The Fall Of The House Of Usher Essays - English-language Films

The Fall Of The House Of Usher Regarded as his ?most famous piece of fiction,? ?The Fall of the House of Usher? inspires the usual horror found in most works by Poe. Every aspect expected from a Poe piece is found within this story. There is the first person narrative, the division of personality, and Gothic style; which all characterize classic Poe. Although some critics feel that the tale is ?difficult to read? and ?an overdone and vulgar fantasy;? most recognize it as the masterpiece it is. From the gloomy beginning to the shocking conclusion, ?The Fall of the House of Usher? implements every attribute needed to create a model narration. As in most Poe stories, the unnamed narrator experiences a horrific sight. This harrowing incident is the realization by himself and Roderick Usher that they have in fact buried Madeline Usher alive. The thought of this atrocity causes the narrator to flee from the house indefinitely. He does not know at the time that the house will subsequently cave in after his departure. Almost every tale written by Poe is written in this fashion. Although most stories employ no real plot or characterization, the final terrible experience is typical. This is due to occurrences in Poe's own life involving the illness of his child-bride Virginia. Her untimely death stirred an interest in the supernatural that pervaded his writing from that point on. Therefore, all first person narrators in Poe's work encounter death in some mysterious and grave manner that helps Poe to cope with his personal issues. There is a division of personality found in ?The Fall of the House of Usher,? which also presents itself in ?William Wilson.? In the tale being discussed, Roderick and Madeline Usher are twins whose health is slowly diminishing. While Madeline seems to have accepted her fate, it looks as if Roderick does not quite understand his recent transformation. It is almost as if all the worry and frustration felt by both is channeled through Roderick. While he is slowly losing his mind, Madeline becomes increasingly sedate. The narrator mentions that the master of the house has indeed changed a great deal. Apparently, some ?curse? has overcome him and his sister causing their recent decline in spirits, sanity, and health. Throughout the story, both are equally affected by the other's actions. This element is found in many Poe tales, although usually it involves a dual nature within a single character. Numerous critics castigate Poe's writing for its highly Gothic style. It is ?too serious? and conveys a certain difficulty in reading. They claim that this particular style hinders the reader from being able to handle more than one story at a time. Nevertheless, Poe's writing does reflect upon his own personality. Edgar Allen Poe was a staid and somber man, and these traits shine through his writing. Also, it seems that perhaps he did not intend for more than one story to be dealt with at a time. Poe wrote in a highly stylized way in order to contribute to the overall mood of the piece of fiction. Without that edge, his work would lose much of its eeriness. ?The Fall of the House of Usher? certainly incorporates such language as evidenced by phrases such as ?singularly dreary tract? and ?whither shall I fly.? The elevated language and carefully chosen adjectives weigh on the reader throughout the story. Finally, while some critics may lambaste the work of Poe as ?fanciful ramblings,? it stands to reason that perhaps they are mistaken. Carefully thought out narration, sensible characterization, and appropriate diction pervade not only ?The Fall of the House of Usher,? but every subsequent Poe work also. While the discussed piece is the best example of his genius many other manuscripts fall into these same patterns. Nonetheless, ?The Fall of the House of Usher? is a classic work that holds its own among the most recognized and celebrated short stories ever read

Male dominance as depicted two collections of short stories Woman hollering creek and Drown.

Male dominance as depicted two collections of short stories Woman hollering creek and Drown. Woman hollering creek is a collection of short stories written by Sandra Cisneros in 1991.The stories are about the experiences of people living on the Mexican and United States border; they want to remain attached to their Mexican heritage but they are also lured by the American lifestyle. The woman hollering creek collection is about sexuality, gender representations, and the role of women and men in the society. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Male dominance as depicted two collections of short stories â€Å"Woman hollering creek† and â€Å"Drown.† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The characters are neither Mexican nor American, they undergo various challenges in search of an identity and the writer tries to create an understanding of the lives of the immigrants. Cisneros tends to focus on male dominance and heterosexuality a fact that is not surprising considering that she was the only girl in a fa mily of seven children. She uses the stories to analyze the broken relationships of women and men in their lives. Another writer Junot Diaz explores the same themes on sexuality role of men and women in society and basing their arguments on Mexican American immigrants in a collection of short stories â€Å"Drown†. The stories are rather depressing and awful as the writer describes the deformation of ethics, expectations and human activities as a result of the conditions brought about by migration. He explores a society where the fathers have all disappeared and the mothers are left to feed their families. Diaz himself lived through this life and sometimes these stories seem to be an autobiography of his life using other characters. He uses boys to describe the life of growing up in poverty and with no stable family; the young boys are involved in drug peddling and other evils so as to support their families which the fathers have abandoned (Grossman, 8-24) Cisneros seems to have no love for men; she does not have any stable relationship with one, not even her father .She says For her, men seem to be a utility that a woman turns on and off as required. (Cisneros, 152) This is undermining the male gender as a whole without even considering class or race because she is a Mexican immigrant who has met men of various classes and races hence she can not be accused of discrimination. Her characters comprise of adolescent teenage girls, frustrated brides, devout women, encouraging allies and intensely skeptical women who get pleasure from devouring men. She starts by exploring the innocence of her characters in their childhood and in the tale â€Å"MY Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn†, she presents a girl in Texas but from Mexico â€Å"Lucy Anguiano† her family is not financially well off, her mother works hard to cater for their lives while their father is never at home .He has abandoned the family and only passes by bringing nothing for them.A dvertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the second part there two other narratives of a teenage girl fighting to stay put to the Mexican heritage while still being attracted to the American way of life. She meets an old man who lies to her that he is from the Mayan Clan which is a royal Mexican family line, he seduces her then ditches her only to return later to kill her. Blinded by her desire to be loved by a man of Mexican decent she ends up with a serial killer. The writer shows how men take advantage of the innocence of young and unexposed girls who are guided by their wish to achieve what the society expects them to be. In the next part which has the tale â€Å"Women Hollering Creek† is titled There Was a Man, There Was a Woman. â€Å" In the tale she describes a Mexican lady who marries a Mexican man, she hopes to live a happy life in a fulfilling marriage .She is disappointed because after they cross the border Pedro becomes abusive, unfaithful and often abandons the family. She becomes influenced by the Mexican legend of a woman who drowned her children and then herself because her husband abandoned them, but she does not choose death ;she chooses life and escapes back to Mexico with the help of two women who were providing for themselves hence making her realize she can survive without a man. In the next story, she tells of a girl whose mother was raped and murdered, she becomes the mistress of a Mexican war revolutionary and had two children with him. The man is always away and â€Å"Ine† the girl keeps on hoping that one day he would settle down and provide for them, only to receive news of his death. Finally in â€Å"Never Marry a Mexican†, she tells the tale of a girl who hated men of her decent and decides to go for other races, but unfortunately the other men too are no good either, she is abandoned by a whit e lover and she decides to revenge by having a love relationship with his son. Cisneros explores how women try to bring change to the world by breaking the odds, marrying people of other races, they use their bodies as objects in an effort to battle male dominance but they end up abandoned and oppressed. These experiences makes them enlightened and exposed and therefore realize they can do without men after all. She uses the narrative mode but she changes it sometimes when needed enabling her to interlink both American and Mexican linguistic cultures (Cisneros, 235) In his collection of stories The titles in the collection include Ysrael, Fiesta, 1980, Aurora, Drown, Boyfriend, Edison, New Jersey, How to Date a Brown girl, Black girl, White girl, or Halfie, No Face, and Negocios. Junot puts in to the picture a society that is living in poverty, young boys with no father figure and their struggles as immigrants in New Jersey. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample o n Male dominance as depicted two collections of short stories â€Å"Woman hollering creek† and â€Å"Drown.† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He explains the suffering and pain of the mothers as they try to make ends meet for their families. In one of the most deep stories â€Å": Negocios†, Junot explains the story of a man Ramon who migrates from Dominican Republic to the United States; he abandons the first family and starts a new one. The writer tells the tale from the perspective of the mans son Yunior, and describes the life of an abandoned son who survives on boiled yucca and platano, suffering through humiliation, bewilderment, and the pain of growing up (Loss, 830-816) The two writers comprehensively tackle the issue of male dominance and sexuality; characterizing most of the societies in the world. They are able to demonstrate how men are a source of misery for everyone, and especially where family matters are involved. The plight of women in society is also explored as we see many women come to the realization that men are not to be trusted and hence they decided to move on with their lives despite the conditions surrounding them. These women undergo demeaning experiences as they try to search for comfort and appreciation from all races only to realize that all men are all alike despite the race or class. The two writers to some extent demean men and stereotype them because not all abandon their families or women but either way many at that time did hence the conclusion that male dominance is a very damaging aspect in a society. The effects of male gender superiority are evident in the stories and although they are fictional these are experiences that some people have been through and still undergo in all societies worldwide. It is therefore the responsibility of the institutions in our societies to solve this problem, but it is still a challenge since most of them are lead by men. Br own-Guillory, Elizabeth. Women of Color: Mother-daughter Relationships in 20th-century Literature. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1996. Print Cisneros, Sandra. â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories†. New York: Random House, 1991. PrintAdvertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Grossman, Lev. â€Å"What to Watch For; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar War. Time Magazine.2007:08-24. Loss, Jacquelyn. â€Å"Junot Dà ­az. Latino and Latina Writers†. Detroit: Charles Scribner and Sons, 2003. Print

