † (adidas, 5) Adidas apply strict rules and regulations that are contractually based in order to respect the company regulations on health, safety, labour rights and environmental conditions. On all these aspects, Adidas provides training and detailed guidelines to its suppliers. It has also involved a strong information system such as Fair Factory Clearinghouse platform, to monitor the conduct of its supplier. Apparently Adidas has done everything possible in this sector. However, it is essential to keep a strong control on supplier to avoid some â€Å"under-the-radar† issues such as the ones in Indonesia: (http://www. peuples-solidaires. org/suite317-indonesie-adidas/). Being environmentally responsible: Adidas is fully engaged in reducing its footprint. Adidas aims to: Save energy and reduce carbon emissions, save water, reduce the use of raw materials, using more environmentally friendly materials, reduce waste, reduce toxicity, for example through using less toxic chemicals and through fforts to reduce the pollutants in waste water at supplier factories, improve the environmental footprint of raw materials, improve the environmental footprint of products, manage supplier performance through auditing, measuring and reporting against key performance indicators, use management systems to drive continuous improvement (Adidas, 9). Adidas is acting in every step of its value chain and also by controlling its suppliers. However, this is useless if the distributors are not committed. For example distributing an eco-friendly product by using trucks that will strongly pollutes during the transportation is not coherent. Adidas is so powerful that it can make pressure on distributors to be committed in its environmental program. Being an employer of choice: This objective passes through managing people in a sustainable way. Adidas has developed an entire Human Resources Strategy based on three pillars: â€Å"create a working environment that stimulates team spirit, passion and engagement, instill a performance culture based upon strong leadership, be an employer of choice†(Adidas, 5). To do so, Adidas has developed a performance-based rewarding system throughout bonus program, profit sharing and additional compensation components. Moreover the training of employees is emphasized with different talent management programs (Adidas, 59). This enables people to enhance their perspectives. The whole working environment is made to be attractive with health and safety policy, respect of labor rights and liberty to join work council. Nonetheless, in the 2012 sustainable report, Adidas focus on Germany and USA. There are few words on the working environment offshore. We are not sure that those conditions are respected worldwide as it was in Indonesia. Moreover if the rewarding system is performance-based, we do not know anything about the career evolution system.

Genetic Engineering and the Law Essay

To understand the ethical implications of genetic engineering, we must first understand what genetic engineering is. Genes are units that code for specific characteristics. Such characteristics are hair and eye colour and we inherit these from our parents. It is chromosomes in the cell nuclei than enable your body to inherit features or, more specifically, it is the DNA that makes up the chromosomes that forms a unique genetic code for every human being (apart from identical twins). It is estimated that the human body has around 50,000 to 100,000 different genes contained inside, some of which have been linked to certain diseases. Scientists claim to have identified 4,000 conditions that are linked to just one fault or defect in a persons genetic makeup, which is where genetic engineering comes in. At present a project is taking place to identify the function of every gene in the human body. ‘The Human Genome Project’ aims to uncover the cause for many diseases and find a cure for them. One such way, is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering, as a cure for disease, is the removal of a defective gene sequence and the remodelling of it. But this isn’t the only definition given for genetic engineering. Compassion in World Farming describes it as ‘the taking of genes from one species of plant or animal and inserting them into a completely different species’. It is obvious, therefore, that genetic engineering is used for different things, in different situations. In this essay I will look at some of the varying uses genetic engineering has in today’s world and the ethical implications of such uses. Genetic Engineering and the Law At present human cloning is illegal in the UK, although there are many countries were such a law does not exist. And although, technically, it may be possible to clone humans in the way animals have been, the Act of Parliament strictly forbids ‘ever doing with human eggs what we have done with sheep eggs’ Dr Ron James Head of PPL Therapeutics. Nor are scientists allowed to mass produce human eggs for in-vitro fertilisation- something that many scientists have been pushing for for years. Genetically modified crops are also strictly controlled by the law. Such UK laws include: The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 1992 and The Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992. These laws are in addition to the standard For Safety Act which specifies that food ‘must be fit for consumption’. Several government bodies have been set up to assess and regulate GM foods including ACNFP, COT, FAC and, the most important, The Department of Environment. The DOE requires tat anyone proposing a release must apply to them for consent first. It is then advised by the Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment on the granting of consents. At a European level, the Regulation on Novel Foods and Food Ingredients was introduced in May 1997 and covers labelling of foods ‘no longer equivalent’ to it’s conventional counterparts. But despite the introduction of laws, many people are still unhappy, and are pushing for further action. For example the CIWF believe GM meat should be clearly labelled, although they also say it should not be sold in the first place. They see the genetic engineering of farm animals for food as cruel and unnecessary. But the question remains: are they right? Few people know the implications of genetic engineering and what it really involves and many are ignorant of what to expect from GM. Genetic Engineering and Animals/ Humans Everyone knows the story of the first cloned animal. The Finn Dorset sheep, known as Dolly, was the first new-born mammal to be cloned from adult cells and is a miracle for scientists the world over. She had opened many new windows of opportunity for scientists who hope to soon be able to clone humans using the same technology. The possibilities really are endless. A single cell from an elite racehorse could be used to create hundreds of identical copies, each with the same elite genetic makeup. However pleasing this heady new discovery is, there is a widespread argument over whether or not cloning is right. Is it simply a wonderful new way to develop a generation of disease-free animals and humans or is it tampering with nature and playing God? Many people see it as the answer to all problems, that screening can reveal vital information about a person’s life span and health future. Genetic engineering could, in theory, identify genetic defects early on, giving time to replace the faulty gene and cure the sufferer. Predicting disease is a major use for genetic engineering and one that could change the way we live forever. At present scientist are working on a genetic test known as the GeneChip. They claim in a few years doctors will be able to take a simple mouth swab and, using the GeneChip, look through your DNA for disease prospects. Although they have come under fire from their critics, geneticists argue that anyone is entitled to know what their future holds for the health-wise. Indeed they say the information can be vital for planning out the rest of your life if, for example, you are a woman with a likelihood to develop breast cancer. Pre-natal diagnosis is also another option that could soon be open to the public. Parents could be made aware of any flaws there may be in their child’s DNA and could decide whether or not to carry on with the pregnancy. Genetic engineering could also be used to grow substances like human insulin and growth hormone on a huge level. Currently scientists are looking at introducing blood-clotting genes for haemophiliacs and purifying milk from GM sheep for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. They are also hoping to study presently incurable diseases in the hope they might be able to introduce a cure using genetic engineering. There are also high hopes for animals in genetic engineering. Transgenic animals (or those that have been given a gene from another animal) have many uses. They can produce more meat and milk, feeding the starving, and they can grow faster, with the possibility of less fatty meat. They can be bred to resist disease, but also develop disease so they might be tested on for further research. A biotechnology firm in Cambridge is working on a transgensic pig that could be bred to grow desperately needed organs for transplant into human beings. The technique can also be used to ‘knock out genes’, deleting proteins so that they might prevent BSE in cows. But it isn’t all good news for genetic engineering, in fact there is a lengthy and strong argument as to why it is dangerous to go to take it to these levels. Many have disagreed with the predicting of disease, saying that many people may not be able to cope with the knowledge that they may contract a terminal disease- it could ruin lives. Also there has been widespread outcry over the Association of Insurance Brokers’ announcement that it will not offer life insurance over i 100,100 to anyone who had taken a genetic test that had predicted fatal disease and since 1995 there has been pressure form MP’s to develop a code of practise concerning genetic screening. There are also fears of employers discriminating against potential employees who have the potential for life threatening illness in later life. Although scientists hope genetic engineering will provide many choices for parents, the BMA has voiced it’s concerns that the industry will cause ‘selective breeding’ or the choice to abort a baby because of undesirable characteristics such as physical traits. The BMA have also said people have been mislead about the power to screen for later abnormalities. It says ‘The number of abnormalities which can be detected in this way is limited and few of the tests are conclusive’. The problem many people have with genetic engineering is the risk of error that is involved. Screening is complex and it is difficult to be precise every time. Faulty diagnosis could put an end to job prospects or insurance benefits, not to mention the psychological problems arising from finding out you have the potential to contract a fatal disease.

