The Odyssey is an epic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Odyssey is an epic - Essay Example The advancement in pragmatic and sociolinguistic regulations, in language utilization, is imperative to language learners to assists in the development of the pragmatic concept in their communication at societal, academic and professional levels (Horn & Ward 2004). These developments are essential in the comprehension and creation of language that is apposite to the presented situations or contexts. Pragmatics aims at portraying the attributes of the speech context that assists, in the determination of the right propositions, to utilize within a certain sentence. Pragmatic feature of presented meaning entails the interactions between the contexts of a phrase and the elucidation of the elements within these terms. In social context, pragmatics can be utilized with or without vagueness depending on the existing situations. In performatives, certain speech acts have to be put in place, where certain words ought to be utilized by the appropriate persons and in the appropriate context. In certain circumstances, the choice of proposition utilized within a sentence ought to go along with ceremonial or ritual deeds. However, certain situations within the social context bear different pragmatic requirements where propositions used cannot be applied in any other context due to its vagueness or ambiguity (Horn & Ward 2004). Individuals have the capability of choosing the appropriate speech acts and applying them in the social context.

Operations Management as an integral component of a manufacturing Essay

Operations Management as an integral component of a manufacturing industry - Essay Example MRP ensures that there is just about enough materials available for production. If this planning is not efficiently done, there is the likelihood of either finding oneself in a situation where the materials for production is less than required leading to disruption in production or having too much of materials resulting in wasteful spending. MRP has evolved with the computer technology. Its full potential embracing all aspects is prevalent in data base software and there is tremendous scope for utilization of all the heads and sub-heads for the purpose of manufacture of unique and desirable product. It operates on the basis of a master schedule and develops the requirement for materials. The software is programmed to procure different materials for a product. MRP has to be tuned to production planning. Otherwise there will be mismatch in procurement. Normally, MRP through the use of computer is good for mass production where the volume of manufacture is high. Production planning is a part of the master schedule and sees through the MRP. It is an input to capacity plan. The MRP software is complex and so the user has to be provided training so that he is in a position to apply his knowledge in the use the software to the actual requirement of the organization. He must be capable of understanding the software to maximize its use so that the computer is not seen as something that only produces reports with information of non-relevance and disuse. Once the details in the customers' orders are fed into the integrated database, the system checks the schedule as against the current capacity. If the inputs of the materials requirement exceed current capacity, it provides the alternatives for increasing capacity or creating adjustments in the master schedule. The process of MRP must suit its environment to optimize production. In other words, business adapts MRP to suit the market. The computerized version of MRP is complex and is designed to cater to high volumes (Material Requirement Planning MRP). While on the subject, it is necessary to gauge the break-even point with MRP. There are several ways of analyzing the break-even point. Costs and sales forecast analysis is one of them (Decision Making). Total Quality Management (TQM) Total Quality Management is that aspect of management where there is awareness of maintaining quality at every level. According to the International Organization for Standardization, "TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered

Asylum Seekers and Benefits

Asylum Seekers and Benefits A Report on Asylum Seekers and Benefits. I. Introduction In the run up to the general election, asylum is once again in the headlines. The refugee council report (RC: 2004: 2) that asylum is the third most important issue in voters’ minds. Despite its importance as an issue, reliable information about asylum is difficult to come by. Media reports are sensationalist, often using a vocabulary that is derogatory or just plain incorrect. For example, the term ‘illegal asylum seeker’ is often used. Yet as a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, anyone has the right to make an asylum claim, and they have a legal right to stay while they make their claim (UN: 1951: Article 31.1). Thus, no asylum seeker is illegal while making a claim. This report will attempt to address some of these misconceptions by analysing asylum seekers in the UK, and in particular the relationship of asylum seekers to benefits and the welfare state. The perceived sapping of the welfare state by asylum seekers is one of the issues the press hi ghlights in its coverage of asylum. This report will argue that fears over asylum seekers draining the welfare state are misplaced, and statistics from the London local authorities will be analysed to make this argument. II. What is an Asylum Seeker? An asylum seeker, simply put, is someone claiming the status of asylum. The 1951 UN treaty on refugees states (ibid) that an asylum seeker must only have a reasonable chance of persecution in his or her country of origin in order to be granted asylum. Asylum seekers may come from anywhere in the world. For the last two years the bulk of the asylum seekers coming to the UK have been from Afghanistan and Iraq (RC: 2004:5): but the 1951 convention states that application from all countries must be considered. What we have witnessed over the last ten years in the UK is the putting in place of a whole series of restrictions against the spirit, if not the actual wording, of the 1951 convention. For instance, while the convention demands that applications from all countries be considered, the government has set up a ‘safe list’ of countries from which applications for asylum will not be considered (UN: 1951:Article 3, HO: 2002/267). Furthermore, as Craze notes   (2002:4): â€Å"since the 1950’s, Europe has witnessed a closing of its borders. In Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in Morocco, an enormous electrified fence has been erected to try to prevent immigrants from crossing into Fortress Europe and naval ships now patrol the gulf of Gibraltar on the look out for immigrants.† When understanding the way asylum works in the UK, it is important to situate it in terms of the political shifts that have occurred Europe-wide. Such shifts have made asylum applications increasingly difficult, and have demonised and marginalized people who have a legal basis to make their claim. III. How many Asylum Seekers come to the UK? Asylum figures are dogged by controversy and heated debate. Yet, the recent data from the UNHCR (UNHCR: 2005) seems to suggest an opposite state of affairs to that suggested by the tabloid press. Asylum applications round the world have dropped sharply for the third year in a row, and are now at their lowest level for sixteen years. There is a 19% percent drop in asylum applications in the EU, with a 33% fall in the UK: which means there has been a decline of 66% in the last two years. For instance, in the Westminster Local Authority (Wesminster: 2005), there were 1,453 asylum seekers claiming support in April 2003. By march 2004; this had dropped to just 973. This drop was paralleled elsewhere in London, where in the same time period the number of asylum seekers seeking support fell from 42,137 to 32,245. In the UK, there are presently 40,200 asylum seekers compared to 60,050 in 2003. In 2001, Armenia absorbed 70 refugees per 1000 inhabitants: in comparison, Britain absorbed only two (HO: 2001). Furthermore, in 2003 Britain was only ranked the ninth country in Europe for accepting applications per capita. At this juncture is must be remembered that the vast majority of asylum seekers never manage to leave the countries immediately surrounding the country they fled: African countries support far more refugees than European countries, despite having less far less resources to deal with them. Thus, the exaggeration of the press, who propose that Britain is being swamped with asylum seekers, is unfounded. The UK receives a relatively small number of asylum seekers per capita, and that number is falling rapidly. Finally, it should be remembered that the UK has a legal obligation to accept asylum seekers while they make their claim. IV. What burden do Asylum Seekers place on the UK welfare state? It is frequently alleged that asylum seekers only arrive in the UK because our welfare system is a ‘soft’ touch. Yet, a recent Home Office report (HORS: 2002:15) concluded that family, language and colonial history determine where asylum seekers go, not the level of welfare state provision. People do not arrive in the UK hoping to exploit the welfare state. Furthermore, the level of welfare state provision for asylum seekers is woefully inadequate. Asylum seekers are not eligible for normal benefit services. Instead, if asylum seekers want to apply for benefits they must apply to the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). Through this service, a single adult is eligible for just  £38.96 a week, only 70% of basic income support. An Oxfam/Refugee Council report (2002: 19) concludes that many asylum seekers do not even access these funds, due to a poorly administrated system. They found that 85% of asylum seekers experience hunger during their application, and 95% cannot afford clothes and basic essentials. In December 2003, 80,000 asylum seekers were receiving Home Office support, compared to 1.5 million UK nationals (not including people receiving pensions). Given the financial information we noted above, that means that asylum seekers account for just 0.5% of the total benefit budget. Given this information, we can see that the claims of the press are completely unfounded. Further, under section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, in January 2003 many asylum seekers were denied basic support. This denial was made on the grounds that asylum seekers had not applied for asylum in ‘reasonable time.’ However, as we noted above, given immigration restrictions in the UK it is almost impossible to enter the country legally to make an appeal. If we refer to Appendix I: the total number of asylum seekers supported by London Authorities, we can see that during the period the bill was implemented the number asylum seekers being supported dropped steeply from 34,175 to 32,281. In June of this year, a high court decision has found such a denial of benefit in breach of the human rights of the asylum seekers, and the government has been forced to reinstate it pending an appeal by the government. Given the extent of the discourse on asylum being a drain on the UK welfare state, it is perhaps surprising to remember the myriad benefits asylum brings. A home office report (quoted RC: 2002:1) show people born outside the UK, including asylum seekers, contribute 10% more in taxes and national insurance contributions than they cost in benefits. In 1998/9, that gives the UK economy a boost of  £2.6 billion. Asylum seekers also bring a wealth of experience into the country. A report from the department of works and pensions   (DWP: 2001) shows that 53% of refugees had academic qualifications. However, since July 2002, asylum seekers are prevented from using their qualifications by government policy that makes it impossible for asylum seekers to work while their claim is being processed. The Medical Practioners Union (quoted, RC: 2001: 3), roundly condemning government policy, points out that despite the massive shortage of trained personnel for the NHS, the government still refus es to open up the health service job market to qualified asylum seekers: despite the fact that it costs only  £5,000 to retrain a foreign doctor, compared to a cost of  £250,000 to train a British doctor from scratch. Thus, while the figures on asylum numbers we analysed in section III are important, they must be placed in a context of the positive benefits asylum seekers bring to the contrary, and a debilitating government policy that prevents them doing even more.    V. Conclusion This report has briefly analysed the current status of asylum in the UK today. Current debates on asylum are marred by a xenophobic anxiety about asylum that distorts the information we have available, and masks the legal obligations that the UK has. The government has done precious little to address these problems, and many of its policies contravene the spirit, if not the code, of the 1951 convention. This report has begun to show that asylum numbers are not anywhere near as big as they are claimed to be by the press, that the amount of support asylum seekers require from the state is nothing like as large as the press would have you believe. Finally, this report has emphasised the importance of the UK’s legal obligation to asylum seekers. VI. Bibliography Craze, J. 2002: Fortress Europe. Europa. Vol. 1: No.3.Departments of Works and Pensions. 2001: Report on Asylum Seekers and Employment. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/Home Office Press Release 2002: Building a Safer Britain. 07/2002: 267.Home Office Research Study. 2002: Understanding the decision-making of asylum seekers. Home Office Research Study 243. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration_research_pubs.htmlHome Office. 2001: Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2001. Home Office National Statistics. Refugee Council. 2004: Tell It Like It Is: The Truth About Asylum. http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/Refugee Council Oxfam. 200: Poverty and Asylum in the UK. http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/publications/pub007.htm#povertyUN. 1951: Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/o_c_ref.htmUNHCR: 2005. Asylum Levels and Trends in Industralised Countries, 2004.http://www.unhcr.ch/statisticsWesminster Local Authority. 2005: Distributions Statistics 2004-5: Lon don Asylum Seekers. http://www.wesminster.gov.uk/ Appendix I: London Local Authority Asylum Seeker Trends (Source: http://www.westminster.gov.uk/)