6 Ways Older Job Seekers Can Overcome Age Bias

6 Ways Older Job Seekers Can Overcome Age Bias Individuals who are older know that they have a lot to offer, and using that to their advantage can help them find a job. Whether looking for a part-time or full-time job, working adds to an individual’s sense of purpose and adds extra income. Knowing what employers are looking for can help an older worker land a job.   1.Demonstrate Your Work EthicAn individual who has been at one job for a number of years shows that he or she has a strong work ethic. This is one of the most important traits a worker can offer these days when younger workers commonly flit from job to job. Sticking with one job shows dedication and this is appreciated. Companies do not want to train workers and then have them leave to take positions with other companies. Older workers who are committed to staying on the job are more likely to be hired than those who do not express this commitment.  2.Show Off Your SkillsThe majority of employers know that older workers have a lot of experience and have dev eloped valuable skills over the years. This makes older workers an asset to a company. Much of this knowledge comes from being employed in a particular field and cannot be duplicated by younger workers. By letting a potential employer become aware of these skills along with the willingness to help train younger workers in the nuances of a field, an older worker shows what a valuable asset he or she would be to a job.  3.Keep Up to DateTechnology changes quickly and an older worker may not have kept up with the latest advances. In fields where workers operate computers, honing computer skills and adding the ability to operate new programs lets an older worker show that he or she is a viable candidate for a job. In other fields, keeping up with the latest in advances lets those who have worked as pharmacists, accountants or in health care jobs maintain up-to-date skills. Highlight those skills to show you will be an asset to the company.  4.Be Flexible in Work SchedulesOlder worke rs usually have the option to be more flexible in work hours, unlike younger employees. While younger persons are busy outside of work with children and the demands they entail, older workers can use the fact that their children are grown and gone to their advantage.  5.Communication Skills Are ImportantThe ability to solve problems and communicate effectively are some of the things employers look for in older workers. One way for an individual to demonstrate that skill is through a cover letter and resume. Almost half of employers say they want older employees who are good at spelling and grammar. This is a simple but effective way to express that skill. As far as problem solving and critical thinking skills, include problems that you solved and accomplishments you made in other jobs as part your resume.  6.Look Where Jobs Are NeededSavvy, older individuals look first at what job markets are hiring the most workers and aim their skills where they are needed. Health care, financ e, education, nonprofits and small- or medium-sized businesses are likely to employ older workers for their education, experience and know-how.  Skills and know-how are important when looking for a new job, and so is the ability to do a job search. TheJobNetwork can help by doing the footwork for you, freeing your time for other things. Sign up for our job match alert and fill out an application, listing your skills and type of job you want. You can do a job search in two different ways. You can search yourself if you like. However, TheJobNetwork searches listings that match your description around the clock and sends those job opportunities to you as soon as they become available. That way, you don’t miss any opportunities to get just the job you want.

Answer Questions Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Answer Questions Part 2 - Essay Example Each such attack, irrespective of the location from where it is initiated, would also have the server to server IP address access details and these should have been highlighted in the audit of log data.Morever the staring point of this investigation should have been the proof underlying the tip. Chat softwares normally keep record of the chat data and it is available time and date wise. Hacker chat site, where the alleged boasting was done by Jack Hasenpfeffer, should have been approached to obtain more substance to the claim of the theft of the marketing plan. This would have rightly set the investigation on the right course. As the investigations stand Trigraph side has proven that the recipient email address was that of Jack Hasenpfeffer; however until unless it is proven that the hack tool author was Jack Hasenpfeffer and that he alone had intruded the Trigraph systems using such a tool and that such a tool had sent the data file to Jack Hasenpfeffer; it cannot be concluded easil y that Jack Hasenpfeffer was responsible for the theft of the marketing plan. ... ack Hasenpfeffer's personal system; but the moot question here is if these addresses were the only ones available to Jack Hasenpfeffer and if there were no possibilities of using the hacking tool from any other address. In fact, Megagargantuan's investigations have left out the vital fact that they had examined all case of firewall intrusions in the under consideration time interval. However, one fact of Megagargantuan's investigation is a grave point that stands against their own case; they have conceded that a copy of the disputed information was found on Megagargantuan's servers. This still leaves us at the above conclusion that the marketing software was accessed and received at Megagargantuan's servers; however, the act cannot be readily attributed to Jack Hasenpfeffer. Question 2: (1/3 page answer) Assuming that both you and T. William Stoat testify in the trial of the case presented in Fact Set 1, is the expert testimony based on sufficient facts or data Is the testimony the product of reliable principles and methods Have the principles and methods been applied reliably to the facts of the case The testimony of both the experts cannot be considered to be based on reliable principles and methods. In fact in Trigraph investigations-which have given rise to testimony facts- it is already pointed out that they picked the thread from one step ahead of the step required to be taken up. They totally bypassed the collecting information and data on the chat room boasting by Jack Hasenpfeffer. This would have provided circumstantial evidence to Jack Hasenpfeffer's involvement even if the use of hacking tool could not be attributed to him. Moreover, the tools used to obtain system images are labeled as popular public software in Trigraph investigations.

Biology Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biology Research - Essay Example This is due to the light reaction of photosynthesis, which splits the water molecule and releases the oxygen in the process. The sugar would be radioactive in the example where the plant was supplies carbon dioxide with radioactive oxygen. This is a result of the Calvin cycle, which uses the carbon dioxide to process into sugar. Question 2: Some animal species can reproduce either asexually or sexually depending on the state of the environment. Asexual reproduction tends to occur in stable, favorable environments; sexual reproduction is more common in unstable or unfavorable circumstances. Discuss the advantages or disadvantages this pattern might have on the survival of the species in an evolutionary sense or on survival of individuals. Answer 2: Asexual reproduction has the advantage of creating many offspring that are generally mature plants and not as frail as sexual seedlings. They reproduce easily and efficiently and are able to cover a habitat and reduce competition from other species. However, because they are essentially clones, they are sensitive to adverse environments such as pathogens and disease, which could wipe out the entire stand. Sexual plants, dependent on seeds, have the disadvantage of producing seeds which must germinate and grow. This requires ideal conditions to establish new plants.