Retention of College Students in Private Schools Coursework

Retention of College Students in Private Schools - Coursework Example This is a very thorough introduction to the steps and processes required in writing an extensive study on an education-related topic. There are comprehensive notes and references attached to each chapter, and the book could also be used as a textbook in class since there are exercises too. One useful feature is the â€Å"Key Concepts† section which recaps the most important themes and provides definitions that can be used in any dissertation. Chapters 4 and 5 on â€Å"Research Design in Quantitative Research† and â€Å"Experimental Research† give a lot of good information on how to set up data gathering procedures and how to evaluate the results. Methods such as surveys, interviewing and videotaping are also discussed with some very practical guidelines on how to avoid common mistakes. It is written in a complex and academic tone, but the effort of reading it is rewarded by many insights. Henderson, D. and Henderson, J. (2002) The Retention of Entering and Returning Freshmen enrolled at Florida A&M University’s School of General Studies during the Fall Semesters 1997-2001. Education 123 (1), 210-212. This short paper looks at the importance of the first year in the retention of students at a college with mainly African-American students. It collated figures on students who attended for the first time, and students who had switched their major and made a recommendation for strategies to enhance student retention based on these figures. Some issues were clearly concluded, such as the importance of developmental courses, interdisciplinary classes, advisement on demand and an attitudinal shift by the faculty and staff, but the article did not find ways to deal with variables.

Flash V. Illumination Industries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Flash V. Illumination Industries - Essay Example In the matter of the wrongful price quotation of the computerized board, the legal team deems the contact entered into between Flash and Mack as being invalid since Mack does not have express authority to enter into such a contract. This argument is based upon the law of agency in which Mack as a contractor does not have actual authority for actions undertaken. Relevant Rules Under the law of agency, Mack is an independent contractor. Mack is a special agent since he undertakes specific assignments for Illumination Industries upon request. The general principle applied in agency law is that a principal is liable for actions undertaken by the agent if the actions fall within the authority of the agent to enter into such agreements. The issue of authority is thus of utmost importance in determining liability of the principal in contracts or actions entered into by the agent. The agent may have authority as a result of express conferment or through implication. In tort litigation the th ird party cannot claim any damages from the principal unless it can be proved that the agent’s actions were within the scope of authority in the contract. Express actual authority entails that the agent has been explicitly given authority to undertake actions on behalf of the principal. There is also the principle of implied actual authority. This is the authority that the contractor has to have if he is to perform his obligations in the required manner. This is exemplified in Ireland v. Livingstone in which the court ruled that the principal is only liable to actions which are expressly authorized by the contract. The principle of implied actual authority is however subject to personal opinion. In the matter of whether Illumination Industries ought to pay for the negligent acts of Mack, the defense team relies upon the principle of independent contractors. The principal is in law not vicariously liable for the negligent actions of the agent since the principal lacks the crit ical relationship found under employer employee. The principal would not be able to exercise the supervisory and control function in the instance of an independent contractor. There is however exceptions to this rule in instances where the actions of the contractor results into injury to a person in the real property of the principal; the contractor’s work involves potentially dangerous activity; and in instances in which the principal acted in a manner to suggest the contractor was an employee or an agent. Arguments Under the law of agency, Illumination Industries is not liable for actions undertaken by Mack since Mack is an independent contractor. Mack is an independent contractor since the nature of his work with Illumination industries is intermittent and he decides on what kinds of jobs to accept. Mack as an independent contractor does not have the authority to make quotations on the prices of goods which Illuminating Industries is to pay since he does not have the power of agent. The plaintiff may however argue that Illuminating industries had delegated authority to Mack in order to complete the job. In arguing that the job in its entirety had been delegated to Mack the plaintiffs fail to take into consideration that some aspects of agency such as the monetary aspects cannot be implied. This aspect of the independent contractor must be expressly provided by the principal and should not be by implication. In the matter

Perception of Soviet Russia in Hollywood Films Essay

Perception of Soviet Russia in Hollywood Films - Essay Example During the time of Ninotchka (1939), this American sentiment was anti-Soviet, but first this film depicted the union of "the spirit of Marxist ideas" (Rogin 269) with the spirit of a business enterprise - clearly, a parody of "the conversion of the former to the latter" (Rogin 369). It was in the same year, 1939, that the USSR "signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact in August 1939 and divided Poland with Germany" (Dunn 459). Ninotchka is an epitome of an anti-Soviet film. Like any other such film, "Every Russian- whether peasant or nobility- is caricatured as villain incarnate and the whole nation is represented as a threat to mankind, nineteenth-century style" (Fyne 194). Understandably, American sentiments toward the Soviet Union at the time of these anti-Soviet films are a degradation of communism as symbolized, at that time, by none other than the USSR. According to Fyne, Ninotchka was an "strong indictment about a regime that most Americans, sitting comfortably in their capitalist living rooms and reading about mass executions, feared and mistrusted" (200). In 1943, that sentiment changed drastically. It must be noted that this time was after Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor, "the U.S. and the Soviet Union were now brothers-in-arms" (Fyne 200), hence this new alliance "had to be solidified on the screen" (Fyne 200).

Traffic_individual memo Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Traffic_individual memo - Article Example Moreover, the whole scandal which surrounded this project inevitably creates suspicion from the government and publicity on further city incentives. And so, new Boston projects on traffic management should take into account all the previous mistakes in order to be approved and financed. In the current situation, social responsibility and appropriate traffic priorities should be included into the city infrastructure project plans in the future. In fact, the current city projects on traffic management cause more problems than improvements. In spite of tunnel construction, Boston is still in top-10 cities with the worst traffic in America with the congestion score 14.7 evaluated by INRIX (Hess and Weigley). In this context, in 2012 MassDOT spent half a million dollars on construction projects (57). This means that the â€Å"Big Dig† incentive that needed so much money was unable to fix all the city traffic problems. Moreover, Annual Report (2013) of Boston’s Traffic Management Center signalized of 59 incidents on the roads in 2013 that were caused by construction and road works; it is almost every fourth traffic incident in Boston (3). And so, the construction works that are created in order to improve life of Boston’s dwellers in exchange of this cause them injures and inconveniences. In general, it is supposed that lessons obtained from â€Å"Big Dig† project failure show that governmental involvement in city projects is necessary in order to keep them off extra expenses (Fryer). However, the main problem of inadequate response to the social needs is usually seen in the lack of governmental connection with civil society. In this context, the incidents with a woman who died in 2006 because of the project flaws (Fryer) and several injured workers on the tunnel construction indicate of social responsibility that is significant for each project in the area of traffic management. Moreover, public disapproval on high

The website has the right to choose one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The website has the right to choose one - Essay Example But it is possible that you dislike a thing that is good for you and that you love a thing that is bad for you. Allah knoweth and you knoweth not† (The Holy Quran: The Heifer (2): 216). We know that the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) never started a war but only fought in self-defense. He even tried his best to prevent those wars. He signed treaties like the treaty of Hudaibia at Makkah and treaty with the Jews in Madinah to avoid wars as wars cause bloodshed. Islam spreads the message of love, peace and harmony. Prophet (P.B.U.H) strived to keep minimum loss in his wars. A writer mentioned in his book that only a thousand people were killed in all his wars. Islam respects blood and tells Muslims to avoid bloodshed at all times and costs. Wars are harmful for everyone. It kills people, destroys the economy and results in a decline in civilizations. Muslims are not even allowed to kill the prisoners of war or ill treat them and they have to release them after taking a ransom amount from them. Once after a war Prophet (P.B.U.H) told the literate prisoners to teach ten Muslim children for a certain period of time in exchange of freedom. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was very kind to the war prisoners. Islam is all about peace. When a Muslim meets another, he greets him by saying ‘al-Salam Alaykum’ which means ‘Peace be upon you’ and the other’s reply would be ‘Alaykum al-Salam’ meaning ‘Upon you be Peace.’ The Holy Quran says, The Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) always spread the message of peace with Muslims as well as with non-Muslims. True Muslim leaders are known for characteristics such as peace, kindness and forgiveness. If the Muslim ummah unites and works peacefully, Islam can be advanced. During the early years of Prophet Hood people used to make fun of Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and tried to harm him in every way possible; however, he never returned the harm or even curse them in retaliation. Instead, he prayed to Allah to bring them

