Why Some Sociologists Choose to Use Structured Interviews When Conducting Research free essay sample

Examine the reasons why some sociologists choose to use structured interviews when conducting research. There are three types of interviews; structured, unstructured and semi-structured interviews. The most commonly used types of interviews by sociologists are structured interviews and unstructured interviews. Structured interviews have various advantages, therefore, some sociologists, mainly Positivist sociologists, choose to use structured interviews when conducting research. Positivists are mainly interested in research methods that achieve their main goals of reliability, generalisability and representativeness, for this reason, they favour structured interviews as they achieve these goals. This is because structured interviews often have questions and answers that are standardised; they are reliable because they can be therefore replicated. Positivist sociologists also prefer to use structured interviews when conducting research because the pre-coded responses mean that quantitative data can be produced and so cause-and-effect relationships can be established. Also, structured interviews are representative and can therefore be generalised, because of the fact that they are often large-scale. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Some Sociologists Choose to Use Structured Interviews When Conducting Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are also practical advantages to using structured interviews. For an example, training interviewers is relatively easy and inexpensive as no specialist skills have to be taught as the questions tend to be very straightforward as they often close-ended, and do not require too much thought. Also, because skills taught are minimal, the process of training interviewers will not cost too much. Another practical advantage, is that structured interviews are relatively cheap and easy to administer, so large quantities of interviews can be carried out, meaning that are large-scale , so sociologists, especially Positivists’, can generalise data as the data found will be representative. Also, another practical advantage is that they are relatively straightforward to carry out, and factual information can be found out quickly and cheaply, such as a person’s age. A final practical advantage, adding to why sociologists may choose structured interviews, is that because the questions are close-ended, the results can be easily quantified and so structured interviews are very suitable for hypothesis testing. An ethical advantage is that informed consent can be found, if the interview is carried out on the children, informed consent can be provided by the parents. Another ethical advantage, dding to why sociologists choose structured interviews, is that interviewees may feel more relaxed about answering questions, because they should be told that they have the right not to answer any question they do not want to. Another advantage, is that although the numbers that can be studied using structured interviews are relatively lower than that of postal questionnaires, structured interviews generally have a higher response rate. For an example, in the case of Young and Willmott’s study, only 54 out of 987 people that they asked to interview, refused to be interviewed, possibly because it is easier to simply not complete and post back a questionnaire than to turn down an interview, because with interviews, the request for one is often face-to-face, and many people will prefer interviews because of the chance to talk to someone about particular issues that they feel strongly about and have opinions about. Response rates may also be fairly high with structured interviews, making the interviews more representative, because the interviewer may make several call backs to people who initially fail to respond to questions, and therefore, a better basis for generalisation, which is required for Positivists’ research, can be provided.

How Harrison Won the Election of 1840

How Harrison Won the Election of 1840 The election of 1840 was fueled by slogans, songs, and alcohol, and in some ways that distant election can be considered  the precursor of the modern presidential campaign. The incumbent was a man of sophisticated political skills. He had served in a variety of offices and put together the coalition that brought Andrew Jackson to the White House. And his challenger was elderly and infirm, with qualifications that were questionable. But that didnt matter. Talk of log cabins and hard cider and an obscure battle from decades earlier culminated in a landslide that turned out the incumbent, Martin Van Buren, and brought an aging and sickly politician, William Henry Harrison, into the White House. Background of the 1840 Presidential Election What really set the stage for the 1840 election was a colossal financial crisis devastating  the nation. After the eight years of Andrew Jackson’s presidency, Jackson’s vice president, the lifelong politician Martin Van Buren of New York, was elected in 1836. And the following year the country was rocked by the Panic of 1837, one of a series of financial panics of the 19th century. Van Buren was hopelessly ineffective in handling the crisis. As banks and businesses failed, and an economic depression dragged on, Van Buren took the blame. Sensing an opportunity, the Whig Party sought a candidate to challenge Van Burens reelection and selected a man whose career had peaked decades earlier. William Henry Harrison, the Whig Candidate Though he would be portrayed as a rustic frontiersman, William Henry Harrison, who was born in Virginia in 1773, actually came from what might be called Virginia nobility. His father, Benjamin Harrison, had been a signer of the Declaration of Independence and later served as governor of Virginia. In his youth, William Henry Harrison had received a classical education in Virginia. After deciding against a career in medicine he joined the military, receiving an officer’s commission signed by President George Washington. Harrison was posted to what was then called the Northwest Territory and served as the territorial governor of Indiana from 1800 to 1812. When Indians led by the Shawnee chief Tecumseh rose up against the American settlers and allied with the British in the War of 1812, Harrison fought them. Harrison’s forces killed Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames, in Canada. However, a previous battle, Tippecanoe, though not considered a great triumph at the time, would become part of American political lore years later. His Indian fighting days behind him, Harrison settled in Ohio and served terms in the House of Representatives and the Senate. And in 1836, he ran against Martin Van Buren for the presidency and lost. The Whigs nominated Harrison as the partys presidential candidate in 1840. One obvious point in his favor was that he wasn’t closely associated with any of the controversies gripping the nation, and his candidacy, therefore, didnt offend any particular groups of voters. Image Making Entered American Politics in 1840 The supporters of Harrison began creating an image of him as a war hero, and touted his experience at the Battle of Tippecanoe, 28 years earlier. While it’s true that Harrison had been the commander at that battle against the Indians, he had actually been criticized for his actions at the time. The Shawnee warriors had surprised his troops, and casualties had been high for the soldiers under Harrison’s command. Tippecanoe and Tyler Too! In 1840 the details of that long-ago battle were forgotten. And when John Tyler of Virginia was nominated as Harrison’s running mate, the classic American political slogan was born: â€Å"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too! The Log Cabin Candidate The Whigs also promoted Harrison as the log cabin candidate. He was portrayed in woodcut illustrations as residing in a humble log cabin on the western frontier, a fact that was contradicted by his birth as something of a Virginia aristocrat. The log cabin became a commonplace symbol of Harrisons candidacy. In its collection of materials related to the 1840 Harrison campaign, the Smithsonian Institution has a wooden model of a log cabin that was carried in torchlight parades. Campaign Songs Entered American Politics in 1840 Harrison’s campaign in 1840 was noteworthy not just for slogans, but for songs. A number of campaign ditties were quickly composed and sold by sheet music publishers. Some examples can be viewed at the Library of Congress (on these pages, click the view this item link): Tippecanoe and Tyler TooThe Tippecanoe Club Quick StepOld Tippecanoe’s Raisin’The Invincible Old Tippecanoe Alcohol Fueled the 1840 Presidential Campaign The Democrats supporting Martin Van Buren scoffed at the image created of William Henry Harrison and derided him by saying Harrison was an old man who would be content to sit in his log cabin and drink hard cider. The Whigs neutralized that attack by embracing it, and took to saying that Harrison was the hard cider candidate. A popular legend is that a Philadelphia distiller named E.C. Booz provided hard cider to distribute at rallies of Harrison supporters. That may be true, but a story that Boozs name gave the English language the word booze is a tall tale. The word actually existed for centuries before Harrison and his hard cider campaign. The Hard Cider and Log Cabin Candidate Won the Election Harrison avoided discussion of the issues, and let his campaign based on hard cider and log cabins proceed. And it worked, as Harrison won in an electoral landslide. The 1840 campaign was notable for being the first campaign with slogans and songs, but the victor holds another distinction: the shortest term in office of any American president. William Henry Harrison took the oath of office on March 4, 1841, and delivered the longest inaugural address in history. On a very cold day, the 68-year-old Harrison spoke for two hours on the steps of the Capitol. He developed pneumonia and never recovered. One month later he was dead, becoming the first American president to die in office. Tyler Too Became President After Harrisons Death Harrisons running mate, John Tyler, became the first vice president to ascend to the presidency upon the death of a president. Tylers administration was lackluster, and he was derided as the accidental president. As for William Henry Harrison, his place in history was secured not by his fleeting presidential tenure, but for being the first presidential candidate whose campaign featured slogans, songs, and a carefully manufactured image.