Indian Automobile Industry Analysis Essay Example for Free

Indian Automobile Industry Analysis Essay Today the automobile sector in India contributes 5% to the nation’s GDP, making it a prominent player in the economy. It will contribute around 19% of the Tax collection for financial year 2009-10. Following have been the features of Auto industry in the past financial year. The following tables and charts consist of the performance of Auto industry in past few years. Industry Aggregate (Rs in million)| | AMJ 10 (E)| Net Sales| 363904. 38| Change (%)| 39%| EBITDA| 64665. 22| Change (%)| 94%| Depreciation| 7303. 60| Interest| 3348. 58| Other Income| 7118. 93| PBT| 61131. 97|. Tax| 16645. 21| Effective tax rate| 27%| Reported PAT| 44486. 77| Change % (Reported PAT)| 92%| Market Cap (Rs in bn)| 1647. 17| Source: BSE India; Cygnus Research| Note: The aggregate consists of the following companies- Bajaj Auto, Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, TVS Motors, Force Motors, Hero Honda, Escorts Ltd. , Eicher Motors, Maruti Udyog Limited, Punjab Tractors Limited, Mahindra Mahindra, and Hindustan motors Source: QPAC Indian Automobile industry Apr-Jun 2010 INDIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY AND TRENDS Overview The auto industry in India is the ninth largest in the world. After Japan, South Korea and Thailand, in 2009, India emerged as the fourth largest exporter of automobiles. Several Indian automobile manufacturers have spread their operations globally. Indian auto industry, which is currently growing at the pace of around 18 % per annum, has become a hot destination for global auto players like Volvo, General Motors and Ford. The Indian automobile industry is going through a phase of rapid change and high growth. With new projects coming up on a regular basis, the industry is undergoing technological change. The major players are expanding their plants and focusing on mass customization, mass production. Yearly-Analysis Year on year as the Indian population grows the requirement for the transportation will also grow, so it is clear that the industry demand is directly proportional to the population. Presently in India there are 100 people per vehicle while the figure in china is 82. Indian automotive industry is strong and productive sector for the economy growth. It gives nearly 5% of the employment to the country’s population. Continue improving quality results in exports of automobile and ancillary industry is boosting out the demand in oversees business. The Indian auto-players are expanding their presence in oversees market. In the last 5 years the foreign investment in this sector nearly doubled. Production Trend: The Indian automotive industry face a tough time during FY08 and its production were almost stagnated. From the early FY09, the industry started showing marginal growth in terms of production and reached to 14. 04m units till FY10. Due to the huge insist in the domestic market company’s sale nearly 88% of their total production in the country and rest 12% vehicles they export. Domestic and Exports sales trend: In terms of domestic sales the industry is showing positive approach from the last 3-years. During FY10 the industry domestic sales reached to 12. 29m units. The Indian exports are increasing gradually form the past 5-years and reached to 1. 80m units in FY10. Earlier the industry depended on the foreign auto parts, but due to the increase of the global players in the country and establishing the plants ended painless move to the Indian auto-players. INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE (YEARLY) Indian Automobile Industry Performance (Apr-Mar)| | Production| Domestic Sales| Exports| | 2009| 2010| %| 2009| 2010| %| 2009| 2010| %| Passenger vehicles (PVs)|. Passenger Cars| 1516967| 1926484| 27| 1220475| 1526787| 25| 331535| 441710| 33| UVs| 219498| 272848| 24| 225621| 272733| 21| 3034| 2823| -7| MPVs| 102128| 151908| 49| 106607| 150256| 41| 1160| 1613| 39| Total PV| 1838593| 2351240| 28| 1552703| 1949776| 26| 335729| 446146| 33| Commercial vehicles (CVs)| MHCVs| | | | | | | Passenger Carriers| 40995| 46026| 12| 34892| 43081| 24| 7456| 6069| -19| Goods Carriers| 151288| 204145| 35| 148603| 201977| 36| 9363| 14354| 53| Total MHCVs| 192283| 250171| 30| 183495| 245058| 34| 16819| 20423| 21| LCVs| | | | | | |. Passenger Carriers| 28635| 34751| 21| 26952| 34421| 28| 5426| 2708| -50| Goods Carriers| 195952| 281686| 44| 173747| 251916| 45| 20380| 21876| 7| Total LCVs| 224587| 316437| 41| 200699| 286337| 43| 25806| 24584| -5| Total CVs| 416870| 566608| 36| 384194| 531395| 38| 42625| 45007| 6| 3-wheelers| Goods Carriers| 417434| 530203| 27| 268463| 349662| 30| 146914| 172505| 17| Total 3-Wheelers| 79586| 88890| 12| 81264| 90706| 12| 1152| 777| -33| Grand total| 497020| 619093| 25| 349727| 440368| 26| 148066| 173282| 17| 2-Wheelers|. Scooter| 1161276| 1494409| 29| 1148007| 1462507| 27| 25816| 30125| 17| Motorcycles| 6798118| 8444852| 24| 5831953| 7341139| 26| 971018| 1103104| 14| Mopeds| 436219| 571070| 31| 431214| 564584| 31| 7300| 6905| -5| Electric Two Wheel| 24179| 2558| -89| 26445| 3001| -89| 40| 50| -| Total 2-Wheelers| 8419792| 10512889| 25| 7437619| 9371231| 26| 1004174| 1140184| 14| Grand Total| 11172275| 14049830| 26| 9724243| 12292770| 26| 1530594| 1804619| 18| source: SIAM; Cygnus Research| Demand-supply mismatch: The new capacity addition till 2012, may anticipate a demand and supply mismatch in the short term. Demand is only expected to grow by 10-12% every year. In 2009-10 the domestic auto industry was utilizing 80-85% of its capacity, but this may drop to 65% by 2012. India may be in a similar position in 2012 as the global auto industry is in right now. The global capacity utilization in 2009-10 was around 65%, down from 80% in 2008-09. In the near future it is expected that the mismatch is going to see between Demand and Supply. Capacity addition: Accoding to Fitch Ratings, by 2012, the existing players in the market are expected to add 0. 9m units to the 2. 6m units’ capacity of the passenger vehicle segment and 0.6m units to the 0. 75m units’ capacity of the commercial vehicle segment. Meanwhile, global automakers who currently only assemble in India, are expected to set up production units, in order to be more competitive with local players. Quarterly-Analysis Production Trend During AMJ10, the segmental market size of 2-wheeler stood at 77%, followed by Passenger vehicles at 16% and then followed by 3-wheelers at 4%. In this quarter the total industry production increased by 33. 27 to 4. 09m units from 3. 06m units in the previous year same period. The commercial vehicle segment production has increased by 57. 11% to 0.16m units and recorded top among the segments. Sales and Exports Trend From the past two years the sale of the vehicles are increasing during this quarter due to the domestic demand made by the festive season and the exports are declining. In terms of sales commercial vehicles sales had increased by 55% during AMJ10 and stood in top against AMJ09. Passenger vehicle sales increased by 33% next to Commercial Vehicles and stood at 0. 55m units followed by 2 and 3-wheelers. The total Indian automobile exports during AMJ10 increased by 59. 30% to 0. 58m units against 0. 36m units. The 3-wheeler segment stood in top in- terms of exports by 150. 33% increase followed by C. V and P. V. SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE INDUSTRY (QUARTERLY) Automobile Sales Performance in AMJ (in terms of Volume)| I PASSENGER VEHICLES| | AMJ09| AMJ10| % change| A. Passenger Cars| 324,985| 433,641| 33%| B. UVs| 60,969| 76,432| 25%| C. MPVs| 31,965| 44,493| 39%| TOTAL (A+B+C)| 417,919| 554,566| 33%| II. COMMERCIAL VEHICLES (CVs)| MHCVs| | | | A. Passenger Carriers| 7,482| 11,574| 55%| B. Goods Carriers| 31,408| 59,642| 90%| TOTAL (A+B)| 38,890| 71,216| 83%| LCVs| | | | A. Passenger Carriers| 9,601| 11,566| 20%| B. Goods Carriers| 48,376| 67,095| 39%| TOTAL (A+B)| 57,977| 78,661| 36%|. TOTAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES (CVs)| 96,867| 149,877| 55%| III. THREE WHEELERS| A. passenger carrier| 72,339| 84,298| 17%| B. goods carrier| 18,963| 20,855| 10%| TOTAL (A+B)| 91,302| 105,153| 15%| IV TWO WHEELERS| A. scooters| 317,400| 470,323| 48%| B. motor cycles| 1,689,716| 2,097,415| 24%| C. mopeds| 128,738| 157,588| 22%| TOTAL (A+B+C+D)| 2,135,854| 2,725,326| 28%| Total volume (units)| 2,741,942| 3,534,922| 29%| Source: SIAM; Cygnus Research| SEGMENTAL PERFORMANCE Two-wheelers Note: Demand is expected on the base of country population bases and the base year is taken as 2000 for projections. The Indian 2-wheeler industry has reported a 26% (Y-o-Y) growth in FY10 with sales at 9. 37m units as against 7. 43m units sold in FY09. On the exports front, the 2-wheeler industry with 1. 14m shipments in FY10 posted a growth of 14% (Y-o-Y). Hero Honda Motors Ltd. (HHML), the worlds largest two wheeler manufacturer continued to dominate the total 2-wheeler industry with a market share of 48. 10%. In the motorcycle segment, the domestic sales grew 26% (Y-o-Y) to 7. 34m units while the exports grew 14% (Y-o-Y) to 1. 10m shipments in FY10. Hero Honda dominated the motorcycle space with a market share of 44% followed by Bajaj Auto (21%) and TVS Motors (15%). Market Penetration The two-wheeler industry is growing at a good phase in the country and expected a presence of 92 per every 1000 people at the end of 2010. The segment expects huge demand in the next 5 years. The industry is expected to sell nearly 26. 56m units till 2015. The segment is expected to face a tough time in 2011, due to the heavy compilation by the low cast cars and the alternative electronic vehicles. From 2012 the segment is expected to grow at the CAGR of 19% till 2015. Segment Boosters. New launches, coupled with low base and festive (marriage) season, helped the 2- wheeler industry post an impressive volumes growth for the month of May 2010. While the low base helped Bajaj Auto Ltd. (BAL) posts a growth of 62% (Y-o-Y) in total sales over the same month of the last fiscal. Three Wheelers The 3-wheeler industry posted an impressive growth of 26% (Y-o-Y) to 0. 44m units in FY10 as against 0. 34m units sold in the last fiscal. On the exports front, the 3-wheeler industry reported 17% (Y-o-Y) growth with 0. 17m units shipments in FY10. The passenger carrier segment reported higher growth in the domestic market at 0. 34m units 30% (Y-o-Y), while the goods carrier segment posted a 12% (Y-o-Y) growth for FY10. On the exports front, the passenger carrier segment posted a 17% (Y-o-Y) growth with 0. 17m unit shipments, while the goods segment posted a 33% (Y-o-Y) decline with exports of 777 units in FY10. Market share and players performance: Piaggio Vehicles continued to dominate the 3-wheeler industry with a market share of 41% followed by Bajaj Auto (35%) and Mahindra Mahindra (11%). In this 3-wheeler segment 81% sub-segment is captured by Passenger carriers, which is primarily for the rural people moving long distances. The remaining 19% is covered by cargo or goods carriers; there are the versatile vehicles suitable for both intra and inter-city transport. Segment Boosters In suburban and rural areas 3-wheelers are primarily used as substitutes for buses. They thrive because of very poor public transport and on shorter trip distances. Some of the opportunities of this segment are; the inability of state government to provide the required number of buses, lack of political will to privatize public transport and free up fares. Increasing number of 3-wheelers on these routeswill bring download availability form 10-12% to 6-8%, people for 80% of the trips. PRINCIPLE APPLICATION OF 3-WHEELERS| Segments| Primary uses| Fuel used| Forecasted 3-yearsCAGR| In-city| Home-Office,Home-shopping,Schoolchildren, Home-Railways or Air port. | Petrol/LPG/CNG| 10%| Rural| Stage coach| Diesel| 11%| Cargo| Wholesaler to retailerRetailer to end user distribution| Diesel/CNG| -6%| Growth drivers and Indian in the world automobile industry (2010) Growth Drivers of Indian Auto Market| India in world production| ? Rising industrial and agricultural output? Rising per capita income? Favourable demographic distribution with rising working population and middle class? Urbanisation? Increasing disposable incomes in rural agri-sector? Availability of a variety of vehicle models meeting diverse needs and preferences? Greater affordability of vehicles? Easy finance schemes? Favourable government policies? Robust production| ? Well-developed, globally competitive auto ancillaryindustry? Established automobile testing and RD centers? Among one of the lowest cost producers of steel in the world? Worldssecondlargestmanufactureroftwo wheeler? Fifthlargestmanufacturerofcommercial vehicles? Largest manufacturers of tractors in the world? Fourth largest passenger car market in Asia? India is the second largest two-wheeler market in the world.? 11th largest passenger car market in the world? Expectedtobetheseventhlargestauto industry by 2016| Inter- firm Comparison: Two – Wheelers Operational Performance The sales figure of Hero Honda is estimated to increase by 33. 73% in revenue terms from Rs3824. 40m in AMJ09 to Rs51116. 77m in AMJ10. Hero Honda scooter segment, pleasure sales have been growing at an average of 16000 units per month, it also crossed its land mark of 4. 5m unit sales for FY10. Bajaj Auto is estimated to show a sharp increase in sales figure by 33% from Rs 233384. 70m in AMJ09 to Rs31230. 88m in AMJ10, this has been led by its two game changing brands, Pulsar and Discover, with clocked robust volumes. TVS Motors is estimated to show an increase of 34% in sales from Rs9886. 97m in AMJ09 to Rs13254. 32m in AMJ10. Its scooter and motorcycle segment sales grew by 24% and 15% respectively; exports were increased by 22% to 20067 units during May. The newly launched TVS Jive and the TVS Wego have supported better volume growth for the month of March. Two-Wheeler Rs (m)| | AMJ 09 (A)| AMJ 10 (E)| Growth| Bajaj Auto| 23384. 70| 31230. 88| 33. 55| Hero Honda| 38224. 40| 51116. 77| 33. 73| TVS| 9886. 97| 13254. 32| 34. 06| Source: BSE India; Cygnus Research| Financial Performance The overall sale of all the companies is expected to rise. In case of TVS Motors OPM will improve mainly due to reduction in other expenses and raw material cost. The operational performance of Hero Honda has also improved and is directly reflected in its OPM and NPM growth which has increased by 837bps and 486bps respectively. Bajaj Autos OPM and NPM have been increased by 94bps and 170 bps points respectively. Overall in terms Hero Honda stood in top position in terms of operational and financial performance. | Bajaj Auto| Hero Honda| TVS| | AMJ 09 (A)| AMJ 10 (E)| AMJ 09 (A)| AMJ 10 (E)| AMJ 09 (A)| AMJ 10 (E)| Net sales| 23384. 70| 31230. 88| 38224. 40| 51116. 77| 9886. 97| 13254. 32| NPM (%)| 12. 55| 14. 25| 13. 08| 17. 95| 1. 84| 2. 85| OPM (%)| 18. 45| 19. 38| 17. 01| 25. 38| 6. 33| 6. 01| Source: BSE India; Cygnus Research| Cost Structure Analysis Cost Structure (as % of Net sales) AMJ09 Vs AMJ10| Company| Hero Honda| Bajaj Auto| TVS Motors| Industry| Year| 09| 10| 09| 10| 09| 10| 09| 10| (Increase)/Decrease in Stock| 0. 33| -2. 33| 2. 04| 1. 34| 3. 15| 4. 49| -0. 74| 0. 68| Consumption of raw materials| 67. 42| 62. 86| 60. 60| 64. 04| 67. 61| 60. 50| 65. 91| 62. 41| Purchase in stock in trade| 0. 00| 0. 00| 3. 51| 3. 67| 1. 62| 1. 88| 4. 44| 5. 55| Staff cost| 3. 62| 2. 76| 4. 83| 2. 98| 5. 29| 4. 87| 5. 34| 3. 86| Other expenditure| 11. 62| 11. 32| 10. 57| 8. 59| 15. 99| 22. 26| 12. 33| 9. 73| Depreciation| 1. 19| 0. 86| 1. 41| 0. 12| 2. 57| 1. 89| 2. 63| 2. 01| Interest Financial Charges| -0. 14| -0. 10| 0. 26| 0. 00| 1. 73| 0. 91| 1. 25| 0. 92| Tax| 3. 99| 7. 69| 5. 22| 6. 11| 0. 19| 0. 76| 2. 62| 4. 57| Source: BSE India; Cygnus Research|. Raw material cost forms the major chunk of cost for two-wheeler companies followed by other expenditure, staff cost. In terms of raw material, staff cost and other expenses the performance of Bajaj is better compared to its peers. Overall, Bajaj auto is efficient from operational point of view. It has declined its overall cost structure by 159 bps to 86. 84% from 88. 44% as the percentage of sales during AMJ09. Porter Five Forces model Here is the analysis of Auto Industry with help of the porter’s five forced model. This is common for auto industry in India. Supply | Some amount of excess capacity.while India would be capable of producing 5. 4 m cars a year by 2014, domestic demand is likely to edge up to between 3. 5 and 4. 8 m units. | Demand | Largely cyclical in nature and dependent upon economic growth and per capita income. Seasonality is also a vital factor. | Barriers to entry | High capital costs, technology, distribution network, and availability of auto components. | Bargaining power of suppliers | Low, due to stiff competition. | Bargaining power of customers | Very high, due to availability of options. | Competition | High. Expected to increase even further. | Now if we make the five-force model for two wheelers:

The Black Death :: essays research papers

The Black Death The Black Death serves as a convenient divider between the central and the late Middle Ages. The changes between the two periods are numerous, they include the introduction of gunpowder, increased importance of cities, economic and demographic crises, political dislocation and realignment, and powerful new currents in culture and religion. Overall, the later Middle Ages are usually characterized as a period of crisis and trouble. The portrait should not be painted unrelievedly bleak, but the tone is accurate enough and echoes voices from the era itself. The Black Death did not cause the crisis, for evidence of the changes can be seen well before 1347. But the plague exacerbated problems and added new ones, and the tone of crisis is graver in the second half than in the first half of the century. Standing at the century's mid-point, the plague serves as a convenient demarcation. The Black Death erupted in the Gobi Desert in the late 1320s. No one really knows why. The plague bacillus was alive and active long before that, indeed Europe itself had suffered an epidemic in the 6th century. But the disease had lain relatively dormant in the succeeding centuries. We know that the climate of Earth began to cool in the 14th century, and perhaps this so-called little Ice Age had something to do with it. Whatever the reason, we know that the outbreak began there and spread outward. While it did go west, it spread in every direction, and the Asian nations suffered as cruelly as anywhere. In China, for example, the population dropped from around 125 million to 90 million over the course of the 14thc. The plague moved along the caravan routes toward the West. By 1345 the plague was on the lower Volga River. By 1346 it was in the Caucasus and the Crimea. By 1347 it was in Constantinople. It hit Alexandria in the autumn of that year, and by spring 1348, a thousand people a day were dying there. In Cairo the count was seven times that. The disease travelled by ship as readily as by land?more readily?and it was no sooner in the eastern Mediterranean than it was in the western end as well. Already in 1347, the plague had hit Sicily. What was this disease? Bubonic plague is the medical term. It is a bacillus, an organism, most usually carried by rodents. Fleas infest the animal (rats, but other rodents as well), and these fleas move freely over to human hosts.