Promoting Creativity for life Using Open-Ended Materials by walter F Essay

Promoting Creativity for life Using Open-Ended Materials by walter F. Drew and Baji Rankin - Essay Example The most vital of the creative arts is the teachers, families and the children who build up inner resources, making it potential, direct and a clear expression. The main aim of indulging in the creative arts is to pass the information, think critically, and have the mutual feeling that bonds the children with their teachers. The thoughts and feelings through locomotion and visual perceptions are elaborated through the procedure of playing and the creative arts that are formed. According to researches, children have spontaneous, creative self-expression which usually intensifies the sense of competence and the behavior that they portray as the mature to the adulthood stage. The passion of creative art formation is usually viewed as a playful behavior, where those involved have the willingness to collapse their daily rules and their effects. Play is based on the mind state, and it brings about the unexpected characters, the unlearned forms of free expression, the generation of association, which represent the distinct value of order and harmony, thus producing the sense of well being (Drew and Rankin 2004). Play and art formation, stimulate the acts of courage and is usually equal to the act of faith that caters for their belief outcomes. These are the actions require and builds resilience, advocacy, outcome and the capability to focus and act according to their intentions even of the outcome is usually renowned; when the children act to endure the uncertainty and the ambiguity that is usually supposed to enable them to pursue their immediate goals. These actions produce great sense of competence to the children, as they grow up to become reliable students. The children extend and deepen their comprehension through various experiences with the different materials used. This strategy is familiar to many early childhood t eachers, and it has been exhibited through the brain research, which implicates the

Iran and the freedom of speech over there Essay

Iran and the freedom of speech over there - Essay Example While the U.S. is not guilt free in regards to the suppression of speech, the situation is far superior to that of Iran where speaking out against the government often results in long prison sentences and death. The tactic is used to control information thus the opinions of the public which makes it easier to rule over them. If all they hear and read is that Iran is always in the right, such as building a strictly electric producing nuclear program, and other countries and cultures are oppressive, such as the evil intentions of the U.S. and Israel, a common target of the Iranian press, the majority of the people will believe it. If this tactic sounds familiar, it also happens to all other nations. The Iranian Constitution expressly provides for the freedom of speech, expression and the press unless that speech is deemed harmful to the elementary principles of Islam or the human rights of the public. (â€Å"Human Rights,† 2010). This exception is vague enough to extend to most any type of speech or expression but the government, in reality, acts as if nothing about free speech was included in its Constitution. Freedom of speech, expression and the press is closely monitored and rigorously restricted in Iran. â€Å"There (are) no basic legal safeguards for freedom of expression and the government, notably the judiciary, arbitrarily enforces censorship measures against the independent press.† (â€Å"Human Rights,† 2010). The distribution of information is limited due to government as well as self-censorship from fear of retaliation. The Chairman of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, was asked on the Charlie Rose Show if anyone challenged the authority, ac tions or decrees of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader. He answered â€Å"Oh, definitely yes. Definitely, I mean, nobody is immune from challenge.† (â€Å"Human Rights,† 2010). Despite Larijani’s assurances, government officials regularly stifle free speech

Aristotle and Piety Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Piety Essay The Euthyphro is a much studied text of Plato’s, which unfortunately has left many people with some very serious questions. Primarily, why does the Euthyphro end in failure? Socrates was the wisest man alive, and for some reason his quest for understanding falls short. Yet somehow, I doubt that this has anything to do with a fault in the argument, but rather, the reason for the failure lies with Socrates main line of questioning. The problem is introduced with the idea of an â€Å"essence. † As Euthyphro comes to understand, it is a nigh indefinable idea. At the end of hours of looping questions, the only thing anyone has accomplished is a kind of hazy confusion about things you once thought you, understood. To be frank and realistic, I question whether anyone can define an â€Å"essence. † I personally tried to define the essence of something simple, anything would do. Unfortunately, now I’m no longer quite sure what a biscuit is. To try and define the â€Å"essence† of anything, especially something as complex as piety confuses the issue. Socrates is presented with Euthyphro’s idea of piety. That, in and of itself would not be enough, in my mind to define piety. Yet I’ll assume that Socrates, being the curious individual that he was, asked others about piety, and that should be enough to find a definition. Ethical relativism, an idea that Socrates uses to make several arguments, is in a sense, the â€Å"essence† of piety. Piety is different from person to person, so much so that there cannot be a standard to measure it by. The only universal standard of piety is that it is relative to each individual. Yet Socrates refuses to accept this conclusion, no matter which argument is presented to him, or no matter how clearly the answer is laid before him. Take for example, the argument that piety is defined as ‘that, which is dear to the gods’. Euthyphro believed he had identified the â€Å"essence† of piety by bringing up the fact that the actions and things loved by the gods. Socrates refuted this argument quite skillfully by saying that the gods disagree, thus leaving one with a dilemna. Yet people picked which gods to worship above the others (for example, Socrates worshiped Apollo above all other gods), and thus people also picked what was pious. For Euthyphro, to a degree, that was in fact piety, as defined by his religious convictions. Yet as was proved in other arguments by Euthyphro, it was not all that comprised his ideals. Another prime example of the varied ways which piety can be defined by an individual, is when Socrates and Euthyphro discuss the trial of Euthyphro’s father. To Euthyphro, phillial piety is not an issue. In this example, loyalty to law and order is a direct reflection of Euthyprho’s ideals of piety. It is again relative, and Socrates can illustrate quite artfully, how it doesn’t reflect the â€Å"essence† of piety. However, I can see no better example of piety, or at least of ethical relativism. For in this instance Euthyphro is following his own personal ideal of piety, with no regard for anything beside that. The basis of Socrates questioning is why the whole argument falls apart. If you persist in a line of questioning that cannot have an answer, you’ll never reach a conclusion. Even more to the point, if you constantly dispute the answer which recurs in every angle of your arguments, you’ll be hard pressed to find an answer which makes sense. What Socrates did in the Euthyphro would be like a mathematician refusing to accept pi as a number, while still using it in calculations. There is however a chance that Socrates understood all of this, ultimately wanted people to figure it out for themselves.

Town of Manchester Essay Example for Free

Town of Manchester Essay In the article â€Å"Kentucky Town of Manchester Illustrates National Obesity Crisis,† Wil Haygood demonstrates how the dangers of obesity are rampant in small towns. Specifically, how their surroundings are contributing to the alarming obesity rate in this charming little town of Manchester. While Haygood depicts how the locals â€Å"celebrate the joys of community closeness,† he also reveals how â€Å"it is one of the unhealthiest places of all†. In fact, he points out that an estimated 52% of the 2,100 residents are considered obese, and that a majority of those are young children. To illustrate, Haygood cites a research study conducted in Manchester and surrounding counties by Jill Day, a local resident. The findings revealed that â€Å"Of the 277 [children surveyed], eight of those fourth- and fifth-graders were underweight, 135 were healthy, 49 were overweight, and 85 were obese†. In other words, he is indicating that roughly 48% of children are suffering from this obesity epidemic. Haygood suggests the problem originates from having too many fast food restaurants without enough healthy alternatives; paired with the fact that there are not enough locations that promote activity or exercise. For example, Manchester has at least 8 fast food restaurants as well as a Wal-Mart that sells mostly snack food. The only place for exercise is a physical therapy office. He also addresses the notion that obesity is more hereditary than anything else. He quickly refutes this argument by simply quoting Jill Day: â€Å"Since 1980, obesity has tripled in children, so we can’t totally blame genetics for this increase†. Overall, Haygood highlights that while being from a small town is comforting and favorable, it may be just as damaging and detrimental.