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry Essay

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry - Essay Example For example, use of home made applications mobile applications is not clearly defined thus it’s a challenge. The contemporary ethical environment in the IT industry The main normative approaches to ethics – compare and contrast the main approaches that we have looked at virtue, consequentialist and deontological According to the BCS code of conduct, a professional should be conversant with the ethical issues and the legislations governing their profession. They must observe ethical the codes of conduct to be able to remain morally right. This is deontological ethics. Contemporary ethical dilemmas – how are recent developments in IT creating challenges for ethical behaviour? Can IT be used to make people and or organisation behaviour more ethical? If possible give some specific real-world examples taken from the guest speakers or your reading. The growth of IT has posed serious challenges to the ethical values in the society. The development in IT has brought about several lee ways for breaching ethical codes of conduct. Through development of software with unethical contents. For instance, the development of YouTube made it easy to access pornographic videos. YouTube does not as for age or require any authorization before you are allowed to watch a video(Gattiker, 2004). This makes it easy for even people below adulthood to view the contents that are not in compliance with ethical issues. However, IT can also be used to enhance ethics in our society. This is possible through creation of software that requires authentication and authorisation before someone is allowed to access an application. These applications can be embedded in both commercial and open source applications so that whenever someone uses, the ethical codes are taken into account. Technical aspects of security entail the security management. These are the parties that stand for the daily operation of IT

Would legalize Medical Marjuana help the ecomony in New York Research Paper

Would legalize Medical Marjuana help the ecomony in New York - Research Paper Example Much of the current debate on whether to legalize marijuana is based on its medicinal properties. Once this is accepted (that it is indeed medicinal), the debate shifts to the possible abuses for which it is used by some people, particularly the fear of getting addicted to it just like nicotine. However, much of the controversy stems from the wrong notions of what marijuana is and is not. For one, people mistakenly think it can cause accidental deaths due to smoking or ingesting the seeds. But no one had died of an overdose from marijuana use. Advocates claim smoking it does not cause any serious side effects, unlike alcohol or tobacco. Marijuana does not cause liver damage, cancer, heart disease, birth defects or emphysema. All it can do is to induce lethargy, short-term memory loss, mild hypotension (low blood pressure), ataxia (walk or gait that is staggering), light headedness and a temporary loss of concentration. Marijuana is the third most-consumed drug in the world (after alc ohol and tobacco). It is therefore very timely to review the possible legalization of marijuana as a major source of new revenues, similar to the so-called sin taxes imposed on alcohol and cigarettes. This short paper examines the possible ramifications of legalizing marijuana for medical use since it has been proven to cure a number of ailments but without any serious side effects. Discussion Several states have already legalized the medical use of marijuana, among them New Jersey, Arizona and Washington, DC (passed their laws only last year). There are now a total of 16 states which had legalized marijuana but they had imposed restrictions on its use such as requiring registry ID cards before allowing a purchase. Moreover, these states already derive a substantial amount in taxes which they collect based on the number of usable ounces or on the number of mature and immature plants a person is allowed to plant and raise in his place. The growing consensus is now to allow marijuana use because most of the claims against its use are often grossly exaggerated, sensationalized and found to have no basis by research. With this in mind, the focus of this proposed research paper will be on the economic benefits that the state of New York can potentially derive from the legalization of marijuana. It will not discuss the pros and cons of whether people will abuse it once it is legalized but more on what the potential economic benefits will be to the state coffers of New York. New revenue streams, like the sin taxes imposed on alcohol and tobacco consumption, will prevent raising new taxes or increasing existing taxes. As an aside, it is quite surprising that tobacco is legal although it is confirmed to be very addictive due to the nicotine content in it while marijuana is illegal but has no addictive qualities. New York state is contemplating new budget cuts. Research Variables This section discusses some of the variables that will be tackled during the research. It w ill delve more into the economic variables to quantify the research problem and also give a good feedback on the success of the proposed solution (legalization of marijuana). Moreover, the focus will also deal with the operational concerns once legalization is achieved (assumed). The later portions of this paper will likewise explore the possible research questions, a brief time-line for completion of this project and the major topics of the main data sources. Potential Market Demographics –

Comparison between States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Essay

Comparison between States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey - Essay Example Comparison between States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Pennsylvania and New Jersey are neighboring states in the US. The two states border each other as New Jersey lies to the west of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was among the thirteen British colonies. Its blue flag embroided by the state coat of arms was authorized by the general assembly in 1799. Its motto is virtue, Liberty, and independence. Its capital city is Harrisburg and main cities include Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Erie, Allentown, Upper Darby Twp, Reading, Scranton and Lancaster. New Jersey’s location is 40.223N; 74.764w.it was admitted to statehood in December 18 1787. It covers an area8722 sq.mi it is a third state. New Jerseys State flag, which was formally, adopted in 1896 has the states’ coat of arms emblazoned at the center. Its motto is liberty and prosperity. Its capital city is Trenton and key cities include Newark and Jersey City, Paterson and Elizabeth, Edison Township and Woodbridge Township as well as Dover Township and Camden. According to the US Cens us Bureau in 2010, Pennsylvania has a total population of 12.7096 million from 12.2842 million in 2000. The same census puts New Jerseys population at 8.8016 million from 8.4306 million in 2000. Pennsylvania ranks sixth in population among other states. The population growth seems to be almost constant. There is no overpopulation as growth can be easily estimated. The city of Philadelphia is the largest city in the state, and the sixth ranked biggest city in the US. Pittsburg is the state’s second largest city followed by Allentown.... It is Pennsylvania’s chief port in the lake (Hart and Hantula 9). The state has several large lakes including the Allegheny reservoir which is an artificial lake in the Allegheny national Forest. The North eastern part of Pennsylvania is dotted with small lakes. Before the highway turnpikes were built, rivers were the best travelling routes. The Monongahela and the Allegheny two of Pennsylvania biggest rivers join to form the Ohio River at Pittsburg (Gwenyth 7). The city of Pittsburg also known as the city of bridges lies in the northern foothills of the Alleghenies, where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River. Pennsylvania’s three-fifth is covered with forests. The forest contains the oak, hickory and walnut trees in the south while the black bears live the northern lush woods. Much of New Jersey is rich in natural beauty. It has many factories and office building that were not there during early settlement. Her forests and marshes are full o f wildlife. New Jersey is also known as the fertile farming land. It has sandy beaches stretching along its coast for miles (Heinrich 4). It supplies many surrounding cities with fruits and fresh vegetables hence its reference as the garden state. It is surprising that Lancaster County appears like a history museum because of the centuries-old traditions that farmers here follow. That others still choose to live in homes in this era without electricity and still speak their native Swiss and German languages is captivating (Gwenyth 7). Both cities are surrounded by water bodies. The Delaware, Susquehanna, Allegheny and Ohio are four great river systems that shaped the state of Pennsylvania. These rivers were crucial in the development of the transportation systems and

