Textual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Textual Analysis - Essay Example For the beauty being objective, there must be a single eternal and unchangeable idea of it that all sensible things re to be judged. Similarly, just and holiness is subjective and variable because their very nature is impermanent. The objects of opinion, such as beauty, just and piety is in constant flux; thus, they cannot be termed knowledge because knowledge is permanent in nature (being). Leadership and opinion vary based on the situation and the environmental factors. However, in its fundamental nature, knowledge is permanent and remains so regardless of the situation or circumstances. In application, a leader makes decisions based on his knowledge of a matter but the decision is influenced by other factors such that the conclusion arrived at one particular time under special circumstances can vary from another occasion in similar circumstances. Similarly, opinion about an issue is impermanent because, under dissimilar circumstances, individuals give different views on the same subject. Regardless of this, the knowledge of these persons does not change irrespective of the condition. In that accord, it agrees that the concept of leadership and opinion has a similar definition as the notion of justice, piety and

Promote Equality and Inclusion in Children’s and Young People’s Settings Essay Example for Free

Promote Equality and Inclusion in Children’s and Young People’s Settings Essay The importance of diversity in an early years setting is that children need to have their own sense of identity and have a sense of pride in themselves and their cultures. Equality This means to treat everyone fairly and equally. Children should be treated as individuals, equally and fairly. Sometimes treating children equally, you have to treat them differently. All children should be valued for their individuality and offered any support they may need. Everyone should be treated with the care, consideration and respect that they have a right to and given the same opportunities to learn and achieve as others. Inclusion This mean to include everyone and meet the individual’s needs. It is a human right for every individual. Everyone counts and differences should be valued, respected and celebrated. Inclusion involves identifying barriers that prevent people from taking part, being involved and fitting in. Knowledge is needed to understand these barriers which can only then be broken down. It is everyone’s responsibility to remove these barriers. It involves making sure that all support systems are available in order for everyone to participate fully. The importance of having equality and inclusion in a setting is so the child does not have poor self-esteem or lack of respect or confidence. The child should not feel as though they are being stereo-typed which could make the child aggressive towards others and prevent the child from interacting. The child should believe in themselves and behave in accordance with others expectations. Equality Act 2010 is the law which bans unfair treatment and helps achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and in wider society. Participation Every child matters, whether they have a different culture, race, gender or if they have a disability, all children have equality of learning and to participate to allow them to grow and meet their full potential. Discrimination Discrimination is a preconceived attitude towards members of a particular group formed only upon the basis of their membership of that group that leads to less favourable or bad treatment of that person. Discrimination could be direct or indirect. Direct discrimination is when a person is treated differently to other people when they are in the same circumstances and indirect is when discrimination is done un-intently. Potential effects may include: Causing upset Affecting an individual’s self-esteem Causing stress Individuals feeling isolated Affecting individuals’ hopes and expectations Creating tensions Leading to stereotyping Leading to labelling Producing prejudices The types of discrimination are:- Racial discrimination This is a belief that some races are superior then others based on the false idea that skin colour may make people better than others. Institutional racism This describes any kind of system of inequality based on race. It can occur in institutions such as public government bodies, private business corporations and universities. Disability discrimination Disability discrimination is about being denied equality of opportunity with their non-disabled peers because of their disabilities or impairments. Sex Discrimination People of one gender reinforce the stereotype that they are superior to the other gender. Discrimination is generally based on either prejudice or stereotypes. Prejudice means to prejudice people based on assumptions and stereotype refers to forming an instant or fixed picture of a group of people, usually based on false or incomplete information. By being discriminated can cause a lifelong effect on a child. They could feel shy and lack in confidence which can then stop them from fulfilling the full potential.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Black Cat Translation

Edgar Allan Poe: The Black Cat Translation Translation is arduous and strenuous work that demands not only translation competence from translators, but also broad-based knowledge in many if not in all professional spheres. Any written text is a potential translation assignment. It might be a law or a press release, a letter or a historical document, a play or a novel. Thorough understanding of a subject enables a translator to produce an excellent translation. Practically, it is impossible for a translator to be an expert in every subject and in every professional field. However, there are reliable resources that help translators broaden their knowledge in any particular theme. In order to deliver a quality translation, legal translators read documents that deal with the law and legal system; medical translators use scientific journals and medical encyclopedias; and literary translators have an opportunity to rely on literary criticism. There are three primary reasons why reading literary criticism is advantageous when transl ating literature. First, reading critical articles helps literary translators distinguish the implicit authors ideas and the mood of the story The Black Cat. Second, many authors of critical articles investigate and discuss significance of the chosen stylistic devices that may be beneficial when translating the story into target language. Third, reading criticism aids the translators better understand the vocabulary of the story and choose equivalent lexicon in the target text. In order to provide original motif of The Black Cat in Russian, a translator should define the Poes actual plot. However, without reading criticism, determining the purpose of the story might be challenging since many clues of the story are implicit. As Ed Piacentino unfolds in his work Poes The Black Cat as Psychobiography: Some Reflections on the Narratological Dynamics, the possible purpose of the story is to evince the readers that not alcohol is the reason of the deplorable crime, but the narrators psychological problems, his own childhood trauma(165). It may be difficult to determine this potentially possible authors idea, though. At first sight, it may seem to the readers that the authors intention is to emphasize the negative impact of alcohol on human behavior. However, Piacentino pinpoints that much of the narrators violence occurs when he is sober (163). Many critics also consider alcohol an indirect reason for the crimes. The narrator blames alcohol for the committed crim es, but he simply conceals the psychological cause for the crimes, or he even may not comprehend it for himself, as Piacentino mentions. He suggests the readers reconstructing narrators psychobiography to investigate the possible true motives of the horrendous murders. The author says that the true purpose of the cruel crime might consist in psychological trauma which the narrator incurred being a child. He differed from his peers in the peculiarity that he was very kind, merciful, and sensitive. His friends made fun of his sensitivity and humiliated him because of his tenderness of heart since in the nineteenth century those characteristic were thought of as feminine and shameful traits for males. Thus, the narrator as a child had no friends and spent most of his time with his pets, as he was fond of them. When he grew up and got married nothing changed. The narrator tells a lot about his pets, but almost nothing about his wife and their relationship. Most likely, they did not love each other; and he got married with her because she shared his interest in cherishing pets. He appeared to be lonesome throughout his entire life. In addition to his psychological problems, alcohol corrupted his personality too. He got a hatred for ones he loved before. They began annoying and disgusting him. After killing his favorite cat, the narrator was conscience-stricken; therefore, he sheltered another cat that resembled Pluto a lot. Despite the fact that the new cat displayed evident fondness for the narrator; yet it disgusted the owner. Piacentino asserts that the narrator might have hated the cat because his wife seemed to be giving much attention to the cat and he narrator might have felt jealous and neglected by her. In addition, it seemed to him, she deliberately emphasized the cats white mark on its breast which imaged the GALLOWS to taunt him. He started hating this cat and all mankind. From Piacentinos view Poe intentionally used this word to emphasize that it inc luded his wife (164). The question of motive is one of the most troubling and puzzling aspects of the story says another literary critic, Joseph Stark (258). He writes that there are so many diverse clues, that they give rise to the variety of explanations of the Poes tale. Some childhood criticism led the narrator spontaneously to put an axe in his wifes head and then calls this act a predictable natural reaction, Stark raises the issue of determinism of human nature and the problem of human instability. As Stark explains in Motive and Meaning: The Mystery of the Will in Poes The Black Cat,' the possible purpose of the Poes story is to prove the limitations of both the human will as well as human accounts of the will (263). For these reasons critical articles are indeed useful translators means for determining principal and significant details of the story in order to better understand the plot of Poes story and provide an adequate Russian translation. Numerous literary critics who study Poe argue that The Black Cat is created in the gothic mood. Leslie Ginsberg says that one aspect of the genre is that it includes elements of horror (100). In Slavery and the Gothic Horror of Poes The Black Cat' Ginsberg states that the story follows the gothic literary traditions since it explores the narrators disagreeable emotions of fear in a quite enigmatic manner. Ginsberg says that the gothic mood helps the readers realize that the narrator is a brutal person with instable personality. The author also mentions that The Black Cat contains many hidden elements to support the gothic mood; for example, in Greek mythology, Pluto, the cats name, is the god of the underworld. This fact suggests that the cat is a bad omen for the narrator. Additionally, Poe deliberately uses the black color for the cats because it is a common superstition that a black cat is a bad omen too. Furthermore, by using witches in disguise the author possibly implies that t he second cat is reincarnated Pluto. While reading The Black Cat, in Russian, it is obvious that the translator was aware of the authors implication since he translated witches in disguise as à Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ ¸, which means werewolves. A werewolf is a dual-natured creature with the ability to shape-shift. Reading Ginsbergs criticism helps the translators decode elusive elements of the gothic mood that are meaningful for translation of The Black Cat. It is essential for translators to read these articles since it helps them identify and better understand the gothic mood applied in the story. The translation should maintain the authors planned gothic mood in order to get the same effect on the target readers. Poes diction also helps to create the storys sense of horror. Right at the beginning, the story abounds in emotive and strong words, such as terrified, tortured, destroyed, and terrible, to provoke a sense of fear in the readers. The lexicon used throughout the story helps the readers to realize that the narrator is a perverted and dangerous person, addicted to alcohol, as Michael Williams explains in A Word of Words: Language and Displacement in the Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. He states that Poe uses emotive diction to emphasize narrators PERVERSENESS. Critical articles enable translators to analyze and better comprehend the lexicon that Poe uses to create the storys frightening mood. A word might have many synonyms, and a translators aim is to decode what exactly the author implies in a particular case and supply an equivalent word in order to maintain the authors idea. Williams also mentions some stylistic devices that the author of The Black Cat applies to the tale to signify the nervousness and excitement that extend throughout the story. For instance, he uses alliteration fiendish, fibre, and frame, to emphasize the intensity of the murderers anxious condition (94). According to Williams this device intensifies the horrific gist of the brutal crimes. Alliteration is one of the most challenging tasks for a translator, since it is not always easy to match and convey the same sounds, however criticism might be helpful in this case. The vocabulary and stylistic devices used by the author in The Black Cat definitely support the mood and specific style of the story. Consequently, it is crucial when translating to understand the meaning of Poes lexicon in order to choose a pattern able to convey the same idea. To conclude, I would say that reading critical articles is a beneficial means that enables translators to analyze and better comprehend the hidden clues and implicit purposes of the author in order to transmit Poes original idea of the plot and achieve the same impact on the Russian readers that the original text does on the English ones.

