Organic Farming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Organic Farming - Essay Example The majority of the studies have concluded that organic farming and the food produced this way, providing it is properly monitored, is beneficial to the environment and to the consumer. However, the industry is not experiencing the growth that was forecast in the early days of development. If organic farming is so important, why is it still considered a fad and not become a way of life Is organic farming as important and efficient as its proponents suggest Little research has been directed at this dilemma. The scope of this report is to investigate the nature, structure, business, and legal aspect of Organic Farming, and to ascertain the validity of the claims made as to its importance as a preferable and sustainable source in the food and product chain. The objective is to ascertain why organic farming has not become an important issue to the consumer, and action can be taken to address this situation. To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. In an effort to provide a logical ... To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - The ethics of Organic Farming, to ascertain whether the claims made are valid or not. The industry itself, in an effort to gauge the its marketing effectiveness, how it manages the risk element, and the domestic and international size of the industry. The applicable laws, standards, and labelling requirement imposed upon the industry. How the Organic industry can achieve a more effective program for educating the consumer in relation to the benefits and value of its products. To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. Overview In an effort to provide a logical progression for the paper, a brief history of the industry and its methods are outlined in chapter two. In the third chapter we concentrate upon the business aspect of the industry and its impact, both national and globally, before we move the to discuss the ethics of organic production in chapter four. The current laws, standards, and labelling upon the producers are reviewed in chapter five before we analyze the methods by which the industry currently educates the industry the consumer, and this leads us to the conclusion of our study in chapter, where appropriate recommendations will be outlined. Chapter 2 Background To provide for an better understanding of the substantial amount of research and debate that surrounds Organic Farming and the content of these papers, it is necessary to understand the origins of the industry, and the methods used and systems of

Example of a Reflective Writing Essay Example for Free

Example of a Reflective Writing Essay An example of good reflective writing – integration of theory with personal experience; justification and explanation of person experience using relevant theory as support; provides insight into the author’s observations of the theory; appropriate use of language; analysis of theory within the context of own experience. Organisational change and development theory suggests that models are a good way of providing change practitioners with strategies to plan, implement and move through various stages of change (Waddell, Cummings Worley, 2007). While it is arguable that models are useful in providing guidelines for change practitioners, I feel that they are not necessarily an accurate representation of how change is actually experienced in organisations. I have worked in an organisation that has been through repeated change throughout the duration of my employment. My experience of change has been somewhat different from how it is reflected in change models. For example, as an employee I have not been involved in the initial planning stages of change, nor have I been involved in diagnosis at an individual level, therefore I am unclear as to what happens during these stages. From an individual perspective, it feels as though change is planned and implemented in my organisation at the senior levels of management without adequate input or information to and from staff. Further, from my perspective, change is not experienced in a smooth manner as suggested by change models. I have experienced change that has not appeared to move beyond the unfreezing stages (Lewin, 1947), and I have also experienced change that has regressed at different stages rather than move forward. If I were to work with employees as a change practitioner, I would highlight the realities of change so that employees are aware that there are multiple experiences in addition to ‘the prominent way of viewing this process’ (McShane Travaglione, 2007, p.502) within academic references. An example of poor reflective writing – colloquial/non-academic writing style; opinion-based without justification or explanation; lack of engagement with theory; links to references not made; generalisation of opinion. In my job I have been though a lot of change and there is no way that what the change models say is right. My experiences of change have all been bad and there is no way that anybody could have had a good experience of change. I don’t think change models are useful as they pretend that change is an easy process which is different from my opinion that no change is easy. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that managers don’t manage change properly as I have never seen the stages of any models within my organisation. This might be because my manager is a poor communicator which is what all the staff think. In my opinion, change models shouldn’t be taught to students as they can only teach students to think about change in the wrong way which doesn’t help employees who have to go through it.

Tone Techniques: Dances With Wolves :: Dances With Wolves

Tone Techniques: Dances With Wolves      In his novel, †Dances With Wolves†,   Michael Blake uses several techniques throughout the story to enhance the tone displayed to the reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blake uses tones that vary from sad, (war times) to happy (victorious.)   Tone can be defined as the emotion or feeling set upon a reader during a novel/short story. Most times, the tone will change. It can change from sad to dramatic, happy to angry, angry to calm, or basically anything else. Tone is important because it sets the theme, or main feeling for the story.   In â€Å"Dances With Wolves†, the tone changes dramatically as the story progresses. In the beginning, Blake gives us a hostile environment. The setting is that Dunbar, a drunk army officer, is assigned to a remote trading post near a tribe of Sioux Indians, his sworn enemies. Communications between them are limited, and the Indian tribe describes white men as â€Å"dumb and useless.†Ã‚   The feeling is mutual, too. White men then considered Indians as barbaric, uncivilized, and also useless. These two groups of people acted extremely hostile towards each other.   But that is sure to change. Dunbar only goes out because he wants to see the frontier, or land that hasn’t been settled. This just so happens to be Indian land. As the story progresses,   Dunbar befriends the tribe, turns against his Northern army, and goes to live with the Sioux. The tone here is a more warm and friendly environment, because Dunbar realizes that his new friends are more civil than men of his own kind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Things really start to turn around when Dunbar’s troops find out that he has joined the Sioux. They trap him and beat him, then make him serve as a slave. Dunbar never ends up going back to the white men’s army.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The way that Blake presents the overall use of tone in this story only makes it more intriguing and exciting. I think the mood that is most prevalent in this novel is a mood of courage, shown mostly by the Indians, but mainly through John Dunbar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Towards the middle of the story, we find a tone of romance through John and â€Å"Stands With a Fist.

Supply Chain Process for Apple & Zara

Customers place orders and purchase phones through authorized dealers/ retailers. 2. Dealers/retailers such as Singlet, epicenter etc runs low in stock and require replenishment from distributors. 3. Various distribution centers runs low in inventories, this triggers manufacturer (Foxing) for more ‘phones to be manufactured and shipped. 4. Manufacturer Foxing starts production schedule planning, procurement of raw materials are done prior to manufacturing actively. Figure 1. 2 To competitive strategy consists of all functions that exist in Apple's phone value Hahn.Below shows an example of how an ‘phone's value chain will look like. Components Design Build SO / Lull APS Branding Marketing Sales Billing Network Figure 1. 3 Primarily Outsourced Primarily Apple Looking at the above figure 1. 3, strategy of apple is to outsource functions such as network, billing, components and build. In this case, contracting manufacturer that handles the build function will be Foxing in Ch ina. Apple by engaging contract manufacturers such as Foxing, utilizes their economies of scale with high volume and low manufacturing cost as a result of low labor cost in China.The supply chain strategy here involves long-term partnership with contract manufacturer Foxing, apple enjoys various advantages which includes cost savings, improving operations and gaining of outside technologies and expertise. All these advantages helps Apple to remain competitive in the mobile phone manufacturing market in providing consumers with a product of high level technology at an affordable price. Figure 1. 4 The above figure 1. 4 illustrates the component level outsourcing of Apple phone, the plan here is using the contract manufacturer to procure raw components that areApple specific suppliers. These components from different countries, however the supply chain strategy from apple is to purchase most or all of the components from Taiwan. This approach can help to cut short the logistics requir ed to deliver the components to Foxing in China, Taiwan also enjoys and relatively short distance from China which in terms helps in saving logistics transportation costs. However it has one serious disadvantage, if Taiwan were to get into an economical decline or become politically unstable then it could actually destroy Apple phone's industry.The supply chain network design often puts one firm in control of it's long term supply chain strategy. Apple utilizes technology, marketing and efficient distribution and distributes different weight age to each category to achieve strategic fit. The phone's vast distribution channels by various network providers as well as resellers such as Challenger and Catchy, also though official retail stores and online stores all around the world. In this case Apple is capable of meeting high demand and reaches out to as many customers as possible using that vast network of distribution.Apple phone's supply chain strategy involves making use of an eff ective network design: 1 . Competing in the global smart phone market by providing the latest technology, innovation and product design. 2. Meeting global demand by setting up various regional distribution channels such as retail storage with consumer pickup and manufacturer storage with direct shipping. 3. Tapping onto expertise of contract manufacturers (Foxing Sheen), taking advantage of lower labor cost. 4. Making use of efficient raw component sourcing from various regions, cutting short logistics cost by consolidating sourcing to one region (Taiwan).The strategic fit of Ezra is related to the consistent demand from consumers with how Ezra respond to the ever changing preferences and needs. The supply chain strategy of Ezra is to construct consistency across consumers and company supply chain, it starts with customer's priorities to getting onto the competitive edge. Ezra utilizes a vertically integrated supply chain that response efficiently to consumers, strategic fit is ther efore achieved by sustaining this form of high responsiveness to customer needs. Deposit Margin Distribution Purchase suppliesOperations competitive strategy of Ezra will consists of all functions in the below Sara's value chain (figure 1. 5). Figure 1. 5 As you notice, Ezra utilizes in-house production, which Ezra in this case is able to harness the flexibility in variety, quantity and frequency of new styles of products. Thus Ezra is able to constantly provide customers with the most updated products, this cuts short the response time on meeting various customer demands. By doing this, Ezra is able to achieve competitive strategy by offering cutting edge fashion with time during different seasons and trends of markets.