Impact of poverty on the nutrition of children

Impact of poverty on the nutrition of children Recent studies have shown that poverty has large and consistent associations with negative outcomes in child nutrition in the United Kingdom. Poverty adversely affects the nutrition of children, and this issue has been a significant and growing social problem, even before the occurrence of the global economic downturn. Poverty is a major factor that negatively affects childrens nutrition, and hence their development. This is especially so in cases where there is deep, long-term poverty. The official poverty threshold in the United Kingdom varies according to factors like the money income and the number of adults and children in the family. Every year in the United Kingdom, the official poverty threshold is updated for inflation, using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Poverty leads to substandard nutrition and poor motor skills in children. This substandard nutrition is also associated with wasting (low weight-for-age) and stunted growth (low height-for-age) in children in the United Kingdom. Research suggests that a combination of parental effort and social programs correctly de- signed and implemented can improve the lives of poor children and their families. Both the statistical data and the research findings cited in this brief underscore the need to resume efforts to reduce the child poverty rate, even as other issues command the nations attention. (Guo G and Harris K M 2000) Poverty is associated with obesity among children in the United Kingdom. This is because children living in poverty are more likely to have irregular eating habits, and will eat whatever comes to them, as long as it is food. Poor nutrition also leads to a situation in which poor children are at a higher risk of developing chronic health problems like anemia and asthma as they grow up. Children living in poverty are more likely to become physically impaired, and this would cause a lot of restriction in their future activities. Children living in poverty are more vulnerable to risky health compromising behaviors like smoking and getting involved in early sexual activities at a tender age. Health problems that result due to poverty during early childhood can become risk factors themselves that would instigate developmental problems later in life. These include problems in achievement, physical, language, cognitive, social and emotional domains. Reduced health and safety standards are a major factor in the lives of children who experience long term poverty. For instance, growth differences between poor and non-poor children are much more evident when using a long-term measure of poverty, even when adjustments are made to accommodate family characteristics. Poverty leads to poor health in children and poor health is linked to various negative educational outcomes (Case and Paxson, 2006) Childhood health problems may impede education. Recent studies have shown that the impact of malnutrition and poor health on a childs education varies with family socio-economic status, and might be more pronounced in the case of disadvantaged families. (Fowler et al, 1992) An analysis of children suffering from chronic health problems progress more slowly through school than children from wealthier families (Case et al, 2002) In the United Kingdom, there has been evidence that poor health during childhood negatively affects education up until early adulthood and subsequent socioeconomic status. An analysis of the 1958 and 1946 British cohort studies shows that poverty, malnutrition and poor health in children and young adults significantly lowers the chances of cohort numbers to acquire higher-order educational qualifications. Case et al, 2002; Wadsworth, 1986. Several studies indicate that poverty and malnutrition in childhood also have an impact on adult employment and income, although this impact may not be large as compared to other significant socio-economic factors (Currie, 2009; Haas, 2006; Palonni, 2006; Paallon et al, 2008) Results from recent studies suggest that when children are raised in poverty, they are placed at a higher risk of various negative outcomes which can extend into their adult life. There have been consistently numerous negative associations between poverty in childhood, malnutrition and poor academic results. Poverty has also been associated with children dropping out of school at the adolescent age. Another study about changes in family outcomes found that children whose families go from being above poverty to being either poor or on welfare have lower reading scores than children whose families were never poor. (Guo G and Harris K M 2000) Family poverty and inadequate nutrition is also associated with higher risk of teenage pregnancy, negative peer relationships and lower self esteem, in comparison with children who have not been exposed to poverty. Statistical data as well as research findings have underscored the need for the resumption of efforts aimed at alleviating the child poverty rate. One recent study found that long term poverty is associated with childrens inner feelings of anxiety, unhappiness, and dependence, while current poverty is associated with acting out, disobedience and aggression. (Cumella S, Grattan E and Vostanis P 1998) Research has shown that there are numerous ways by which poverty affects the health of children. Poverty leads to a situation in which children are exposed to risk factors like environmental degradation, maternal depression, parental substance abuse, low quality child care, violent crime, divorce, abuse, trauma and malnutrition. Poverty and inadequate nutrition are likely to affect childrens practical and psychological readiness for educational development and study, and the social support they may need for it. Overcrowding may have direct effects on education and development. It may also have effects via its effects on health and well-being. Overcrowding can limit sleep and the ability to concentrate. Crowding in the home has also been hypothesized to have negative effects on child development, and the development of socially supportive relationships, which result in psychological distress. (Evans, 2005) Effects of poverty and poor nutrition on the health and wellbeing of children in the United Kingdom Poor nutrition as a result of poverty has negative effects on the health and wellbeing of children in the United Kingdom. Children from families whose family income falls below the official poverty threshold are the most affected by this situation. The official poverty threshold in the United Kingdom varies depending on the number of children and adults in the family. A recent study suggests that family poverty and malnutrition causes chronic stress; thereby leading to an undermining of a childs working memory. Poverty and malnutrition also lead to poorer healthcare for children and cause inadequate social behavior in children, which can undermine the educational achievement of these children. Malnutrition as a result of poverty also causes poor social and emotional development in children, as children in poverty are at a greater risk of displaying emotional and behavioral problems like impulsiveness, disobedience, and difficulty in relating properly with their peers. Children who grow up in Poverty and malnutrition tend to show less compliance and positive behaviors than other children who do not live in an impoverished situation. Family poverty is also associated with a higher risk for teen childbearing, less positive peer relations, and lower self- esteem compared with children who have never experienced poverty. (Koller K, Brown T, Spurgeon A and Levy L 2004) Poverty influences a childs social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes because poor children are more likely to be raised by single parents and to live in households where there is less parental supervision and more parental distress. Research finds that poor children are more likely to experience frequent moves and changes in family structure than more affluent children. In turn, children with such turbulent lives are more likely to have negative social and emotional outcomes than children whose lives are relatively stable. Another explanation for the influence of poverty on childrens social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes is that children in low-income families and neighborhoods may be less likely than children who grow up in more economically comfortable circumstances to be exposed to positive social norms in their lives and neighborhoods. (Case A, Lubotsky D and Paxson C 2002) Part B An analysis of health promotion legislation and strategies in the United Kingdom as relates to child nutrition There is a great need to consider the policies that affect the nutrition and wellbeing of children in the United Kingdom, as they are the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society. Although the current strategies and legislations on child nutrition and health have been structured to be as practical as possible in order to determine which programmes and initiatives are effective, children are still vulnerable to the negative effects of poverty and malnutrition that result from poverty. One such legislation that affects child poverty and nutrition in the United Kingdom is the child poverty act 2010, which places a statutory obligation of developing child poverty strategies on the executive arm of government. Child poverty has been an important issue for quite some time, and is not a matter that can be tackled in the short term. There are numerous factors that may affect the efforts aimed at lifting children out of poverty, especially in the current economic climate. In order to effectively tackle child poverty in the United Kingdom, it is vital to consider wider family circumstances, and efforts must be made to provide the legal guardians or parents of the children with adequate support to bring up the children. This can be in the form of financial support, information and advice. There are 2 major aspects of the causes and impact of child poverty in the United Kingdom: 1. Reduction of joblessness among adults who look after children 2. Promotion of longer term outcomes through interventions that are designed to effectively deal with the cyclical nature of child poverty and malnutrition. The key areas to be tackled in the reduction of joblessness are adult centered, but the key relevant areas in promoting longer-term outcomes for tackling the cyclical nature of child poverty and malnutrition by facilitating the increase of future prospects. These strategies would have to be focused on a longer-term impact. In the current economic climate, it is important to utilize every opportunity for improved inter-agency and cross-departmental cooperation in order to ensure that statutory obligations placed on the relevant departments within the child poverty act are treated as high priority. It must be noted that no one department has the authority, resources or power to fully tackle the objectives of this child poverty eradication strategy. It is thus, imperative that departments must combine efforts to achieve a common aim, so as to ensure the achievement of maximum impact on the issue. The aim of child nutrition legislation and strategies is the provision of opportunities for children and young people to succeed in life, and to address the causes and effects of disadvantage as a result of poverty and inadequate nutrition. It is important for the executive to advocate for the proper level on income resources on behalf of the children and their families. Families should also be given support in accessing these benefits. The main strategic priority for the child poverty legislation and strategies in the United Kingdom is to ensure that poverty and disadvantage during childhood do not translate into poorer outcomes for the disadvantaged children as they grow up and become adults. Child poverty legislation strategies also aim to ensure that the environment in which children grow up supports them to thrive, and to provide support for more parents to enable them have work that is profitable. Another strategy for alleviating child poverty and malnutrition in the United Kingdom is to tackle the issue of the child relative income poverty. The child relative income poverty is the proportion or number of children living in households that are below the income poverty line in each given year. The income poverty line in a particular year is set at 60% of the median level of household income in the United Kingdom (Currie J 2009) In order for child poverty and nutrition strategies in the United Kingdom to succeed, there must be a shift towards tackling the root causes of poverty and poor nutrition, and not only treating the symptoms of poverty. There should also be a gradual transition towards using preventative measures in tackling child poverty, and intervening at an early stage in situations where families are in difficulty, in order to reduce the likelihood of more serious issues developing in the future. It is of essence that children are put at the center of child poverty legislation strategies and that the views and perspectives of these children are taken into account when developing poverty eradication programmes and policies. Efforts must be maximized in strengthening and improving prevention and early intervention for the children and their families, especially during the first 3 years of life, so as to improve their future outcomes in health and wellbeing. Families who are experiencing food poverty and lack of adequate nutrition should also be helped so that they will be able to acquire the food and nutrition necessary for them to stay in good health. Aid should be provided for parents in low-income families to enable them to gain education, training and working skills that will help them to get better paid employment. The issues involved in child poverty legislation cannot all be tackled at once. Therefore, there is a need for a targeted approach. A smaller number of high priority issues must be first identified, and then efforts must be concentrated on these high priority issues first.