shadow of a doubt Essay examples -- essays research papers

Charlie-Horse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shadow of a Doubt, Hitchcock utilizes and stretches the ambiguous line between comedy and suspense by utilizing smaller characters in the film to keep the story line moving, and to help break sequence or rhythm of what the audience had been perceiving at the time. Many of the minor characters were used as â€Å"fillers†, such as the waitress in the bar when Uncle Charlie and Charlie are sitting in the bar, and makes the comment â€Å"I would die for a ring like this†; or the quiet, gentle neighbor Herb who is fascinated with the process of homicide and murder. It brings to the audience an immediate comic relief, but similar to all of Hitchcock, leaves an unsettling feeling of fear and suspense with the viewer. Shadow of a Doubt is a film that hits very close to home for me, primarily because of the small town feel very similar to Orono that I have grown to know so well. There is a brutal irony that lurks through the film, especially during the tim e period that the film was made. The picturesque stereotype of small town life in the 40’s is brutally torn apart by Hitchcock wit and creative ingà ©nue, putting the viewer in an uncomfortable mind stretch of reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first instance of ambiguity between comedy/drama begins directly at the beginning credits of the film, with the brilliant shot of a uniform waltzing party, in carousel motion, or a perfect circle. From my perspective, I was unable to recognize w...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Actuary Essay

Introduction I. Good afternoon to Ms. Parimala and my fellow classmates. II. The topic of my presentation today is Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Actuary. What is an actuary? Experts in risk management Uses mathematical skills to measure probability and rise of future event Useful information to many industries III. The advantages of being an actuary are  High earning potential Corporate respect received IV. However, the disadvantages are Examination requirements for advancement Stressful and hard work Content A. Advantages a. High earning potential Actuaries makes incomes well above average Entry level work commonly pays between $45000 and $55000 Median annual salary for an actuary was $87600 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics Actuaries are well compensated, which vary significantly according to years of experience, industry and responsibilities Refer to the salary chart, experienced fellows with 10 years experiences have potential to earn from $130000 to $500000 b. Corporate respect Actuaries earns wide respect in the business and financial community Actuaries often command a good degree of respect from fellow co-workers Actuaries are given authority within a company and corporate environment Actuaries deals with high-level strategic decisions which can have a positive impact on legislation and businesses B. Disadvantages c. Examination requirements for advancement It is a long and hard process to be a qualified actuary, on average of 5 to  10 years Besides the degree program they had completed in university, they need to pass all the professionals SOA exam papers Upon graduation, there will still be hundreds of hours of study and revisions all the while still having to go to work d. Stressful and hard work Daily routine of an actuary can be a rather stressful ordeal, being dealt with numerous tasks of analyzing statistical data Presenting reports and explaining their implications to managers and directors within specific deadlines Considering the risk of financial decisions for employers is some level of stress Continuous of stress can rather be tedious, feel meaningless and pretty boring Conclusion I. In conclusion, I would like to end my presentation by saying II. Summary of main points a) Advantages High earning potential Gain in corporate respect b) Disadvantages Examination requirements for advancement Stressful and hard work III. Q & A

Does mother earth have the capacity to sustain continued population growth

That is the question I am going to answer in the following essay. We will be looking at two persons who gave there opinion about the principal of population growth and their solutions. One called, Robert Malthus, the other person called Ester Boserup. They both differ a lot of each other in opinion. Boserup was more optimistic about it, although on the other hand Malthus was very sceptic and pessimistic. I will include their arguments and their way of looking at population growth later on, combined with my own view. Several facts are concurring about population growth. When the world would collapse of its own infirmity, it will be due different factors. One of them will be due global warming. This is also one of the arguments of Malthus which influences his credo1. Population growth is a very important issue for geographers now a day. These geographers are certainly divided into 2 groups. One group focuses more on the Malthusian-way of thinking and the other support Ester Boserups her ideas, which are more optimistic. Worries about population growth are not new. About 200 years ago, Malthus published a essay called; The Principal of Population Growth. His main arguments in this essay were about the geometrically grow of population, while the resources available to support it tend to grow arithmetically. He presented his theory in response to optimists who thought that mankind can master environment bottomless. They verified this idea with some new cures such as DDT which eliminates misquotes born with malaria, anti-biotics. During the same period, the â€Å"Green Revolution† greatly boosted food output through the cultivation of new disease-resistant rice and other food crops, and the use of fertilizers and more effective farming methods. These changes have contributed to a dramatic increase in human population growth rates2. Global Warming is causing a big impact on population growth. The carbon dioxide is sacrificing the earths nature causing a enormous impact on water altitude. Increasing water altitude causes the sea level to rise. This will finally result in floods of areas were people life. Due this fact, people will have to move because otherwise they risk another deluge. Because of this process it will contribute to the fact that the earths living surface can decrease. As more people are settling on earth then people leaving it will result that there isn't enough space for such an amount of inhabitants. If you look at the facts of Population Growth, it will tell you that, every minute there are 5 babies born. This means that every year 87 million people are added to the world. In 1999 the World Watchers institute said that population growth is slowing down due the fact of rising Death Rates. They estimated a 8,9 billion people on the world instead of the predicted 9,4 billion. Two-thirds of this drop is because of falling birth rates, but one-third is due rising death rates. Three factors are pushing the death rates up, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian sub-continent3: the HIV epidemic the depletion of aquifers shrinking cropland area per person. We analyze the worlds carrying capacity with Net Primary Productivity. It represents the total food resource on earth. It has been calculated that we are using 40% of the terrestrial food supply. This leaves 60% left on earth, theoreticly human population would therefore be 2.5x the current level that is 2.5Ãâ€"5.9 = 15 billion, a number that will be reached within the next century if present trends continue4. Overall, the answer would be No to the question we asked earlier. Mother earth cannot sustain continuing population growth. Scientist keep making solutions to provide human better health care, but when you look at it, medicine cure people, which influences Mortality rate obviously. So on the other hand it speaks against itself. Population growth is increasing last few years as it never did before and it is going to move on. As there are coming more inhabitants, there won't be enough space one day, to grow crops and shelters at the same time. Global warming is causing the world the heat up, increasing sea level and destroy rainforest (one of our big food resources on earth)

Middle East Studies in Fromkins A Peace to End All Peace

Middle East Studies in Fromkins A Peace to End All Peace The writer of the book â€Å"a peace to end all peace† makes a strong case on the contribution of the European nations in the unrest and volatility in the Middle East. The author evaluates the decisions made by the European nations, especially, Britain, France and Germany, after WW1 and their effects on the situation in the Middle East.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Middle East Studies in Fromkin’s A Peace to End All Peace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He opines that these decisions were full of mistakes, miscalculations, misunderstandings, and inefficacy. The consequence of the decisions is the Middle East in his time; apparently, which is not much different for the present one. These decisions included the contributions of the politicians, the formation of the Arab bureau, making promises to the Arabs and allies. He also evaluates the effects of the British defeat on the future of the region. Dur ing the time of the war, the making of judgments was the function of the assorted officers with varying capacities. These included civilians who had acquired credence to make such decisions through politics, such as Churchill. Others had arrived at their positions through long military service. These groups of individuals had different incentives in their arriving at decisions. For example, when the war at Gallipoli proved to be a failure, Churchill, a politician, refused to consent to the fact because he could not admit his defeat, and Kitchener, an army officer, refused to accept defeat because it was a disaster to the reputation of the British army (Fromkin 159 165). These dissimilarities in motives amid the different individuals who were in the making of the decisions contributed to their ineffective nature. Additionally, after the quitting of Fisher, the chief commanding officer, the intentions of other Admiralty Board remained hidden; leading to a period of speculations (160) . After the opposition parties had been able to force Churchill out of the government, their intentions were devoid of accuracy, since they did not have a clear understanding of the situations in the battle fields (163). The author, while describing the war, considers the Gallipoli war as deterministic in the progression of affairs in the Middle East. The war was significant for both parties, especially, the British, because it would have ended the stalemate. However, the defeat of a modern European army by a backward Asian army signified a lack of solution and a worsening of the situation (Fromkin 166). Sykes had the jurisdiction in overseeing the joining of Arabs into the pool of British allies. The said individual consulted with a variety of individuals on matters concerning Arabs. These individuals had different motives, and Sykes did not practice discretion in the choice of what was true and genuine, and what was untrue.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's se e if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There was a lack of central policy in such matters: difference officials were working in ignorance of what others were doing, often cross-purposing (170). The promises made to the Arabs lacked coherence, were easy to misunderstand. For example, the promises given to Emir Hussein led to his letter demanding kingdom; such confusions would not have led to any meaningful solutions to the problems in the east (174). The last of the factor showing the contribution of the west to the situation in the Middle East, in this part of the book, is the defeat of the Britons in the battle at Tigris. The British had lost at Gallipoli, and further loss did not help the matter. The army faced rough terrain with no infrastructure. Their supplies run out, and they suffered defeat. Their standing and influence in the east was once again questioned (202). Fromkin, David. A Peace to end all peace. New York: Henry Holt and company, 2001. Print.