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry in India Essay

Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures Industry Industry overview: The bathroom fittings industry which was not given much importance till a few years back in India has suddenly picked up. This has mainly happened due to the rising income of the people, rapid urbanization, and growth in the class conscious middle class. The Bathroom fittings industry in India is among the most booming industries in the country. Every year companies are coming up with new products or refurbishing old products with new designs and features. Due to the rapid growth of the country’s population the need for houses is continuously increasing. Both the Government and private sector real estate companies are investing huge amounts of money in this sector. The rise in the demand for good housing facilities is giving rise to the demand of quality bathroom accessories market in India. Countries like India and China are ranked among the major bathroom fittings market currently mostly because of their sizable populations. Industry Structure: India is home to numerous top bathroom fittings brands. The Industry is both organized and unorganized. The Bathroom fitting industry in India consists of a number of small, medium and large manufacturers. The small companies are mostly the local players that cater to a small section of the society. Whereas the popular bathroom fitting companies are mostly the top foreign and domestic players that have managed to establish a reputation in the Bathroom accessories market. Key Drivers of the Industry Industry works on the principle of demand and supply. Every industry is drive by the market forces and the market forces are affected by various forces. Key driver’s infact generated demand for the industry. Bathroom fitting industry is no exception to this rule. This industry is too like other industries are driven by various market forces which are as follows: Rising Income of the people and hence their purchasing power parity (PPP) The rapid urbanization due to which the demand for bathroom fittings is growing More and more investment in the construction sector both by domestic players and the foreign MNCs. Growing awareness among the people regarding bathroom architecture and fittings. Advertisement especially in developing nations is key factor in creating product awareness and hence the demand. Market Overview: Indian Sanitary Ware Industry bullish India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. The bathroom fittings market in the country is growing at a rate of 13. 3% per annum; India’s current sanitary ware market size is almost 500 crores and is growing at an annual growth rate of 3-4 percent in the industry. Going forward, India will have a huge market for sanitary ware products and of course the export market will also grow simultaneously. Further, government’s support to improve sanitation and hygiene and increasing urbanization has given a big push to the Indian sanitary ware industry. The companies are applying accurate standards and using top machinery and stringent quality measures with latest designs to manufacture finest quality machines India, today, is all set to become the biggest manufacturing hub for international sanitary wares brand. For the starters, Indian sanitary wares are comparatively cheaper as opposed to our western counterparts, courtesy availability of ample raw materials and low cost labor in comparison to other countries. This in fact has given Indian sanitary ware products an edge over the competitors from the nearby countries and naturally the exports of sanitary wares from India is scaling up. Certainly, Industry’s growth is directly related to the development in real estate. Today, housing’s demands are on rise. And interestingly people have started taking interest in top sanitary wares. The increased demand for sanitary ware is not just emanating from the new projects but there is a huge market for replacement products also. The remarkable growth by the industry has inspired industry majors to enhance their manufacturing system and even apply latest technology to give customers value for their money. Moreover, Indian companies are taking a step further to enlighten people about the advantages of premium sanitary wares. With 15 to 17 percent growth per year, Indian manufacturers have strengthened their dealer network all across the country. Demand for Made-in-India Sanitary Wares in the International Markets Market Share: Key Players: 1. Hindware: In 1960 Mr. Rajendra K. Somany established Hindustan Twyfords, in collaboration with Twyfords Ltd. of UK. With a bent towards innovation coupled with the intention to introduce vitreous china ceramics in India, he identified the sanitaryware market as the segment of interest.

Grammar and Style Tips in Microsoft Word

Grammar and Style Tips in Microsoft Word Grammar and Style Tips in Microsoft Word As well as checking your spelling, Microsoft Word has a grammar and style tool. And while this is no replacement for proofreading, it can offer helpful advice while you’re writing. But to make proper use of the grammar and style tips in Word, you need to know how they work first. Grammar and Style Tips in Microsoft Word If you’ve used Microsoft Word before, you may have seen squiggly lines under words or phrases. This is how Word highlights errors. For example: Here, for instance, we have two â€Å"errors† highlighted. The red line indicates a spelling mistake. The blue line, however, indicates a stylistic issue. If we then right click and select Grammar from the menu, Word suggests using the active voice instead. This is helpful because, while the passive voice is not technically incorrect, the active voice would be more concise. But you should take care when following Microsoft Word’s stylistic advice, as it does get things wrong. And if you are going to use this feature, we therefore suggest customizing the advice it provides. Customizing Proofing Options To customize the grammar and style checker in Word for Windows: Go to File Options Proofing Scroll down to the When correcting grammar and spelling in Word section Click Settings to open the list of grammar and style options Accessing the proofing options. Here, you will find options related to the following: Grammar and punctuation (e.g., subject–verb agreement, comma splices) Clarity and concision (e.g., use of passive voice, wordiness) Formal language (e.g., use of slang or contractions) Other stylistic issues (e.g., gendered or clichà ©d language) Grammar and style settings. Once you have selected (or deselected) the options required, click OK to apply them. You can then click Recheck Document to look for grammar and style issues that may have been missed while you were writing. In Word for Mac, meanwhile, the proofing options are accessed via Preferences Spelling Grammar. Make sure to check these if you want more control over the grammar and style tips.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Essays

Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Essays Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Paper Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Paper In what ways does Timberland fulfill its responsibility to consumers, employees, investors and society as a whole? A : 1 : Timberland’s mission has been to equip people to make their difference in the world. Let them be consumers , employees , investors or society as a whole. Timberland ‘s business is a model for both commerce and justice having a long history in this regard. While continuing to build its reputation as a brand that stands for durability, ruggedness the American outdoor since 1950 , Timberland has been constructing a reputation of integrity and commitment to the community as well. Timberland is committed to ensuring that the workers who produce products are provided with fair, safe and non-discriminatory workplaces. Their products are produced in factories across the globe- in 38 countries by roughly 300 factories and approximately 247,000 workers. Timberland ‘s Code of Conduct is to officially formalize the pursuit of human dignity in the manufacturing process. Timberland has always pursued to serve their various stakeholders- from a demanding shareholder or discerning customer to an employee who wants to make a living with purpose. Timberland has maintained their contract very well with various vendors, suppliers, customers, and local communities to create products. Timeberland ‘s our Code of Conduct demands much more than the minimum industry-standard requirements of environmental and human rights laws. Child labor has been adhered at 16 (which is higher than the law in some countries where their products are manufactured today), and also overtime being paid at a premium despite local laws and have maintained zero tolerance for working hours over 60 hours per week. Timberland listens to stakeholder voices and constantly works to improve assessment and human rights programs. They have taken on the challenge of helping factories build new and different management systems and improves staff knowledge about corporate social responsibility issues. Timberland has also incorporated items that often fall â€Å"beyond factory walls† into the assessment program. Basic things like nutritious food, medical services, housing, child care, schooling, and transportation are all taken into account during the evaluation. It is ensured that that there are ways for workers to learn and grow, such as opportunities for recreation, skills development, and savings or credit- all essential for ensuring the dignity of workers in the global supply chain. As a publicly traded enterprise and a corporate citizen, Timberland is committed to engaging investors / stakeholders in dialogue and action to reduce our global footprint. Investor profiles is broad and diverse, and includes groups or individuals who can affect- or are affected by- the company. Timberland’s approach to stakeholder engagement focuses on two central tenets- transparency and accountability . Transparency enables to engage in candid dialogue with stakeholders, challenge assumptions and encourage innovation. It also helps build trust with these partners and critics to deepen understanding of impact on the world and advance approach to corporate social responsibility. Accountability similarly drives efforts to seek public and stakeholder input as to pursue commitment to commerce and justice. By communicating performance, stakeholders can measure progress and hold them accountable for planned improvements. At Timberland, social responsibility starts at the top. The Company has a strong set of values that form the resolve for all that is being done for he community – humanity, humility, integrity excellence. Timberland has pioneered several progressive environmental and social programs. All these programs together under one umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility formalized Timberland’s Four CSR Pillars: Energy, Product, Workplace Service. Embedded in each pillar is a commitment or bold goal that drives Timberour strategy in that arena. Q : 2 : In addition to a climate o f social responsibility, do you think Timberland is likely to foster a climate of ethical awareness throughout its organization? Explain your answer. A:2 : Timerland’s Code of Conduct : To create measurable sustainable impact in the lives of workers , the communities where we live and work and the environment we cherish through strategic relationships and investments that unleash civic potential , build capabilities and convene stake holders in common purpose. Well, I feel, its indeed a great combination Timberland has to do business keeping in mind social welfare . Business and community being joined together to create more powerful enterprise and community fostering a climate of ethical awareness throughout its organization. The issues being embraced as an enterprise and as a community are complex and far reaching. And to extend influence as a responsible business, Timberland looks for opportunities to leverage their expertise by educating and empowering a wider society (that is, other brands, government organizations and private citizens). In this way, they promote and steward the environmental and social health of our planet and its people and share our passion for Earthkeeping activities. Approach to building strong communities and a healthy planet through civic action is grounded in three basic criteria: Timberland’s corporate culture is built around values of Humanity, Humility, Integrity and Excellence. In the CSR arena, as in every aspect of the company, all programs must reflect these values. Company rely on a collaborative process built on a common vision and aligned values- within our organization and with partners in the industry- to create enduring change. This includes working together to raise awareness, model innovation and compel action. The results of efforts across all four CSR pillars of Energy, Product, Workplace and Service must be measurable and transformative . Q : 3 : In what ways does Timberland’s path of service programs help develop the quality of its work force? A: 3 : Business community shall be joined together you have a more powerful enterprise community. said Ken Freitas – Timberland Vice President Social Enterprise. Timberland implements this commitment through a serious of programmes in which its employees including top managers corporate dollars participate. Thru its path of service program, employees receives up to 40 hours of paid time per year to participate in community service projects at local schools, day care centers, the society for prevention of cruelty to animals ( SPCA ), food banks, and the like they might clean up a nearby beach or help build a park. Years ago Timberland established its service sabbatical program, in which 3-6 months sabbaticals are awarded to as many as 4 employees who wish to use their professional skills to assist non profitable organizations full time, then there is a global serv–A–Palooza, the annual worldwide co-wide celebration during which 2000 employees, vendors and community partners in a day of service. Engaging as a company in community service over the years has produced a variety of benefits, including the following: Augmented employee development. Our service projects are employee organized and led. Employees who step up to lead service projects receive training in project management, team motivation, and presentation skills, which they can transfer from their service roles into a professional capacity . Increased employee attraction and retention. Responses to our global employee survey consistently indicate that the Path of Serviceâ„ ¢ program benefit is a factor in our employees’ decision to work for and stay at Timberland. Strengthened business partnerships. Timberland encourage employees to share the service ethos with business partners, vendors, and customers, to increase the impact which can be made in communities. Sharing in service experiences provides insight into the company culture and values- an asset in building ongoing business relationships. Reinforced commitment to community building and goodwill. Lasting impacts prevails in the communities in which contributions linger long after the specific service event.