Radio :: essays research papers fc

Radio: Making Waves in America Radio-wave technology is one of the most important technologies used by man. It has forever changed the United States and the world, and will continue to do so in the future. Radio has been a communications medium, a recreational device, and many other things to us. When British physicist James Clerk Maxwell published his theory of electromagnetic waves in 1873, he probably never could have envisioned the sorts of things that would come of such a principle. His theory mainly had to do with light waves, but fifteen years later, a German physicist named Heinrich Hertz was able to electrically generate MaxwellÕs ÒraysÓ in his lab. The discovery of these amazing properties, the later invention of a working wireless radio, and the resulting technology have been instrumental to AmericaÕs move into the Information Age. The invention of radio is commonly credited to Guglielmo Marconi, who, starting in 1895, developed the first ÒwirelessÓ radio transmitter and receiver . Working at home with no support from his father, but plenty from his mother, Marconi improved upon the experiments and equipment of Hertz and others working on radio transmission. He created a better radio wave detector or cohere and connected it to an early type of antenna. With the help of his brothers and some of the neighborhood boys he was able to send wireless telegraph messages over short distances. By 1899 he had established a wireless communications link between England and France that had the ability to operate under any weather conditions. He had sent trans-Atlantic messages by late 1901, and later won the Nobel prize for physics in 1909. Radio works in a very complicated way, but hereÕs a more simple explanation than youÕll get from most books: Electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths are produced by the transmitter, and modulations within each wavelength are adjusted to carry ÒencodedÓ information. The receiver, tuned to read the frequency the tr ansmitter is sending on, then takes the encoded information (carried within the wave modulations), and translates it back into the sensory input originally transmitted. Many of the men who pioneered radio had designs for it. Marconi saw it as the best communication system and envisioned instant world-wide communication through the air. David Sarnoff ( later the head of RCA and NBC) had a vision of Òa radio receiver in every homeÓ in 1916, although the real potential of radio wasnÕt realized until after World War I.