Essay on The State, Media Policies DemocracyEssay Writing Service

Essay on The State, Media Policies DemocracyEssay Writing Service Essay on The State, Media Policies Democracy Essay on The State, Media Policies DemocracyThe issue regarding the relationship between the state, media policy and democracy has been widely discussed in scientific literature. There are different conceptions of democracy, which can be applied to different situations. On the one hand, the public has the right to participate in social affairs, applying democratic principles and effectively using the mass media information to achieve the established goals. On the other hand, the conception of democracy is that â€Å"the public must be barred from managing of their own affairs, but the means of information must be kept narrowly and rigidly controlled† (Chomsky, 1992, p. 10). According to Noam Chomsky (1992), â€Å"propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state†(p. 4). In other words, this phrase means propaganda is used by leaders to keep the masses under their control. Actually, Chomsky discusses the effectiveness of American propaganda effor ts, providing comprehensive historical evidence â€Å"from the warmongering of Woodrow Wilson to the creation of popular support for the 1991 military intervention in Kuwait† (Chomsky, 1992). He places emphasis on the effects of the falsification of historical data, suppression of vital information, as well as the use of the vapid concepts by the U.S. leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, pursuing the major goal to prevent the U.S. citizens from putting forward awkward questions about the adopted U.S. policy. Thesis statement: Propaganda can be viewed as an effective tool to promote democracy through the media, controlled by the state, although it may be ignored by people who have no interest in the proposed beliefs.The role of propaganda can be assessed from different perspectives. Noam Chomsky, the linguists and political thinker, highlights the idea of â€Å"the bewildered herd† that refers to the masses that are too ignorant to critically assess the media. Acco rding to Chomsky, â€Å"the bewildered herd, trampling and roaring, has its function: to be the interested spectators of action, not participants† (Chomsky, 2004, p. 93). The state can be viewed as the specialized class, which involves not only policymakers, but also school teachers and principals, who lead and control the so-called â€Å"bewildered herd†.   The media can be used to direct the â€Å"bewildered herd† providing each member the sense of reality and instilling the proper beliefs. The so-called â€Å"gatekeeping† in relation to Chomsky’s arguments regarding â€Å"the bewildered herd† and propaganda being to democracy â€Å"what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state† can be explained by the impact of the state on media policy. Some of the techniques of propaganda, which include codes and conventions that depend on cultural knowledge, can be used to orient the public in the world of politics. Actually, propaganda†™s function is to motivate others and influence the behavior of others in terms of politics. The techniques of propaganda are based on ethos, pathos and logos, because these elements make any argument more persuasive. As this strategy helps to produce successful propaganda, many propagandists combine democratic principles with the ideas expressed by the state to control media policies (Marlin, 2002). The art of propaganda is the art of persuasion, which proves the significance of the established ideology and proposed policy (Marlin, 2002). Codes and conventions that depend on cultural knowledge affect the quality of propaganda.  In general, such gatekeeping compromises Bennett’s (2007) characterization of â€Å"news as a democratic information system† because the news media fails to serve the needs of democracy in certain political contexts.   Lance Bennett (2007) is focused on the role of various political actors, including political leader, presidents, the memb ers of Congress, the members of interest groups and human activists in the functioning of the media to persuade people. According to Bennett, political thought is driven by the media, which provides both external and internal information. Many people ignore the news information because their interests are in conflict with the proposed beliefs. The media is focused on creating the healthy, trustworthy environment that is aimed at supporting the major state’s policies, as well as the ideas of the interest groups. In other words, the media is used to maintain and promote the so-called illusions developed by the state to allow public opinion being influenced by the state’s interests. The media operates as the tool to control political thought. Noam Chomsky (2004), as an experienced political thinker, believes that the media is a powerful force used by the state to create the required illusion of democracy. The media has the ability to construct public opinion as it is requ ired by those who are in power. The fact that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution works to ensure freedom of press, driven by democratic principles, does not mean that the media reflects democracy. According to Chomsky, â€Å"if the powerful are able to fix the premise of discourse, to decide what the general populace is allowed to see, hear and think about, and to manage public opinion by regular propaganda campaigns, the standard view of how the system works is at serious odds with reality† (qtd. in Best Radcliff, 2005, p. 72). Generally speaking, Bennett’s characterization of â€Å"news as a democratic information system† fails to reveal the real function of the media in today’s political environment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the role of the media in contemporary politics is crucial as it depends on the state, but, at the same time, it is influenced by democracy. The study of political power in relation to public opinion helps to evaluate the significance of propaganda. The media can be viewed as an effective tool to control and manipulate public opinion, based on the principles of democracy and the ideas of governmental elites. In other words democracy is influenced by the state’s policies. Chomsky’s arguments regarding â€Å"the bewildered herd† and propaganda being to democracy â€Å"what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state† can be used to give explanation to the impact of the state on media policy. Although the media is considered to be free from the state’s censorship, it is steadily compromised by the state’s control. In some cases, the media fails to provide people with the type of information they need to assess the political situation and make the correct choices regarding their own interests in politics. The governmental elites who provide control over the functioning of the media also have control over publ ic opinion, shaping the information in their own interests. So, Bennett’s characterization of â€Å"news as a democratic information system† is false. Propaganda is crucial for the state as it maintains the illusion of democracy while permitting the interest groups to have power over public opinion.

Conflict in The Middle East Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict in The Middle East - Assignment Example Various western states had varied stands regarding the matter. First, in the need to quench the conflict, the British reduced the migration of the Jews into Palestine. In addition, they rejected the suggestion of an independent state in Palestine. Second, the United States approved for the creation of an independent Jews state. This was despite the fact the Jews were only a third of the whole Palestine population. Nonetheless, the United Nation intervened and partitioned Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab State. Consequently, both sides remained bitter (Spielvogel p896-898). The emergence of Colonel Abdel Nasser as a new leader in Egypt raised the hopes of the possible end of Arab-Israel conflict. Through the help of the United States he was able to reclaim the Suez Canal which of great interest to the British and the French. Thereafter, Egypt led to the formation of the Palestine Liberation Movement to unite the Palestinians (Spielvogel p896-898). Understanding the present day Middle East conflict enables one to have better understanding of the possible causes of the start and failures to ending the

How Engineering improve the safety of dangerous sports Research Paper

How Engineering improve the safety of dangerous sports - Research Paper Example Sports can be thrilling and a useful way of spending your time. Even though sports are mainly meant to be harmless and a source of joy, some of them are very risky to those taking part in them. Some of the dangerous sports include bicycle motocross where the cyclist performs hazardous tricks while in the air, racing like in formula 1 in which accidents have been fatal, big wave surfing, football, volcano boarding, tennis, ice hockey, skateboarding and basketball. In my view, engineering has been very helpful in reducing the amount of injuries in sports. The number of injuries reported in recent years have been less compared to those reported when the advancement in engineering field wasn’t as much. Engineers have come up with ways that have improved our safety in many sports that are generally considered dangerous and harmful. This developments have resulted in many people getting involved in such sports and of course I have been encouraged too given am safer now when am enjoying my sport. Looking at football for example, engineers have come up with helmets that can protect the player’s skull from fracture during those strong tackles. Helmets that can prevent concussions are also being developed thus improving the safety of players. This has been a very vital research as risks of death are reduced. The players also wear mouth guards made by engineers to protect themselves from losing teeth and some protective gear on other parts of body. Comparing modern day football and that from back then, I would actually want to be a football player in this days due to safety concerns. In motor racing, those cars are a lot safer now due to efforts done by engineers do ensure safety of drivers. There have been development of safety helmets, fire extinguishers in the race cars, racing uniforms that wouldn’t catch fire easily in the case that the vehicle caught fire during the

HRM Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

HRM Overview - Essay Example The organizational function that deals with the people ..." (Heathfield, 2007). The purpose of this paper is to describe the extent to which HR practices can effectively modify organisational culture and thereby increase the commitment of employees, and also give an account on various aspects of HR management. HR applies to the workforce managed by any employer. An organisation or a business needs employees. In other words, without employees it becomes highly difficult for an organisation to run. It is also equally important to properly manage these employees in order to achieve optimal efficiency. There are several research conducted over the years of how to manage the workforce properly. If fact it has been proven to be much more difficult the workforce than maintaining the complicated computer systems or many other machines. It has also been proven beyond doubt that a mechanical approach towards workforce has often failed. This is the reason why the application of human resources management focuses mainly on the most sensitive issue of human analysis to find out what really works with employees. One of the major aspects of HR maintenance involves employee recruitment, training and development as a function of human capital management. Human Resource Management has an important role in making sure that employees' abilities are precisely and favourably nurtured to best suite the companies' requirement. Once the training of an employee is completed, it is essential to seeing a worthwhile return on investment come from their contribution to the company. Along with employee training, HR departments also look into the area of recruiting new applicants. The HR departments are in a continuous quest to find the best talent available on the global labour. Human resources departments also look into a variety of other problems faced by the organisations such as labour relations that include the crucial and highly sensitive dialogue between employees and management - the production of job descriptions, the monitoring of worker to worker relation and to design a efficient employee management system, and over an above the compilation of incentive and benefits packages as well as a variety of other vital functions that relate directly to the employee workforce (hrVillage.com, 2000). In any organisation, the Human Resources Management (HRM) function remains same and it includes a variety of activities. The most important among the functions is deciding on how many staffs need to be recruited and how to allocate the work to the staff. Besides, recruiting and training the employees, ensuring to bring out the best in each of them, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring standards of the organisation is met and above all management practices conform to various regulations are some of the main functions of HRM (McNamara, 1997). HR Impact on organisational performance and culture Good strategies alone cannot guarantee for long-term success rather many other factors impact organizational performance. Corporate culture is one such important factor is which aids an organization to create a high performance environment. Because culture is so important to the success of a firm, human resource professionals need to