Convicted Felon

Convicted Felon Convicted Felon Convicted Felon By Maeve Maddox A person who commits a felony is called a felon. A felony is a serious crime; what constitutes a felony differs from state to state, but in every state, crimes fall into three categories: infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies. 1. Infraction An infraction is a petty offense punishable by small fines. An infraction cannot result in a jail sentence, so the person accused of one is not entitled to a jury trial. In some states, a traffic violation is an infraction; in others, a traffic ticket may be a civil offense. 2. Misdemeanor A misdemeanor is a criminal offense that can be punished by up to a year in jail. Instead of receiving a jail sentence, offenders who commit a misdemeanor may be punished by the payment of a fine, restitution, probation, and/or community service. Defendants charged with a misdemeanor are entitled to a jury trial. In some states, selling cigarettes to a minor is a misdemeanor. 3. Felony A felony is the most serious category. A felony involves serious physical harm or threat of harm, for example, assault with a deadly weapon, forcing a person to participate in prostitution, attacking a family member, attacking a stranger, etc. Felonies are further classified according to the perceived level of seriousness: Class A Felonies, Class B Felonies, etc. Felons are often referred to in the media as â€Å"convicted felons†: Baltimore Convicted Felon Exiled to Over 9 Years in Prison Convicted felon bails on job Angry sheriff questions how convicted felon escaped again Convicted felon shoots dogs at Gulfport residence The AP Stylebook defines felon as â€Å"a person who has been convicted of a felony, regardless of whether the individual actually spends time in confinement or is given probation or a fine instead.† Once a person has been convicted of a felony, the person is a felon. As the AP points out, referring to a felon as â€Å"a convicted felon† is redundant. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 101Try to vs. Try andSentence Adverbs

Data Collection and Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Data Collection and Analysis - Assignment Example To this end, the use of survey questionnaire is proposed as the data collection method for the quantitative research. With this data collection method, the researcher shall be in a position to quantify responses that will be gathered from respondents especially those that are related to close-ended questions. The use of a survey question and the quantification of responses would also make it easier to use statistical based data analysis programs and software such as the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Because of the intent to use only one dependent variable in the proposed study, the Multi Analysis of Variances data analysis program shall be used. The Multi Analysis of Variances is particularly useful in this case as the researcher intends to use a mixed research approach that may demand the use of quantitative interpretation and presentation of findings without the need for the researcher to undertake personalized decoding of findings. For the qualitative research, the intended data collection method is the use of a structured interview to collect data from the focused group that will be set. A structured interview is selected over unstructured interview as it would allow the researcher to methodologically outline the kind of questions to as so as to make the analysis of these questions by further use of coding methods and the selected data analysis program easier.  

Business management course work Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business management course work - Term Paper Example A lack of coordination takes place when teams working on the same project do not coordinate and this lack of coordination is represented both vertically and horizontally. Unclear accountability mechanism further adds fuel to the fire of depleting aggregate performance of the organization. Centralization cannot be termed as an effective way to manage organization like RIM. There is no clear marketing strategy. Section II: Statements of the Problem Research In Motion (RIM) has failed to develop and maintain a sustainable motivation, accountability and effective marketing strategy (Castaldo, 2012). The organization has grown unorganized and unmanageable; where a lack of clear-cut direction and conflicting opinions have compounded the aggregate management of the company (Castaldo, 2012). Section III Causes of the Problem Demotivation Motivation is the degree to which an employee wants and selects to carry out specific behavior (Mullins, 2009, p. 471). This specific behavior is nurtured t o obtain intended departmental and organizational goals and objectives. As motivation has both aspects in the form of intrinsic and extrinsic manifestations, the employees of RIM were not given sustainable workplace environment in which they could convert their potential into the desired results. For instance, according to a former employee, the new operational staff members were never fully empowered to carry out their jobs (Castaldo, 2012). This means the staff did not receive authority, sense of work ownership and a clear cut direction to attain a particular set of objectives. As a result, the sustainable motivation did not continue instead demotivation replaced motivation. Lack of Coordination â€Å"It was common for a few teams working on the same project to realize they were unlikely to make the date, but no one spoke up, under the belief that another team was even farther behind†(Castaldo, 2012). This statement mentions that there was no active and consistent coordinat ion between teams working even on the same project. They were on their own and they did not feel necessity to obtain information and see their progress on the project. Additionally, there was no strong check from the senior management whether the teams assigned to work and complete the same project were working in the suggested direction or the teams were facing issues related to the same project. There was a complete absence of vertical and horizontal coordination in the organization. In the absence of coordination, there would be no way to entertain department and organizational objectives. Unclear Accountability Mechanism Accountability can also be defined as the systematic inclusion of critical elements of program planning, implementation and evaluation with an aim of achieving desired results (Wandersman et al., 2000, p. 389). At RIM, nobody was accountable when a proposal or project failed to meet the expected level of performance. In the absence of any accountability mechanis m, it would be very difficult to learn from mistakes and derive certain result-oriented lessons from such steps. When accountability mechanism is not present and nobody is ready and willing to take and accept responsibility, strategic loss and strategic decline is unavoidable and it is what that is happening

Carry Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Carry Trade - Essay Example e all too apparent that in the globalised and networked economies, no country can consider itself safe, if there are adverse signals from one corner of the world. Carry trade is termed to be an important factor in such a scenario, which has led to cascading effects for majority of exporters and manufacturers of cars and electronic products. While on the one hand exports are down and production are down, on the other hand a large number of job losses is causing further slide in economy. This raises the curiosity about the importance of carry trade in this scenario. Carry trade, as the name suggests is the trading activity that one indulges by carrying forward the returns or losses of the holdings by an individual or a business entity. Yen has been a popular instrument amongst the trading community as an important tool for holding foreign exchange and dealing in financial transactions. Selling the Yen at lower interest rates and then using the funds for purchasing higher interest curre ncies like dollar or pounds would yield considerable profits. Such a carry trade prospered, with the hope of sustaining the higher swap ratio and lower interest rates on Yen. But, with western economies reeling under recession, the Yen has considerably become strong, resulting in some loss making propositions for Carry trades. This has brought the issue of carry trade in focus. This study is an effort towards analyzing the trends in Carry trade over the years and its impact on the economic conditions of different countries. An effort will also be made to foresee the futuristic trends while analysing and comparing the development of the markets. Economic activities, financial services, and banking have experienced quite a few changes in the last couple of decades. With the opening up of economies, the industrial activities saw an upsurge on global scale. The financial system around the world also saw need to have a matching regulatory mechanism. The exchange rates became more

US Ports and Cybersecurity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

US Ports and Cybersecurity - Research Paper Example Kevin Kelly1 (2011) asks this intriguing question, â€Å"What does technology want?† If certain aspects of the technium are preordained and certain aspects are contingent upon our choices, how do we know which are which? Systems theorist John Smart has suggested that we need a technological version of the Serenity Prayer.† The serenity prayer, written and popularized in the early 1930s by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, asks God to help in changing the things which are difficult to change or â€Å"courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.†2 According to Kelly, â€Å"Technology was invented from the time we were born†. But technology is under threat every second of the day. Individual files and organizational documents and secrets are under threat of losing with the click of a finger, if we are not careful. This essay is about the many problems of technology, specifically information technology (IT) infrastructures of US ports, and how it can survive amidst threats of viruses, worms, spams, malicious software and cyber criminality. Organizations must have installed technology and IT infrastructures in their systems, otherwise, they will lag behind in the stiff competition. Organizational information systems should also have anti-viruses and other necessary protection before they see themselves vulnerable to a new kind of attack, the virus attack. Ports are one of the busiest areas for businesses around the world. With an installed IT, tasks and activities are made easier. IT enables organizations to conduct multiple operations simultaneously, but the infrastructure must be secured because without s ecurity, viruses and the various risks will make the infrastructure a mess. Ports operate a network of businesses and firms, movement and distribution, processing and many activities, which must be applied and inputted to an effective software and IT. Function IT, as it is called in the literature, refers to information systems that help improve users’ functions and productivity in performing individual tasks. This important feature includes applications like computer-aided design (CAD) software, spreadsheet, word processors, and other e-learning tools and systems. In a port where ships dock and load and unload cargoes, where countless activities happen every minute and every second of the day, computers and softwares are a normal phenomenon. In a workplace where engineers constantly introduce product innovations and people depend on coordinated programs of activities, ports should have effective computer infrastructures. But there are people with criminal minds who, second b y second, devise plans to penetrate on other people’s computers, other people’s wealth, that they send viruses, worms, spam emails and malwares to the internet and destroy ports’ valued files. The role of the manager is significant to the attainment of the organization’s goals and objectives. Managers should have good and effective rapport with employees, but they have to understand what IT is and its role in the ever changing world of business. One of the important responsibilities of the manager is to manage the company’s information system. New business opportunities involving IT and the different functions of business are coming at a fast pace.3 Security awareness Studies have found that about 90% of organizations face information security investigation almost annually.4 Organizations have made moves to improve their information management systems and