A report on the Association of Chartered certified Accountants

The Association of Chartered certified Accountants is a accepted British statutory accounting organic structure responsible in making certified comptrollers worldwide. It is one among the fastest turning accounting organic structures with about 140000 members and 404000 affiliates every bit good as pupils from 170 states. This information is harmonizing to the March 2010 statistics. The caput office is situated in London and the administrative office in Glasgow. Furthermore the institute has a broad web affecting 80 staff offices around the universe. the institute is the laminitis organic structure of the Consultative commission of accounting organic structures and the International federation of comptrollers The term Chartered in the making given by the institute was granted by the Queen in the twelvemonth 1974. Persons who wish to be called certified public comptrollers should keep the grade given by the institute. Furthermore they should follow to and ordinances framed by the inst itute. The Association of authorised public comptrollers is one of the subordinates of the ACCA ( ACCA- The planetary organic structure of professional comptrollers. 2010 ) . The Certified public comptrollers or CPA is the certified organic structure of public comptrollers in the US. In US merely persons holding qualified CPA grade is authorized to certify and scrutinize fiscal statements. How of all time many provinces in the US have a lower grade of comptrollers that are below the normal CPA. The public comptrollers in the US belong to the national society of public comptrollers. As per the jurisprudence prevailing, other individuals who are non CPA ‘s are prohibited from utilizing the appellation of a public comptroller. The chief maps of CPA ‘s includes confidence services, fiscal consultancy services etc. they are besides an of import individual in the income revenue enhancement country ( American institute of CPA ‘s. 2010 ) . In Australia, it is the Institute of hired comptrollers of Australia which performs all the statutory maps of an accounting organic structure. It has more than 50000 members and over 12000 pupils worldwide. The institute is besides the laminitis of the Global accounting confederation. The institute was formed as per the royal charter in 1928 ( Chartered Accountants, The spirit of being figure one. 2010 ) . Breach of misdemeanor instances: The institutes of hired comptrollers across the Earth have stricter regulations for its members for maintaining subject. The institutes expect each and every member to follow these regulations and stick on to professional moralss without any via medias. In malice of these stricter regulations, there have been misdemeanors by its members besides. One major instance of misdemeanor is that of Mr. Stephen Charles Peck, FCA, who is a hired comptroller in Britain. The member was found guilty of conveying disrepute to the institute and profession. He was apt under disciplinary action under the byelaw ( 4 ) ( 1 ) . ( a ) .On July 24th 2008, the Grantham Magistrates tribunal convicted Mr.Peck on the charges that he obtained fiscal aid under the rural endeavor ordinances 2000, on the footing of a false and deceptive statement. After many hearings, it was found that Mr. Peck was guilty in making such an act which polluted his profession. However the tribunal admitted that there were no existent purposeful efforts by the individual to make such Acts of the Apostless, he did that as a consequence of condemnable foolhardiness every bit good as irresponsibleness. Mr Peck was imposed a conditional discharge of 12 months and was besides ordered to pay costs amounting to 10437 lbs. Mr batch was badly reprimanded under the misdemeanor of bylaw ( 4 ) ( 1 ) ( a ) .he was asked to pay a mulct of 2000 lbs and costs amounting to 2300 lbs.Under the Torahs of the British chartered comptrollers institute, if a individual is found to hold committed an act or a default that is likely to convey disrepute on the institute and profession every bit good as if there is breach of ordinances, such individual is apt for penalty. He may be suspended and his pattern certification may be withdrawn ( Disciplinary orders and regulative deciscions.2009 ) ..Breachs of codification of behavior have been reported from US besides. In another dramatic instance, a CPA from Greenwich was barred from carry onin g his professional responsibilities and his certification was withdrawn by the Connecticut province board of Accountancy. This was because the CPA withheld the client ‘s revenue enhancement records. The CPA who committed this offense was John.P. Vancho. He was ordered to give up his certification and to pay 1000 dollars as punishment. It is interesting to observe that AICPA has disciplined 327 instances of breach of behavior by its members during the clip period of 1998- 2008. Out of this bulk of instances are involved with registering false returns with income revenue enhancement section. All these misdemeanors invite rigorous punishments as in the instance of JohnVancho ( Dan.2004 ) . In Australia, the ICAA ( institute of hired comptrollers in Australia ) and the CPA ( certified practising comptrollers ) are the of import organic structures which frame the codification of behavior. They have stricter regulations and ordinances that govern the accounting field of that state. Non conformity with the codification invites disciplinary proceedings including remotion of licenses every bit good as payment of compensation to the client. In a deceitful pattern, an comptroller in a reputed concern house was found guilty of cabaling with others by assisting them to hedge 27.78 million Australian dollars during 1999 and 2006. The accountant Mr. Thomson used false paperss intentionally to conceal existent net incomes generated by his clients through this action, he ensured that his clients need non pay the needed revenue enhancements to the Australian authorities. Harmonizing to the regulations and guidelines framed by the Australian institute of certified comptrollers, those comptrollers who indulge in such unethical patterns are apt for probe and prosecution under the jurisprudence. The comptroller was arrested by the Australian constabulary and revenue enhancement governments ( Accountant jailed over portion in fraud. 2008 ) ..The Australian institute of hired comptrollers is a rigorous legal organic structure which takes all necessary stairss to guarantee that the highest professional ethical criterions are maintained by its members. For implementing this, rigorous legal commissariats are applied by the institute on its members. Those who fail to follow with these criterions will be forced to confront disciplinary actions that may change harmonizing to the grade of misdemeanor committed. The institute is non a regulator or tribunal but has a major function in puting high criterions for its members. The Australian institute ‘s disciplinary procedure is just, strict every bit good as independent. Breachs of behavior are capable to independent hea ring by the professional behavior court. The non-satisfied member besides has the chance to near the appeal court. The results of the court are printed in the institute ‘s magazines and its on-line versions. Different types of countenances that the court is authorized to enforce are cancellation of rank up to a period of five old ages, backdown of the right to public pattern, infliction of mulcts up to 100000. And other countenances such a remedial preparation and extra quality reappraisal of the members pattern. In the above instance, the comptroller was reprimanded by the institute and he was made apt. The liability was in the nature of condemnable liability. Furthermore the institute temporarily cancelled the comptroller ‘s rank besides ( Annual study on professional behavior. 2007 ) . Another predominant accounting establishment in the planetary accounting scenario is the Institute of hired comptrollers of India. The institute was established in the twelvemonth 1949 under the hired accountant act of 1949. It is a statutory organic structure for the ordinance of hired comptrollers in India. It is now the 2nd largest accounting organic structure in the whole universe. Its part ranges from instruction, professional development every bit good as care of high ethical, scrutinizing and accounting criterions. The institute imposes rigorous disciplinary action on its members for non-compliance of its regulations and ordinances. For this intent it has formulated a disciplinary commission which is specially entrusted to look into such instances. For those members who were found guilty, regulations and punishments under subdivision 21 of the hired comptrollers act would be applied. These individuals will be for good disqualified from service harmonizing to order of the high tribunal connected in this respect. The penalty may change harmonizing to the nature of misconduct. It can be a rebuke, impermanent suspension of rank or lasting remotion along with infliction of mulct. In a dramatic instance of misconduct by a practicing chartered comptroller in Pune, Mr. R.D. Pawar, who was found guilty of serious misconduct, the institute applied the subdivision 21 and the hired comptroller was removed for good from the members list. Another member, Mr. L.N.Mittal was removed for 1 twelvemonth for his disciplinary misdemeanors by the institute. He was found guilty of assisting a client in hedging revenue enhancement. The hired comptroller was located in Gujarat. The institute was once more in the intelligence late when a immense corporate cozenage affecting transnational company Satyam computing machines was surfaced. The histories of Satyam computing machines were forged with the aid of their hearers M.S Price H2O Coopers. The cozenage was brought into visible r adiation and the company and their hearer ‘s were found guilty for the misconduct. The institute banned Price H2O Coopers from practising anyplace in India ( List of instances as on 5th May, 2010. 2010 ) . All the planetary accounting organic structures have framed rigorous regulations to cover with disciplinary misdemeanors by its members. Although the regulations and punishments are similar between all these organic structures, there are fluctuations in the strength and processs of convicting among these organic structures. For ACCA and CPA, there is a rigorous codification of behavior. The institute of certified comptrollers in Australia have gone farther by adding the clause of civil and condemnable liability apart from the normal punishments imposed by the institute. As far the Institute of hired comptrollers of India is concerned, it has one of the lengthiest Acts of the Apostless, i.e. the hired accounting act for disposal. Breaches of professional behavior are scanned by the disciplinary commission before the finding of fact is given. The common regulations followed by all these accounting organic structures include lasting remotion from the members list, impermanent suspension , censuring, remedial preparation etc. It is rather clear that all the accounting organic structures are seeking hard for bettering the services and professional behavior worldwide. For their better and enhanced public presentation, the undermentioned suggestions are deserving observing. They are reconstructing unity for all professional comptrollers ; this includes keeping downrightness and truthfulness, and maintaining good concern relationships with clients. It is besides indispensable to keep objectiveness because it creates an duty on all the professional comptrollers ne'er to compromise their judgement on the footing of prejudice, struggle, involvements etc. All professional comptrollers should hold professional competency and due attention. This is really much of import for keeping the professional cognition every bit good as accomplishment at the coveted degrees. Furthermore based on this cognition, the clients and employees should have expert and efficient service. When professional services are provided, it is besides of import to move diligently in conformity with the proficient and professional service. The professional comptrollers should be to the full cognizant of the recent concern developments and proficient alterations taking topographic point across the Earth. They could execute aptly merely if they have the up-to-date cognition. The institutes should besides take necessary stairss to guarantee that the professional comptroller receives proper developing so as to enable himself to present expert and satisfying services. It besides of import to do consciousness among the clients that there are built-in restrictions to the services given by the comptroller. Another of import facet that has to be earnestly considered is the construct of confidentiality. This rule refrains the comptroller from unwraping confidential information outside the house. He should keep secrecy even under societal conditions. The demand of keeping confidentiality should go on even after the dealingss ends with the client. Even when the comptroller changes his profession, the confidentiality should be restored. He can nevertheless unwrap information if the jurisprudence permits him to make so and if the permission is given by the client. Last but non the least, the professional comptrollers should be imposed a codification of professional behaviour to be followed on. This would enable them to follow with different Torahs and processs and avoid any action that would truly discredit their profession ( Professional functions and responsibilitiesof different professional groups 2006 ) .. Decision: Professional organic structures like ACCA, CPA, AICA, ICAI etc have become planetary accounting organic structures. With the growing of the concern environment, the demand for effectual and true accounting merchandises and services is on the big. Furthermore the growings of concern have besides resulted in addition of unethical patterns of profiteering. Men and concern are governed by greed entirely now. To get the better of this inauspicious state of affairs and protect the involvements of investors, authorities and the common adult male universe broad, it is of import to hold a nice jurisprudence and ordinance coupled with lucidity and honestness. All these institutes can fall in together and achieve these aims.