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism Research Paper

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism - Research Paper Example Ohio has a record of being the highest state having a huge number of prisoners and maintaining a larger number of people who are into the prisons. The state has been effectively planning their reform programs and maintaining a proper system of taking reformative programs but it has been a failure at large. The reformative measures are highly affected by the increasing rate of recidivism among the prisoners. Review of the available structures reflects on the failure of the reformative actions that are being taken within the jurisdiction of Ohio. However, the changing needs of the society maintaining an effective system is one of the major needs of development and enhancing the overall approach of jurisdiction. Commendably, the state has incorporate effective measures to enhance the prominence of the same and develop the overall security that is prominent. Notably, with the effective enhancement of the different needs of developing a proper plan has in turn enhanced the value of the overall need for development of prisoners. Furthermore, to reduce the chances of recidivism the jurisdiction system that is prominent in Ohio is enhancing its individual capacity to perform and develop the overall system of jurisdiction. Prison Reform plans acts as a sole development that could be incorporated within the system, ensuring a prospective projection of different social development initiated by any state or secular republic to develop the transparency of the jurisdiction and ensures that larger number of people are incorporated within the society. Reform programs are most important for a country to ensure that more people are able to lead a normal life by developing their ability to work and live as normal citizens. Mostly all the countries of the nations are inclined towards developing a pilot plan that would successfully meet the essentials to get back to the mainstream society. With the effective development of

Anyone interested in Scottish family and Scottish local history should Essay

Anyone interested in Scottish family and Scottish local history should be aware of the changes in legislation in the nineteenth - Essay Example However, there had been previous laws, which concerned the relief of the poor within the country before the enactment of the 1845 act. Nevertheless, this particular act is particularly important to the history of the Scottish local family in that it was wholly intended to empower the individual parishes to enumerate own poor. Moreover, besides just enumeration of the poor, the enactment of the law empowered the state to enquire more into the poverty status of the people.Through the enquiry, the state would understand the circumstances around the poverty, understand whether the ‘poor’ would be in a position to work and establish whether there existed other family members who would be depended on by the family for survival. A characteristic feature that existed in the Scottish law previously had been a poor rate or levy, which had been imposed within the state in order to assist the poor. However, therefore was the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the legislations as they were prior to the 1845 enactment of the legislation, which saw the amendments, which led to the 1845-act formulation. The act of 1845 had main provisions, which revolved around the establishment of a supervisory board whose mandate was to effect poor law system regulation. It also provided for retaining the already existing ‘parish based systems’ via Parochial boards (The National Archives of Scotland, para 3). The boards had also powers to regulate taxes. Outdoor relief services for the poor were meant to remain with an attention to building more poor houses for the sick. Moreover, the act empowered the inspector of the poor to legitimize the applications of relief to the poor. The effects of the enactment of the legislation saw the able-bodied poor segment of the population miss an automatic entitlement to the poor relief, as was the case previously in England. However, under the legislation, the poor had the capacity to engage legal procedures to appeal for poor relief denied on them. Nevertheless, in spite of such a promising legislation as it were, it suffered a major drawback on the fact that it lacked a framework to address outdoor relief mismanagement, which was very prevalent. The nineteenth century legislations had great impacts on the records to the Scottish local family and as such, anyone interested in Scottish family and Scottish local history should be aware of these changes in legislation. This paper therefore intends to discuss the specific changes brought about by the legislation and the impact brought about to the records. The previous regimes of legislation ware more open and inclusive where the disabled as well as the poor were entitled to assistance with the blind, orphans, the sick as well as the old having the priority over the assistance though the able bodied had special provision to the relief under special occasions (Milner, 2). Under such instances, the able bodied were included in the provision of the ‘occa sional’ poor during hard times. It was the responsibility of the Kirk sessions and the landowners to oversee dispensation of the relief within the rural areas whereas the town councils as well as magistrates over saw the process within the urban areas (Milner, 1; General Register office for Scotland, 1).1 Each parish took care of its own poor through church collections, voluntary donations as well as through fines inflicted on the convicted sinners (Mitchison, 109; Clark,

National Park Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Park - Essay Example The recent geological fossils discovery inclusive of 11,000 years sloth bones maintains the treasured specialty in the caves of Grand Canyon. Lots of animal tracks and marine fossils are eminent in the rock layers. The Colorado River resulted to Grand Canyon in its flow path hence unfolding more unique features both physically and geologically (Hall 56). The geological formations in this canyon contain precious minerals and metals that hold large historical information on earth formations. The main geological features clearly seen in Grand Canyon are the unique and complete sequence of rocks. There are over 40 layers of sedimentary rocks that are fully exposed in the Canyon. The park dates back between 200 million to 2 billion years ago. Most of these rocks were deposited in shallow and warm seas in North America. Another important geological feature is terrestrial and marine sediments in Grand Canyon (Abbott and Cook 158). Fossilized dunes believed to have an origin from an extinct desert other unconformities are also present in Grand Canyon area. A number of theoretical assumptions come into play when it comes to the formation of canyon geological features like rocks. Climate change, volcanism and continental drift serve as some of the scientific proofs towards formation of rocks. The erosive nature of Colorado River and the wind have resulted to exposure of the sedimentary rocks over a certain period. The reaction of the land to weather conditions over a long period with continuous living of plant and animals is the key behind fossils (Dowling and Newsome 162). The selection of the park is due to the unique feature and wide scope of geological features in the Canyon (Hall 56). Words cannot fully comprehend the speculations about this park hence it worth a visit. In accordance to the experience, there is a lot to see and learn about this spectacular geological ground. Depending on specified time of visit,

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism Research Paper

Ohio Prison's Reform Plans and Recidivism - Research Paper Example Ohio has a record of being the highest state having a huge number of prisoners and maintaining a larger number of people who are into the prisons. The state has been effectively planning their reform programs and maintaining a proper system of taking reformative programs but it has been a failure at large. The reformative measures are highly affected by the increasing rate of recidivism among the prisoners. Review of the available structures reflects on the failure of the reformative actions that are being taken within the jurisdiction of Ohio. However, the changing needs of the society maintaining an effective system is one of the major needs of development and enhancing the overall approach of jurisdiction. Commendably, the state has incorporate effective measures to enhance the prominence of the same and develop the overall security that is prominent. Notably, with the effective enhancement of the different needs of developing a proper plan has in turn enhanced the value of the overall need for development of prisoners. Furthermore, to reduce the chances of recidivism the jurisdiction system that is prominent in Ohio is enhancing its individual capacity to perform and develop the overall system of jurisdiction. Prison Reform plans acts as a sole development that could be incorporated within the system, ensuring a prospective projection of different social development initiated by any state or secular republic to develop the transparency of the jurisdiction and ensures that larger number of people are incorporated within the society. Reform programs are most important for a country to ensure that more people are able to lead a normal life by developing their ability to work and live as normal citizens. Mostly all the countries of the nations are inclined towards developing a pilot plan that would successfully meet the essentials to get back to the mainstream society. With the effective development of

National Park Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Park - Essay Example The recent geological fossils discovery inclusive of 11,000 years sloth bones maintains the treasured specialty in the caves of Grand Canyon. Lots of animal tracks and marine fossils are eminent in the rock layers. The Colorado River resulted to Grand Canyon in its flow path hence unfolding more unique features both physically and geologically (Hall 56). The geological formations in this canyon contain precious minerals and metals that hold large historical information on earth formations. The main geological features clearly seen in Grand Canyon are the unique and complete sequence of rocks. There are over 40 layers of sedimentary rocks that are fully exposed in the Canyon. The park dates back between 200 million to 2 billion years ago. Most of these rocks were deposited in shallow and warm seas in North America. Another important geological feature is terrestrial and marine sediments in Grand Canyon (Abbott and Cook 158). Fossilized dunes believed to have an origin from an extinct desert other unconformities are also present in Grand Canyon area. A number of theoretical assumptions come into play when it comes to the formation of canyon geological features like rocks. Climate change, volcanism and continental drift serve as some of the scientific proofs towards formation of rocks. The erosive nature of Colorado River and the wind have resulted to exposure of the sedimentary rocks over a certain period. The reaction of the land to weather conditions over a long period with continuous living of plant and animals is the key behind fossils (Dowling and Newsome 162). The selection of the park is due to the unique feature and wide scope of geological features in the Canyon (Hall 56). Words cannot fully comprehend the speculations about this park hence it worth a visit. In accordance to the experience, there is a lot to see and learn about this spectacular geological ground. Depending on specified time of visit,

Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills & Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams Essay Example for Free

Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams Essay One of the most important aspects to put into consideration when taking up a project is project risk management. A project risk is an event / condition, which is uncertain that, upon it occurrence brings either a positive or a negative impact on the project. A positive manager should consider this as one of the ten knowledge areas where competence is highly regarded. Risk management is critical, especially to organizations working I multi-project environments and the maturity for risk is high. A wide range of risks is apparent when working in projects involving construction among other engineering work. These risks are mostly attributed to government policy, diversity in stakeholders’ aspirations and the challenges of adding multiple projects. For a good risk management process, there must be a clear statement and understanding of roles and responsibilities, proper skills on technical analysis and the prevailing organizational factors should support the project. Project risk management involves identifying, assessing and prioritizing of risks: and thereafter putting resources to use in order to reduce, monitor and control those risks that could affect the project negatively and increase realizing of opportunities. This report seeks to outline the knowledge acquired on management of risk in projects. Discussion               All organizations exist for their own different purposes, and that of public engineering organizations in the construction business, the purpose is to deliver a service, which brings a beneficial result in the public/ stakeholders interest. Decisions to pump resources into investments on capital infrastructure are prompted by needs that are meant to enhance the achievement of the major purpose. According to Flanagan and Norman (1993), the benefits of efficient risk management are evident especially in projects involving capital infrastructure because they are dynamic in nature and bring positive cost implications from the construction related decisions. Risk management should be taken as an intrinsic part of capital infrastructure investment decisions mainly because, as project ventures get more elaborate, the role of risk management is exemplified. In regard to this realization, some countries have enacted government policies on constructors emphasizing on th e need to incorporate risk management in capital infrastructure schemes. Risk is therefore, in many occasions, viewed as a condition or event whose occurrence will have adverse effects on the project and may hinder the attainment of set objectives. Hence, risk management relates decisions to such probable harmful effects.                  This philosophical approach to risk management enables the process to be broken down into four fundamental sub-processes. These involve identification, analysis, response and monitoring. The former step of identification is the most critical step because it has the biggest effect on decisions emanating from the process of risk management. Reviewing risk management, in his article, Williams (1995), notes that there is little structured work in publication about typical risks. According to Chapman (1998), as much as risk identification is critical on the risk assessment and response phases, very little empirical evidence is available at this early phase. The heavier task in risk management remains in the analysis and response to the risk, yet the reasoning stands that unless the risks are identified, they cannot be analyzed and responded to.                  For most engineers, the need to have a set out program is critical for it provides an umbrella under which all current projects fall so that an outcome can be delivered massively in general, and greater than the total sum of all others. A program is usually temporary, and flexible; created to direct and oversee the implementation of a set of related projects and activities for the deliverance of beneficial outcomes that relate to the organization’s strategic objectives. Several projects are undertaken under this umbrella. This explicitly differentiates between program management outcomes and project management outputs. However, there is a link between projects and strategy through the program. Risk management is becoming an increasingly important process due to external pressures in existence. However, good risk management is seen as a critical attribute of organizational success in the field of engineering. The assumption that programs are merely extensions of projects should cease to exist because many will tend to reflect program risk management to project risk management (Allan, 2008). Program management is a broad extension of the varied, yet related, projects.                  On projects, it is important to define one or more objective functions like capital expenditure and completion time to represent it to measure the probability of achieving the set targets. Risk management then goes on to model the project’s objectives against the projects variables like costs and the quantity of inputs. These variables are usually uncertain as time goes on, hence the uncertainty of a hundred percent achievement of the objectives set. The most ideal situation would be identifying and characterizing the variables in advance providing that they will remain unchanged by time. This would make it easy to estimate the possible risks and the consequent variance of the project’s objective(s). However, not all project variables can be identified as new variables might surface as the project goes on while the probability of occurrence of the initial variables may vary. The impacts of the initial variables, both positive and negative, m ay change too hence making risk management even more hard (Drummond, 1999).                     Certainty and uncertainty of realizing a project’s objectives are measurable, only ideally. The possibility of a project not breaking even could be considered as a representative of the whole project, and then used in turn to evaluate against variable and try and reduce the risks involved as well as become a basis for decision-making. Some projects may proceed normally in a stable environment, hence making the uncertainty high at the time it is conceptualized. Pro-active planning and making prudent decisions will see the uncertainty reduce. However, uncertainty in complex projects within a changing environment will not necessarily reduce/ diminish as time goes by Chapman (1998). It is necessary to keep on checking on the project’s variables and re-evaluating of the objective function’s status to facilitate adjustments in the project’s strategies. Uncertainty surrounds many parts of a project; hence early resolution of vari ables may not be possible always. Variables change over time leading to exposure to new threats and risks along the way. This fact should not be refuted and a lot of work is required in the planning evaluating phases, where most of the critical work is done. In spite of all the uncertainty and complexity surrounding risk management and project management, it is important to seek methods of improving the project’s base value (Drummond, 1999).                  Conceptualization, planning, and implementation of a project is a complex process that requires management based on set strategic objectives, which vary from time to time. The objectives should be integrative and holistic in the sense that it caters for social, political, environmental, and community aspects. Traditionally, planning in project management should form the basis of planning, alongside other functions of project management including; human resource, time, scope, integration, quality and procurement. These should be the fundamental factors f consideration along each phase. A variety of guidebooks, protocols and codes of practice in the engineering field have been made available for use in risk management in project management. In the United Kingdom, the ‘Orange book’ is a framework that is set to offer guidance on basic risk management concepts and as a resource for developing risk management processes and implementing them I the public sector. It is also aimed at using a risk based decision-making on investment. There have been many more publications and publications aimed at dictating hoe risk management should look like. These guidelines have offered a basis upon which projects are appraised and their investment viability tested. This has enhanced the process and shifted its reception and perception from project risk management to a risk management strategic level (Melton, 2011).                  In engineering and construction professions, program management and project management came to existence due to the changing procurement environment. In the United Kingdom, procurement of infrastructural assets was done in a sequential manner, which involved a clear differentiation in the project life cycle phases. Currently there are three major procurement systems, that is; prime contracting, Design and Build procurement and Private Finance Initiative. These methods were because of the need to adopt integrative and collaborative project delivery methods. The procurement systems have features like framework agreements, the use of specifications that are output based, and more importantly, emphasis on the lifelong value of the structures (Shehu and Akintoye, 2009). The office of Government Commerce has facilitated the change in construction procurement in the public sector too. The agency’s main agenda is to ensure that policies are followed and en hancing promotion of the best performance practices. These systems ensure that the project undertaken are of high quality and are in regard to the set policies and guidelines. These sanctions in the public works and construction sector have acted as strategic risk management tools for they ensure quality assurance as well as proper quality management.                  Project management should incorporate the use of a strategy-based management approach. This will facilitate the integration of planning, risk management and decision-making hence ensuring real time real time realization of an optimum of the project’s strategic objective against its variables. The project’s promoters are not always the investors. Investors are not always actively involved in the management of the project, but invest resources into the project hoping to get dividends. The promoters’ objective, on the other hand, is to deliver a facility that will ensure a long term balanced and financially viable business entity. The project is therefore a compromise between the attainment of investors’ interests and that of the community. Project development should be based on a set of strategic objectives, which stamp the project as a business and entwining project decisions to strategic business decisions. Amid all risks, the project should be planned proactively with regards to its variables and with a focus on the life cycle objective functions (Westland, 2007).                  The life cycle objective functions are functions such as: financially related functions- such as the project’s net worth, satisfaction of customers- those affected by aspects such as safety, project utility, operability, and quality, lastly, due diligence must be adhered to- that is, statutory concerns and policies should be observed especially when the project is located in highly populated areas or is adjacent or near ecological systems deemed to be sensitive (Janet Tammy, 2005). This factor also goes hand in hand with the ethical code that is supposed to guide the execution of projects. Proactive planning of the project ensures that project uncertainty is minimized in real time. Effective risk management ensures that there is typical conceptualization of projects and their subsequent implementation using strategic objectives. It also ensures any further variables are assessed and managed accordingly to optimize the project’s strategic ou tcome, that which of a business entity. Since projects are subjected to changes in objectives and variables due to external factors, it is important to incorporate a continuous risk management process that involves continuous risk and uncertainty management process conducted in real time to bring value to the project manager. Strategies made from risk analysis should be seen as a basis upon which decisions are made going forward. Objectives of the life cycle should be used as the vessel for analysis. Reflective assessment                  Engaging in exhaustive personal research and involvement of the same with groups has incapacitated adequately with sufficient knowledge on managing projects as an engineer. I have come to evolve from a mediocre project manager, thinking that technicalities were all I needed, to a project under-taker equipped with the relevant skills. Undertaking projects with my group and alone was not like undertaking them with my professor. Comparing personal projects and those done in groups, with those guided by the professor, flaws are clear to point out. In my first group project, our then project leader, whose name I will not disclose for discretion purposes, was too impulsive at times and objectives were not achieved as expected because of poor decision-making, even on the most obvious issues. The project resulted in high costs in execution unlike what had been anticipated and took longer. However, it is from the mistakes that my group and I learnt the importance of risk management in project management as an important tool to facilitate proactive planning, rather than responding to results. Another lesson learnt from that experience was the need to incorporate continuous analysis as a way of implementing risk management to ensure real time solutions. However, it is through solving these and other hurdles that the learning process in the field has been enhanced and increased my knowledge. The short yet detailed experience coupled with the many articles and critiques I have encountered have inspired me to get to want to explore more on the field by undertaking and managing more projects to experience more than I have. By initiating and overseeing projects as well as assuming responsibility for achievement of objectives and integration will boost my intuition and judgment on decision-making for future projects and for professional expertise. I know trying to venture into projects of high magnitude is a risk, but the ability to tackle the risk itself is way beyond the risk management of the process and a success would ultimately mean victory on both ends. References Allan, N., Davis, J., 2006. Strategic risks — thinking about them differently. Proceedings of ICE 159 Drummond H 1999. Are we any closer to the end Escalation and the case of Taurus? International Journal of Project Management Flanagan, R., Norman, G. (1996). Risk management and construction. Oxford [u.a.], Blackwell Science.Means, J. A., Adams, T. (2005). Facilitating the Project Lifecycle the Skills Tools to Accelerate Progress for Project Managers, Facilitators, and Six Sigma Project Teams. Hoboken, John Wiley Sons. http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=9130. Melton, T. (2008). Real project planning developing a project delivery strategy. Amsterdam, Butterworth-Heinemann. Shehu, Z., Akintove, A., 2010. Major challenges to the successful implementation and practice of programme management in the construction environment: a critical analysis. International journal of project management Westland, J. (2007). The project management life cycle: a complete step-by-step methodology for initiating, planning, executing closing a project successfully. Williams, T., 1995. A classified bibliography of recent research relating to project risk management. European Journal of Operational Research Source document