Economic Analysis Of The Jamaican Economy Economics Essay

Economic Analysis Of The Jamaican Economy Economics Essay Economic growth  is a term generally measured by the amount of production in a country or region over a certain period of time. It can also be described as the increase of per capita  gross domestic product  (GDP) or other measures of aggregate income, typically reported as the annual rate of change in real GDP. Economic growth is primarily driven by improvements in  productivity, which involves producing more goods and services with the same inputs of labour, capital, energy and materials. For the purpose of this project we will be concentrating on economic growth in the long run FY 2012-2014. Jamaicas economy faces major long-term problems: a significant merchandise trade (imports and exports) deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a public debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio of almost 130 per cent. Jamaicas onerous public debt burden the fourth highest per capita is the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of its economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s, and hinders government spending on infrastructure and facilities and social programs as public debt servicing accounts for nearly half of government costs. Inflation rates rose noticeably in 2008 and have kept on increasing as a result of high prices or pricing for imported food stuffs and oil and gas. High unemployment continues to aggravate the major problem of crime and violence, which includes the gang violence that is fuelled by the drug trade (imports and exports). The Golding led government faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve financial discipline in order to sustain public debt repayments while simultaneously attacking a major and expanding crime problem that is hampering growth of the economy.   The Jamaican Economy has faced many economic challenges over the pass years especially during the recent recession period. The economy is still recovering from the direct hit which the country sustained in 2009 where exports and capital inflows weakened leading to negative growth. A steep depreciation of the nominal exchange rate has raised the cost of servicing variable rate debt, as well as the cost of rolling over existing loans. Amid volatility, macroeconomic policy remained tight despite the downturn. For the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), defending the currency had to take precedence over inflation targeting and stimulating GDP growth. Such global crisis has also negatively affected the fiscal accounts, with lower revenue and a significantly higher interest bill. The government implemented a new Debt Management Initiative, the Jamaica Debt Exchange (JDX) on January 14, 2010 to control future economic downturns, which they had experienced in past years (2007 to 2009), which had resulted in a negative growth period for the country. The initiative would see holders of Government of Jamaica (GOJ) bonds returning the high interest earning instruments for bonds with lower yields and longer maturities. The offer was taken up by over 95% of local financial institutions and was deemed a success by the government. The economic situation of Jamaica has worsened considerably, with the ongoing world financial crisis which has had devastating effects on the economy. The mining sector has been the hardest hit, while tourism and remittances flows have been on the decline. Most foreign exchange comes from remittances, tourism, and bauxite. Remittances account for nearly 20% of GDP roughly equivalent to tourism revenues. Three of Jamaicas four bauxite firms suspended operations in 2009 due to falling demand amid the global economic downturn. The country will continue to lose valuable resources from its exports in 2012-2014 while these firms are out of operation. This decline in remittances, and a contraction of consumer demand led to a deep recession with stubbornly high unemployment and underemployment. With such hardship the government of Jamaica had no choice but to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a multilateral lending agency. The government of Jamaica, with help from multilateral bodies, is resolved to addressing the nations challenges more effectively, thereby creating a sustainable growth path for increased foreign investments in the new decade. On the 4th of February 2010 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a US$1.27 billion Stand-By Facility loan agreement for a period of 3 years to underpin structural reforms and help Jamaica to withstand spill-overs of global financial storms that impacted main revenue streams. The IMF noted: The government has successfully completed a domestic debt exchange operation, which has contributed to a more equitable sharing of the burden of the overall fiscal adjustment. The exchange has also struck an appropriate balance in terms of delivering necessary cash flow savings while taking appropriate account of the need to ensure financial sector stability which should continue for the FY2012-2014. With such great assistance from the IMF, the government believes The upgrade sends a significant signal to international and local investors and will help in reinforcing confidence in the market for Jamaicas debt. This first step in the recovery of Jamaicas ratings reflects the governments aggressive policy actions as put forward in the economic programme, and the positive impact and success of the JDX. Economic outlook The launch of the Jamaica Debt Exchange Offer (JDX) in early 2010 has been seen as a positive step in the right direction, and the appreciation of the Jamaican dollar since it hit a low of J$89.73 in February 2010 has been slight but steady. The government has begun implementing much needed structural reforms, which should improve the fiscal balance by over 5% of GDP in FY 2010-2014 and onwards. Among them, a debt-swapping plan aimed at achieving interest savings of about 3% of GDP and two-thirds reduction in the amount of maturing debt over the next three years has been successfully implemented, with an acceptance level of almost 97% of bondholders. Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Wynter B. (2010), stated that The exceptionally high participation rate in the exchange makes the Jamaica Debt Exchange one of the most successful debt exchanges in the world. The JDX replaces 350 high priced government domestic bonds with 24 new bonds, priced at a lower (12.5%) interest rate with longer maturities, providing annual savings of J$40bn. The Governor further stated that Additionally, the magnitude of maturing debt is expected to decline by 65 percent over the next three years, and the significant reduction in the governments refinancing needs will ease the crowding-out effect of the government debt and the upward pressure that this would have placed on domestic rates. Jamaicas four-year programme for the financial year 2010-2014 focuses on four key objectives: To strengthen government finances by reforming public enterprises and passing a new fiscal responsibility law. Reforms of the financial sector to reduce systemic risks and enhance the countrys capacity to better withstand external shocks. A pro-active debt management strategy to eliminate debt overhang and reduce debt servicing costs. Jamaica spends J$182bn (US$2.1bn) on annual interest payments, which in turn, crowd out capital expenditures. Make the tax structure more efficient, whilst improving tax collection and administration. That would increase resources for targeted social projects. Despite the launch of the Jamaica Debt Exchange Offer (JDX), this has been seen by analysiss as a positive step in the right direction, and with the marginal appreciation of the Jamaican dollar in February 2010. The tourism sector, which comprises a sizable chunk of Jamaicas economy, was badly hit by the global economic crisis, but a marginally more favourable crime rate as well as new marketing strategies being developed by the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism and their counterpart throughout the Caribbean region bodes well for the industrys slow recovery over next five years. The IMF however is saying that they dont foresee Jamaica changing its growth patterns in the near future, stated Charles Ross. The debt has itself become an obstacle for growth because the country has to allocate so much of government resources into servicing the debt that very little is left for public investment in infrastructure that would facilitate growth. The island of Jamaica however has proven itself resilient by surviving the steepest contraction in world trade since the 1930s, and its macroeconomic fundamentals are slowly but surely improving. The government of Jamaica, with help from multilateral bodies, is resolved to addressing the nations challenges more effectively, thereby creating a sustainable growth path for increased foreign investments in the new decade. The 2010/11 budget provides for increased social spending while reducing recurrent expenditures. Fitch, the European rating agency, upgraded Jamaicas long-term local and foreign currency Issuer Default ratings to B- (with stable outlook). Also, Standard Poors and Moodys have upgraded Jamaicas sovereign ratings, reflecting strong commitment to tackling fiscal imbalance and the successful outcome of the Debt Exchange (JDX) programme. The government believes The upgrade sends a significant signal to international and local investors and will help in reinforcing confidence in the market for Jamaicas debt. This first step in the recovery of Jamaicas ratings reflects the governments aggressive policy actions as put forward in the economic programme, and the positive impact and success of the JDX. Economic theory suggests that sustainable increases in real income must be based on increases in productivity. Productivity may be defined as the amount of output produced (in terms of goods or services) per unit input used. Commonly applied measures include labour productivity as output per worker or output per labour-hour, and total productivity as output relative to all inputs used. Both measures have been used in recent years to explore the dynamics of Jamaicas economic performance. Jamaica continues to rank favourably on a number of indices of competitiveness and business climate. The 2010 Index of Economic Freedom, published by the Heritage Foundation (US), ranks it the 57th freest market of 179 countries, surpassing established EU members such as Portugal, France, Poland, Greece and Italy. The country has a track record of implementing micro-reforms that help encourage private enterprise and foreign direct investment (FDI). Reforms of trade regime and tax administration for the upcoming period 2011- 2014 should improve Jamaicas global ranking in the future business indicators. This reform is aimed at reducing tariffs, import fees and some import/export bans and the latter is geared toward simplifying tax payment procedures. Jamaicas relatively flexible labour regulations could be further improved to increase job creation and productivity growth in coming years Dr Williams D. (2010) of the University of the West Indies. The government aims to boost the export sectors contribution to GDP from its current one-fifth to one-third by 2013 through expanding volumes and higher value addition in priority sectors as well as seeking new markets, thereby reducing over-reliance on North America, which in 2008 accounted for 50% of Jamaicas exports. The latest projections by international financial institutions (IFIs) show the economy stabilizing in FY 2010/11 and thereafter (2012-2014). Output is expected to grow at 2%, with inflation abating to 6%. Higher Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in mining, tourism and other sectors will increase imports. However, continued FDI and gradually rising foreign exchange reserves (forex reserves) should offset the impact of current account deficit on the balance of payments. The IMF envisages the external deficit falling to 5% of GDP over the medium-term. The currencys depreciation in real effective terms has improved the competitiveness of exports both visible and invisible (i.e. services). The government aims to cut the budget deficit by half by 2014/15, whilst reducing the net public debt to GDP ratio. In short, Jamaica is putting its house in order. The countrys first long-term development plan Vision 2030 Jamaica (launched in 2008) inspires to attain developed country status by focusing on four core areas: a vibrant macro-economy; effective governance; world class education and training (especially science/technology); and greater security and safety. Jamaica has a realistic chance of achieving its national goals by 2030. However for the period 2012-2014 the three industries which are expected to perform well are the financial sector, the tourism industry and the Manufacturing industry. Industry Analysis Financial Sector The financial services industry in Jamaica consists of commercial banks, merchant and trust banks, credit unions, building societies and licensees under the Financial Institutions Act as well as non-deposit taking institutions including insurance companies, development banks and securities dealers. In 2008 there were 129 licensed financial institutions in Jamaica including 7 commercial banks, 46 credit unions, 17 insurance companies and 48 securities dealers, as well as 4 building societies, 3 FIA institutions and 4 development banks. Consistent with the current trend in developing countries, there are also a large number of foreign exchange Cambios, remittance and money transfer companies and bill payment companies that facilitate transactions between the domestic and international markets. There has been a reduction in the total number of institutions operating in the financial sector over the past decade, from 189 in 1996 to 129 in 2008. The lower numbers reflect closures, mergers and downsizing, with the effect of the most efficient institutions emerging. Commercial banks are the largest sub-group within the financial sector. In 2008, assets of commercial banks accounted for approximately 76.0 per cent of total assets of the financial system, with Building Societies at 19.0 per cent and FIAs at 5.0 per cent. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) was established in 2001 and there were several substantial amendments to the Bank of Jamaica Act, Banking Act, Money Laundering Act and Financial Institutions Act. The regulatory framework for the supervision of pension funds and credit unions also has been strengthened. The Jamaica Deposit Insurance Corporation (JDIC) was incorporated in August 1998 to provide insurance against the risk of loss of deposits held in insured financial institutions. The JDIC receives premiums from insured financial institutions at a rate of 0.15% of their total insurable deposits and the funds are invested to build the Deposit Insurance Fund. After such severe restructuring the financial sector regained some buoyancy which has seen its share of GDP climb to 10.8% to GDP in 2008 and the total assets of deposit-taking institutions in the financial sector increase from J$238.9 billion in 1999 to J$715.8 billion in 2008. However, much of this financial activity has been fuelled by the explosion of domestic debt, which also has seen the increased growth of the Jamaican money market as an intermediary between individual holders of capital and the government securities market (approximately half of the dealers funds under management are with retail clients). This has reduced the ability of the sector to provide the capital needed by the private sector for productive investments. As the sector restructures and the market becomes more competitive, financial institutions continue to refocus their attention to their core functions, as evidenced by increased loans to the productive sectors. Jamaica has considerably strengthened financial system oversight following a costly financial crisis in 1996-97. The financial system is deep and well-developed, the regulatory framework has in many respects been brought into line with best international practices, and supervision appears to be implemented in a systematic and professional manner. Remaining regulatory gaps and weaknesses in the financial infrastructure are well recognized by the authorities, who have implemented important reforms. Regulatory capital has also increased in most financial institutions to levels that permit a reasonable degree of resilience against macroeconomic shocks. However, data limitations prevented a full system-wide quantitative analysis of risks. During 2000-2008 the total stock of loans and advances increased by 587 percent and 308 percent, for commercial banks and FIA institutions, respectively. However, the volume of government debt held by these institutions decreased. The Bank of Jamaica and the Financial Services Commission continued to strengthen their respective regulatory framework in order to maintain stability within the industry and to conform to new developments in international standards. As at 31 March 2009, the seven commercial banks and two merchant banks (at the time) had total assets of J$582,515,204 billion with liabilities of J$516,216,670 billion resulting in total capital of J$35.649 billion. Manufacturing Sector The Manufacturing Sector represents a critical component of the economies of many developing countries including Jamaica. Jamaicas manufacturing sector is diverse and modern. Products encapsulated under this sectors activities are: beverages, processed foods, chemicals, plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and apparel. The island also produces spices and condiments, canned ackee and callaloo, as well as natural juices, soft drinks, beer, wines, spirits, and liqueurs. The manufacturing sector accounts for 12.8% of GDP per annum, employs approximately 7% of the labour force and is second in terms of sector contribution to real GDP. Jamaicas manufacturing sector grew during 2007 and contributed approximately 12.6% to total GDP, with total revenues exceeding US$700mn. Manufactured exports grew by 7.3% in 2007 to US$705.8 million, a reflection of higher export earnings from both non-traditional and traditional manufactured products; and  total investment in the manufacturing sector facilitated by Jamaica Trade and Invest amounted to J$3.6 billion during 2007. These investments spanned several sub-sectors including agro-processing, plastics, petrochemicals and cement. The petrochemical sub-sector was positively impacted by the development of an ethanol dehydration facility at Port Esquivel, St. Catherine. Further expansion also took place in the plastics sub-sector and in the cement sub-sector through modernization and upgrading of clinker and cement production facilities.  However, this overall picture of growth during 2007 was complemented by the Governments focus on increasing productivity in order to impact growth. Government implemented programmes that facilitated international competitiveness included worker skills training, technology upgrading, research and development, the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the Quality Jamaica Project, which includes training in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Manufactured exports represent approximately 12.6% of GDP in 2007, while the sector employs about 6.1% of the total labour force. Exports grew by 7.3% in 2007 to US$705.8 million, a reflection of higher export earnings from both non-traditional and traditional manufactured products. The global economic crisis in the last quarter of 2008, spurred by the financial collapse in the United States emerged, which had implications for the productive sector. Devaluation of the dollar, high interest rates, reduced domestic and export sales, credit crunch, high inflation, soaring oil prices, and skyrocketing input costs of raw material were some of the challenges experienced in the face of the world financial crisis. For the year 2008, the Jamaican economy contracted by an estimated 0.6%. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the Goods Producing Sectors contracted by 3.0%, while the Services Sectors grew by 0.3%. The performance of the economy was adversely affected by the sharp rise in commodity prices, the subsequent decrease in commodity prices due to the global financial crisis, decline in external demand for Jamaican goods and services, sharp decline in the availability of capital for fiscal budgetary support and private sector investment as well as the lingering effects of hurricane Dean and tropical storm Gustav. The sector contributed 8.5% to GDP and the total employed labour force grew by 3.5% to 80,100 persons. For the period, total manufactured exports also increased amounting to US$1,224.75 million, an increase of 37.5%. This was attributable mainly to increased export earnings from Non-traditional Exports of US$1,094.7 million. However, the sector declined by 1.2% due to a challenging environment and the global financial crisis which contracted the performance of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco and Other Manufacturing components of the industry by 2.4% and 0.2%, respectively. Tourism Industry Jamaicas economy relies heavily on tourism, which has become the countrys largest source of foreign exchange. Most tourists remain on the island for several days or weeks, although increasing numbers disembark only briefly from cruise ships at Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and the newly renovated and opened Falmouth Pier. These and other towns on the northern coast, as well as Kingston, are the tourist sectors main bases of activity. Jamaica is famous for its pleasant climate, fine beaches, and superb scenery, including the waters of Montego Bay and the majestic Blue Mountains. Industry Performance The tourism industry has shown strong and sustained growth since Independence. The total number of visitor arrivals to Jamaica has grown from some 271,692 in 1962 and 670,202 visitor arrivals in 1982 to a total of 2,860,544 visitor arrivals in 2008, an annual increase of 5.3% over the 46 year period. The island saw a record 3,016,898 visitors in 2006. The islands tourism accommodation stock increased from 10,327 rooms in 1982 to 29,794 rooms in 2008, while total receipts from tourists grew from US$337.8 million in 1982 to US$1,975.5 million in 2008. The development of the tourism sector over this period has seen an increase in the relative importance of cruise passenger arrivals which grew from 29% of total visitor arrivals in 1982 to 38 % of total arrivals in 2008. There also has been the emergence of globally competitive Jamaican-owned all inclusive hotel chains such as Sandals, SuperClubs and Couples, and the diversification of tourism markets including growth in arrivals from the United Kingdom, Europe and the Caribbean in addition to the traditional North American markets. As one of the best-known island destinations, Jamaica enjoys significant competitive advantages in Tourism and Travel Services. Based on its strong brand image, an appealing natural environment and human and cultural assets, the Jamaican Tourism industry has been identified as one of the key industrial clusters deemed capable of driving sustainable economic growth in the long term. Jamaica has had a long experience as a tourist destination, being a favoured retreat for travelers from Europe since the eighteenth century. The tourism industry, however, started in earnest in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, with the first systematic efforts by Government to promote the industry, and by private investors to establish large hotels. The emergence of the industry coincided with the rapid economic growth of the United States, which has remained the main source of visitors up to the present. Jamaica has been one of the best-known resort vacation destinations in the world for decades. Originally known for its stunning physical beauty and as a playground for the rich and famous, the island has since seen its tourism industry experience significant growth and diversification. Jamaica currently boasts one of the most diverse visitor accommodation sectors in the Caribbean, including world-famous all-inclusive resorts, upscale hotels and villas, and a range of distinctive tourist accommodations and attractions. While the tourism sector is a major earner of foreign exchange there is a relatively high leakage of these benefits through imports of goods and services and payments of interest and investment income to overseas providers of capital. In order to retain more of the value added by the tourism sector linkages between the tourism and the other sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing and services need to be enhanced. In-depth analysis of the manufacturing industry Manufacturing Sector The Manufacturing Sector represents a critical component of the economies of many developing countries including Jamaica. Jamaicas manufacturing sector is diverse and modern. Products encapsulated under this sectors activities are: beverages, processed foods, chemicals, plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and apparel. The island also produces spices and condiments, canned ackee and callaloo, as well as natural juices, soft drinks, beer, wines, spirits, and liqueurs. The manufacturing sector accounts for 12.8% of GDP per annum, employs approximately 7% of the labour force and is second in terms of sector contribution to real GDP. Jamaicas manufacturing sector grew during 2007 and contributed approximately 12.6% to total GDP, with total revenues exceeding US$700mn. Manufactured exports grew by 7.3% in 2007 to US$705.8 million, a reflection of higher export earnings from both non-traditional and traditional manufactured products; and  total investment in the manufacturing sector facilitated by Jamaica Trade and Invest amounted to J$3.6 billion during 2007. These investments spanned several sub-sectors including agro-processing, plastics, petrochemicals and cement. The petrochemical sub-sector was positively impacted by the development of an ethanol dehydration facility at Port Esquivel, St. Catherine. Further expansion also took place in the plastics sub-sector and in the cement sub-sector through modernization and upgrading of clinker and cement production facilities.  However, this overall picture of growth during 2007 was complemented by the Governments focus on increasing productivity in order to impact growth. Government implemented programmes that facilitated international competitiveness included worker skills training, technology upgrading, research and development, the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the Quality Jamaica Project, which includes training in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Manufactured exports represent approximately 12.6% of GDP in 2007, while the sector employs about 6.1% of the total labour force. Exports grew by 7.3% in 2007 to US$705.8 million, a reflection of higher export earnings from both non-traditional and traditional manufactured products. The global economic crisis in the last quarter of 2008, spurred by the financial collapse in the United States emerged, which had implications for the productive sector. Devaluation of the dollar, high interest rates, reduced domestic and export sales, credit crunch, high inflation, soaring oil prices, and skyrocketing input costs of raw material were some of the challenges experienced in the face of the world financial crisis. For the year 2008, the Jamaican economy contracted by an estimated 0.6%. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the Goods Producing Sectors contracted by 3.0%, while the Services Sectors grew by 0.3%. The performance of the economy was adversely affected by the sharp rise in commodity prices, the subsequent decrease in commodity prices due to the global financial crisis, decline in external demand for Jamaican goods and services, sharp decline in the availability of capital for fiscal budgetary support and private sector investment as well as the lingering effects of hurricane Dean and tropical storm Gustav. The sector contributed 8.5% to GDP and the total employed labour force grew by 3.5% to 80,100 persons. For the period, total manufactured exports also increased amounting to US$1,224.75 million, an increase of 37.5%. This was attributable mainly to increased export earnings from Non-traditional Exports of US$1,094.7 million. However, the sector declined by 1.2% due to a challenging environment and the global financial crisis which contracted the performance of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco and Other Manufacturing components of the industry by 2.4% and 0.2%, respectively. Economic outlook for the Manufacturing sector A more economic perspective for the Jamaican manufacturing is to see interest rates trending down, Banks beginning to make loans and sustained stability in the exchange rate. This sector is showing some renewed buoyancy and has shown significant growth over the last two quarters. Despite the tough economic conditions, manufacturing is predicted to contribute positively as this area will be a focal part for the government as this area should harness more growth and development. The government expects to boost this sector to create employment through the money it receives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We expect that this will continue, as this is a very important sector representing a large chunk of overall GDP. So whatever happens to manufacturing will have an overall impact on the economy. These are some very good investment opportunities for the manufacturing sector for the coming years. Agro- processing: Canned vegetables and canned fruit present good opportunities for investment in the food processing sector. Chemicals and chemical products: Reference is being made particularly to aluminium sulphate, detergents and paints, which showed steady growth in 2007. This is expected to continue as the construction industry is projected to grow by 4.5 percent in 2008 which will be facilitated by the growth in Non-residential and hotel sectors as well as expansion of the sea and airports. Bio- technology: Jamaica is blessed with a number of indigenous herbs which can be used in the promotion of health and wellness. Food processing, Beverages and Tobacco: The food processing sector grew by 3.3 per cent in 2007, while growth in the beverages and tobacco sun-sectors stood at 1.8 per cent. These sectors are expected to grow due to the anticipated increase in the food production. For the Manufacturing Sector in Jamaica the identification of strengths and weaknesses represents the internal assessment of the sector while the consideration of opportunities and threats represents the analysis of the external environment for the sector. STRENGTHS Sourcing and Procurement Current availability of high quality raw Jamaican materials (including agricultural products, limestone, cement) Strong international supply relationships Reduction of duties on imported raw materials Production Largest contributor to GDP of all goods-producing sectors World-class enterprises in several manufacturing subsectors and industries (including food processing and beverage industries, paint, plastic containers) Ability to make high quality products Numerous small and diverse production facilities allowing for a range of focused niche markets and products Environment Availability of some green raw materials Limited use of environmentally friendly/clean production technologies Finance Downward trend in deposit interest rates making equity investments in manufacturing relatively more attractive Human Resources Large employer of labour Pool of trainable workforce Innovativene