Leonardo Da Vincis Time in Milan :: essays research papers

The objective of this essay is to provide an explanation of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and work as an artist in context with his time spent in Milan. Following an initial introduction to Leonardo’s formative years in Florence (and his apprenticeship to the sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio, 1435-88), I will attempt to explain the significance of his presence in Milan with detailed descriptions of his work there. Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) was also an artist and architect, but is perhaps better known for his book on the lives of well known painters, sculptors and architects (published 1550; from Cimbue to his autobiography which was included in a revised edition): â€Å"Vasari's book offers his personal evaluation of the works of these artists, as well as discussions on the state of the arts. His easy, natural writing style helped to make his book one of the most enduring of art histories.† His reflections on Leonardo’s life include insight specifically relating to his unusual character and the intellectual merit of his life’s work. Using this evidence I hope to provide valid observations on Leonardo’s significance as a father of the High Renaissance. Leonardo (who was christened Lionardo, the name to which Vasari refers) was born near the small town of Vinci on 15th April 1452. The town was situated in the Florentine province of Italy, where his father, Ser Piero was a notary. According to Vasari, Leonardo was somewhat of a child prodigy in his studies, but he showed little commitment to one single area, constantly finding new interests in other subjects: â€Å"Thus in arithmetic, during the few months that he studied it, he made such progress that he frequently confounded his master by continually raising doubts and difficulties. He devoted some time to music †¦ Yet though he studied so many different things, he never neglected design and working in relief, those being the things which appealed to his fancy more than any other.† Being very conscious of his son’s talents, Ser Piero moved to Florence with Leonardo and his wife (not Leonardo’s mother, as he was illegitimate and never took his father’s name) to utilise them professionally. Being a friend of the artist and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-88), Ser Piero convinced him to recruit Leonardo as an apprentice by the promise shown in his work. Verrocchio strongly encouraged da Vinci, and his admiration of his student's talents convinced Verrocchio to allow Leonardo to participate in the creation of his own paintings and sculptures.