Theories on Children’s Cognitive Development & Case Studies Illustrating Them

Gleaning insights proposed by the earliest psychologists like Jean Piaget, socio-cultural theorists like Lev Vygotsky, radical behaviorists like B. F. Skinner and other well-known psychologists like Howard Gardner, who challenged the earlier views on children’s cognitive development, can be very important. By drawing insights and gaining a better understanding of how children’s thought processes are formed, as well as the factors that influence them, and the overall impact on children, parents, caretakers, educators, and therapists find themselves in a better position to guide and help growing kids achieve their optimum potential. In most of the theories set forth , factors like genetics and the environment or outside influences come into play. Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, who formed his theories after conducting actual observations of kids, opined, â€Å"The mind of the child is not that of a miniature adult†¦ the mind develops by forming schemas that help us assimilate our experiences and that must occasionally be altered to accomplish new information. In this way, children progress from the sensorimotor simplicity of the infant to more complex stages of thinking† (Myers 1989: 85). This theory, which presupposes that children’s cognitive skills develop spontaneously, is highlighted by the different developmental stages to which children’s learning must adjust. Most teachers rely on Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory which, in essence, maintains that â€Å"the reasoning processes of children at various ages†¦ cognitive development proceeds in four genetically determined stages that always follow the same sequential order† (Child Development Theories, n. d. ). The Piagetian theory boils down to the fact that children must not be forced to absorb concepts. Instead, knowledge and learning must take place at the designated time or age of the child. Even if they undergo the same stages – infancy, early childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, and so on, individuals, of course, exhibit varying capabilities or rate of cognitive development. Piaget presupposed that children gradually find out what there is to learn about the objects and people around them through a gradual learning process. Nothing must be foisted on young minds. Instead, the young mind should be allowed to form relationships and learn through a stage-by-stage assimilation of concepts and facts. The focus is on the knowledge learned, then. Most pre-schools find the Piagetian theory quite applicable and useful. In fact, the Piagetian theory has been widely used as underlying structure or foundation for child education & care in America and other parts of the world. There are some educators or schools, though, which combine the Piagetian concept on children’s cognitive development with other theories like the socio-cultural theory set forth by Russian developmental psychologist Lev Vygotsky, to let children realize their full potential. Vygotsky held that â€Å"cognitive processes are formed in the course of socio-cultural activities†¦ the individual comes into possession of a variety of cognitive processes engendered by different activities† (Kozulin, n. d. ) and with the guidance of a learned individual. â€Å"A knowledgeable person can help to add meaning to what is familiar to the child when he or she enters the child's zone of proximal development (ZPD), that place for learning located somewhere between the child's present understanding and potential understanding† (Steele 2001). Simply put, children’s cognitive skills are hastened when they come into contact with more knowledgeable elders, or more experienced, older mentors. There may be cases when even other kids of the same age but with greater intellectual capacity may help shape or form a slow-learning child’s understanding of basic concepts like music or the alphabet. The difference between the child’s own cognitive development and his potential to assimilate greater knowledge is the zone of proximal development. When schoolage kids interact and talk to and help each other learn, while also listening attentively to what their teacher says to them, they enter the zone of proximal development. In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky laid greater emphasis in the way a child can utilize the joint approach or co-mingling with a well-informed adult in order to achieve full learning potential. Cases of teachers teaching young children to play a musical instrument like the piano may illustrate both the Piagetian concept of learning and Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory. A child falling under the pre-operational stage, correlating to children in the age bracket of two to seven years, who is tinkering with the piano is still in the process of mastering symbols and will not really learn how to play the instrument well on his own. An adult’s expert guidance will jumpstart the child’s learning process. On the other hand, the piano teacher must prepare lessons that will suit the age of the child, or his developmental stage. Indeed, it can be noted that Piaget’s cognitive development theory has been used as jump-off point by his contemporaries and succeeding psychologists. One of those who challenged the Piagetian concept and maintained that a child’s cognitive ability is but one aspect of development is Howard Gardner. The latter proposed that individuals have â€Å"a number of domains of potential intellectual competence which they are in the position to develop, if they are normal and if the appropriate stimulating factors are available† (Gardner 2004: 287). Musical intelligence is one of the kinds of intelligence that Gardner said kids may cultivate. The example of a piano teacher giving a child his/her first set of piano lessons may encompass both the Piagetian concept, Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory, and Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligence. As far as Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory is concerned, it runs counter to the Piagetian theory. Gardner believed in the vast potential each child has. He surmised that at any one instance, the well-nurtured child can be at different stages, honing his/her latent abilities – whether in spatial reasoning or body-kinesthetic or interpersonal skills, intrapersonal sensitivity, linguistic or musical inclinations. Even at a young age, children may nurture any of these multiple intelligences. A two-year-old child, for example, may be exposed to the piano playing of parents, and a couple of years later made to attend group lessons to observe, such that by the time the same child reaches the pre-teen years, he/she would have already developed a keen musical appreciation. Unlike the Piagetian method focus which tends to focus on test scores or the knowledge acquired per se, Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory focuses on forming â€Å"a strong, positive and attractive character† (Gardner 2004: 374). In the case of the child who grows up with musically inclined parents and eventually nurtures the talent , the resulting remarkable piano performance, is actually just a means to creating the child’s well-rounded character. Nonetheless, Piaget’s cognitive development concept has long been considered a universal learning theory which has found its way in numerous preschools all over the world. If most preschool classroom settings vividly illustrate Piaget’s cognitive developmental concept, particularly in the pre-operational stage, a clear-cut example of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory is the traditional education or cultural transmission taking place in most rural communities across the world. Let us take, for instance, the case of oral narratives about ancestral heroes and events transmitted by older males to their young in Ethiopian rural communities. â€Å"Children who sit patiently and silently on the periphery of the story-telling circle gradually absorb the cultural content and verbal technique (which) lasts for hours and constitutes an integral element of everyday life. † (Kozulin, n. d. ). By relying on their elders for their socio-cultural assimilation of ideas, the children very well mirror Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory. An adult comes into the picture to impart greater learning at a quicker pace than if the children were to come across the same body of knowledge on their own. The traditional oral transmission of culture such as that perpetuated in the Ethiopian village, however, is no longer practiced in most other societies. Written records have supplanted the oral tradition. In his book, â€Å"Frames of Mind – The Theory of Multiple Intelligences,† Gardner cited numerous examples of people and situations affecting children’s cognitive learning skills. One of these is the structured method inspired by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki to teach kids to learn music. Hinged on the basic principle that kids have an innate ability which â€Å"can be developed and enhanced through a nurturing environment† (The Suzuki Method 2005), the Suzuki Method lays emphasis on other intervening factors that may affect how young students learn music or instrument playing. These factors include starting lessons at an early age; recognizing just how important listening to music is; getting a first-hand grasp in learning how to play an instrument even before learning how to read; parental participation; well-trained teachers who instill quality teaching standard; realizing the importance of communicating and socially interacting with other children (The Suzuki Method 2005). Gardner also cited the method of imparting learning in traditional African bush society, wherein â€Å"the youngsters are divided into groups according to ages and aptitudes and receive instruction in the assorted lore of native life†¦particular stress on the historical background of the population as a means of stimulating group consciousness† (Gardner 2004: 343) is made. Gardner made the distinction of such ritualistic methods from more scientific ways of obtaining knowledge. â€Å"With formal schools, we behold a transition from tacit knowledge to explicit forms of knowledge† (Gardner 2004: 345). Such sensitivity to spoken knowledge displayed by native communities, when melded with modern methods of learning and technical requirements, may comprise what Gardner refers to as linguistic intelligence. When kids hailing from their native communities are absorbed in mainstream society, they are accorded the chance to fully develop this linguistic intelligence. Such language development also reflects or applies Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory, which highlights the important role of language and social context in children’s cognitive processes. Language, in the case of African communities with an oral tradition of teaching kids, is used primarily to retain key concepts in the minds/memory of the youngsters. In such scenarios, children obtain greater understanding of their roots, including their ancestors, traditions, and culture as a whole, and piece together a logical picture in their minds by internalizing the various words and concepts articulated by knowledgeable elders. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory likewise finds itself applied in contemporary society. As an alternative to the Piagetian concept as well as to the behaviorist schools of thought which had theorists like B. F. Skinner postulating that mental processes or learning occurred as a consequence of the individual’s response to, or interaction with, the environment†¦ and with reinforcement and punishment playing a crucial part in molding behavior (Child development theories, n. d. ), Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory articulated that learning is more of â€Å"a shared/joint process in a responsive social context† (Psychology applied, n. . ). Vygotsky debunked the view that learning depends or follows a child’s stage of development or maturation. Vygotsky veered away from the â€Å"biologically-based understanding of human behavior† or from the rewards and punishment concept set forth by behaviorists as main determinants of children’s thinking & behavior. Instead, he placed emphasis on the impact of social/cultural forces on human c ognitive processes and activity. He discovered the connecting links between socio-cultural processes taking place in society, and mental processes taking place in the individual† (Psychology applied, n. d. ). A modern example that applies in part Vgotsky’s learning theory of having a knowledgeable adult supervise the learning process and B. F. Skinner’s behaviorist approach is a structured skills-based tutoring service that offers individualized instruction to slow or advanced learners wishing to strengthen their foundation in key subjects like math, reading, and writing. Tutoring Club, one such company, has in its employ well-schooled and well-trained tutors who guide enrolled students who need to obtain better understanding of concepts in certain academic areas. The students work on modules of exercises designed to sharpen their cognitive skills, and every time they meet the desired output, an incentive (reward) comes in the form of a merchandise that they may get from a mini store inside the learning center, traded for chips which students accumulate for each module they complete. Another case in point is a modern-day Mathematics teacher who is instilling basic concepts to her students. An investigative research that zeroed in on a teacher who adopted the Vygotskian socio-cultural perspective in teaching Mathematics to her students showed how helpful it can be to encourage students to share their thoughts, ideas and assumptions with their peers under the teacher’s knowledgeable guidance and prodding. As the teacher opined, â€Å"Sharing clarifies their thinking. It lets them verbalize. nstead of just having it in their minds†¦ students become aware of how they think so that when they verbalized their thinking processes, she (the teacher) could help them with any difficulties they had† (Steele 2001). Based on the Vygotskian theory, language and communication – whether in remote rural communities or the contemporary setting, utilizes language and communication as essential tools to stimulate children’s cognitive development. The approach, of course, will vary depending on the physical state of each child. A different approach is taken for children with defects or physical impairment. Vygotsky may also be credited with tailorfitting the teaching method to the particular needs — as well as dysfunctions – of children. â€Å"Within his general theory of child development, (Vygotsky) created a comprehensive and practice-oriented paradigm of educating children with special needs (and) introduced the notion of `primary’ defects, `secondary’ defects, and their interactions in the field of psychopathology and different disabilities† (Psychology Applied, n. . ). Vygotsky believed that because cognitive development is hinged largely on stimulation of the senses, the physically and mentally impaired child is inhibited from obtaining knowledge at a generally accepted rate. More than the physical handicap of the special child, though, it is the â€Å"social consequences† (Psychology Applied, n. d) arising from that child’s impairment which must be gi ven focus. Cognitive developmental theories may be applied beyond the classroom, or in many other areas of children’s learning and lives. Various other factors that come into play which influence cognitive processes, like interactive media, also cannot be discounted. The condition of the child is likewise important in determining the right approach to inculcate learning. In any case, early cognitive developmental interventions, finetuned by succeeding theorists, serve not just to enhance academic outcomes but help shape the well-rounded personalities of today’s kids. Nowadays, the sound body of knowledge aimed at the workings of children’s mind continues to evolve and grow. In the end, it is up to parents, schools and other learning institutes, to determine which ones are truly suitable and will contribute in a healthy manner to the development of children’s cognitive skills. It can be seen that the pioneering works of such psychologists as Jean Piaget – who emphasized biologically-based or natural development of children’s cognitive skills — certainly provided good foundation or strong footing for succeeding child development theories to come out with improved concepts. Given the numerous cognitive development theories set forth and utilized for classroom teaching and/or child care, and the distinct differences and similarities in the main points of contention of the theorists laid out for people to grasp, which have undergone further study and enhancements and complemented by other theories throughout the years, parents and educators have been able to devise new and improved methods of enhancing children’s cognitive skills and potential.