Social Construction of Child and Childhood Essay examples -- Psycholog

Social construction of child and childhood To start with an overview of social constructionism in very general terms leads to build understandings of child and childhood in a social world more explicitly. Notion of social construction is defined in diverse disciplines and instead of generating a description there are a number of thoughts. â€Å"It is sometimes called a movement, at other times a position, a theory, a theoretical orientation, an approach; psychologists remain unsure of its status (Stam 2001, p. 294)†. Vivien (1995, p. 10) points the origin of social constructionism stems from two to three hundred years ago in the period of enlightenment, modernism and postmodernism. By all means, Berger and Luckmann’ (1966) book The Social Construction of Reality as a first book have a title of â€Å"social construction† has influential contributes in recent studies (Hacking, 1999). In this book, questioning everyday life realities and giving examples from it, shows the importance of social relations and l anguage that we used. Hacking’ The Social Construction of What? (1999) offers up-to-date and logical instances which supports to comprehend those aspects. He listed a number of things to be socially constructed and X as a generic label is used by him to work things as they are. First X does not exist or it is not generated by any natural thing then X existed by history, social interactions and with similar things. He discussed all too often after this process, using theory of social construction results in to change or destroy X render ‘normalisation’. Gender is one of the good examples that he gave which always come to mind whether it is constructed or not. Put it in a simple way, when X is gender; inequalities between men and women caus... ...ook the back of the book (Miller, 1995). Cognitive inability to realize other’ perspective and lack of social conversation are propounded by Piaget the reasons of the egocentrism. Children talk while they play with peers however; this communication does not necessarily related to each other that even in group self communication can exist. He suggests based on his own observations such this speech decrease with age. In other words, egocentric thinking transition from autistic to social thinking and when child start to think silently egocentrism disappear (Piaget,1950). Vygotsky’ view departs from this point; in contradiction age decline he claimed initial mission of egocentric speech is cognitive self- guidance rather than social communication (Rubin, 1973). In commonsense, egocentrism is shaped by development of thoughts but, Piaget attributed it genetic roots.