Hammurabi essays

Hammurabi essays In ancient Mesopotamia Hammurabi's Law Code were just and reasonable, but the punishments were very retaliatory and barbaric. The system of laws applied to all citizens, however, punishment was not equally applied to all citizens. Punishments had social, gender and government inequality. Different social classes were not equally punished. Despite the inequalities of punishments, Hammurabi's Law Code was a new and great development. The most corrupt and controversial issues were the social or class differences. The laws are reasonable in trying to correct a wrong, but in most cases are extremely unreasonable and unfair in the application of punishment. Document (1,10) states that if a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye shall be knocked out. However, if a surgeon operates on a patrician's eye and has made the patient lose his eye, [document (1,12)] the surgeon shall lose his hands. The surgeon is held to a higher standard than a common man in the different punishment applied to the surgeon and to the common man. I believe this is very unfair and too drastic for the surgeon. The patient should be appreciative that someone is trying to save the patient's life, especially in those times. Documents (1,10) and (1,11) are more just laws except for the social class differences. They provide that if a man has knocked out the eye or broken the arm of a patrician he shall have the same punishm ent done to him. This is a more equitable and perfect punishment. The criminal's or wrongdoer's social standing, however, should have no influence over the application of the laws. In document (1,2) if a seignior is to destroy the eye of a commoner, the seignior shall pay one mina of silver, however if that same seignior destroys the eye of a member of the aristocracy, they shall destroy the eye of the seignior. These laws have been completely unfair to both parties. You can say that th ...