Kyocera Case Study

B CASE ANALYSIS Kyocera Corporation Preface According to the footnotes on the initial page of this case study, it was written by Nancy Rothbard of the Harvard Business School for the purpose of discussion rather than for analyzing the handling of an administrative problem. The format is generalized and it gives a broad spectrum of information from which a student can extract pieces relevant to his or her area of study for a specific class. Since this case analysis is for a class in Strategic Cost Management, the main area of interest for this paper will be in the area of â€Å"cost management†.However, given the broad spectrum of information, the analysis is not limited only to cost management facts and issues, but also includes information that that is relative to other management topics. Rather than looking for a group of existing administrative problems, the focus is strategic in nature and addresses issues that could be problems in the future based on the status of the com pany at the time the case was written. The analysis includes information for the time period covered in the case study with a few references to Kyocera in the period of time after this case was written and up to the present.Introduction Kyocera Corporation was founded in Japan in 1959 as the Kyoto Ceramic Company. , Ltd. by Dr. Kazuo Inamori and seven colleagues. With Dr. Inamori providing strategic direction, the company grew from a small niche market player to an international conglomerate in a relatively short period of time. Within 30 years Kyocera was a world-class leader in their core product (electronics packaging) market. In addition, through mergers and creation of new business units Kyocera was able to successfully diversify into other areas of technical expertise.Seven product groups accounted for ninety-nine percent of Kyocera Corporation’s sales of approximately $2. 7 billion in 1990. (The additional 1% of sales was simply labeled â€Å"other† in the case study documentation. ) The products are divided among 80 companies in different geographical locations. The firm differentiated itself from competitors by providing world-class customer service. After establishing itself in a core product line and market, the firm was in a position to take the risk of entering additional markets, with additional products added to the mix. You can read also Thin Film Solar CellKyocera had a unique management system based on work cells called â€Å"amoebas† and a somewhat unique corporate philosophy and culture based on Dr. Inamori’s personal beliefs. The leaders of the company were very dedicated to the corporate philosophy and placed high value on making sure all newcomers were indoctrinated and accepted the corporate culture as well. The management philosophy, international business parameters, diversified product lines, corporate culture, and continued growth all have their challenges for the company. Some of these challenges are in the area of costing.Close examination reveals that there are both strengths and weaknesses in the way these business characteristics are handled by Kyocera. Corporate Profile/Background Key Personnel: †¢ Dr. Kazuo Inamori – Founder and architect of the firm’s business strategy. Dr. Inamori was a powerful force in the development and growth of the corporat ion. Without his leadership the company would likely not have grown as fast or been as diversified as it became by its thirtieth (30th) year in existence. †¢ Seven unnamed colleagues of Dr. Inamori who founded the company with him. They provided upfront capital, labor, and personal sacrifice to get the company started and on solid ground. Although these men had vision, they were no match for Dr. Inamori’s foresight, enthusiasm, and philosophical predisposition for success. †¢ Kinju Anjo (Vice Chairman) and Kensuke Itoh (Kyocera President) who stood in for Dr. Inamori when he could not be present at meetings. Kyocera’s Product Groups: Kyocera’s management referred to themselves as a high-tech solutions provider. This was because of the company’s focus on meeting the customer’s needs for specialized components.The list of products below is a testament to that high-tech solutions label. †¢ Electronic Components – The electronic c omponents product group provided discreet electronic components to industries that manufacture consumer electronics and to manufacturers who provided specialized products with stringent specifications to governments and industry. Chip capacitors, chip resistors, Hybrid IC’s, and quartz oscillators. In addition, thermal print-heads were included within the electronics components group. Most of these items are low-price, high-volume products. Semiconductor Parts – The semiconductor parts product group provided the substrates and components typically used in the more expensive integrated circuit packaging. These are used in expensive machinery that is used in industrial, military or other heavy duty applications where stringent specifications are desired. †¢ Electronic Equipment – The Electronic Equipment group manufactured and distributed communications and I/T (information technology) equipment in the form of computer peripherals, video conferencing systems, and memory for sale to manufacturers of computers and consumer electronics. Optical Instruments – The Optical Instruments product group made single-lens reflex cameras, 8 mm video camcorders, and compact cameras. †¢ Consumer Related Products – The Consumer Related Products group manufactured and sold jewelry, cutting tools, solar cells, dental and orthopedic implants, and ceramic knives. †¢ Industrial Ceramics – The Industrial Ceramics products group made pump and valve parts, semiconductor fabrications, Fiber-optic and optical communications equipment, and automotive parts. Ceramics Materials for Electronics – The Ceramic Materials for Electronics product group manufactured very specialized components for electronic systems. Glass for color TV’s, precision resistors, and thermal print-heads. Also ceramic substrates for specialized IC components were a product in this group. Management System: The management system at the Kyocera Corpora tion is very unique. It’s uniqueness is a result of the management ignoring standard management structure in other companies and developing a system to address problems that have been witnessed at other companies. i. e. runaway corporate bureaucracy. ) There were some inherent problems in the Kyocera management systems that manifested themselves as the company grew. (These are listed in the analysis section of this report. ) However, it is not likely that these problems would have merited scrapping the whole corporate structure, but implementation of minor changes could help improve profitability. The components of the management system are as follows: †¢ Amoebas – These components are profit centers with and average of 30 members.One official leader/motivator and very little or no other formal structure. The amoebas rated performance on a basis of hourly efficiency per month. This was calculate by dividing net profit before labor and taxes by the total labor hour s. †¢ Hans – These are smaller working groups that are under the Amoebas and do not have responsibilities as a profit center. †¢ Upper Management Reporting Structure – The upper management in each company or division would attend a series of meetings designed to update from the top down and provide status information from the bottom up. Company or Division Level Reporting Structure – The very top managers from each company or division would go to Kyoto or later Tokyo to update the headquarters level management personnel on the status of projects in their respective organizations. Corporate Philosophy/Culture †¢ Dr. Inamori’s Beliefs – The beliefs that are important in this analysis are the ones that were imported into the corporate philosophy and had the potential to affect the profitability or effectiveness of the company. For example, Dr.Inamori’s belief that a person should never give up when pursuing answers to technical p roblems is certainly admirable. However, when a project becomes unprofitable, it is sometimes wise to make a decision to cut the losses. Wisdom is the key to knowing when to give up. Dr. Inamori’s belief in Respect for the Divine and Love People serves as a motivational backdrop to the culture at Kyocera and has helped to make the company a success. (There is much more to cover on Inamori’s influence and it will be covered in the sections to follow. †¢ Centralized Management – Kyocera’s management system was very centralized in 1990 and the company was outgrowing the usefulness of such a system. With 80 companies and countless divisions, the old way of management meetings for reporting purposes was becoming unproductive and unmanageable. †¢ Problem Resolution – Problem resolution for transfer pricing and other issues was handled through the management system. No â€Å"final decisions† were forced on any organization, but the organi zations were expected to negotiated and solve problems among themselves.The problem was escalated up the chain of command until it reached Inamori himself. The information presented above and additional information in the the case study itself provide enough background for a person to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the corporation. Using this information one can do an analysis and make recommendations for improvement. Important Characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation The characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation listed below are important to the analysis of possible issues facing the company now and in the future. Continuous Growth – As Kyocera continues to grow issues will surface that are a result of the size and complexity of the corporation. The entire organization will no longer be able to report progress in management meeting the same way it has been done for the last 60 or so years. The reporting matrix will need to be re-vamped to allow more responsibilit y at the division or company management level with ultimate accountability for quarterly profits at that level as well. Also, costing and transfer pricing issues need to be handled as a team between organizations.Too much autonomy can be as detrimental to the organization as too little. A balance of power and decision making needs to be tempered with a team approach to making each company or division as profitable as possible. †¢ Diversification – One characteristic that is a result of Dr. Inamori’s risk taking philosophy is the diversification in the product line. The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole. Kyocera is an International Corporation – Cost is a good reason why this is an important characteristic of the company. Being international a llows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. †¢ Minimization of Corporate Bureaucracy – Kyocera focuses on minimizing bureaucracy.This eliminates costs associated with red and gives the Amoebas the flexibility to manufacture at the lowest cost. †¢ Measurement System – The measurement system is good in some respects and bad in others. Production targets are set internally by the same group that is attempting to make its goal a reality. This is a concern due to the lack of standardization and potential for poor targeting. †¢ Never Give Up Mentality – Dr. Inamori’s â€Å"never give up† philosophy is both a strength and a weakness.It is good for sharpening the focus of work groups, but at the same time could encourage unwise decision-making. Strategic Cost Concerns – Early in it’s existence, Kyocera was focused on keeping sales, general, and administrative expenses below industry standards. However, the management reporting practice and philosophy, as well as lack of standardization of costing methods within divisions or companies may work against the company in the area of cost. – Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Purchasing parts at market prices on the open market that are also made by Kyocera-owned companies is a problem. – The cost of monthly reporting meetings is minor, but may be a growing expense across the board (for all divisions and companies) as the organization grows. Kyocera’s Inherent Strengths Quality of Leadership: Kyocera had strong leader in Dr. Inamori. His philosophical outlook and decision making abilities set the tone for success at the company.This type of lea dership cannot be taught, but is inherent in an individual. Technical Expertise: The company’s technical expertise is due to their focus on individuality and specialization. This helps the company in the area of new product development. Diversified Product Line: The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole.Reputation: Kyocera’s reputation for quality and getting the job done will help them retain earned market share. Tenacity: Tenacious competitors in business always fair better than those who give up easily. The spirit of tenacity at Kyocera earns them the respect of their customers Working Environment Positive Attitudes: The positive environment at Kyocera helps retain expertise with employee retention and it fosters a non-threatening creative environment. Au tonomy: The autonomy of the Amoebas fosters creativity and lack of bureaucracy costs.International Status: Being international allows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. Areas of Weakness Some Elements of the Corporate Structure Centralized Management: The corporation is getting too large to maintain the current management reporting structure.The complexity will slow decision-making and be costly. Autonomy: Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: Repetitiveness in product lines is costly due to the repetitive support structures. Measurement System: Top-down setting of goals for Amoebas would be more appropriate. This would ensure some standard ization among expectations placed on workers. Transfer-pricing: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices.This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Additional Analysis Threats from New Competitors: Kyocera will have to be aware of new competitors at all times in the high-tech marketplace. Each division or company in the corporation must be aware of who the players are in their market. It would hard for any one niche player to become threat to Kyocera as a whole since they are very diversified. Rivalry among competitors: Kyocera must be careful to make sure this does not take place within its own corporate umbrella.There is no immediate rivalry of outside competitors that is obvious in this case. Substitute Products: Kyocera does a good job of battling this by taking on tasks that nobody else wants or has the tenacity to tackle. Suppliers Power: In many cases this firm is their own supplier. It is unfortunate that sister divisions or companies do not work closer together and become a powerhouse together. Buyer or Customer Power: Ditto the comments above. Also the buyers from outside have their purchasing power/threat to Kyocera limited by Kyocera’s diversification.Value Creation: Inbound and outbound logistics are strengths in Kyocera due to their international presence. They provide their own marketing channel through salaried sales professionals and have the product base to support using outside channels when possible. Advertising, pricing, etc. are handled by the individual divisions and companies. Service activities fall in the other column that makes up 1% of sales on the product organization list. This column does provide value to the customers and the company to the tune of $27 million. Current and Future OpportunitiesRe-alignment of the reporting structure: By re-aligning the reporting structure Kyocera can save cost and improve communications in the corporation. High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: New opportunities to be first in the area of communications are coming available with the internet, cable, and wireless communications areas. Transfer-pricing changes: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices. This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Expense Reduction: Administrative costs could be reduced by realigning the reporting structure.Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: By combining operations for overlapping product lines Kyocera can save support costs. Potential Threats Current High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: Technological change does not stand still. New communications products and technologies make old ones obsolete every day. Corporate Growth: Communications and repetitive costs may become issues. Repetitive organizations as a result of mergers and acquisitions should be analyzed and handled appropriately. This may mean dismantling some organizations to save money.Action Items to be considered Change the M anagement Reporting Structure: The management reporting structure change could improve communications and help reduce administrative expenses Combine Support Operations for Different Companies in the Same Product Group: Repetitive support structures cost money. By combining support operations expenses could be reduced. Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines. Corporate Guidelines for transfer-pricing could help make some of the business units more competitive.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: Amoebas do not need to be doing their own costing and profit or production target setting. Recommendations Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines base on sound judgement and principles: Focus on competitiveness and provide special pricing to sister business units to help make them more competitive. Focus on cost reduction in the administrative expense area: Implement conference calling, eliminate as much travel as possible, and combine support operations for multiple units to produce cost savings.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: The amoeba level is too low on the management structure to make decisions on production targets and profitability. Move costing up to a higher level and allow input on production and profit targets from the amoebas, but put accountability at the next level of management up. Bibliography Kyocera Corporation, Nancy Rothbard, Harvard Business School, Publishing Division. 1991. Document #9-491-078,. Revisioned July 1993.

Economic Crisis in East Asian Country

A large economic downturn in East Asia threatens to end its nearly 30 year run of high growth rates. The crisis has caused Asian currencies to fall 50-60%, stock markets to decline 40%, banks to close, and property values to drop. The crisis was brought on by currency devaluations, bad banking practices, high foreign debt, loose government regulation, and corruption. Due to East Asia†s large impact on the world economy, the panic in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian countries has prompted other countries to worry about the affect on their own economies and offer aid to the financially troubled nations (Sanger 1). The East Asian crisis has affected almost all of the Asian ations, but the three hardest hit countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. The panic began in Thailand in May of 1997 when speculators, worried about Thailand†s slowing economy, excessive debt, and political instability devalued the baht as they fled for market-driven currencies like the American dollar. Indonesia†s economy soon fell soon after when the rupiah hit a record low against the U. S. dollar. Indonesia is plagued by more than $70 billion worth of bad debts and a corrupt and inefficient government. Thailand and Indonesia also suffer from being overbuilt during real estate booms that Reven2 were the result of huge influxes of cash by optimistic foreign investors. South Korea faltered under the weight of its huge foreign debt, decreasing exports, and weakening currency (Lochhead 4-5). Other major countries touched by the crisis are Japan, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Japan†s economy is burdened by $300 billion in bad bank loans and a recession. Chinese banks may carry bad banks loans of up to $1 trillion. The banks lend 66% of China†s investment capital to state-run industries that only produce 12% of China†s industrial output (Manning 2). Malaysia and the Philippines are both faced with devalued currencies and lowered stock markets The implications of the Asian financial crisis are many. A declining Asian economy will reduce demand for U. S. and other countries† exports. The devalued currencies of East Asia will make Asian imports seen cheap and will lead to increased American imports, thus increasing our trade deficit (Lochhead 2). A worldwide banking mergency could result if the embattled Asian economies failed to pay back their loans to the U. S. and other countries (Duffy 2). If the Asian economies fall further, in a desire to raise cash, they might sell the hundreds of billion dollars of U. S. treasuries they now own, leading to higher interest rates and an American recession (Lacayo 2). An article in the Economist reported that the Asian economic turmoil and the layoffs that may result, could instigate increased discontent and possibly give rise to violent strikes, riots, and greater political instability (1-2). Reven 3 Since the financial tumult causes instability in the world market, several solutions have been proposed designed to restore the health of the Asian economy. The International Monetary Fund is offering $60 billion in aid packages to Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea (Lacayo 1). The aid will be used for converting short-term debt to long-term debt and to keep currencies from falling lower in the world market (Passell 2). Lower currency values make repaying loans to other nations more difficult (Sanger 1 ). The aid packages are tied to measures that will ensure that the recipient countries reform their economies. Some of the measures the nations must follow are increasing taxes to decrease budget deficits, ending corruption, increasing banking regulation, improving accounting information so investors can make better decisions, closing insolvent banks, selling off inefficient state enterprises, and increasing interest rates to slow growth and encourage stability (Lacayo 3). Hopefully these market reforms will allow East Asia to improve its economic outlook. Since most of the Asian nations have balance budgets, low inflation, cheap labor, pro-business governments, and high savings rates, the long-term outlook for these countries is very good (Marshall 1). The financial crisis, instead of destroying the Asian tigers, will merely serve as a much needed lesson in debt management, orderly growth, competent accounting practices, and efficient government. Considering the size of Asias contribution to the world economy, a rapid recovery will be greatly anticipated.