The Concerns of Internet Censorship Essays -- Censoring Internet Right

The Concerns of Internet Censorship As a professional Internet publisher and avid user of the Internet, I have become concerned with laws like the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) that censor free speech on the Internet. By approving the CDA, Congress has established a precedent which condones censorship regulations for the Internet similar to those that exist for traditional broadcast media. Treating the Internet like broadcast media is a grave mistake because the Internet is unlike any information medium that has been created. My concerns about Internet censorship prompted me to write "Internet Censorship is Absurd and Unconstitutional." In the essay, I outline why I believe that the Internet should not be censored in any way for two reasons. First, any law advocating censorship of the Internet is too broad and unenforceable on this global information medium. Second, Internet censorship is a breach of First Amendment rights for those users residing in the United States. The essay will provide insight into why self regulation is the only viable solution to the problems that have and will be presented to the Internet. Should it be illegal to publish literature with "indecent" content on the Internet but perfectly legal to publish that same work in print? This question has spawned the debate over Internet censorship, which is currently raging in the United States Congress as well as in other political forums around the world. The question as to whether the Internet should be censored will continue to be debated for many years to come. As with any political topic, the debate over Internet censorship has its extremes. Many proponents of Internet censorship want strict control over this new information medium. Proponents of Internet censorship such as Senator Jim Exon (D-NE), co-author of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), are in favor of putting strict laws into place regulating the Internet in order to protect children: "The Decency Act stands for the premise that it is wrong to provide pornography to children on computers just as it is wrong to do it on a street corner or anywhere else" (Exon). These proponents suggest creating laws for the Internet similar to those now in place for television and radio. Those strongly opposing Internet regulations, such as the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC), assert that the Internet is not li... ...1997): n. pag. Online. Internet. 19 Mar. 1997. Available: http://pathfinder.com/@@sAbDXgQAlb0upRm2/time/daily/1997/970319/970319-1.html. [Time magazine report on the Supreme Court appeal of the CDA case.] Net Nanny Software International. Untitled. n. pag. Online. Internet. 3 Jun. 1997. Available: http://www.netnanny.com/. [Home page for the Net Nanny Software company which describes the software’s purpose and appropriate usage.] Plummer, James C. "Decent Information?" Consumers’ Research Magazine Aug. 1996: 33. [An editorial on the CDA questioning it’s premise.] Recreational Software Advisory Council Web Site. Online. Internet. 3 Jun. 1997. Available: http://www.rsac.org/. [Web site for the RSACi rating system which explains the system’s purpose and appropriate usage.] Sirico, Robert A. "Don’t Censor the Internet." Forbes 29 July 1996: 48. [Editorial outlining concerns about governmental control of the Internet and alternatives.] Whitmer, Clair. "Man Gets 5 Years for Online Child Porn." CNet, Inc. (23 Feb. 1996): n. pag. Online. Internet. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,787,00.html. [Report of a man sentenced for sending child pornography via the Internet.]

Essay --

In the Crito, Socrates debates with his friend and follower Crito on escaping from prison where Socrates awaits execution. Crito unsuccessfully attempts to persuade Socrates to escape from prison but the latter is adamant and opts to remain in prison and meet his fate. This paper argues that Socrates had strong convictions in his arguments. Therefore, the paper defends Socrates decision citing it as accurate and commendable even though it marked the end of his life. Firstly, the paper examines Crito’s propositions exhibiting the eminent strong points as well as the destabilizing shortcomings. The second part examines Socrates defense outlining why it was the rightful choice. The main attention will be on Socrates core argument founded on justice and doing injustice maligns one’s soul. Therefore, the paper concludes by phrasing that it is not worth to live with a tainted, distraught and ruined soul. Propositions by Crito According to Crito, there are three major reasons as to why Socrates should escape from the prison. Notably, Crito offers lame self centered excuses for Socrates escape. Indeed, two of the reasons do not stand ground whereas the third concentrates on the victim’s responsibility to his offspring. Crito begins by proposing Socrates escape because failing to do so will doubly hurt him. Firstly, Crito enjoys a warm and cordial friendship with Socrates. Therefore, his execution would distraught and melancholy him. On the other hand, Crito says that the execution of Socrates will harm his reputation. People will tantalize, taunt and jeer him for valuing his monies more than the life of his friend. This is because Crito can bribe Socrates way out of prison. According to Crito, the population will be prejudicial to him un... ...educed that it is not significant to live but instead to live a just and moral life. The second argument that supports Socrates decision to stay in prison is that of the repercussions to the city of Athens. If Socrates escaped, the Athens city together with its fabric, laws, would be annihilated. By the extension, destruction of the Athens’ city equally destroyed the lives of people of Athens. Socrates argues that harming others is similar to harming ones soul because such an act constituted an unjust act. Therefore, it was a wiser decision to meet death rather than escape. Finally, Socrates considers the consensus argument in his decision to stay in prison. Escaping from prison broke his consensus with his city and such an act constituted injustice. Therefore, it constituted maligning one’s soul and, therefore, it was better to die than live with an unjust soul.