Has the development of Human Resource Management practices replaced the need for trade unions Essay

According to Phelan (2007, pp. 45-47), trade unions were the most powerful organizations after the industrial revolution. During the 19th and 20th century, management was largely mechanistic and the position of workers was not felt unless the force of the numbers was employed. As a result, the membership to the trade unions increased steadily to 1979 after which a sharp decline is evident. During the 20th century, Donna, Stephen and Roderick (2007, p. 832) report that over one third of all employees belonged to trade unions by 1979 before declining sharply o 13. % by year 2000. In their view, Gurpreet (2007, p. 85) and Hearnshaw (2007, p. 76) argue that the trade unions decline is an indication of the critical period that change must be embraced to create greater value of the production systems. According to Tove, Hammer and Bayazit (2009, pp. 405-406), the unions lacked the needed sensitivity to their members and held their views towards salaries and job security only. Under this model, unions failed to recognize the fact that if employees were guaranteed what the unions provided, they would lack their value. From their view point, Coca-Stefaniak, Hallsworth and Bainbridge (2005, pp. 361-363) argue that trade unions’ mandates lacked clear definition and therefore kept overlapping between political delineations to employees protection. Consequently, many leaders used them to settle political scores and stepping stones to power. Indeed, Marlow (2006, p. 54) points an accusing finger to this vagueness in executing their mandates that employees sought to distance themselves. A major question that arises at this point is what is indeed the future of the unions? Though many analysts appear to avoid answering the question directly, Pencavel (2003, p. 21) and Blanden and Machin (2003, pp. 121-122) suggest that the unions will indeed not fully die, but resilience of their roles will be evident when major problems occur. Comparison of human resources managements and trade unions Comparison of trade human resources and trade unions brings out the picture of two negating forces but geared towards achieving the same objectives. To begin with, trade unions were run politically and therefore involved a very wide spectrum of employees they dealt with. As a result, Gill (2009, pp. 41-42) explains it was very hard to address the demands of the different members with ease. On the other hand, human resources management is a discipline defined by clear cut professional outline that have key objectives. Redman and Wilkinson (2009, p. 121) explain that apart from this clear objectivity, human resources managers have a narrower spectrum, for instance, one company or institution, which makes it easier to address concerns of their subjects. The approach and consideration of trade unions as Marchington and Wilkinson (2005, p. 114) pointed out in their study, was based on a competitive model that was viewed as a major achievement for specific leaders. As a result, other options were locked out; a consideration that created controversy with economists and political elites. Marchington and Wilkinson (2005, p. 117) further point out that human resources managers consider conflicts to be critical aspects that must be addressed carefully in defining a better relationship and ultimately greater productivity. Though Jose and Fernando (2002, pp. 181-182), use of the term ‘militant’ when referring to trade unions has received sharp criticism, it is perhaps the correct term. Trade unions main method of addressing conflicts was use of strikes and demonstrations. As a result, they resulted to great losses to particular institutions, companies and even nations. Human resources managers however, balance between critical human qualifications, existing infrastructure and overall returns as dictated by the demand and supply of resulting products. Gill (2009, pp. 41-42) therefore concurs with Marlow (2006, p. 78) that everybody has his own niche and stands a better chance of advancing with ease. Modern roles of human resources a) Staffing and selection The roles of human resources have over the years changed with the rising demand to view employees as a responsive system as opposed to a rigid consideration Farber and Western (2002, pp. 398-399) explains that this role therefore creates a harmonic platform that proactively addresses key problems that necessitated the need for trade unions. Staffing and selection is done on the basis of merits; a consideration that give employees great security both locally and internationally. By conducting effective selection, the employees do not feel threatened, but are given a chance to improve on their skills which the organization they work for strongly struggles to retain while others remain opportunistic to outsource (Blanden and Machin, 2003, pp. 126-127). Unions are therefore rendered less essential as job security is indeed very high and payments highly sustainable. ) Rewarding compensation and motivation management To concur with Gill (2009, p. 90) conclusion, poor rewarding systems formed the basis of unions in the mid-twentieth century. At this time most production were privately owned, but most importantly, they lacked effective competition to trigger better compensation and motivation of their workers. Human resources managements’ greatest roles are indeed to assess performance, initiate the needed improvement ef forts and most importantly reward the best performers. In his theory of human needs, Robert Maslow argued that when employees are guaranteed the needed capacity for progression towards self actualization, other systems are easily foregone (Gill, 2009, p. 48). Unlike the trade unions that provided only raising the salaries, human resources create a roadmap for sustainability; a factor that Brewster (2004, p. 371) indicate directly disrupts their consideration for unionization. c) Employee’s development and modelling When refereeing to the current replacement of trade unions roles with human resources management, one cannot fail to focus on the modelling and development roles. Though trade unions train their members on different aspects of their relationship with their seniors and the employers, greater credit as Jose and Fernando (2002, p. 189), suggests, is given to human resources managements. As indicated earlier, trade unions lack the necessary specificity on their members who are highly diverse. Due to their smaller nature of operation, human resources have proved to be more effective in that employees are continuously modelled with close supervision with an aim of improving their place in an organization. Jose and Fernando (2002, pp. 188-190) add that modelling sets a clear role model and a definite roadmap to follow in addressing their concerns and issues. d) Negotiating and change management Unlike during the period of the trade unions, negotiations have taken a central position for all the employees. Brewster (2004, p. 368) explains that human resources management eliminates key bureaucracies and therefore brings the employees closer to the top leadership. Furthermore, human resources management facilitates teamwork to encourage involvement of all the workers in negotiating their views in an organization. To infer greater need for negotiations, Coca-Stefaniak et al (2005, pp. 366-367) argue that internal and external change agents often propose changes towards improving the welfare of the employees and ultimate productivity of the company. As a result, the need for trade unions to create either a rise in payments or even improved working conditions does not arise. Counterarguments In his view, Phelan (2007, pp. 4-75) suggests that trade unions roles will remain critical despite the current decline. He further points out that though many workers have shifted from the trade unions; their need will always be rekindled during the periods of major crisis. During the 2007-2008 financial crises, many workers turned to trade unions for protection of their jobs. Pencavel (2003, p. 25) cites the political interference in reducing the relevance o f the unions. As a result, strength of trade unions will always recur when new political elites with favouring views rise to power. However, the two counterarguments fail to acknowledge the great advancements in technology that facilitate easier detection of workplace problems, faster communication and precise assessment that assists in making the correct decisions to avoid major issues (Hearnshaw, 2007, p. 69). Conclusion and recommendations From the above discussion, this paper supports the thesis statement, ‘the critical roles played by human resources managements that greatly satisfies the customers, improves their earnings, secures their employment, and maintains the correct organization cultures have increasingly replaced the need for trade unions. Trade unions came out as strong movements that were very vibrant during the 20th century when clear professionalism lacked in running businesses and organizations. Human resources management came in with great specialization that is highly proactive and employees driven; a consideration that surpassed the major roles of the unions. However, counterarguments presented in the discussion are true and their roles will often recur during periods of major crisis in organizations.

Commentary on the World Bank †Government (300 Level Course)