Great Locomotive Chase in the American Civil War

Great Locomotive Chase in the American Civil War The Great Locomotive Chase took place April 12, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Also known as the Andrews Raid, the mission saw civilian scout James J. Andrews lead a small force of disguised Union soldiers south to Big Shanty (Kennesaw), GA with the goal of stealing a locomotive and sabotaging the Western Atlantic Railroad between Atlanta, GA and Chattanooga, TN. Though they successfully captured the the locomotive General, Andrews and his men were quickly pursued and proved unable to do meaningful damage to the railroad. Forced to abandon General near Ringgold, GA, all of the raiders were ultimately captured by Confederate forces. Background In early 1862, Brigadier General Ormsby Mitchel, commanding Union troops in central Tennessee, began planning to advance on Huntsville, AL before attacking towards the vital transportation hub of Chattanooga, TN. Though eager to take the latter city, he lacked sufficient forces to block any Confederate counterattacks from Atlanta, GA to the south. Moving north from Atlanta, Confederate forces could quickly arrive in the Chattanooga area by using the Western Atlantic Railroad. Aware of this issue, civilian scout James J. Andrews proposed a raid designed sever the rail connection between the two cities. This would see him lead a force south to seize a locomotive. Steaming north, his men would destroy tracks and bridges in their wake. Andrews had proposed a similar plan to Major General Don Carols Buell earlier in the spring which called for a force to destroy railroads in western Tennessee. This had failed when the engineer did not appear at the designated rendezvous. Approving Andrews scheme, Mitchel directed him to select volunteers from Colonel Joshua W. Sills brigade to aid in the mission. Selecting 22 men on April 7, he was also joined by experienced engineers William Knight, Wilson Brown, and John Wilson. Meeting with the men, Andrews directed them to be in Marietta, GA by midnight on April 10. Great Railroad Chase Conflict: American Civil War (1861-1865)Dates: April 12, 1862Forces Commanders:UnionJames J. Andrews26 menConfederacyVariousCasualties:Union: 26 capturedConfederates: None Moving South Over the next three days, the Union men slipped through the Confederate lines disguised in civilian attire. If questioned, they had been provided with a cover story explaining that they were from Fleming County, KY and were looking for a Confederate unit in which to enlist. Due to heavy rains and rough travel, Andrews was forced to delay the raid by a day. All but two of the team arrived and were in a position to begin operations on April 11. Meeting early the next morning, Andrews issued final instructions to his men which called for them to board the train and sit in the same car. They were to do nothing until the train reached Big Shanty at which point Andrews and the engineers would take the locomotive while the others uncoupled most of the trains cars. James J. Andrews. Public Domain Stealing General Departing Marietta, the train arrived in Big Shanty a short time later. Though the depot was surrounded by Confederate Camp McDonald, Andrews had selected it as the point for taking over the train as it did not have a telegraph. As a result, the Confederates at Big Shanty would have to ride to Marietta in order to alert the authorities farther north. Shortly after the passengers disembarked to take breakfast at the Lacey Hotel, Andrews gave the signal. While he and the engineers boarded the locomotive, named General, his men uncoupled the passenger cars and jumped into three box cars. Applying the throttle, Knight began to ease the train out of the yard. As the train pulled out of Big Shanty, its conductor, William A. Fuller, saw it depart through the window of the hotel. The Chase Begins Raising the alarm, Fuller began to organize a pursuit. Up the line, Andrews and his men were nearing Moons Station. Pausing, they cut the nearby telegraph line before proceeding. In an effort not to arouse suspicion, Andrews directed the engineers to move at a normal speed and to maintain the trains normal schedule. After passing through Acworth and Allatoona, Andrews stopped and had his men remove a rail from the tracks. Though time-consuming, they were successful and placed it in one of the box cars. Pushing on, they crossed the large, wooden railroad bridge over the Etowah River. Reaching the other side, they spotted the locomotive Yonah which was on spur line running to nearby iron works. Despite it being surrounded by men, Knight recommended destroying the engine as well as the Etowah bridge. Unwilling to start a fight, Andrews declined this advice despite the bridge being a target of the raid. Fullers Pursuit Having seen General depart, Fuller and other members of the trains crew began running after it. Reaching Moons Station on foot, they were able to obtain a handcar and continued down the line. Derailed at the stretch of damaged track, they were able to place the handcar back on the rails and reached Etowah. Finding Yonah, Fuller took over the locomotive and moved it onto the main line. As Fuller raced north, Andrews and his men paused at Cass Station to refuel. While there, he informed one of the station employees that they were carrying ammunition north for General P.G.T. Beauregards army. To aid the trains progress, the employee gave Andrews the days train schedule. Steaming into Kingston, Andrews, and General were forced to wait for over an hour. This was due to the fact that Mitchel had not delayed his offensive and Confederate trains were racing towards Huntsville. Shortly after General departed, Yonah arrived. Unwilling to wait for the tracks to clear, Fuller and his men switched to the locomotive William R. Smith which was on the other side of the traffic jam. To the north, General paused to cut the telegraph lines and remove another rail. As the Union men finished their work, they heard the whistle of William R. Smith in the distance. Passing a southbound freight train, pulled by the locomotive Texas, at Adairsville, the raiders became concerned about being pursued and increased their speed. Texas Gains To the south, Fuller spotted the damaged tracks and succeeded in halting William R. Smith. Leaving the locomotive, his team moved north on foot until meeting Texas. Taking over the train, Fuller had it move in reverse to Adairsville where the freight cars were uncoupled. He then continued chasing General with just Texas. Stopping again, Andrews cut the telegraph wires north of Calhoun before proceeding to the Oostanaula Bridge. A wood structure, he had hoped to burn the bridge and efforts were made using one of the box cars. Though a fire was started, the heavy rain of past several days prevented it from spreading to the bridge. Leaving the burning box car, they departed. The Mission Fails Shortly thereafter, they saw Texas arrive on the span and push the box car off the bridge. In an attempt to slow Fullers locomotive, Andrews men threw railroad ties on the tracks behind them but with little effect. Though quick fuel stops were made at Greens Wood Station and Tilton for wood and water, the Union men were unable to fully replenish their stocks. After passing through Dalton, they again cut the telegraph lines but were too late to prevent Fuller from getting a message through to Chattanooga. Racing through Tunnel Hill, Andrews was unable to stop to damage it due to the proximity of Texas. With the enemy nearing and Generals fuel nearly depleted, Andrews directed his men to abandon the train just short of Ringgold. Jumping to the ground, they scattered into the wilderness. Aftermath Fleeing the scene, Andrews and all of his men began moving west toward the Union lines. Over the next several days, the entire raiding party was captured by Confederate forces. While the civilian members of Andrews group were considered unlawful combatants and spies, the entire group was charged with acts of unlawful belligerency. Tried in Chattanooga, Andrews was found guilty and hanged in Atlanta on June 7. Seven others were later tried and hanged on June 18. Of the remainder, eight, who were concerned about meeting a similar fate, successfully escaped. Those who remained in Confederate custody were exchanged as prisoners of war on March 17, 1863. Many of the members of the Andrews Raid were among the first to receive the new Medal of Honor. Though a dramatic series of events, the Great Locomotive Chase proved a failure for Union forces. As a result, Chattanooga did not fall to Union forces until September 1863 when it was taken by Major General William S. Rosecrans. Despite this setback, April 1862 saw notable successes for Union forces as Major General Ulysses S. Grant won the Battle of Shiloh and Flag Officer David G. Farragut captured New Orleans.

The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution Coursework

The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution Coursework The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution – Coursework Example The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States that spelled out the functions of the government, as well as, its structure. However, the articles gave the government less power or no real power at all. Therefore, the basic purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to provide general government for the thirteen colonies that had won their independence from British, as well as, bring perpetual union of the thirteen states. The Articles of Confederation were meant to help the states gain their sovereignty as they were afraid of being conquered again by the British. Consequently, the Articles gave the congress to raise an army and navy to guarantee that they would never be conquered. This meant that the congress was given enough power to protect the states from attacks, but their power was equally limited as they could not impose taxes; hence, they had no way to raise funds to pay the army and navy (Ta nsil). Apart from the power of imposing tax that was denied for the congress they did not have the power to control foreign and interstate commerce. Additionally, there was no national court system, executive branch and amending of the Articles required a unanimous vote and the laws required a 9/13 majority to be passed in congress. It is vibrant that the Articles of Confederation had their shortcomings and, as a result, there was a rebellion as some states began to make their money; hence, creating economic instability (Tansil). This led to the gathering of the Philadelphia convention the weaknesses of the Articles were discussed where economy and military were the most apparent. Consequently, individuals asked for changes in the articles to help in creating a stronger national government the changes led to the creation of the constitution that gave the congress more powers. Work citedTansil, Charles  C. "Avalon Project - Articles of Confederation : March 1, 1781." Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. Lillian Goldman Law Library,  2008. Web. 9  Oct.  2014. .