Justice in Greek Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Justice in Greek Philosophy - Essay Example Plato, one of the Greek's ancient philosophers, ideally believed that sense-gained knowledge remains impure and confused, and that only the soul that contemplates and turns away from thinking carnally can receive true knowledge. He also believed that only the soul can know real essences of things, acquire knowledge of forms since the world as seen by the eye is nothing short of an imperfect copy (Bakalis, 2005). The immense dialogue in the Republic is opened by questioning the nature of justice. Several definitions of justice are proposed which are found to be inadequate except that at least more emphasis is put on Sophist, Thrasymachus' definition. According to this young man, justice is anything the strongest man decides that it is. Further, he states that whatever is in the strong man's interest is just. This argument is dismissed by Socrates after proving that strong personalities rarely get to know whatever is in their best interest; this cannot be just since justice in itself is a virtuous (Griffin, Boardman & Murray, 2001). Plato had quite a different view of justice; he believed that an answer exists that derives basically from reality's nature. In his republic, justice is defined as wisdom, courage and self-control; something close to righteousness and morality. In Greek, the Republic refers to the character or order of a political society; its regime type or constitution. The republic also refers to the city-state governance in a Socratic dialogue written in 380 BC by Plato. The republic is a most influential work of political theory and philosophy, and is Plato's best work. In fictional dialogues with foreigners, Athenians and Socrates, Plato discusses the meaning of true justice (Griffin et al., 2001). He seeks to establish whether man is happier when just or unjust by imagining a society that is governed by the guardians and philosopher-kings. The dialogue also goes further to discuss the role of philosophers, the place of poetry, the Theory of Forms and the soul's immortality. Plato's Republic is to-date considered in respect of western philosophy to be one of the most influential works. The Republic essentially deals with the subject of how one can live well. This inquiry into how one can live a good life was shaped into two parallel questions: (1) what does an ideal state look like, or what is state justice (2) What makes a just person These questions naturally encompass others such as: how should the state citizen be educated, what arts need to be encouraged, what kind of government should state adopt, who should govern and what rewards should the governor receive, what is the soul's nature and what afterlife and divine sanctions exist (Griffin et al., 2001). The dialogue proceeds to cover almost all aspects of Plato's thought. Platonic thought as described by several central aspects that exist in the dialogue can be summed up into three main points; the nature of justice, the ideal republic and the allegory of the divided line and the cave (which attempt to explain the theory of forms as perceived by Plato). THE IDEAL REPUBLIC According to Socrates, if a person can define what a just state looks like then the person can apply that analogously to the just man. Plato on his part exposes in detail how a state can have wisdom, courage, justice and temperament - four great virtues. In his utopia, Plato divides men

US Ports and Cybersecurity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

US Ports and Cybersecurity - Research Paper Example Kevin Kelly1 (2011) asks this intriguing question, â€Å"What does technology want?† If certain aspects of the technium are preordained and certain aspects are contingent upon our choices, how do we know which are which? Systems theorist John Smart has suggested that we need a technological version of the Serenity Prayer.† The serenity prayer, written and popularized in the early 1930s by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, asks God to help in changing the things which are difficult to change or â€Å"courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.†2 According to Kelly, â€Å"Technology was invented from the time we were born†. But technology is under threat every second of the day. Individual files and organizational documents and secrets are under threat of losing with the click of a finger, if we are not careful. This essay is about the many problems of technology, specifically information technology (IT) infrastructures of US ports, and how it can survive amidst threats of viruses, worms, spams, malicious software and cyber criminality. Organizations must have installed technology and IT infrastructures in their systems, otherwise, they will lag behind in the stiff competition. Organizational information systems should also have anti-viruses and other necessary protection before they see themselves vulnerable to a new kind of attack, the virus attack. Ports are one of the busiest areas for businesses around the world. With an installed IT, tasks and activities are made easier. IT enables organizations to conduct multiple operations simultaneously, but the infrastructure must be secured because without s ecurity, viruses and the various risks will make the infrastructure a mess. Ports operate a network of businesses and firms, movement and distribution, processing and many activities, which must be applied and inputted to an effective software and IT. Function IT, as it is called in the literature, refers to information systems that help improve users’ functions and productivity in performing individual tasks. This important feature includes applications like computer-aided design (CAD) software, spreadsheet, word processors, and other e-learning tools and systems. In a port where ships dock and load and unload cargoes, where countless activities happen every minute and every second of the day, computers and softwares are a normal phenomenon. In a workplace where engineers constantly introduce product innovations and people depend on coordinated programs of activities, ports should have effective computer infrastructures. But there are people with criminal minds who, second b y second, devise plans to penetrate on other people’s computers, other people’s wealth, that they send viruses, worms, spam emails and malwares to the internet and destroy ports’ valued files. The role of the manager is significant to the attainment of the organization’s goals and objectives. Managers should have good and effective rapport with employees, but they have to understand what IT is and its role in the ever changing world of business. One of the important responsibilities of the manager is to manage the company’s information system. New business opportunities involving IT and the different functions of business are coming at a fast pace.3 Security awareness Studies have found that about 90% of organizations face information security investigation almost annually.4 Organizations have made moves to improve their information management systems and

Did Marx think that capitalism is unjust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Did Marx think that capitalism is unjust - Essay Example The theory of Base and the Superstructure is also a part of this theory. The capitalist society made of human beings form the base over which the Superstructure of the social, political, legal or religious institutions of the state is built (Friedman & Friedman, 1962, p. 42). The ownership class dominates this superstructure but the economic base will have its effect on the operation of the Superstructure. When a conflict between the social relations of the base and the owners of the forces of production takes place, it leads to a change in the superstructure (Lukes, 1987, p.47). The distinctiveness of a social class will depend on the relationship it has with the forces of production. This particular theory of Marx led to various controversies in the modern times. Discussion Capitalism theory discusses about an economic structure in which there is private ownership of means of production and the owners have the sole motive of profit maximisation (David, 1987, p.72). The main compone nts of capitalist society are accumulation of capital, competition in markets and labour who would be paid wages. At the end of feudalism, capitalism has evolved in the Western countries. Marx explains that a Capitalist Society can be classified into two classes such as the Bourgeois and the Proletariat (Dahrendorf, 1959, p.21). The Bourgeois or the Capitalist class are the ones who owned the means of production, which include the land, raw materials, machinery which are required to produce the final product. The Proletariat on the other hand are those who do not have possession of these means and hence trades of their labour in return of wages. According to his theory the ownership class and the working class are dependent on each other in a view for exchanging mutually while the production process would go on (Brass, 2004, p.23). The ownership class would need the labour class for the production with the use of their physical labour. The working class would get the opportunity to work and earn wages which is necessary for their survival (Schumpeter, 2013, P.36). This relation is however governed by exploitation and conflict of interest. Karl Marx claimed that the so called capitalists would be able to earn profits by exploitation of their workers. Profits are accumulated by the capitalist's requisition of surplus value formed by unstinted labour of the workers (Carver, 1982, p.43). Put in a different way, the wages that the labourers were paid were way less than the value that they contributed to their employers. The theory states that the workers work for a period of necessary labour and they return back the same worth of production as the wages they are paid. The concept of surplus labour comes here. The period of time when the workers produce in excess of the necessary labour is the capital gain for the employers. They make no equivalent outlay in return of this. Thus the rate of surplus value would be the degree of exploitation the employers impose on th eir labourers (Bengo, n.d., p.9). Marx regarded this phenomenon as a system where there was exploitation of labourers systematically. Marxism incorporated the concept of non reciprocal benefit where one party benefits the other but the other does not reciprocate in the same way. Thus one party remain wrongly exploited by the unjust. This according to Marx is exploitation and Capitalism is unjust. Marx held that a worker was ethically entitled to the product of his own labour with certain deductions like the

Discuss the ways in which atmosphere Essay Example for Free

Discuss the ways in which atmosphere Essay Atwood describes a number of things she could do in the fourth paragraph of the extract. This creates a what will happen? , and therefore suspense, as Atwood reels off a list of possibilities, without actually carrying out any of them Each one of them (the possibilities) seems the same size as all the others. Not one seems preferable. Offred seems resigned to her fate, especially when she says I consider these things idly and (I feel) pervaded with indifference. In fact, this last sentence destroys some of the suspense and atmosphere of the passage by depicting Offred as prepared to tolerate her death or imprisonment, she is placid, apathetic, and simply waiting for it, whatever it may be, to happen. This is similar to the eponymous character in Hamlet, who mentions all the possibilities, knows of their existence and the pros and cons of each, but chooses not to act upon them. The majority of sentences in the extract are either split into small sections by commas or very short in their entirety, showing the reader the narrator (Offreds) confused state of mind. Her thoughts quickly flit from one train to another, demonstrating her anxious mind which she is unable to focus properly. This is further proved by the choice of paragraph structure and paragraph length, both of which are disjointed and uneven. The text features many gaps and silences which show the passing of time, the flits from one train of thought to another and the uncertainties that the author is experiencing. The language is straightforward, uncomplicated, simple but not simplified, as is typical of the novel. The historical notes inform the reader that the novel is a transcript of a tape-recorded account, and it is easy to imagine listening to the narrator recounting the story verbally. This use of language makes it easy to imagine the narrator as a normal every day person who was catapulted into Gilead, rather than a journalistic view. Atwood successfully avoids the danger of sounding too descriptive and authoritative, not just during this passage but in the entire novel, giving the narrative a more realistic undertone and setting the book apart from most science fiction. This choice of language adds to the suspense of the passage because the feelings described are genuine, we know they are not just there for effect or drama. This effortless clear-cut and realistic dialogue runs throughout the entire novel, accentuating and validating the feelings and events described. The extract clearly has depressing and desolate undertones, with Offreds despair at its most prevailing at any point within the novel, as she is hopelessly resigned to her fate. The passage, however, avoids the trap of being dull and despondent, as would be easy to fall into at such a pessimistic point in the novel. Atwoods imagery, sentence structure and language, bring the passage to life and prevent it from being gloomy and grey, instead creating an atmosphere of suspense. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Margaret Atwood section.