Problem Oriented Policing Pros and Cons

Problem Oriented Policing Pros and Cons Problem Oriented Policing What, exactly, is problem oriented policing? Critically discuss its potential benefits. Policing in the UK and many other countries play an extremely vital part in helping to reduce different forms of crime. The police have a major impact on what becomes defined as a crime, which offences are prioritized, and which sections of the community are portrayed as ‘dangerous’ or ‘troublesome’. (Waddington, 2000:156). There are a number of different approaches to reducing crime; however my main focus throughout this essay will be on problem oriented policing. Problem oriented policing has its advantages as well as disadvantages in preventing crime. In this essay I will discuss whether problem oriented policing has potential benefits in order to prevent crime in society. Police in the UK today is seen as a civil service that helps to solve and tackle the problem of crime. The police are faced with many problems everyday and do their best to deal with it within the restrictions of law, there are a number of different policing strategies used to tackle and prevent the problem of crime. Policing is a social institution which involves maintenance, peacekeeping, crime investigation, prevention and the rule of law enforcement which involves having a certain amount of power to serve their purpose (Jones and Newburn, 1998). To understand the current situation of policing it is essential to look at the background and history how crime was reduced in the past and what changes have been made in order to help reduce and prevent crime today. Although policing has some core features globally (Bayley, 1985; Mawby, 1999; Waddington, 1999a: 3-4), the exact forms that it takes vary widely, even within particular localities. Modern British policing, for example, with its ‘omnibus role’ incorporating ‘crime prevention, detection, peacekeeping, public order maintenance and the preservation of state security (Reiner, 1994a:755) emerges from several very different historical strands. The occupation of patrolling to prevent crime and apprehend offenders emerged from the functions of the medieval constable and watchmen, while ‘riot control’ emerged from the role of military in suppressing disorderly crowds (Rawlings, 2002; Vogler, 1991). These differing traditions, and the ideologies and practices they have given rise to, represent continual tensions in policing. Crime in the past was not as a great deal as it is in today’s society. There have been a lot of social changes as a result the way in which the state was controlled differed as there weren’t a lot of opportunities to commit crimes in the past. In today’s society, there are many different forms of policing as there are a number of different offences that need to be dealt with in a diverse way. In 1829 Sir Robert Peel established one of the well recognized policing systems which were the Metropolitan police. People hoped that the political system would improve aspects of society because in the 19th century, crime rates were increasing and the home office and government needed to act quickly upon this problem or things would get worse. Also there is a criticism of the role of policing as it is only concerned with crime and the enforcement of law which has restrictions and limits only to a certain extent to prevent crime (Goldstein, 1979). Goldstein argued that a new strategy needed to be developed as most crimes are in the same place and committed by the same individuals. Developing new strategies for preventing crime came about because of social, cultural, economic changes and growth of the state over the years. The criminal justice system as an approach on its own didn’t seem to have a great deal of an effect in controlling crime as it was made up of prosecuting, sentencing and punishing those who had offended. As a result when addressing the problem of crime, it was seen as a suitable way to use an additional approach alongside the criminal justice system which in this case is problem oriented policing (POP). In the 1980’s a new idea was introduced to the police in order to reinforce primary crime prevention. ‘This idea was called problem-oriented policing (POP), which was developed in America by Herman Goldstein’ (Goldstein, 1979; 1990) it’s purpose was to seek the main route of the crime and analyse it in order to understand why the crime had happened. POP became a success in the UK and North America. (Pease, 1997). It involves rank and file officers becoming pro-active in solving root causes of reoccurring problems in relation to the type of offender, localities and victims (Tilley, 1996). Problem oriented policing is a type of pro-active policing strategy and has become increasingly influential in the UK and addresses problems systematically in an ongoing process. The development of POP was based on perception that demands placed upon the police service meant that key issues of community to the community were often neglected (Tiley, 2003:318) ‘thus the active involvement of the community and external agencies is often vital to the identification of problems and the development of strategies to solve them’ (Leigh, Reid and Tilley, 1996:5). Crime prevention in Britain has constantly been seen as being the duty of the police. The British crime survey in 1982 showed that crime was four times higher than police had recorded it. (Walklate, 1996.) And more recently Barclay, (1995) found that only 3% of government expenditure on crime and criminal justice matters was spent on crime prevention. (Pease, 1997.) This showed that that the police alone could not combat such a level of crime. The basic premise of POP ‘is that the core of policing should be to deal effectively with underlying police-recurrent problems rather than simply to react to incidents calling for attention one by one as they occur’ (Bullock and Tilley, 2003:1). ‘This approach places the application of scientific methods at the heart of policing’ (Ekbolm, 2002; Bullock and Tilley, 2003: 5-6; John and Maguire, 2003:38) and involves: ‘identifying and analysing recurrent problems’ ‘interrogating their underlying sources’ ‘finding some points of intervention that will block caused and risk factors’ ‘Implementing the initiatives that have been devised’, ‘evaluating the success of initiatives put forward to respond to identified problems.’ An example of this would be in Clarke and Goldstein, 2002, which was a study done on a construction site that concerned theft. The crime was understood to be easy access to valuable products being available where the site was poorly safeguarded. With police assessment and knowledge of the problem, the construction site followed guidelines and some procedures where the police monitored compliance in order for it to be tracked. The results showed that the reaction the police got was successful as the analysis focused on understanding the circumstances that caused the problem to occur in the first place. In this sense it could be seen as a successful way to help prevent crime as no power was used, no arrests were made and it solved the problem quickly and effectively saving the police and company time and money. This is a successful way to monitor how different companies can protect themselves by doing a straightforward task such as getting appropriate equipment to guard property such as alarms, and then offenders will think twice before wanting to carry out a crime if the opportunity is not there. Problem oriented policing also engages in problem analysis triangle (PAT) and scanning, analysis, response and assessment (SARA). In a two year research project conducted in Leicestershire, there was training based on PAT and SARA which provided officers with knowledge of what the job involves. This was an experiment which involved tackling specific problems. The research project makes use of the strategies by identifying a problem, using knowledge and data to look further into the problems and causes of crime. It also teaches officers how to respond in an effective way by working with the community to assess if the solutions worked and what has been learnt. Problem oriented policing has gone further by being introduced in Thames Valley policing in 1997, Merseyside and other police forces. This shows that the approach used is a wide geographical spread, long term prevention program that is successful in tackling the underlying causes of problems. This project builds an idea how it would be successful to deal with problems and help prevent crime by working together and finding a solution that will prevent problems. It also shows how PAT and SARA is used to prevent crime and solving community problems. Problem oriented policing is therefore examining patterns of crime to identify and prevent underlying problems within the community. Oriented policing has shown to of had a great impact on the United States and is becoming more influential in the UK. The government and home office have implemented and introduced several different laws and agencies to help reduce crime. However, it is open to discussion to say what it is regarding problem oriented policing that has made it more significant in the UK and does it work? There are many merits as well as drawbacks to the benefits of problem orientated policing. There are a number of benefits of problem oriented policing, these include: ‘Decentralisation, POP attempts to move the focus of police decision making away from managers and towards front-line officers who are in a better position to understand the causes and possible solutions for problems’( John and Maguire,2003:65). It has been argued that ‘officers must know the underlying issues locally, be in contact with the community, have information to help understand the nature of the problems that generate clusters of incident, be supported by senior offices in attempting to solve problems imaginatively and tailor problem-solving to emerging local issues’ (Jordan, 1998:73). This should enable police resources to become more directly related to community needs. ‘Enhances the status of neighbourhood officers, POP envisages a significant role for local police officers whose status in the police service are likely to rise’ (Blair, 2005). ‘A shift away from law enforcement, POP involves activities to solve crime-related issues which are undertaken by agencies other than the police and by local communities’ an example of this is the burglary reduction initiative on a large housing estate in Stockport. (Bratby, 1999: 28-9). ‘Emphasises the importance of intelligence to police work, POP places considerable emphasis on the gathering and analysis of intelligence as the basis of society’s response to crime. The emphasis is on eliminating problems in the future as opposed to reacting to past incidents’ (Joyce, 2006:130). However a drawback of this point is it could be argued that the scanning and analysis of the data collected may not be accurate as it is community biased so is the data collected true and who is benefiting from the work carried out. It could be looked at in a sense that the community need to help themselves address issues as well as with the help of the police. For example when addressing the trouble of gang activities, the community need to get involved by disciplining their children and if gangs are making a nuisance of themselves then the community need to tackle this problem together. Even though there is optimistic perspectives in the benefits of problem oriented policing. Problem oriented policing has changed the work of some police forces so it makes it easier to refer to other cases and they have knowledge of what is going on. Officers will find it easier to respond to problems and know what they are dealing with so that the main cause of the problem is solved, reducing the risk of it happening again. It is obvious to state that the police must work with the community to know what issues must be addressed, however, how much are people in the community willing to participate. It has been seen that progress in applying a problem-oriented approach to policing was patchy (HMIC, 1998) and many were identified as being a long way off from implementing it fully (HMIC, 2000). The reason for the relatively slow progress includes: ‘The need to respond to incidents, much police work is demand led, having to respond to calls for help made by members of the general public’, ‘Complexity, considerable social skills are required in connection with problem identification, the analysis of their causes and the evaluation of the strategies to respond to these issues. These skills are not readily found within the police service, these activities are time consuming’. (Goldsteing, 2003; Matassa and Newburn, 2003:213). It has been argued that ‘POP is interpreted and implemented in too many ways to permit any firm conclusion’ (Stockdale and Whitehead, 2003:244) it has been further argued that the assessment of outcomes in monetary terms is insufficiently developed to be able to assess whether POP is cost effective Stockdale and Whitehead, 2003:249). It can also be argued that problem oriented policing deals with minor incidents such as theft and ignores other major problems. By focusing on such a minor problem is not going to be benefiting the community as there are other crimes that need to be addressed and the police will sooner or later deal with the problem by enforcement. A small amount of attention is paid to the oriented policing approach in dealing with problems it is likely that with policing they tend to naturally think enforcement. Oriented policing is interpreted and implemented in a number of ways; it is difficult to implement it. Also officers may not take the approach seriously due to the hassle of paperwork and following that procedure sometimes does not fit in with the police forces routine so there is the drawback of the approach not being used. Culture is another drawback within the police force as most officers have the principle that crime can only be solved if actual force is used. If officers are following this belief then no problems will get solved because the origin cause will not be solved, offenders will keep committing the same offence and officers will take action by using enforcement. It is clear to see that problem oriented policing has its drawbacks but this is the situation with most crime prevention strategies. Every strategy that has been implemented will always have its pros and cons. Research shows that this approach would work if it was encouraged more and used more effectively within the day to day routine of the officers. The police forces find it straightforward and easy to use enforcement. Other strategies involved in reducing crime, such as intelligent led policing and community policing. They work in a different way compared to problem oriented policing. Even though these three models are pro-active strategies there job roles cannot be correlated to work collectively as they have different means and different functions. The proactive approach has an impact on crime reduction as it produces a compelling solution and reduces the underlying causes of crime without being too reactive. There are a number of factors that make up problem oriented policing and it has a lot of benefits. The benefits of problem oriented policing are clear to see that it involves a better served public, convenient demands on the police because underlying problems are solved such as reducing replicate emergency calls and officers with greater job satisfaction from being successful in meeting the communities objectives. Overall it seems that Goldstein’s approach was not successfully used as it was planned. The main reason being the police force are involved in tackling the cause of problems but there is no time for it as police forces are so complex. The objectives of policing are set nationwide and there are no serious circumstances of implementing problem oriented policing, I have outlined many advantages and disadvantages to this approach throughout this essay, and it seems to show that the benefits are lower than the disadvantages of this approach for this approach many things do need to change also other agencies need to be involved as it cannot solely be up to just the police force to battle the problem of crime. On the whole, problem oriented policing has its implications but it has delivered some benefits and the approach is still undertaken today so to a degree it is beneficial to the community in some way. Referencing list Goldstein, H. (1990) Problem-Oriented Policing, New York: McGraw-Hill Joyce, P. (2006) Criminal Justice, An Introduction To Crime and The Criminal Justice System. Chapter 3 (page119) Policing: methods, structure and organisation Lecture 7 Handout, Proactive/Problem Oriented/Zero-Tolerance Policing Maguire Mike, Morgan Rod and Reiner Robert, 2002, The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, chapter 26, Crime Reduction. Newburn, T. (2003) Handbook of Policing, Cullompton: Willan Tilley, N. (2005) Handbook of Crime Prevention and Community Safety, Cullompton: Willan Walklate, S. (Ed. By McLaughlin Muncie) (1996) Controlling Crime. London: Sage.