Two-Letter Words in Spanish

Two-Letter Words in Spanish If youve played Scrabble or similar games, you know how handy two-letter words can be. Thats true in Spanish versions of Scrabble as well as online games such as Apalabrados (Angry Words) and Wordfeud too. Following is a list of the two-letter words of Spanish that are listed in the Spanish Royal Academys dictionary, along with definitions and links to relevant articles and lessons. The list may not coincide with words that are legal to use in a specific game. Not all possible definitions are given. Words containing the combinations of ch and ll are also included here, as they used to be recognized as separate letters of the Spanish alphabet and are still treated as such in some games. ad - Word used in Latin phrases such as ad hoc ah - Interjection used to express sympathy and other emotions, sometimes similarly to ah aj - ailment (seldom used, and then usually in the plural) al - contraction of a el ar - interjection used in the military to order the immediate execution of a movement as - ace ax - ouch (antiquated) ay - ouch, oh be - the letter b bu - boo ca - a synonym for porque (antiquated) ce - the letter c cu - the letter q da - a conjugated form of dar de - of, from di - a conjugated form of dar do - do (first note of the musical scale) ea - interjection of encouragement or resolution eh - interjection used to get attention el - the masculine singular definite article en - in, on es - conjugated form of ser et - and (antiquated) ex - former fa - fa fe - faith fo - exclamation indicating displeasure or disgust fu - snort ge - the letter g ha - conjugated form of haber he - conjugated form of haber hi - shortened form of hijo (son) used in some expressions (antiquated) id - conjugated form of ir in - Word used in Latin phrases such as in promptu ir - to go ja - ha je - ha ji - ha; 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet ju - ha la - the feminine singular definite article le - a third-person object pronoun lo - a word of various uses as a pronoun or neuter definite article lle - variation of le (antiquated) me - me mi - my mu - moo na - contraction for en la (antiquated) ne - synonym for ni (antiquated) ni - nor no - no, not à ±a - shortened form of seà ±ora (antiquated) à ±o - shortened form of seà ±or (antiquated) à ±u - gnu oa - a Honduran childrens game oc - Occitan (a language related to Catalan) oh - oh os - the plural familiar second-person pronoun ox - interjection used to frighten birds and other animals pe - the letter p pi - pi pu - variation of puf (interjection used as a reaction to a bad smell) re - re (second note of the musical scale) ro - interjection, usually repeated, used in calming children se - the third-person reflexive pronoun so - under (rarely used); variation of su (antiquated); whoa su - his, her, your ta - interjection imitating a knock on a door te - you (as the second-person singular object pronoun) to - interjection used for calling dogs; whoa tu - second-person familiar singular possessive adjective (the pronoun form is tà º, although most games dont distinguish between accented and unaccented vowels) uf - whew, yuck uh - interjection of hesitation or disdain un - a, an, one va - conjugated form of ir ve - conjugated form of ver vi - conjugated form of ver xi - 14th letter of the Greek alphabet ya - adverb of vague meaning often used to add emphasis ye - the letter y yo - I (first-person singular subject pronoun)

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for Human Resource Assignment - 2

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for Human Resource Management - Assignment Example SWOT analysis assists an organization in their decision making. There are various strengths associated with the Simpkin’s sweet company; first, the company has stood the test of time since 1921, and secondly, the company only produces quality products. In addition, currently, it is able to export its products to 60 countries, which accounts for 25% of its overall income. The existing opportunities of this company are that it is able to keep up with technology thus being able to sell online; it also has efficient staff members. The addition of the sugar-free sweets to their menu is an added advantage since the diabetic customers can also benefit, thus boosting the company. In addition, the decision to open another tinning line could lead to more sales in a day. Some of the threats of the travel sweet company include increasing competition, and the plan to expand on their range means extra costs that will interfere with the profits, as well as the fact that their 200g of sweets is not selling well as compared to the 50 grams. The company’s weaknesses include the failure to expand to the Asian continent because of different water, which interfered with the taste of the sweets, and the Failure to move to another site since some of their loyal and skilled employees cannot relocate.   SWOT analysis -Human resource management -Accounting and finance -Marketing functions Strengths -Workers Working in shifts -A 25% income generated from exports -Exporting product to over 60 countries. -The use of the internet to sell online. - Ability to market sugar-free sweets thus increasing sales. Weaknesses -Few numbers of workers High turn-over due to - -Inability to expand business in Asia due to the different taste of the sweets. -Inability to establish another site, due to fear of the current employees not following the company. Opportunity -Hiring more employees with the establishment of a new tinning line - -penetrating to new markets -producing more of 50g pa ckets of sweets. Threat -Increase of salaries Income rose to 3 million last year Increase in competition. Therefore, for the travel sweet company to be at a competitive advantage, it should try to expand on its territories by establishing a new site. The fact that their employees won’t follow the company should not be a worry since the management can always hire new employees. This will enable the company to test new waters in a different location, and with time, it would prosper. On the production part, the company should set up another tinning line, since it will fasten production, thus increasing the number of sales made per day. On the human resource department, more employees should be hired, with the creation of a new tinning line.

The Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in the Middle East Essay

The Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in the Middle East - Essay Example Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) increases considerably the risk for all manifestations of atherosclerotic vascular disease, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease(Payorala, 1987) The underlying mechanisms for accelerated atherogenesis in NIDDM are poorly understood. Although NIDDM is associated with a clustering of risk factors favoring atherogenesis (high total triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and a high prevalence of hypertension and obesity), population-based, prospective studies have repeatedly shown that only a small proportion of the excess risk for coronary heart disease in NIDDM can be explained by the effects of NIDDM on the levels of cardiovascular risk factors(Payorala, 1987) Therefore, the excessive occurrence of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular complications in NIDDM must be mainly caused by diabetes itself or factors related to it. Type 2 diabetes is the most prevale nt form of diabetes and is due to the combination of insulin resistance and defective secretion of insulin by pancreatic b-cells. (Grundy, Benjamin, Burke, Chait, Eckel , Howard, Mitch, Smith , & Sowers.,1999)Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease. Metabolic control and duration of type 2 diabetes are important predictors of coronary heart disease (ischaemic heart disease. (Kuusisto J, Mykkanen L, Pyorala K, & Laakso M.,1994) Introduction/Background to the issue: During the past 20 years, major socio-demographic changes have occurred in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Alwan A, King H , 1992) The total population of the Region has almost doubled. The birth rate has remained high but infant and childhood mortality rates and the crude death rate have decreased. Life expectancy has improved dramatically, urbanization has occurred and per capita income has increased. The

England. World Civilization Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

England. World Civilization Class - Essay Example Children suffered as the societies lived in very deplorable conditions. Formal settlements were rare as many people engaged in farming and could not maintain very descent and clean surrounding as it is possible today. There was poor planning of settlements, poor road infrastructure, poor sanitation, and poor and dangerous working conditions. Generally, civilization of the world passed through difficult moments and this is clearly evident through learning history of England. Modern History Sourcebook: Friederich Engels: Industrial Manchester, 1844 This article is the work of Paul Halsal who made reference to work of Friendrich Engels to communicate the realities and experiences of industrial revolution and world civilization. The article appears to target residents of Manchester City in London and Europeans in general and intends to inform them about the need to protect and preserve their surroundings. The story of Friederich Engels indicates that the condition of the city was notorio us and very unfit for human survival1. The city characterized with poor settlement planning that left very narrow paths that two people could not pass through at the same time. 2The story of Friedrich describe how some could easy miss the right direction and instead make countless rounds within the courts before finding the right way, â€Å"He who turns to the left here from the main street, Long Millgate, is lost; he wanders from one court to another.†3 The article uncovers the true reality of health risks that the inhabitants of Manchester were vulnerable to. The article sadly describes the nature of the open pit dumpsites and contaminated, smelly and dirty rivers that made it hard for any visitor to the region have easy breath of air. From the general description of the ancient Manchester city, this article seems to pass very crucial information concerning the need to preserve the environment considering the efforts and time it took to make Manchester city what it is today . In so doing, the article appears to persuade and convince the audience who are particularly resident of Manchester city to work hard to protect serenity of the city. Unlike today that it is easy and enjoyable to live in Manchester city, it was initially very difficult and problematic to live in the city. The move by Halsal to select this article with such mysterious reality about the past of Manchester City seems to be one to persuade residents of the city and Europe in general to work hard and value the kind of infrastructure they currently enjoy4. The article gives the audience substantial reason to fight towards protection of the environment and appreciate the work and struggle of their forefathers who seemingly worked hard to change the condition. The article also appears to discredit widespread believe that European countries and England in particular never succumbed or experienced poverty. As demonstrated by Friedrich in his article, situating in England and Manchester in pa rticular that was by then the richest city of the country had very bad road infrastructure that were generally impassable. Housing facilities were unbearable and environment was very unhealthy and unfit for human survival. Modern History Sourcebook: Women Miners in the English Coal Pits The author of the article develops his communication about the past by referring to the Parliamentary papers of 1842 Great Britain Parliament. This article describes a very sad but truth situation about the history of world’s civilization. The article concentrates and appears to be very compassionate about the suffering of women and children in the coalmines in England. 5It was through the suffering that the members of the society could earn living and place food on their