Analysis Of Amerindian Perspectivism Philosophy Essay

Analysis Of Amerindian Perspectivism Philosophy Essay Brazilian anthropologist Viveiros de Castro has been an essential force in new strands of anthropology within the last decade, and his foremost contribution has been the development of Amerindian perspectivism. Viveiros de Castros objectives were to produce a more generalised framework of Amazonian cosmologies and shamanistic practices, with an aim to dispose of the nature versus culture dichotomy that had always prevailed within the discipline of anthropology. By rediscovering the notion of animism, Viveiros de Castro was able to formulate new modes of relation between humans and non-humans, and perspectivism may be seen as simply a potent rendering of animism. This essay will explore the comparisons that have been made in recent ethnography between Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism and the application of perspectivism to other parts of the world. This will ultimately result in the questioning of whether perspectivism can, in reality, be labelled a theory. Initially an ex amination of Viveiros de Castros analysis of Amerindian perspectivism is crucial in an attempt to draw comparisons with the deployment of perspectivism in ethnography within northern Asia, in particular Mongolia and Siberia. Viveiros de Castro purports that his development of the notion of perspectivism forms a vital component of most Amerindian cosmologies, and is founded upon spiritual unity and corporeal identity. In opposition with the distinction between nature and culture, Viveiros de Castro illuminates a contrastive feature between Western and Amerindian cosmologies. Anthropology itself centres on the multiculturalist notion to the nature vs. culture dichotomy; the idea that there is one universal nature and many cultures, as building blocks structured upon that which is pure and unifying; nature. This approach implies the universality of the body, and the subjective distinctiveness of spirit and meaning. The concept of multiculturalism has consistently been applied to the demographic constitutions of a particular place with multiple ethnicities and religious groups, and to notions of identity (Visweswaran, 1998). Viveiros de Castro proposes that for Amerindian cosmologies however, an inversion of the multiculturalist notion, that is multinaturalism. Multinaturalism is the conception of spiritual unity and corporeal diversity, the unifying and objective being culture and the subjective distinctiveness of nature; bodies (Viveiros de Castro, 1998). Amerindian cosmologies share mythology and the notion of a creation myth that there was once an original state of undifferentiation between humans and animals, and this serves to unfold Amerindian perspectivism. This is the shared mythological belief that animals are ex humans, and that the original common condition that both humans and animals shared was humanity rather than animality (Viveiros de Castro, 1998). This origin myth can be employed to explain the general meaning of perspectivism. Viveiros de Castro states that animals and spirits see themselves as humans: they perceive themselves as anthropomorphic beings. their social system as organized in the same way as human institutions are (1998:470). This is the principal idea of perspectivism; that nonhumans see the world as humans do, but what they see differs from what humans see because of the distinct medium through which they see things differs from the medium through which humans see things (Pedersen, 2001). Every being t hat has a soul is capable of having a point of view, and it is the point of view that creates the subject. The point of view is located within the body, and differences between viewpoints concern the differentiation between bodies (Viveiros de Castro, 1998). What Viveiros de Castro refers to as the body is an assemblage of affects or ways of being that constitutes a habitus (1998:478). The concept of habitus has most recently been elaborated by Bourdieu (1972) as a system of dispositions in response to determinate structures and other fields that are neither wholly voluntary nor involuntary. Acquired dispositions or ways of being include taste, communication and habitation. To tie this in with multinaturalism, every subject creates their own conception of nature. Viveiros de Castro refers to the form of a being as like a piece of clothing which masks an internal human form that is only visible to those within the same species or trans-specific beings such as shamans. It is not so much that the body is a clothing but rather that clothing is a body (1998:482). An animals clothing (their body) is not simply manipulated as a disguise, but rather their equipment that differentiates them from one another, and provides them with their habitus. The internal human form is the beings soul or spirit (1998). By undergoing metamorphosis, the being sheds its clothing and, through a process of transformation, adopts the point of view of another being. The shaman is the only being that is capable of assuming the point of view of the Other; the extra-human animal, and returning back to its original state of being unharmed (Viveiros de Castro, 1998). Amerindian perspectivist cosmologies bear striking similarities with the notion of animism, initially proposed by Tylor in the nineteenth century. Tylor attributed animism to the almost universally held beliefs of primitive people that certain objects and persons were animated by something incorporeal called spirit' (Kraus, 1971:487). Descola (1992) developed this idea of animism that all spiritual entities are similar in that they share spiritual features, with the difference being the body that they are endowed with (Latour, 2009). Thus, animism would appear in accordance with Castros proposition of multinaturalism within Amerindian cosmologies. In contrast with the multiculturalist notion of the nature vs. culture dichotomy, animism holds society as the unmarked pole, as the unifying dimension, rather than nature. Totemism, on the other hand, is the conception that individuals and clans share kinship with other forms of non-human being. Levi-Strauss (1962) discusses totemic classifications as a form of organisation which emphasises discontinuities between species to confer a conceptual order on society. The totem is a non-human being which is normally accompanied by a totemic myth, and they are manipulated to make the social world a more coherent classificatory system. Therefore, there is a very striking difference between animism and perspectivism, and totemism; in totemic societies the non-human being is regarded as a sign, and in animic and perspectivist societies, the non-human being is regarded in terms of the relationship it makes available (Pedersen, 2001). It will be brought up later on with an analysis of northern Asian cosmologies, that some ontologies in northern Asia are predominantly animistic, and some predominantly totemistic. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Viveiros de Castros notion of perspectivism is wholly an animistic concept. His analysis of Amerindian perspectivism has been supported by Pelusos research undertaken in Peru. Peluso critically discusses her ethnography on dream narratives amongst the Ese Eja, an Amazonian community, and acknowledges that multinatural perspectivism is present within the ontology of dream narratives (2004). Naming dreams are common for the Ese Eja, and reflect multiple overlapping realities of time and space, acting as a reminder for its subjects that transformations are possible between multiple worlds. Eshawa, for the Ese Eja is the concept of personhood that connects the self with all species and the spirit world (Peluso, 2004:2). The dreams always involve an interaction between the animal and the dreamer, and involve the animal transforming itself into a child and addressing the dreamer by the appropriate kin term. This action eludes the mother/father/grandparen t dreamer to the childs dream name, and they must use this name for everyday life (Peluso, 2004). Viveiros de Castros notion of perspectivism in Amazonia is quite clearly at work here. People validate the links between dream names and their namesake animals through perceived shared physical and character traits, relating to Viveiros de Castros corporeal affects that form the distinctive viewpoints of subjects. Similarly, multinatural perspectivism such as the dream world, implies that all subjects (human or not) share personhood and interact socially as enacted in dream narratives. (Peluso, 2004:9). The dream world allows the capacity for carrying over the same viewpoint into different cross-realities, and dreams are sources of knowledge and channels of communication between multiple worlds, unhindered by physical or ontological distance (Peluso, 2004). Pelusos ethnography based on the Ese Eja community in Peru is a fine example of Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivist cosmology in practice, but the question still remains as to whether perspectivism can be applied to another part of the world other than Amazonia. The vast majority of the rest of this essay will attempt to apply perspectivism and its deployments through ethnography, to two very different regions of northern Asia; Mongolia and Siberia. Pedersen (2007) has written extensive ethnography concerning the Darhads of Mongolia, and their relationship with perspectivism. It is clear that Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism is prevalent within Darhad animist cosmology, but at the same time there are several distinctions that must not be overlooked. A stark contrast between Darhad and Amerindian cosmology is that the Darhads do not share the conception of a creation myth; an original state of undifferentiation (Pedersen, 2007). Viveiros de Castro suggests that mythology is a precondition for perspectivism, in that the period from whence everything was undifferentiated and humanity, is crucial for spiritual unity and the universality of beings (1998). Nevertheless, Darhad cosmology is amythological yet animist and comprises multiple points of view; different perspectives unchanging over time. The majority of the Darhad animist cosmos is perceived as an unmarked territory, and that it is along specific paths where the social lives of beings occurs. Therefore Darhad cosmology itself is not one unified whole, but rather many parallel worlds, with each parallel world containing the totality of relations enacted through a given point of view (Pedersen, 2007). Similarities can be drawn here with Amerindian perspectivism in that exchanges of perspectives between different kinds of beings are being experienced by the Darhad people, however there appear profound differences. The Darhads nomadic landscape is organised according to the constellation of centres within it, with the nomadic households as physically moving entities, and sacred stone cairns such as those on the top of mountains as fixed components. All nomadic movements centre around these gravitation points, for the rest of the nomadic landscape is void (Pedersen, 2007). The Darhad conception of the landscape appears mo re of a totemic reality than an animist one in this sense. Rather, as a discontinuous grid that places beings in relationships of homologous differentiation (Holbraad Willerslev, 2007:331). Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivist cosmology amounts to a boundless whole, a continuous universe where all beings relate to one another, whereas Darhad perspectivist cosmology lacks this perception. The narrative of the Badagshin that Pedersen (2007) recollects however, can be seen as the representation of a distinct form of Mongolian perspectivism that draws parallels with Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism. The Badagshin are half-people non-human beings that appear most frequently to Darhad hunters. Similarly with Amerindian perspectivism, the shaman is the only being capable of undergoing complete metamorphosis and returning back to their original state of being unharmed. Therefore for Darhad hunters, adopting the point of view of a nonhuman being is something that should be avoided at all costs. Pedersen recalls an account of a Darhad hunter and his friend encountering a Badagshin whilst traversing the nomadic landscape. For the hunter, the Badagshin appears before him as half a deer, yet for his friend it appears before him as half an old woman. Within a few weeks the friend is dead. This phenomenon may be explained in terms of the Darhad perspectivist cosmology i tself, for the friend has undergone transformation from human being to non-human being through the complete adoption of the Badagshins point of view and crossed through to the other side, resulting in death. It is not the hunter himself comprising two perspectives, but rather the cosmology itself, and by being seen only in the form of halves, they reveal in the form of their virtual, invisible halves an occult vicinity between the human and the non-human (Pedersen, 2007:323). Exchanges of perspectives for the Darhad appear essentially abrupt, as one leaps from one form of being to another, with the nomadic void playing the role of a trampoline, as one jumps between finite worlds (Pedersen, 2007). A key difference between Darhad perspectivism and Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism is that the Darhads encounters with spiritual beings are always incomplete, as the Badagshin example illustrates. Humphrey (1996) also reveals that encounters with spiritual beings amongst the Daur of Mongolia tend to always be incomplete and intermitted. Amerindian perspectivism appears more symmetrical and horizontal, whereas Darhad perspectivism appears asymmetrical and transcendent (Holbraad Willerslev, 2007). The Mongolian shamans ability to undergo various metamorphoses and gain the perspectives of another being can be directly linked to the evasion of the hierarchy within a society that is highly rigid (Pedersen, 2001). As a consequence of this spiritual hierarchy, exchanges of perspectives are vertical rather than horizontal, a direct contrast to Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism. Holbraad and Pedersen (2007) suggest that in Inner Asia, beings can become other not because they are themselves already other (as in Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism), but rather because the perspectives that they can occupy remain other to them (p.331). These are transcendental perspectives and reflect more of a totemic reality than an animistic reality apparent in Amerindian perspectivism. It would appear that Mongolian perspectivist cosmology is very different to that of Amerindian perspectivism. Much ethnography in Siberia has revealed a more animistic cosmological perspectivism, and yields more similarities to Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism. Stepanoff (2009) studied cannibal shamans in Siberia and adopts a perspectivist approach to elucidate that the shamans become cannibals because they see humans as prey animals. Similarly, Bogorazs (1904-1910) ancient ethnography on the Chuckchee can be seen to draw parallels with Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism in that others, in this case the kely spirits, see themselves as humans and humans see themselves as others. Kely spirits live like humans in villages and hunt humans which they call little seals. Social relations in Siberia appear horizontal rather than vertical, which, as a condition for animism appears to align them with Amerindian perspectivism rather more than their Mongolian neighbours. Likewise, the space constituted by human beings and non-human beings amounts to a boundless whole rather than a discontinuous grid (Pedersen, 2001). Pedersen (2001) puts forward the notion of animist analogous identification in Siberian cosmology, which holds the viewpoint that one has the ability to imagine oneself in someone elses position, and the ability to imagine someone else in ones own position. This correlates with Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism. Thus, I would argue that Siberian perspectivist cosmologies are much more similar to Amerindian perspectivist cosmologies than their Mongolian neighbours. However, it is challenging in itself to stretch Viveiros de Castros concepts that fit Amerindian cosmology to other parts of the world due to the fact that there is so much differentiation. The question ultimately comes down to whether Viveiros de Castros perspectivism can be seen as a theory or not, and whether it should be applied to other parts of the world. Holbraad and Willserlev (2007) suggest that Viveiros de Castros Amerindian perspectivism may be regarded as a theory due to the fact that it is an essentially intellectual artefact: theory is born of the anthropologists mental effort (p.330). However, this particular theory appears somewhat constrained by its ethnographic material of which the theory was conceived of, and the context from which it derived from cannot necessarily be applied to other ethnographic contexts. This does not detract from the fact that Viveiros de Castro has put forward an Amerindian perspectivist theory, which does exactly what it says on the tin.