Inequality of Development of Saudi Arabia

Inequality of Development of Saudi Arabia Introduction Development involves integration of modern advances in technology, democracy, social organizations, values, as well as, ethics into a single humanitarian project of making the world a better place to live. In the strongest sense, development involves using the resources of a country to improve the living standards of the poorest citizens.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Inequality of Development of Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the weakest sense, development can be described as the use of a country’s productive resources for the benefit of a few individuals. Economic development refers to â€Å"a multi-dimensional process that not only involves economic growth but also a re-organization of the entire economic system alongside the social, political and economic spheres†. Consequently, development involves both economic growth and change. In this context, change means attai nment of specific ideals of modernization which include increase in productivity, modern knowledge, social/ economic equality, as well as, improved institutions. In strict economic sense, development has traditionally been associated with an increase in the production capacity of a country as measured by its GDP. However, GDP is not a good measure of development since it does not take into account issues such as, health, urbanization, equality, external dependence and institutional development. A more effective measure of development is the human development index (HDI). Using the HDI involves assessing a country’s level of poverty, unemployment, delivery of basic services, as well as, inequality. This paper focuses on development by assessing the level of inequality in Saudi Arabia. The distribution of national income and delivery of basic services will be discussed. Overview of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is the second largest Arab country in the world and the largest in west ern Asia. Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan, as well as, Iraq in the north. It is also bordered by Kuwait, Qatar, as well as, United Arab Emirates in the east. The Red sea borders the country in the west while Oman and Yemen lay to the east of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia covers a land area of approximately 2.2 million km2. The country has a population of approximately 27 million people.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since its inception in 1932, Saudi Arabia operates under an absolute monarchy system of government. The king performs legislative, executive, as well as, judicial functions. The king also serves as the country’s prime minister. Consequently, he leads the council of ministers with the aid of two deputy prime ministers. Key positions in the government are held by the members of the royal family. Islam is the official religion in Saudi Arabia. The social, political and even economic policies are based on Islamic principles such as Islamic banking system. Saudi Arabia has a relatively stable political environment as compared to other Arab countries. It also enjoys strong political ties with foreign countries. However, Saudi Arabia has recently been associated with terrorist activities. This has negatively impacted its relationship with western countries, especially, the United States of America. Saudi Arabia possesses the second largest oil reserve in the world. Thus, it is also the second largest exporter of oil in the world. Currently, the oil industry accounts for nearly 90% of the country’s exports. The government of Saudi Arabia derives 75% of its revenue from oil exports. Inequality and Economic Growth in Saudi Arabia In development, inequality refers to the disparities or differences in the distribution of income and economic resources of a country. It also includes disparities in the provision of basic services . Thus, inequality can be witnessed among citizens (vertical inequality) and between different regions in the country (horizontal inequality). In 2010, Saudi Arabia’s economic growth (GDP) was estimated to be 6.4%. Through years of investments and increased oil exports, Saudi Arabia has always experienced steady economic growth. The rapid economic growth stimulated development in various sectors of the country. However, the development resulting from the rapid economic growth varies from region to region and from sector to sector. To begin with, the government has always focused on developing the public sector at the expense of the private sector. Oil as the main source of revenue in Saudi Arabia is considered a national resource. The oil industry contributes up to 45% of the country’s gross domestic product. The private sector, on the other hand, contributes only 40% of the gross domestic product. Given the significance of oil in the country’s economic growth, the government channels most of its funds towards the development of the oil industry. However, the public sector where the oil industry is classified is mainly dominated by the royal family.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Inequality of Development of Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The royal family has great control over the companies that drill and market the country’s oil. Thus, a large percentage of the oil and gas resources are controlled by the royal family and a few influential business men who account for less than five percent of the country’s population. Additionally, massive investments in the public sector in terms of jobs and salary increments have only benefited a few. This is because majority of Saudi Arabians are employed in the private sector. In light of these disparities, the government through its fourth development plan began to encourage private enterprise in 1950s. The government supported private investments by offering financial assistance and economic incentives to promote the growth of private firms. Consequently, the contribution of the private sector to non-oil GDP rose to 70%. However, the growth in the private sector has since been realized only in the agriculture, banking, as well as, construction industries. The oil industry is still dominated by the royal family. The first two development plans that were implemented in Saudi Arabia focused on building infrastructure. Consequently, the road network and electricity generation expanded three fold. However, infrastructure development was mainly undertaken in the cities/ urban areas and the oil mining centers. The rural areas where the poorest and minority groups live still lack adequate infrastructure in terms of roads, railways and electricity. Regional development in Saudi Arabia is relatively fair compared to other Arab countries. The government promotes development in all regions i n order to ensure equality. For instance, the government has announced plans to build six new industrialized cities by 2020. The cities will be spread across the country and will increase per capita income in each region to $33, 500 by 2020. Income Distribution Income distribution describes the manner in which a country’s GDP is shared among its population. In 2010, Saudi Arabia’s per capita income was $24,200, which was among the highest in the world. However, per capita income is not a good measure of income distribution since the actual funds might not necessarily reach the poorest citizens. The high poverty rate in Saudi Arabia is an indication of the inequality in income distribution.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The number of Saudi Arabians who can not afford food and decent housing continues to rise annually. However, the government denies claims of high poverty rates and hardly issues data on the country’s poverty levels. In 2010, over 11% of Saudi Arabians were not employed. The unemployment rate is likely to be higher since women are never included in Saudi Arabia’s statistics. The royal family that comprises approximately 6,000 individuals controls over $400 billion of the country’s currency. In general, 90% of the country’s income benefits only one third of the population. The royal family is the upper class, and approximately 20 million out of 27 million citizens belong to the lower and lower-middle class. Following the decline in economic growth in 1950s, and rising discontent among the citizens, the government decided to improve distribution of the country’s wealth. Thus, in the fourth development plan, the government embarked on privatization of state owned corporations. Additionally, the private sector was allowed to participate in the telecommunication and energy industries. The aim was to increase the private sector’s ownership of state enterprises to 70%. Through privatization, many Saudi Arabians have had a chance to own state corporations and share the income generated by such corporations. However, not all citizens are able to participate in the privatization due to the high poverty levels. Additionally, corruption in the government limits the citizens’ chances of owning state corporations through privatization. In most countries, the tax system is used to influence the distribution of national income. Governments often use progressive taxes to redistribute income from the rich to the poor. Tax rebates and subsidies are often given to the poor in order to improve their disposable incomes. As a planned economy, Saudi Arabia focuses on equal income distribution through fair taxes. The government does not levy taxes on incomes earned through employment. Additionally, individuals who are not involved in any business activity are exempted from interest and dividend taxes. However, only residents of Saudi enjoy the income tax relief. Saudi nationals who operate businesses involving commercial goods within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are subject to an Islamic tax. The tax is referred to as Zakat and is charged at a flat rate of 2.5% on both property and income. Corporations and individuals who engage in business activities pay an income interest of 20%. In this context, business activities include financial services, professional activity and trading activities. Employed Saudi Arabians are expected to contribute 9% of their income to the national social security fund. The fund caters for old age, disability, and death. However, civil servants, farmers and domestic savants are exempted from these contributions. The tax system is fair since it leaves citizens with high disposable income. H owever, it promotes inequality since it can not redistribute income from the high income earners to the low income earners. Additionally, only the employed citizens are able to benefit from the tax reliefs. Provision of Basic Needs A country is considered to be developing if its citizens are able to access basic services such as education, health care and security. In most countries, the basic services are defined as public goods. Consequently, they are provided by the government in order to reduce inequality in accessing them. The commitment of the government of Saudi Arabia to provide basic services and social safety nets to its citizens can be illustrated by the country’s development plans. Saudi’s third development plan which was implemented from 1980 to 1985 promoted development of infrastructure in education, health, as well as, social services. The fifth development plan was implemented between 1990 and 1995. The plan led to the improvement of the countryâ€℠¢s internal security. It also led to efficiency improvements in the provision of social services, as well as, regional development. Between 1996 and 2000, the government implemented the sixth development plan. The sixth plan focused on reducing the cost of providing basic services without reducing the number of services provided by the government. From 2005 to 2010, the government implemented the eighth plan which focused on education and empowerment of women. The plan led to construction of new universities and collages. The current plan focuses on expansion of education, health and housing sectors. The objectives of the current development plan will be achieved by 2014. In the context of equality, the effectiveness of these development plans can be explained as follows. Education The government of Saudi Arabia has taken cognizance of the importance of education in development. Consequently, free education is provided by the government in order to enhance access. Enrollment in Saud i’s primary schools is at 98.1%. In order to proceed from primary to intermediate level, students must qualify by passing an exam. This leads to a reduction in enrollment at the intermediate level to 95.9%. At the secondary level, the enrolment further drops to 91.8%. In general, these percentages indicate that there is equality in accessing basic education. Additionally, the literacy rate is above 90%. Even though access to basic education is high, the quality is still low. In particular, the curricular is dominated by religious teachings and rote learning. Consequently, most high school and collage students lack technical skills that are needed at the workplace. Access to high quality education remains the preserve of the rich who are able to send their children to overseas universities. Health Care Health care services are financed by the government. However, the medical services are delivered by both the government and the private sector. The ministry of health oversees t he provision of preventive, curative, as well as, rehabilitative health care services. The services are provided through a network of over 1900 public medical centers. There are also 220 public referral hospitals that offer specialized treatment. The ministry of education provides health care to students while the ministry of labor and social affairs provides rehabilitation health care. Overall, good access, as well as, effective care has been reported for services such as immunization, maternal care, as well as, disease control. The high access rate is an indication of equality. However, the poor access to treatment for chronic diseases is an indication of inequality. Water Water is a very important commodity due to its scarcity in Saudi Arabia. In order to increase access to clean water, the government has invested heavily in water distribution, treatment of waste water and desalination. Additionally, the government finances the provision of water for domestic use. However, majori ty of Saudi Arabians can not access clean water on a regular basis. For instance, statistics for 2011 indicates that residents of Riyadh, Saudi’s capital, were able to access water only once in every three days. In Jeddah, the citizens were able to access clean water only once in every nine days. It is only the rich, especially, the royal family who can access clean water on a daily basis. Human Rights The socio-cultural norms and the Islamic laws that govern Saudi Arabia restrict the freedom of women. Such restrictions are reflected in women’s participation in economic activities and the political process. The law in Saudi Arabia grants women the right to own land, property, as well as, to enter financial contracts. However, women’s rights to ownership can hardly be exercised due to social norms and other laws. For instance, women who intend to operate a business must employ male managers before receiving licenses for their businesses. Additionally, women are l egally under the guardianship of their male counterparts. This limits women’s ability to independently own property or a business. Apart from access to economic resources, the inequality between men and women also exists in education. For instance, the literacy rate for men is 95% while that for women is 89%. Saudi Arabia’s Relationship with the World Globalization is an integral aspect of every country’s development. As economies embark on economic growth, they must also search for new markets for their surplus produce. This has necessitated international trade and globalization. For a country to effectively participate in international trade, it must have good foreign relations with its trading partners. In light of this requirement, the government of Saudi Arabia has focused on fostering strong political and economic ties with the rest of the world. This can be illustrated by the country’s membership in world organizations. In 1945, Saudi Arabia became a member of the United Nations (UN). Saudi Arabia is also a â€Å"member of the Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, Muslim World League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference†. As a leading oil producer, Saudi Arabia belongs to the OPEC group of countries. Saudi Arabia plays a key role in the formulation of OPEC’s pricing policy. Generally, the country focuses on stabilization of international oil prices through OPEC in order to protect the interest of Western economies. Saudi Arabia is also a member of the World Trade Order (WTO). From 1970s to 2002, the government of Saudi Arabia spent over $70 billion in foreign aid. The funds were used to support development projects in various countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. However, Saudi Arabia’s generous foreign aid has been associated with promotion of Wahhabism. Wahhabism is an Islamic sect that is linked to terrorist attacks and intolerance to non-Muslims. Most Arab countries consider Saudi Arabia to be a close ally of western countries, especially, America. For instance, in 1991, Saudi Arabia assisted the US in the Gulf War by hosting the latter’s troops. Saudi Arabia’s association with America has always been opposed by other Arab countries and some Saudi nationals. Consequently, Saudi Arabia has since limited its association with America. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and America suffered a major setback when the latter associated the former with the Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorist groups. In the Arab world, Saudi plays an important role in promoting peace. For instance, the country supports America’s inversion of Iran in order to destroy Iranian nuclear program. Saudi Arabia has also helped to mediate peace between Palestine and Israel. Currently, the main trading partners of Saudi Arabia include USA, Japan, China, as well as, South Korea. Overall, Saudi Arabia has a good relationship with the rest of the world. This has promoted equalit y in Saudi Arabia by enabling its citizens to benefit from globalization. For instance, Saudi nationals are able to access higher education in foreign countries. Additionally, the country’s citizens can access foreign goods and markets. Causes of Inequality in Saudi Arabia Political system The monarchy system of governance is partly blamed for the escalation of inequality in Saudi Arabia. To begin with, non- royal family members have been locked-out of the leadership of the country. The democratic space is limited and views that contradict the perspectives of the ruling class are never tolerated. Additionally, formulation of economic policy is dominated by the ruling class. Lack of public participation in policy formulation has resulted into implementation of policies that promote inequality instead of reducing it. Lack of democracy also promotes corruption within the royal family and government cycles. The ruling class takes advantage of their positions to enrich themselves with the country’s oil and gas resources at the expense of the citizens. Expenditure by the royal family, for instance, accounts for a large portion of the country’s budget. Corrupt government officials also illegally acquire resources that are meant to benefit the most vulnerable groups. Wealth Concentration Less than a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s population controls more than three quarters of the country’s wealth. In particular, the royal family and a few business men control most of the country’s wealth. Concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is partly promoted by the tax system. The government charges a fixed income tax for all income groups and businesses. Since the tax is not progressive, income can not be redistricted from the rich to the poor. The tax system has significantly contributed to the development of an extremely rich class and an extremely poor class in the same economy. The middle class is consistently reducing in size. Dev elopment Patterns Empirical studies reveal that countries experiencing slow development have relatively low levels of inequality. However, as a country begins to experience rapid growth, more wealth is generated and owned by the owners of capital, thereby causing inequality. As a rapidly growing economy, Saudi Arabia has been able to generate a lot of wealth in the last decade. The government’s commitment to expand the private sector has promoted capitalism and ownership of private property. Consequently, the balk of the country’s income is controlled by the owners of capital. Inequality is perpetuated by the lack of effective social welfare programs to reverse the inequality in wealth distribution. Responses to Inequality The government of Saudi Arabia can consider the following recommendations to reduce both vertical and horizontal inequality in the country. First, equity can be achieved by dispensing the revenues accruing from oil and gas directly to the citizens. I n this case, the uniform transfer of cash to citizens will act as a progressive tax. Thus, it will help in reducing the rich to poor disposable income ratio, thereby reducing vertical inequality. Second, in order to prevent widening of the gap between the rich citizens and their poor counterparts, the government should promote productivity, as well as, export growth in the manufacturing and agricultural sector. The government can also create jobs in the public sector for the citizens rendered jobless in the private sector. Pro-poor policies can also be adopted by the government to improve the socio-economic status of the poor groups. Third, horizontal inequality can be reduced through equitable sharing of revenue between the central government and the local governments. In a nutshell, the oil revenue should be decentralized. Conclusion Saudi Arabia is one of the richest and fastest growing economies in the Arab world. The country derives over 75% of its revenues from its vast oil re serves. Despite having a lot of wealth, inequality and poverty still exist in Saudi Arabia. High levels of inequality exist in the distribution of the country’s income. Most of the financial and other economic resources are controlled by the royal family and a few business men who account for less than one quarter of the population. Even though basic services are provided with relatively high levels of equality, the quality of most services such as education and health is still poor. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world remains strong. The main causes of inequality in Saudi Arabia include the political system, wealth concentration and development patterns. The inequalities can be addressed through equitable distribution of national income and implementation of pro-poor policies. Ahmed, Syed. Professional Insights: Business Women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 30.7 (2011): 610-614. Print. Alb atel, Abdullah. Government Activity and Policy and Economic Development in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Economic and Administrative Science 19.2 (2003): 1-2. Print. Al-Sakran, Sulaiman. Leverage Determinants in the Absence of Corporate Tax System: the Case of Non-Financial Publicly Traded Corporates in Saudi Arabia. Managerial Finance 27.10 (2001): 58-86. Print. Basu, Kaushik. Analytical Development Economics. New York: Cengage Learning, 2003. Print. Boscheck, Ralf. The Governance of Oil Supply: an Institutional Pespective on NOC Central and the Questions it Poses. International Journal of Energy Sector Management 1.4 (2007): 366-389. Hayami, Yujiro and Yoshihisa Godo. Development Economics. New York: Cengage , 2005. Print. Hosad, Soraya. The Rise of Consumerism in Saudi Arabian Society. International Journal of Commerce and Management 17.1 (2008): 73-104. Print. Jasimaddin, Sajjad. Analyzing the Competitive Advanatges of Saudi Arabia with Porters Model. Journal of Business and Industri al Marketing 16.1 (2001): 59-68. Print. Kayed, Rusem and Kabir Hassan. Saudi Arabias Economic Development: Entrepreneurship as Strategy. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management 4.1 (2011): 52-73. Print. Niblock, Tim. Saudi Arabia: Power, Legimacy and Survival. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2006. Print. Nixson, Felix. Development Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print. Sigel, Eckhard. Development Economics. New York: Cengage, 2005. Print.