The Vile Bodies Essay example -- Literary Analysis, Evelyn Waugh

The postwar England of the twenties and thirties was the setting of Evelyn Waugh’s first satirical novels, among which was the Vile Bodies. Waugh, an author mostly known for his highly satirical fiction, published his novel Vile Bodies in 1930 right in the middle of the time-period between the Great Wars. Because of the historical evens that occupied England at that time, much of British Literature of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s was concerned with the Modernist movement, which was occupied with the idea of individualism of the young generation. Through the use of prominent and yet highly satirical characters, Waugh strives to criticize his Modernist generation for its unsuccessful movement into Modernism, both on the individual and political/institutional level. He does so by defining his type-characters as ignorant, self-centered and hypocritical in their disastrous movement toward individualism. Through the use of satire, the issues presented by Waugh in Vile Bodies become greatly influenced by the time period in which the novel was written. Great Britain, in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, was placed on the time line between the Great Wars. Thus, the novel’s placement in the history shifts its focus not only toward the emergence of the World War II but also on the depressed postwar economy of Britain at the time. Some of the most prominent ideas evolving during this period of time were embracive of the idea of change in areas such as religion, science, art, social rules, literature and economic and political conditions—changes that most often led to a feeling of â€Å"loss of community† (Wellman, 327). Because of the nature and the ongoing changes during this period the idea of modernism also played a major role in Britis... ...the importance placed on individualism. For, although he †blinkingly accepts whatever outrageous turn of fortune [he] may encounter† (Twayne, 43) he is still the only character that displays a feeling on emptiness and disillusionment about the constant search of amusement that is seen in all the other characters. Adam questions the generation’s way of living â€Å"do you ever feel that things simply can’t go on much longer† and states that he would â€Å"give anything in the world for something different† (Waugh, 273). Furthermore, he even goes as far as criticizing the never-ending parties and games as â€Å"succession and repetition of massed humanity†¦ those vile bodies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Waugh, 171). Although Adam seems to have glimpses of understanding the destruction that this generation is causing, nonetheless, he feels stuck in the vicious cycle that is created by this lifestyle.

Identity Theft Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is currently a huge growing number of criminals that now do greater and more widespread damage to their victims without ever meeting them. Identity theft surfaced in the early 1990s and turned peoples everyday transactions into a data gathering game. Bits of personal information such as bankcards, credit card accounts, income, social security numbers or just someone name, address, and phone numbers are now collected and could be used illegally by these individuals without anyone’s knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this study is to investigate what is being done to help control this growing crime in North Carolina. This includes the evaluation of the identity theft policies that the banks in North Carolina have in place. The study attempted to determine which bank had better and tougher policies as well as whether or not these security policies had helped reduce identity theft complaints in North Carolina since the date of it’s origin. Background of the study   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Identity theft is whereby an individual obtains some piece of an unsuspecting victim’s sensitive information and uses it without their knowledge to commit fraud or theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), â€Å"people whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years and their hard earned money trying to clean up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record. Some victims have lost job opportunities, been refused loans for education, housing, cars or even arrested for crimes they didn’t commit.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the FBI statistics, Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the U.S.’s (Tribune Business News, 2003). Identity theft thieves have perfected the art of collecting information of unsuspecting victims and now all the law enforcement agencies, as well as affected companies, are working hard to find ways to combat these issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several ways that identity theft thieves gain access to your personal information. Lost wallets, purses, stolen or lost mail used to be the main source of such private information. Mail, which sometime, includes bank statements, pre-approved credit cards, and tax papers are a source of a large amount of data. In recent years, many have been known to steal reco... ...g numbers of identity theft cases, since the late nineties, have become a growing concern for the law enforcement agency and the community as a whole. Involving the public in this warfare calls for all organizations, banks included, to get tighter policies in place and protect the integrity and security of their customer’s data. This study will show whether or not the implemented policies in the local banks have helped reduce identity theft cases overall. Research Questions and Hypothesis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To perform our research study, we attempted to get answers to these questions: How do North Carolina bank policies reduce the spread of identity theft? To what extenet are the policies of one bank better than the policies in the others in reducing identity theft occurrence? What role can N.C. bank consumers play in reducing the risk of becoming identity theft victims? We hoped that the responses would prove our hypoithesis: the banks that have tight security policies in place have less consumer complaints than those that do not. Literature Review   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As stated earlier, the method of data collection was done using a survey

Are we too dependent on computers Essay

Society is becoming increasingly dependent on computers and technology for functioning in every day life. Every aspect of our lives has been affected by the infiltration of computers and technology. Computers are used to conduct business from home, meet new friends and find old friends, maintain communications with distant family, and to met out some stress relief after a long day at the office. As more and more people rely on computers to succeed each day, it begs the question – are people becoming too dependant on computers. Starting at a young age now, children are learning how to use a computer for fun and for learning. One advantage is that it takes an increased manual dexterity to operate a computer mouse and keyboard, but at the same time, children are losing out on the increased fine motor skills that come with writing their name and assignments out in long hand. Handwriting is a necessary skill that is not likely to find a replacement in the world of technology. Computers can also lead to an educational environment where spelling skills are lost. This is even true for adults who consider themselves good spellers. Many word processing programs auto correct misspelled words and the writer never even knows that they have made a mistake. Everyone loves efficiency and while it certainly speeds up the writing process, it leads to the enforcement of common misspellings. Some people do become obsessed with computers. For example, a couple in South Korea was recently charged with murder after they neglected their newborn baby to spend up to 12 hours a day in an internet cafà © caring for a virtual baby. This type of obsession certainly can make the case that people are becoming too dependant on computers. But it is the exception to the rule, not the norm. The most important issue in the debate on whether or not people are becoming too dependant on computers is one of safety. Many people share intimate details with others online, leaving them vulnerable to cyber-stalking and real life issues. Also, many people have so much of their personal, financial information stored online that they are at risk of losing their fortunes, or even just the grocery money for next week. Cyber attacks are frequent occurrences and it is important for individuals to keep their online information private and secure. For example, bank passwords should all be different and include letters, numbers, and at least one special character. People will only know if they are too dependent on computers by examining their own lives, including the amount of time they spend online and the quantity and quality of information they share. When people begin forsaking flesh and blood relationships for thair computers the danger zone is fast approaching. However, if a person is able to find a safe, secure, and healthy balance, then they are probably not in danger of becoming too depemdent on their computers.