The Road to Coorain :: Road to Coorain Essays

The Road to Coorain    Have you ever wondered how much your up bringing and early family life affected the person you are? Jill Ker Conway, in her autobiography The Road to Coorain, both literally and figuratively maps out her early life, placing specific emphasis on geographic location and the importance it made to her as an adult. Her life as a young girl in the western outback shaped her view toward the world, just as our backgrounds have shaped who we are.    After Conway's trip to England she states that,    It took a visit to England for me to understand how the Australian landscape actually formed the ground of my own consciousness, shaped what I saw, and influenced the way a scene was organized in my mental imagery.    By reflection on my past, I can support, just as Conway has, that a person's up bringing directly affects their perspective on life. During the earlier part of her life Conway lived in the hostile western region of Australia that produced men and women that never complained about hard work. Reversly, I have been raised in a green, forgivable climate, where my family urged me to express my feelings and I have become sensitive to not only my own feelings, but also to those others.    After Conway's father died, she and her mother moved to Sydney. During Conway's schooling she attended the local public school for only one day. Had Conway stayed there she said she would have discovered the true nature of the Australian class system. As it was, it took, "another fifteen years to see the world from my own Australian perspective, rather than from the British definition taught to my kind of colonial." Unlike Conway, I have always attended the local public school; forcing me to mix with people with incomes slightly above, below, and equal to my family. Additionally, this summer I interacted with a new dimension of my city's residents while working at the Cabbage Patch Settlement House -- an organization that works to break the chain of poverty through inner city children. This eye opening experience provided me with a broad base from which to perceive other members of society.

Nursing Care Plan for Impaired Social Interaction

NURSING CARE PLAN FOR IMPAIRED SOCIAL INTERACTION ASSESSMENT |NURSING DIAGNOSIS |SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS |GOAL |INTERVENTIONS |RATIONALE |EVALUATION | |Objectives: – Don’t like to mingle with others. – When talked to, he always looked at different directions. – Isolate him from others. – Does not participate in ward activities. Subjective: â€Å"Ayoko sa kanila makihalubilo minsan kasi pakiramdam ko sasaktan nila ako at pinagtritripan. † |Impaired Social Interaction related to social isolation of self to others. A state in which an individual participates in either an insufficient or an excessive quantity of social exchange, or with an ineffective quality of social exchange. |Short Term: Within 1 week of nursing interactions and interventions, the patient will: 1. Minimize his pacing in different directions when talked to. 2. Develop a therapeutic nurse-client relationship through frequent, brief contacts and an accepting attitude. 3. Respond to social contacts in the environment such as interacting with the staff for a specific period of time.Long Term: Within 3 weeks of nursing interactions and interventions, the patient will:1. Demonstrate effective social interaction skills in both one-on-one and group settings.2. Will maintain a good relationship with other patients.3. Demonstrate appropriate social interactions.Independent:1. Provided opportunities for socialization and encourage participation in group activities.2. Allowed patient time to reveal delusions to you without engaging in a power struggle over the content or the reality of the delusions.3.Used a supportive, emphatic approach to focus on patient’s feelings about troubling events or conflicts.4. Helped patient to identify behaviors that alienate him from the environment.5. Assisted patient in learning neutral social topics such as weather or local events. Dependent: 1. Administered medications as ordered and checked after administering.Col laborative: 1. Encouraged same nurse to work with the client.1. To increase the client’s abilities and confidence in socializing.2. To understand the feelings he is experiencing.3. Empathy conveys your caring, interest and acceptance of the client.4. To explore the feelings he is undergoing.5. To develop a greater success in social interactions.To control signs and symptoms of hallucinations and delusions of the client and to verify if he swallowed the medicines.1. To promote development of trusting relationship. |Short Term Outcome: Met After 1 week of nursing interactions and interventions the client was able to: 1. Minimized his pacing in different directions when talked to.2.Developed a therapeutic nurse-client relationship through frequent, brief contacts and an accepting attitude.3. Responded to social contacts in the environment such as interacting with the staff for a specific period of time. Long Term Outcome: Met After 3 weeks of nursing interactions and interventio ns the client was able to:1. Demonstrated effective social interaction skills in both one-on-one and group settings.2. Maintained a good relationship with other patients.3. Demonstrated appropriate social interactions.