An examination of the presentation of two magazine advertisements Essay

There are two magazine advertisements advertising two separate products both jewellery in nature. A stainless steel Rolex watch named the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’. An expensive sophisticatedly designed watch for people of the wealthy businesspersons category. The other a ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘exclusive Triple ring’; suitable for a gift to a lover or a self-indulged treat, this is aimed at the average workingpersons category as it says ‘Need send no money now’, and ‘For only i 75. 00’, both money saving phrases. Both have a key selling point. The advertisement for the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ key selling point is the fact that the Rolex is boldly shown in a large picture at the bottom of the page. This catches the attention of the reader and quickly conveys the subject and nature of the advertisement. This also intrigues readers to read the article, which means that they will find out more about the product and get a better understanding of the piece, therefore increasing the chance of a sale. The advertisement for the ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ has a similar key selling point. The ring is boldly situated at the top centre of the entire page. This is the first image that the reader will acknowledge and will catch the attention of the reader and quickly convey the subject and nature of the advertisement to them. Also the title of the advertisement – ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’, gives an instant sense of wealth and adventure to the advertisement enticing the reader to read the rest of the article therefore increasing the chance of a sale. Examples of imaginative and factual language are apparent in the presentation of both advertisements. One advertisement advertises a ‘sliver triple ring’, which has been entitled the ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver triple ring in gold font. Aphrodite was a ‘heavenly Greek goddess of beauty and love’ from Roman Greek times. The ring does not contain or consist of Aphrodite’s jewels. But if it did, however, the ring would be of astonishing value. This portrays the ring to be of an extremely higher value than the asking price. This draws attention to the advertisement as people are drawn to the sheer wealth portrayed by the advertisement, this is also emphasised by the gold font. This then seems to be an astonishing bargain when the ring is priced at seventy-five pounds. This will create a boost in sales as it forges the bargain to be of greater saving than what actually exists. The order form is entitled ‘Post now to secure your order! ‘ This makes the reader think that the product is in demand and that the order form must be sent with haste in order to obtain one. The ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement uses factual language in its presentation. Quotes are used in this presentation: ‘For Sir Norman Forster, good design is generated by people’s needs. He has answered these needs with outstanding architectural solutions in his native England, throughout Europe – and most notably – in Hong Kong. It was Foster’s design for the head quarters of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank that confirmed his position at the forefront of international architecture. ‘ This quote emphasises the importance of ‘Sir Norman Foster’, and how much he is revered internationally. It emphasises the fact that massive international corporations turn to ‘Sir Norman Foster’ when in need, and he answers them; perhaps portraying him to be more important, bigger, and more powerful than these corporations who come to him. ‘Sir Norman Foster’ is thus seen to be a very big, important man to the reader. He is wearing the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ showing that the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ is â€Å"The Watch† for people of his class. To the reader this may give the impression that if the watch is good enough for someone as revered as ‘Sir Norman Foster’, then it is more than good enough for him or her. An example of imaginary language in the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement includes the entire text. It uses ambiguous language to represent a link between Sir Norman Foster’s work, and the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’. For example when it says: ‘Good design is generated by people’s needs. He has answered these needs with outstanding architectural solutions’ This could be talking about the watch answering people’s needs all over the world, or Sir Norman Foster’s architecture designs answering people’s needs. Also: ‘This supremely elegant building epitomises many of Foster’s beliefs as an architect. ‘ This can be seen as a metaphor with the ‘building’ representing the watch epitomising ‘many of Foster’s beliefs as an architect. ‘ ‘The interior is extraordinarily light and airy. This is achieved by a complex of steel supports which leave vast uncluttered spaces’ This is another good example of the ambiguous language used. Showing the unique architectural structure of the building that also relates to the watch. This language is used for the same purpose in both adverts. It is used to give a positive view on the product and making the product an object of desire. Persuading the reader that the product is something that would be ultimately worth possessing. Having this language presented in the title is a better way of presenting it, as this is the initial information that the reader digests, therefore leaving a positive impression. Presenting it in a block of writing means that the reader will not be as enticed to read a block of writing as to a more visual or digestible document. There are typical phrases presented in both advertisements. The ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ advertisement has many examples of ‘typical’ phrases. ‘For only i 75. 00’ is very typical, trying to emphasise and give the impression that the asking price is ‘only’ a fraction of the true value. ‘You need send no money now’ is another example of a ‘typical’ phrase. The aim of this is to convince the reader that they are getting a good deal and that they are in control. The reader will be more willing to purchase the product of the finance is not immediate. The general intended impact on the audience from both advertisements is that the product that they are selling is an object of desire. They would be revered to if in possession of the product as it is ultimately worth possessing. There are typical phrases presented in the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement: ‘Is it any surprise he should wear a Rolex? ‘ This is giving emphasis to the point that he is a man who is revered internationally so consequently there is only â€Å"one watch† for him – the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’. This has the effect on the reader that makes the watch appear at a higher level of desirability as it is underlining that the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ is the watch for people of his class. One immediate difference that is clearly visible is the background colour. The advertisement for the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ has a simple plain white colour background contrasting with the black font. This gives the advertisement a contemporary, sophisticated feel to it. Although it posses this quality, the colour does not have an enticing effect to the reader to draw them in to view the advertisement. This strongly affects the effectiveness of the advertisement to the reader. The ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ however, has very enticing qualities. The background colour is a deep, rich alluring purple with complementing white, symmetrical, silhouettes of religious statues. To contrast, this already has a visual advantage over the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement, as it will lure more readers to it as the colours are more eye catching and attractive. It gives the advertisement a sense of mysticality, exploration, and wealth. This will make more of an impression on the readers mind and will make then remember the product, or desire the product to a higher degree. The text colour of the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement contrasts with the background colour making the text stand out to the reader giving it a contemporary sense. The text font is not very bold making it unpalatable to read. The colour scheme in the picture of ‘Sir Norman Foster’, top central to the page, is related to the advertisement. In the picture, ‘Sir Norman Foster’ is surrounded by completely white background and surroundings. This is linked to the background of the advertisement. Completely white. ‘Sir Norman Foster’ is wearing black in the picture. This represents the link between him and the text in the advertisement, showing that the text is related to him. In the background right of ‘Sir Norman Foster’ is one of his famous metallic masterpieces of architectural art. This represents the watch in the foreground of the advertisement. Both are of a stainless steel colour and are represented as â€Å"masterpieces†. This colour co-ordination is very effective in showing the link between ‘Sir Norman Foster’ and his internationally recognised designs, and the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’. The colour of the watch is diverse from the general colour scheme of the advertisement. This makes the watch appear to be superior and different from the rest. The entity of this colour scheme creates a contemporary feel. It gives the watch images of sophistication and wealth. The ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ advertisement colour scheme compliments the ring. The background consists of a deep dark rich purple colour, the same as the ‘Jewels’ on the ring. ‘Aphrodite was the ‘heavenly Greek goddess of beauty and love’ and this is a colour associated with love. Therefore both colours convey love and romance. Also in the background are faint silhouettes of two white statues standing as pillars, as if to be the entrance to a temple or similar. Surrounding the ring is a subtle, restrained white glow. Signifying purity and perfection. This white glow compliments the silhouettes beneath the purple, conveying the image that the ring is linked to the statues making the ring appear to be holy, and sacred. â€Å"Sparkles† have been added to the corners of the ring making it appear to be glistening relating the ring to wealth and luxury. The background purple is increasingly dark all the way down the centre of the page. Around the ring the background is brighter as if the ring has lit it up. It appears as if the ring has come from the darkness and lit up the surroundings similar to the discovery of hidden treasures. This conveys that the ring is full of adventure. It is a sacred treasure to be discovered and the reader can discover it. The gold colour of the title ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ creates an image of wealth and prosperity, assuring the reader of the wealth of the product and the value of owning the product. Subtitles are in a light blue, turquoise colour. This contrasts with the purple and makes the subtitles appear bold and stand out. The text of the subtitles is black opposing the light blue, turquoise colour making the text apparent to the reader. This makes the information in the advertisement more digestible as it is broke down into sections. The Order Form consists of a faint yellow colour and has a red title, ‘Post now to secure your order’. The red signifies danger and importance to the reader making the s evident immediately. Urging the reader to hasten and buy the product. The entity of this colour scheme gives the ring a sense of wealth and class. It creates images of wealth, prosperity and affluence. The layout of the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement oozes sophistication. The layout of the almost symmetrical block text mounted on a plain white background gives the whole advert a sense of sophistication and contemporary design. The title is spread across the top of the page in the same format as the text. This is a better way of presenting the title as apposed to having a diversified, more decorative font. The picture of ‘Sir Norman Foster’ is central to the top of the page. The text is presented round the picture. This signifies his importance and significance, as the advert appears to revolve around Sir Norman Foster’s picture, as if he is the core of the ‘Rolex’ advertisement, as if he is the front of the advertisement. The large colour image of the ‘Rolex’ communicates the nature of the advert quickly and effectively. This draws the attention of the reader and will entice them to read the text. This layout reflects the target audience to be sophisticated successful businesspeople who very contemporary and have wealth. The layout of the ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ advertisement is very original. The first piece of information is the price at the top of the page: ‘An Exclusive Silver Triple Ring For Only i 75. 00*! ‘ This will be the first piece of information that the reader will take in. This will make them curious to find out what is marked at this price. The main focus is on the ring at the top centre of the page following on from the title. This grasps the attention of the reader and will entice them to read the text and find out more about the product. Subsequently the subtitles follow. They are positioned further down the page, as it is only relevant information to the reader if they are interested in purchasing the product. At the very bottom of the page is an exploded diagram of the ring split into three layers. This gives the reader the impression that they are getting more value for their money, i. e. three rings for the price of one. In the bottom right corner of the page is the order form. This is presented at the bottom, as it is only relevant to the reader if they have read all of the text above and wish to make a purchase. This layout reflects that target audience to be average workingpersons. All that phrases presented boldly in the advertisement are all to do with low finance and superficial wealth. After a careful examination of the presentation of these two magazine advertisements I have come to the conclusion that the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement is the more successful advertisement. My reason for this is that the aim of this advertisement is to give the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ an image of sophistication, and contemporary design. It does not try to persuade the reader that they are getting a good â€Å"bargain† for their money but to make the object more desirable. The ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement is simple and easy to digest, whereas the ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ advertisement has a lot of information and does not convey it well. The ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement uses almost all factual language and does not need to use imagery to sell the product. This has a greater positive effect on the reader as they feel that they are being sold genuine quality, as apposed to inferior, superficial products. The ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement is plain and spacious, making an easy view. But the ‘Jewels of Aphrodite’ silver ‘Triple ring’ advertisement is cluttered uninviting to view. Also the ‘Rolex – Oyster – GMT Mater II’ advertisement uses a practical example of a consumer of the product who is approving the watch showing the reader that it is the genuine article and that they can see for themselves how superior the product really is.