Commentary on the World Bank – Government (300 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Commentary on the World Bank Government (300 Level Course) Commentary on the IMF: According to the Meltzer Report As the Meltzer Report was released, the world continued to turn, and with these continuing revolutions new problems arose. Problems that will hopefully be dealt with more appropriately because of the work of the Congressional Commission assigned to come up with new and better ways for the financial institutions of the world to solve them. Arguably the two most important players in this field are the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the following commentary both will be addressed in a number of ways. Their histories and purposes will be briefly addressed. Their main goals will be presented. The affect that they have had in the past will be brought into play. Lastly, the future of these two institutions will be contemplated. Using this wide array of information it will be decided here if in fact these institutions are serving any real purpose and if their future existence is either needed or at least worthwhile. The World Bank: The World Bank was established post World War II in an effort to attack issues of national rates and their possible fixations while at the same time attempting to bring some stability to the post war international markets. Lurking just beneath the surface was the fact that the World Bank, which was largely under the control of Westerners with Western sympathies, was also taking on the responsibility of rebuilding Europe. Thus nearly all of the loans given in the years immediately following the war were to reconstruct European national economies that had been destroyed during the war. Relatively few loans were given to developing countries. The World Bank would come to be known as a European controlled entity. Thus helping to answer the question of why these European countries are helped back on their feet immediately. This may also be attributed to the fact that the World Bank features weighted voting in which the more wealthy countries receive the larger amount of votes. The n the countries that are in fact developed and quite wealthy will have more of a say in what the bank will do. Therefore the World Bank will ultimately favor the rich over the poor. The headquarters of the World Bank feature a large sign that reads: â€Å"Our dream is a world without poverty.† The Meltzer Commission has said that it shares in this view. Unfortunately the World Bank and its sister development banks are not moving toward dealing with this problem and rectifying any of the issues that help keep the poorest countries at the bottom of the economic spectrum. Yet the Meltzer Commission, while agreeing in theory to the World Bank also agrees in doing next to nothing to be the one to step up to the forefront with a solution. The Meltzer Report goes on to state that the World Bank employ’s over 17,000 people in 170 offices around the world and have obtained $500 billion dollars in capital and extend some $50 billion in loans to developing countries. Still the World Bank is far from staying true to its word in the fact that despite they claim to be in existence to help out the poor nations of the world, some 70% of the World Bank non-aid resources flow to 11 countries that enjoy easy access to the capital markets. The World Bank came about to serve a universal view of the future as described at Bretton Woods in 1944; to maintain the gold-based standard, capital controls, trade barriers in former colonies and less-developed economies. While these were the original ideas of the bank, as times changed and crisis arose new steps had to be taken. At the same time the main goal of the World Bank was arguably neglected. In the past seven years, the World Bank provided $18 billion to developing countries. Yet in the same seven years, the private sector has donated $1,450 billion to the same developing countries. If the World Bank is supposed to serve the purpose of ending world poverty, and this is their main goal, what in the world are they looking at? The statistics were available to show the Meltzer Commission how little the World Bank has contributed in comparison to others. Do the leaders of the World Bank not have access to the same data or are they simply too naà ¯ve to see that they are not serving the purpose for which they were intended at their inception. Furthermore, if they are not serving the poor countries of the world and helping them to gain a footing in the economic world just exactly what are they doing? The World Bank has thus been thrust into the present day trying to find an identity for itself in the global economic structure. It has become evident that the World Bank is not a key player as it had been intended to be. Instead it is more realistic for the bank to share responsibility with other organizations such as the UN and the IMF. In doing so the World Bank has been forced to create new ideas and plans for action. Included in them is the loaning of money to places where there is a good chance that the bank gets its money back. These are safe loans for the World Bank to take on, as they will hopefully be two-fold in their intention. First they will allow the bank to avoid continually debt with deferment or even defaulting of loans, and they will also impose necessary sanctions against borrowing countries in order to receive the loans at all. It is the intention of all parties that this final step will eventually lead to the extinction of poor performing economies and pe rhaps even the â€Å"third world status.† Yet today the status of the World Bank is still unclear. They say that performance is the number one concern of the World Bank and the Meltzer Commission. But their performance has been poor and even as the Commission comments on this, they offer no solution except to say that ending or reducing poverty is not easy. So as the Commission is quick to point out these shortcomings and back them with excessive data, they stop there. The report tells us that the World Bank considers the title of â€Å"marginally satisfactory† as a success in policy. Using these criteria, which are shaky at best, the World Bank has had a failure rate of 59% from 1990-1999. And in the remaining 41% of cases, considered successes, the vast majority were concentrated in upper-income countries that have domestic resources and access to private-sector funding. In conclusion, the World Bank has an important role in reducing poverty and promoting growth, despite the fact that today their resources are a small part of the global capital flow. The use of more effective resources can raise the contribution of the Bank significantly. So what does the Meltzer Commission have to say in response? They say that this will only happen if the Banks gain a better understanding of their comparative advantage, where and how they can most effectively use their limited resources. So it is clear that the Meltzer report has come to the same conclusion, but in looking for advice that the Commission has to give, the reader finds little. The Commission says that the Bank can improve their performance by asking themselves three questions: Will the private sector perform this function, Will the local public sector perform this function, and will the Bank provide resources not otherwise available? Does the Commission give any answers to these queries? No they do not, they say one thing in a great, enlightened moment of political prowess. The World Bank should not continue to devote half its finding to projects of this kind. This does little for anyone concerned with the plight of the countries that need the assistance of any international bank or organization. While the World Bank apparently has a number of problems, the Meltzer Commission does little more than just point them out. They provide no concrete answers and they leave the future of the Bank up in the air, just where it does not need to be. The International Monetary Fund: The International Monetary Fund, also known as the IMF was created at around the same time as the World Bank. It was intended to prevent a reoccurrence of monetary and financial instability. It is considered to be the â€Å"American† sister to the World Bank because as the World Bank is largely controlled by European countries the IMF is mostly ran under the direction of the United States. Over time many critics of the IMF will argue that the strings of the organization are pulled by the American government and also that the IMF will become synonymous with Washington D.C. While the IMF was set up with similar intentions as those of the World Bank, in helping the international markets to avoid collapses and to provide economies with overall stability the IMF differs slightly. One of the main goals of the IMF was to create â€Å"fixed but adjustable rates.† These rates were to be â€Å"pegged,† which means set to a certain unit of measurement. This unit was to be the American dollar. The â€Å"peg† became the conversion of all member countries currencies to within 1% of the American dollar. The rate became adjustable if and only if it became unsustainable or if an economic crisis were to arise. These are just a few of the goals that were in mind of the early leaders of the IMF in 1944. But in the last half a century, the world has changed so dramatically that the IMF has had to deal with new challenges and ask itself what purpose it serves as the 21st century dawns. The IMF was established with two assumptions, both of which are no long valid. The fixed but adjustable rates ended in August of 1971 when President Richard Nixon closed the gold window, ending the U.S.’s commitment to keep the dollar price of gold at $35 per ounce. IN 1973, major countries agreed that the fixed exchange-rate system would not be restored. Oil problems and shocks of the 1970’s also created a new problem for the IMF. A problem surrounded by other problems that the IMF was never prepared to deal with. With the end of the gold standard the IMF had to reevaluate its role in the financial world. Thus the IMF decided to take on the responsibility for dealing with financial and economic problems affecting developing countries or the international economy. The 1990’s brought new challenges and financial crises, among them were the Mexican financial crisis, the East Asian crisis, and the crisis that arose as the former Soviet Union devalued it’s currency. The IMF heroically stepped up to the challenge and tried to fight these problems head on. They took funds from private lenders and investors and gave it to private firms and banks in developing countries. This transformed the institution from a short-term lender to a source of long-term, conditional lending. Yet as the IMF entered this fight with all of its guns blazing, they inadvertently sent the world the wrong message. They sent the message that if local banks and other institutions incurred large foreign liabilities and debts that the IMF would provide the foreign exchange needed to honor their guarantees. This became known as the â€Å"moral hazard.† The importance of this hazard cannot be overstated, as the IMF created a system of relief that would never require countries to repay their debt if the knowledge of IMF assistance was always in the back of their minds. Barry Eichengreen argues that countries that borrow from the IMF should be required to take specific steps to bring domestic arrangements into line. This requirement would create concessions to the IMF, as the countries implemented changes, they would most likely bounce back on their feet and the IMF would have a very good chance of getting their money back. Yet critics such as the Meltzer Commission are qu ick to point out that the downward spiral will only worsen if steps are not taken. The Meltzer report is in fact helpful in this area as it clearly points out some of the real criticisms that plague the IMF. The unlimited external supply of funds forestalls debtors from making concessions, the IMF wields far too much power over the economies of developing countries, and most importantly, the IMF has at times encouraged countries to adopt pegged exchange-rate systems even when it was more than evident that these countries economies would be unsustainable with the pegged rate. This is just a sample of the list of responsibilities that the â€Å"new IMF† has taken on since the 1980’s. The report is earnest in pointing out that the IMF has not always failed but that often the successful projects are lost somewhere in the shuffle of the enormous amount of projects that may be of no-win status. Yet finally the Meltzer Report is helpful in one area, as it seems that it takes a genuine interest in providing some insightful recommendations for the IMF and its future. Eichengreen states that the IMF is not a government and lacks the authority that a government has. It has no way to aggressively create change or to manipulate factors in such a way that they will get their money back. He also states that the IMF has done little in the last few years to create change and achieve such things as enhanced transparency, liberalized capital account, and reform in the financial and private sectors. The Meltzer Commission deals with these and other preexisting conditions and attacks them with advice. They believe that the IMF should restructure itself as a smaller institution, make all future loans short-term and not extend loans that are not being paid back regardless of reason. The Commission is not afraid to make examples of countries that are not able to repay loans and are d oing nothing but riding on the coattails of the IMF. They believe in restructured IMF loans with short maturity rates with only one rollover and that a penalty rate be administered if the loans are not repaid properly. While these are just some examples of what is actually an exhaustive list of potential solutions, they are helpful, efficient, well thought out and potentially successful. The implementation of these measures is something all together different. And the future holds their fate. Conclusion: In conclusion, the Meltzer Commission Report is largely a great example of what our government does best. They come together in a giant meeting of the minds and have someone record every magical thing they say. In this grand tradition the Meltzer Report is a classic. For the most part it is simply the re-hashing of histories and events and problems, much of which has most likely been the basis for who knows how many books or papers or god help us, reports. The Commission does little more than nitpick the World Bank and while it offers a number of stark criticisms it delivers little in the area of reforms. The IMF is a different story however, as the Commission clearly asserts more energy in understanding and sympathizing with this organization. Therefore saving the reader from thinking that the report itself was just barely above a waste of paper, time, and energies. This may be the result of the realization that the IMF is in a unique position to do a number of productive things to help the world today and in the future. Perhaps also they have given up on the World Bank, and relegated it to a status that it appears comfortable or at least complacent with: to be a second rate player who pitches its hand but does little to help the world in the long run. So it seems that the IMF is in fact the â€Å"prized calf† of the Meltzer Commission, the one with all of the potential, who only lacks a little coaching. Hopefully the IMF will heed some of this advice and come to the forefront of international monetary relief as it has in the past, only this time better equipped for the fight at hand. Research Papers on Commentary on the World Bank - Government (300 Level Course)Definition of Export QuotasAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAWPETSTEL analysis of IndiaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyBringing Democracy to AfricaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2