Effects of Competitiveness on the UK Construction Industry Literature review

Effects of Competitiveness on the UK Construction Industry - Literature review Example The success of an organisation in a given nation highlights the important factors that the organisation controls when compared to other organisations (Jones & Saad 2003). The UK construction industry enjoys various competitive factors that enable it to succeed in the current market. Some of the competitive factors within the industry include the good leadership strategies, strategic advantage, market advantage, good marketing strategies; furthermore, they have knowledgeable personnel, production advantage, modern technology, finance advantage, good administration and risk management advantage (Morton 2007). Effects of competitiveness on the UK construction industry The U.K construction industry has more than 300, 000 firms, which employs over 2 million individuals to perform several roles (Morton 2007). The construction industry typifies the material and products used in construction, suppliers and the producers of the construction material, building services offered by contractors, providers and installers of the services, constructors, sub-constructors, professional advisors , construction clients and the different organisations that specialise in design and building (Morton 2007). The sector accounts for 5 percent of the UK Gross Value Added, which is similar to the values that France, Germany and U.S contributes towards their economy (David & Male 2001). The construction industry in UK specialises in the residential and nonresidential building as well as infrastructure. The industry has an advantage because the designers, civil engineers, contractors and product manufacturers are globally reputable because they devise high-tech solutions to varied projects within the construction industry. The industry has been undergoing a tremendous growth in the infrastructure and commercial construction sector (Cobbold & Lawrie 2001). The UK construction industry competes in an aggressive global market. The industry has high production level and its goods and services a re of high quality. This counteracts the competition from other industries worldwide. The construction industry adopts several approaches that enable it to increase its productivity and quality (Benati 2004). The UK construction industry embraces admirable leadership strategies because it has a long-term defined vision. This encourages the industry to meet the long-term developments. The leadership process also enables the industry to compete in the market because the industry gives room for success, letdown and learning. The UK construction industry maintains an appropriate learning environment because it allows people to learn from errors (Evers & Gerke 2008). This establishes a framework for the industry to improve on their developments; hence, reducing the possibility of failure. The leadership team within the industry highlights their expectations for them to monitor and identify whether they are competent enough to meet the set targets. Additionally, the leadership team devise s effective decision-making methods, which are vital in the building and maintenance of competitive advantage. The industry has a diverse management team with different talents; hence, maximizing their production. The leadership team has good communication skills, which enables them to build the long-term relationship and advance their operational productivity (Great

Human Services Theory Design and Specification Essay

Human Services Theory Design and Specification - Essay Example The cosmopolitan structure of today’s society has also put great pressure on society and specially the young minds who are bombarded with a plethora of pressures through media, family circumstances and multifarious social patterns prevalent in the society. No wonder that their young minds fail to cope up with this enormous pressure and the modern medical fraternity looks at shortcuts to solve the problem at one go. My design to overcome this problem will be to create an environment and facility for such children where they are brought in contact with nature and protect them completely from the diversions and pressures brought on by the onslaught of technology. Such facilities can be developed in form of institutions which are ideally located in rural areas which abound with natural beauty and balance. The children need to be reared as young saplings and education needs to be delivered by imbibition rather than by forcing a prescribed curriculum on them. The facility needs the capability to house, feed and nurture the children in a non polluted and healthy environment. The major problem with today’s parenting is the preoccupation of both in their own jobs and responsibilities with the child left at the mercy of either baby sitters or nursery schools and crà ¨ches where they are left at the mercy of mechanical employees. Children are exposed to too much television which keeps them hypnot ized to a screen. No wonder they are found wanting in learning the simplest of skills which the children in the pre TV era did automatically. Increased artificial mobility in cars and other means of transportation has made them forget walking and running. This leads to the piling up of certain neurotransmitters in the brain which otherwise would have been harmonized and balanced due to physical activity. The facility I envisage in the form of special

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 45

Assignment Example A person can verify the authority of the biblical canons using internal protocols of authorization. A good example of this is Isaiahs prophecy found in Isaiah 8:16, which talks about how the Messiah would bind testimonies and seal the laws and teachings of the bible among His disciples. The proof of this is in the New Testament where the founders of the early church believed this prophecy would bind them to their death. Further authorization of biblical canons comes from the persons who wrote the books. For example, history proves that Peter started the process of canonization very early in the church history. Therefore, all his books in the bible have authority, e.g. his epistles and the fourth gospel in the bible, Mark, which he personally directed. In conclusion, authorship of the books of the bible is another best way of determining the authoritative nature of biblical canons. This leaves questionable doubts on books without direct authorship such as Jude, James, and the gospel a ccording to Matthew. Furthermore, the general acceptance of these books by the church also proves their authority (Plummer 17). Based on the principles and tools for interpreting the Bible given in and the discussion of Hebrew history, explain how you would go about â€Å"exegeting† or getting the meaning out of the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Be sure to explain briefly how the different principles might help you understand the story, and be sure to give what you believe to be the appropriate application of the text. The process of interpreting the bible follows several laid out principles. These principles help one in understanding the bible verses and relating them to their daily personal life. While exegeting the story of David and Goliath, we first have to read the entire prose. David was a shepherd who killed Goliath, the largest and the strongest warrior of the

Human Services Theory Design and Specification Essay

Human Services Theory Design and Specification - Essay Example The cosmopolitan structure of today’s society has also put great pressure on society and specially the young minds who are bombarded with a plethora of pressures through media, family circumstances and multifarious social patterns prevalent in the society. No wonder that their young minds fail to cope up with this enormous pressure and the modern medical fraternity looks at shortcuts to solve the problem at one go. My design to overcome this problem will be to create an environment and facility for such children where they are brought in contact with nature and protect them completely from the diversions and pressures brought on by the onslaught of technology. Such facilities can be developed in form of institutions which are ideally located in rural areas which abound with natural beauty and balance. The children need to be reared as young saplings and education needs to be delivered by imbibition rather than by forcing a prescribed curriculum on them. The facility needs the capability to house, feed and nurture the children in a non polluted and healthy environment. The major problem with today’s parenting is the preoccupation of both in their own jobs and responsibilities with the child left at the mercy of either baby sitters or nursery schools and crà ¨ches where they are left at the mercy of mechanical employees. Children are exposed to too much television which keeps them hypnot ized to a screen. No wonder they are found wanting in learning the simplest of skills which the children in the pre TV era did automatically. Increased artificial mobility in cars and other means of transportation has made them forget walking and running. This leads to the piling up of certain neurotransmitters in the brain which otherwise would have been harmonized and balanced due to physical activity. The facility I envisage in the form of special

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Essay Example for Free

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Essay By Gregg Keizer Courtesy of TechWeb News Even as spyware has become a dirty word and users have been bombarded with stories its pervasive,pernicious nature,criminals have dramatically expanded their distribution chhanels and infected and overwhelming majority of enterprise PCs anti-spyware vendor webroot said tuesday as it rolled out its latest stats. The number of malicious sites hosting spyware has quadrupled sense the star of the year,siad Richard Stienon, Webroots director of treats research, and now number over 300,000 URLs On average,enterprise PCs have 27 pieces of spyware on their hard drives,a 19 percent encrease in the last quarter alone,while a whopping 80 percent of corporate computer host at least on one instant of unwanted software,whether thats adware,spyware,or trojan horse. â€Å"The actual maliciousness of it is increasing,†said Stienon. â€Å"theressimply more malicious activity per piece of spyware.Theyre not satisfied with making their seven cent a click by flooding systems with adware ;now theyre focussing on identity theft,sometimes from within an organization spywares is being used by insiders,insane hack their employer or boss.† ll.do the following instruction and write your answer on space provided 1.Press Ctrl+A What happened? The all words that im typing is highlightened. 2.be sure nothing is selected.using the muose,in the first paragraph,select or highlight with out losing the selection,hold the Ctrl key and highlight the other â€Å"spyware†words on the first paragraph. What happened? 3.Position the cursor at the very start of a paragraph.hold the Ctrl+shift key then press the right arrow key 3 or more times. What happened? 4.position the cursor anywhere in the first paragraph.hold the shift key and click anywhere in the 3 paragraph. What happened? 5.position the cursor anywhere in the first paragraph.hold the shift key and click on arrow key 3 or more times. What happened?