Superstition

This paper aims to explore the theme superstition as a form of uncanny mysterious happening that have been witnessed and continue to be witnessed in everyday of our lives. The expression ‘superstition' is sometimes taken to be a simply mean an insult, which is, therefore, not vulnerable to objective meaning and it undoubtedly can be used in this manner. However, when for instance we think through some occurrences that everyone would undoubtedly agree to call superstitious, making doves appear from nowhere, changing clothes to money, waving introvert magpies, saying ‘break a leg', blowing on cards or dice before playing and rolling them, putting on a lucky t-shirt to a baseball match, we shall realize that in fact, they epitomize rather a close and easily clear group. In the above case, the superstition explicitly or implicitly affirms a particular causative connection without comprehending any explanation of it workings. A candidate at an examination, who fails to express confidence because ‘it would bring a misfortune' does not know of the ways by which, the curse would take effect. Someone strolling at night and make a wish on a shooting star cannot tell who or what might hear his or her wish and make it come true. An entrepreneur who once made a bad fortune when there were thorn flowers in the room and who now rejects to have the same in his or her house has no philosophy as to why he or she thinks the thorn flowers are unfortunate, these are just but a few examples to go by. Many people fear the word when they hear someone affiliate with it because they think that it's a source of evil work. Indeed, if by any explanation there were evidences, the word ‘superstition' would no longer seem particularly applicable.Introduction Superstition has had a significant influence in the lives of people probably since the beginning of the world. For centuries, human being have clung to the practices as well as, believes encompassing the uncanny phenomena. The superstitious traditions have continued ever since time immemorial even after pieces of evidence being produced by the work of science to explain what was in the past considered supernatural. Superstitious rituals dating back in the middle ages are still witnessed in practice today. However, the kind of things in superstition like hitting on wood or having a horse shoe hanged at the door did not emanate just like that. They were taken with great significance and were presupposed to have various consequences. Superstition, ad is denoted by the dictionary, thesaurus and oxford, is â€Å"excessively, credulous belief and reverence for the supernatural.† The belief was in no other time greater and excessive as in the middle age period's where a simple blow on your face could send you to unknown destination, a simple sneeze could take someone's life, and witches used broomsticks to fly around at night as well as conjuring spells were done by Jewish sorcerers. The mysterious circumstances in those ancient periods, were put forth by the imaginations of our descendants. In these times, before science had its roots, simple happening were described as mysterious and supernatural. For instance, a simple shadow cast, probably at midnight during moonlight would be considered as a person's reflection of their soul. Sounds at night were considered to be from ghosts and genies and this instilled lots of fear to the generation of the time. There was the personification of natural phenomena in those days. The purpose of this paper is to discover the roots of the uncanny superstition, the beneficial use of it if any to people, the consequences and instances, why was it used and who were using it, the power of the this preternatural phenomenal, the various beliefs among others. The roots of superstitionSuperstition as far as we are concerned is said to have been there from the beginning of mankind. Theories have been put forward to explain this unnatural phenomenon. Firstly, it is thought that superstition comes when a person's desire is beyond their ability in what is called the implorative desire or mind. For instance, if a person is in dire need of a car or money and he or she has no means of obtaining it but then hears of an available psychic or witch somewhere who could make it possible for them to get what they wanted without any struggles. This will eventually drive him or her to the psychic or the witch due to the strong desire and need. Secondly, a fearful mind is also said to be a root of superstition. For instance, a family that has experience consecutive death of their relatives would have some form of fear that would drive them to seek some wizard's intervention for why has it been that there has been the same cause of death for all the relative of theirs. More stories such as this of repetitious and mysterious causes often results into some form of superstition. As human beings, each and every one of us has their own fears as well as wishes. If the two happen to exist then it eventually and likely to lead to superstition unless there is some form of holy intervention in a person. No matter how a person may appear educated, if the mind is filled with a fear and wishes that are beyond their abilities then definitely they would become superstitious. It is natural that part of humans is filled with fear and greed, therefore, on their search for satisfaction and peace people tend to be reliant on their dark side, the superstitious power. The law of Cause and EffectThis is consider to be the law of truth as well as natural concept that people do rarely think about. It is human nature that human beings always want to have the consequence that are disproportionate with the source like craving for something big outside their reach. Absence of self-confidence, uncontrollable wishes, as well as, worries are all what will make people become superstitious. People ought to understand that it's their deeds that cause all effect whether successful or not, rich or poor, either bad or good. Also they should understand no effect is coincidental, from nowhere, it takes diligence and clear mind to achieve. If we make good deeds then the end result is good if we make our deeds bad then there would be no good at the end of it all and such leads to superstitious being. The superstition explicitly or implicitly affirms a particular causative connection without comprehending any explanation of it workings. A candidate at an examination, who fails to express confidence because ‘it would bring a misfortune' does not know of the ways by which, the curse would take effect. It is worth noting that all things in life whether nice or wicked are not merely existent but comes from a cause that we made before (Kim 641-658). Therefore, there is need for good causes in all our endeavors. The law of â€Å"cause and effect† varies from the current to the future life hence is not just an ordinary discipline of study. The big emphasis is that we should proudly as well as, courageously, accept the consequences of our deeds whether they are good or bad without any form of grief, fear or worries because they are what we have sown from the beginning. If we make the cause then even the effect is our end result as well and we should learnt to be responsible of our own self. There is the aim to remain bright and thoughtful while making decision which is the cause so as we prepare for the best effects later that would be easy to accept. By understanding and making believe in the law of cause as well as, effect, we take control of our cause for the upcoming effect. We also make sure that we remain so thoughtful and smart while making our decisions. We are also encourage to keep our greed and fear thought in control as well, for us to be responsible for our deeds.Our superstitious MindA lot of people can attest to have always had their lives threatened at some by the scare warning they were used to hear people say. Things like try as much to avoid encounters with black cats at night, don't go under those sheds of trees or cabins at during late hours, every 13th day coinciding with Friday is a bad lack and so forth. Well, the fact is many believed this to be true and had really avoided such encounters and locked themselves in their houses just to make sure s uch myth are not part of their happenstances. It is said that, these beliefs could happen too those who really and truly believe them to be true and the same is not the case for those who takes them as a mere scare (Vyse 467). However, some of these myth posed a positive effect to the people because they help to shape their behaviors, this is to say, and not all of these superstitious were negative. It was a way to make the mind believe on the wrongs to be avoided and the rights to be done. Nevertheless, there are so many cultures around the world that have hold on to these beliefs to date. Are there certain things that make people to hold on to these beliefs? If yes, how do they perceive them? Are they really things they should hold on? And so forth. There are so many questions that would need answers that would be difficult to find, if we tried get into this and dig deeply. There are several and various extents of superstitions in the world we live in, that we keep hearing of. In this extent, superstitions themselves can be from the smallest actions like people in a casino using simple trick to win money, and other actions that people certainly do to make them avoid back lack and increase their chances of getting what they want, to some big forms like disappearing from sight of audiences. So whether, trying to win, or wearing a lucky scarf and getting out of sight, all these can be considered to be superstitious things because they can never be performed by a normal human being. Being mindful of what we do is a good way to avoiding unwanted consequences in future. A good human being, is one who learns from their past mistakes to make their future a better one than where they are from. The cause and effect is very helpful subject to understand and make good out of it.Three Doors to Freedom from Superstitious MindsHow can we teach ourselves to be free from thought that might be superstitious? Here are better ways to make our intentions right. First we need to understand the doors to our freedom. The emptiness is the first, having no desires is the second and the last is formlessness. Anyone who grasps these situations will have the intelligence see the real truth about every aspect in human existences. These contain no arrangements because they are comprised of combination of various casual features. Based on cause all beings are called â€Å"hollowness† because of their illusory nature. If they have physical systems, then there is no blending. People ought to try and discover the actual form in the make-up. The professional have specified that it compromises of four components, air, the earth, and fire, as well as, water. Therefore, missing either of them, would degenerate the body. And when either of them is the controlling or in other words, the dominant portion, our bodies become functionless. Another issue would be how they can be in line when there is a considerable amount of conflict between them? We therefore got the obligation balance them by having the right foods. Which of the considerations is the overriding in our heads? (Patil 411). It is the beliefs that we hold that give rise to either desirable or the undesirable natures that affect how we involve ourselves in the ways that are not permissive. The three doors emphasized by the theory is the one good way that when observed would allow us to avoid all the thing that pre-occupy of heads with dirty stuffs which shifts our rightful thinking. The way we carry our burdens in our mind, by this is to mean the things that distract us in our everyday life determines how we release them back out to other people. A mind that keeps on wishing without coordinating the body to work hard will always have superstitious thoughts to fulfill the wishes. All said and done, the next thing that can influence our thought to be evil are the people we keep around us. If we have friends who keep suggesting negative motives like stealing, fighting, causing chaos then we would always be driven to the dark side of thoughts. We therefore have to be very mindful of the close people we have because we never know there intentions towards us.Just as earlier mentioned, the big emphasis is that we should proudly as well as, courageously, accept the consequences of our deeds whether they are good or bad without any form of grief, fear or worries because they are what we have sown from the beginning. If we make the cause then even the effect is our end result as well and we should learnt to be responsible of our own selfThe Power of SuperstitionThe phenomenon has been seen to cause more harm than good. Magician who have taken the upfront to using superstition are very capable of doing dangerous stuffs that are very destructive. For instance, we see them in our television performing scary of event that leave us holding our mouths. Imagine if such a person decides to go bad, what harm they would be capable of. aSuperstition in Julius CaesarIn some ancient days, superstition was a significant perception in the Roman times, as it was the fueling force in uncountable actions of the people at the time. To them it was considered a historical believe. The phenomenon was seen as a strengthening factor with their gods. This is well brought up by a play by Shakespeare called Julius Caesar, named after the great ruler of the Romans at the time. Superstition is used in the play repeatedly to foreshadow the death of the ruler by his friend Brutus who eventually as well, kills himself due to conscious guilt. Shakespeare expresses the awareness that many people tried to get the better of what the future held, such as ill-fated events, by being superstitious. This is exceptionally prominent in Julius Caesar, as it effects the day to day regular daily life of the Roman citizens. From ghosts to half-naked and thonged men, nearly every individual had to deal with the uncanny, a mission that many seemed to take as life changing. In Julius Caesar, superstitious motives within the characters change their choices concerning life, revenge, and death (Beckett 17).This was a time in Roman when sex was a glorification and unfertile women would sought help to be able to procreate while, the fertile ones sought more children by use of superstition. We see from the story that Caesar is approached by an old man by the name of Soothsayer who warns him of his coming death by â€Å"the ides of March,† through foretelling but Caesar ignores that by saying he is a dreamer and just as foretold, he is stubbed to death with among them being Brutus, close friend to him. Being a good friend to Caesar, Brutus was blindly lured by Cassius to plot to kill him which they did. Later on, a ghost of Caesar appears to Brutus assuring him that they would meet. Due to this form of superstition, Brutus thought he was meant to die and he took his own life as a result. All This are all instances of superstitions at the time. It also shows how significantly superstition changed the actions of the characters together with how it affected their lives (Chibnall & McFarlane 252).Superstition as a Survival MechanismAs long as superstition is regarded to be involving dark magic and mysterious power it has been of benefit to others mostly in the ancient days where it was used for protection and security to guard against possible enemies. As depicted in various movies and films today, the same was the case though not as exaggerated as such. A lot of people use some ritual emulate to help them do better in what they are working on. They feel that it gives them a boost to motivate them and increase their confidences. Personal superstitious way of thinking is another mechanisms people use to think in some manner that prepares someone to get defense from displeasure, heartbreaks and disappointment. In this regard, the old traditions and cultures use superstitious powers to guard their communities from attack. Possible attackers may never locate their allies in their attempt for an attack also, the same was use by witches to escape when they become hunted down. They would either disappear or make their enemies lose track of them by somehow using their black magic on them and as a result they would be safe. However, due to human nature, some of this was used in the wrong way like making people suffer for no good reason. Also some would use their so called â€Å"super powers† to steal from other without having being notice thereby causing loss of property. Those who have been said to use the phenomenon as a means to survive have also been using it to influence factors to their benefit. If for instance, a bank is demanding payment from such people and they don't have any cash to settle out the loans, they would use paper and make these look like real money then give it to the former who might not even notice. This is just to emphasize that magic and superstition go hand in hand and whatever reason it is used for then there can never be the right form of it because it has had more bad than goodConclusionIn conclusion, this phenomenon called superstition is an influence that is destructive in our society, which, has twisted many people who are worried and nervous, lack of self-confidence, and have a dull thoughts as well as, evil mind. To wish for a healthy society, we can't accept superstition. We have a duty to spread and share the good teachings about self-confidence, of self-emancipation as well as, clarification. So how can we be superstitious? Though, there are many people who will suggest their groups to seek God's interventions when they have problems of any nature. It doesn't matter how many problems there are, there will always be a better way to solve them all.