Meralco’s Pricing: an Assessment

I. Introduction Meralco is a natural monopoly. Natural monopoly exists when a firm is able to supply the total market demand more efficiently because of economies of scale that allow the firm to lower its cost as it expands capacity. However, like any firm in a market situation where there is imperfect competition or in a less-than-competitive market, a natural-monopoly firm, when left to its own, tends to limit its output to a point where its marginal cost equals its marginal revenue but charge a much higher price than what would have prevailed when there is a highly-competitive market.In a highly-competitive market, the output tends to settle at a point where marginal cost equals marginal revenue, which also equals its price and where the unit cost of production is the lowest possible because of competition. When the price is greater than unit cost and profits are high, more firms will come to compete in the market and drive down the price back to where it is just equal to unit cos t. When the price is below unit cost, the resulting losses will drive out some of the firm from the market, thus raising the price back again to where it is just equal to the unit cost of producing the product concerned.Because a natural monopoly, like any firm in an imperfect market, charges a price way above the equality of marginal cost and marginal revenue, it also produces at a certain level of output that is less than what would have prevailed when the market is highly competitive. These twin evils (higher price than necessary and lower output than possible), which arise from the presence of a monopoly, make for a very strong case for government intervention. In line with this, the researchers ought to know if Meralco has really an absolute control over the output produced and therefore charge the highest price to increase their profit.They also want to know the basis of pricing per kilowatt hour (kWh) and how do they implemented this to their consumer. II. Methodology The des criptive research method was used in this research, as it points out conditions and relationships that exist or do not exist. Furthermore, this method emphasizes more on descriptions rather than on judgments or interpretations. Descriptive research is thus a type of research that is primarily concerned with describing the nature or conditions and degree in detail of the present situation. (Landman, 1998:59)Descriptive data for research are collected by using different methods. It may be presented qualitatively or in verbal forms or symbols, or quantitatively in mathematical symbols, depending upon the nature of the material and the purposes for which one is doing research. III. Respondents of the study The respondents of this study consisted of Meralco consumers and some people from the Department of Energy (DOE). The above-mentioned respondents qualified to the most needed criteria of the researchers, who were currently situated at the survey site. IV.Discussion A. Overview of Mono poly A. 1 Definition of monopoly Pure monopoly exists when a single firm is the sole producer of a product for which there are no close substitutes. A. 2 Characteristics of Monopoly Here are the main characteristics of pure monopoly: a. Single seller. A pure, or absolute, monopoly is an industryin which a single firm is the sole producer of aspecific good or the sole supplier of a service; thefirm and the industry are synonymous. b. No close substitutes. A pure monopoly’s product isunique in that there are no close substitutes.Theconsumer who chooses not to buy the monopolized product must do without it. c. Price maker. The pure monopolist controls the totalquantity supplied and thus has considerable controlover price; it is a price maker (unlike a pure competitor,which has no such control and therefore is a pricetaker). The pure monopolist confronts the usualdownward-sloping product demand curve. It canchange its product price by changing the quantity ofthe product it produc es. The monopolist will use thispower whenever it is advantageous to do so. d. Blocked entry.A pure monopolist has no immediatecompetitors because certain barriers keep potentialcompetitors from entering the industry. Those barriers may be economic, technological, legal, or ofsome other type. But entry is totally blocked in puremonopoly. e. Nonprice competition. The product produced by a puremonopolist may be either standardized (as with naturalgas and electricity)or differentiated (aswith Windows orFrisbees). Monopolists that have standardized products engage mainly in public relationsadvertising, whereas those with differentiated productssometimes advertise their products’ attributes.B. Meralco and Pricing The  Manila Electric Company  ,also known as  MERALCO  , is the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power. The word MERALCO, is an  acronym  for  Manila  Electric  Railroad  And  Light  Company, which was the company's original name from 1903 to 1919. MERALCO is the  Metro Manila's only electric power distributor and holds the power distribution franchise for some 22 cities and 89 municipalities, including the whole of  Metro Manila  and  Mega Manila  region. B. 1 Retail price compositionIEC confirmed that the main component or 65 percent of the average of Meralco’s retail pricing is the generation charge. Charges by independent power producers comprised 44 percent, National Power Corp. ’s transmission billing was 35 percent, spot market pricing was 13 percent, and the ancillary service charge was 8 percent. The table below shows the composition of the total of retail price charged to consumers: IEC also estimated that the embedded fuel costs comprised approximately 50 percent of the total generation charge, while the transmission charge comprised 9 percent of the average tariff.VAT and other taxes and statutory charges comprised 10 percent. Lastly, the distribution charge, which is the only part of electricity billing that goes to Meralco, comprised 16 percent of the average tariff. All other charges were thus collected by Meralco on behalf of third parties. B. 2 Price as Compared to other Countries IEC conducted a detailed survey and analysis of retail electricity tariffs and costs in 13 countries and two U. S. states, as well as a supplementary, less comprehensive â€Å"meta-analysis â€Å" of 27 countries in the Euro area and the 50 remaining U. S. states.The 15 core markets in the survey included Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan (Kansai), Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia (WA), Sri Lanka, NZ, California (PG;E), Hawaii, Canada (Ontario) and South Africa. For each of the core markets, retail tariffs were calculated for residential, commercial and industrial customers. IEC enumerated seven factors behind Meralco’s pricing as compared to other countries: subsidies, high intrinsic cost of supply, import-parity fuel, grid size/plant mix, higher financing cost, geographical challenges and cross-subsidy in transmission rates.Surprisingly, a number of countries in the study like Korea and Taiwan have electricity prices that are lower than Meralco’s because of government policies that provide subsidies of up to 50 percent. The subsidies come in the varied form of frozen tariffs, sale of fuel to utilities at below market rates, and utility losses shouldered by the government. IEC noted that Meralco’s estimated cost of supply was in the top quintile (9th highest and 19 percent above the average) among the 44 markets surveyed.The cost of producing and delivering electricity in Luzon (and in the Philippines, more generally), it seems, was intrinsically high largely because of the high price of imported fossil fuel. Interestingly, IEC also pointed to the relatively small grid size, geographic challenges of transmission and higher cost of financing costs as reasons for high intrinsic cost of electricity that Mer alco sells. If fact, IEC noted that eight of the 10 highest cost markets in the survey are island nation/states, and this factor may be a fundamental cost multiplier.Because 80 percent of power generation in Luzon was fuelled with imported fuels, electricity prices are expected to remain high. This is the reality of a country that is dependent on imported fuels. Also, the Luzon grid size is smaller and therefore had a high dependence on hydro which requires a higher reserve margin requirement. The weighted average cost of capital in the Philippine power sector is higher than most countries in the region. Debt cost is relatively high and loan tenors are shorter. Transmission costs are also inherently high as power has to be transmitted across several islands.Lastly, the higher cost of transmission to consumers in the Visayas is subsidized by consumers in the Luzon grid. A study conducted by the company and commissioned by Meralco found that at the beginning of 2012 the Philippines ha d the 2nd highest electricity rates in the region and the 9th highest out of 44 international markets. In the study, which was standardized for type of customer, time period, currency price and resource rates, he came to a number of conclusions about why consumer electricity rates in the Philippines are relatively high for the region and internationally.Several of the issues don't seem to have a near term solution in sight. 1. The government doesn't subsidize energy. The main reason prices are likely to stay high is the Philippines can't afford to subsidize its electricity as other countries in the region do,3/4 of the reason energy costs are high is because the government doesn't apply subsidies to keep tariffs artificially low. Several neighboring countries — Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan — all have lower tariffs because of government subsidies.He said up to and sometimes over 50% of costs in these countries are subsidized since government policies freeze tariffs, sell fuel at below market rates and make government shoulder business losses. 2. It's expensive to produce energy in the Philippines. Philippine power generation relies largely on imported fuel pegged to high international fuel prices, The country is making efforts to explore more of its own natural gas resources, but finding deposits and setting up production facilities will take years. In the meantime, the country is reliant on high cost international fuel. 3. Challenging geography.Because the Philippines is made up of thousands of islands, it does not have a unified electricity grid and there are several providers. â€Å"In principle,† said Morris, â€Å"the bigger the grid the cheaper the cost† which can be spread out among more customers. However he thought that creating a unified grid in the Philippines would be problematic given the terrain. He noted that transmission costs are more expensive because power has to be sent across several islands. I EC found that 8 of the 10 highest cost markets in the survey were island nations or states, which could be a â€Å"fundamental cost multiplier. He said, â€Å"It is expensive to make electricity, transmit it and distribute it in this country†¦ I can't see that problem changing in the next 20 years. † 4. Ineffective plants. He pointed out that when some plants don't work well, it is necessary to have a reserve plant, which means additional costs. â€Å"The higher your reserve margin the higher the total cost of supply,† he said. He added that the reserve margin of the Philippines was probably around 20% but should actually be between 33% to 35% since the country has had brownouts in the last year, which he said â€Å"means you don't have enough capacity to meet reliable demand.C. Government’s Intervention to Pricing Natural monopolies traditionally have been subject to rate regulation (price regulation), although the recent trend has been to deregulate whe rever competition seems possible. For example, long-distance telephone calls, natural gas distribution, wireless communications, cable television, and long-distance electricity transmission have been, to one degree or another, deregulated over the past several decades. And regulators in some states are beginning to allow new entrants to compete with existing local telephone and electricity providers.Nevertheless, state and local regulatory commissions still regulate the prices that most local natural gas distributors, regional telephone companies, and local electricity suppliers can charge. These locally regulated monopolies are commonly called â€Å"public utilities. † Meralco as Regulated Monopoly Meralco is a publicly owned and listed company, meaning that anyone can share in the potential price appreciation of its shares and can receive a portion of company profits when dividends are declared. This company is a public utility, which means it has a monopoly in the delivery of service to the public.In return for the benefits of not having any competition, the government regulates how much profit the company can make. Normally, the regulated price that it sells its services to the public depends on the rate of return or profit the company will make and that is controlled by the government. In theory, without government regulation, Meralco could charge whatever price it wanted and the public would have no choice but to pay or not have electric service. But Meralco prices are under government control.Therefore, the government has an obligation to keep the price charged as low as possible to serve the best public interests while, at the same time, allow enough return to keep the company financially sound, able to expand and enhance company business interests and allow the shareholders to make money on their investment. V. Conclusion A public utility must serve both the public interest and the interest of its investors. However, because of the government c ontrol of pricing, it is the absolute obligation of government regulators to protect and serve the public interest.It is not the job of the Meralco management to protect the public. That is the government’s job. It is not the job of government to protect the Meralco shareholders. That is the management’s job. Then, after the regulations are set, it is management’s responsibility to protect shareholder interests within the boundaries that the regulators establish. If we were the shareholder of Meralco, we want the company to charge P50 per kilowatt-hour so my company can make a lot of profit. As a consumer, we want the government to keep electricity prices as low as possible while insuring reliable service.Any reasonable person can see that there can be an inherent conflict of interest in those two positions. That is why public utilities function best when privately owned and operated and regulated by the government. VI. References 1. http://rp1. abs-cbnnews. com /views-and-analysis/05/29/08/meralco-what-issue-really-john-mangun 2. http://www. rappler. com/business/10737-electricity-prices-in-ph-likely-to-stay-high-in-the-short-term 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Meralco 4. http://www. bizlinksphilippines. net/102312. htmlPolytechnic University of the Philippines College of Accountancy Sta. Mesa, Manila Meralco’s Pricing: An Assessment ECON 2023 Submitted to: Submitted By: Janine Simbulan Christian Derrick Villafranca Ma. Margarita Matawaran Jemilyn Milan Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Methodology III. Discussion A. Overview of the Monopoly a. 1 Definition of the Monopoly a. 2 Characteristics of Monopoly B. Meralco and Pricing b. 1 Retail price composition b. 2 Price as compared to other countries D. Government’s intervention to Pricing IV. Refenrences