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay

Biological Conservation And Its Importance Environmental Sciences Essay The irreversible loss of the earths diverse biological resources is given major importance today. The living resources are primarily threatened by habitat degradation and loss, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, and species invasions (Groom Carroll, 2006; Mittermeier Bowles, 1993) which most experts believed we are now confronting the sixth major extinction in history. The different natural resources or biodiversity, as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity, is the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992). The planets biological diversity basically gives value to our social and economic life. We use the living world as a resource for food supply, an energy source, a source for recreation, a major source of raw materials for medicines, and a natural resource for industrial products. It is a source of many of our current medicines (e.g., 25% of all pharmaceutical prescriptions in the US contain active ingredients from plants and 3000 antibiotics such as penicillin are derived from microorganisms, (WRI/IUCN/UNEP, 1992). Furthermore, people are looking to the natural world as an escape and as a means of maintaining their sanity, especially in the industrialized nations. All of this translates into good economics as well, as the growing industry of ecotourism and other nature-based forms of recreation (e.g., fishing, hunting, hiking) becoming ever more popular. Worldwide, nature tourism generates some $12 billion annually (Lindberg, 1991) and it is likely to grow even more rapidly in the tr opical countries, where it is already a major foreign exchange earner for several countries. Moreover, Pearce et al. (2007) categorized the economic values or benefits of biodiversity into four general components: First, its contribution to ecosystem functions which include watershed regulation, nutrient cycling and microclimate mediation, the provision of global services such as climate regulation and carbon sequestration, and evolutionary processes. Second, the commercial and use values which involve the harvesting use and marketing of particular biodiversity commodities, such as timber, bush meat and medicinal plants. Third, non-use values which reflect the peoples willingness to pay for biodiversity conservation regardless of the uses made of biodiversity. Motivations for non-use value vary some notion of stewardship, some notion of Natures right to exist, a concern to leave an asset for future generations, aesthetics, and so on. Fourth, its contribution to ecosystem resilience derived from aggregated diversity i.e. from the aggregated value of genetic diversity within species, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. The diversity of nature not only offers us a vast power of choice for our current needs and desires. It also enhances the role of nature as a source of solutions for the future needs and challenges of mankind. The earths genes, species, and ecosystems are the products of over 3 billions of evolution, and are the basis for our survival. Humans depend on other organisms for food, medicines, and raw materials. Our survival is tied to the health of the ecosystems we live in. The diversity of life ensures that living things will be able to adapt to a future, which is certain to be full of change. In very basic terms, in order to adapt to a changing environment, the raw materials of nature as well as humanity itself require genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Daly Cobb (1989) emphasized this point when he said that the diversity of nature increases the likelihood that at least some species will survive and give rise to new lineages that will replenish the earths biodiversity. Living things also have an intrinsic value and a beauty that is considerable and without which our life would be poorer. All these things make the maintenance of biological diversity vitally important to humankind, coming from the opportunities it provides humanity to adapt to local and global change. Biological resources now face serious repercussions due to pervasive human activities. Species are becoming extinct, ecosystems and ecosystem types are lost and the remaining populations and species are losing their diversity. Thus, everyone is convinced about the importance of biological conservation. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of Conservation Biology the scientific study of the nature and status of earths biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystem from excessive rates of extinction. To date, some 1.7 million known species exist but the great majority of species alive today, possibly as much as 90 per cent, are not known (Gunter, 2004). IUCN (1980) defined conservation as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it yields benefits to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs of future generations. The scope of IUCNs concept of conservation is further expounded by the objectives of living resource conservation, and that is (1) to maintain essential ecological processes; (2) to preserve genetic diversity: and (3) to ensure the sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems. The key aim of biological conservation is to maintain the diversity of living organisms, their habitats and the interrelationships between organisms and their environment (Spellerberg Hardes, 1992). Furthermore, as claimed by Siipi (2004), biological conservation can be carried out in various ways but generally, it revolves around the standard methods of ecosystem preservation, ecosystem restoration, and ecosystem engineering. There are several studies conducted on assessing attitudes towards environmental issues. Major themes of study commonly focused on the attitudes of the people towards environmental conservation (Badola, 1998; Fiallo Jacobson, 1995; Newmark et al, 1993; Infield, 1988; Walpole Goodwin, 2001). Other studies directed their attention on the attitudes towards wildlife conservation (Morgan Gramann, 1989; Kellert, 1994; Sekhar Udaya, 2003; Gadd, 2005). Attitudinal surveys were also conducted to students pertaining to environmental awareness, knowledge and attitudes. Chan (1996) and Tikka et al (2000) reported that female students showed more positive environmental attitudes than male students. However, Arcury et al.(1986) showed that males are more aware and sensitive to environmental issues than females. While Thang Kumarasamy (2006) and Caro et al. (2003) reported that gender had limited or no bearing on students perceptions of the environment. Previous researchers like Deng et al (2006) and Larijani and Yeshodhara (2008) also found out that environmental attitudes differ among race, cultures and societies. Academic major is said to be a contributing factor also which affects environmental attitudes (Karanth et al., 2008; Ozden, 2008) and as well as the type of conservation knowledge imparted to students strongly influenced their commitment towards conservation initiatives (Barraza and Walford, 2002). Results of different studie s also showed different manners for several factors like school type, age, income, and residence (Korhonen Lappalainen, 2004; Tuncer et al., 2005). What are ENGOs? Definition of an NGO There have been a lot of labels that apply for NGOs such as, peoples organization, peoples movement, trade union, cooperative, community organization, coalition, network, federation, alliance and united front. These names are still current but are now captured by a new catch-all category civil society organizations (CSOs). The concept of civil society is complex, vague and elusive, however, as it is difficult to deploy a single definition to cover a range of organisations broad enough to include the church, tribal structures, major international agencies, single issue campaign groups, semi-independent public sector agencies, business fora, and small local/national NGOs, while still retaining operational usefulness (Haley Clayton, 2003). . Moreover, civil society is sometimes referred to as the third sector, indicating its distinct status from the public and private sectors (McArthur, 2008). Thus, CSOs refer to different types of non-corporate private voluntary institutions promoting a variety of public causes. NGO is only one form of CSO, though often the two are taken to mean the same thing. However, it can be argued that all NGOs can be regarded as civil society organizations though not all civil society organizations are NGOs. NGOs take different forms and play different roles in different continents, with the NGO sector being most developed in Latin America and parts of Asia. The roots of NGOs are different according to the geographical and historical context. As stated by Schiavo-Campo Sundaram (2001), NGOs are not-for-profit organizations and can be recognized as such if they are privately set up and sufficiently autonomous in its activity, that is independent of direct governmental control. Secondly, an NGO should clearly define its voluntary character. Thirdly, it cannot be considered a political party with an aim of attaining political power. And lastly, an NGO should support development which demonstrates its public interest character. Furthermore, the non-governmental aspect of NGO, as stated by White (1994), places it conventionally outside the state in civil society, i.e. intermediate associational realm between state and family populated by organizations which are separate from the state, enjoy autonomy in relation to the state and are formed voluntarily by members of society to protect or extend their interests or values. Although there is contestation of the definition of an NGO, it is widely accepted that these are organizations which pursue activities to relieve the suffering, promote interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and undertake community development (Cleary, 1997). While Turner and Hulme (1997) stated that NGOs are generally registered organizations, community groups, professional associations, trade unions, cooperate charity organizations whose aim is to improve the well being of their members and of those areas in which they exists. The World Bank, on the other hand, sees NGOs as private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, and/or undertake community development. The concept of NGO came into use in 1945 following the establishment of the United Nations Organizations which recognized the need to give a consultative role to organizations which were not classified as neither government nor member states (Willett, 2002). There are certain features which differentiate NGOs from government agencies, even when they are performing similar roles. NGOs have the capacity to experiment and learn from experience, linking processes to outcomes and are also able to enlist the energies and commitment of intended beneficiaries. Fowler (1988) has identified two key distinctive characteristics of NGOs. Firstly, the relationship of the NGO with intended beneficiaries is based upon principles of voluntarism rather than those of control which is typical of government. This means that intended beneficiaries are involved in program design and management. Secondly, it is argued that NGOs have a task oriented approach that permits them to achieve appropriate organizat ional development, which encourages change and diversity rather than control and uniformity, which may hamper progress. Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) One of the stakeholders involved in biological conservation is the so-called Environmental NGOs (ENGOS). These interest groups hope to save the worlds biological resources from rapid extinctions and aspire to awaken a sleeping public to the tragic loss of biological resources that is unfolding today. ENGOs exist at local, national and international levels (e.g. Friends of the Earth, WorldWide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace, etc.). Many ENGOs operate under the explicit purpose of preserving endangered species and ecosystems, and thus make biological conservation the core principle under which they operate. Others focus more broadly on sustainable development and within this framework, they also contribute to biological conservation. As stated by Trzyna (2008), not all conservation organizations have kept their traditional focus but they have become part of the broader environmental movement. There is an increasing number of organizations that started either as conservation or conventiona l environmental groups but now define themselves as part of the new movement for sustainability. Most of the largest NGOs working on biological conservation are either based in the United States (e.g. Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy) or Europe (World Conservation Monitoring Center, Birdlife International). In the opinion of Astbury (1998), an ENGO has a mission statement and/or set of guiding principles emphasizing environmental concerns, e.g. biological conservation. They play an increasingly prominent and important role in representing environmental interest. Environmental NGOs are distinct from environmental movements in a way that there is a formal organization exists in ENGOs. For example, the famous Chipko movement in India, involving village people who hugged trees when loggers arrived to cut trees down, was not an NGO because although there were leaders and followers, there was no formal organization (Potter Taylor, 1996). These organizations are not really new but have been existing over the years. For instance, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was founded in 1886; the Sierra club in 1892; the Audubon Society for Protection of Birds in 1886; the Wildlife conservation Society (as the New York Zoological Society) in 1895; and fauna and flora International (as the Society for the preservation of the Fauna of the Empire) in 1903. Some of the largest organizations were founded more recently, but with a specific focus on international conservation, including the World Wide fund for Nature (founded as, with some of its constituent organizations still operating as, the world Wildlife Fund) in 1961, and Conservation International in 1987 (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs may have existed for a century or more but it is only in recent decades, and particularly since the success of NGOs in shaping the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, that their numbers have multiplied. Participating civil society organizations officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) in this particular international conference were grouped into major groups such as women, children and youth, indigenous peoples and communities, NGOs, Workers and Trade, Scientific and Technological Community, Business and Industry and farmers. ENGOs are one of the key actors in shaping the creation of Agenda 21 and the Conventions on Biodiversity which saw a heightening of global consciousness about the needs of biodiversity conservation. These are international agreements signed by majority of the countries to guide the world in its actions for development and the environment in the 21st century. Over 20,000 participants of 9,000 organizations in 171 countries were present, and over 1,000 meetings were held between NGO representatives in a forum parallel to official intergovernmental discussions (Fisher 1993). Thus, this event culminated the increasing attention paid to biological conservation by NGOs. Since then, ENGOs expanded their conservation efforts on the ground, especially in tropical countries. For instance, the international conservation programmes of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have grown from just over $3 million in the late 1980s, to nearly $50 million in 2005, nearly half of WCSs overall operating budget (MacDonald Service, 2007). Although the WCS has programmes in North America, all but $5 million of these funds are sent overseas in developing countries. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), founded in 1951 primarily focus on USA conservation issues, is probably the largest conservation organization in the world, with one million members, and an annual budget of over $800 million (The Nature conservancy, 2004). Conservation International (CI), with a focus on biodiversity hotspots and tropical wilderness areas, was founded in 1987 and has grown to an organization with an annual budget of over $100 million. Roles ENGOs Play ENGOs involved in biological conservation are highly diverse, including local, national, regional, and international groups with various missions dedicated to environmental protection, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, animal welfare, and other issues. A key area in which ENGOs have made an imprint is in assisting the global community to establish global priorities. Such approaches included from those that look at representation of species and habitat types, those that focus on species diversity and levels of threats, those that focus on areas of higher or lower human impact as a surrogate for scaling threat and those that focus on levels of endemism and evolutionary uniqueness in a particular taxon (Cobb et al., 2007). ENGOs importance lies as well in their expertise (Esty, 1998; Charnovitz, 1996). They conduct scientific research and disseminate the results to policy-makers and public (Mohd Ahmad, 2005; Jasanoff 1997; Madon 1999). The degree to which NGOs pursue expert knowledge for complex scientific predicaments makes them critical international players. They translate this knowledge into action. As added by Hempel (1988), international environmental NGOs are usually better prepared than governments to implement studies of environmental protection. NGOs often have much better analytical and technical skills and capacity to respond more quickly than government officials. NGOs can also mobilize and influence individuals or group of individuals to address a problem through awareness campaigns and outreach (Bauer, 2006; Gunter, 2004) and express that issue interest to government agencies. ENGOs raise awareness through media stunts. Through TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, ENGOS bring this envi ronmental abuse into peoples everyday lives and enable people to act bear witness (Wapner, 1995). Additionally, ENGOS stimulate public pressure aimed at changing governmental policy or directly lobbying state officials. They facilitate in defining an issue area, convince policymakers and publics that the problems thus defined are soluble, prescribe solutions, and monitor their implementation (Keck and Sikkink 1998). ENGOs also aid in empowering local communities to increase capacity and capability in carrying out biological conservation projects; they organize and conduct seminars, environmental education programmes and expeditions to natural; and target private actors in their campaigning efforts (Raustiala, 1997; Themudo, 2000; Chitra, 2003; Jepson, 2005). Indeed, ENGOs have been major contributors to biological conservation by providing funds and expertise, building public support, promoting action, and advocating conservation interests. As argued Gunter (2004), ENGOs are the most appropriate medium for protecting biological resources because of their unique ability to see both small and big and their unique positions above and below the state. NGOs operate at both the micro and macro levels, working on the ground in local villages as well as participating in international negotiations. Moreover, Gunter argued that states are paradoxically both too big and too small when it comes to resolving transnational threats like loss of biodiversity or climate change. ENGOs generally obtain most of their funds from national governments, government agencies, bilateral and multilateral banks, large foundations, transnational corporations, and international foreign aid agencies like UNDP, UNEP and the Global environmental facility (GEF) (Dowie, 2009; Bebbington Riddell, 1995). The GEF which is a multilateral funding mechanism prepared to reduce the burden from Southern countries for environmental protection has become a pilot program to a permanent financial mechanism in 1994 and is supporting the growth of ENGOS. GEF is under the stewardship of the World Bank and the United Nations. The World Bank manages a significant portion of GEF biodiversity funding and also makes additional grants and loans in the biodiversity and protected area domains. ENGOS engage in various activities meant to influence public support. Smith and Connelly (1999) identify ten (10) types of ENGO activity: informal, discreet lobbying; formal lobbying; collecting and sending letters or petitions from the public; producing scientific research and reports; taking legal action; organizing demonstrations and marches; staging media stunts; promoting consumer boycotts; engaging in non-violent direct action; and, engaging in violent direct action. To this list, one might also add giving campaign contributions or endorsements to environmentally-friendly candidates (Grossman and Helpman, 1994, 1999). This activity mostly directly political support and can change the weight given to ENGOS in the political calculus (Binder, S and E. Neumayer, 2005) On the other hand, Gunter (2004) summarized the common strategies used by ENGOs. The two main categories of different approaches are mainstream strategies which include lobbying, litigation, scientific/technical research, property acquisition/maintenance, and monitoring and participatory strategies like grassroots networking and community education. Very few studies are conducted on how people perceive ENGO as one of the crucial players in biological conservation. Researchers like Hyseni (2008), Wong (2003) and Ivy et al. (1998) assessed the attitudes of local people and students towards these organizations but the main focus of their studies were not directed to the roles of ENGOS in general. As Jasanoff (1997) contends, the systematic assessment of the role that ENGOS play in environmental decision making remains noticeably absent in the studies to date. Philippine ENGOs Teehankee (1993) reported that environmental NGOs in the Philippines emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the martial law in the early 1970s, social movements appeared provoked by the dictatorship. Militant organizations pressured for political structural and ideological changes. Social movements and other civil society groups started to register as legal entities to be formally recognized by government. This was to avoid being tagged as illegal rabble rousers. In 1986, the EDSA I or the People Power Revolution replaced the totalitarian martial law by the democratic force of the people. Accordingly, two streams from which present-day environmental NGOs originated were identified. The first stream is composed of nature lovers such as conservationist societies and hobby groups which alter expanded their concerns to socio-political issues related to environment and government policies. The other stream is said to consist of field-based activist groups concerned with human r ight issues of tribal communities and poor settlers being displaced by environmentally-destructive projects of the martial law regime. The Philippine Federation for Environmental Concerns (PFEC) was established and this commemorated the first effort at coordination and networking among environmental NGOs. Two more national federations emerged since then the Philippine Environmental Action Network (PEAN) and the Lingkod Tao Kalikasan (LTK). Numerous groups mushroomed then like Haribon Foundation, World Ecologists, Green Forum, and Earth Savers. Aside from the diversification of environmental NGO activities into community resource endeavours, the post-Marcos period was also characterized by the decision of prominent development NGOs, like the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), to integrate environmental concerns into their strategic programs (Magno, 1999). . Environmental NGOs were very few before the 1960s. There were sporadic efforts at conservation. Up to about 1970, influenced by the spirit of the time, most development NGOs didnt consider the environment as part of the development framework. Environmental concerns were isolated from social development. Carrying capacity of the environment was not given importance due to the abundance of what nature can provide then. Environmentalists, on the other hand dedicated their work on protection and conservation of genus and species for its authenticity and aesthetic value with no qualms about poverty and human development. Most of the conservationists then came from philanthropists and rich individuals Philippine ENGOs have done and still do fund raising, modelling and implementing viable methods and strategies in the protection and conservation of the environment toward sustainable development. They play multiple roles in influencing policy reform and formulation. The most common role would be that of a lobbyist, using social pressure and the media. Furthermore, many NGOs also play the role of community organizers, educators/trainors, researchers, media practitioners, negotiators, advocates, and catalysts. Taiwan ENGOs Taiwans environmental awareness was not awakened until the 1970s and then was limited to small group of people, mainly from the intellectual class. Not until the late 1980s did the general publics concern over the environmental issues bloom. During this time, environmental problems had reached crisis proportions. The countrys economic miracle was achieved at the cost of environmental deterioration. Reported serious pollution incidents like the one caused by Du Pont in 1986 and the Lee Chang rong Chemical factory in 1982 drew public attention (McBeath Leng, 2006). These events showed that local residents finally had gained environmental consciousness due to unbearable pollution and environmental damage. At this stage, environmental protests led by opposition politicians reflected NIMBYism (not in my backyard)- complaints about local environmental pollution. As reported by Hsiao (1999), there are three streams of environmental movements in Taiwan. These are the anti-pollution, nature conservation, and anti-nuclear movements. In the nature conservation movement, people become more concerned with destruction of Taiwans natural resources. Hence, ENGOs emerged and perceived as key actors in this particular campaign. After the lifting of martial law and as democratization programs were launched in the late 1980s, the environmental movement also gained momentum and developed a national instead of a local focus. During this period, ENGOs accumulated social capital and public trust in Taiwanese society. ENGOs helped to create a plural society through the enlargement of channels of social participation and communication. ENGOs were said to be champions and advocates of Taiwans democratization at early stage, and laid a foundation for democratic consolidation after the md-1990s. The general public gradually learned to think beyond local instances of environmental abuse and paid greater attention to ensuring balance in national policy among economic development, environmental protection, and social justice. Nation-wide ENGOs emerged then from the early to mid-1990s. Hsiao (1999) estimated that there are over 232 environmental NGOs in Taiwan. Most recognizable groups are The Society of Wildlife and Natu re, Bird Society, Taiwan Greenpeace Association, Ecological Conservation Alliance, Life Conservationist Association, Homemakers Union and Foundation, Green Consumers Foundation, Wetlands Taiwan and The Nature Conservation Union. International environmental organizations are not regular participants in domestic environmental protection. Taiwans diplomatic isolation constrains its participation in major international organizations, and international lending institutions such as the World bank and Asian development Bank are not actively involved in its environmental policies. However, occasionally, ENGOs have built close relationships with major international NGOs. In the past, domestic ENGOs exposed cases of trafficking in illegal wildlife and ecological degradation to the international mass media and invited international NGOs to monitor Taiwans mitigation record. McBeath and Leng (2006) outlined the common roles that ENGOS play in Taiwan and these are organizing grassroots demonstrations, promoting public policy making, setting the agenda of public issues, educating the public on environmental issues, monitoring government policies and publicising environmental issues.