2000 Election Essay Research Paper I have

2000 Election Essay, Research Paper I have selected to compose about the 2000 election and who the two major campaigners are and what their programs and thoughts are for the presidential place. This subject has interested me since the beginning of the New Year. With two footings stoping for President Bill Clinton, the new election has had a batch at interest. At one terminal of the ring there is Vice President, Democrat, Al Gore in the Hunt for the presidential place. The other terminal is Republican, Governor of Texas, George W. Bush following in his male parent s footfalls. No affair the campaigner s party, each of them has many thoughts and programs if they are elected. Democratic campaigner, Al Gore, is our current frailty president. Gore soon 52 is from Washington, D.C. , and has a great trade of political experience. He has held a place in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977-85, the U. S. Senate from 1985-93, and has been Vice President since 1993. Gore besides has past military experience functioning in the Army from 1969-71. When asked about the of import issues confronting the U.S. today such as ; Education, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Social Security and Taxes this is some of Gore s places on each. For instruction he wants to utilize $ 170 billion of budget excesss for an Education Reform Trust Fund that would finance cosmopolitan preschool, enroll high-quality instructors, addition wages of instructors, cut down category size so that there is one instructor for every 20 or fewer pupils, and construct new schools or overhaul existing 1s. Plus, guarantee that there # 8217 ; s a qualified instructor in every schoolroom. Besides, usage province appraisals and answerability systems to place failing schools and do certain they are improved rapidly and to honor schools that are wining. In Foreign Policies Gore supports a strong military, but favors the decrease of arms of mass devastation. He besides supports free trade, human rights, favours spread outing NATO, and supports comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Gore besides has a passion with the environment. As a senator he became an expert on planetary heating, the depletion of the ozone bed, the devastation of the rain wood, and new Earth friendly engineering. ( www.infoplease.com/spot/algore.html ) He supports strongly environmental protection. As for Health Care Gore thinks there should be coverage for every kid by 2005 by spread outing the Children # 8217 ; s Health Insurance Program ( CHIP ) , which financess province plans with federal money. The program would cover kids in households gaining up to 250 per centum of the poorness degree ( about $ 41,000 for a household of four ) . ( The program presently covers those kids in households that earn up to 200 per centum of the poorness degree. ) Gore # 8217 ; s program would let households that earn more than the 250 per centum to purchase into CHIP or Medicaid. He would besides let uninsured parents buy into CHIP. Besides allow people between the ages of 55-65 to purchase into Medicare. Gore supports Patients # 8217 ; Bill of Rights that would vouch patients critical wellness protections and entree to specializers, give patients the ability to appeal determinations by HMOs, and expand patients # 8217 ; and physicians decision-making functions. Gore s thoughts about Social Security are giving all Social Security Surpluses to Social Security and debt decrease. Opposes raising retirement age. Would widen solvency of Social Security through 2054 by beef uping Social Security by utilizing long-run involvement nest eggs. Dedicate all Social Security money to the trust fund # 8220 ; lock box # 8221 ; that would merely be used to pay benefits to retired persons. His thought s for revenue enhancements are as follows ; pay off national debt by 2012, dedicate the full Social Security excess to cut downing the national debt and beef uping Social Security, would so use the ensuing involvement nest eggs to beef up the Social Security Trust Fund, would increase the Earned Income Credit net incomes threshold, would utilize the $ 2.17 trillion non-Social Sec urity excess for $ 480 billion in targeted revenue enhancement cuts ; $ 360 to beef up the Medicare plan ; $ 870 billion in disbursement on domestic plans ; $ 300 billion would be left as a â€Å"rainy twenty-four hours fund.† Choosing Senator Joseph Lieberman as his running mate, Vice President Al Gore has a all right prevarication to walk on. Gore picked Lieberman for his strong moral compass and uprightness. Lieberman has been to the right of Gore on several issues. He portions the frailty presidents positions on the environment, abortion, gun control and civil rights. He besides favors free trade. Lieberman is besides the first Jew on the ticket of a national party. He is an Orthodox Jew, which prevents him from working or siting in vehicles from sundown on Friday to sundown on Sunday. George W. Bush is the 46th Governor of the State of Texas and the Republican campaigner for President of the United States. Bush, presently 54, has been Governor of Texas since 1995. He was besides a campaigner for U.S. House of Representatives in 1978. His military experience is functioning in the Texas National Guard for 6 old ages. When asked about the of import issues confronting the U.S. today such as ; Education, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Social Security and Taxes this is some of Bush s places on each. For instruction Bush wants to make a $ 500 million inducement fund to honor provinces for bettering pupil accomplishment. Schools that don # 8217 ; t better would hold a part of their federal support diverted to rent schools. He wants to give provinces control over criterions and proving. Besides, he wants to make a Charter School Homestead Fund to supply $ 3 billion in loan warrants to assist construct or better 2,000 charter schools. On the Foreign Policy issue Bush opposes Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, unlike Gore who supports it. He besides supports decrease of arms of mass devastation, like Gore. He favors a missile defence system and supports utilizing force to support U.S. critical involvements in the universe. Health Care Bush supports giving Medicare receivers freedom to take between federal and private prescription drug benefit programs. He would give provinces freedom to spread out Children # 8217 ; s Health Insurance Program to cover as many kids as possible, and would give $ 2,000 health-care recognition to households that don # 8217 ; t measure up for Medicaid and are non covered by private programs. Persons would have $ 1,000 recognition. On Social Security he wants to merely wish Gore, give all Social Security money to the trust fund # 8220 ; lock box # 8221 ; that would merely be used to pay benefits to retired persons. He opposes any revenue enhancement addition for Social Security and opposes authorities investing of Social Security in private stocks or bonds. Supported riddance of Social Security net incomes bound. His thoughts on Taxs are to increase one-year part bound on tax-advantaged Educational Savings Accounts from $ 500 to $ 5,000, and expand their range to beyond college and down to kindergarten. He would wish to extinguish the decease revenue enhancement, and the national debt by 2016. Besides like Gore, Bush would utilize the $ 2.17 trillion non-Social Security excess for a $ 1.3 trillion revenue enhancement cut ; $ 475 billion in disbursement on domestic plans ; and $ 265 billion in a # 8220 ; showery twenty-four hours fund. # 8221 ; George W. Bush selected Richard B. Cheney as his running mate. Three months ago, Bush plucked Cheney from his station as CEO of Halliburton Co. , a Texas building and technology outfit that services oil companies, to head the frailty presidential choice commission. ( www.infoplease.com/spot/cheney1.html ) Cheney s experience and his personal ties with the Bush household made him the favourite. The United States will be voting for president within a few hebdomads, the arguments and pre-polls have varied really much over the last few months. Each campaigner has been in the lead so out of the lead, it will be a close race until the terminal. Bush and Gore have some thoughts that are the same, but most are different.

The problem of corruption in Liberia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The problem of corruption in Liberia - Essay Example At the beginning of 2002, UNHCR assisted the refugees who voluntarily wanted to repatriate to Sierra Leone, and by the end of September, close to 13,000 refugees had been repatriated. UNHCR intends to continue its work in close cooperation with the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), which is the government institution responsible for constructing and implementing programmes for the displaced in Liberia (UNHCR, 2002c; Kamara, 1999b). Many of the studies on the topic of resettlement and repatriation emphasise the security conditions and the importance of guaranteeing protection for the refugees. This seems to be a major concern not only throughout the conflict but also in the postwar period. In late 1992 there were reports of security problems, especially in the northern Lofa County, and as a result UNHCR and NGOs were unable to reach the Sierra Leonean refugees in that area. Moreover, although UNHCR has had a voluntary repatriation plan in place since July 1991, the ongoing fighting has prevented Liberian refugees from returning (Jesuit Refugee Service, 1993:7). According to UNHCR, the security situation improved somewhat in 1993. However, the implementation of the Cotonou agreement, which was argued to be a condition for the return of the refugees, was behind schedule (UNHCR, 1993). Furthermore, in early 1994, UNHCR was asking donors for funds regarding the voluntary repatriation of some 700,000 Liberian refuge es residing in neighbouring countries at that time (Jesuit Refugee Service, 1994). Abdi and Tinstman discuss voluntary repatriation to Liberia, and they too argue that the security situation in Liberia is precarious and that there is a need to ensure that the refugees are protected (Abdi and Tinstman, 1995). Paul Stromberg reports that, in late 1997, the UNHCR shifted its policy of facilitating repatriation to a more active policy of promoting repatriation, but progress has been slow. The problems have been several, for instance, the cross border insurgencies, together with the lack of interest from the international donors which have resulted in lack in funding (Stromberg, 1998). In a paper by Tom Kamara, several aspects concerning returnees and repatriation are discussed. Kamara argues that security issues, as well as the economic environment, make the conditions for repatriation and reintegration difficult (Kamara, 1999b). Along the same lines, Philippa Atkinson has conducted a study of the political and socio-economic conditions facing the Liberian refugees as they returned from neighbouring countries to Liberia. She analyses a number of different factors, including shelter, food aid, income distribution, and employment (Atkinson, 1992). In a more recent study on economic opportunities for those returning home, Rein Dekker studies a group of Ghanaians who moved to Liberia, but due to the war returned to resettle in their home country. The government of Ghana and international agencies were focusing on the Liberian refugees while Ghanaian refugees were left to fend for themselves. However, loan schemes were offered by an NGO, and it is this scheme which Dek ker evaluates in her study. Dekker examines the factors that determined whether the refugees were successful in making use of this economic opportunity and able to repay their loans (Dekker, 1995). Jeff Crisp reports on