Governements Use Fiscal Policy to Help Them Achieve Their Macroeconomic Objectives

Explain what is meant by this statement and discuss specific fiscal measures that the UK government has implemented in recent years to influence economic activity in the built environment. Definitions: FISCAL POLICY: â€Å"A combination of government spending and taxation used to achieve macroeconomic management. (The flow of government money in and out of the treasury. † (Danny Myers, 2006, pgs 75&126) MACROECONOMIC OBJECTIVES: â€Å"Targets relating to the whole economy, such as employment, price, stability and the balance of payments. † (Danny Myers, 2006, pg128) The Governments Macroeconomic (nations economy) objectives: 1. Low inflation/stable prices 2. Sustained economic growth 3. Low unemployment 4. Balance of payments between imports and exports (keeping money within the country as well as spending abroad 5. Environmental protection 6. Redistribution of income and wealth to poorRECENT YEARS: The fiscal measures looked at in this essay will be taken from 1990 onw ards. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY: â€Å"The production and distribution of goods and services at all levels. † (Wall Street Words, David L. Scott. 2003) THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: â€Å"The built environment is made up of various types of property (residential, commercial, industrial etc); linked by infrastructure (sewers, canals, roads, tunnels etc) and separated by spaces in between (parks, woods, playing fields, landscaped areas, squares etc)†. (Danny Myers, 2006, pg6)AGGREGATE DEMAND: â€Å"All planned expenditures for the entire economy summed together. † (Danny Myers, 2006, pg123) †¢By influencing Government taxation and expenditure, aggregate demand can be stimulated to achieve Macroeconomic objectives such as; price stability, full employment and economic growth. †¢It is the total demand for goods and services in an economy. EXPANSIONARY FISCAL POLICY: †¢Increase in government spending and/or a decrease in taxes that causes the government’s budg et deficit to increase or budget surplus to decrease. This is a method used in a recession to stimulate the economy by providing each household with more disposable income, which can be used for consumption expenditures, which then stimulates aggregate production. It also decreases unemployment, which leads to further increases in income. CONTRATIONARY FISCAL POLICY: †¢Decrease in government spending and/or an increase in taxes that causes the government’s budget deficit to decrease or its budget surplus to increase. †¢Decreases the amount of disposable income per household meaning the output and national income is less.EXPLANATION OF STATEMENT: ‘Governments use fiscal policy to help them to achieve their macroeconomic objectives’ Fiscal policy deals with the governments spending and taxation. There are two types of fiscal policy, Expansionary and Contrationary. When the government needs to stimulate the economy by increasing public spending then they w ill decrease taxes so that each household has more disposable income to be spent on consumer goods. In turn this puts more money back into the economy, creating more jobs and encouraging economic growth.An increase in aggregate demand leads to a higher inflation as there is more money being spent on limited goods and services, which pushes the prices up. To counteract this the government decreases taxation and spending, so that consumer households have less disposable income to spend on goods and services, this decreases aggregate demand and brings inflation back down with it. To achieve a balance of stable prices the government must mediate between the two. SPECIFIC FISCAL MEASURES: STAMP DUTY HOLIDAY:The Stamp Duty holiday was introduced in September 2008 whereby properties worth between ? 125,000 and ? 175,000 were to be temporarily exempt from stamp duty. The stamp duty on this particular property bracket was 1% of the sale price, therefore saving a potential ? 1,750. The intent ion of the holiday was to boost demand in the property market by encouraging first time buyers to take advantage of the saving and buy a house. More money is then borrowed as people take advantage of this, which has the effect of boosting the mortgage market as well.According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), 132,500 house purchase mortgage transactions have benefited from the holiday; this is the equivalent of 25% of the overall 486,400 house purchase loans in the period. Buyers have saved 173 million from the holiday rather than the 600 million the government forecasted. The success is questionable as the incentive was supposedly directed at lower income areas to the North, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland where as, the majority of the benefits have gone to the richer areas in the SE.As this area in particular was hit by the recession the least and where the housing market is the strongest, the governmental loss of the taxation seems to have been wasted. The holiday ended on the 31st December 2009. Although there has been a brief stimulation in the current housing market the number of transactions is still at an all time low. The figures may fall further now that stamp duty has been reinstated, meaning that the government may have to explore other options. AGGREGATES LEVY â€Å"The Aggregates levy is a tax on sand, gravel and rock that is dug from the ground or dredged from the sea in UK waters.The tax addresses the environmental damage caused by these business activities in the form of noise, dust and loss of biodiversity. † (www. businesslink. gov. uk, Environmental tax obligations and breaks (online), (07. 01. 2010). The Levy was introduced on the 1st April 2002 setting out to address the macroeconomic objective of environmental protection while trying to retain sustainable economic growth. The idea is that the tax should make the cost of the aggregates better reflect the cost to the environment and should therefore influence business decis ions to become more eco-friendly and efficient.In terms of the Built Environment this encourages sustainable development, â€Å"The creation and responsible management of a healthy built environment based on resources efficient and ecological principals† (Charles. Kibert,1994). This definition incorporates six principals, (Miyatake, 1996) †¢Minimisation of resource consumption †¢Maximisation of resource reuse †¢Use renewable and recyclable resources †¢Protection of the natural environment †¢Creation of a healthy and non-toxic environment †¢The pursuit of quality in creating the built environment There is an argument that taxes such as this will damage international Competitiveness.The common object of development is to keep the cost as low as possible, to have a minimal construction period and to have the best quality possible. With increased taxation on these materials investors may become more cautious due to the rising cost, which is to be kep t as low as possible, therefore there is a possibility of the UK losing international business. This is just part of the problem between economic growth and environmental protection as both have the potential to hinder the other. However some of the tax revenue accumulated will go towards a sustainability fund.This will be spent through various agencies to promote new innovative ways to protect the environment and provide good quality construction at the same time. The Aggregate levy is a further development of the original ‘Landfill Tax of 1996. ’ This was set to influence the management of waste by encouraging a movement away from the cost of disposing waste in a landfill to a cheaper and more productive way of reusing waste materials. Both have helped to make businesses greener which agrees with the macroeconomic objective of Environmental protection. THE THAMES GATEWAY REGENERATION PROJECTThe Thames gateway regeneration project includes an area stretching 40 miles E ast of inner East London, both sides of the Thames and the Estuary. The area has been targeted for urban regeneration by both government and developers. There are an estimated 1. 6 million people living in this area, which has been deemed one of the most depraved in the UK. This is because of the lack of access to public transport, services, employment and affordable quality housing. The government wishes to gentrify this brownfield site to make the most of the economic potential of the gateway, and to encourage new investment and job opportunities. The Government Delivery Plan, 29th November 2007, Yvette Cooper) The project is co-ordinated by The Department For Communities and Local Government who continue to invest 3bn every year alongside the regional development agencies, the London Development agency, the East England Development agency and the SE England Development agency. (Thames Gateway Annual Report 2008/09). The Gateway project was drawn up in 1995 with the government hop ing to achieve 225,000 new jobs and 200,000 new houses by 2016. In this area there is emphases on developing town centres, public spaces and infrastructure to attract new investment to expand the economy.The Government hopes for this project to lead the way in terms of environmental jobs, new technologies and environmental improvements to existing homes and buildings. The Government is insuring this by providing funds for an eco-risk assessment of the housing programmes, energy savings methods for green housing and a zero construction waste target across the gateway. This project seems to have a lot of potential, however the timing of the recession limits the productivity and investment that it needs. The shortage of mortgages makes it difficult to sell the new housing at the arranged rices, which in turn can reduce investor confidence when companies are to buy up the land for housing developments. CONCLUSION From this essay it is clear that to some extent fiscal policies can be use d to help achieve macroeconomic objectives. From the examples shown, a combination of taxation and government expenditure has been directed at particular areas in the built environment to attain certain results. The construction industry makes up a large proportion of the UK economy and the government seems to be very focused on the issue of sustainable economic growth and environmental protection.The policies such as the ‘Aggregates levy’ and ‘landfill tax’ are addressing the objective of Environmental protection by playing a large part in the way buildings are constructed or demolished. By promoting the use of recycling of materials and reuse, the future of development will change for the better. This is seen in the Thames gateway regeneration project where they are leading the way for the future of construction by using eco friendly and sustainable methods. At the same time they are creating a huge investment opportunity, which will lead to the continued sustained growth of our economy.There will be an improved standard of living for the people who once lived in a depraved area by increasing the once lower levels of employment. From the Stamp Duty we can see that the government was trying to use this tax break to boost the property sector of the UK economy in a time of decline. However I do not believe that this has necessarily achieved its goal. The housing market may well fall again and the aim of helping people of lower income to get on the property ladder has not had its desired effect as the benefits did not go to the poorer areas in mind.