Business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Business report - Essay Example The purpose of higher education centres is to award various professional certificates and academic degrees to the students who are the main beneficiaries to their services. This report will have two sections and the first section will have introduction, statement of the problem, significance of the study, scope of the study, literature review, and methods of the study. The second section will have various findings, discussions, and recommendations. Section One Introduction to the study Very many countries have expanded their higher education opportunity for most of their students as well as other international students and an example of these countries is the United States. The urge for the various expansion processes is to appeal to other countries around the globe to put more emphasis on higher education since various skills and techniques can be learnt at these stages. However, the establishment of policies in these higher education institutions has proved to be a challenge to the United States as well as other countries. Some of the challenges that are faced in this 21st century are existence of gaps in the higher education due to the various economic hardship as well as lack of fair access also due to the economic hardships that some of the students faced. The gaps are also faced in terms of the enrolment of the female student verses male students in these higher education institutions. Poverty has also proved to be one of the major challenges that face many students that attend these institutions of higher education (Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission 2013, p.2). Statement of the problem The low enrolment of students in some higher education institutions like Ontario has raised a lot of concerns when it comes to pursuing higher education in this city. According to the College Student Alliance (2011), the low enrolment could be attributed to economic factors that tend to acts as a barrier to many students from poor families. Apart from low enrolm ent another problem that faces many students in higher education is lack of fair access to the various facilities within these institutions. Significance of the study This report will tend to provide various remedies and recommendations that can be used to solve the already existing problems in higher education. This study will also tend to focus on the various improvements in higher education enrolment through earlier preparation of the high school students to develop a liking for higher education institutions. Besides preparation of the high school students, this study will also focus on the various ways of streamlining the education processes in higher education institutions. Scope of the study This study will focus on the various limiting factors that act as barriers for many students who are joining these institutions. Besides the factors mentioned earlier such as gaps, fair access challenge, and various breakthrough, the study will also extend to good policy and practice among the processes of education in these institutions of higher learning. Literature review According to Ross and Kena (2012), a gap exists between the participation of the female and male students in various higher education institutions and the gaps cuts across all races. The issue of the gap has also been echoed

Why did Britain want a trading post on Singapore Research Paper

Why did Britain want a trading post on Singapore - Research Paper Example The Sultan of Singapore, Abdul Rahman, was under relatively tight Dutch control and as such, could not allow for the British to set up any trading post in Singapore. However Raffles formulated a plan through which the Sultan’s elder brother would be able to take up the sultanate. Sultan Abdul Rahman’s elder brother Tengku Hussein Shah was supposed to be the rightful ruler due to his having been the eldest son (Rahim, 2010). Sir Raffles drew up papers that effectively recognized Hussein Shah as being the lawful sultan of not only Johor, but also Singapore. After recognizing Hussein Shah as sultan, Sir Stamford Raffles signed a treaty in February 1819 with Hussein Shah and Temenggong Abdul Rahman, the treaty declared the approval the establishment of a British East India Company trading post in Singapore (Rahim, 2010). The treaty also specified that Sultan Hussein Shah and the Temenggong would in turn receive an annual income from the British. In the establishment of this trading post, it can be noted that Sir Raffles undertook a number of drastic measures in what can be construed to be an indicator of the importance that Britain attributed to the establishment of this trading post (Yew, 2013). This paper will seek to establish why Sir Stamford Raffles and Britain wanted a trading post in Singapore. The geographical location of Singapore is believed to have been one of the key reasons as to why the British essentially chose it as the location where they would set up a new port in the region. The Straits of Melaka had become an important trade route for British traders who would use it when travelling to China during the 19th century. The strait had proven to be a relatively great source of income for these British traders as a result of its facilitation of the lucrative opium-tea and silk trade with China (Yew, 2013). When using the route, British traders would travel from Europe, around the African continent to SEA,